A proposed new Precambrian skarn deposits in the Arabian shield

A proposed new Precambrian skarn deposits in the Arabian shield | Research Square window.SnipcartSettings = { analytics: { enabled: false } }; (function() { var accessVector = localStorage.getItem('access_vector') || ''; window.dataLayer = window.dataLayer || []; if (accessVector) { window.dataLayer.push({ user: { profile: { profileInfo: { snid: accessVector } } } }); } })(); (function(w,d,s,l,i){w[l]=w[l]||[];w[l].push({'gtm.start':new Date().getTime(),event:'gtm.js'});var f=d.getElementsByTagName(s)[0],j=d.createElement(s),dl=l!='dataLayer'?'&l='+l:'';j.async=true;j.src='https://www.googletagmanager.com/gtm.js?id='+i+dl;f.parentNode.insertBefore(j,f);})(window,document,'script','dataLayer','GTM-K279D39R'); Browse Preprints In Review Journals COVID-19 Preprints AJE Video Bytes Research Tools Research Promotion AJE Professional Editing AJE Rubriq About Preprint Platform In Review Editorial Policies Our Team Advisory Board Help Center Sign In Submit a Preprint Cite Share Download PDF Research Article A proposed new Precambrian skarn deposits in the Arabian shield Eid Aboezz, El Sayed Selim, Hatem Aboelkhair, Haytham Sehsah This is a preprint; it has not been peer reviewed by a journal. https://doi.org/ 10.21203/rs.3.rs-2805118/v1 This work is licensed under a CC BY 4.0 License Status: Posted Version 1 posted You are reading this latest preprint version Abstract The volcanosedimentary arc-related skarn deposits are the predominant types in the Arabian Shield (AS). However, the post-amalgamation extraordinary marine basins with carbonate successions exist in the AS, intruded by different types of granite plutons, and dissected by major shear zones. Therefore, all the recipes for skarn deposits are mature at the contact between the carbonate succession in the marine molasse basins and granite plutons. Magnetic data and ASTER data were integrated with the geochemical database to locate the preliminary areas for further exploration in the Murdama basin. The Murdama basin (72,000 km 2 ), which is the locality for the Murdama limestone, has a higher magnetic anomaly at the contact with post-Murdama granite batholiths, but the magnetic anomaly becomes significant at the contact with the Idah granitic suite. The shallow-seated structural magnetic lineaments within the Murdama basin and at the eastern boundary of the basin are controlled by the Najd fault system (NFS). The calc-silicate mineral alteration zones were evolved at the contact between the Murdama group and the Idah suite, with no extent for the alteration zones along the fracture network or at the contact with the Abanat suite. Meanwhile, the Idah suites are the causative plutons for the Qitan and An Nimriyah South reduced skarns that were recorded from the Murdama basin. The preliminary results from this study based on the integration of different datasets suggest the existence of reduced skarn deposits at the contact between the Murdama basin and Idah causative plutons Skarn deposits Murdama basin Causative magma Arabian – Nubian shield Najd fault system Redox state of the magma Gondwana assembly Figures Figure 1 Figure 2 Figure 3 Figure 4 Figure 5 Figure 6 Figure 7 Figure 8 Figure 9 1. Introduction Skarn deposits are irreplaceable sources for Sn and W, have significant provenance for Mo, Pb, Zn, Cu, Au, and Fe, and provide REEs, U, F, and Ag (Jiang et al., 2019 ; Meinert, 1995 , 1997 ). These deposits are substantial for industry, including high-tech equipment, defense systems, renewable energy, and transport. There are four main factors controlling the formation of skarn deposits: Firstly, the causative intrusion type and volatile content, degree of fractionation, and redox state of the magma (Legros et al., 2020 ; Shu et al., 2019 ). Secondly, the wall rock permeability and structures that provide pathways for the fluids; the composition of the wall rock; and its redox state (Chang et al., 2019 ; Nie et al., 2022 ). Thirdly, the distance from the intrusion (Chang et al., 2019 ), and fourthly, the depth of the formation at which skarn deposits had evolved (Meinert et al., 1997 ; Zhou et al., 2017 ). The metal association depends mainly on the fractionation of the magma and the redox state of both the magma and country rocks (Meinert et al., 1997 ). Accordingly, the metal association is classified into four categories: 1) Mo – W – Cu – Zn – Pb, and this type exists in oxidized, moderate to strong fractionation conditions (Chang et al., 2019 ; Ma et al., 2017 ); 2) Fe – Cu (± W) – Au – Zn – Pb, and this category favors oxidized, weak to moderate fractionation condition (Chang et al., 2019 ; Fitzherbert et al., 2021 ); 3) Sn – W – Zn – Pb, and this type occurs in reduced, strongly fractionation environment (Jiang et al., 2019 ); 4) Au – Zn – Pb, and this association exists in reduced, weak to moderate fractionated conditions (Chang et al., 2019 ). The Arabian-Nubian Shield (ANS; Fig. 1 ) is considered as a high-stand land during Gondwana assembly ca. 630 Ma, perhaps except for the eastern part of the Arabian Shield (AS) (Johnson et al., 2011 ). The eastern part of the AS was a low-stand tract with voluminous marine basins of a Neoproterozoic age, intruded by different phases of intrusions. The contact between igneous intrusions and the Neoproterozoic marine sediments in the post-amalgamated molasse basins is proposed to be a target for economic ore deposits, including Au, Ag, Cu, Mo, W, and Fe. Up to 55 g/t Au (average 7–10 g/t) were recorded from skarn deposits in NE Russia (Goryachev et al., 2018 ), and Ag with a grade of 113 g/t were estimated from Mongolian skarn deposits (Batkhishig, 2021 ). Skarn deposits exist in volcanosedimentary arc-related successions in the Arabian Shield, except for Jibal Qitan, An Nimriyah South, and Kirsh skarn localities (Fig. 2 ). Al-Madhiq calcic skarn evolved at the contact between granite and mixed volcanosedimentary succession (Ahmed, 2002 ), where major shear zones played as pathways that facilitate the circulation of fluids. Al-Madhiq skarns are a proximal exoskarn that evolved in oxidized conditions and hosts W (Ahmed and Hariri, 2006 ). Bahrah garnetiferous skarn are pertain to an island arc setting, with sheared and brecciated wall rock, and the ore deposits evolved as a result of superimposed thermal metamorphism events (Surour and Moufti, 2011 ). Jabal Ash Shumt skarn is located in the Hulayfah group, which is an island-arc volcanosedimentary succession, and the skarn deposits are attributed to granite plutons and regional metamorphism events (Moufti, 2013 ). Other localities for the arc-related successions that host skarn deposits include Al Amar, Hamra, As Safra, Bi’r Ash Shumt, and Jabalul Hamat (Table S1 ). Jibal Qitan garnetiferous skarn is located at the contact between Qitan granite and the Murdama group limestone (Miller and Arnold, 1988 ). Sn - W mineralization is dominant in Qitan skarn, and there’s a possibility for potential mineralization in the subsurface at the contact between granite and the Murdama limestone (Miller and Arnold, 1988 ). There are different types of post- Murdama granites, so there’s a higher possibility for the skarn deposits at the contact between these intrusions and the Murdama limestone. ASTER data have been used extensively for the lithological mapping and exploration of alteration minerals (Abrams and Yamaguchi, 2019 ; Aboelkhair et al., 2020 ; Ghazala et al., 2021 ; Aboelkhair et al., 2021 ). The reconnaissance of hydrothermal-related alteration zones was conducted for different ore deposits using ASTER data, including skarn deposits (Cudahy et al., 2002 ; Liu et al., 2012 ; Moradpour et al., 2022 ; Yajima, 2014 ), porphyry copper (Beygi et al., 2021 ; Chen et al., 2021 ; Wang et al., 2020 ), and volcanogenic massive sulphide (Rajendran and Nasir, 2017 ). Furthermore, ASTER data were used to identify minerals, such as carbonate and quartz (Ninomya, 2003; Ninomya et al., 2005; Rockwell and Hofstra, 2008 ), and the ferric iron oxides (Rowan and Mars, 2003 ). Magnetic data were used for lineament mapping (Abdullahi et al., 2019 ; Eldosouky et al., 2022 ; Essa et al., 2022 ; Essa and Elhussein, 2019 , ), at different crustal levels (Eldosouky et al., 2022 ; Sehsah et al., 2022 ), and estimating the depth (Abdelrahman et al., 2003a &b, Abdelrahman and Esaa, 2005). Furthermore, magnetic data has been used for estimating the sedimentary cover thickness (Aboud, 2012 ), and ore deposits exploration (Essa et al., 2022 ; Gobashy et al., 2020 ; Mehanee et el., 2021;Yang et al., 2020 ). Consequently, magnetic data has been applied to skarn deposits exploration (Gunn and Dentith, 1997 ; Martelet et al., 2021 ). Therefore, undertaking such a detailed study to locate skarn deposits in the Murdama basin based on different datasets, which is the largest post-amalgamation marine basin in the ANS with intercalation of limestone, will propose new areas for prospecting, and this is the first time to undertake such a study. The primary objective of this research work is to investigate economic skarn ore deposits using the integration of geologic studies, potential data analyses, and remote sensing data. 2. The Geologic Setting of Murdama Basin The Murdama basin covers an area of about 72000 km 2 and is located in the Afif Terrane (Johnson, 2003 ). The basin is the largest in the ANS, lies above the pre-Neoproterozoic Khida terrane to the west, is covered by Cenozoic cover to the SE, and consists of a thick volcano-sedimentary succession (Johnson et al., 2011 ). The basin consists of two units; Afif formation at the base of the basin; and this lower unit consists of calc-alkaline acidic to basic volcanic rocks; and the Murdama group lies at the top of the basin and consists of sedimentary sequence, mainly sandstone, conglomerate, and limestone (Johnson, 2003 ; Johnson et al., 2013 ). The Murdama basin lies unconformably above Cryogenian rocks, namely the Dhiran formation, Nafi formation, Hillit formation, Dhukhnah gneiss, Rika formation, Tays formation, Kabid formation, Khishaybi suite, Nasaf suite, Jidh suite, Labab and Kilab complexes, Suwaj suite, and Surayhah complex. The Murdama basin overlayed by the Jibalah group, the Jurdhaiya group, and Ediacaran rhyolite; the basin is intruded by the Al Khushaymiyah complex, the Idah suite, the Abanat suite, the Ruwaydah suite, Gharamil monzogranite, Uraynibi syenogranite, and the Haml suite of alkali feldspar granite. Najirah granite is a volcanic arc granite that evolved in an active continental margin setting (Robinson et al., 2015 ). Najirah granite is exposed in the eastern part of the AS, and exists as two large batholiths intruding Ad Dawadimi terrane. There’s no direct contact between the Murdama limestone and Najirah granite in the study area, but these two batholiths underlie the Abt formation. Najirah granite is pre-Abt formation, but both the Abt formation and Najirah granite are dissected by the Ar Ruwaydah suite. Idah suite is small plutons that are exposed in the eastern part of the AS; this type of granite is limited to the Afif and Ha’il terranes, dissecting mainly the northern part of the Murdama basin, with no record in the southern part of the Murdama basin. The Idah suite is mainly alkali granite that evolved as a post-orogenic granite (Robinson et al., 2015 ). The Al Khushaymiyah complex is exposed in the Afif terrane, with no record in other terranes. The intrusion volume increases southward and dissects the central and southern parts of the Murdama basin, with no extent northward. The Abanat suite is a post-orogenic granite that exists mainly in the Ha’il, to the north of the Afif terrane, and the distribution of such magmatism decreases southward in the Afif terrane. Abanat plutons dissect the central and northern parts of the Murdama basin (Fig. 3 ). The Khishaybi suite is a relatively large batholiths that exist in the Afif Terrane, dissecting the northern part of the Murdama basin. The Murdama basin is graded from older volcanosedimentary succession at the base of the basin in the west to younger marine at the eastern margin (Johnson et al., 2011 ). Skarn deposits exist in the eastern part of the AS, and the wall rock conditions are controlled by faults and shear zones that pertain to the Najd fault system (NFS). The NW direction of the mineral zones is attributed to the NFS, which facilitates the circulation of fluids, and the emplacement of post-orogenic granites. However, there are different types of post-Murdama granites, but the Al Khushaymiyah complex and Idah suite are the main causative plutons for the skarn deposits in the Murdama basin (Table S1 ). The Idah suite is the causative plutons for the Jibal Qitan and An Nimriyah South reduced skarn while Al Khushaymiyah complex is the causative plutons for the Kirsh oxidized skarn in the Murdama basin (Fig. 2 ; Table S1 ). Therefore, there’s a higher possibility for the skarn deposits at the contact between the Murdama group and the causative plutons of the Al Khushaymiyah complex and Idah suite. 3. Methodology 3.1 Magnetic Data The magnetic method is dependent on changes in the earth's magnetic field caused by lateral variations in the magnetization of the subsoil (Hinze et al., 2013 ). Both contributions from sources at higher depths and contributions from sources of interest at lower depths can be found in magnetic measurements. Magnetic anomalies are used to map faults and analyze the structures that are the source of the anomalies (Eldosouky et al., 2020 ; Pham et al., 2022 ; Sehsah and Eldosouky, 2022 ; Sehsah et al., 2019 ; Sehsah et al., 2022 ). Reduce to the pole (RTP), regional-residual separation, analytical signal, and tilt derivative techniques are some of the processing techniques that were used to structurally analyze magnetic data. In order to process and interpret the magnetic data, four advanced techniques were applied. Since these measurements are unreliable, it is impossible to evaluate magnetic raw data directly. Instead, to better display anomalies, the primary magnetic field must be removed and gradients must be computed. The methodical steps in the processing of magnetic data begin with the fast Fourier transformer's conversion of the corrected data from the space domain to the frequency domain (Geosoft, 2015 ). Reduction to the pole, regional-residual separation, tilt derivatives, and the analytical signal are some of these methods. To get more accurate results, these methods must be used before interpretations. If noise is present in the observed data, these methods based on the derivative of the field may produce different conclusions. The measurement uncertainty, the elimination of the main and external fields, and the estimation of the noise-enhancing gradients are some of the possible origins of this noise. 3.1.1 Reduced To the Pole (RTP) The total magnetic intensity map (Fig. 4 a) contains an embedded effect of latitude variation due to the dipole of the magnetic field. To reduce this effect, we transform the data to an imaginary location just above the magnetic pole of the earth. This transformation is referred to as reduction to the pole (RTP). The total magnetic intensity data are filtered to remove the dipolar effects of the total magnetic field of the earth to be reduced to the northern magnetic pole, using the inclination and declination values of 34.24 and 2.71, respectively. Except for a few anomalies that change their orientation to the north due to the elimination of the study area's declination, the reduced-to-the-pole magnetic map does not significantly differ from the total intensity magnetic map (Fig. 4 b). 3.1.2 Analytical Signal Technique The filtering or processing of an analytical signal is another technique for magnetic data that makes it possible to get additional information compared to those obtained from the magnetic map (Fig. 5 a). The basement depth and subsurface structural trends directly above the borders of the magnetic sources are the main interest of this technique. This technique assumed that the presence of 2D structures was related to geologic contact, dike, and horizontal cylinder structures (Nabighian, 1972 ; Salem and Ravat, 2003 ; Salem et al., 2002 ). This method primarily depends on the magnetic field's first-order horizontal and vertical derivatives, as well as the magnetization's source direction. The horizontal location of the isolated sources is typically precise; however, only certain source types are accurate in terms of vertical position. The square root of the sum of the squares of the vertical and horizontal derivatives of the total magnetic field is the definition of the analytical signal (AS) in its general form; $$AS= \sqrt{dx*dx+dy*dy+dz*dz}$$ where AS is the analytical signal, dx, dy, dz are the vertical and horizontal derivatives of the magnetic field. 3.1.3 Tilt Derivative Technique Another method for enhancing subsurface structural magnetic lineaments and determining the depth of the basement contacts is the tilt derivative technique (TDR) (Fig. 5 b). The source was considered to be a buried (2D) vertical contact model with vertical magnetization and no remnant magnetization (Salem et al., 2007 ). It is reliant on the overall magnetic field's vertical and horizontal derivatives over the geologic contact. Nabighian ( 1972 ) provides the following equation for the horizontal and vertical derivatives of these contacts, which are positioned at a horizontal location of h = 0 and at a vertical depth of zc: \(\frac{\partial M}{\partial h}=2KF{c}^{\frac{zc}{{h}^{2}+{zc}^{2}}}\) and \(\frac{\partial M}{\partial h}=2KF{c}^{\frac{h}{{h}^{2}+{zc}^{2}}}\) where h and Z are the horizontal and vertical locations of the contact, respectively, K is the susceptibility contrast, and it is the magnitude of the magnetic field. The parameter c is given by c = 1 - cos2i sin2A, where A is the angle between the positive h-axis and magnetic north, i is the ambient field inclination, tanl = tani/cosA, d is the dip (measured from the positive h-axis), and all trigonometric quantities are in degreesXXX. Substituting the above derivative terms into the tilt equation and assuming a reduced to the pole magnetic field, it can be shown that, \(\theta ={\text{tan}}^{-1}\left[\frac{\frac{\partial M}{\partial Z}}{\frac{\partial M}{\partial h}}\right]\) and \(\theta ={\text{tan}}^{-1}\frac{h}{Zc}\) According to the relationship between the horizontal location and the vertical depth, this equation suggests that the tilt angle value may range between 0 and 45 (zc). The tilt angle is zero above the geologic contact's borders (horizontal location = 0), and it is equal to 45 when the horizontal location (h) equals the vertical depth (zc). According to this equation, contact-like structures can be defined by the location (h = 0) and depth (half the physical distance between 45 contours) of the magnetic tilt angle contours. This method has four distinct advantages: (1) it can compute the depth of these geologic contacts and identify the most dominant structural trends; (2) it is less sensitive to noise because it depends on the first-order derivative as opposed to methods that use the second or third orders of derivatives; (3) it is not dependent on the window size selection like the Euler method, where there is no issue with solution clusters; (4) The distance between zero and + 45 or 45 contours correlates to the depth to the top of the vertical contact model, whereas the half-distance between 45 contours approximates the source depth determined from TDR for vertical contacts (Salem et al., 2007 ). 