Application of singularity analysis for mineral potential identification using geochemical data — A case study: Nanling W–Sn–Mo polymetallic metallogenic belt, South China

• Mineral potential assessment in the Nanling W–Sn–Mo polymetallic belt
• The singularity analysis and C-A method were applied to identify anomalies.
• The C-A method was applied to determine thresholds of singularity indices.
• The distributions of geochemical data were investigated by Q–Q plots and histograms.

The Nanling W–Sn–Mo polymetallic belt located in southern China is endowed with considerable mineral resources, especially W–Sn–Mo polymetallic deposits. Most of these deposits were formed within a short time interval at the age of Yanshanian. In this paper, singularity analysis within a context multifractal was used to identify weak anomalies hidden within geochemical background. The C-A method was applied in the determination of threshold values of three elements (W, Sn and Mo) using derived geochemical singularity indices. Using the threshold values, each of the three singularity maps was classified into three levels based on singularity indices, and then classified maps were integrated by the raster-value overlay method. The resultant W–Sn–Mo polymetallic prospectivity map generated not only highlights known areas of W–Sn–Mo mineralization, but also identifies high potential areas with no known mineral occurrences.