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3D Magnetization Vector Inversion applied to the Rio Capibaribe Terrain,

Borborema Province, NE / Brazil: Modeling Ni-Cu-PGE ore bodies and proposing
new exploratory targets

Conference Paper · June 2019

DOI: 10.1190/GEM2019-117.1

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3D Magnetization Vector Inversion applied to the Rio Capibaribe Terrain, Borborema
Province, NE / Brazil: Modeling Ni-Cu-PGE ore bodies and proposing new exploratory targets
Frederico R. F. R. O. Sousa 1*, Allan Früchting2, Adalene M. Silva3, Catarina L.B. Toledo3, Telma Aisengart4
1 Department of Geophysics and Remote Sensing, CPRM - Geological Survey of Brazil, Fortaleza, CE, Brazil
2 Nexa Resources
3 Institute of Geoscience, University of Brasilia, Brasilia, DF, Brazil
4 Geosoft Latinoamerica Ltda., Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brazil

Summary

The Rio Capibaribe Terrain, in Northeastern Brazil, has

sparked the interest of geoscientists due to its vocation for
Ni-Cu-PGE deposits since the discovery of Limoeiro, in
2009. In general, the geophysical signatures of the Ni-Cu-
PGE deposits have presented high magnetic susceptibility
due to the concentration of magnetite in its mineral
composition. This work presents the use of 3D
Magnetization Vector Inversion (MVI) aiming the
magnetic susceptibility distribution in subsurface to
understand the geometry of mineralized bodies and the
dynamics of this mineral system. A tubular geometry was
recovered for Limoeiro Ni-Cu-PGE deposit by performing
a selection of high susceptibility values on the MVI model,
presenting strong correlation with the geological and
geophysical data previously presented by Mota-e-Silva
(2013) and Frütching (2017), which reveals magmatic
conduits in the region, ground truthed in the field by
outcropping ultramafic bodies and by exploratory drilling.
Based on this result, new exploratory targets with the same
pattern were proposed for Rio Capibaribe Terrain.

Introduction enrichment of the sulfur concentration via crustal

contamination. Where multiple magma suites are located
The geophysical data provide some important answers within the same geological province, Ni–Cu–PGE ores are
which can contribute to the understanding of different usually associated with the suite formed by the highest
deposits at various scales of work (regional, district, and degree of partial melting. Sulfide ores from magmatic Ni-
deposit), especially those of a magmatic nature, such as Ni- Cu-PGE deposits are heavily anomalous in practically all
Cu-PGE. Figure 1 shows a summary of the geodynamic physical properties, including, magnetic susceptibility and
setting of this mineral system. The formation of magmatic natural radioactivity (King, 2007). Although these physical
nickel sulphide deposits requires mantle plumes rising from patterns seem to facilitate the detection process of Ni-Cu-
the depths of the order of hundreds of kilometers. It is clear PGE deposits, unfortunately, the association with magnetic
that the deposits location has a strong correlation to the country-rocks, which also rely on the presence of minerals
lithospheric architecture and, at the crustal level, this such as magnetite, increases the alert for ambiguities in the
correlation is manifested by a proximity to the margins of interpretation of results. Magnetite is a common mineral in
cratons and paleocratons (Begg et al., 2010). The timing mafic-ultramafic rocks, either as a primary mineral or as a
and tectonic configuration of the deposits indicate that this product of metasomatic processes. Magnetic susceptibility
occurs most likely when the mantle plumes reach the base in Ni-Cu-EGP ores is mainly related to the concentration of
of the crust and are channeled laterally into thinner areas magnetite in the mineral composition. However, it is also
where they undergo decompression fusion (Barnes et al., influenced by pyrrhotite which, in addition to its electrical
2015). The deflection of the mantle plume head occurs conductivity properties, is moderately magnetic in its
towards the thinner zones of the lithosphere, as in the monoclinic form (but is essentially non-magnetic in its
cratonic margins. The nickel tenors observed in deposits hexagonal form). This variation of its magnetic property
require the segregation of a magmatic sulfide melt from a also has important consequences for exploration, but may
large volume of ultramafic parental melting and subsequent also be critical for mineral processing, where magnetic