3.1.4 Regional-Residual separation After producing the RTP map, the Butterworth filter was used to extract the regional (deep-seated magnetic sources) (Fig. 6 a) and residual (shallow-seated magnetic sources) (Fig. 6 b) components from the observed total intensity magnetic measurements using Geosoft, 2015 . The Butterworth filter is used to filter the current Reduced to the Pole Magnetic Data. The degree of the filter function is set to 8 (the default), and the central wave numbers of the filter are 0.03 and 0.042 (cycle/ground unit), respectively. 3.2 Remote Sensing Data and techniques ASTER level-1B Registered Radiance at the Sensor (AST_L1B) and ASTER L2 Surface Reflectance VNIR and Crosstalk Corrected SWIR (AST_07XT) products images were downloaded from the NASA Land Processes Distributed Active Archive Center (LPDAAC). The image was acquired with a cloud cover 0.0% on December 04, 2002, at 07:48:29 am. All processing steps applied to satellite data were processed for geological and alteration mapping using (EXILIS ENVI 5.3) software. Various spectral mapping techniques were applied in the study area, including Spectral Information Divergence (SID), Spectral Angle Mapper (SAM) and Constrained Energy Minimization (CEM) The highest-potential economic minerals are mainly associated with alteration zones. Field geological work revealed that these zones have a very limited spatial extent. Therefore, they are hardly discriminated against when using conventional processing tools. Hence, there is a need to discriminate the minerals associated with the alteration zones using more accurate spectral classification tools like SID, SAM, and CEM. Spectral Information Divergence (SID) is a spectral classification technique that utilizes a divergence metric to compare pixels with reference spectra. If the divergence is small, then it is more probable that the pixels are similar. However, if the measurement exceeds the maximum divergence threshold, the pixels will not be classified (Chang, 1999 ). SAM is an automated classification technique that compares image spectra to known spectra or training classes. It computes the spectral angle between the image spectrum, which represents an unknown material, and the reference spectrum, which represents a known material, treating them as vectors in n-dimensional spectral spacewhere n denotes the number of bands (Kruse et al., 1993 ). The Constrained Energy Minimization (CEM) approach maximizes the response of the target spectrum while minimizing the response of all other features, treating them as an unknown background (Ren, et al., 2003 ). In the current study, the Spectral Information Divergence, Spectral Angle Mapper, and Constrained Energy Minimization techniques were applied to both VNIR-SWIR stack datasets to discriminate included alteration zones in the study area, and the spectra of the JPL library spectra were resampled to match the ASTER VNIR-SWIR spectrum. These spectral mapping techniques were used for alteration mineral mapping in the study area, including wollastonite, garnet, pyroxene, and epidote. 4. Results 4.1 Magnetic anomalies and fluid pathways framework One of the most popular geophysical methods for examining the Earth's interior is the magnetic method (Aboud, 2012 ; Essa and Diab, 2022a , b ; Essa and Elhussein, 2017 ; Essa et al., 2022 ). It can be used to solve a wide range of subsurface exploration issues, including those involving horizontal magnetic differences between the base of the Earth's crust and the top meter of soil. In order to evaluate a magnetic map qualitatively, one must first visually examine the shape, trend, and defining characteristics of each individual abnormality. The sharpness of the anomaly is revealed by the anomaly's sharpness and the contours' length and aerial extent (Nettleton, 1976 ). The total magnetic intensity map (TMI) of the study area with a scale of 1:25000 is suitable for representing most of the magnetic anomalies in the study area. This map displays a sharp shift in magnetic intensity, which could be a result of changes in lithology or basement topography, and depicts an alternating collection of high and low magnetic anomalies with various amplitudes, patterns, and wavelengths. The study area has magnetic values between − 210 and 42nT. The research area's southeast, southwest, central, northeastern, and northwestern regions (Fig. 4 a) are home to circular and elongated magnetic anomalies with the highest amplitudes (42nT) (pink1 hue). These elongated, circular symmetry outlines are the result of a geologic body. It can be a plug or a dyke, and the elongation should show the strike's direction (Reford and Sumner, 1964 ). Due to the existence of a thick sedimentary succession of homogenous rocks, the study area's southwest and center had the lowest value of magnetic anomalies (-210nT). The alternating of negative and positive magnetic anomalies suggests the presence of fault contact that divides the study area into multiple blocks with various magnetizations. The studied area's lithological variety and the existence of a dense sedimentary succession in its central and southeast regions both contribute to the uneven distribution of magnetic values there. The research area is characterized by a wide variety of magnetic values, as seen by the reduced-to-the-pole magnetic map, which spans from (-227 to 120 nT). The studied area's highest magnetic amplitude value is 120nT, which is distributed throughout (pink color), while its lowest value, which is present in the central and southwest (blue color) and is directed in the NE-SW direction, is -227nT. (Fig. 4 b). There are a lot of high anomalies (red in color) in the studied area's northwest and southeast, which are oriented N-S and NW-SE, respectively. There are different types of granitic plutons in the study area. They have higher magnetic anomalies than the anomaly related to the volcanosedimentary succession of the Murdama basin. Meanwhile, the Abanat suite has lower anomaly values than the Idah suite, which has the highest magnetic anomaly over the study area. Al Khushaymiyah complex has a higher anomaly similar to the Idah suite, and there’s a high anomaly in the Murdama basin at the eastern part of the basin near Al Khushaymiyah, but Jurdhawiya separates both of them. The NW linear extent of this anomaly predicts the presence of a structurally controlled intrusion at the subsurface; while the lowest magnetic anomaly exists in the western part of the Murdama basin. The analytical signal enhanced the direction and extent of the anomalies along the peripheries of granitic plutons, where the Idah suite and Al Khushaymiyah complex have the higher border anomalies. Meanwhile, the AS confirmed the presence of a structurally controlled basement anomaly underneath the eastern part of the Murdama basin. There’s a low anomaly in the RTP map that became a higher linear anomaly in the AS map with a NW direction at the contact between the Murdama and the Suwaj suite and to the SW of the Idah suite pluton in the eastern part of the study area. The TD technique enhanced the subsurface structural magnetic lineaments; curved to relatively circular structural magnetic lineaments exist at the porphyries of granitic plutons. The Idah, Abanat suites, and Al Khushaymiyah complex have higher circular magnetic lineament with no exception. The eastern part of the Murdama basin has extensive subsurface lineaments with a NW trend and this may be related to the shallow depth of the subsurface basement. The later NFS related magmatism. The regional separation unravels the presence of NE-SW deep-seated magnetic source, and this direction is parallel to the boundary between Ha’il and Afif terranes, so the source of the deep-seated anomaly may be derived from the arc-related basements. The highest anomalies related to the shallow-seated magnetic sources are located at the boundaries of the granitic plutons, and the results of such separation predict the existence of the Al Khushayimah complex at shallow depths underneath Jurdahawiyah, below the eastern part of the Murdama basin. There are relatively high anomalies at the contact between the Idah and Abanat suites underneath the eastern boundary of the Murdama basin. The analytical signal map (Fig. 5 a) is more accurate in identifying the trends of these anomalies because it more clearly depicts the edges of magnetic anomalies when compared with the reduced pole magnetic map. This map shows that the higher AS values are found across the study region (in pink), while the lowest values are found in the northeastern portion of the study area (blue color). The NNW-SSE trend is the major trend resulting from the AS, which is related to the NFS trend. The tilt derivative map (Fig. 5 b) can provide the principal trend more simply and plainly than the reduced to the pole magnetic map because it can be visually inspected and qualitatively interpreted to identify the edges of magnetic anomalies and fault contacts. The studied area is subject to a significant NNW-SSE subsurface structural trend. The subsurface structural trends exiting in the RTP map (Fig. 4 b) do not differ from those leaving in the Low-Pass (regional) magnetic map (Fig. 6 a), i.e., they are consistent with the regional magnetic map. Several long-wavelength and low-frequency magnetic anomalies with various shapes, trends, and magnitudes may be seen on the regional magnetic map (Fig. 4 a). The structure and makeup of the deep causal sources could be inferred from the form and frequency of these anomalies. The important subsurface structural trends that have an impact on the deep-seated structures are shown on the regional magnetic map. This map is characterized by two major sets of NE–SW and NNE–SSW trending faults. These subsurface trends are related to the NFS trend. Many positive and negative magnetic anomalies can be found on the high-pass (residual) magnetic component map (Fig. 6 b). These anomalies are primarily seen in the study area's center and western regions and feature semi-circular and elongated morphologies. In this image, there are numerous linear magnetic anomalies that are connected to shallow-seated tectonic formations. The trends bordering the residual anomalies are nearly NE–SW, N–S and NW–SE anomalies, which occupied the southern and western parts of the map area. 4.2 Types and extent of alteration minerals Skarns are commonly formed by hydrothermal alteration at the contact between carbonate rocks and the causative granite magmas, and this interaction produces calc-silicate minerals such as wollastonite, garnet, and pyroxene (Einaudi and Burt, 1982 ; Ghosh and Upadhyay, 2022 ; Hammarstrom et al., 1995 ; Whitney and Olmsted, 1998 ). Therefore, skarns are commonly found near igneous intrusions, and along fractures and shear zones (Cocco et al., 2022 ), based on the source of the hydrothermal fluids (Baker and Lang, 2003 ). Meanwhile, the intercalation of carbonate within the protolith suggests shallow crustal levels, thus shallow geothermal systems (Deb et al., 2020 ; Sillitoe and Bonham Jr, 1990 ). Wollastonite usually occurs as a product of the interaction between silica and calcite reactants (Deer et al., 1997 ). The existence of silica as a reactant suggests SiO 2 supersaturated causative magmas, and based on the distribution of the previously recorded skarns in the Murdama basin; the Idah suite and the Al Khushaymiyah complex are the main causative magmas. Wollastonite exists extensively at the contact between the Idah plutons and the Murdama group at the western corner of the study area (Fig. 7 a). Although the NFS exists as a network dissecting the central part of the Murdama basin and at its eastern faulted contact against the Suwaj suite, there’s no record for the wollastonite. The limited extent of the wollastonite to the Idah suite contacts suggest the saturation of their magma with silica, and this is supported by the existence of skarn deposits at Qitan and An Nimriyah South (Fig. 2 ), as a result of the Idah causative plutons (Table S1 ). There’s no record for the wollastonite at the contact of the Al Khushaymiyah complex (Fig. 7 a), because there’s no direct contact between the Murdama group and the Al Khushaymiyah complex in the study area (Fig. 3 ). Garnet is a common proximal constituent of metasomatized carbonate rocks (Meinert, 1997 ). Garnet exists at the western corner of the area under investigation, with relatively the same location as wollastonite (Fig. 7 b). There’s no existence of the garnet away from the contact between the Idah suite and the Murdama group, and there’s no effect on the fracture network related to the NFS for the circulation of the hydrothermal fluids in the central part of the study area. Meanwhile, the faulted contact between the Murdama and the Suwaj suite is garnet-free, and the Al Khushaymiyah complex has no effect on the country rocks (Fig. 7 b). Pyroxene minerals are common distal skarn constituents (Ciobanu and Cook, 2004 ; Meinert, 1997 ). Pyroxene exists in the northwestern part of the study area, but to a relatively greater extent than wollastonite and garnet, which extends away from the contact between the Idah suite and Murdama group (Fig. 8 a). It’s clear that the northwestern part of the investigated area in the Murdama basin has extensively higher hydrothermal alteration activity, and the existence of the calc-silicate minerals at relatively the same contacts between the Idah suite and the Murdama basin, suggests that the Idah suite is the causative plutons for the skarn deposits at the study area in the Murdama basin. Meanwhile, the previously recorded skarn deposits in the Murdama basin at Qitan and An Nimriyah South (Table S1 ), confirm the ability of the Idah suite to be causative plutons at contact with the Murdama group. Meanwhile, the barren fracture system that is controlled by the NFS suggests that the hydrothermal fluids were derived from the Idah suite magmas. Furthermore, the Al Khushaymiyah complex, which is the causative plutons for the Kirsh skarn does not affect the Murdama group (Table S1 ), because there’s no direct contact between the Murdama group and the Al Khushaymiyah complex, where the Jurdhawiya formation exists between both of them in the study area. Meanwhile, the faulted contact between the Murdama and the Suwaj suite is skarn-free (Fig. 8 b). 5. Discussion 5.1 Arc – volcanosedimentary to post – amalgamation marine basin skarns However, the AS has significant post-amalgamation marine basins, i.e., the Murdama basin; most of the skarn deposits are mainly related to arc-volcanosedimentary successions, except for a few localities were recorded from the post-amalgamation Murdama basin (Fig. 2 ). During the late Neoproterozoic ca. 650 Ma, the ANS experienced the transition from volcanosedimentray arc deposition systems to volcanosedimentary deposition in post-amalgamation molasse basins (Johnson et al., 2011 ; Johnson et al., 2013 ). Late Cryogenian–Ediacaran (650 − 542 Ma) marine molasse basins are predominant in the AS, with a voluminous average thickness of about 4 km (Johnson et al., 2011 ). The Murdama, Bani Ghayy, Fatima, and Ablah groups are the main types of localities for marine post-amalgamation basins in the AS (Fowler and Hamimi, 2021 ). Late Ediacaran granitic suits are cutting the marine basins, including the Al Khushaymiyah complex, the Idah suite, the Abanat suite, the Ruwaydah suite, and the Gharamil monzogranite. Skarn deposits are the most common deposit type at the contact between carbonates and late intrusive rocks (Meinert, 1995 , 1997 ; Meinert et al., 1997 ). Meanwhile, the basins are variably experiencing brittle deformation with common cleavage and lineation, and such fractures are ideal pathways for hydrothermal fluids circulations, thus the possibility of precipitating skarn ore deposits in high grades increases. Meanwhile, the Idah and Al Khushayimah are the main causative plutons for the skarn deposits in the Murdama basin at Qitan, An Nimriyah South, and Kirsh (Fig. 2 ; Table S1 ). Therefore, skarn deposits are expected to exist at the contact between the Idah, Al Khushayimah, and the Murdama group. However, the mapping of alteration mineral zones reveals the existence of skarn-related calc-silicate minerals at the contact between the Idah suite and the Murdama group, with no record for skarn indicator minerals at the periphery of the Al Khushayimah complex (Figs. 7 & 8 ). Meanwhile, the Jurdhawiya formation separates the Al Khushayimah complex from the Murdama group, preventing direct contact between both of them (Fig. 3 ). The barren fracture system that is controlled by the NFS suggests that the hydrothermal fluids were derived from the Idah suite magmas because the alteration mineral zones exist at the contact between the Idah suite and the Murdama group. 