The heavy mineral anomaly of cassiterite in southwestern Henan ore concentration area and its prospecting significance

There are eleven cassiterite anomalies delineated in the southwestern Henan ore concentration area based on reprocessing 1∶200000 natural heavy mineral database in Henan Province. These anomalies are mainly distributed in three areas: Guanpo-Lancao in Lushi, Fengjialing in Lushi, and Checun-Muzhijie in Songxian. Through analyzing the characteristics of cassiterite anomalies and using cluster analysis, the authors classified the natural heavy minerals in three separated anomaly zones into mineral groups. The mineral assemblages related to cassiterite was genetically discussed and considered to have been formed during mineralization in granite pegmatite, cassiterite sulfide veins and cassiterite-quartz veins, respectively. Combining geological and mineral features with geochemical anomalies of tin in the three anomaly zones, this paper discusses the prospecting orientation and potential, which is of guiding significance for tin exploration in southwestern Henan ore concentration area.