The artificial source electromagnetic method is an important technique for deep resource exploration. The key challenge is to improve the depth and precision of detection through innovative technology. The detection mode of electromagnetic methods is evolving from far-field to near-field, and the study of near-source electromagnetic methods has become an international research frontier in recent years. Building on the recent advancements in wide-field electromagnetic methods and multi-channel transient electromagnetic methods, the short-offset transient electromagnetic method (SOTEM) has been further developed and proposed. The distinguishing features of SOTEM are its stronger signals and wider bandwidth, which are advantageous for achieving the detection requirements of greater depth and higher precision. This special issue presents eight articles covering the methods, techniques, software, and applications of SOTEM, providing strong support for the growing need for high-resolution subsurface detection.

To explore the critical factors influencing the results of microtremor-based exploration at a depth of thousands of meters,this study conducted experiments using triangular arrays based on spatial autocorrelation(SPAC) and extended SPAC(ESPAC).Focusing on factors such as array size,acquisition unit frequency,and acquisition duration,this study explored the frequency band ranges corresponding to different array sizes,the arrangement of arrays in kilometer-depth exploration for obtaining both deep and shallow data,and the improvement in deep resolution.Based on the analysis and discussion results,this study established a parameter-setting system to improve the accuracy of exploration at a depth of thousands of meters.

Underground cavities with shallow burial and small scale are difficult to detect. With the development of gravity sensing technology, the accurate and rapid acquisition of micro-gravity variations brings new opportunities for detecting underground cavities, and it has wide research and practical value for the detection of small-scale underground cavities. This paper systematically analyzes and studies underground cavities from three aspects: gravity basic theory, gravity detection technology, and gravity data processing and inversion. Under given body size and gravity data accuracy, the maximum burial depth of gravity detection is calculated using the bisection method. High-density acquisition and high-precision gravity detection methods are applied to the actual detection of an underground pedestrian tunnel in a certain area of a passenger station. A set of high-precision gravity grid data is obtained. The theoretical research and measurement results indicate that existing gravity instruments have the ability to detect underground cavities. By using the minimum curvature potential field separation method, 2.5D interactive inversion and the target area recognition three-dimensional physical property fast inversion method, the approximate SN distribution and burial depth of the underground pedestrian tunnel are obtained, which is approximately 2.5~5 m, consistent with the actual situation. This study has developed a complete gravity exploration process for detecting underground cavities, and it has certain reference value.

Huize County of Yunnan Province is situated in the karst area in southwestern China, where karst groundwater is its primary water source. To conquer local difficulties in drinking water, this study constructed a conceptual model of groundwater occurrence by fully investigating the hydrogeological conditions of the Huize area. Moreover, this study evaluated the applicability and optimal combination of geophysical methods based on the measurement results of petrophysical properties. According to the actual local needs, this study deployed a comprehensive profile combining high-density electrical resistivity tomography (HDERT) and audio magnetotellurics (AMT) in Tuogu Village, Huize County. The groundwater enrichment site was delineated relying on resistivity anomalies, effectively guiding the layout of boreholes. The boreholes achieved the maximum single-borehole water yield of 20.76 m³/d, thus effectively alleviating the local drinking water problem. The HDERT-AMT combined exploration method proves to be optimal for prospecting for groundwater in carbonate rock areas. HDERT can accurately characterize weathered layer thicknesses, bedrock boundaries, fissure evolutionary degrees, and water-bearing properties of strata, constraining groundwater recharge channels, thus counteracting AMT's defects for identification of near-surface stratigraphic structures. AMT can accurately reflect the spatial structures of fracture zones and the macrostructures of strata, limiting the boundary conditions (aquicludes) of water-bearing structures, thus making up for the defects of insufficient detection depths of HDERT in high-resistivity stratigraphic regions. HDERT and AMT, which are complementary to each other in terms of accuracy and depth, can be applied to identify and constrain the spatial occurrence conditions of groundwater migration, storage, and enrichment.

Controlled source radio-magnetotellurics (CSRMT) measurements typically use artificial field sources transmitting at frequencies ranging from 1 to 1 000 kHz. Among the many transmitting sources of the artificial source electromagnetic method, the orthogonal horizontal electric dipole source and the orthogonal horizontal magnetic dipole source are preferred field sources for tensor resistivity measurements. Hence, using the analytical formulas for electromagnetic fields based on the horizontal electric dipole source and the horizontal magnetic dipole source, this study calculated the electromagnetic fields based on the orthogonal horizontal electric dipole source and the orthogonal horizontal magnetic dipole source in the homogeneous half-space model. The results show that: (1) The displacement current needs to be considered at transmitting frequencies above 100 kHz; (2) The effects of displacement current on the tensor apparent resistivity and the impedance phase can be ignored in the far zone; (3) With a constant model resistivity and varying distances between transmitter and receiver, model calculations indicate a larger measurement range in the far zone of the high-frequency electromagnetic field; (4) With a constant distance between transmitter and receiver and varying model resistivities, model calculations suggest that the far-zone range of the electromagnetic field is significantly influenced by resistivity, and that the high-resistivity model requires higher frequencies for achieving far-zone observation conditions.Compared with the electric dipole source, the magnetic dipole source exhibits smaller deviations on the tensor apparent resistivity and impedance phase with the actual value, which is more suitable for geological analysis.

The accurate identification of fluid properties is critical for reservoir evaluation.However,for the Paleogene low-porosity and low-permeability reservoirs in the Lufeng area,Pearl River Mouth Basin,the low contrast between oil and water layers in conventional logs due to the presence of high-resistivity water layers complicates the identification of oil and water layers.This study first ascertained the reservoir characteristics and genetic analysis of low-contrast oil layers.Then,it developed the Flair gas logging response equation and the Flair logging response correction method,aiming to overcome the challenge that gas logging response values of low-porosity and low-permeability reservoirs are significantly influenced by factors such as drilling rate and porosity.Given the differences in the properties and components of various fluids,this study constructed new oil-bearing and water-content indices using Flair gas logging curves.Moreover,this study characterized the geochemical chromatogram using a gamma probability distribution function and extracted the shape and scale factors to describe the chromatogram characteristics.Based on sensitivity parameters,this study plotted the characteristic parameter-based fluid property identification chart.The practical application shows that the log-based comprehensive fluid property identification method can yield satisfactory effects,achieving a compliance rate of 91.3%.Therefore,this method can be popularized.

Due to various strong electromagnetic mechanical interference and traffic barriers, many geophysical exploration techniques are ineffective in urban geophysical exploration.Based on transient surface waves,microtremor arrays,and microtremor spectral ratios,this study synthetically extracted two kinds of characteristic curves for joint inversion from the multi-source frequency-domain seismic data obtained by multi-point three-component low-frequency sensors.Consequently,this study achieved multi-source frequency-domain seismic exploration that integrated three techniques and developed the two-source synthetic dispersive spectrum extraction technique,the two-source characteristic curve joint inversion technique,and the equivalent homogeneous medium forward modeling technique based on inhomogeneous media.Engineering practice results demonstrate the improvements in the exploration accuracy and efficiency.

The grounded-source short-offset transient electromagnetic (SOTEM) method involves many parameters in field data acquisition. The selection of these parameters is closely associated with the signal quality and detection sensitivity of measured data. Based on the relevant provisions in the organization standard, Technical specification for grounded-source short-offset transient electromagnetic method (T/CGS 002—2021), issued by the Chinese Geophysical Society, numerical emulations, and practical cases, this study analyzed and expounded the selection criteria of critical parameters like transmitting source length, transmitting fundamental frequency, offset, device type, and observation component. The insights obtained in this study are significant for guiding the field construction of the SOTEM device and leveraging its detection performance.

