Abstract Nanoparticles in groundwater have important implications for facilitating the transportation of metals in groundwater and, to a certain extent, can reveal the geochemical conditions of the groundwater. Therefore, there… Click to show full abstract
Abstract Nanoparticles in groundwater have important implications for facilitating the transportation of metals in groundwater and, to a certain extent, can reveal the geochemical conditions of the groundwater. Therefore, there is an increasing interest in analytical techniques that allow for in-depth characterization of nanoparticles in the groundwater and utilize these characteristics for geochemical prospecting. Metal-bearing particles in groundwater samples from deep-lying orebodies (referred to as “deep groundwater”) of the Weilasituo Zn-Cu-Ag Deposit, Inner Mongolia, China and the groundwater from motor-pumped wells of a catchment basin around Weilasituo were chosen to study. Using high-angle annular dark-field scanning transmission electron microscopy (HAADF-STEM) and transmission electron microscopy (TEM) coupled with energy dispersive X-ray spectrometer (EDS), individual particles were characterized. Based on the TEM compositional and structural investigation, Ag-, Pb-, Cu-, Zn-, Sn-, As- and Mo-bearing particles were observed in the groundwater samples collected in the deep ore and the catchment basin. These metal-bearing particles are compositionally and structurally similar to the ore mineral/metal-bearing particles observed in the ore bodies and can directly reflect the ore-forming elemental characteristics, e.g., metallogenic element assemblage and mineralization type, of the Weilasituo deposit. The result indicates that the metal-bearing particles originating from the concealed ore bodies migrate via the groundwater flow and discharge to the catchment basin. This finding implies that the metal-bearing particle phases have great significances in facilitating the transportation of ore-related species and forming the geochemical anomalies in the groundwater. This field-scale study demonstrates that, by applying the analytical transmission electron microscopy, the nanocharacteristics of metal-particles can be utilized to improve the accuracy and sensitivity for geochemical mineral exploration.
               
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