©The Society of Exploration Geophysicists and the Chinese Geophysical Society

GEM 2019 Xi’an: International Workshop on Gravity, Electrical & Magnetic Methods and Their Applications
Xi’an, China. May 19-22, 2019
*The corresponding author: [email protected].
 Modeling Ni-Cu-PGE ore bodies and proposing new exploratory targets

separation is sometimes used to separate magnetic orthopyroxenite, with an irregular and discontinuous outer
pyrrhotite from pentlandite and chalcopyrite minerals shell of amphibolite. These intrusions are part of a conduit
(King, 2007).The magnetic susceptibility of rocks can be system that occupies an area of 70 x 15 km, oriented in the
measured directly in samples and testimonies, or inferred NEE-SWW direction and sectioned by NS-SE and NW-SE
via magnetic aerial and terrestrial surveys. ductile systems, totaling about 150 linear kilometers of
intrusive rocks (Mota-e-Silva et al.,2013). According to
Geology Früchting (2017), the massive sulfide (70% pyrrotite, 15%
chalcopyrite and 15% petlandite) has a remarkable
The study area is the Rio Capibaribe Terrain (RCT), which susceptibility contrast ranging from zero to 1450 x 10-3 SI,
is located in the eastern part of the Transversal Zone, the and shows that there are two types of massive sulfide: one
central domain of the Borborema Province, Northeastern magnetic and conductive and other non-magnetic and
Brazil (Figure 2). The boundaries of this terrain are the conductive. No specific study was performed on the
main structures Congo – Cruzeiro do Nordeste shear zone remanence magnetization. However, the results of
(to the north and northwest) and the Pernambuco shear Früchting (2017) suggest that there are presence of
zone to the south. This terrain exhibits gneissic-migmatitic monoclinic (magnetic) pyrrhotite and hexagonal (non-
basement complexes of Paleoproterozoic age and magnetic) pyrrhotite in Limoeiro Ni-Cu-PGE deposit.
Neoproterozoic fold belts of the Tonian (Cariris Velho
cycle) and the Cryogenian–Ediacaran (Brasiliano cycle). It Geophysical data
is cross-cut by many intrusive rock assemblages of the
Paleoproterozoic, Mesoproterozoic and Neoproterozoic High-resolution airborne magnetic and gamma-ray data
ages, of different sources and tectonic natures (anorogenic were used to interpret the structural framework and to
plutonism, plutons related to shear zones, and magmatic identify the main rock units exposed in the region. The
arcs, among others); those presenting calc-alkaline rock airborne geophysical data used are part of the CPRM
types of different compositional groups are emphasized database and refer to the Borda Leste do Planalto da
(Brito Neves et al., 2013). Borborema (2007) and Pernambuco-Paraíba (2008)
projects. The magnetic and gamma-ray sensors were
coupled on board the aircraft, and planned flights were
spaced 0.5 km between N-S flight lines and 10 km between
E-W control lines, respectively, and the average flight
height of 100 m over the ground.

Magnetization Vector Inversion

The magnetization vector inversion was performed over the

TMI grid related to the RCT region in order to interpret the
magnetic susceptibility distribution in subsurface (Ellis et
al., 2012).The MVI is a computational algorithm for the
processing of magnetic data, designed to generate 3D
models for susceptibility and magnetization vector
distribution in subsurface, which takes into account the
effects of induced and residual magnetization without the
Regarding the metallogenetic potential of the RCT, there is need of prior knowledge of the direction or intensity of the
the Limoeiro Ni-Cu-PGE deposit, a discovery made in remanent magnetization (Ellis et al., 2012). The
2009 by Votorantim Metais close to the Pernambuco shear conventional 3D inversion of magnetic susceptibility
zone, in the Transversal Zone of Borborema Province, assumes that there is no remanent magnetization. However,
through the follow-up of a gamma-ray anomaly of 1km in this assumption is not always valid. Other factors ignored
diameter, partially coincident with a magnetic anomaly of in a traditional susceptibility inversion are the magnetic
4km in length in TMI map. According to Mota-e-Silva et anisotropy, demagnetizing effects and local field
al. (2013), this intrusion forms a tube-like conduit with disturbances due to the presence of other magnetic sources.
cross sections a few hundreds of meters in diameter and The unaccounted effects, especially remanence, are much
with a considerable length of more than 4 km. The conduit more relevant than previously thought, and this is part of
consists of two distinct sequences of ultramafic rocks, the interpretation of the magnetic field that should not be
denominated upper and lower sequences, each one ignored (McEnroe et al., 2009), especially when working in
consisting of a core of harzburgite enveloped by regions such as northeastern Brazil, for example, where
these effects are quite significant

©The Society of Exploration Geophysicists and the Chinese Geophysical Society

GEM 2019 Xi’an: International Workshop on Gravity, Electrical & Magnetic Methods and Their Applications
Xi’an, China. May 19-22, 2019.
 Modeling Ni-Cu-PGE ore bodies and proposing new exploratory targets

