Fault Control on Copper Depositsin the Sar Cheshmeh Area Indicated by Remote Sensing & Geographic Information Systems (GIS)

Document Type : Research Article

Authors

• Hojjat Ollah Safari
• Behnam Shafiei Bafti
• Hassan Mohamadrezaei

Golestan

10.22067/econg.v8i1.26904

Abstract

Introduction
The Sar Cheshmeh copper deposit and indications of other deposits are located in the Dehaj-Sarduieh belt in the Kerman region (Khadem and Nedimovic, 1973). This belt is one of the most important provinces of Cu mineralization in Iran, with approximately 300 Cu deposits and prospects, includingtwenty of the porphyry copper type (Ghorbani, 2013). This belt, 300 km in length and 30–45 km width, is situated in the southern part of the Uramia-Dokhtar volcanic belt in central Iran (Shafiei, 2010). Zarasvandi (2004) has proposed that faulting has played a role in the location of copper deposition in this area.

Methods of Investigation
In order to check Zarasvandi’s hypothesis, the spatial relationship between faults and Cu deposits was investigated using remote sensing and GIS techniques together with field investigations in the Sar Cheshmeh area. The the following steps were used in this research:
1. Review of available data
2. Surface geology field studies
3. Preparation of digital overlay of Copper occurrences
4. Analysis of the relationshipof faulting to Copper occurrences
Using remote sensing techniques, a geometrically corrected satellite image was filtered with high pass and Sharpen Edge filters to detect possible lineaments (Lillesand and Keifer, 2008; Sabins, 1996). Directional filters (45º, 90º, 135º and 180º) were then applied to the processed image to enhance the linear structures. Subsequently,the major lineaments were documented in the field as major and minor faults (Safari et al., 2011). Four main faults, designated as the Rafsanjan, Mani, Gaud-e-Ahmar and Sar Cheshmeh faultswere determined to be major. These faults were digitized and overlaid on other data layers in GIS environment. The strikes, dips, striae and directions of movementof the faultswere measured at 20 locations in the field. Structural analyses were done with Rose diagrams, calculation of P-axes and preparation of a structural map.
Copper occurrences on the mineral distribution map of Lotfi, et al. (1993) were used in this study and the locations of somecopper occurrences were determined in the field using GPS. The locations and main characteristics of the copper occurrences were entered into a GIS map. Finally, aniso-fracture map, was prepared using the GIS environment based onfault lengths within a 1000 ×1000 mgrid and on the buffer map of ore occurrences relative to faults. The copper occurrence locations were overlaid on these prepared maps and the relationship between faults and ore occurrences locations was analyzed.

Results
This research indicates that:
1.The faults in the Sar Cheshmeh area trend predominantly 090°-110°, 130°-150°, 050°-070° and 170°-190°.
2.The data show that three major NW- trendingfaults, the Mani, Gaud-e-Ahmar and Rafsanjan faults show right-lateral strike-slip movement and the two major E-W trending Sar Cheshmeh and Darreh Zar faults have left-lateral strike-slip displacements.
3. The control of the calculated P-axes shows that at least two older movements have happened along these faults.

Discussion
The results show that the main faults did not directly control the locations of the mineralized porphyries and veins, but that rather the locations are due tothe second-order faults. Also, the saturated occurrence locations have the closer relationship with main faults and most indexes are located near the Rafsanjan fault and its second-order faults.

References
Ghorbani, M., 2013. The Economic Geology of Iran: Mineral Deposits and Natural Resources. Springer Science, Business Media Dordrecht, Heidelberg, 581 pp.
Khadem, N. and Nedimovic, R., 1973. Exploration for ore deposits in Kerman Region. Geological Survey of Iran, Report Yu/53, 247 pp (in Persian).
Lillesand, T.M. and Kiefer, R.W., 2008. Remote sensing and image interpretation. John Wiley and Sons, New York, 756 pp.
Lotfi, M., Sadeghi, M.M. and Omrani, S.J., 1993. Mineral distribution map of Iran, scale: 1/1000000. Geologic Survey of Iran.
Sabins, F.F., 1996. Remote sensing principle and interpretation. Macmillan Education Australia, New York, 494 pp.
Safari, H., Pirasteh, S. and Shattri, B.M., 2011. Role of Kazerun Fault for Localizing Oil Seepage in the Zagros Mountains, Iran: an Application of GiT. International Journal of Remote sensing, 32(1): 1-16.
Shafiei, B., 2010. Lead isotope signatures of the igneous rocks and porphyry copper deposits from the Kerman Cenozoic magmatic arc (SE Iran), and their magmatic-metallogenetic implication. Ore Geology Reviews, 38: 27-36.
Zarasvandi, A.R., 2004. Geology and genesis of the Darreh-Zerreshk and Ali-Abad copper deposits, Southwest of Yazd, based on fluid inclusion and isotope studies. Ph.D. Thesis, Shiraz University, Shiraz, Iran, 280 pp.