This study aims to systematically assess the pollution risk of heavy metals in the soil-crop-human body system along the periphery of mining areas, thus providing a scientific basis for the classified management of ecological risks and safe crop production in mining areas. Hence, this study examined the soil and crops (rice, corn, and sweet potato) in arable land along the periphery of a typical mercury mining area in Chongqing City. The single-factor pollution index (P_i), Nemero composite index (P_综), and positive matrix factorization (PMF) model were employed to assess the pollution degree and ecological risk of soil heavy metals for source analysis. Moreover, the human health risk assessment model recommended by the United States Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA) was applied to assess the health risks of local staple crops for residents. The results are as follows: (1) The average contents of As, Cd, Cr, Cu, Hg, Ni, Pb, and Zn in the soil of the study area were all higher than the topsoil background values of Chongqing and China, suggesting that heavy metals are relatively enriched in topsoil; (2) The single-factor pollution index indicates that the over-limit ratios of Hg and Cd in the soil reached 96.29% and 92.59%, respectively, whereas rice, corn, and sweet potato samples with Cd content exceeding the value specified in the national food safety standard (GB 2762—2022) accounted for 16.67%, 18.75%, and 14.28%, respectively; (3) The Nemero composite index (P_综) was between 1.17 and 46.05, suggesting mild to heavy pollution in the study area, with heavy pollution primarily located around the mercury mining area and artisanal mercury smelters, as well as the lower reaches of the Rongxi River; (4) The PMF model analysis demonstrates that the heavy metals in the soil of the study area originate from three sources: natural source (47.21%), mining activities (16.00%), and a mixed source of mining and agricultural activities (36.79%). Specifically, Cd, Cr, and Ni are principally affected by the natural source, Hg by mining activities, As and Pb by the mixed source of mining and agricultural activities, and Cu and Zn are associated with the natural source and the mixed source of mining and agricultural activities; (5) The human health risk model reveals that the consumption of rice, corn, and sweet potato poses composite health risks for both adults and children. Rice consumption exhibits the highest risk index, especially in children, with the main risk factors being As and Cd.

In the context of the goals of both peak carbon dioxide emissions and carbon neutrality, scientific and efficient exploration and exploitation of geothermal resources are criticalfor the geothermal industry. To address the commonly concernedtechnical challenges in the exploration of moderately deep geothermal resources, this study investigated the effectiveness of comprehensive geophysical prospecting in the exploration of geothermal resources inthe Linjiadi area, Aohan Banner, Inner Mongolia. Based on the analysis ofthe geological and hydrogeological conditions, this studypreliminarilyascertainedthe geothermal field characteristicsand the hydrochemicalcharacteristics of groundwater in the Linjiadi area. By comprehensively employingcontrolled source audio-frequency magnetotellurics (CSAMT), CSAMT; microtremor survey; radioactive radon survey; this study roughly determined the distribution of strata, magmatic rocks, and fault structures in the study area, inferring the factors controllinggeothermal anomaly areas and hot-water migration.Accordingly, exploration boreholes were arranged, allowing for drilling verificationwith a total length of 960 m. The results show that the comprehensiveapplication of CSAMT and microtremor survey, combined with radioactive radon survey for auxiliary verification, is effective in exploringmoderately deep geothermal resources. This study will provide a methodological reference for geothermal resource exploration in other areas.

Urban main water supply pipelines are mostly buried along roads. Large pipe diameters and deep burial depths make it hard to detect their leakage in the early stage. Their leakage will severely influence urban traffic and residents' daily life. Hence, the leakage monitoring of water supply pipelines is particularly important. However, factors such as dense traffic lines, hardened road surfaces, and electromagnetic interference limit the application of the ground resistivity method and geological radars in pipeline monitoring. To make up for the shortcomings of existing monitoring methods, this study explored the cross-hole resistivity method for pipeline leakage monitoring. First of all, pipelines with and without leakage were simulated using forward modeling and inversion methods, analyzing the detection characteristics of the cross-borehole resistivity method. Then, electrode materials and burial methods were examined through experiments, solving the problems of electrode corrosion and weak electric field signals. Finally, an experimental site was set up near a water supply pipeline in Beijing, obtaining multi-phase monitoring data using the cross-borehole resistivity method. Through comparative analysis of multi-phase resistivity sections, this study analyzed the changes in pipeline leakage, delineating the leakage influence scope, which was verified by the leakage data from the waterworks. The satisfactory monitoring results suggest that the method proposed in this study can be referenced for similar pipeline leakage monitoring in cities.

The Fuling rock mass in southern Anhui Province, located in the eastern section of the Jiangnan uplift zone, is a complex granitic rock mass that has experienced multi-stage evolution. It primarily comprises two lithologies: Monzogranite and K-feldspar granite. By investigating the geological, petrographic, and petrogeochemical characteristics of the Fuling rock mass, this study delved into its evolutionary characteristics, genetic types, and tectonic environment, aiming to clarify its indication significance for rubidium enrichment. The results of this study are as follows: ① The geochemical characteristics of the Fuling rock mass demonstrate high SiO₂, Na₂O, K₂O, and Al₂O₃ contents, high w(K₂O)/w(Na₂O) ratios, and aluminum saturation indices (A/CNK) ranging from 0.95~1.08 (average: 0.99), suggesting high-K calc-alkaline quasi-aluminous to peraluminous granites; ② In terms of trace elements, the Fuling rock mass possesses high Li, Rb, Nd, and Ta contents and significantly low Sr and Ba contents, which may be associated with the fractional crystallization of feldspar; ③ The w(Nb)/w(Ta) ratios ranging from 5.71~10.94 (average: 8.41) and Mg^# values ranging from 0.02~0.31 (average: 0.13) indicate that the Fuling rock mass was primarily derived from the partial melting of lower crust rocks, suggesting A-type granites in a non-orogenic extensional environment; ④ The Rb content in the Fuling rock mass increases with the magmatic evolution degree. Compared to monzogranites, K-feldspar granites with a higher evolution degree display higher Rb content, implying that the Rb content in the Fuling rock mass is generally controlled by magmatic evolution. Overall, this study holds some reference significance for understanding the Yanshanian diagenesis and mineralization of southern Anhui Province.

Data integration based on MapGIS includes data conversion, data normalization, data fusion, and related research. A synthesis of existing research suggests that data conversion has been intensively studied, while there is a lack in studies of data normalization and data fusion. This study improved the data normalization method based on the complex and extensively applied geological maps, achieving the normalized annotation and color filling for thousands of geobodies at one time. A technical process for data fusion was established by analyzing the applicable conditions of various commonly used methods for data fusion and making some supplementation. Besides, ASCII code files were prepared for mapping small coal pillars in batches. The results of this study show that improving the data normalization method, establishing the technical process for data fusion, and making full use of ASCII code files can significantly enhance the efficiency of data integration and broaden the mind for problem solving.

The Ximeng-Lancang area in southwestern Yunnan resides in the southern section of the Nujiang-Lancangjiang-Jinshajiang orogenic belt in Southwest China. The 1∶50,000 geochemical soil survey revealed 24 rare-earth-element (REE) geochemical anomalies, which are primarily distributed in the Carboniferous Pingzhang Formation mafic volcanic rocks and the Carboniferous-Permian Yutangzhai Formation sedimentary carbonate rocks within and near the Changning-Menglian deep fault zone. Furthermore, the AP00 REE geochemical anomalies ranking high in the evaluation were analyzed in detail through a 1∶10,000 geochemical soil survey, a 1∶10,000 special geological survey, and light-duty prospecting engineering in mountainous areas. A new type of REE ores in weathering crusts has been first discovered in sedimentary carbonate strata, with preliminarily estimated REE resources reaching a medium scale, suggesting a prospecting breakthrough. This finding shows a new prospecting approach, which can be referenced for similar research. As revealed by a comprehensive analysis of the regional geological and geochemical settings and the data of AP00 REE anomalies, the AP00 REE ores in weathering crusts have undergone a gradual enrichment and mineralization process involving four different geological processes, suggesting polygenetic compound REE ores. Considering the low leaching efficiency of AP00 REE ores and significant structural (magmatic) superimposed mineralization of the heavy REE yttrium, it is inferred that yttrium-dominated primary REE ores might exist in the deep part, implying high potential for heavy-REE ores.