5.2 Magma fractionation and redox state The redox state of both the country rocks and the causative magma controls the type of mineralization that is being evolved at the contact between them. Nickel plate mine is an example of a reducing state for both the host rock and the wall rock, so Au is the most common ore in such conditions (Ettlinger et al., 1992 ). In the Cu skarn prospect in the Philippines, the conditions are oxidizing with more garnet in such a system (Braxton et al., 2018 ; Chang and Meinert, 2009 ; Cooke et al., 2011 ). The type of magma controls the type of ore that is being evolved; Au and Sn favor the reducing conditions, but Au - Sn associations are rare because Au is related to mafic magma while Sn is related to felsic magma (Chang et al., 2019 ). Cu - Mo associations are related to oxidized magma, but Mo favors less oxidized and highly fractionated magmas, while Zn - Pb prefers both oxidized and reduced conditions, with various degrees of fractionation. Skarn deposits exist in volcanosedimentary arc-related successions in the Arabian Shield, except for Jibal Qitan, An Nimriyah South, and Kirsh skarn localities (Fig. 2 ; Table S1 ). Meanwhile, there are different types of post-Murdama granites, so there’s a higher possibility for the skarn deposits at the contact between the causative intrusions and the Murdama limestone, but the Al Khushaymiyah and Idah suites are the main causative intrusions for the skarn deposits in the Murdama basin (Table S1 ). Jibal Qitan and An Nimriyah South are reduced skarns in the Murdama basin that were induced by the Idah suite (Fig. 2 ; Table S1 ) and are dominated by Sn -W mineralization (Miller and Arnold, 1988 ). However, the Al Khushaymiyah complex is an oxidized causative magmas, and this complex is the causative magma for the Kirsh oxidized skarn (Table S1 ). The geochemical signature of the post-Murdama intrusive suites, based on the analysis of the geochemical database (Table S2), confirms the redox state for both the Al Khushaymiyah and Idah suites (Fig. 9 ). The redox state based on the ferric/ferrous ratio Fe 2 O 3 / (Fe 2 O 3 + FeO) (Meinert, 1995 ) suggests a reducing effect for the Idah suite, and an oxidizing effect for the Al Khushaymiyah complex (Fig. 9 ). In the investigated area, the Idah suite intrudes the Murdama group, while the Al Khushaymiyah complex isn’t intruding the Murdama group, so reduced skarn deposits are proposed to exist at the contact between the Idah suite and the Murdama group (Fig. 8 b), based on their significant magnetic anomaly, the extent of the mineral alteration zones, and 6. Conclusions The integration between magnetic, remote sensing, and the published geochemical data give the following conclusions: Skarn deposits are proposed to exist in the AS. The Idah suite has the most significant magnetic anomaly among the post-Murdama intrusive suites. The skarn deposits exist adjacent to the Idah suite in the study area, The contact between the Murdama basin and the post-Murdama intrusive suites is barren, The skarn deposit in the study area was triggered by the Idah suite, and the Idah suite Declarations Acknowledgment The authors extend their appreciation to the Deputyship for Research & Innovation, Ministry of Education in Saudi Arabia for funding this research work through project number (IF-PSAU-2021 /01/18782). On behalf of all authors, there is no conflict of interest. References Abdelrahman, E. M., and Essa, K. S.,( 2005), Magnetic interpretation using a least-squares, depth-shape curves method: Geophysics, 70, L23–L30. Abdelrahman, E. M., El-Araby, H. M., El-Araby, T. M., and Essa, K. S.,( 2003a), A least-squares minimization approach to depth determination from magnetic data: Pure and Applied Geophysics, 160, 1259–1271. Abdelrahman, E., El-Arby, H.M., El-Arby, T.M., Essa, K.S., (2003b). A least-squares minimization approach to depth determination from magnetic data. pure and applied geophysics 160, 1259-1271. Abdullahi, M., Singh, U.K., Roshan, R., (2019). Mapping magnetic lineaments and subsurface basement beneath parts of Lower Benue Trough (LBT), Nigeria: Insights from integrating gravity, magnetic and geologic data. Journal of Earth System Science 128, 1-17. Aboelkhair, H., Abdelhalim, A., Hamimi, Z. and Al-Gabali, M., (2020). Reliability of using ASTER data in lithologic mapping and alteration mineral detection of the basement complex of West Berenice, Southeastern Desert, Egypt. Arabian Journal of Geosciences, 13, pp.1-20. Aboelkhair, H., Ibraheem, M. and El-Magd, I.A., (2021). Integration of airborne geophysical and ASTER remotely sensed data for delineation and mapping the potential mineralization zones in Hamash area, South Eastern Desert, Egypt. Arabian Journal of Geosciences, 14, pp.1-22. Aboud, E., (2012). Determination of sedimentary cover and structural trends in the Central Sinai area using gravity and magnetic data analysis. Journal of Asian Earth Sciences 43, 193-206. Abrams, M., Yamaguchi, Y., (2019). Twenty years of ASTER contributions to lithologic mapping and mineral exploration. Remote Sensing 11, 1394. Ahmed, Z., (2002). Composition of skarn grossular from Al-Madhiq area, SW Saudi Arabia. Arabian Journal for Science and Engineering. Section B: Engineering 27, 3-16. Ahmed, Z., Hariri, M.M., (2006). Formation and mineral chemistry of a calcic skarn from Al-Madhiq, SW Saudi Arabia. Geochemistry 66, 187-201. Baker, T., Lang, J.R., (2003). Reconciling fluid inclusion types, fluid processes, and fluid sources in skarns: an example from the Bismark Deposit, Mexico. Mineralium Deposita 38, 474-495. Batkhishig, B., (2021). Lead-Zinc Deposits, Mineral Resources of Mongolia. Springer, pp. 211-233. Beygi, S., Talovina, I.V., Tadayon, M., Pour, A.B., (2021). Alteration and structural features mapping in Kacho-Mesqal zone, Central Iran using ASTER remote sensing data for porphyry copper exploration. International Journal of Image and Data Fusion 12, 155-175. Braxton, D.P., Cooke, D.R., Ignacio, A.M., Waters, P.J., (2018). Geology of the Boyongan and Bayugo porphyry Cu-Au deposits: An emerging porphyry district in northeast Mindanao, Philippines. Economic Geology 113, 83-131. Chang, C. (1999). Spectral Information Divergence for Hyperspectral Image Analysis. IEEE 1999 International Geoscience and Remote Sensing Symposium, V. 1, pp. Chang, Z., Meinert, L.D., (2009). Zonation in skarns and the controlling factors. TUNGSTEN, FIRE AND ICE IN THE REALM OF THE ANCIENT KING, 35. Chang, Z., Shu, Q., Meinert, L., (2019). Skarn deposits of China. Society of Economic Geologists Special Publication 22, 189 - 234. Chen, Q., Zhao, Z., Zhou, J., Zeng, M., Xia, J., Sun, T., Zhao, X., (2021). New insights into the Pulang porphyry copper deposit in southwest China: Indication of alteration minerals detected using ASTER and WorldView-3 data. Remote Sensing 13, 2798. Ciobanu, C.L., Cook, N.J., (2004). Skarn textures and a case study: the Ocna de Fier-Dognecea orefield, Banat, Romania. Ore Geology Reviews 24, 315-370. Cocco, F., Attardi, A., Deidda, M.L., Fancello, D., Funedda, A., Naitza, S., (2022). Passive structural control on skarn mineralization localization: a case study from the Variscan Rosas Shear Zone (SW Sardinia, Italy). Minerals 12, 272. Cooke, D.R., Deyell, C.L., Waters, P.J., Gonzales, R.I., Zaw, K., (2011). Evidence for magmatic-hydrothermal fluids and ore-forming processes in epithermal and porphyry deposits of the Baguio district, Philippines. Economic Geology 106, 1399-1424. Cudahy, T., Okada, K., Cornelius, A., Hewson, R., (2002). Regional to prospect scale exploration for porphyry-skarn-epithermal mineralisation at Yerington, Nevada, using ASTER and airborne Hyperspectral data. CSIRO Exploration and Mining Report.. Deb, P., Knapp, D., Marquart, G., Clauser, C., Trumpy, E., (2020). Stochastic workflows for the evaluation of Enhanced Geothermal System (EGS) potential in geothermal greenfields with sparse data: the case study of Acoculco, Mexico. Geothermics 88, 101879. Deer, W.A., Howie, R.A., Zussman, J., (1997). Rock-forming minerals: single-chain silicates, Volume 2A. Geological Society of London. Einaudi, M.T., Burt, D.M., (1982). Introduction; terminology, classification, and composition of skarn deposits. Economic geology 77, 745-754. Eldosouky, A.M., El-Qassas, R.A., Pham, L.T., Abdelrahman, K., Alhumimidi, M.S., El Bahrawy, A., Mickus, K., Sehsah, H., (2022). Mapping main structures and related mineralization of the Arabian Shield (Saudi Arabia) using sharp edge detector of transformed gravity data. Minerals 12, 71. Eldosouky, A.M., Sehsah, H., Elkhateeb, S.O., Pour, A.B., (2020). Integrating aeromagnetic data and Landsat-8 imagery for detection of post-accretionary shear zones controlling hydrothermal alterations: The Allaqi-Heiani Suture zone, South Eastern Desert, Egypt. Advances in Space Research 65, 1008-1024. Essa, K. S., and Elhussein, M., (2019), Magnetic interpretation utilizing a new inverse algorithm for assessing the parameters of buried inclined dike-like geologic structure: Acta Geophysica, 67, 533–544. Essa, K.S., Diab, Z.E., (2022a). An automatic inversion approach for magnetic data applying the global bat optimization algorithm (GBOA): application to ore deposits and basement rock intrusion. Geomechanics and Geophysics for Geo-Energy and Geo-Resources 8, 1-22. Essa, K.S., Diab, Z.E., (2022b). Magnetic data interpretation for 2D dikes by the metaheuristic bat algorithm: sustainable development cases. Scientific Reports 12, 1-29. Essa, K.S., Elhussein, M., (2017). A new approach for the interpretation of magnetic data by a 2-D dipping dike. Journal of Applied Geophysics 136, 431-443. Essa, K.S., Munschy, M., Youssef, M.A., Khalaf, E.E.D.A.H., (2022). Aeromagnetic and radiometric data interpretation to delineate the structural elements and probable precambrian mineralization zones: A case study, Egypt. Mining, Metallurgy & Exploration 39, 2461-2475. Ettlinger, A.D., Meinert, L.D., Ray, G.E., (1992). Gold skarn mineralization and fluid evolution in the Nickel Plate Deposit, British Columbia. Economic Geology 87, 1541-1565. Fitzherbert, J.A., McKinnon, A.R., Blevin, P.L., Waltenberg, K., Downes, P.M., Wall, C., Matchan, E., Huang, H., (2021). The Hera orebody: A complex distal (Au–Zn–Pb–Ag–Cu) skarn in the Cobar Basin of central New South Wales, Australia. Resource Geology 71, 296-319. Fowler, A.-R., Hamimi, Z., (2021). Post-amalgamation depositional basins in the Arabian-Nubian Shield: the Hammamat Basins of Egypt, The Geology of the Arabian-Nubian Shield. Springer, pp. 451-483. Geosoft, (2015). Magmap filtering how-to guide: defining and applying filters and inverse FFT in MagMap. 23. Ghazala, H., Aboelkhair, H. and Thabet, W., (2021). Integration of ASTER and geophysical data for delineating potential mineralization zones in Dungash-Atud area, Central Eastern Desert, Egypt. Arabian Journal of Geosciences, 14, pp.1-22. Ghosh, U., Upadhyay, D., (2022). The retrograde evolution of F-rich skarns: Clues from major and trace element chemistry of garnet, scheelite, and vesuvianite from the Belka Pahar wollastonite deposit, India. Lithos 422, 106750. Gobashy, M., Abdelazeem, M., Abdrabou, M., (2020). Minerals and ore deposits exploration using meta-heuristic based optimization on magnetic data. Contributions to Geophysics and Geodesy 50, 161-199. Goryachev, N.A., Shpikerman, V.I., Church, S.E., Gvozdev, V.I., (2018). Calcic skarn ore deposits of the North-East Russia. Ore Geology Reviews 103, 3-20. Gunn, P., Dentith, M., (1997). Magnetic responses associated with mineral deposits. AGSO Journal of Australian Geology and Geophysics 17, 145-158. Hammarstrom, J.M., Kotlyar, B.B., Theodore, T.G., Elliott, J.E., John, D.A., Doebrich, J.L., Nash, J.T., Carlson, R.R., Lee, G.K., Livo, K.E., (1995). Cu, Au, and Zn-Pb Skarn Deposits. Preliminary Compilation of Descriptive Geoenvironmental Mineral Deposit Models, US Geological Survey Open-File Report, 95-831. Hinze, W.J., Von Frese, R.R., Von Frese, R., Saad, A.H., (2013). Gravity and magnetic exploration: Principles, practices, and applications. Cambridge University Press. Hummel, C., Ankary, A.O., (1972). Geology and mineral deposits of the Jabal ash Shumta quadrangle, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. US Geological Survey. Jiang, W.-C., Li, H., Mathur, R., Wu, J.-H., (2019). Genesis of the giant Shizhuyuan W–Sn–Mo–Bi–Pb–Zn polymetallic deposit, South China: constraints from zircon geochronology and geochemistry in skarns. Ore Geology Reviews 111, 102980. Johnson, P., Andresen, A., Collins, A., Fowler, A., Fritz, H., Ghebreab, W., Kusky, T., Stern, R., (2011). Late Cryogenian–Ediacaran history of the Arabian–Nubian Shield: a review of depositional, plutonic, structural, and tectonic events in the closing stages of the northern East African Orogen. Journal of African Earth Sciences 61, 167-232. Johnson, P.R., (2003). Post-amalgamation basins of the NE Arabian shield and implications for Neoproterozoic III tectonism in the northern East African orogen. Precambrian Research 123, 321-337. Johnson, P.R., Halverson, G.P., Kusky, T.M., Stern, R.J., Pease, V., (2013). Volcanosedimentary basins in the Arabian-Nubian Shield: Markers of repeated exhumation and denudation in a Neoproterozoic accretionary orogen. Geosciences 3, 389-445. Kruse, F. A., Lefkoff, A. B., Boardman, J. W., Heidebrecht, K. B., Shapiro, A. T., Barloon, P. J. and Goetz, A. F. (1993). The Spectral Image Processing System (Sips)‐Interactive Visualization and Analysis of Imaging Spectrometer Data. AIP Conference Proceedings, V. 283, pp.192-20. Legros, H., Lecumberri-Sanchez, P., Elongo, V., Laurent, O., Falck, H., Adlakha, E., Chelle-Michou, C., (2020). Fluid evolution of the Cantung tungsten skarn, Northwest Territories, Canada: Differentiation and fluid-rock interaction. Ore Geology Reviews 127, 103866. Lemiere, B., Damanhori, N., Baudet, G., (1990). A Marble-Hosted Wollastonite Deposit at Bi’r Ash Shumt, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. Earth Sciences Journal 3, 129-144. Liu, T.-T., He, Z.-W., Cui, X.-L., Gao, H., (2012). The strucuture of the model for skarn-type lead-zinc deposit based on ASTER data. Xibei Shifan Daxue Xuebao/ Journal of Northwest Normal University(Natural Science) 48, 100-105. Ma, W., Liu, Y., Yang, Z., Li, Z., Zhao, X., Fei, F., (2017). Alteration, mineralization, and genesis of the Lietinggang–Leqingla Pb–Zn–Fe–Cu–Mo skarn deposit, Tibet, China. Ore Geology Reviews 90, 897-912. Martelet, G., Gloaguen, E., Døssing, A., Lima Simoes da Silva, E., Linde, J., Rasmussen, T.M., (2021). Airborne/UAV multisensor surveys enhance the geological mapping and 3d model of a pseudo-skarn deposit in Ploumanac’h, French Brittany. Minerals 11, 1259. Mehanee, S., Essa, K. S., and Diab, Z. E., (2021), Magnetic data interpretation using a new R-parameter imaging method with application to mineral exploration: Natural Resources Research, 30, 77–95 Meinert, L.D., (1995). Compositional variation of igneous rocks associated with skarn deposits-chemical evidence for a genetic connection between petrogenesis and mineralization. Mineralogical Association of Canada Short Course Series, vol. 23, 401-418. Meinert, L.D., (1997). Application of skarn deposit zonation models to mineral exploration. Exploration and mining geology 6, 185-208. Meinert, L.D., Hefton, K.K., Mayes, D., Tasiran, I., (1997). Geology, zonation, and fluid evolution of the Big Gossan Cu-Au skarn deposit, Ertsberg district, Irian Jaya. Economic Geology 92, 509-534. Miller, W.R., Arnold, M.A., (1988). Results of a Geochemical Survey, Aban Al Ahmar Quadrangle, Sheet 25F, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. US Geological Survey. Moradpour, H., Rostami Paydar, G., Pour, A.B., Valizadeh Kamran, K., Feizizadeh, B., Muslim, A.M., Hossain, M.S., (2022). Landsat-7 and ASTER remote sensing satellite imagery for identification of iron skarn mineralization in metamorphic regions. Geocarto International 37, 1971-1998. Moufti, A.M., (2013). Mineralogy and Metamorphic Evolution of Jabal Ash Shumt Skarn Deposits, Saudi Arabia: An Example of Superimposed Metamorphism. Journal of King Abdulaziz University: Earth Sciences 24. Nabighian, M.N., (1972). The analytic signal of two-dimensional magnetic bodies with polygonal cross-section: its properties and use for automated anomaly interpretation. Geophysics 37, 507-517. Nehlig, P., Salpeteur, I., Asfirane, F., Bouchot, V., Eberlé, J., Genna, A., (1999). The mineral potential of the Arabian shield: a reassessment, Proceedings of the IUGS/UNESCO Meeting on the “Base and Precious Metal Deposits in the Arabian Shield”, Jeddah, November, pp. 12-19. Nettleton, L.L., (1976). Gravity and magnetics in oil prospecting. McGraw-Hill Companies. Nie, L., Cai, G., Lin, J., Wang, F., Cai, Y., Fu, J., Sun, X., Song, Y., (2022). Constrains of physical properties and geochemical characteristics of country rock on skarn tungsten mineralization: a case study of the Longjiaoshan-Fujiashan skarn tungsten deposit in the Middle-Lower Yangtze River Metallogenic Belt. Ore Geology Reviews, 105032. Ninomiya, Y., (2003). A stabilized vegetation index and several mineralogic indices defined for ASTER VNIR and SWIR data, IGARSS 2003. 2003 IEEE International Geoscience and Remote Sensing Symposium. Proceedings (IEEE Cat. No. 03CH37477). IEEE, pp. 1552-1554. Ninomiya, Y., Fu, B., Cudahy, T.J., (2005). Detecting lithology with Advanced Spaceborne Thermal Emission and Reflection Radiometer (ASTER) multispectral thermal infrared “radiance-at-sensor” data. Remote Sensing of Environment 99, 127-139. Pham, L.T., Eldosouky, A.M., Oksum, E., Saada, S.A., (2022). A new high resolution filter for source edge detection of potential field data. Geocarto International 37, 3051-3068. Rajendran, S., Nasir, S., (2017). Characterization of ASTER spectral bands for mapping of alteration zones of volcanogenic massive sulphide deposits. Ore Geology Reviews 88, 317-335. Reford, M., Sumner, J., (1964). Aeromagnetics. Geophysics 29, 482-516. Ren, H., Du, Q., Chang, C.I. and Jensen, J.O., (2003), October. Comparison between constrained energy minimization based approaches for hyperspectral imagery. In IEEE Workshop on Advances in Techniques for Analysis of Remotely Sensed Data, 2003 (pp. 244-248). IEEE. Robinson, F., Foden, J., Collins, A., (2015). Geochemical and isotopic constraints on island arc, synorogenic, post-orogenic and anorogenic granitoids in the Arabian Shield, Saudi Arabia. Lithos 220, 97-115. Rockwell, B.W., Hofstra, A.H., (2008). Identification of quartz and carbonate minerals across northern Nevada using ASTER thermal infrared emissivity data—Implications for geologic mapping and mineral resource investigations in well-studied and frontier areas. Geosphere 4, 218-246. Rowan, L.C., Mars, J.C., (2003). Lithologic mapping in the Mountain Pass, California area using advanced spaceborne thermal emission and reflection radiometer (ASTER) data. Remote sensing of Environment 84, 350-366. Salem, A., Ravat, D., (2003). A combined analytic signal and Euler method (AN-EUL) for automatic interpretation of magnetic data. Geophysics 68, 1952-1961. Salem, A., Ravat, D., Gamey, T.J., Ushijima, K., (2002). Analytic signal approach and its applicability in environmental magnetic investigations. Journal of Applied Geophysics 49, 231-244. Salem, A., Williams, S., Fairhead, J.D., Ravat, D., Smith, R., (2007). Tilt-depth method: A simple depth estimation method using first-order magnetic derivatives. The leading edge 26, 1502-1505. Sehsah, H., Eldosouky, A.M., (2022). Neoproterozoic hybrid forearc–MOR ophiolite belts in the northern Arabian-Nubian Shield: no evidence for back-arc tectonic setting. International Geology Review 64, 151-163. Sehsah, H., Eldosouky, A.M., El Afandy, A.H., (2019). Unpaired ophiolite belts in the Neoproterozoic Allaqi-Heiani Suture, the Arabian-Nubian Shield: evidences from magnetic data. Journal of African Earth Sciences 156, 26-34. Sehsah, H., Eldosouky, A.M., Pham, L.T., (2022). Incremental Emplacement of the Sierra Nevada Batholith Constrained by U-Pb Ages and Potential Field Data. The Journal of Geology 130, 381-391. Shu, Q., Chang, Z., Lai, Y., Hu, X., Wu, H., Zhang, Y., Wang, P., Zhai, D., Zhang, C., (2019). Zircon trace elements and magma fertility: insights from porphyry (-skarn) Mo deposits in NE China. Mineralium Deposita 54, 645-656. Sillitoe, R.H., Bonham Jr, H.F., (1990). Sediment-hosted gold deposits: Distal products of magmatic-hydrothermal systems. Geology 18, 157-161. Surour, A.A., Moufti, A., (2011). A new occurrence of garnetiferous skarn rocks in Saudi Arabia: a case study from Bahrah area, Jeddah–Makkah Al Mukaramah highway. Arabian Journal of Geosciences 4, 879-897. Wang, Z., Zhou, C., Qin, H., (2020). Detection of hydrothermal alteration zones using ASTER data in Nimu porphyry copper deposit, south Tibet, China. Advances in Space Research 65, 1818-1830. Whitney, P.R., Olmsted, J.F., (1998). Rare earth element metasomatism in hydrothermal systems: The Willsboro-Lewis wollastonite ores, New York, USA. Geochimica et Cosmochimica Acta 62, 2965-2977. Williams, P.L., (1984). Reconnaissance Geology of the Samirah Quadrangle, Sheet 26/42 C, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. US Geological Survey. Yajima, T., (2014). ASTER data analysis applied to mineral resource exploration and geological mapping. Nagoya University: Nagoya, Japan, 77. Yang, J., Liu, S., Hu, X., (2020). Inversion of high-amplitude magnetic total field anomaly: An application to the Mengku iron-ore deposit, northwest China. Scientific Reports 10, 11949. Zhou, Z., Mao, J., Che, H., Ouyang, H., Ma, X., (2017). Metallogeny of the Handagai skarn Fe–Cu deposit, northern Great Xing'an