Keywords

• Sar Cheshmeh Area
• Copper Occurrences
• Remote Sensing (RS)
• GIS

20.1001.1.20087306.1395.8.1.5.4

---

References

Amidi, A.S., Emami, M.H. and Michel, R., 1984. Alkaline character of Eocene volcanism in the middle part of Iran and its geodynamic situation. Geologische Rundschau, 73(3): 917-932.

Aronoff, S., 1989. Geographic information system. A management perspective. WDL publication, Ottawa, Canada, 249 pp.

Ashrafi, S.A., 2007. Structural and Tectonic analysis of Sarcheshmeh ore district. M.Sc. Thesis, Shahid Beeshti University, Tehran, Iran, 170 pp (in Persian with English abstract).

Berberian, F., Muir, I.D., Pankhurst, R.J. and Berberian, M., 1982. Late Cretaceous and early Miocene Andean type plutonic activity in northern Makran and centeral Iran. Journal of Geological Society of London, 139(5): 605-614.

Berger, B.R., Tingley, J.V. and Drew, L.J., 2003. Structural Localization and Origin of Compartmentalized Fluid Flow, Comstock Lode, Virginia City, Nevada. Economic Geology, 98: 387–408.

Cornejo, P., Tosdal, R.M., Mpodozis, C., Tomlinson, A.J., Rivera, O. and Fanming, C.M., 1997. El Salvador, Chile, porphyry copper deposits revisited: Geologic and geochronologic framework. International Geology Review, 38: 22-54.

Darvishzadeh, A., 2004. Geology of Iran. Geological Survey of Iran, Tehran, Iran, 901 pp (in Persian).

Ghasemi, A. and Talbot, C.J., 2006. A new scenario far the Sanandaj-Sirjan zone (Iran). Journal of Asian Earth Sciences, 26: 683-693.

Ghorbani, M., 2013. The Economic Geology of Iran: Mineral Deposits and Natural Resources. Springer Science, Business Media Dordrecht, Heidelberg, 581 pp.

Grocott, J., Arevalo, C., Welkner, D. and Cruden, A., 2009. Fault-assisted vertical pluton growth: Coastal Cordillera, north Chilean Andes. Journal of the Geological Society London 166: 295-301.

Hassanzadeh, J., 1993. Metallogenic and tectonomagmatic events in the SE sector of the Cenozoic active continental margin of Iran (Shahre Babak area, Kerman Province). Unpublished Ph.D thesis, University of California, Los Angeles, USA, 204 pp.

Hezarkhani, A., 2006. Hydrothermal evolution of the sar-cheshmeh porphyry Cu-Mo deposit, Iran: Evidence from fluid inclusions. Journal of Asian Earth Sciences, 25(1): 1-14.

Honarmand, M. and Ranjbar, H., 2006. Application of Different Image Processing Techniques on ETM Images for Exploration of Porphyry and Vein Type Copper Mineralizations in Kuh-e-Mamzar and Kuh-e-panj Areas, Kerman Province. Geosciences, 57: 110-127 (in Persian).

Jung, D., Kursten, M. and Tarkian, M., 1976. Post-Mesozoic volcanism in Iran and its relation ti the subduction of the Afro-Arabian under the Eurasian plate. In: A. Pilger and A. Rosler, (Editors), After Between continental and oceanic rifting. Schweizerbartsche varlagbuchhandlung, Stuttgart, pp. 175-181.

Khadem, N. and Nedimovic, R., 1973. Exploration for ore deposits in Kerman Region. Geological Survey of Iran, Report Yu/53, 247 pp (in Persian).

Kloppenburg, A., Grocott, J. and Hutchinson, D., 2010. Structural Setting and Synplutonic Fault Kinematics of a Cordilleran Cu-Au-Mo Porphyry Mineralization System, Bingham Mining District, Utah. Economic Geology, 105: 743-761.

