DETERMINING VECTORS OF FLUID FLOW FROM METAL RATIOS AT SANTA BARBARA, CHIHUAHUA, MEXICO

The greater Santa Barbara mine district has been operating on continuous basis for 450 years and has provided great wealth to Spain, Mexico, Asarco, and Groupo Mexico. The Santa Barbara area has received prior studies but still largely remains unknown today. This work is based off recently discovered 100 year old maps that contain detailed chemical data of underground mine workings. This data is consolidated, processed and interpreted in particular metal ratios and their distribution around the district documented. Considerations of the paragneiss have been made and guide us to the important ratios to emphasize. Vectors interpreted as mineralizing solution flow are perpendicular to the contours. Data from current deeper working in the mine are being included into the study. Graphs of the spatial variations have been started on a small scale and will be expanded to large scale to test internal variability of various mine blocks. Univariant, bivariant, multivariant analysis from both historic and modern chemical data are being implemented to test viability of various ratios considering the chemical paragenesis. Old mine maps have been georectified into a Google Earth base map. Once the data has become familiar it will be entered into Leapfrog to develop a 3D metal ratio model. Preliminary results show that Ag/Pb and Ag/Zn are most effective in the epithermal zone. Cu/Au is more effective in the deeper zones of the mines. This study is part of a broader plan of revival and modernization of the Santa Barbara Mining District. This approach has the potential to serve as a tool for future exploration using 100 years of prior data.