Abstract:

Nanoscale particles of copper or copper alloy were widely discovered in soils and gases over concealed ore deposits, such as CuNi ore deposit, Au ore deposit and CuAu deposit. The particles in size diameters, shapes and compositions are similar to those in ore rocks. The facts show that copper minerals widely occur in native copper in various types of mineral deposits. The nanoscale particles of copper or alloy from the ore body could migrate upward to the surface, arriving at the surface, part of particles are persisting in the soil gases and the other part of particles may be trapped by soil geochemical barriers such as iron and manganese oxide coatings, clay minerals, colloids, soluble salts and secondary carbonates. The discovery of nanoscale particles of copper provides direct observation evidence for deeppenetrating geochemistry using soil and geogases as sampling media to search for deeply concealed ore deposits.

Key words:  concealed deposit, nanoscale metal particles, geogas, soil mobile metals, geochemical migration