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Active source tomography in northwestern Xinjiang, China: Implication for mineral distribution

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Abstract

The main aim of this work is to understand the distribution of minerals by obtaining a shallow velocity structure around the Karatungk (喀拉通克) region. Data were acquired in 2009 by a denser array in deploying a transportable seismometer with 4.5 Hz vertical geophone. All the P-wave arrival times are picked automatically with Akaike information criterion, and then checked manmachine interactively by short-receiver geometry. The database for local active-source tomographic inversion involves 4 241 P-wave arrival time readings from 96 shots and three quarry blasts. Checkerboard tests aimed at checking the reliability of the obtained velocity models are presented. The resulting V p distribution slices show a complicated 3-D structure beneath this area and offer a better understanding of three well-defined mineral deposits. Near the surface we observe a series of zones with slightly high-velocity which probably reflect potential deposits. Based on features of metallic ores we attempt to delimit their distributions and stretched directions.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Tomographic Earth System Imaging Center, China University of Geosciences, Wuhan, 430074, China

    Bao Mei  (梅宝) & Yixian Xu  (徐义贤)

  2. State Key Laboratory of Geological Processes and Mineral Resources, China University of Geosciences, Wuhan, 430074, China

    Yixian Xu  (徐义贤)

  3. Institute of Geology, Chinese Academy of Geological Sciences, Beijing, 100037, China

    Hui Qian  (钱辉)

Authors
  1. Bao Mei  (梅宝)
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  2. Yixian Xu  (徐义贤)
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  3. Hui Qian  (钱辉)
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Bao Mei  (梅宝).

Additional information

This study was supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (No. 40730317), and National Basic Research Program of China (No. 2007CB411300).

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Mei, B., Xu, Y. & Qian, H. Active source tomography in northwestern Xinjiang, China: Implication for mineral distribution. J. Earth Sci. 22, 214–225 (2011). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12583-011-0174-9

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s12583-011-0174-9

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