The goaf and subsidence areas formed ue to the mining of subsurface coal seams can cause damage to surrounding ecological environments.At present, the detection effects of double-layer goafs in coal mines, especially the second-layer goafs, are unsatisfactory. In response to this challenge, this study delineated goafs using apparent resistivity and impedance phase derived from the data acquired by an efficient controllable source audio-frequency magnetotelluric instrument. In the case of a shallow water-bearing goaf with low resistivity, the apparent resistivity displays shadow effects, leading to an extended abnormal range of the upper target, which is unfavorable to the identification of the lower high-resistivity goaf. In contrast, the impedance phase, exhibiting minor shadow and static effects, shows a significant response to the lower goaf. As indicated by the theoretical model testing results, the combination of apparent resistivity and impedance phase can effectively determine shallow water-bearing goafs and deep unfilled high-resistivity goafs. This combination method was employed to interpret the double-layer goaf in the Shenfu mining area of the Jurassic coal field in northern Shaanxi, achieving satisfactory results through the mutual verification of the two parameters. Engineering verification results indicate that this method demonstrates reliable inference and expected exploration effects. Overall, this method provides a new approach for CSAMT-based inference and interpretation in the exploration of double-layer goafs in coal mines, thus holding critical technical promotion and reference significance.

For the high-density resistivity method, favorable grounding conditions are required to ensure the establishment and measurement of the geoelectric field. Otherwise, unfavorable grounding conditions, like rigid pavement, will prevent some electrodes from being inserted into the ground, leading to the loss of valid data from standard observation devices and reducing the imaging quality. Therefore, this study proposed a method for the fast observation device design. This method supplemented data using an asymmetric quadrupole electrode array according to the spatial positions of missing data's recording points. Numerical simulations show that the method proposed in this study significantly improved the imaging effects of Wenner, Schlumberger, and dipole-dipole arrays, with a second-scale design time. In this study, an observation device based on asymmetric design for high-density resistivity imaging was successfully applied to the embankment detection in Ningbo, reducing the influence of motor lanes on data quality and accurately locating the embankment position.

There exists a continued debate concerning the spatial distribution and deep structural characteristics of the Yagan fault zone in northeastern Ejina Banner, Inner Mongolia. Adhering to the known-to-unknown research approach, this study completed five magnetotelluric sounding (MT) profiles. First, it delved into the relationship between the electrical structure characteristics of a MT profile (MT01) on the west side of the study area and the geological structure information of the Yagan fault zone within the profile. In terms of electrical characteristics, the Yagan fault zone was determined as a resistivity gradient zone characterized by northward dip, high dip angles, and deep depths. Based on these characteristics, and combined with the inversion interpretation results of four MT profiles (MT02~MT05) on the east side, this study identified the deep positions and structural characteristics of the Yagan fault zone within all the MT profiles. Moreover, it determined the major electrical directions of all the MT profiles using the impedance tensor decomposition technique, and the spatial trend of the Yagan fault zone based on the two-dimensional inversion interpretation results. As revealed by the results, the Yagan fault zone within the study area exhibits an overall nearly EW strike at the shallow surface and a strike of NE45° in the deep part, with an average width of approximately 6.8 km. It is a reverse fault with a gradual arc deflection to the north from west to east, manifesting a generally northward dip direction, dip angles ranging from 60° to 67°, and a fault depth of about 20 km. The obtained deep electrical structure model effectively reveals the deep structural characteristics of the study area. providing certain reference significance for the study of regional tectonic evolution

Magnetotelluric (MT) sounding is a vital exploration method in tunnel engineering. Inversion methods can assist geologists in interpreting geological data by converting MT data into geoelectric parameters. However, conventional inversion methods exhibit inferior timeliness and reliance on initial model settings. In this study, deep learning was applied to the one-dimensional inversion of magnetotelluric data. First, an improved DenseNet model was constructed and trained to invert geological models of various resistivity-variable strata, yielding a fast computational speed and high accuracy. Then, the robustness of the improved DenseNet model was tested, suggesting that its network structure can achieve satisfactory inversion results for noisy data. Finally, this artificial intelligence technique was applied to the MT data inversion of the Hongjiaqian tunnel in the Huangshan area, obtaining geophysical exploration results that match the geological research results. Additionally, relevant construction recommendations were given based on the inversion results.

In geoscientific field, the essential object of all the research problems is the physical world which is derived from the crust-mantle interaction and has deeply influenced globally the environment and resources. The metallogenic geochemical theory believes that the metallogenic materials are the internal factors for the metallogenic system to influence the metallogenic process, and taking metallogenic materials as the main body to study the problems of metallogenic materials and metallogenic processes is the basic meaning of the metallogenic geochemical theory, and the core subject of the studies of metallogenic rules and theories. During the mineralization process of metallogenic system, metallogenic materials formed into metallogenic series of corresponding scale. This paper outlines several scientific topics of the metallogenic geochemical studies, among which, the topic of global metallogenic system mainly studies the metallogenic processes and relations of the series of metallogenic regions, provinces and belts formed by metallogenic materials in the context of global metallogenic process; the topic of regional metallogenic system mainly studies the metallogenic processes and relations of ore field series in the context of regional metallogenic process; the topic of ore field metallogenic system mainly studies the metallogenic processes and relations of mineral deposit series in the context of ore field metallogenic process; the topic of mineral deposit metallogenic system mainly studies the metallogenic processes and relations of ore-body series in the context of mineral deposit metallogenic process. The basic research ideas concerning above mentioned studies are discussed in this paper, including the metallogenic materials' geneses and sources, migration and evolution, differentiation and concentration, as well as the zoning relations of each level's metallogenic system and series of the world during the metallogenic processes. The purpose is to summary the metallogenic rules, explore the metallogenic mechanism and guide the mineral resources exploration. Supported by modern technologies and methods of IT(information technology), modeling and AI(artificial intelligence), the metallogenic geochemical theory uses the earth system scientific ideas to study the problems of metallogenic system and metallogenic series, construct the theoretical framework for metallogenic geochemical research, and provide a theoretical basis for the mineral resources exploration, evaluation and development technics and methods.

Both the controlled source audio-frequency magnetotellurics (CSAMT) and the microtremor survey exhibit promising application prospectsunder strong urban interference. However,single geophysical inversion methods are challenged by a multiplicity of solutions. To achieve the complementary advantages of different geophysical methods, and address the lateral discontinuity of single-point inversion, this studyexplored the quasi-two-dimensional joint inversion of the CSAMTand microtremor survey data. It enabled the joint inversionby introducing a lateral constraint matrix into the objective function for joint inversion and employing the limited-memory Broyden-Fletcher-Goldfarb-Shanno (LBFGS) algorithm. The reliability and effectiveness of the joint inversion were verified using the inversion example of synthetic data from theoretical models. The results show that compared to single data inversion, the joint inversion can effectively improve the accuracy of inversion results, with the resistivity model more consistent with theshear-wave velocity structure. Moreover,lateral constraints can effectively reduce the discontinuity of the physical parameters of adjacentsurvey points. The quasi-two-dimensional joint inversion with lateral constraints enhances the inversion reliability by obtaining more reasonable profile results of physical parameters and structures with the efficiency of single-point inversion.

