Geology and exploration of the iron metallogenic belts in the PanzhihuaXichang zone, southwestern Sichuan

Four areas of ore prospecting for the iron ore deposits in the Panzhihua-Xichang zone, southwestern Sichuan are delineated according to regional geology, distribution of the ore deposits, geophysical properties and remote-sensing interpretation. They are the Lugu (in Mianning) -Dengxiangying (in Xide) iron-rich ore prospecting area, Kuangshanliangzi-Niuchang (in Yanyuan) iron-rich ore prospecting area, Taihe-Panzhihua vanadiotitanomagnetite ore prospecting area, and Xinglong (in Dechang) -Longquan (in Huili) iron ore prospecting area. The key types of iron deposits for the further exploration should be concentrated in the late-magmatic differentiational iron deposits and volcanic-sedimentary-metamorphic iron deposits.