An analysis of aeromagnetic data of the Wulong gold deposit in Liaodong area: guide for structural identification and mineral exploration

As one of the largest gold deposits in the Liaodong area, northeast of China, the Wulong gold field (WGF) has suffered a severe decline in resource reserves after decades of mining, so it is urgent to explore the deeper unknown orebodies. However, the complex terrain and a large reservoir make it challenging to carry out a complete ground survey in the study area, leading to a lack of first-hand data for geological surveys. Therefore, in this study, aeromagnetic data covering the whole WGF and its adjacent regions are used to depict the distribution of various plutons, distinguish the fault structures, and predict possible orebodies in several gold deposits with their guide for further gold mineral exploration. Fifteen new faults are identified from the lineament enhancement results of the anomalies, and the high magnetic susceptibility of some faults is demonstrated to be due to the shear deformation and dike intrusion of the Wulong pluton. The 3D magnetic inversion results show the spatial location of the Sanguliu pluton and verify that the genesis of the Wulong gold deposit is related to Sanguliu Pluton from the perspective of geophysical models. Further, the inversion results suggest that the depth of concealed orebodies in the Wulong gold deposit, Yangjia gold deposit, and Chengshan gold deposit could be 900, 1500, and 1300 m, respectively. This study deepens the understanding of the mineralization of the WGF, verifies the great exploration potential of the WGF, and provides a geophysical basis for the subsequent prospecting.