Due to the multiplicity of solutions and the multiple extrema of the inversion objection functions,conventional nonlinear optimization algorithms are susceptible to unstable convergence and local optimum in the inversion of Rayleigh wave dispersion curves.This study improved the standard butterfly optimization algorithm by incorporating dynamic switch probability and nonlinear self-adaptive weight factors,yielding an elevated global exploration capacity in the early stage and a high local research ability in the latter stage.Furthermore,the dimension-by-dimension Cauchy mutation,along with a greedy algorithm,was employed to update the current best position during each iteration,ultimately directing the whole swarm population toward the global optimum.Tests of four commonly used benchmark functions demonstrate that the improved butterfly optimization algorithm(IBOA) outperformed other nonlinear algorithms,including the genetic algorithm and particle swarm optimization algorithm,in terms of the global research capacity of both unimodal and multimodal functions.Different algorithms were adopted for the inversion of the dispersion curves of three theoretical geological models.The results show that IBOA yielded inversion results that were closer to the models even when the dispersion curves contained 10% random noise.Finally,the IBOA was applied to actual Rayleigh wave data,and the inversion results were highly consistent with the strata revealed by drilling.Compared with the genetic algorithm and the particle swarm optimization algorithm,the IBOA significantly improved the convergence speed,as well as solution accuracy and stability.Therefore,the IBOA has a certain practical value and application prospects.

This study investigated the contents of eight heavy metals and related oxides in rocks with different lithologies and the soils formed in the Puhe river basin of Pingquan City. Based on the above investigation, this study analyzed the influencing factors and sources of soil heavy metals in the typical small watershed of the shallow mountainous area, aiming to provide theoretical support for water conservation and ecological restoration in the Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei region. Based on the contents and spatial distributions of soil heavy metals and combined with regional geological setting, this study delved into the influencing factors and sources of heavy metal elements in topsoil, deep soil, and soil parent materials using multiple statistical methods. The results show that heavy metals in topsoil and deep soil exhibited relatively similar contents and coupled spatial distributions. In terms of vertical distributions, the correlation coefficients of heavy metals were negative between topsoil and soil parent materials but positive between deep soil and soil parent materials. As indicated by the results, in the topsoil, elements Cr, Ni, Cu, Zn, and Pb are primarily derived from soil parent materials, while elements Cd, Hg, and As are subjected to the influence of mining. In contrast, the eight heavy metals in the deep soil predominantly stem from soil parent materials, with anthropogenic factors contributing to Cd and As.

Several thermal springs associated with tectonic activity occur along the Chuhe fault zone. Except for the Bantang thermal spring at the southern end, other springs along the fault zone exhibit unideal utilization of thermal energy. This affects the development of local industries. Therefore, it is necessary to delve into the geochemical characteristics and formation mechanism of typical thermal springs along the Chuhe fault zone. The purpose is to provide scientific evidence for the rational utilization and exploration methods of geothermal resources in the thermal spring groups in the future. Therefore, this study investigated thermal springs in the Bantang, Zhaoguan, and Xiangquan areas along the Chuhe fault zone, where nine samples of thermal spring water, cold well water, and surface water were collected individually. For these samples, the composition tests of 25 indices, including anions, cations, and major and trace elements, were tested, and the hydrogen and oxygen isotope values were determined. The analyses of the 25 measured indices, along with the investigation of the geothermal water source and controlling factors through hydrogen and oxygen isotope tracing, indicate that the thermal spring water in the three areas tends to be of the CaSO₄ type and is all closely related to the interactions between groundwater and surrounding rocks. The thermal spring water, cold well water, and surface water in Bantang and Zhaoguan show consanguinity, with geothermal water being directly recharged with local precipitation and surface water. In contrast, the thermal spring water, surface water, and cold well water in the Xiangquan area show weaker consanguinity, indicating different sources for the underground cold water runoff and geothermal water. This should be noted when determining the primary factors controlling the thermal spring in this area. The temperatures calculated using a chalcedony geothermometer were close to the temperatures of the hot water recovered on the surface. In contrast, the temperatures calculated using a quartz geothermometer approached the temperatures of deep geothermal reservoirs. The results of this study preliminarily reveal the geochemical characteristics, recharge relationships, and water-rock interactions of thermal spring water in the Chuhe fault zone and propose effective geochemical geothermometers for the study area. These contribute to deeper insights into the mechanisms and controlling factors of the thermal springs along the fault zone, as well as providing practical value and a methodological model for enhancing thermal spring functionality and geothermal resource exploitation and utilization in the future.

Thenorthern Laojunmiao gold deposit is located in the southern zone of the Beishan area, Gansu Province, and on the northeastern margin of the Tarim block. It resides in a tectonic environment of the Yaodongliang-Xiaoxigong Paleoproterozoic rift basin. This study delineated five comprehensive anomaly zones in the area through a 1∶10,000 geochemical soil survey. As verified by trenching exploration, three gold ore bodies, one gold-silver ore body, and two low-grade gold ore bodies were identified in the comprehensive anomaly zones, suggesting satisfactory prospecting results. Based on the comprehensive geological and geochemical anomaly characteristics of the deposit, this study established an integrated geological-geochemical prospecting model centering on the HT1 comprehensive anomaly zone. Moreover, it proposed the subsequent prospecting direction, providing a significant reference for the deep and peripheral prospecting in the area.

Fine-scale characterization of reservoirs is critical for oil and gas exploration and production. Reservoirs in the Z gas field exhibit considerable burial depths and superposed sandstone and mudstone impedance characterized by dark spots, complicating their identification using conventional seismic methods. This study achieved the characterization of deep reservoirs in the Z gas field based on the dominant-channel stacking technique. First of all, this study analyzed the seismic response characteristics of deep reservoirs through forward modeling, positing that poor physical properties are the primary factor contributing to the formation of dark spots. Then, starting with the investigation of the near-well prestack gathers of the target layer, this study examined their amplitude variation with offset (AVO) characteristics and seismic phase stability at different angles, determining the dominant-angle seismic channels that can accurately reflect the phase stability of reservoirs. Finally, this study derived a lithology-sensitive 3D data volume through partial stacking of dominant-angle seismic channels, achieving the characterization of deep reservoirs. The near-trace superimposition (3°~15°) of phase-shift seismic data (-90°) allowed for effectively characterized the H3a reservoir in the Z gas field, providing a geophysical basis for subsequent well deployment. Therefore, the dominant-channel stacking technique can effectively characterize the spatial distribution of deep river-channel reservoirs, guiding the reservoir characterization of similar oil and gas fields.

Research on shear-wave prediction for complex lithologic assemblages of the Permian Fengcheng Formation in the Mahu sag is critical but challenging for accurately identifying hydrocarbon accumulation zones in the sag.The key to the prediction is to make breakthroughs in petrophysical modeling based on different lithologies.Given various lithologic types and intricate mineral compositions,this study delved into petrophysical modeling based on different lithologies.Consequently,this study developed an interval-,lithology-,and model-specific shear-wave prediction technique for complex lithologies.Furthermore,it established a technique for building a dry rock matrix for alkali lake-type dolomitized tight reservoirs by highlighting the major rock mineral compositions and merging the same types of rock mineral compositions.Additionally,the self-consistent model was selected for shear-wave calculation in the petrophysical modeling of dolomitized sandstone reservoirs.These techniques have been applied in the Fengcheng Formation of the Mahu Sag,achieving encouraging application results in both the shear-wave prediction of complex lithologic assemblages and the prediction of sweet spots.This study will provide a basis for well deployment and reserves determination in the area and offer valuable experience for oil and gas exploration in similar areas.

