TITLE:
An Integrated Geoscientific Approach to Define Zones of Gold Mineralization —A Case Study in North Sudan
AUTHORS:
Bijay K. Mishra, N. Sulekha Rao, Sudeep Rautray, Subhranshu Pattanayak
KEYWORDS:
Remote Sensing, Geological, Geochemical, Gold, Hydrothermal Alterations, Gossans, Quartz Veins
JOURNAL NAME:
Open Journal of Geology,
Vol.4 No.5,
May
6,
2014
ABSTRACT: The study area is located
in Bayuda desert lying about 400 km from Khartoum in the state of River Nile,
North Sudan. The present study aimed to identify gold mineralized zones through
an integrated geoscientific approach. The approach integrated the results of
geospatial studies, geological mapping, field observations and geochemical
data. Remote sensing studies using ASTER and Quickbird data helped to identify
the zones of chloritic, sericitic and phyllic alteration signatures and gossan
rich zones. Geological mapping and field observations confirmed the presence of
gold mineralization along the quartz veins which shared the litho contacts of
biotite muscovite schist, biotite muscovite gneiss and silicate gneiss. These
gold bearing potential areas were found to be structurally controlled and most
of the mineralizations were along the proximity of shear-zones, faults and
folds. The gold assay values obtained from the chemical analysis of stream
sediment and pitting-trenching samples also confirmed the results of remote
sensing and geological mapping. Integration of all these data helped to
identify drill holes’ locations in the study area for further exploration. This
focused plan facilitated cost and time optimization in exploration activities.