Lyell Collection
Geochemistry: Exploration, Environment, Analysis
Lyell Centre  |   Lyell Collection  |   Subscriptions   |   Geological Society  |   Email alerts  |   Online bookshop  |   Help

Keywords:
Author:
Advanced search>>
This Article
Right arrow Figures Only
Right arrow Full Text
Right arrow Full Text (PDF)
Right arrow Alert me when this article is cited
Right arrow Alert me if a correction is posted
Services
Right arrow Email this article to a friend
Right arrow Similar articles in this journal
Right arrow Alert me to new issues of the journal
Right arrow Download to citation manager
Right arrow Request Permissions
Citing Articles
Right arrow Citing Articles via Google Scholar
Google Scholar
Right arrow Articles by Garrett, R. G.
Right arrow Articles by Grunsky, E. C.
Right arrow Search for Related Content
GeoRef
Right arrow GeoRef Citation
Geochemistry: Exploration, Environment, Analysis; 2001; v. 1; issue.2; p. 135-141
© 2001 Geological Society of London

Regular Article

Weighted sums – knowledge based empirical indices for use in exploration geochemistry

Robert G. Garrett & Eric C. Grunsky

1 Geological Survey of Canada, 601 Booth Street, Ottawa, Ontario K1A 0E8, Canada (e-mail: garrett{at}nrcan.gc.ca)
2 Alberta Geological Survey, Edmonton, Alberta T6B2X3, Canada(e-mail: egrunsky{at}iamg.org)

A background to the use of empirical indices (i.e. ratios and sums) in exploration geochemistry is presented, together with commentary on more sophisticated statistical multivariate procedures. Multivariate statistical procedures can assist in developing geochemical models upon which further investigations can be based, and in identifying geochemically anomalous samples. A case is made for a simple method, weighted sums, that is based on prior knowledge concerning the mineralogy and geochemistry of sought-after mineral resources. This procedure avoids many of the complications and pit-falls of more sophisticated multivariate statistical methods. Although weighted sums were introduced to exploration geochemistry over 20 years ago, they don’t appear to have been used extensively. The objective of this paper is to reintroduce them, with a simple but clear exposition, as a tool worthy of consideration in the knowledge-based 21st century.

Key Words: exploration (mineral) • geochemistry • empirical ratios • multivariate statistics