In order to understand the content and distribution characteristics of heavy metals in soil and crops in Lipu,soil and crops (rice, Lipu taro, citrus, water chestnut) were collected. Todetermine the pH value of soil samples and the total amount of As, Cd, Cr, Hg, Ni, Pb, Cu, Zn and the form content of As, Cd, Cr, Hg, and Pb.The content of As, Cd, Cr, Hg, Pb in crop samples was measured.The bioconcentration factor (BCF) of heavy metal elements was calculated. The migration and transformation and ecological effects of heavy metal in the soil-crop system are analyzed. The results showed that:① The topsoil in the study area is predominantly acidic in the study area. The average contents of As, Cd, Cr, Hg, Ni, Pb, Cu, and Zn in the surface soil in the area were 13.57×10^-6, 0.33×10^-6, 87.06×10^-6, 0.153×10^-6, 27.49×10^-6, 30.46×10^-6, 27.94×10^-6, 82.53×10^-6.Respectively, all of which were higher than the national soil background values.②The heavy metal content in rice crops is higher than that in Lipu taro, citrus, and horseshoe.The heavy metal content is also different in rice roots, stems, and seeds.③ The bioaccumulation coefficient of heavy metal was generally high in rice. When comparing different parts of rice, the bioconcentration coefficients of heavy metals were greatest in the roots and least in the seeds. And when comparing different crops, the migration capacity of heavy metals in the soil-rice system was significantly higher than that of Lipu taro, citrus and water chestnut.④ The exchangeable state of Cd in the study area is significantly higher than As, Cr, Hg, and Pb. Cd is the most active soil heavy metal in the study area, it should be paid more attention to prevent excessive Cd in crops from causing harm to people.

Unfavorable geobodies such as Karsts, weak soil, and water-rich areas are extensively distributed in China. Under heavy rainfall, they are prone to geologic hazards like collapse. A severe geological collapse occurred in Xiacun Town, Yushui District, Xinyu City, near the Shanghai-Kunming high-speed railway. The space around the collapsed foundation pit was limited, with many interference sources like underground pipelines. With early signals subjected to the mutual inductance effects of receiver and transmitter coils, the conventional transient electromagnetic method exhibited low detection accuracy and anti-interference ability, encountering significant shallow blind zones. To locate unfavorable geobodies in the study area and provide suggestions for the prevention and control of geologic hazards, this study innovatively applied the opposing-coils transient electromagnetic method (OCTEM), supplemented by borehole-based verification. The results show that: (1) The OCTEM exhibited high accuracy, as demonstrated by the high consistency between the geophysical exploration results and the drilling results of the study area; (2) The low-resistivity zone spread across the study area, and the low-resistivity anomalies revealed by geophysical exploration were caused by groundwater according to borehole-based verification; (3) The strata from top to bottom were composed of soft plastic silty clay, hard plastic silty clay, soft plastic silty clay, and moderately weathered limestones; (4) The subsurface micro-confined water in the collapse area surged upward, gradually eroding the soft plastic silty clay layer around the area. The static water level in the collapsed foundation pit manifested an elevation of 55.60 m, located approximately 1.4 m below the surface; (5) A groundwater channel existed under the collapse area, with soil caves formed in the limestone layer under the prolonged erosion effect of water flow; (6) Long-term groundwater extraction may expand the underground seepage zone; (7) The administrative department in charge must promptly contain groundwater in the collapse area to prevent it from further eroding the surrounding unconsolidated soil layer.

The telecontrol electrode array is a new type of electrode array for power supply and observations that utilizes the carrier waves of the power-supply and measurement wires used in conventional electrical prospecting to transmit signals. By remotely controlling a series of coded electrode switches between various wires and their connections, this array allows for orderly power supply and measurements. This array enables flexible spacings between electrodes and the gradual expansion of the distances between power supply electrodes via remote control, thus achieving a gradient-based sounding array. The borrowing-line remote controller can be used combined with single-channel, multi-channel, and high-density resistivity instruments, and the combined arrays can perform 2D/3D electrical prospecting more effectively. Followed by the brief introduction of the principle of the borrowed-line telecontrol electrode array, this study discusses the applications and examples of this array and several combined arrays in the resistivity method and induced polarization (IP).

The extensively applied audio magnetotellurics (AMT) has become a primary method for deep geophysical exploration of solid mineral resources. However, its data processing and interpretation often only consider electromagnetic effects but ignore induced polarization (IP) effects, which is inconsistent with actual geological conditions. Based on the two-dimensional AMT finite-element forward modeling with IP effects, this study simulated the magnitude and regularity of the influence of various parameters of IP effects on the two-dimensional forward response. Moreover, this study conducted a numerical simulation on the geoelectric model of sandstone uranium deposits in the Erlian Basin. The results show that: (1) With an increase in the values of polarizability, frequency correlation coefficient, and time constant, the two-dimensional AMT forward modeling with IP effects based on the Cole-Cole model primarily reduced the abnormal response value of two-dimensional forward modeling apparent resistivity and increased the abnormal response value of impedance phase. This is beneficial for detecting low-resistivity targets rather than high-resistivity targets; (2) The zero-frequency resistivity and polarizability in IP effects exhibit a significant influence on the two-dimensional forward response. The influence of both frequency correlation coefficient and time constant on the forward response primarily depends on the polarizability. High polarizability suggests their significant influence on the forward response; (3) In the case of disseminated and sulfide-bearing lithologies in the sand bodies of sandstone uranium deposits, greater IP effects will significantly influence the detection of target sand bodies using frequency-domain AMT. Therefore, forward modeling is necessary before detection to determine the magnitude of IP effects.

The low-amplitude structures on the top of the Carboniferous carbonate rocks in the Akzor area on the eastern margin of the Pre-Caspian Basin show considerable potential for oil and gas exploration.However,the complex distribution of overlying Lower Permian strata and significant changes in lateral velocities pose high challenges for the mapping of the Carboniferous low-amplitude structures.To achieve the rapid mapping of the structures in the study area,this study selected the frequency-division interval velocity inversion method to build the velocity model for the study area after comparing three methods for velocity modeling.The velocity model built in this study,solving the problem that the frequency-division interval velocity inversion is constrained by the lateral continuity of conventional interval velocity inversion methods,yielded more accurate velocity characterization of anomalies in the Lower Permian carbonate rocks.Moreover,compared to the collaborative velocity modeling method based on well-seismic velocity spectra and the conventional interval velocity inversion method constrained by log data,the frequency-division interval velocity inversion method effectively improved the depth-domain mapping accuracy of the underlying Carboniferous low-amplitude structures in the study area,boasting high performance.

Black soil layer thicknesses, anessential attribute of black soil,serves as a significant indicator for measuring the fertility and erosion degree of black soil. Their spatial prediction holds critical significance for supporting China's black land conservation and ensuring food security.Considering the diagnostic characteristics of black soil layers in soil system classification, this study regarded soil layers with organic carbon content higher than 6×10^-3 of soil parent materials as black soil layers.Moreover, it derived the calculation formula for the thicknesses of black soil layers relying on the exponential distribution pattern of organic carbon in the vertical soil profile. Based on the 62 896 topsoil and 15 687 deepsoil organic carbon data obtained from the multi-purpose regional geochemical survey, this study conducted detailed spatial prediction of the thicknesses of black soil layers in the Songliao Plain and analyzed their relationship with soil types and climate factors. Key findings are as follows:(1) The thicknesses of black soil layers in the Songliao Plain range from 0 to 165 cm, with a median of 23.33 cm;(2) The spatial distribution of black soil layers exhibits significant heterogeneity, characterized by thin southwestern and thick northeastern portions;(3) The black soil layers of swampy soil and peat soil manifest the largest average thicknesses between 60 and 80 cm, followed by those of typical black soil (average thickness: 56 cm) and those of albic soil and meadow soil (average thickness: 40~50 cm);(4) The spatial distributions of the thicknesses of black soil layers are closely associated with climatic conditions, primarily showing a significant negative correlation with temperature and a positive correlation with rainfall;(5) The mean annual temperature of 0 ℃ is a significant temperature threshold for the development of thick black soil layers.Above this temperature, the average thickness of black soil layers exceeds 80 cm and no longer changes with temperature. With global warming, the southward shift of this 0 ℃ is otherm may significantly influence the thicknesses of black soil layers.

