Characterization of the genesis and spatial variability in tectonic fractures in the Gaosong ore field (South China).

This study examines fractures in the Gaosong ore field to determine the main factors affecting the spatial variability in the fracture structure. The attributes of fractures, including the fracture orientation, intensity and intersection density, in the Wuzishan anticline and near the Lotus mountain fault in the Gaosong ore field in the GeJiu ore district were extracted by using a modified circular scanning line method. The fracture intensity and intersection density were analyzed based on the semivariance geostatistics function by using the volume of variation and the amount of relative variability. These parameters quantitatively describe the spatial variability in the fracture structure. The mean and standard variance of fracture intensity and intersection density in the ore field decrease with distance from the Lotus mountain fault, while the coefficient of variation increases. The spatial anisotropy is closely related to the axial direction of the Wuzishan anticline and the orientation of the Lotus mountain fault. The main factors affecting the spatial variability in the fault structure can be determined with the semivariance geostatistics function, and the results are useful for studying the geology of the mining area and can help to construct an accurate structural model to serve the needs of mine production.

Mapping the Spatial Distribution and Characteristics of Lineaments Using Fractal and Multifractal Models: A Case Study from Northeastern Yunnan Province, China.

This study describes the fractal dimensions of the spatial distributions of lineaments as an index of the complexity of faults, and the results could provide new insights into the migration of ore-bearing fluid. The Segment Tracing Algorithm method is employed to extract the lineaments in northeast Yunnan Province from a remote sensing image. Box-counting fractal and multifractal models are used to analyze the fractal and multifractal spatial distribution characteristics of the linear structures. The different directions of the linear structure fractal dimensions are similar in the study area. The fractal dimensions of all lineaments, northeast trending lineaments and northwest trending lineaments are 1.98, 1.94 and 1.95, respectively. The dimensions of four large ore deposit fields, Kuangshanchang, Qilinchang, Maozu, and Lemachang, are 1.93, 1.92, 1.95, and 1.93, respectively. The fractal dimensions of these four fields are greater than those of the South China lineaments. The super-large and large ore deposits are consistent with fractal dimensions with high values. The scale index and the singular index show nonlinear relationships with any real number, and the fractal dimension spectrum has a unimodal curve. This study provides a useful reference for deposit exploration in areas with topographies similar to that in northeastern Yunnan.