National-Scale Geochemical Baseline and Anomalies of Chromium in Papua New Guinea

Abstract

Papua New Guinea (PNG) is located at the convergence edge of the Pacific Plate and the Indo-Australian Plate, consisting of three units. There are three chromium mineralization types in PNG. Based on national-scale geochemical mapping in PNG during 2015–2018, 1399 samples of stream sediments were collected from Highland Region, Papua Peninsula, and New Guinea Islands. This paper preliminarily studied chromium’s geochemical background, spatial distribution characteristics, and geochemical anomalies. The chromium concentration ranged from 3 ppm to 74,600 ppm, with a median value of 145 ppm, which was higher than the upper crustal abundance of chromium and the chromium geochemical baseline of Europe, Australia, North America, and China. In terms of stream sediment samples in different tectonic units, as mafic–ultramafic magmatic rocks are widely developed, the median chromium values of the New Guinea Orogen, including the Papuan Fold Belt, the New Guinea Thrust Belt, the Finisterre Terrane, the Aure Fold Belt, the Eastern Fold Belt, and the Eastern Papuan Composite Terrane, were higher than the value of the Melanesian Arc. The ophiolitic complexes, such as the April ophiolite, the Marum ophiolite, and the Papua ultramafic belt, significantly correlated with the higher chromium concentration. Eleven chromium high anomalies with mineralization potential were delineated, including three laterite and podiform prospecting areas and eight placer prospecting areas. Based on the chromium–nickel integrated anomaly map, comprehensive exploration and exploitation of nickel and chromium can be carried out in 1 and 11 high anomaly areas related to lateritic mineralization.

Exploration of Anti-Microbial Resistant (AMR) Genes in the Gastrointestinal Microbiome of Birds of Paradise (Paradisaeidae) in Papua, Indonesia

“…Papua in Indonesia has chromium concentrations of stream sediment samples ranging from 3 ppm to 74,600 ppm, with a median value of 145 ppm, which was higher than the upper crustal abundance of chromium and the chromium geochemical baselines of Europe, Australia, North America, and China (Zhao et al, 2023). However, the sedimentation concentrations of chromium and arsenic did not exceed the Threshold Effect Level (TEL) (Hamuna and Wanimbo, 2021).…”

Applying Chemical and Statistical Analysis Methods to Evaluate Water and Stream Sediments around the Coal Mine Area in Dazhu, China

“…The correlation matrix of the stream sediment samples (Table 7) highlights that Cr has strong positive correlations with Zn, Rb, Pb, Ti, Al, Fe, and Mg and moderately positive correlations with Ni and P. This may be because some chromium minerals, such as picotite (Fe (Cr, Al) 2 O 4 ), enter the stream with groundwater during mining [41]. Moreover, Mn has a strong positive correlation with Mg and moderately positive correlations with Ti, Al, and Fe.…”