Results The analysis of the MVI results also reveals strong

remanent effects close to Limoeiro city, precisely in the Ni-
The MVI model generated for RCT, which encompasses Cu-PGE deposit area , showing the relationship between
the southeastern portion of the TZD, represents an area of the areas of high magnetic susceptibility and the location of
approximately 110x130 km, with a model cell size of important mineral deposits present in the Rio Capibaribe
300x300x50 meters in high resolution, creating a final terrain. The geological profile of Mota-e-Silva was
output with 447x141x52 cells (Figures 3 and 4). The MVI georreferenced and inserted in the MVI model, indicating a
results obtained in the Rio Capibaribe area shows a straight strong correlation between the mafic-ultramafic intrusion
line elongated magnetic body, related to the Pernambuco and the high susceptibility zone in tubular geometry, as
shear zone. indicated in Figure 4 below.

©The Society of Exploration Geophysicists and the Chinese Geophysical Society

GEM 2019 Xi’an: International Workshop on Gravity, Electrical & Magnetic Methods and Their Applications
Xi’an, China. May 19-22, 2019.
 Modeling Ni-Cu-PGE ore bodies and proposing new exploratory targets

Conclusions References
BARNES, S.J., CRUDEN, A.R., SAUMUR, B.-M., ARNDT, N.T., 2015. The mineral
systemapproach applied to magmatic Ni–Cu-PGE sulphide systems. Ore Geol.
The MVI technique shows an excellent performance Rev.http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.oregeorev.2015.06.012.
solving complex magnetic structures associated to the Rio
BEGG, G.C., HRONSKY, J.A.M., ARNDT, N.T., GRIFFIN, W.L., O’REILLY, S.Y.,
Capiberibe Terrain and modeling the Limoeiro Ni-Cu-PGE HAYWARD, N., 2010. Lithospheric, cratonic and geodynamic setting of Ni–Cu-PGE
orebody. The magnetization vectors with higher contrast in sulfide deposits.Econ. Geol. 105, 1057–1070.

amplitude and direction have a tubular geometry and new BRITO NEVES B.B.,SPRÖESSER, W.M., PETRONILHO, L.A., SOUZA, S.L.
2013.Contribuição à Geologia e à Geocronologia do Terreno Rio Capibaribe
high susceptibility volumes close to the deposit suggests (TRC,Província Borborema). Geologia USP Serie Cientifica, v. 13(2), p. 97-122.
that possibly new Ni-Cu-PGE deposits can be found in the ELLIS, R.G., WET, B., MACLEOD, I.N., 2012. Inversion of Magnetic Data from
future. Remanent and Induced Sources, 22nd International Geophysical Conference and
Exhibition, Australia.

Acknowledgments FRUCHTING, A. 2017. Estratégias para utilização de dados geofísicos na exploração de

mineralizações do tipo Ni-Cu-PGE: a descoberta do depósito de limoeiro, PE. ix, 89 f., il.
Masters dissertation—Universidade de Brasília, Brasília, 2017.
We thank CPRM for providing the airborne geophysical KING, A., 2007, Review of geophysical technology for Ni-Cu-PGE deposits, In:
Milkereit, B., Ed., Proceedings of Exploration 07: Fifth Decennial International
data and infrastructure. We also thank the Geoscience Conference on Mineral Exploration, p. 647–665.
Institute of Brasilia University (IG-UnB) and the Geosoft MCENROE, S. A., FABIAN, K., ROBINSON, P., GAINA, C., BROWN, L., 2009,
Latinoamerica Ltda. for the partnership and for additional Crustal Magnetism, Lamellar Magnetism and Rocks that Remember. Elements, v. 5, p.
241-246
resources for the research. We thank Leisha Jo Reynolds
MOTA-E-SILVA J, FERREIRA FILHO CF, DELLA GIUSTINA MES 2013. The
for text revisions and Adalene M. Silva thanks CNPq for Limoeiro Deposit: Ni-Cu-PGE Sulfide Mineralization Hosted Within an Ultramafic
her research grant. Tubular Magma Conduit in the Borborema Province, Northeastern Brazil. Econ Geol
108(7): 1753-1771.

©The Society of Exploration Geophysicists and the Chinese Geophysical Society

GEM 2019 Xi’an: International Workshop on Gravity, Electrical & Magnetic Methods and Their Applications
Xi’an, China. May 19-22, 2019.

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