TEMPERATURE LOGGING IN MINERAL EXPLORATION

Although a number of parameters affect the temperature-depth profile in a borehole, temperature measurements have been successfully used to detect and map fracture zones with moving water and massive sulfide mineralization, and they have been used to map lithology. In drill holes without water flow, temperature gradient logs have been used to map lithology where significant thermal conductivity contrasts exist between different materials. Because of the high thermal conductivity of massive sulfides, temperature measurements show significant anomalies near or within mineralized zones and may be used successfully to locate sulfide occurrences. Although temperature measurements may not replace conventional electrical methods in exploration for most massive sulfide deposits, non-conducting and non-polarizable sulfides, such as sphalerite, may be explored for with temperature methods. Electrochemical reactions within massive sulfide deposits may generate sufficient heat to be detected on the temperature-depth profile. Their detection provides information to aid in interpreting self potentials within massive sulfide deposits. Field examples of four applications of temperature measurements in mineral exploration are presented: (1) lithological mapping; (2) fracture detection; (3) direct detection of massive sulfides; (4 ) use in correcting and interpreting other geophysical logs.