Application of Fractal Modeling for Accurate Resources Estimation in the Qarah Tappeh Copper Deposit, NW Iran

This investigation centers on the Qarah Tappeh copper deposit, situated in the northern region of West Azerbaijan province, approximately 15 kilometers northeast of Maku city. The primary objective of the study is to comprehensively examine the study area through the analysis of 253 lithogeochemical samples, and assessing reserves utilizing ordinary kriging, guided by subsurface data obtained from 14 boreholes totaling 909.2 meters. The concentration–volume (C–V) multifractal modeling approach was employed to estimate the deposit s reserve. The findings of this research project indicate an estimated 988,604 tons of the deposit with an average grade of 0.14%. Through the analysis of log–log plots within the C–V relationship, threshold values signifying various copper (Cu) concentrations were identified. These plots revealed a pronounced power-law correlation between Cu concentrations and their corresponding volumes, with arrows denoting four specific threshold values. Utilizing this analytical methodology, mineralized zones were classified into five distinct categories: high ( 0.42%), above-average (0.35- 0.42%), average (0.27-0.35%), below-average (0.14-0.27%), and low ( 0.14%) mineralized zones.