This study innovatively leveraged proximal remote sensing to address the challenge of mineral exploration in vegetation-covered regions. Remote and proximal sensing has proven to be highly effective in pinpointing surface-exposed alteration minerals and detecting potential mining sites in previously unproductive areas. However, in regions where vegetation is abundant, the presence of foliage poses a significant challenge to mineral exploration efforts, creating a natural barrier that hinders the search for valuable minerals. In this study, we explored the linear relationship between the spectral changes induced by metals (specifically Fe and Mo) in wheat plants and the concentrations of these metal elements in different parts of the plant canopy at various growth stages. This investigation was conducted through meticulously designed controlled experiments to understand the interaction between metal elements in the soil and wheat plants. We have established linear models linking wheat biochemistry, vegetation spectroscopy, and soil concentration gradients of Fe and Mo. The analysis of Fe and Mo concentrations in leaves and wheat spikes across varying soil concentration gradients revealed significant positive correlations between the canopy accumulation sites and soil element concentrations (p < 0.05), with a correlation coefficient (R) exceeding 0.85, affirming the representativeness of these two canopy sites for subsequent spectral analysis and modeling. Regarding the wheat spectral analysis, the absorption features at specified wavelengths were identified as significant for creating valid linear models to analyze the effect of Fe and Mo in wheat leaf and spike spectra. Comparing the univariate (URL) and multivariate (MLR) models demonstrated that MLR modeling, incorporating multiple absorption feature parameters, provided more accurate results compared to scenarios with only one absorption feature in the modeling process (MLR: Fe-leaf: R² = 0.941, RMSE = 1.171; Mo-spike: R² = 0.934, RMSE = 0.042). To conclude, this study introduces a novel method that exploits the wheat spectral properties observed across different canopy sections during various growth stages of vegetation and under varying concentrations of Fe and Mo gradients. The methodology elucidated in this research provides technical support and lays the theoretical foundation for evaluating mineral resources in vegetated areas.

A large-scale sandstone-type uranium deposit, recently discovered within the petroleum field of the Jingchuan area on the southwestern margin of the Ordos Basin, exemplifies a classic case of uranium exploration success achieved through the analysis of petroleum geological data including borehole logs. By synthesizing borehole radioactive logs and seismic surveys, we delineated target sandstone geometry, connectivity, and ore-controlling structures (e.g., paleochannels, redox interfaces). This study establishes a novel methodology for sandstone-type uranium exploration in petroliferous basins, unifying geophysical and geochemical datasets to define drill-validated targets. We integrated detailed core logging, petrography, and assay data to delineate the deposit’s geology. This included the host strata composition, ore-body morphology, mineralogy, and alteration assemblages. Our analysis identified the critical controls on mineralization: sandbody architecture, structural framework, and redox zonation. Based on these constraints, we constructed a genetic metallogenic model. Furthermore, we elucidated the mechanistic role of hydrocarbons in uranium mineralization and demonstrated the strategic potential of repurposing legacy oilfield data for synergistic uranium targeting. The Jingchuan uranium deposit provides both an exploration blueprint and theoretical foundations for uranium targeting in analogous sedimentary basins.

The discovery of a super-large sandstone-hosted uranium ore field in the eolian sandstones of the Pengyang area (Ordos Basin, North China) represents a major breakthrough, yet the relationship between chlorite alteration and uranium mineralization in this deposit type remains unclear. This study conducted detailed mineralogical and geochemical analyses of chlorite using SEM, TEM, and EPMA. Five distinct types of chlorite were identified from mineralized and non-mineralized sandstones from the Luohe Formation in the Pengyang area from the southwestern Ordos Basin. This study addresses the formation temperatures, material sources, and possible formation mechanisms of those chlorites. The chlorites closely associated with uranium minerals formed at temperatures ranging from 130 to 170 °C, which represent the true formation temperature of the uranium minerals in the Pengyang uranium deposit. Comparing chlorite from uranium deposits related to granitic and volcanic rocks hosted uranium deposits in South China and sandstone-hosted uranium deposits in northern Ordos, North China, it is revealed that the chlorites from the eolian sandstone depositional area of the Pengyang experienced multiple episodes of fluid alteration. In addition, the chlorites closely related to uranium mineralization were formed by relatively low-temperature and oxidizing fluids, which may indicate that the uranium-bearing oxidative fluids in this region were primarily derived from interlayer infiltration.