Gold is a strategic commodity of global importance, essential to the economy, technology, and industry, as well as a security asset during economic instability. Although gold anomalies have been reported in the Sul-Riograndense Shield, detailed geophysical investigations in this province remain scarce. Within the São Gabriel Block (southern Brazil), gold mineralization occurs in fault-controlled quartz veins, a style consistent with epizonal orogenic systems and indicative of high exploration potential. This study integrates drone-based terrain modeling with gamma-ray spectrometry and magnetometry to refine exploration targets in a hydrographic basin where gold particles were identified in fluvial sediments at the basin outlet. The joint interpretation of gamma-ray spectrometry and magnetic data allowed the characterization of lithological units and alteration zones associated with mineralization. It also enabled the mapping of primary and secondary structures that control the circulation of mineralizing fluids and the identification of priority prospecting targets with greater precision. The results indicate that the main NE-SW trending shear zone is characterized by a negative magnetic anomaly and coincides with the granite- metavolcanic contact, functioning as a channel for the circulation of hydrothermal fluids. A secondary N-S trending zone exhibits enrichment in K, Th, and U, consistent with a complementary hydrothermal event and indicative of potential for secondary mineralization. Results demonstrate the effectiveness of combining geophysics and drone imagery for identifying primary mineralization zones, offering a complementary approach to traditional geochemical prospecting.
Barros et al. (Tue,) studied this question.
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