Range, NE China: Constraints on fluid inclusions and skarn genesis. Ore Geology Reviews 80, 623-644. Supplementary Files TableS1.docx TableS2.docx Cite Share Download PDF Status: Posted Version 1 posted You are reading this latest preprint version Research Square lets you share your work early, gain feedback from the community, and start making changes to your manuscript prior to peer review in a journal. As a division of Research Square Company, we’re committed to making research communication faster, fairer, and more useful. We do this by developing innovative software and high quality services for the global research community. Our growing team is made up of researchers and industry professionals working together to solve the most critical problems facing scientific publishing. Also discoverable on Platform About Our Team In Review Editorial Policies Advisory Board Help Center Resources Author Services Accessibility API Access RSS feed Manage Cookie Preferences © Research Square 2026 | ISSN 2693-5015 (online) Privacy Policy Terms of Service Do Not Sell My Personal Information {"props":{"pageProps":{"initialData":{"identity":"rs-2805118","acceptedTermsAndConditions":true,"allowDirectSubmit":true,"archivedVersions":[],"articleType":"Research Article","associatedPublications":[],"authors":[{"id":206690990,"identity":"1aac9184-d814-44b6-93c4-af98bbe09091","order_by":0,"name":"Eid Aboezz","email":"data:image/png;base64,iVBORw0KGgoAAAANSUhEUgAAAZAAAAAyAQMAAABI0h/eAAAABlBMVEX///8AAABVwtN+AAAACXBIWXMAAA7EAAAOxAGVKw4bAAAA40lEQVRIiWNgGAWjYHACNjDJD+UxNhCtRbKBZC0GB4jVws/A/OzBh4o6e+Pb7Q8/8zDYyG44wP7wAz4tkg1s5oYzzrAxm905YyzNw5BmvOEAj7EEPi1A95hJ87bxsJndyGEAajmcCNTCgFeL/QH2b9K8/yR4jGekP/7Nw/AfqIX98Q+8tjDwAG1pMJAwkEgwA9pyAKiFwQyvLRKHecoNZxxLMJC4c8bMco5BsvHMwzxmFvi08Le3b3vwoabOnn92++MbbyrsZPuOAxn4tDAww+2DuBNJhCDA6/5RMApGwSgY0QAA6jhCTkImPAUAAAAASUVORK5CYII=","orcid":"https://orcid.org/0000-0002-6861-9286","institution":"Prince Sattam bin Abdulaziz University","correspondingAuthor":true,"submittingAuthor":false,"prefix":"","firstName":"Eid","middleName":"","lastName":"Aboezz","suffix":""},{"id":206690991,"identity":"63602f3f-f52b-4276-ba5f-10d1ae8aa48f","order_by":1,"name":"El Sayed Selim","email":"","orcid":"","institution":"Damietta University","correspondingAuthor":false,"submittingAuthor":false,"prefix":"","firstName":"El","middleName":"Sayed","lastName":"Selim","suffix":""},{"id":206690992,"identity":"6fad394e-4323-4573-863f-0b8819e4d537","order_by":2,"name":"Hatem Aboelkhair","email":"","orcid":"","institution":"Damietta University","correspondingAuthor":false,"submittingAuthor":false,"prefix":"","firstName":"Hatem","middleName":"","lastName":"Aboelkhair","suffix":""},{"id":206690993,"identity":"138e743c-3e05-4588-98a6-b9b8ef9e650e","order_by":3,"name":"Haytham Sehsah","email":"","orcid":"","institution":"Damietta University","correspondingAuthor":false,"submittingAuthor":false,"prefix":"","firstName":"Haytham","middleName":"","lastName":"Sehsah","suffix":""}],"badges":[],"createdAt":"2023-04-12 09:33:13","currentVersionCode":1,"declarations":"","doi":"10.21203/rs.3.rs-2805118/v1","doiUrl":"https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-2805118/v1","draftVersion":[],"editorialEvents":[],"editorialNote":"","failedWorkflow":false,"files":[{"id":38311900,"identity":"d836b204-96aa-4fa9-8ecf-849ddaf0339d","added_by":"auto","created_at":"2023-06-09 19:32:23","extension":"png","order_by":1,"title":"Figure 1","display":"","copyAsset":false,"role":"figure","size":2383287,"visible":true,"origin":"","legend":"\u003cp\u003eTerrestrial, marine, and mixed post – amalgamation basins in the Arabian – Nubian Shield (ANS), dissected by the Najd fault system (NFS) (\u003ca href=\"#_ENREF_39\" title=\"Johnson, 2011 #19\"\u003eJohnson et al., 2011\u003c/a\u003e; \u003ca href=\"#_ENREF_40\" title=\"Johnson, 2003 #24\"\u003eJohnson, 2003\u003c/a\u003e; \u003ca href=\"#_ENREF_41\" title=\"Johnson, 2013 #20\"\u003eJohnson et al., 2013\u003c/a\u003e). Marine basins exit in the eastern part of the Arabian shield (AS), where the Murdama basin (~ 72,000 km\u003csup\u003e2\u003c/sup\u003e) is the largest molasse basin in the ANS.\u003c/p\u003e","description":"","filename":"Fig.1.png","url":"https://assets-eu.researchsquare.com/files/rs-2805118/v1/15f235c9d6d286e2a70a8522.png"},{"id":38311899,"identity":"754f92f1-7ed6-4547-ac9e-d39892347f8a","added_by":"auto","created_at":"2023-06-09 19:32:23","extension":"png","order_by":2,"title":"Figure 2","display":"","copyAsset":false,"role":"figure","size":2229701,"visible":true,"origin":"","legend":"\u003cp\u003eSkarn deposit locations in the Arabian shield (AS) from (\u003ca href=\"https://www.researchsquare.com/article/rs-2805118/admin/draft#_ENREF_5\" title=\"Ahmed, 2002 #2\"\u003eAhmed, 2002\u003c/a\u003e; \u003ca href=\"https://www.researchsquare.com/article/rs-2805118/admin/draft#_ENREF_6\" title=\"Ahmed, 2006 #1\"\u003eAhmed and Hariri, 2006\u003c/a\u003e; \u003ca href=\"https://www.researchsquare.com/article/rs-2805118/admin/draft#_ENREF_37\" title=\"Hummel, 1972 #60\"\u003eHummel and Ankary, 1972\u003c/a\u003e; \u003ca href=\"https://www.researchsquare.com/article/rs-2805118/admin/draft#_ENREF_43\" title=\"Lemiere, 1990 #59\"\u003eLemiere et al., 1990\u003c/a\u003e; \u003ca href=\"https://www.researchsquare.com/article/rs-2805118/admin/draft#_ENREF_50\" title=\"Miller, 1988 #5\"\u003eMiller and Arnold, 1988\u003c/a\u003e; \u003ca href=\"https://www.researchsquare.com/article/rs-2805118/admin/draft#_ENREF_52\" title=\"Moufti, 2013 #4\"\u003eMoufti, 2013\u003c/a\u003e; \u003ca href=\"https://www.researchsquare.com/article/rs-2805118/admin/draft#_ENREF_54\" title=\"Nehlig, 1999 #63\"\u003eNehlig et al., 1999\u003c/a\u003e; \u003ca href=\"https://www.researchsquare.com/article/rs-2805118/admin/draft#_ENREF_73\" title=\"Surour, 2011 #3\"\u003eSurour and Moufti, 2011\u003c/a\u003e; \u003ca href=\"https://www.researchsquare.com/article/rs-2805118/admin/draft#_ENREF_76\" title=\"Williams, 1984 #64\"\u003eWilliams, 1984\u003c/a\u003e). Overall, the arc-related skarns are oxidized except for Al Madhiq. Meanwhile, three localities were recorded from the Murdama basin (1-3), namely Qitan (1), An Nimriyah South (2), and Kirsh (3). Qitan and An Nimriyah are reduced, and both of them are related to Idah causative plutons, while the Kirsh oxidized skarn is triggered by the Al Khushaymiyah suite.\u003c/p\u003e","description":"","filename":"Fig.2.png","url":"https://assets-eu.researchsquare.com/files/rs-2805118/v1/35c98646eb069f37f9079c9f.png"},{"id":38311901,"identity":"a8fa4d15-316d-4571-97df-1f13ffd9c2a9","added_by":"auto","created_at":"2023-06-09 19:32:23","extension":"png","order_by":3,"title":"Figure 3","display":"","copyAsset":false,"role":"figure","size":1543210,"visible":true,"origin":"","legend":"\u003cp\u003eGeologic map of the study area after (\u003ca href=\"https://www.researchsquare.com/article/rs-2805118/admin/draft#_ENREF_40\" title=\"Johnson, 2003 #24\"\u003eJohnson, 2003\u003c/a\u003e; \u003ca href=\"https://www.researchsquare.com/article/rs-2805118/admin/draft#_ENREF_41\" title=\"Johnson, 2013 #20\"\u003eJohnson et al., 2013\u003c/a\u003e). Post-Murdama intrusions include the Idah suite, Al Khushaymiyah suite, and Abanat suite, where there’s no direct contact between the Murdama group and the Al Khushaymiyah. Meanwhile, the Idah suite intruded the Murdama group, and this suite is the causative pluton for the reduced skarns recorded northward in the Murdama at Qitan and An Nimriyah South.\u003c/p\u003e","description":"","filename":"Fig.3.png","url":"https://assets-eu.researchsquare.com/files/rs-2805118/v1/533ae9915430ffa374ed5a90.png"},{"id":38311902,"identity":"f0cb617d-ee13-4c6a-8f2b-ff2637efacd8","added_by":"auto","created_at":"2023-06-09 19:32:23","extension":"png","order_by":4,"title":"Figure 4","display":"","copyAsset":false,"role":"figure","size":4076296,"visible":true,"origin":"","legend":"\u003cp\u003ea) total intensity magnetic map for the northern part of the Murdama basin; b) reduced to the pole (RTP) map\u003c/p\u003e","description":"","filename":"Fig.4.png","url":"https://assets-eu.researchsquare.com/files/rs-2805118/v1/40dc559b4249803051c62b63.png"},{"id":38311904,"identity":"18f5be22-5f3e-4132-9b1e-f32f601e4fe3","added_by":"auto","created_at":"2023-06-09 19:32:23","extension":"png","order_by":5,"title":"Figure 5","display":"","copyAsset":false,"role":"figure","size":4858555,"visible":true,"origin":"","legend":"\u003cp\u003ea) Analytical signal (AS); b) tilted derivative analyses for the RTP anomaly.\u003c/p\u003e","description":"","filename":"Fig.5.png","url":"https://assets-eu.researchsquare.com/files/rs-2805118/v1/e9609a2c5877316bb975a4f3.png"},{"id":38311339,"identity":"e7b13e6d-def0-4929-b0a6-ee1f78c5a1f1","added_by":"auto","created_at":"2023-06-09 19:24:23","extension":"png","order_by":6,"title":"Figure 6","display":"","copyAsset":false,"role":"figure","size":3835280,"visible":true,"origin":"","legend":"\u003cp\u003eRegional – residual separation a) regional separation; b) residual separation.\u003c/p\u003e","description":"","filename":"Fig.6.png","url":"https://assets-eu.researchsquare.com/files/rs-2805118/v1/ef5097ff7495eae6ed3ad06d.png"},{"id":38311333,"identity":"6c72c751-fc47-470f-82c1-621aa20e99b9","added_by":"auto","created_at":"2023-06-09 19:24:23","extension":"png","order_by":7,"title":"Figure 7","display":"","copyAsset":false,"role":"figure","size":4616876,"visible":true,"origin":"","legend":"\u003cp\u003ea) Wollastonite mineral zone; b) garnet mineral zone. Spectral Angle Mapper (SAM) is in red, Constrained Energy Minimization (CEM) is in green, and Spectral Information Divergence (SID) is in blue.\u003c/p\u003e","description":"","filename":"Fig.7.png","url":"https://assets-eu.researchsquare.com/files/rs-2805118/v1/dbd4f139a05ec2c496fd3098.png"},{"id":38311955,"identity":"f5835e24-686b-40ed-a35a-fa6c3e456954","added_by":"auto","created_at":"2023-06-09 19:40:23","extension":"png","order_by":8,"title":"Figure 8","display":"","copyAsset":false,"role":"figure","size":4845310,"visible":true,"origin":"","legend":"\u003cp\u003ea) Clinopyroxene mineral zone; the colors as in Fig. 7; b) the proposed skarn deposits at the contact between the Idah suite and the Murdama group, based on the integration of Spectral Angle Mapper (SAM), Constrained Energy Minimization (CEM), Spectral Information Divergence (SID), and the magnetic anomaly of the Idah suite.\u003c/p\u003e","description":"","filename":"Fig.8.png","url":"https://assets-eu.researchsquare.com/files/rs-2805118/v1/849fd3c432ece1eb8f0bf078.png"},{"id":38311337,"identity":"393457ec-f7a2-4042-a339-60807d205bc8","added_by":"auto","created_at":"2023-06-09 19:24:23","extension":"png","order_by":9,"title":"Figure 9","display":"","copyAsset":false,"role":"figure","size":248874,"visible":true,"origin":"","legend":"\u003cp\u003eRedox state for the post – Murdama granite causative magmas; the geochemical analyses from (\u003ca href=\"#_ENREF_62\" title=\"Robinson, 2015 #7\"\u003eRobinson et al., 2015\u003c/a\u003e); for the complete analyses refer to (Table S2), where analyses with Fe\u003csub\u003e2\u003c/sub\u003eO\u003csub\u003e3\u003c/sub\u003eT were excluded from the plotting. The redox index based on the Fe\u003csub\u003e2\u003c/sub\u003eO\u003csub\u003e3\u003c/sub\u003e / (Fe\u003csub\u003e2\u003c/sub\u003eO\u003csub\u003e3\u003c/sub\u003e + FeO) vs. SiO\u003csub\u003e2\u003c/sub\u003e after (\u003ca href=\"#_ENREF_47\" title=\"Meinert, 1995 #50\"\u003eMeinert, 1995\u003c/a\u003e)\u003c/p\u003e","description":"","filename":"Fig.9.png","url":"https://assets-eu.researchsquare.com/files/rs-2805118/v1/a1031a8cc9badad61c386adc.png"},{"id":40549168,"identity":"174be69b-4970-4b34-98b1-1ac0eeefeafc","added_by":"auto","created_at":"2023-07-25 15:17:35","extension":"pdf","order_by":0,"title":"","display":"","copyAsset":false,"role":"manuscript-pdf","size":6297302,"visible":true,"origin":"","legend":"","description":"","filename":"manuscript.pdf","url":"https://assets-eu.researchsquare.com/files/rs-2805118/v1/f48bd606-599a-4f60-a749-275f44f10131.pdf"},{"id":38311331,"identity":"f6d5004b-cf17-446e-a280-d2b8b00aa69f","added_by":"auto","created_at":"2023-06-09 19:24:23","extension":"docx","order_by":1,"title":"","display":"","copyAsset":false,"role":"supplement","size":25362,"visible":true,"origin":"","legend":"","description":"","filename":"TableS1.docx","url":"https://assets-eu.researchsquare.com/files/rs-2805118/v1/0d1958052cdf599632bd9dfb.docx"},{"id":38311954,"identity":"a2fdcc18-d45a-46b2-8d1e-4a85e7607ec2","added_by":"auto","created_at":"2023-06-09 19:40:23","extension":"docx","order_by":2,"title":"","display":"","copyAsset":false,"role":"supplement","size":37318,"visible":true,"origin":"","legend":"","description":"","filename":"TableS2.docx","url":"https://assets-eu.researchsquare.com/files/rs-2805118/v1/50fcbb54c0c5354b1deef07f.docx"}],"financialInterests":"","formattedTitle":"A proposed new Precambrian skarn deposits in the Arabian shield","fulltext":[{"header":"1. Introduction","content":"\u003cp\u003eSkarn deposits are irreplaceable sources for Sn and W, have significant provenance for Mo, Pb, Zn, Cu, Au, and Fe, and provide REEs, U, F, and Ag (Jiang et al., \u003cspan citationid=\"CR45\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2019\u003c/span\u003e; Meinert, \u003cspan citationid=\"CR56\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e1995\u003c/span\u003e, \u003cspan citationid=\"CR57\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e1997\u003c/span\u003e). These deposits are substantial for industry, including high-tech equipment, defense systems, renewable energy, and transport. There are four main factors controlling the formation of skarn deposits: Firstly, the causative intrusion type and volatile content, degree of fractionation, and redox state of the magma (Legros et al., \u003cspan citationid=\"CR50\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2020\u003c/span\u003e; Shu et al., \u003cspan citationid=\"CR81\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2019\u003c/span\u003e). Secondly, the wall rock permeability and structures that provide pathways for the fluids; the composition of the wall rock; and its redox state (Chang et al., \u003cspan citationid=\"CR17\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2019\u003c/span\u003e; Nie et al., \u003cspan citationid=\"CR65\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2022\u003c/span\u003e). Thirdly, the distance from the intrusion (Chang et al., \u003cspan citationid=\"CR17\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2019\u003c/span\u003e), and fourthly, the depth of the formation at which skarn deposits had evolved (Meinert et al., \u003cspan citationid=\"CR58\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e1997\u003c/span\u003e; Zhou et al., \u003cspan citationid=\"CR89\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2017\u003c/span\u003e). The metal association depends mainly on the fractionation of the magma and the redox state of both the magma and country rocks (Meinert et al., \u003cspan citationid=\"CR58\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e1997\u003c/span\u003e). Accordingly, the metal association is classified into four categories: 1) Mo \u0026ndash; W \u0026ndash; Cu \u0026ndash; Zn \u0026ndash; Pb, and this type exists in oxidized, moderate to strong fractionation conditions (Chang et al., \u003cspan citationid=\"CR17\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2019\u003c/span\u003e; Ma et al., \u003cspan citationid=\"CR53\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2017\u003c/span\u003e); 2) Fe \u0026ndash; Cu (\u0026plusmn;\u0026thinsp;W) \u0026ndash; Au \u0026ndash; Zn \u0026ndash; Pb, and this category favors oxidized, weak to moderate fractionation condition (Chang et al., \u003cspan citationid=\"CR17\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2019\u003c/span\u003e; Fitzherbert et al., \u003cspan citationid=\"CR34\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2021\u003c/span\u003e); 3) Sn \u0026ndash; W \u0026ndash; Zn \u0026ndash; Pb, and this type occurs in reduced, strongly fractionation environment (Jiang et al., \u003cspan citationid=\"CR45\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2019\u003c/span\u003e); 4) Au \u0026ndash; Zn \u0026ndash; Pb, and this association exists in reduced, weak to moderate fractionated conditions (Chang et al., \u003cspan citationid=\"CR17\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2019\u003c/span\u003e).\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eThe Arabian-Nubian Shield (ANS; Fig.\u0026nbsp;\u003cspan refid=\"Fig1\" class=\"InternalRef\"\u003e1\u003c/span\u003e) is considered as a high-stand land during Gondwana assembly ca. 630 Ma, perhaps except for the eastern part of the Arabian Shield (AS) (Johnson et al., \u003cspan citationid=\"CR46\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2011\u003c/span\u003e). The eastern part of the AS was a low-stand tract with voluminous marine basins of a Neoproterozoic age, intruded by different phases of intrusions. The contact between igneous intrusions and the Neoproterozoic marine sediments in the post-amalgamated molasse basins is proposed to be a target for economic ore deposits, including Au, Ag, Cu, Mo, W, and Fe. Up to 55 g/t Au (average 7\u0026ndash;10 g/t) were recorded from skarn deposits in NE Russia (Goryachev et al., \u003cspan citationid=\"CR40\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2018\u003c/span\u003e), and Ag with a grade of 113 g/t were estimated from Mongolian skarn deposits (Batkhishig, \u003cspan citationid=\"CR12\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2021\u003c/span\u003e).\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003e \u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eSkarn deposits exist in volcanosedimentary arc-related successions in the Arabian Shield, except for Jibal Qitan, An Nimriyah South, and Kirsh skarn localities (Fig.\u0026nbsp;\u003cspan refid=\"Fig2\" class=\"InternalRef\"\u003e2\u003c/span\u003e). Al-Madhiq calcic skarn evolved at the contact between granite and mixed volcanosedimentary succession (Ahmed, \u003cspan citationid=\"CR9\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2002\u003c/span\u003e), where major shear zones played as pathways that facilitate the circulation of fluids. Al-Madhiq skarns are a proximal exoskarn that evolved in oxidized conditions and hosts W (Ahmed and Hariri, \u003cspan citationid=\"CR10\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2006\u003c/span\u003e). Bahrah garnetiferous skarn are pertain to an island arc setting, with sheared and brecciated wall rock, and the ore deposits evolved as a result of superimposed thermal metamorphism events (Surour and Moufti, \u003cspan citationid=\"CR83\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2011\u003c/span\u003e). Jabal Ash Shumt skarn is located in the Hulayfah group, which is an island-arc volcanosedimentary succession, and the skarn deposits are attributed to granite plutons and regional metamorphism events (Moufti, \u003cspan citationid=\"CR61\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2013\u003c/span\u003e). Other localities for the arc-related successions that host skarn deposits include Al Amar, Hamra, As Safra, Bi\u0026rsquo;r Ash Shumt, and Jabalul Hamat (Table \u003cspan refid=\"MOESM1\" class=\"InternalRef\"\u003eS1\u003c/span\u003e). Jibal Qitan garnetiferous skarn is located at the contact between Qitan granite and the Murdama group limestone (Miller and Arnold, \u003cspan citationid=\"CR59\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e1988\u003c/span\u003e). Sn - W mineralization is dominant in Qitan skarn, and there\u0026rsquo;s a possibility for potential mineralization in the subsurface at the contact between granite and the Murdama limestone (Miller and Arnold, \u003cspan citationid=\"CR59\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e1988\u003c/span\u003e). There are different types of post- Murdama granites, so there\u0026rsquo;s a higher possibility for the skarn deposits at the contact between these intrusions and the Murdama limestone.