Establishing a spatial prediction model for soil organic matter (SOM) can accurately predict the spatial distribution of SOM content, playing a significant role in scientific soil management and ecosystem service enhancement. Focusing on the soils in Yonghe County, Linfen City, Shanxi Province, this study extracted topographic factors and vegetation indices from the digital elevation model (DEM) and vegetation remote sensing data. With soil attributes as variable factors, this study, using the Boruta algorithm, selected the characteristic variablescorrelating strongly with SOM from variable factors as auxiliary variables. These auxiliary variables were used as model inputand the measured SOM values as model output.The SOM content in samples in the training set was predicted usingthe ordinary Kriging (OK)method, the back propagation neural network (BPNN), the genetic algorithm-optimized BPNN (GA-BPNN), and the improved BPNN combined with the geostatistical method (the GA-BPNN-OK method) separately. The prediction accuracy was comparatively analyzed based on samples in the validation set. The results show that: (1)The Boruta algorithm ranked the selected characteristic variables in order of importance, obtaining the sequence of total nitrogen >topographic wetness index (TWI) > elevation > slope > normalized difference vegetation index (NDVI) > enhanced vegetation index (EVI); (2)Despite local differences,the SOM prediction results obtained using the four methods exhibited roughly the same overall spatial distribution: low in the western and southwestern portions of the study areabut high in the eastern and southeastern portions;(3)Compared to the other three models, the GA-BPNN-OK model demonstrated more distinct low- and high-value areas in the predicted SOM distribution. (4) As revealed by the comparison of prediction accuracy indices, the GA-BPNN-OK method yielded a minimum root mean square error (RMSE) of 0.059, a minimum mean absolute error (MAE) of 0.240,a minimum mean relative error (MRE) of 0.165, and a maximum fitting coefficient (R²) of 0.78. To verify the effects of the Boruta algorithm in improving model accuracy, global variables, as well as the variables determined through characteristic selection, were used as the model inputof the GA-BPNN method. The comparison of the prediction results indicates that the Boruta algorithm reduced the model error. Therefore, the Boruta algorithm and the GA-BPNN-OK method constitute the optimal prediction model for the spatial distribution of SOM content.

This study conducted geochemical tests and analyses for vertical rock-soil profiles with different bedrock types in the Wenchuan section in the upper arid valley of the Minjiang River. Based on the above, this study explored the vertical distributions of elements in these weathering crust profiles to investigate the influence of bedrocks on the contents of chemical elements in soils. From a geological perspective, this study provided proposals for planting in agricultural production and eco-environmental restoration for the study area. The results of this study are as follows: (1) From top to bottom, weathering crust profiles can be divided into four layers: the humus layer (A), the illuvial layer (B), the soil parent material layer (C), and the bedrock layer (R). The humus layers exhibit higher average values of Al, Ca, K, Mg, Fe, Se, Zn, Cu, Cd, and Pb and lower average values of Si, Na, Mn, Cr, As, Cd, and Hg, compared to corresponding national average values in soils; (2) In weathering crust profiles with different bedrock types, except for elements with higher contents in both bedrocks and corresponding soil layers, the same elements manifest similar contents in other soil layers; (3) The chemical weathering intensity increased from the bedrock to the humus layers, with soil weathering degrees generally higher than bedrock weathering degrees; (4) In addition to characteristics inherited from soil parent materials, elements in weathering crust profiles show content differentiation, characterized by enriched Al, K, and Se in humus layers, enriched Na, Fe, Si, Pb, Cu, Zn, Mn, As, Cd, Cr, and Hg in illuvial layers, and enriched Mg and Ca in soil parent material layers.

The semi-airborne transient electromagnetic (SATEM) noise data, exhibiting intricate forms, high acquisition costs, and small volumes, cannot be augmented using conventional augmentation methods, thus significantly hindering the subsequent denoising work. Hence, this study proposed a data augmentation method for SATEM signals based on the generative adversarial network (GAN). By designing the generator as a long short-term memory (LSTM) network and training the generator and discriminator models based on the dataset of real-measured SATEM noise, this study obtained a generator model that can generate simulated noise data. Then, this study analyzed the distributions of the simulated noise generated by the generator and the real-measured noise. Moreover, this study compared the performance of the denoising network before and after augmentation, demonstrating the effectiveness of this method for augmenting real-measured SATEM noise data.

Surface water resources are scarce in Ritu County of the Ali area due to the absence of large rivers. The strata in the area are primarily composed of Jurassic and Cretaceous sedimentary rocks, exhibiting significantly varying spatial water abundance, thus posing challenges in water exploration through drilling. Based on hydrogeological survey data, this study summarized the occurrence patterns of pore water in Quaternary unconsolidated rocks and fissure water in fault structures and the electrical characteristics of aquifers in the area. It explored the structural fissure water with high water abundance in the area using the high-density resistivity method and the audio magnetotelluric method. Based on the geophysical exploration results, it delineated favorable aquifers. Furthermore, it verified the exploration accuracy through drilling, obtaining high-yield water wells, and ensuring the supply of drinking water. Therefore, the combination of multiple geophysical exploration methods is effective in groundwater resource surveys, improving the exploration accuracy of groundwater resources and providing effective technical support for well deployment.

The Maokou Formationcarbonate reservoirs in the central Sichuan Basinexhibit well-developed dissolutionpores, vugs, and fractures, pronounced heterogeneity, and diverse types. This study aims to identify their types and establish the log-based identification criteria for various reservoir types. First, this study classified the reservoir types based on the analysis of casting thin sections, core photos, and micro-resistivity imaging logs.Moreover, it determined the conventional log response characteristics of different reservoir types. Finally, it conducted log-based identification of reservoir types using the fracture porosity (φ_f) -secondary porosity index (R_P) cross-plotting method. The results are as follows: (1)The Maokou Formation carbonate reservoirs in the central Sichuan Basin can beclassified into four types, i.e., fractured-vuggy, fractured-porous, porous-vuggy, and matrix porous reservoirs;(2) Fracture porosities calculated from different models are more similar in the case of more developed fractures, and dissolution pores and vugscan affect the fracture porositycalculation results to some extent;(3) The φ_f-R_P cross-plotting method can effectively identify reservoir types. These research results provide technical support for the log-based identification of carbonate reservoir types.

The fault-controlled carbonate area in the northern depression of the Tarim Basin possesses abundant oil and gas resources.Identifying the oil-water contact (OWC) of fault-controlled tabular reservoirs is critical for their effective exploitation.However,OWC identification through drilling is costly and challenging.In contrast,it is efficient to identify the OWC using geophysical methods.This study proposed a time-frequency analysis method based on generalized S-transform.As revealed by the joint analysis of extensive time-frequency analysis results of through-well seismic channels and production performance analysis data,the depth/time-varying main frequency of seismic data is positively correlated with the oil layer thickness.Hence,this study proposed to identify the OWC using the abnormal inflection point of the energy envelope of seismic channel time-frequency gather.Experimental results demonstrate that oil layer thickness results obtained are uncertain,generally reliable,and reliable in the case of oil column height (OCH)<120 m,120 m≤OCH≤250 m,and OCH≥250 m,respectively.The method proposed in this study was applied to a fault fracture zone of an area of the Fuman oilfield,obtaining the main predicted oil layer thicknesses between 200 m and 520 m,aligning with the actual exploitation results.Therefore,the method of this study can be employed to guide exploitation.

The Xinzhao gas zone of the Dongsheng gas field resides at the junction of three first-order tectonic units:Yishan slope,Yimeng uplift,and Tianhuan depression.Due to the influence of paleogeomorphology and provenance,different channel sediments vary significantly in this zone.The main target layer is the first member of the Shihezi Formation,which hosts a braided river sedimentary system,with tight reservoirs characterized by typical low porosities and permeabilities.The effective sandstone reservoir exhibits a small thickness,pronounced heterogeneity in gas content,and low-resolution seismic data,complicating sweet spot prediction.Hence,this study delved into the critical seismic prediction techniques for sweet spots in braided-river tight sandstone reservoirs.Firstly,the stratigraphic framework was established based on the three-dimensional seismic relative isochronous surface,characterizing the spatial distributions of channel sand bodies at different stages using the relative-spatial-resolution stratal slicing technique.Then,the seismic data were transformed from the time domain to the frequency domain using the wavelet transform time-frequency analysis technique.Based on the analysis of instantaneous spectrum differences in seismic data of different channels,the qualitative gas content prediction was achieved using the low-frequency energy ratio and the ABV absorption attribute,effectively supporting well deployment.Finally,the facies-controlled geostatistical inversion in the depth domain combining logs and seismic data was conducted for quantitative reservoir prediction, guiding the accurate design and optimization of horizontal well trajectories.The application of these techniques has increased the probability of penetration of gas reservoirs in the study area by seven percentage points, demonstrating satisfactory application effects.

