W. H. Ficklin J. B. McHugh W. R. Miller 1992 <div id="preview-section-abstract"><div id="abstracts" class="Abstracts u-font-serif text-s"><div id="aep-abstract-id5" class="abstract author"><div id="aep-abstract-sec-id6"><p>Water was used as a medium for geochemical exploration to detect copper-nickel mineralization along the basal zone of the Duluth Complex. Ni²⁺<span>&nbsp;</span>is the most important pathfinder for the detection of the mineralized rocks, followed by Cu²⁺<span>&nbsp;</span>and SO₄²⁻<span>&nbsp;</span>and to a lesser extent Mg²⁺<span>&nbsp;</span>and SiO₂. A normalized sum plot using these species defines the mineralization more consistently than a single-element plot, mainly because the absence of one variable does not significantly influence the normalized sum value.</p><p>A hydrogeochemical survey was conducted in an area of known copper-nickel mineralization in the cool-humid climate of northeastern Minnesota. The area is covered with glacial drift, and wetlands are abundant. Modeling of the chemistry of waters indicates that the waters are oxidizing and have a pH of 7 or less. The most important pathfinder species in the waters, Cu²⁺, Ni²⁺, and SO₄²⁻, are derived from the simple weathering of sulfide minerals and are mobile in the waters in this environment.</p><p>Plots of Cu and Ni concentrations in soils show that Cu followed by Ni are the most useful indicator elements for delineating copper-nickel mineralization. The ability of soils and water to delineate the mineralization supports the use of both media for geochemical exploration in this cool-humid environment. In the wetlands, abundant water is available and soils are scarce or absent; where soils are abundant, waters are generally scarce or absent. The use of both media is recommended for geochemical exploration in this environment.</p></div></div></div></div><div id="preview-section-introduction"><br></div><div id="preview-section-snippets"><br></div><div id="preview-section-references"><br></div> application/pdf 10.1016/0375-6742(92)90030-C en Elsevier Geochemical exploration for copper-nickel deposits in the cool-humid climate of northeastern Minnesota article