Soil geochemical anomalies – their dynamic nature and interpretation

Summary

Previous studies suggested that the relationship between Mobile Metal Ions (MMI) and conventional geochemical anomalies could be explained using a simple three-stage conceptual model.

This model in turn pointed to a dynamic balance between unbound and bound metals in the solum.

In this study that dynamic balance was investigated. In all cases it was shown that the sharp MMI anomalies occurred within a broad conventional envelope, consistent with the theory.

For gold, in all cases coherent MMI Au anomalies were recorded; in cases with active transported cover the absolute levels of the anomalies were of the order of 1 – 2 ppb, with backgrounds one-tenth that value, thus providing an acceptable contrast.

Keywords: geochemical anomaly, mobile metal, soil geochemistry, geochemical prospecting