\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003e \u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eASTER data have been used extensively for the lithological mapping and exploration of alteration minerals (Abrams and Yamaguchi, \u003cspan citationid=\"CR8\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2019\u003c/span\u003e; Aboelkhair et al., \u003cspan citationid=\"CR5\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2020\u003c/span\u003e; Ghazala et al., \u003cspan citationid=\"CR37\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2021\u003c/span\u003e; Aboelkhair et al., \u003cspan citationid=\"CR6\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2021\u003c/span\u003e). The reconnaissance of hydrothermal-related alteration zones was conducted for different ore deposits using ASTER data, including skarn deposits (Cudahy et al., \u003cspan citationid=\"CR22\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2002\u003c/span\u003e; Liu et al., \u003cspan citationid=\"CR52\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2012\u003c/span\u003e; Moradpour et al., \u003cspan citationid=\"CR60\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2022\u003c/span\u003e; Yajima, \u003cspan citationid=\"CR87\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2014\u003c/span\u003e), porphyry copper (Beygi et al., \u003cspan citationid=\"CR13\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2021\u003c/span\u003e; Chen et al., \u003cspan citationid=\"CR18\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2021\u003c/span\u003e; Wang et al., \u003cspan citationid=\"CR84\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2020\u003c/span\u003e), and volcanogenic massive sulphide (Rajendran and Nasir, \u003cspan citationid=\"CR69\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2017\u003c/span\u003e). Furthermore, ASTER data were used to identify minerals, such as carbonate and quartz (Ninomya, 2003; Ninomya et al., 2005; Rockwell and Hofstra, \u003cspan citationid=\"CR73\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2008\u003c/span\u003e), and the ferric iron oxides (Rowan and Mars, \u003cspan citationid=\"CR74\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2003\u003c/span\u003e). Magnetic data were used for lineament mapping (Abdullahi et al., \u003cspan citationid=\"CR4\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2019\u003c/span\u003e; Eldosouky et al., \u003cspan citationid=\"CR26\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2022\u003c/span\u003e; Essa et al., \u003cspan citationid=\"CR32\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2022\u003c/span\u003e; Essa and Elhussein, \u003cspan citationid=\"CR28\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2019\u003c/span\u003e, ), at different crustal levels (Eldosouky et al., \u003cspan citationid=\"CR26\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2022\u003c/span\u003e; Sehsah et al., \u003cspan citationid=\"CR80\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2022\u003c/span\u003e), and estimating the depth (Abdelrahman et al., \u003cspan citationid=\"CR2\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2003a\u003c/span\u003e\u0026amp;b, Abdelrahman and Esaa, 2005). Furthermore, magnetic data has been used for estimating the sedimentary cover thickness (Aboud, \u003cspan citationid=\"CR7\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2012\u003c/span\u003e), and ore deposits exploration (Essa et al., \u003cspan citationid=\"CR32\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2022\u003c/span\u003e; Gobashy et al., \u003cspan citationid=\"CR39\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2020\u003c/span\u003e; Mehanee et el., 2021;Yang et al., \u003cspan citationid=\"CR88\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2020\u003c/span\u003e). Consequently, magnetic data has been applied to skarn deposits exploration (Gunn and Dentith, \u003cspan citationid=\"CR41\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e1997\u003c/span\u003e; Martelet et al., \u003cspan citationid=\"CR54\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2021\u003c/span\u003e).\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eTherefore, undertaking such a detailed study to locate skarn deposits in the Murdama basin based on different datasets, which is the largest post-amalgamation marine basin in the ANS with intercalation of limestone, will propose new areas for prospecting, and this is the first time to undertake such a study. The primary objective of this research work is to investigate economic skarn ore deposits using the integration of geologic studies, potential data analyses, and remote sensing data.\u003c/p\u003e"},{"header":"2. The Geologic Setting of Murdama Basin","content":"\u003cp\u003eThe Murdama basin covers an area of about 72000 km\u003csup\u003e2\u003c/sup\u003e and is located in the Afif Terrane (Johnson, \u003cspan citationid=\"CR47\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2003\u003c/span\u003e). The basin is the largest in the ANS, lies above the pre-Neoproterozoic Khida terrane to the west, is covered by Cenozoic cover to the SE, and consists of a thick volcano-sedimentary succession (Johnson et al., \u003cspan citationid=\"CR46\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2011\u003c/span\u003e). The basin consists of two units; Afif formation at the base of the basin; and this lower unit consists of calc-alkaline acidic to basic volcanic rocks; and the Murdama group lies at the top of the basin and consists of sedimentary sequence, mainly sandstone, conglomerate, and limestone (Johnson, \u003cspan citationid=\"CR47\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2003\u003c/span\u003e; Johnson et al., \u003cspan citationid=\"CR48\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2013\u003c/span\u003e). The Murdama basin lies unconformably above Cryogenian rocks, namely the Dhiran formation, Nafi formation, Hillit formation, Dhukhnah gneiss, Rika formation, Tays formation, Kabid formation, Khishaybi suite, Nasaf suite, Jidh suite, Labab and Kilab complexes, Suwaj suite, and Surayhah complex. The Murdama basin overlayed by the Jibalah group, the Jurdhaiya group, and Ediacaran rhyolite; the basin is intruded by the Al Khushaymiyah complex, the Idah suite, the Abanat suite, the Ruwaydah suite, Gharamil monzogranite, Uraynibi syenogranite, and the Haml suite of alkali feldspar granite.\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eNajirah granite is a volcanic arc granite that evolved in an active continental margin setting (Robinson et al., \u003cspan citationid=\"CR72\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2015\u003c/span\u003e). Najirah granite is exposed in the eastern part of the AS, and exists as two large batholiths intruding Ad Dawadimi terrane. There\u0026rsquo;s no direct contact between the Murdama limestone and Najirah granite in the study area, but these two batholiths underlie the Abt formation. Najirah granite is pre-Abt formation, but both the Abt formation and Najirah granite are dissected by the Ar Ruwaydah suite. Idah suite is small plutons that are exposed in the eastern part of the AS; this type of granite is limited to the Afif and Ha\u0026rsquo;il terranes, dissecting mainly the northern part of the Murdama basin, with no record in the southern part of the Murdama basin. The Idah suite is mainly alkali granite that evolved as a post-orogenic granite (Robinson et al., \u003cspan citationid=\"CR72\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2015\u003c/span\u003e). The Al Khushaymiyah complex is exposed in the Afif terrane, with no record in other terranes. The intrusion volume increases southward and dissects the central and southern parts of the Murdama basin, with no extent northward. The Abanat suite is a post-orogenic granite that exists mainly in the Ha\u0026rsquo;il, to the north of the Afif terrane, and the distribution of such magmatism decreases southward in the Afif terrane. Abanat plutons dissect the central and northern parts of the Murdama basin (Fig.\u0026nbsp;\u003cspan refid=\"Fig3\" class=\"InternalRef\"\u003e3\u003c/span\u003e). The Khishaybi suite is a relatively large batholiths that exist in the Afif Terrane, dissecting the northern part of the Murdama basin. The Murdama basin is graded from older volcanosedimentary succession at the base of the basin in the west to younger marine at the eastern margin (Johnson et al., \u003cspan citationid=\"CR46\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2011\u003c/span\u003e). Skarn deposits exist in the eastern part of the AS, and the wall rock conditions are controlled by faults and shear zones that pertain to the Najd fault system (NFS). The NW direction of the mineral zones is attributed to the NFS, which facilitates the circulation of fluids, and the emplacement of post-orogenic granites. However, there are different types of post-Murdama granites, but the Al Khushaymiyah complex and Idah suite are the main causative plutons for the skarn deposits in the Murdama basin (Table \u003cspan refid=\"MOESM1\" class=\"InternalRef\"\u003eS1\u003c/span\u003e). The Idah suite is the causative plutons for the Jibal Qitan and An Nimriyah South reduced skarn while Al Khushaymiyah complex is the causative plutons for the Kirsh oxidized skarn in the Murdama basin (Fig.\u0026nbsp;\u003cspan refid=\"Fig2\" class=\"InternalRef\"\u003e2\u003c/span\u003e; Table \u003cspan refid=\"MOESM1\" class=\"InternalRef\"\u003eS1\u003c/span\u003e). Therefore, there\u0026rsquo;s a higher possibility for the skarn deposits at the contact between the Murdama group and the causative plutons of the Al Khushaymiyah complex and Idah suite.\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003e \u003c/p\u003e"},{"header":"3. Methodology","content":"\u003cdiv id=\"Sec4\" class=\"Section2\"\u003e \u003ch2\u003e3.1 Magnetic Data\u003c/h2\u003e \u003cp\u003eThe magnetic method is dependent on changes in the earth's magnetic field caused by lateral variations in the magnetization of the subsoil (Hinze et al., \u003cspan citationid=\"CR43\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2013\u003c/span\u003e). Both contributions from sources at higher depths and contributions from sources of interest at lower depths can be found in magnetic measurements. Magnetic anomalies are used to map faults and analyze the structures that are the source of the anomalies (Eldosouky et al., \u003cspan citationid=\"CR27\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2020\u003c/span\u003e; Pham et al., \u003cspan citationid=\"CR68\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2022\u003c/span\u003e; Sehsah and Eldosouky, \u003cspan citationid=\"CR78\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2022\u003c/span\u003e; Sehsah et al., \u003cspan citationid=\"CR79\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2019\u003c/span\u003e; Sehsah et al., \u003cspan citationid=\"CR80\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2022\u003c/span\u003e). Reduce to the pole (RTP), regional-residual separation, analytical signal, and tilt derivative techniques are some of the processing techniques that were used to structurally analyze magnetic data.\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eIn order to process and interpret the magnetic data, four advanced techniques were applied. Since these measurements are unreliable, it is impossible to evaluate magnetic raw data directly. Instead, to better display anomalies, the primary magnetic field must be removed and gradients must be computed. The methodical steps in the processing of magnetic data begin with the fast Fourier transformer's conversion of the corrected data from the space domain to the frequency domain (Geosoft, \u003cspan citationid=\"CR36\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2015\u003c/span\u003e). Reduction to the pole, regional-residual separation, tilt derivatives, and the analytical signal are some of these methods. To get more accurate results, these methods must be used before interpretations. If noise is present in the observed data, these methods based on the derivative of the field may produce different conclusions. The measurement uncertainty, the elimination of the main and external fields, and the estimation of the noise-enhancing gradients are some of the possible origins of this noise.\u003c/p\u003e \u003cdiv id=\"Sec5\" class=\"Section3\"\u003e \u003ch2\u003e3.1.1 Reduced To the Pole (RTP)\u003c/h2\u003e \u003cp\u003eThe total magnetic intensity map (Fig.\u0026nbsp;\u003cspan refid=\"Fig4\" class=\"InternalRef\"\u003e4\u003c/span\u003ea) contains an embedded effect of latitude variation due to the dipole of the magnetic field. To reduce this effect, we transform the data to an imaginary location just above the magnetic pole of the earth. This transformation is referred to as reduction to the pole (RTP). The total magnetic intensity data are filtered to remove the dipolar effects of the total magnetic field of the earth to be reduced to the northern magnetic pole, using the inclination and declination values of 34.24 and 2.71, respectively. Except for a few anomalies that change their orientation to the north due to the elimination of the study area's declination, the reduced-to-the-pole magnetic map does not significantly differ from the total intensity magnetic map (Fig.\u0026nbsp;\u003cspan refid=\"Fig4\" class=\"InternalRef\"\u003e4\u003c/span\u003eb).\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003e \u003c/p\u003e \u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv id=\"Sec6\" class=\"Section3\"\u003e \u003ch2\u003e3.1.2 Analytical Signal Technique\u003c/h2\u003e \u003cp\u003eThe filtering or processing of an analytical signal is another technique for magnetic data that makes it possible to get additional information compared to those obtained from the magnetic map (Fig.\u0026nbsp;\u003cspan refid=\"Fig5\" class=\"InternalRef\"\u003e5\u003c/span\u003ea). The basement depth and subsurface structural trends directly above the borders of the magnetic sources are the main interest of this technique. This technique assumed that the presence of 2D structures was related to geologic contact, dike, and horizontal cylinder structures (Nabighian, \u003cspan citationid=\"CR62\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e1972\u003c/span\u003e; Salem and Ravat, \u003cspan citationid=\"CR75\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2003\u003c/span\u003e; Salem et al., \u003cspan citationid=\"CR76\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2002\u003c/span\u003e). This method primarily depends on the magnetic field's first-order horizontal and vertical derivatives, as well as the magnetization's source direction. The horizontal location of the isolated sources is typically precise; however, only certain source types are accurate in terms of vertical position.\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003e \u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eThe square root of the sum of the squares of the vertical and horizontal derivatives of the total magnetic field is the definition of the analytical signal (AS) in its general form;\u003cdiv id=\"Equa\" class=\"Equation\"\u003e\u003cdiv format=\"TEX\" class=\"mathdisplay\" id=\"FileID_Equa\" name=\"EquationSource\"\u003e\n$$AS= \\sqrt{dx*dx+dy*dy+dz*dz}$$\u003c/div\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003ewhere AS is the analytical signal, dx, dy, dz are the vertical and horizontal derivatives of the magnetic field.\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv id=\"Sec7\" class=\"Section3\"\u003e \u003ch2\u003e3.1.3 Tilt Derivative Technique\u003c/h2\u003e \u003cp\u003eAnother method for enhancing subsurface structural magnetic lineaments and determining the depth of the basement contacts is the tilt derivative technique (TDR) (Fig.\u0026nbsp;\u003cspan refid=\"Fig5\" class=\"InternalRef\"\u003e5\u003c/span\u003eb). The source was considered to be a buried (2D) vertical contact model with vertical magnetization and no remnant magnetization (Salem et al., \u003cspan citationid=\"CR77\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2007\u003c/span\u003e). It is reliant on the overall magnetic field's vertical and horizontal derivatives over the geologic contact. Nabighian (\u003cspan citationid=\"CR62\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e1972\u003c/span\u003e) provides the following equation for the horizontal and vertical derivatives of these contacts, which are positioned at a horizontal location of h\u0026thinsp;=\u0026thinsp;0 and at a vertical depth of zc:\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003e \u003cspan class=\"InlineEquation\"\u003e \u003cspan class=\"mathinline\"\u003e\\(\\frac{\\partial M}{\\partial h}=2KF{c}^{\\frac{zc}{{h}^{2}+{zc}^{2}}}\\)\u003c/span\u003e \u003c/span\u003e and \u003cspan class=\"InlineEquation\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"mathinline\"\u003e\\(\\frac{\\partial M}{\\partial h}=2KF{c}^{\\frac{h}{{h}^{2}+{zc}^{2}}}\\)\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003ewhere h and Z are the horizontal and vertical locations of the contact, respectively, K is the susceptibility contrast, and it is the magnitude of the magnetic field. The parameter c is given by c\u0026thinsp;=\u0026thinsp;1 - cos2i sin2A, where A is the angle between the positive h-axis and magnetic north, i is the ambient field inclination, tanl\u0026thinsp;=\u0026thinsp;tani/cosA, d is the dip (measured from the positive h-axis), and all trigonometric quantities are in degreesXXX. Substituting the above derivative terms into the tilt equation and assuming a reduced to the pole magnetic field, it can be shown that,\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003e \u003cspan class=\"InlineEquation\"\u003e \u003cspan class=\"mathinline\"\u003e\\(\\theta ={\\text{tan}}^{-1}\\left[\\frac{\\frac{\\partial M}{\\partial Z}}{\\frac{\\partial M}{\\partial h}}\\right]\\)\u003c/span\u003e \u003c/span\u003e and \u003cspan class=\"InlineEquation\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"mathinline\"\u003e\\(\\theta ={\\text{tan}}^{-1}\\frac{h}{Zc}\\)\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eAccording to the relationship between the horizontal location and the vertical depth, this equation suggests that the tilt angle value may range between 0 and 45 (zc). The tilt angle is zero above the geologic contact's borders (horizontal location\u0026thinsp;=\u0026thinsp;0), and it is equal to 45 when the horizontal location (h) equals the vertical depth (zc). According to this equation, contact-like structures can be defined by the location (h\u0026thinsp;=\u0026thinsp;0) and depth (half the physical distance between 45 contours) of the magnetic tilt angle contours.