Lillesand, T.M. and Kiefer, R.W., 2008. Remote sensing and image interpretation. John Wiley and Sons, New York, 756 pp.

Lotfi, M., Sadeghi, M.M. and Omrani, S.J., 1993. Mineral distribution map of Iran, scale: 1/1000000. Geologic Survey of Iran.

Marrett, R. and Allmendinger, R.W., 1990, Kinematic analysis of fault-slip data. Journal of structural Geology, 12(8): 973-986.

Moradian, A., 1997. Geochemistry, geochronology and petrography of feldspathoid bearing rocks in Urumieh-Dokhtar volcanic belt, Iran. Unpublished Ph.D thesis, University of Wollongong, Australia, 412 pp.

Navaei, I., 2002. Viewpoint on Cu resources of Iran: genesis and distributions. Geological Survey of Iran, Internal report, Tehran, 235 pp (in Persian).

Ramsay, J.G. and Hubber, M., 1987. The techniques of modern structural geology: Folds and fractures (vol. II). Academic Press, London, 700 pp.

Richards, J.P., 2000, Lineaments revisited. Society of Economic Geologists Newsletter, 42(1): 14-20.

Sabins, F.F., 1996. Remote sensing principle and interpretation. Macmillan Education Australia, New York, 494 pp.

Richards, J.P., 2003. Tectono-magmatic precursors for porphyry Cu-(Mo-Au) deposit formation. Economic Geology, 98(8): 1515-1533.

Shafiei, B., 2008. Metallogenic model for Kerman porphyry copper belt and its implications for exploration. Ph.D. thesis, Shaheed Bahonar University, Kerman, Iran, 257 pp (in Persian with English abstract).

Shafiei, B., 2010. Lead isotope signatures of the igneous rocks and porphyry copper deposits from the Kerman Cenozoic magmatic arc (SE Iran), and their magmatic-metallogenetic implication. Ore Geology Reviews, 38: 27-36.

Shafiei, B. and Shahabpour, J., 2012. Geochemical aspects of molybdenum and precious metals distribution in Sarcheshmeh porphyry copper deposites, Iran. Miner Deposita, Springer, 47: 535-543.

Safari, H., Pirasteh, S. and Shattri, B.M., 2011. Role of Kazerun Fault for Localizing Oil Seepage in the Zagros Mountains, Iran: an Application of GiT. International Journal of Remote sensing, 32(1): 1-16.

Shahabpour, J., 1996. Use of drainage trends as a prospecting tool in the central Iranian porphyry copper belt. CIM Bulletin (Canadian Institute of Minnig, Metallurgy and Petroleum), 89(1003): 70-75.

Shahabpour, J., 2007. Islan-arc affinity of the Central Iranian Volcanic Belt. Journal of Asian Earth Sciences, 30: 652-665.

Sillitoe, R.H. and Perello, J. 2005. Andean copper province: tectonomagmatic settings, deposit types, Metallogeny, exploration, and discovery. In: J.W., Hedenquist, J.F.H., Thompson, R., Goldfarb and J., Richards (Editors), Economic Geology 100th Anniversary Volume. Society of Economic Geologists, Littleton, Colorado, USA, pp. 845-890.

Taghizadeh Zenuzi, H., 1997. Investigation on relationship between Tectonics and mineralization in NE of Pariz. M.Sc. Thesis, Shahid Beheshti University, Tehran, Iran, 130 pp (in Persian with English abstract).

Tosdal, R.M. and Richards, J.P., 2001. Magmatic and structural controls on the development of porphyry Cu ± Mo ± Au deposits. Reviews in Economic Geology, 14: 157-181.

Zarasvandi, A.R., 2004. Geology and genesis of the Darreh-Zerreshk and Ali-Abad copper deposits, Southwest of Yazd, based on fluid inclusion and isotope studies. Ph.D. Thesis, Shiraz University, Shiraz, Iran, 280 pp.

Zengqian, H., Hongwen, M., Zaw, K., Yuquan, Z., Mingjie, W., Zeng, W., Guitang, P. and Renli, T., 2003. The Himalayan Yulong Porphyry Cu Belt: Product of Large-Scale Strike-Slip Faulting in Eastern Tibet. Economic Geology, 98: pp. 125–145.