| Abstract: | In a regional stream-sediment survey of the Seigal and Hedleys Creek areas, covering approximately 6000 km2, in all 2508 stream-sediment samples were collected with an overall sample density of 1 per 2–3 km2. The minus 180 μm fraction of the samples was analyzed for up to 25 elements including As, Ba, Be, Bi, Ce, Co, Cr, Cu, F, Fe, Li, Mn, Mo, Nb, Ni, Pb, Rb, S, Sn, Th, Ti, U, W, Y and Zn.Selected elements were processed by a statistical map-analysis technique to: (a) display the broad-scale regional distribution patterns of the elements using a cell-average gap-fill mapping technique followed by low-pass filtering (LPF); and (b) delineate anomalous areas using the picture frame filter (PFF) and the Kolmogorov-Smirnov filter (KSF).The regional distribution patterns of elements clearly relate to geologic belts, plutons and stratigraphic units. Anomaly filtering clearly identifies the various known mineral occurrences including U, U-Cu-Sn, and Pb-Zn. The technique also delineated several anomalies, unrelated to known mineral occurrences, having similar anomalous element combinations and occurring in similar geological settings as those related to known mineral occurrences. Some of these filter-enhanced anomalies are too subtle to be immediately apparent in the unprocessed data. |