\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eThis method has four distinct advantages: (1) it can compute the depth of these geologic contacts and identify the most dominant structural trends; (2) it is less sensitive to noise because it depends on the first-order derivative as opposed to methods that use the second or third orders of derivatives; (3) it is not dependent on the window size selection like the Euler method, where there is no issue with solution clusters; (4) The distance between zero and +\u0026thinsp;45 or 45 contours correlates to the depth to the top of the vertical contact model, whereas the half-distance between 45 contours approximates the source depth determined from TDR for vertical contacts (Salem et al., \u003cspan citationid=\"CR77\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2007\u003c/span\u003e).\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv id=\"Sec8\" class=\"Section3\"\u003e \u003ch2\u003e3.1.4 Regional-Residual separation\u003c/h2\u003e \u003cp\u003eAfter producing the RTP map, the Butterworth filter was used to extract the regional (deep-seated magnetic sources) (Fig.\u0026nbsp;\u003cspan refid=\"Fig6\" class=\"InternalRef\"\u003e6\u003c/span\u003ea) and residual (shallow-seated magnetic sources) (Fig.\u0026nbsp;\u003cspan refid=\"Fig6\" class=\"InternalRef\"\u003e6\u003c/span\u003eb) components from the observed total intensity magnetic measurements using Geosoft, \u003cspan citationid=\"CR36\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2015\u003c/span\u003e. The Butterworth filter is used to filter the current Reduced to the Pole Magnetic Data. The degree of the filter function is set to 8 (the default), and the central wave numbers of the filter are 0.03 and 0.042 (cycle/ground unit), respectively.\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003e \u003c/p\u003e \u003c/div\u003e \u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv id=\"Sec9\" class=\"Section2\"\u003e \u003ch2\u003e3.2 Remote Sensing Data and techniques\u003c/h2\u003e \u003cp\u003eASTER level-1B Registered Radiance at the Sensor (AST_L1B) and ASTER L2 Surface Reflectance VNIR and Crosstalk Corrected SWIR (AST_07XT) products images were downloaded from the NASA Land Processes Distributed Active Archive Center (LPDAAC). The image was acquired with a cloud cover 0.0% on December 04, 2002, at 07:48:29 am. All processing steps applied to satellite data were processed for geological and alteration mapping using (EXILIS ENVI 5.3) software. Various spectral mapping techniques were applied in the study area, including Spectral Information Divergence (SID), Spectral Angle Mapper (SAM) and Constrained Energy Minimization (CEM)\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eThe highest-potential economic minerals are mainly associated with alteration zones. Field geological work revealed that these zones have a very limited spatial extent. Therefore, they are hardly discriminated against when using conventional processing tools. Hence, there is a need to discriminate the minerals associated with the alteration zones using more accurate spectral classification tools like SID, SAM, and CEM.\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eSpectral Information Divergence (SID) is a spectral classification technique that utilizes a divergence metric to compare pixels with reference spectra. If the divergence is small, then it is more probable that the pixels are similar. However, if the measurement exceeds the maximum divergence threshold, the pixels will not be classified (Chang, \u003cspan citationid=\"CR15\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e1999\u003c/span\u003e). SAM is an automated classification technique that compares image spectra to known spectra or training classes. It computes the spectral angle between the image spectrum, which represents an unknown material, and the reference spectrum, which represents a known material, treating them as vectors in n-dimensional spectral spacewhere n denotes the number of bands (Kruse et al., \u003cspan citationid=\"CR49\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e1993\u003c/span\u003e). The Constrained Energy Minimization (CEM) approach maximizes the response of the target spectrum while minimizing the response of all other features, treating them as an unknown background (Ren, et al., \u003cspan citationid=\"CR71\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2003\u003c/span\u003e).\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eIn the current study, the Spectral Information Divergence, Spectral Angle Mapper, and Constrained Energy Minimization techniques were applied to both VNIR-SWIR stack datasets to discriminate included alteration zones in the study area, and the spectra of the JPL library spectra were resampled to match the ASTER VNIR-SWIR spectrum. These spectral mapping techniques were used for alteration mineral mapping in the study area, including wollastonite, garnet, pyroxene, and epidote.\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/div\u003e"},{"header":"4. Results","content":"\u003cdiv id=\"Sec11\" class=\"Section2\"\u003e \u003ch2\u003e4.1 Magnetic anomalies and fluid pathways framework\u003c/h2\u003e \u003cp\u003eOne of the most popular geophysical methods for examining the Earth's interior is the magnetic method (Aboud, \u003cspan citationid=\"CR7\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2012\u003c/span\u003e; Essa and Diab, \u003cspan citationid=\"CR29\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2022a\u003c/span\u003e, \u003cspan citationid=\"CR30\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003eb\u003c/span\u003e; Essa and Elhussein, \u003cspan citationid=\"CR31\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2017\u003c/span\u003e; Essa et al., \u003cspan citationid=\"CR32\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2022\u003c/span\u003e). It can be used to solve a wide range of subsurface exploration issues, including those involving horizontal magnetic differences between the base of the Earth's crust and the top meter of soil. In order to evaluate a magnetic map qualitatively, one must first visually examine the shape, trend, and defining characteristics of each individual abnormality. The sharpness of the anomaly is revealed by the anomaly's sharpness and the contours' length and aerial extent (Nettleton, \u003cspan citationid=\"CR64\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e1976\u003c/span\u003e). The total magnetic intensity map (TMI) of the study area with a scale of 1:25000 is suitable for representing most of the magnetic anomalies in the study area. This map displays a sharp shift in magnetic intensity, which could be a result of changes in lithology or basement topography, and depicts an alternating collection of high and low magnetic anomalies with various amplitudes, patterns, and wavelengths. The study area has magnetic values between \u0026minus;\u0026thinsp;210 and 42nT. The research area's southeast, southwest, central, northeastern, and northwestern regions (Fig.\u0026nbsp;\u003cspan refid=\"Fig4\" class=\"InternalRef\"\u003e4\u003c/span\u003ea) are home to circular and elongated magnetic anomalies with the highest amplitudes (42nT) (pink1 hue). These elongated, circular symmetry outlines are the result of a geologic body. It can be a plug or a dyke, and the elongation should show the strike's direction (Reford and Sumner, \u003cspan citationid=\"CR70\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e1964\u003c/span\u003e). Due to the existence of a thick sedimentary succession of homogenous rocks, the study area's southwest and center had the lowest value of magnetic anomalies (-210nT). The alternating of negative and positive magnetic anomalies suggests the presence of fault contact that divides the study area into multiple blocks with various magnetizations.\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eThe studied area's lithological variety and the existence of a dense sedimentary succession in its central and southeast regions both contribute to the uneven distribution of magnetic values there. The research area is characterized by a wide variety of magnetic values, as seen by the reduced-to-the-pole magnetic map, which spans from (-227 to 120 nT). The studied area's highest magnetic amplitude value is 120nT, which is distributed throughout (pink color), while its lowest value, which is present in the central and southwest (blue color) and is directed in the NE-SW direction, is -227nT. (Fig.\u0026nbsp;\u003cspan refid=\"Fig4\" class=\"InternalRef\"\u003e4\u003c/span\u003eb). There are a lot of high anomalies (red in color) in the studied area's northwest and southeast, which are oriented N-S and NW-SE, respectively.\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eThere are different types of granitic plutons in the study area. They have higher magnetic anomalies than the anomaly related to the volcanosedimentary succession of the Murdama basin. Meanwhile, the Abanat suite has lower anomaly values than the Idah suite, which has the highest magnetic anomaly over the study area. Al Khushaymiyah complex has a higher anomaly similar to the Idah suite, and there\u0026rsquo;s a high anomaly in the Murdama basin at the eastern part of the basin near Al Khushaymiyah, but Jurdhawiya separates both of them. The NW linear extent of this anomaly predicts the presence of a structurally controlled intrusion at the subsurface; while the lowest magnetic anomaly exists in the western part of the Murdama basin.\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eThe analytical signal enhanced the direction and extent of the anomalies along the peripheries of granitic plutons, where the Idah suite and Al Khushaymiyah complex have the higher border anomalies. Meanwhile, the AS confirmed the presence of a structurally controlled basement anomaly underneath the eastern part of the Murdama basin. There\u0026rsquo;s a low anomaly in the RTP map that became a higher linear anomaly in the AS map with a NW direction at the contact between the Murdama and the Suwaj suite and to the SW of the Idah suite pluton in the eastern part of the study area.\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eThe TD technique enhanced the subsurface structural magnetic lineaments; curved to relatively circular structural magnetic lineaments exist at the porphyries of granitic plutons. The Idah, Abanat suites, and Al Khushaymiyah complex have higher circular magnetic lineament with no exception. The eastern part of the Murdama basin has extensive subsurface lineaments with a NW trend and this may be related to the shallow depth of the subsurface basement. The later NFS related magmatism.\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eThe regional separation unravels the presence of NE-SW deep-seated magnetic source, and this direction is parallel to the boundary between Ha\u0026rsquo;il and Afif terranes, so the source of the deep-seated anomaly may be derived from the arc-related basements. The highest anomalies related to the shallow-seated magnetic sources are located at the boundaries of the granitic plutons, and the results of such separation predict the existence of the Al Khushayimah complex at shallow depths underneath Jurdahawiyah, below the eastern part of the Murdama basin. There are relatively high anomalies at the contact between the Idah and Abanat suites underneath the eastern boundary of the Murdama basin.\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eThe analytical signal map (Fig.\u0026nbsp;\u003cspan refid=\"Fig5\" class=\"InternalRef\"\u003e5\u003c/span\u003ea) is more accurate in identifying the trends of these anomalies because it more clearly depicts the edges of magnetic anomalies when compared with the reduced pole magnetic map. This map shows that the higher AS values are found across the study region (in pink), while the lowest values are found in the northeastern portion of the study area (blue color). The NNW-SSE trend is the major trend resulting from the AS, which is related to the NFS trend. The tilt derivative map (Fig.\u0026nbsp;\u003cspan refid=\"Fig5\" class=\"InternalRef\"\u003e5\u003c/span\u003eb) can provide the principal trend more simply and plainly than the reduced to the pole magnetic map because it can be visually inspected and qualitatively interpreted to identify the edges of magnetic anomalies and fault contacts. The studied area is subject to a significant NNW-SSE subsurface structural trend.\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eThe subsurface structural trends exiting in the RTP map (Fig.\u0026nbsp;\u003cspan refid=\"Fig4\" class=\"InternalRef\"\u003e4\u003c/span\u003eb) do not differ from those leaving in the Low-Pass (regional) magnetic map (Fig.\u0026nbsp;\u003cspan refid=\"Fig6\" class=\"InternalRef\"\u003e6\u003c/span\u003ea), i.e., they are consistent with the regional magnetic map. Several long-wavelength and low-frequency magnetic anomalies with various shapes, trends, and magnitudes may be seen on the regional magnetic map (Fig.\u0026nbsp;\u003cspan refid=\"Fig4\" class=\"InternalRef\"\u003e4\u003c/span\u003ea). The structure and makeup of the deep causal sources could be inferred from the form and frequency of these anomalies. The important subsurface structural trends that have an impact on the deep-seated structures are shown on the regional magnetic map. This map is characterized by two major sets of NE\u0026ndash;SW and NNE\u0026ndash;SSW trending faults. These subsurface trends are related to the NFS trend.\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eMany positive and negative magnetic anomalies can be found on the high-pass (residual) magnetic component map (Fig.\u0026nbsp;\u003cspan refid=\"Fig6\" class=\"InternalRef\"\u003e6\u003c/span\u003eb). These anomalies are primarily seen in the study area's center and western regions and feature semi-circular and elongated morphologies. In this image, there are numerous linear magnetic anomalies that are connected to shallow-seated tectonic formations. The trends bordering the residual anomalies are nearly NE\u0026ndash;SW, N\u0026ndash;S and NW\u0026ndash;SE anomalies, which occupied the southern and western parts of the map area.\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv id=\"Sec12\" class=\"Section2\"\u003e \u003ch2\u003e4.2 Types and extent of alteration minerals\u003c/h2\u003e \u003cp\u003eSkarns are commonly formed by hydrothermal alteration at the contact between carbonate rocks and the causative granite magmas, and this interaction produces calc-silicate minerals such as wollastonite, garnet, and pyroxene (Einaudi and Burt, \u003cspan citationid=\"CR25\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e1982\u003c/span\u003e; Ghosh and Upadhyay, \u003cspan citationid=\"CR38\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2022\u003c/span\u003e; Hammarstrom et al., \u003cspan citationid=\"CR42\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e1995\u003c/span\u003e; Whitney and Olmsted, \u003cspan citationid=\"CR85\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e1998\u003c/span\u003e). Therefore, skarns are commonly found near igneous intrusions, and along fractures and shear zones (Cocco et al., \u003cspan citationid=\"CR20\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2022\u003c/span\u003e), based on the source of the hydrothermal fluids (Baker and Lang, \u003cspan citationid=\"CR11\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2003\u003c/span\u003e). Meanwhile, the intercalation of carbonate within the protolith suggests shallow crustal levels, thus shallow geothermal systems (Deb et al., \u003cspan citationid=\"CR23\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2020\u003c/span\u003e; Sillitoe and Bonham Jr, \u003cspan citationid=\"CR82\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e1990\u003c/span\u003e). Wollastonite usually occurs as a product of the interaction between silica and calcite reactants (Deer et al., \u003cspan citationid=\"CR24\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e1997\u003c/span\u003e). The existence of silica as a reactant suggests SiO\u003csub\u003e2\u003c/sub\u003e supersaturated causative magmas, and based on the distribution of the previously recorded skarns in the Murdama basin; the Idah suite and the Al Khushaymiyah complex are the main causative magmas. Wollastonite exists extensively at the contact between the Idah plutons and the Murdama group at the western corner of the study area (Fig.\u0026nbsp;\u003cspan refid=\"Fig7\" class=\"InternalRef\"\u003e7\u003c/span\u003ea). Although the NFS exists as a network dissecting the central part of the Murdama basin and at its eastern faulted contact against the Suwaj suite, there\u0026rsquo;s no record for the wollastonite. The limited extent of the wollastonite to the Idah suite contacts suggest the saturation of their magma with silica, and this is supported by the existence of skarn deposits at Qitan and An Nimriyah South (Fig.\u0026nbsp;\u003cspan refid=\"Fig2\" class=\"InternalRef\"\u003e2\u003c/span\u003e), as a result of the Idah causative plutons (Table \u003cspan refid=\"MOESM1\" class=\"InternalRef\"\u003eS1\u003c/span\u003e). There\u0026rsquo;s no record for the wollastonite at the contact of the Al Khushaymiyah complex (Fig.\u0026nbsp;\u003cspan refid=\"Fig7\" class=\"InternalRef\"\u003e7\u003c/span\u003ea), because there\u0026rsquo;s no direct contact between the Murdama group and the Al Khushaymiyah complex in the study area (Fig.\u0026nbsp;\u003cspan refid=\"Fig3\" class=\"InternalRef\"\u003e3\u003c/span\u003e).\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003e \u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eGarnet is a common proximal constituent of metasomatized carbonate rocks (Meinert, \u003cspan citationid=\"CR57\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e1997\u003c/span\u003e). Garnet exists at the western corner of the area under investigation, with relatively the same location as wollastonite (Fig.\u0026nbsp;\u003cspan refid=\"Fig7\" class=\"InternalRef\"\u003e7\u003c/span\u003eb). There\u0026rsquo;s no existence of the garnet away from the contact between the Idah suite and the Murdama group, and there\u0026rsquo;s no effect on the fracture network related to the NFS for the circulation of the hydrothermal fluids in the central part of the study area. Meanwhile, the faulted contact between the Murdama and the Suwaj suite is garnet-free, and the Al Khushaymiyah complex has no effect on the country rocks (Fig.\u0026nbsp;\u003cspan refid=\"Fig7\" class=\"InternalRef\"\u003e7\u003c/span\u003eb). Pyroxene minerals are common distal skarn constituents (Ciobanu and Cook, \u003cspan citationid=\"CR19\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2004\u003c/span\u003e; Meinert, \u003cspan citationid=\"CR57\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e1997\u003c/span\u003e). Pyroxene exists in the northwestern part of the study area, but to a relatively greater extent than wollastonite and garnet, which extends away from the contact between the Idah suite and Murdama group (Fig.