Tight sandstones serve as significant oil and gas reservoirs.Their lithofacies identification can assist in further understanding the developmental characteristics of reservoirs.Combining core observations with log data processing,this study analyzed the lithofacies and sedimentary microfacies characteristics of tight sandstones in the Xinchang area and the internal relationships between lithofacies and sedimentary microfacies.Moreover,it constructed a random forest classification model with geological implications through data mining of sedimentary microfacies characteristics.The results show that:(1)Tight sandstones in the Xinchang area can be classified into seven typical lithofacies,including mudstone,siltstone with ripple lamination,massive fine sandstone,fine sandstone with parallel bedding,massive medium- to coarse-grained sandstone,and medium- to coarse-grained sandstone with parallel/cross bedding;(2)The sedimentary microfacies in the Xinchang area consist primarily of subaqueous distributary channel,subaqueous distributary bay,river-mouth bar,and prodeltaic mud,which are closely associated with the sedimentation of lithofacies;(3)In the classification model,the relative centroid(RM),root mean square deviation(GS),average median(AM),and average slope(M) of the gamma ray(GR) curve can be used as the characteristic parameters of sedimentary microfacies to increase the number of characteristics in the dataset;(4)Considering the characteristics of sedimentary microfacies,especially the energy and turbulence of water bodies,can significantly enhance the performance of the random forest classification model.Overall,the results of this study provide a novel approach for lithofacies identification using machine learning methods and a significant reference for oil and gas exploration in tight sandstones.

In response to the increasing demand for large-scale field seismic acquisition, this study developed a low-cost multifunctional nodal rotational seismometer (RBWL) with a micro-electro-mechanical system (MEMS) sensor, considering the functionality, economic feasibility, and the ease of arrangement. The RBWL employs a low-cost and low-power MEMS sensor to acquire seismic signals, involving three-component translational motions (T_x,T_y,T_z) and three-component rotational motions (R_x,R_y,R_z). To reduce the impacts of environmental factors on measurements, the system of the RBWL automatically records real-time information including temperature and attitude while performing compensation correction on the measurement results. For real-time monitoring and data transmission at acquisition nodes, the system establishes a data transmission link integrating 4G, cloud, and client, with the measured maximum data transmission rate up to 100 Mbps. The testing of H/V spectral ratios verifies the system functions and principal performance parameters of the RBWL and its effectiveness in engineering physical exploration.

This study performed forward modeling for the short-offset transient electromagnetic (SOTEM) responses of a three-dimensional geoelectric model using the three-dimensional finite-difference time-domain method. The results reveal that: (1) The attenuation curves of the E_x responses from the electric field above the goaf or collapse column were above the background response curve at early times but below it at later times; (2) A shorter offset corresponded to a higher relative anomaly of ∂B_z/∂t response signals. Increasing the length of the transmitting source could enhance the signal intensity while slightly decreasing the relative anomaly; (3) In the case of survey lines close to the transmitting source, the overall ∂B_z/∂t responses of the goaf or collapse column were weaker than the background responses. For survey lines away from the transmitting source, the overall ∂B_z/∂t responses of the goaf or collapse column were stronger than the background responses. In summary, the calculation results demonstrate significant implications for understanding the ability of the SOTEM method to detect typical water-rich bodies in coal mines, laying a theoretical foundation for the parameter selection of SOTEM devices and their generalized application in the coal sector.

The Guidong plutonis a crucial part of the EW-directed Dadongshan-Guidong-Wuliting magmatic rock belt in the Nanling region of South China.The Xiazhuang uranium orefield resides in the eastern portion of the Guidong pluton. Researchers have conducted extensive chronological testing on the Guidong pluton, the Xiazhuang uranium orefield, and their veins, obtaining abundant age data. This study synthesized the advances and characteristics of chronological research in the study area. The results show that: (1) The Guidong pluton is a complex pluton formed by Caledonian-Yanshanian magma at 450~151 Ma. From east to west, it can be divided into the Caledonian (450~418 Ma),the Indosinian (246~214 Ma), and the Yanshanian (189~151 Ma) plutons, manifesting a gradually aging pattern from west to east. The Xiazhuang uranium orefield hosts NWW-, NEE-, and NNE-directedmafic veins form eddue to Yanshanian magmatism at 211~91 Ma. These veins can be categorized into five sets according to their ages: 211~185 Ma, ca. 180 Ma, 145~139 Ma, 110~100 Ma, and 93~91 Ma. The uranium mineralization in the orefield lasted from the middle Jurassic to the Miocene with an age of 175~20 Ma, involving five phases and six stages: The Middle Jurassic uranium mineralization (175~162 Ma), the late Jurassic-early Cretaceous uranium mineralization (138~123 Ma, 113~100 Ma),the late Cretaceous uranium mineralization (96~66 Ma),the Paleocene uranium mineralization (65~54 Ma), and the Eocene-Miocene uranium mineralization and modification (52~20 Ma). Among them, 138~123 Ma and 96~54 Ma constituted the primary mineralization epochs. (2) According to the chronological and geological data of the study area,the formation of the Guidong pluton and its uranium mineralization can be divided into the following eight phases and 12 stages. The first phase is the middle-late Caledonian magmatism (450~418Ma),forming subvolcanic and granitic rocks primarily in the northern and eastern peripheries of the Guidong pluton. The second phase is the Indosinian granitic magmatism (246~214 Ma), which was dominated by the granitic magmatism from the middle Triassic to the early stage of the late Triassic.The third phase is the early Yanshanian mafic magmatism and uranium mineralization (211~162 Ma),including three stages: The mafic vein activity from the late stage of the Triassic to the early Jurassic (211~200 Ma), the early Jurassic granitic magmatism(ca.180 Ma), and the middle Jurassic mafic vein activity and uraninite mineralization (179~162 Ma). The fourth phase is the Yanshanian magmatism (163~139 Ma), which formed the Yanshanian pluton in the west of the Guidong pluton, consists of the granitic magmatism during the late stage of the middle Jurassic (163~151 Ma) and the late Jurassic magmatism (145~39 Ma). The fifth phase is the late Yanshanian early Cretaceousuranium mineralization and mafic vein activity (138~100 Ma), which comprises the uranium mineralization at the early stage of the early Cretaceous (138~123 Ma) and the mafic vein activity and uraninite mineralization at the late stage of the early Cretaceous(113~100 Ma). The sixth phase is the late Yanshanian late Cretaceous uranium mineralization and mafic vein activity (96~66 Ma), serving as one primary mineralization phase. The seventh phase is the Himalayan Paleocene uranium mineralization(65~54 Ma).The eighth phase is the Himalayan Eocene-Miocene uranium mineralization and modification(52~20 Ma). 3) The pluton formation and uranium mineralization are relatively concentratedin the study area, such as the Caledonian pluton (450~418 Ma), the Indosinian granitic pluton (238~220 Ma), the Yanshanian pluton (163~151 Ma), mafic vein activity (211~91 Ma), and uranium mineralization (138~123 Ma, 96~54 Ma). There exists a certain time difference between uranium mineralization and granitic pluton formation, indicating that they are non-contemporaneous products. Each uranium mineralization was preceded by mafic vein activity, suggesting an intimate relationship between uranium mineralization and mafic vein activity.

