Abstract

Gases provide a known mechanism of metal migration through cover and a potential sampling medium to explore through cover that is under-utilised and under-studied. Understanding how metals move through transported cover and their link to buried deposits is critical information for successful mineral exploration in many regions of the world including the well-endowed Yilgarn Craton of Western Australia. Here we employ metal and hydrocarbon soil gas collection methods to successfully predict the location of the underlying North Miitel Ni ore body. Laboratory experiments to replicate soil moisture, hypergeometric evaluation and variable spacing tests were used to verify the gaseous Ni signature. Soil gas hydrocarbon analysis also reported an unqualified, but positive result. Integrating this study with previous research on soil, regolith, groundwater and vegetation chemistry in the study area enabled a model of anomaly formation to be derived explaining the observed results and the contributions of weathering, hydromorphic, biotic, aeolian and gaseous dispersion mechanisms operating at the North Miitel site. Weathering and hydromorphic dispersion are responsible for lateral and minor vertical Ni migration at depth, aeolian Ni is dispersed laterally near the road, whereas vegetation is cycling Ni in the shallow soils only. Results indicate a gaseous migration of Ni is responsible for vertical migration through cover at this site and provides a viable target for exploration through cover.