\u0026nbsp;\u003cspan refid=\"Fig8\" class=\"InternalRef\"\u003e8\u003c/span\u003ea). It\u0026rsquo;s clear that the northwestern part of the investigated area in the Murdama basin has extensively higher hydrothermal alteration activity, and the existence of the calc-silicate minerals at relatively the same contacts between the Idah suite and the Murdama basin, suggests that the Idah suite is the causative plutons for the skarn deposits at the study area in the Murdama basin. Meanwhile, the previously recorded skarn deposits in the Murdama basin at Qitan and An Nimriyah South (Table \u003cspan refid=\"MOESM1\" class=\"InternalRef\"\u003eS1\u003c/span\u003e), confirm the ability of the Idah suite to be causative plutons at contact with the Murdama group. Meanwhile, the barren fracture system that is controlled by the NFS suggests that the hydrothermal fluids were derived from the Idah suite magmas. Furthermore, the Al Khushaymiyah complex, which is the causative plutons for the Kirsh skarn does not affect the Murdama group (Table \u003cspan refid=\"MOESM1\" class=\"InternalRef\"\u003eS1\u003c/span\u003e), because there\u0026rsquo;s no direct contact between the Murdama group and the Al Khushaymiyah complex, where the Jurdhawiya formation exists between both of them in the study area. Meanwhile, the faulted contact between the Murdama and the Suwaj suite is skarn-free (Fig.\u0026nbsp;\u003cspan refid=\"Fig8\" class=\"InternalRef\"\u003e8\u003c/span\u003eb).\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003e \u003c/p\u003e \u003c/div\u003e"},{"header":"5. Discussion","content":"\u003cdiv id=\"Sec14\" class=\"Section2\"\u003e \u003ch2\u003e5.1 Arc \u0026ndash; volcanosedimentary to post \u0026ndash; amalgamation marine basin skarns\u003c/h2\u003e \u003cp\u003eHowever, the AS has significant post-amalgamation marine basins, i.e., the Murdama basin; most of the skarn deposits are mainly related to arc-volcanosedimentary successions, except for a few localities were recorded from the post-amalgamation Murdama basin (Fig.\u0026nbsp;\u003cspan refid=\"Fig2\" class=\"InternalRef\"\u003e2\u003c/span\u003e). During the late Neoproterozoic ca. 650 Ma, the ANS experienced the transition from volcanosedimentray arc deposition systems to volcanosedimentary deposition in post-amalgamation molasse basins (Johnson et al., \u003cspan citationid=\"CR46\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2011\u003c/span\u003e; Johnson et al., \u003cspan citationid=\"CR48\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2013\u003c/span\u003e). Late Cryogenian\u0026ndash;Ediacaran (650\u0026thinsp;\u0026minus;\u0026thinsp;542 Ma) marine molasse basins are predominant in the AS, with a voluminous average thickness of about 4 km (Johnson et al., \u003cspan citationid=\"CR46\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2011\u003c/span\u003e). The Murdama, Bani Ghayy, Fatima, and Ablah groups are the main types of localities for marine post-amalgamation basins in the AS (Fowler and Hamimi, \u003cspan citationid=\"CR35\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2021\u003c/span\u003e). Late Ediacaran granitic suits are cutting the marine basins, including the Al Khushaymiyah complex, the Idah suite, the Abanat suite, the Ruwaydah suite, and the Gharamil monzogranite. Skarn deposits are the most common deposit type at the contact between carbonates and late intrusive rocks (Meinert, \u003cspan citationid=\"CR56\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e1995\u003c/span\u003e, \u003cspan citationid=\"CR57\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e1997\u003c/span\u003e; Meinert et al., \u003cspan citationid=\"CR58\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e1997\u003c/span\u003e). Meanwhile, the basins are variably experiencing brittle deformation with common cleavage and lineation, and such fractures are ideal pathways for hydrothermal fluids circulations, thus the possibility of precipitating skarn ore deposits in high grades increases. Meanwhile, the Idah and Al Khushayimah are the main causative plutons for the skarn deposits in the Murdama basin at Qitan, An Nimriyah South, and Kirsh (Fig.\u0026nbsp;\u003cspan refid=\"Fig2\" class=\"InternalRef\"\u003e2\u003c/span\u003e; Table \u003cspan refid=\"MOESM1\" class=\"InternalRef\"\u003eS1\u003c/span\u003e). Therefore, skarn deposits are expected to exist at the contact between the Idah, Al Khushayimah, and the Murdama group. However, the mapping of alteration mineral zones reveals the existence of skarn-related calc-silicate minerals at the contact between the Idah suite and the Murdama group, with no record for skarn indicator minerals at the periphery of the Al Khushayimah complex (Figs.\u0026nbsp;\u003cspan refid=\"Fig7\" class=\"InternalRef\"\u003e7\u003c/span\u003e \u0026amp; \u003cspan refid=\"Fig8\" class=\"InternalRef\"\u003e8\u003c/span\u003e). Meanwhile, the Jurdhawiya formation separates the Al Khushayimah complex from the Murdama group, preventing direct contact between both of them (Fig.\u0026nbsp;\u003cspan refid=\"Fig3\" class=\"InternalRef\"\u003e3\u003c/span\u003e). The barren fracture system that is controlled by the NFS suggests that the hydrothermal fluids were derived from the Idah suite magmas because the alteration mineral zones exist at the contact between the Idah suite and the Murdama group.\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv id=\"Sec15\" class=\"Section2\"\u003e \u003ch2\u003e5.2 Magma fractionation and redox state\u003c/h2\u003e \u003cp\u003eThe redox state of both the country rocks and the causative magma controls the type of mineralization that is being evolved at the contact between them. Nickel plate mine is an example of a reducing state for both the host rock and the wall rock, so Au is the most common ore in such conditions (Ettlinger et al., \u003cspan citationid=\"CR33\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e1992\u003c/span\u003e). In the Cu skarn prospect in the Philippines, the conditions are oxidizing with more garnet in such a system (Braxton et al., \u003cspan citationid=\"CR14\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2018\u003c/span\u003e; Chang and Meinert, \u003cspan citationid=\"CR16\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2009\u003c/span\u003e; Cooke et al., \u003cspan citationid=\"CR21\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2011\u003c/span\u003e). The type of magma controls the type of ore that is being evolved; Au and Sn favor the reducing conditions, but Au - Sn associations are rare because Au is related to mafic magma while Sn is related to felsic magma (Chang et al., \u003cspan citationid=\"CR17\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2019\u003c/span\u003e). Cu - Mo associations are related to oxidized magma, but Mo favors less oxidized and highly fractionated magmas, while Zn - Pb prefers both oxidized and reduced conditions, with various degrees of fractionation. Skarn deposits exist in volcanosedimentary arc-related successions in the Arabian Shield, except for Jibal Qitan, An Nimriyah South, and Kirsh skarn localities (Fig.\u0026nbsp;\u003cspan refid=\"Fig2\" class=\"InternalRef\"\u003e2\u003c/span\u003e; Table \u003cspan refid=\"MOESM1\" class=\"InternalRef\"\u003eS1\u003c/span\u003e). Meanwhile, there are different types of post-Murdama granites, so there\u0026rsquo;s a higher possibility for the skarn deposits at the contact between the causative intrusions and the Murdama limestone, but the Al Khushaymiyah and Idah suites are the main causative intrusions for the skarn deposits in the Murdama basin (Table \u003cspan refid=\"MOESM1\" class=\"InternalRef\"\u003eS1\u003c/span\u003e). Jibal Qitan and An Nimriyah South are reduced skarns in the Murdama basin that were induced by the Idah suite (Fig.\u0026nbsp;\u003cspan refid=\"Fig2\" class=\"InternalRef\"\u003e2\u003c/span\u003e; Table \u003cspan refid=\"MOESM1\" class=\"InternalRef\"\u003eS1\u003c/span\u003e) and are dominated by Sn -W mineralization (Miller and Arnold, \u003cspan citationid=\"CR59\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e1988\u003c/span\u003e). However, the Al Khushaymiyah complex is an oxidized causative magmas, and this complex is the causative magma for the Kirsh oxidized skarn (Table \u003cspan refid=\"MOESM1\" class=\"InternalRef\"\u003eS1\u003c/span\u003e). The geochemical signature of the post-Murdama intrusive suites, based on the analysis of the geochemical database (Table S2), confirms the redox state for both the Al Khushaymiyah and Idah suites (Fig.\u0026nbsp;\u003cspan refid=\"Fig9\" class=\"InternalRef\"\u003e9\u003c/span\u003e). The redox state based on the ferric/ferrous ratio Fe\u003csub\u003e2\u003c/sub\u003eO\u003csub\u003e3\u003c/sub\u003e / (Fe\u003csub\u003e2\u003c/sub\u003eO\u003csub\u003e3\u003c/sub\u003e\u0026thinsp;+\u0026thinsp;FeO) (Meinert, \u003cspan citationid=\"CR56\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e1995\u003c/span\u003e) suggests a reducing effect for the Idah suite, and an oxidizing effect for the Al Khushaymiyah complex (Fig.\u0026nbsp;\u003cspan refid=\"Fig9\" class=\"InternalRef\"\u003e9\u003c/span\u003e). In the investigated area, the Idah suite intrudes the Murdama group, while the Al Khushaymiyah complex isn\u0026rsquo;t intruding the Murdama group, so reduced skarn deposits are proposed to exist at the contact between the Idah suite and the Murdama group (Fig.\u0026nbsp;\u003cspan refid=\"Fig8\" class=\"InternalRef\"\u003e8\u003c/span\u003eb), based on their significant magnetic anomaly, the extent of the mineral alteration zones, and\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003e \u003c/p\u003e \u003c/div\u003e"},{"header":"6. Conclusions","content":"\u003cp\u003eThe integration between magnetic, remote sensing, and the published geochemical data give the following conclusions:\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003e \u003col\u003e \u003cspan\u003e \u003cli\u003e \u003cp\u003eSkarn deposits are proposed to exist in the AS.\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/li\u003e \u003c/span\u003e \u003cspan\u003e \u003cli\u003e \u003cp\u003eThe Idah suite has the most significant magnetic anomaly among the post-Murdama intrusive suites.\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/li\u003e \u003c/span\u003e \u003cspan\u003e \u003cli\u003e \u003cp\u003eThe skarn deposits exist adjacent to the Idah suite in the study area,\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/li\u003e \u003c/span\u003e \u003cspan\u003e \u003cli\u003e \u003cp\u003eThe contact between the Murdama basin and the post-Murdama intrusive suites is barren,\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/li\u003e \u003c/span\u003e \u003cspan\u003e \u003cli\u003e \u003cp\u003eThe skarn deposit in the study area was triggered by the Idah suite, and the Idah suite\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/li\u003e \u003c/span\u003e \u003c/ol\u003e \u003c/p\u003e"},{"header":"Declarations","content":"\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eAcknowledgment\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe authors extend their appreciation to the Deputyship for Research \u0026amp; Innovation, Ministry of Education in Saudi Arabia for funding this research work through project number (IF-PSAU-2021 /01/18782). On behalf of all authors, \u0026nbsp;there is no conflict of interest.\u003c/p\u003e\n"},{"header":"References","content":"\u003col\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eAbdelrahman, E. M., and Essa, K. S.,( 2005), Magnetic interpretation using a least-squares, depth-shape curves method: Geophysics, 70, L23\u0026ndash;L30.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eAbdelrahman, E. M., El-Araby, H. M., El-Araby, T. M., and Essa, K. S.,( 2003a), A least-squares minimization approach to depth determination from magnetic data: Pure and Applied Geophysics, 160, 1259\u0026ndash;1271.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eAbdelrahman, E., El-Arby, H.M., El-Arby, T.M., Essa, K.S., (2003b). A least-squares minimization approach to depth determination from magnetic data. pure and applied geophysics 160, 1259-1271.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eAbdullahi, M., Singh, U.K., Roshan, R., (2019). Mapping magnetic lineaments and subsurface basement beneath parts of Lower Benue Trough (LBT), Nigeria: Insights from integrating gravity, magnetic and geologic data. Journal of Earth System Science 128, 1-17.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eAboelkhair, H., Abdelhalim, A., Hamimi, Z. and Al-Gabali, M., (2020). Reliability of using ASTER data in lithologic mapping and alteration mineral detection of the basement complex of West Berenice, Southeastern Desert, Egypt. Arabian Journal of Geosciences, 13, pp.1-20.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eAboelkhair, H., Ibraheem, M. and El-Magd, I.A., (2021). Integration of airborne geophysical and ASTER remotely sensed data for delineation and mapping the potential mineralization zones in Hamash area, South Eastern Desert, Egypt. Arabian Journal of Geosciences, 14, pp.1-22.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eAboud, E., (2012). Determination of sedimentary cover and structural trends in the Central Sinai area using gravity and magnetic data analysis. Journal of Asian Earth Sciences 43, 193-206.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eAbrams, M., Yamaguchi, Y., (2019). Twenty years of ASTER contributions to lithologic mapping and mineral exploration. Remote Sensing 11, 1394.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eAhmed, Z., (2002). Composition of skarn grossular from Al-Madhiq area, SW Saudi Arabia. Arabian Journal for Science and Engineering. Section B: Engineering 27, 3-16.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eAhmed, Z., Hariri, M.M., (2006). Formation and mineral chemistry of a calcic skarn from Al-Madhiq, SW Saudi Arabia. Geochemistry 66, 187-201.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eBaker, T., Lang, J.R., (2003). Reconciling fluid inclusion types, fluid processes, and fluid sources in skarns: an example from the Bismark Deposit, Mexico. Mineralium Deposita 38, 474-495.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eBatkhishig, B., (2021). Lead-Zinc Deposits, Mineral Resources of Mongolia. Springer, pp. 211-233.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eBeygi, S., Talovina, I.V., Tadayon, M., Pour, A.B., (2021). Alteration and structural features mapping in Kacho-Mesqal zone, Central Iran using ASTER remote sensing data for porphyry copper exploration. International Journal of Image and Data Fusion 12, 155-175.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eBraxton, D.P., Cooke, D.R., Ignacio, A.M., Waters, P.J., (2018). Geology of the Boyongan and Bayugo porphyry Cu-Au deposits: An emerging porphyry district in northeast Mindanao, Philippines. Economic Geology 113, 83-131.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eChang, C. (1999). Spectral Information Divergence for Hyperspectral Image\u003cbr\u003e Analysis. IEEE 1999 International Geoscience and Remote Sensing Symposium,\u003cbr\u003e V. 1, pp.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eChang, Z., Meinert, L.D., (2009). Zonation in skarns and the controlling factors. TUNGSTEN, FIRE AND ICE IN THE REALM OF THE ANCIENT KING, 35.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eChang, Z., Shu, Q., Meinert, L., (2019). Skarn deposits of China. Society of Economic Geologists Special Publication 22, 189 - 234.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eChen, Q., Zhao, Z., Zhou, J., Zeng, M., Xia, J., Sun, T., Zhao, X., (2021). New insights into the Pulang porphyry copper deposit in southwest China: Indication of alteration minerals detected using ASTER and WorldView-3 data. Remote Sensing 13, 2798.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eCiobanu, C.L., Cook, N.J., (2004). Skarn textures and a case study: the Ocna de Fier-Dognecea orefield, Banat, Romania. Ore Geology Reviews 24, 315-370.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eCocco, F., Attardi, A., Deidda, M.L., Fancello, D., Funedda, A., Naitza, S., (2022). Passive structural control on skarn mineralization localization: a case study from the Variscan Rosas Shear Zone (SW Sardinia, Italy). Minerals 12, 272.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eCooke, D.R., Deyell, C.L., Waters, P.J., Gonzales, R.I., Zaw, K., (2011). Evidence for magmatic-hydrothermal fluids and ore-forming processes in epithermal and porphyry deposits of the Baguio district, Philippines. Economic Geology 106, 1399-1424.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eCudahy, T., Okada, K., Cornelius, A., Hewson, R., (2002). Regional to prospect scale exploration for porphyry-skarn-epithermal mineralisation at Yerington, Nevada, using ASTER and airborne Hyperspectral data. CSIRO Exploration and Mining Report..\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eDeb, P., Knapp, D., Marquart, G., Clauser, C., Trumpy, E., (2020). Stochastic workflows for the evaluation of Enhanced Geothermal System (EGS) potential in geothermal greenfields with sparse data: the case study of Acoculco, Mexico. Geothermics 88, 101879.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eDeer, W.A., Howie, R.A., Zussman, J., (1997). Rock-forming minerals: single-chain silicates, Volume 2A. Geological Society of London.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eEinaudi, M.T., Burt, D.M., (1982). Introduction; terminology, classification, and composition of skarn deposits. Economic geology 77, 745-754.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eEldosouky, A.M., El-Qassas, R.A., Pham, L.T., Abdelrahman, K., Alhumimidi, M.S., El Bahrawy, A., Mickus, K., Sehsah, H., (2022). Mapping main structures and related mineralization of the Arabian Shield (Saudi Arabia) using sharp edge detector of transformed gravity data. Minerals 12, 71.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eEldosouky, A.M., Sehsah, H., Elkhateeb, S.O., Pour, A.B., (2020). Integrating aeromagnetic data and Landsat-8 imagery for detection of post-accretionary shear zones controlling hydrothermal alterations: The Allaqi-Heiani Suture zone, South Eastern Desert, Egypt. Advances in Space Research 65, 1008-1024.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eEssa, K. S., and Elhussein, M., (2019), Magnetic interpretation utilizing a new inverse algorithm for assessing the parameters of buried inclined dike-like geologic structure: Acta Geophysica, 67, 533\u0026ndash;544.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eEssa, K.S., Diab, Z.E., (2022a). An automatic inversion approach for magnetic data applying the global bat optimization algorithm (GBOA): application to ore deposits and basement rock intrusion. Geomechanics and Geophysics for Geo-Energy and Geo-Resources 8, 1-22.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eEssa, K.S., Diab, Z.E., (2022b). Magnetic data interpretation for 2D dikes by the metaheuristic bat algorithm: sustainable development cases. Scientific Reports 12, 1-29.