CONICET | Buscador de Institutos y Recursos Humanos

Abstract The San Jose outcrop located northeast of La Carolina town in the Sierra Grande of San Luis is composed of mafic-ultramafic rocks. Geophysical exploration of this outcrop presents numerous problems due to the structure and mineralogical composition. Self potential method is used for locating polymetalic sulphide mineralizations. However, additional geophysical exploration methods are applied to solve the problem, since other minerals of low mining interest arc also present. The results of this investigation are acquired using the self potential prospecting, gravimetric, gama ray radiation, magnetic and magnetic susceptibility methods. Analysis of the profiles indicates that in areas where the rocks have high magnetic susceptibility, this is due to the presence of magnetite. The presence of graphite is irrelevant for the magnetic prospecting due to its diamagnetic nature. Geochemical analysis of tile superficial rocks indicates the absence of sulphide, which is correlated with the low self potential anomalies. Finally, based on the results of the geophysical exploration, it is possible to suggest that the San Jose outcrop has no economic importance compared with the Virorco-Las Aguilas outcrops. Key words: Geophysics, Prospecting, Sulphides, Geology Self Potential, Magnetism, San Luis Hills.