Geological and Geophysical Survey of Mineral Resources with an Emphasis on Gold and Associated Minerals in Atshan area,South Eastern Desert, Egypt

Abstract This study focuses on geological mapping and geophysical surveys to explore gold and associated mineral resources in the Atshan area, situated southwest of Marsa Alam city in the Red Sea region, Egypt. Gold occurrences and disseminated sulfides are localized within a shear zone that spans the area’s western, central, and south-eastern parts, predominantly composed of metavolcanic rocks such as metabasalts and metaandesites. Chemical analyses of rock samples collected from various locations identified multiple gold anomalies, with concentrations ranging from 0.6 to 2.3 ppm. Magnetic, electrical resistivity (Rho), and induced polarization (IP) surveys were conducted to investigate the shear zone’s structural trends, mineralization patterns, and subsurface extensions. Magnetic data were processed and interpreted using advanced techniques, including Total Magnetic Intensity (TMI), First Vertical Derivative (FVD), Horizontal Derivative (HDR), Radially Averaged Power Spectrum, and Source Parameter Imaging (SPI) maps, analyzed via Geosoft Oasis Montaj. Results revealed significant magnetic anomalies in the southwestern, south-eastern, and central parts, with high-amplitude values exceeding 41,440 nanoTesla (nT.) and depths ranging from 5 to 40 m. The resistivity and induced polarization surveys identified zones of low resistivity and high chargeability, corresponding to altered and sheared intermediate metavolcanic rocks. These zones are associated with sulfide mineralization containing encapsulated gold and other minerals, likely controlled by structural features. The primary structural trends determined from both surface geological observations and geophysical data are oriented in NE-SW, E-W, and NW-SE directions, reflecting the influence of the regional tectonic framework on mineralization processes.