Exploration and Production of Diamond Deposits in Wafangdian Area of Liaoning Province
Abstract
This paper is based on a study of several exploration reports and original field notebooks made available to us by Houxing Wang, new leader of The Sixth Geology Brigade of Liaoning Province. Aerial magnetic surveys were conducted over the southeastern peninsula of Liaoning in 1958 and 1959 to locate petroleum deposits. In 1973, a surface magnetic survey was performed by the Liaoning material deposits team. Guided by available magnetic data, The Sixth Geology Brigade collected heavy minerals in selected stream beds in 1974, followed by borehole methods the following year. A systematic diamond exploration program was established in 1976. Kimberlite pipes 51, 68 and 74 were discovered in 1977, more than five years after the diamond exploration project originated. Later studies of individual pipes were based on detailed observations of structural geology, fault systems, downhole methods, trenches, constructions of a series of cross sections covering a depth of up to 80 meters. Excavation of Pipe 50, one of the richest diamond deposits in the area, began in the early 1980's, and the pipe was depleted and closed in July, 2002. When we compared the bird's eyeview of the excavated hole with the original maps and cross sections prepared by the geologists of The Sixth Geology Brigade, we were astonished by the accuracy of every detail as predicted like a piece of art work.
- Publication:
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AGU Fall Meeting Abstracts
- Pub Date:
- December 2012
- Bibcode:
- 2012AGUFM.V53D2878L
- Keywords:
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- 0915 EXPLORATION GEOPHYSICS / Downhole methods;
- 0925 EXPLORATION GEOPHYSICS / Magnetic and electrical methods;
- 3665 MINERALOGY AND PETROLOGY / Mineral occurrences and deposits;
- 3690 MINERALOGY AND PETROLOGY / Field relationships