Anomaly characteristics of airborne gamma-ray spectrometric survey and uranium prospecting direction in Huayangchuan, Qinling

The Huayangchuan uranium-niobium-lead ore deposit is a unique type of uranium polymetallic deposit in North Qinling orogenic belt. For the purpose of rapid mineral exploration, 1:10000 airborne magnetic and gamma-ray spectrometric measurement was conducted in the peripheral area to obtain high-precision airborne radioactive data. The explanation of these data is of great significance to the deployment of future exploration work. The distribution of radioactive elements shows that potassium and uranium anomalies are similarly located in the western part of the survey area, but there are no anomalies in the east. Thorium anomalies have formed an EW-trending anomaly belt at the center of the survey area, which is consistent with the ductile shear zone. The uranium anomalies are controlled by NW-and NE-trending faults. They are obviously distributed in the northeast plate with large area and high anomaly intensity, but there are no anomalies in Archean metamorphic rocks of southwest plate. The ratios of Th/K, Th/U and U/K, original U and active U were calculated in this study to understand the migration and enrichment of radioactive elements in different strata. According to the airborne gamma-ray spectrometry anomalies, ground verification work delineated three uranium mineralization zones, thus achieving the purpose of rapid mineral exploration. The result obtained by the authors can play a guiding role in the study of ore-forming process and the prospecting for uranium minerals and other strategic minerals.