Natural heavy mineral anomalies of lead minerals in Songji area of the West Henan metallogenic belt and their prospecting significance

1∶200000 natural heavy mineral database in Henan Province was analyzed comprehensively with Natural Heavy Mineral Database System (ZSAPS 2.0), and nine anomalies of lead minerals were delineated in the Songji metallogenic subbelt, comprising 3 Grade Ⅱ anomalies and 6 Grade Ⅲ anomalies. The heavy mineral assemblage in these anomalies is relatively simple. Lead minerals, such as galena, cerussite, lead alum, pyromorphite, and native lead, constitute the main minerals, which are associated with copper minerals (malachite, chalcocite, native copper, cuprite, etc.) and minor zinc minerals (sphalerite, smithsonite, etc.), cinnabar, realgar, orpiment, native gold, etc. The anomalies mainly occur in Lower Paleozoic Cambrian carbonate strata. A comparison with mineral assemblages of the existing ore spots shows that the anomalies are caused by the Cambrian carbonate MVT lead-zinc deposits, and this finding is significant for ore-prospecting work in this area.