Based on relevant eco-geochemical survey data collected fromthe Lixiahe plain area in Jiangsu Province,this study systematically explored the geochemical characteristics of elements in Se-rich soils and the genetic mechanism through elemental distribution contrast, correlation analysis, R-type cluster analysis, and principal component analysis. This study can be referenced for the rational production and utilization of Se-rich land resources of the Quaternary sedimentary type. Key findings are as follows: (1)Se-rich soilsin the Lixiahe area are typical Quaternary sediments, and the closed lagoon facies sedimentary environment characterized by rich organic matter and slightly reducing conditions plays a foundational role in the formation of local Se-rich soils;(2) Typical element association, Se-OM-N-K-Fe-Co, in Se-rich soils is primarily located within a depth of 30 cm from the surface, with Se content ranging mostly from 0.3×10^-6 to 0.4×10^-6 in a uniform distribution; (3) Significant positive correlations between Se and some other elements can be observed in the soils, with the correlation coefficients (r)between Se and OM,and Se and CEC being 0.74 and 0.66, respectively.In contrast, Se exhibits a significant negative correlation with pH, with a correlation coefficient of -0.35; (4) The formation of Se-rich soilsmight have experienced three Se enrichment stages: the initial enrichment in soil parent materials, the re-enrichment during soil formation, and the supergene enrichment after soil formation, accompanied by interference from non-lagoon facies sediments (such as marine sediments). Organic matter adsorption, colloid adsorption, and biogeochemistry constitute the main causes of Se enrichment in the soils; (5) The Se-rich soils are also relatively enriched in heavy metal elements like Cu, Pb, Zn, Ni, Co, and V, which are within the national limit standards.

Over recent years, large-scale geochemical surveys on a scale of 1:25,000 have been conducted in the eastern Kunlun region for geological prospecting. These surveys, characterized by the rapid and accurate location of anomaly sources, have been widely applied in mineral explorations, yielding encouraging mineral prospecting results. Using 1:25,000-scale stream sediment surveys, this study delineated 12 geochemical integrated anomalies of the element associations of Cu, Co, and Ni in the Hedong area, Mangya City, eastern Kunlun. These anomalies include one integrated anomaly dominated by Co, where various element anomalies exhibit high-degree overlap, relatively large scales, high intensity, and distinct concentration zoning. The Co anomaly is closely associated with the Ordovician Qimantag Group, demonstrating a high degree of spatial consistency. The subsequent anomaly verification reveals four cobalt mineralized zones within anomalies GA16, GA26, GA11, and GA39, with three ore bodies and multiple mineralized bodies of cobalt being identified within the mineralized zones. The comprehensive analysis indicates that the eastern Kunlun region enjoys excellent metallogenic geological conditions and favorable geochemical characteristics, with promising prospecting results having been achieved. Therefore, this region has the prospecting potential of medium to large-scale cobalt deposits.

Within a coal mine in Peixian County, Xuzhou City, brick-red Paleogene and Neogene strata were deposited in the faulted basin during the Cenozoic, with extensive Quaternary strata overlying various strata. The Quaternary, Jurassic, and Cretaceous strata exhibit thick overburden, up to over 500 m. This study explored the coal mine using the short-offset transient electromagnetic (SOTEM) method. Based on geoelectric conditions, reasonable observation parameters were designed to obtain the subterranean electric structure within a burial depth of 1500 m. Goafs were detected at a burial depth of 900 m, with their delineated boundaries aligning with the mining situation of the coal mine. The results of this study serve as a reference for detecting goafs with thick overburden in North China-type coalfields.

The extended spatial autocorrelation (ESPAC)-based microtremor exploration(natural-source surface wave exploration) technology has been extensively used in shallow formation exploration owing to its simplicity,efficiency,and accuracy.However,the imaging effect of dispersion energy extracted based on the ESPAC method is unsatisfactory in practical applications.In particular,different observation array arrangements influence the extraction of dispersion curves from collected data.By investigating the imaging principle of the ESPAC method,this study conducted the simulation experiment of natural-source microtremor recording through ambient noise simulation.It compared the differences in dispersion energy under various dominant frequency distributions of wavelets.Moreover,it quantitatively analyzed the influence of different station arrangements and acquisition durations on the imaging quality of dispersion energy.The comparative study reveals the imaging patterns of the ESPAC method in shallow surface exploration.The ESPAC method can maximize the imaging quality of dispersion energy in the fundamental mode while considering both efficiency and exploration costs.The results of this study were applied to engineering application cases to further verify the simulation results.

This study conducted magnetotelluric profiling in the Bengbu-Huaibei area of Anhui Province. Combined with gravity and magnetic anomalies, it obtained the deep electrical structure, the distribution of primary strata, and the properties of faults in the area, particularly the morphology of the Xuzhou-Suzhouarcuate nappe structure and the development of deep coal-measure strata. The results indicate that: (1) The Upper Paleozoic strataare primarily distributed under the high-resistivity nappe on the surface of the Xuzhou-Suzhouarcuate nappe structure. Theymanifest low-resistivity and low-densityphysical properties and high continuity, suggesting high exploration potential for coal beneath the nappe structure;(2)On the profile, early-stage faulting was dominated by reverse faults, resulting in local Lower Paleozoic and Proterozoicstrata overlying the Upper Paleozoic strata. In the later stage, normal faults predominated, controlling the Cenozoic deposition;(3) The Xuzhou-Suzhouarcuate nappe structure exhibits a 'high-low' double-layer electrical structure at burial depths shallower than 4 km, withthe dominant thrust fault plane composed of F5 and F6 faults. The leading edge of the high-resistivity nappe on the surface extends northwestward to Xiaoxian County and southward to northern Guzhen County, experiencing significant denudation in the Zhahe area. The above results provide critical geophysical information for the basic geological research and mineral exploration in the study area.

Many cities or urban residential areas in central and western China reside in alluvial plains formed from piedmont alluvial fans. Hence, revealing the stratigraphic architectures and stability of alluvial fans holds critical significance for urban construction planning and rational land use. The alluvial fan in the eastern piedmont of the Liupan Mountains hosts the urban residential areas and villages of Guyuan City, with a dense population. Moreover, the alluvial fan develops several event deposits recording the activity of the alluvial fan under tectonic movements and climatic changes. Through field geological survey, optically stimulated luminescence dating, controlled source audio-frequency magnetotellurics (CSAMT), and conventional radon measurement, this study revealed the stratigraphic architecture of the alluvial fan and its two-phase event deposits (~43.33 ka B.P. and 22.92~20.72 ka B.P) since the Late Pleistocene. As indicated by the CSAMT and conventional radon measurement results, the alluvial fan still exhibits high activity under the influence of the Haiyuan and Qingshuihe faults. The results of this study provide fundamental data for crustal stability assessment, prevention and control of geologic hazards, and engineering construction in the Liupanshan area.

The Mangling ore concentration area with intense magmatic activity has become a focal area for deep prospecting in the North Qinling tectonic belt in recent years. The formation of molybdenum deposits in this area is closely related to small Late Jurassic acidic intrusions. To achieve breakthroughs in deep ore prospection within this area, this study conducted the wide-field electromagnetic sounding over the concealed Yaozhuang intrusion delineated based on gravity anomalies. The results indicate the presence of pronounced high-resistivity anomalies at depth, and it is inferred that the protruding part of the anomalies corresponds to the concealed Yaozhuang intrusion. The resistivity inversion results roughly delineated the variations in the top surface of the intrusion, with the elevations and N-S width of the top surface estimated at -300~620 m and 1300~1600 m, respectively. Drilling in the most favorable deep mineralized part confirmed the presence of the concealed intrusion and concealed molybdenum ore bodies. The results of this study demonstrate that the wide-field electromagnetic sounding method exhibits great sounding depths and high resolutions, serving as an effective method for deep ore prospecting in the Mangling ore concentration area.