Processing and interpretation of geochemical data for mineral exploration

This chapter starts with describing different geochemical sampling media, be they rock chip, till, soil, or stream sediment samples. In the next section this chapter describes the analytical techniques applied to geochemical samples. This is followed by defining the state-of-the-art methods used for the processing and interpretation of geochemical data. The compositional nature of geochemical data will be covered in this chapter, together with the introduction of methods well suited for addressing the effects of compositional data. The emphasis will be placed on strategies for delineating geochemical anomalies linked to buried, covered, and blind deposits.