HTEM Regional Surveys Applied to Mineral Exploration in Brazil - Two Case Studies and Future Perspectives

This paper presents the HTEM modelling and integration with other geophysical, geochemical (drillholes data) and geological data for two important areas for mineral exploration in Brazil: Quadrilátero Ferrífero – MG and Palmeirópolis – TO. The application of HTEM surveys still is a new investigation approach in Brazil’s mining sector. This paper intends to present the state-of-the-art of this methodology in Brazil concerning about public regional surveys and to encourage the application of the method in new studies areas in the country. The HTEM modelling data integrated with airborne magnetic data allowed to understand the sulfides mineralization in both studied areas, which could help to guide the mineral exploitation. The conductors mapped with HTEM could be associated with mineralized sulfides zones (gold in Quadrilátero Ferrífero case and Cu, Zn and Pb in Palmeirópolis case) and the models provided structural information of the mineralization. When integrated with magnetic data, the structural framework of these mineralization zones and their host rocks could be better understood.