Abstract

HABIBKHAH, Narges; HASANI, Hossein; MAGHSOUDI, Abbas  and  HONARMAND, Mehdi. Investigation of the spatial distribution of porphyry copper deposits using fractal and fry analysis methods in Dehaj Area, Kerman: Implications for exploration. Earth Sci. Res. J. [online]. 2022, vol.26, n.4, pp.321-333.  Epub Jan 16, 2024. ISSN 1794-6190.  https://doi.org/10.15446/esij.v26n4.82748.

Known to be triggered and controlled by tectonic systems, magmatism plays a significant role in the deposition and emplacement of hydrothermal mineral systems. It is, therefore, of paramount importance to recognize the tectonic processes that are genetically associated with hydrothermal mineral systems. This study seeks to address this research gap by recognizing the main tectonic processes that have controlled the distribution of porphyry copper (Cu) deposits in Dehaj Area on the Urmia-Dokhtar magmatic belt, central Iran. For this purpose, spatial associations of 31 known porphyry Copper deposits, faults, and fractures were evaluated by multiple numerical techniques including fry, fractal, (box-counting and radial-density methods), and distance-distribution analyses to investigate structural controls of the porphyry Copper mineralization. Results of the fry analysis revealed three mineralization trends, namely NS, NE, and NW, clearly following the existing fault systems in the area. Application of the fractal method demonstrated that structural controls on mineralization have operated on two different scales, regional and local scales. Distance-Distribution analysis was further used to spatially correlate known porphyry Copper deposits to fault traces, supplementing the results of fry and fractal analyses by quantitative measurements. Compiling the results of these three methods, it was shown that NW-trending faults have plausibly controlled the magmatism on a regional scale. On a local scale, however, NE- and N-trending faults have probably acted to control the channelling and emplacement of mineral-bearing fluids.

Keywords : structural controls; porphyry Cu deposits; fry; fractal; distance-distribution analysis; Urmia-Dokhtar magmatic belt; Iran.

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