Integrated physical property measurements of titanium-bearing and host rocks for mineral exploration

Abstract

Titanium is a critical mineral whose growing demand requires efficient methods for resource characterization and exploration. This study presents integrated physical property measurements of titanium-bearing ores and associated host rocks from the Myeonsan titanium ore deposit, South Korea. Representative drill-core samples were analyzed using a multi-parameter laboratory approach, including density, porosity, magnetic susceptibility, direct-current electrical resistivity, time-domain induced polarization (TDIP), electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS; spectral induced polarization, SIP, in geophysical applications), portable X-ray fluorescence (p-XRF), and petrographic observations. Titanium-bearing ores exhibit markedly higher density and chargeability than surrounding host rocks, whereas porosity, resistivity, and magnetic susceptibility provide limited discrimination. EIS (SIP) measurements reveal distinct low-frequency polarization responses associated with rutile-, ilmenite-, and hematite-bearing ores. Integration of geophysical, geochemical, and petrographic measurements provides quantitative criteria for distinguishing ore-bearing rocks from host lithologies and improves understanding of the physical mechanisms controlling their responses. These results demonstrate the value of integrated physical property measurements for quantitative characterization of titanium-bearing rocks and their application to mineral exploration.