Gravity and magnetic geophysical surveys for exploration of low sulphidation epithermal mining project. Marifil Complex, Chon Aike Igneous Province, Argentina

Abstract

The Marifil Complex constitutes the early stage of the Chon Aike Igneous Province along eastern North Patagonia, Argentina. Geological, geochronological, and geochemical data indicate that this magmatism consists of two characteristic Lower Jurassic volcanic events (V0 and V1). The epithermal activity takes place in V1 as Au-Ag veins (Pavón Pivetta et al., 2024). Particularly, base metal veins are covered and masked by the important explosive volcanic activity related to the V1 volcanic stage. This makes geophysical exploration a highly recommended tool for interpreting subsurface geological features.

With this in mind, we have carried out the acquisition and processing of gravity and magnetic data that is supported with drill holes and geochronological data. A series of gravity and magnetic highs and lows were recognized, together with major lineaments. Using Euler deconvolution, the depth of the sources that generate the anomalies was calculated. The analysis of these results allowed us to construct two perpendicular gravity 2D models for the calculation of thicknesses and depth of the rhyolitic coulée. The gravity lows were associated with the major thickness of rhyolitic coulée, reaching 290 m in the drill holes, and interpreted geophysically to have a deeper root. The gravity highs were interpreted in two possible ways: a basement depth decrease and/or the absence of the rhyolitic coulée. The minimum depth estimated for the basement highs is approximately 20 m. These interpretations are consistent with outcrop, drill hole and geochronologic data, and magnetic maps. The RMSE between the calculated and the observed anomalies of the models are about 0.316 and 0.519 mGal. Due to the shape of the anomalies obtained from the gravimetric maps, the structures that generate the anomalies were considered as generated by three-dimensional bodies. For this purpose, we created a 3D model that provides interesting data about the possible location of these non-outcropping gravity lows that are located in the first 200 m depth.

These results demonstrate that the use of the gravity and magnetic method constitutes a useful, fast, economical, robust, and reliable tool for the identification of these volcanic structures.