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eEssa, K.S., Elhussein, M., (2017). A new approach for the interpretation of magnetic data by a 2-D dipping dike. Journal of Applied Geophysics 136, 431-443.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eEssa, K.S., Munschy, M., Youssef, M.A., Khalaf, E.E.D.A.H., (2022). Aeromagnetic and radiometric data interpretation to delineate the structural elements and probable precambrian mineralization zones: A case study, Egypt. Mining, Metallurgy \u0026amp; Exploration 39, 2461-2475.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eEttlinger, A.D., Meinert, L.D., Ray, G.E., (1992). Gold skarn mineralization and fluid evolution in the Nickel Plate Deposit, British Columbia. Economic Geology 87, 1541-1565.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eFitzherbert, J.A., McKinnon, A.R., Blevin, P.L., Waltenberg, K., Downes, P.M., Wall, C., Matchan, E., Huang, H., (2021). The Hera orebody: A complex distal (Au\u0026ndash;Zn\u0026ndash;Pb\u0026ndash;Ag\u0026ndash;Cu) skarn in the Cobar Basin of central New South Wales, Australia. Resource Geology 71, 296-319.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eFowler, A.-R., Hamimi, Z., (2021). Post-amalgamation depositional basins in the Arabian-Nubian Shield: the Hammamat Basins of Egypt, The Geology of the Arabian-Nubian Shield. Springer, pp. 451-483.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eGeosoft, (2015). Magmap filtering how-to guide: defining and applying filters and inverse FFT in MagMap. 23.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eGhazala, H., Aboelkhair, H. and Thabet, W., (2021). Integration of ASTER and geophysical data for delineating potential mineralization zones in Dungash-Atud area, Central Eastern Desert, Egypt. Arabian Journal of Geosciences, 14, pp.1-22.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eGhosh, U., Upadhyay, D., (2022). The retrograde evolution of F-rich skarns: Clues from major and trace element chemistry of garnet, scheelite, and vesuvianite from the Belka Pahar wollastonite deposit, India. Lithos 422, 106750.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eGobashy, M., Abdelazeem, M., Abdrabou, M., (2020). Minerals and ore deposits exploration using meta-heuristic based optimization on magnetic data. Contributions to Geophysics and Geodesy 50, 161-199.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eGoryachev, N.A., Shpikerman, V.I., Church, S.E., Gvozdev, V.I., (2018). Calcic skarn ore deposits of the North-East Russia. Ore Geology Reviews 103, 3-20.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eGunn, P., Dentith, M., (1997). Magnetic responses associated with mineral deposits. AGSO Journal of Australian Geology and Geophysics 17, 145-158.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eHammarstrom, J.M., Kotlyar, B.B., Theodore, T.G., Elliott, J.E., John, D.A., Doebrich, J.L., Nash, J.T., Carlson, R.R., Lee, G.K., Livo, K.E., (1995). Cu, Au, and Zn-Pb Skarn Deposits. Preliminary Compilation of Descriptive Geoenvironmental Mineral Deposit Models, US Geological Survey Open-File Report, 95-831.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eHinze, W.J., Von Frese, R.R., Von Frese, R., Saad, A.H., (2013). Gravity and magnetic exploration: Principles, practices, and applications. Cambridge University Press.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eHummel, C., Ankary, A.O., (1972). Geology and mineral deposits of the Jabal ash Shumta quadrangle, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. US Geological Survey.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eJiang, W.-C., Li, H., Mathur, R., Wu, J.-H., (2019). Genesis of the giant Shizhuyuan W\u0026ndash;Sn\u0026ndash;Mo\u0026ndash;Bi\u0026ndash;Pb\u0026ndash;Zn polymetallic deposit, South China: constraints from zircon geochronology and geochemistry in skarns. Ore Geology Reviews 111, 102980.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eJohnson, P., Andresen, A., Collins, A., Fowler, A., Fritz, H., Ghebreab, W., Kusky, T., Stern, R., (2011). Late Cryogenian\u0026ndash;Ediacaran history of the Arabian\u0026ndash;Nubian Shield: a review of depositional, plutonic, structural, and tectonic events in the closing stages of the northern East African Orogen. Journal of African Earth Sciences 61, 167-232.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eJohnson, P.R., (2003). Post-amalgamation basins of the NE Arabian shield and implications for Neoproterozoic III tectonism in the northern East African orogen. Precambrian Research 123, 321-337.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eJohnson, P.R., Halverson, G.P., Kusky, T.M., Stern, R.J., Pease, V., (2013). Volcanosedimentary basins in the Arabian-Nubian Shield: Markers of repeated exhumation and denudation in a Neoproterozoic accretionary orogen. Geosciences 3, 389-445.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eKruse, F. A., Lefkoff, A. B., Boardman, J. W., Heidebrecht, K. B., Shapiro, A. T.,\u003cbr\u003e Barloon, P. J. and Goetz, A. F. (1993). The Spectral Image Processing System\u003cbr\u003e (Sips)‐Interactive Visualization and Analysis of Imaging Spectrometer Data. AIP\u003cbr\u003e Conference Proceedings, V. 283, pp.192-20.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eLegros, H., Lecumberri-Sanchez, P., Elongo, V., Laurent, O., Falck, H., Adlakha, E., Chelle-Michou, C., (2020). Fluid evolution of the Cantung tungsten skarn, Northwest Territories, Canada: Differentiation and fluid-rock interaction. Ore Geology Reviews 127, 103866.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eLemiere, B., Damanhori, N., Baudet, G., (1990). A Marble-Hosted Wollastonite Deposit at Bi\u0026rsquo;r Ash Shumt, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. Earth Sciences Journal 3, 129-144.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eLiu, T.-T., He, Z.-W., Cui, X.-L., Gao, H., (2012). The strucuture of the model for skarn-type lead-zinc deposit based on ASTER data. Xibei Shifan Daxue Xuebao/ Journal of Northwest Normal University(Natural Science) 48, 100-105.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eMa, W., Liu, Y., Yang, Z., Li, Z., Zhao, X., Fei, F., (2017). Alteration, mineralization, and genesis of the Lietinggang\u0026ndash;Leqingla Pb\u0026ndash;Zn\u0026ndash;Fe\u0026ndash;Cu\u0026ndash;Mo skarn deposit, Tibet, China. Ore Geology Reviews 90, 897-912.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eMartelet, G., Gloaguen, E., D\u0026oslash;ssing, A., Lima Simoes da Silva, E., Linde, J., Rasmussen, T.M., (2021). Airborne/UAV multisensor surveys enhance the geological mapping and 3d model of a pseudo-skarn deposit in Ploumanac\u0026rsquo;h, French Brittany. Minerals 11, 1259.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eMehanee, S., Essa, K. S., and Diab, Z. E., (2021), Magnetic data interpretation using a new R-parameter imaging method with application to mineral exploration: Natural Resources Research, 30, 77\u0026ndash;95 \u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eMeinert, L.D., (1995). Compositional variation of igneous rocks associated with skarn deposits-chemical evidence for a genetic connection between petrogenesis and mineralization. Mineralogical Association of Canada Short Course Series, vol. 23, 401-418.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eMeinert, L.D., (1997). Application of skarn deposit zonation models to mineral exploration. Exploration and mining geology 6, 185-208.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eMeinert, L.D., Hefton, K.K., Mayes, D., Tasiran, I., (1997). Geology, zonation, and fluid evolution of the Big Gossan Cu-Au skarn deposit, Ertsberg district, Irian Jaya. Economic Geology 92, 509-534.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eMiller, W.R., Arnold, M.A., (1988). Results of a Geochemical Survey, Aban Al Ahmar Quadrangle, Sheet 25F, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. US Geological Survey.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eMoradpour, H., Rostami Paydar, G., Pour, A.B., Valizadeh Kamran, K., Feizizadeh, B., Muslim, A.M., Hossain, M.S., (2022). Landsat-7 and ASTER remote sensing satellite imagery for identification of iron skarn mineralization in metamorphic regions. Geocarto International 37, 1971-1998.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eMoufti, A.M., (2013). Mineralogy and Metamorphic Evolution of Jabal Ash Shumt Skarn Deposits, Saudi Arabia: An Example of Superimposed Metamorphism. Journal of King Abdulaziz University: Earth Sciences 24.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eNabighian, M.N., (1972). The analytic signal of two-dimensional magnetic bodies with polygonal cross-section: its properties and use for automated anomaly interpretation. Geophysics 37, 507-517.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eNehlig, P., Salpeteur, I., Asfirane, F., Bouchot, V., Eberl\u0026eacute;, J., Genna, A., (1999). The mineral potential of the Arabian shield: a reassessment, Proceedings of the IUGS/UNESCO Meeting on the \u0026ldquo;Base and Precious Metal Deposits in the Arabian Shield\u0026rdquo;, Jeddah, November, pp. 12-19.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eNettleton, L.L., (1976). Gravity and magnetics in oil prospecting. McGraw-Hill Companies.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eNie, L., Cai, G., Lin, J., Wang, F., Cai, Y., Fu, J., Sun, X., Song, Y., (2022). Constrains of physical properties and geochemical characteristics of country rock on skarn tungsten mineralization: a case study of the Longjiaoshan-Fujiashan skarn tungsten deposit in the Middle-Lower Yangtze River Metallogenic Belt. Ore Geology Reviews, 105032.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eNinomiya, Y., (2003). A stabilized vegetation index and several mineralogic indices defined for ASTER VNIR and SWIR data, IGARSS 2003. 2003 IEEE International Geoscience and Remote Sensing Symposium. Proceedings (IEEE Cat. No. 03CH37477). IEEE, pp. 1552-1554.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eNinomiya, Y., Fu, B., Cudahy, T.J., (2005). Detecting lithology with Advanced Spaceborne Thermal Emission and Reflection Radiometer (ASTER) multispectral thermal infrared \u0026ldquo;radiance-at-sensor\u0026rdquo; data. Remote Sensing of Environment 99, 127-139.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003ePham, L.T., Eldosouky, A.M., Oksum, E., Saada, S.A., (2022). A new high resolution filter for source edge detection of potential field data. Geocarto International 37, 3051-3068.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eRajendran, S., Nasir, S., (2017). Characterization of ASTER spectral bands for mapping of alteration zones of volcanogenic massive sulphide deposits. Ore Geology Reviews 88, 317-335.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eReford, M., Sumner, J., (1964). Aeromagnetics. Geophysics 29, 482-516.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eRen, H., Du, Q., Chang, C.I. and Jensen, J.O., (2003), October. Comparison between constrained energy minimization based approaches for hyperspectral imagery. In IEEE Workshop on Advances in Techniques for Analysis of Remotely Sensed Data, 2003 (pp. 244-248). IEEE.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eRobinson, F., Foden, J., Collins, A., (2015). Geochemical and isotopic constraints on island arc, synorogenic, post-orogenic and anorogenic granitoids in the Arabian Shield, Saudi Arabia. Lithos 220, 97-115.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eRockwell, B.W., Hofstra, A.H., (2008). Identification of quartz and carbonate minerals across northern Nevada using ASTER thermal infrared emissivity data\u0026mdash;Implications for geologic mapping and mineral resource investigations in well-studied and frontier areas. Geosphere 4, 218-246.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eRowan, L.C., Mars, J.C., (2003). Lithologic mapping in the Mountain Pass, California area using advanced spaceborne thermal emission and reflection radiometer (ASTER) data. Remote sensing of Environment 84, 350-366.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eSalem, A., Ravat, D., (2003). A combined analytic signal and Euler method (AN-EUL) for automatic interpretation of magnetic data. Geophysics 68, 1952-1961.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eSalem, A., Ravat, D., Gamey, T.J., Ushijima, K., (2002). Analytic signal approach and its applicability in environmental magnetic investigations. Journal of Applied Geophysics 49, 231-244.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eSalem, A., Williams, S., Fairhead, J.D., Ravat, D., Smith, R., (2007). Tilt-depth method: A simple depth estimation method using first-order magnetic derivatives. The leading edge 26, 1502-1505.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eSehsah, H., Eldosouky, A.M., (2022). Neoproterozoic hybrid forearc\u0026ndash;MOR ophiolite belts in the northern Arabian-Nubian Shield: no evidence for back-arc tectonic setting. International Geology Review 64, 151-163.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eSehsah, H., Eldosouky, A.M., El Afandy, A.H., (2019). Unpaired ophiolite belts in the Neoproterozoic Allaqi-Heiani Suture, the Arabian-Nubian Shield: evidences from magnetic data. Journal of African Earth Sciences 156, 26-34.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eSehsah, H., Eldosouky, A.M., Pham, L.T., (2022). Incremental Emplacement of the Sierra Nevada Batholith Constrained by U-Pb Ages and Potential Field Data. The Journal of Geology 130, 381-391.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eShu, Q., Chang, Z., Lai, Y., Hu, X., Wu, H., Zhang, Y., Wang, P., Zhai, D., Zhang, C., (2019). Zircon trace elements and magma fertility: insights from porphyry (-skarn) Mo deposits in NE China. Mineralium Deposita 54, 645-656.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eSillitoe, R.H., Bonham Jr, H.F., (1990). Sediment-hosted gold deposits: Distal products of magmatic-hydrothermal systems. Geology 18, 157-161.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eSurour, A.A., Moufti, A., (2011). A new occurrence of garnetiferous skarn rocks in Saudi Arabia: a case study from Bahrah area, Jeddah\u0026ndash;Makkah Al Mukaramah highway. Arabian Journal of Geosciences 4, 879-897.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eWang, Z., Zhou, C., Qin, H., (2020). Detection of hydrothermal alteration zones using ASTER data in Nimu porphyry copper deposit, south Tibet, China. Advances in Space Research 65, 1818-1830.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eWhitney, P.R., Olmsted, J.F., (1998). Rare earth element metasomatism in hydrothermal systems: The Willsboro-Lewis wollastonite ores, New York, USA. Geochimica et Cosmochimica Acta 62, 2965-2977.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eWilliams, P.L., (1984). Reconnaissance Geology of the Samirah Quadrangle, Sheet 26/42 C, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. US Geological Survey.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eYajima, T., (2014). ASTER data analysis applied to mineral resource exploration and geological mapping. Nagoya University: Nagoya, Japan, 77.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eYang, J., Liu, S., Hu, X., (2020). Inversion of high-amplitude magnetic total field anomaly: An application to the Mengku iron-ore deposit, northwest China. Scientific Reports 10, 11949.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eZhou, Z., Mao, J., Che, H., Ouyang, H., Ma, X., (2017). Metallogeny of the Handagai skarn Fe\u0026ndash;Cu deposit, northern Great Xing\u0026apos;an Range, NE China: Constraints on fluid inclusions and skarn genesis. Ore Geology Reviews 80, 623-644.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003c/ol\u003e"}],"fulltextSource":"","fullText":"","funders":[],"hasAdminPriorityOnWorkflow":false,"hasManuscriptDocX":true,"hasOptedInToPreprint":true,"hasPassedJournalQc":"","hasAnyPriority":false,"hideJournal":true,"highlight":"","institution":"","isAcceptedByJournal":false,"isAuthorSuppliedPdf":false,"isDeskRejected":"","isHiddenFromSearch":false,"isInQc":false,"isInWorkflow":false,"isPdf":false,"isPdfUpToDate":true,"isWithdrawnOrRetracted":false,"journal":{"display":true,"email":"[email protected]","identity":"researchsquare","isNatureJournal":false,"hasQc":true,"allowDirectSubmit":true,"externalIdentity":"","sideBox":"","snPcode":"","submissionUrl":"/submission","title":"Research Square","twitterHandle":"researchsquare","acdcEnabled":true,"dfaEnabled":false,"editorialSystem":"","reportingPortfolio":"","inReviewEnabled":false,"inReviewRevisionsEnabled":true},"keywords":"Skarn deposits, Murdama basin, Causative magma, Arabian – Nubian shield, Najd fault system, Redox state of the magma, Gondwana assembly","lastPublishedDoi":"10.21203/rs.3.rs-2805118/v1","lastPublishedDoiUrl":"https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-2805118/v1","license":{"name":"CC BY 4.0","url":"https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/"},"manuscriptAbstract":"\u003cp\u003eThe volcanosedimentary arc-related skarn deposits are the predominant types in the Arabian Shield (AS). However, the post-amalgamation extraordinary marine basins with carbonate successions exist in the AS, intruded by different types of granite plutons, and dissected by major shear zones. Therefore, all the recipes for skarn deposits are mature at the contact between the carbonate succession in the marine molasse basins and granite plutons. Magnetic data and ASTER data were integrated with the geochemical database to locate the preliminary areas for further exploration in the Murdama basin. The Murdama basin (72,000 km\u003csup\u003e2\u003c/sup\u003e), which is the locality for the Murdama limestone, has a higher magnetic anomaly at the contact with post-Murdama granite batholiths, but the magnetic anomaly becomes significant at the contact with the Idah granitic suite. The shallow-seated structural magnetic lineaments within the Murdama basin and at the eastern boundary of the basin are controlled by the Najd fault system (NFS). The calc-silicate mineral alteration zones were evolved at the contact between the Murdama group and the Idah suite, with no extent for the alteration zones along the fracture network or at the contact with the Abanat suite. Meanwhile, the Idah suites are the causative plutons for the Qitan and An Nimriyah South reduced skarns that were recorded from the Murdama basin. The preliminary results from this study based on the integration of different datasets suggest the existence of reduced skarn deposits at the contact between the Murdama basin and Idah causative plutons\u003c/p\u003e","manuscriptTitle":"A proposed new Precambrian skarn deposits in the Arabian shield","msid":"","msnumber":"","nonDraftVersions":[{"code":1,"date":"2023-06-09 19:24:18","doi":"10.21203/rs.3.rs-2805118/v1","editorialEvents":[{"type":"communityComments","content":0}],"status":"published","journal":{"display":true,"email":"[email protected]","identity":"researchsquare","isNatureJournal":false,"hasQc":true,"allowDirectSubmit":true,"externalIdentity":"","sideBox":"","snPcode":"","submissionUrl":"/submission","title":"Research Square","twitterHandle":"researchsquare","acdcEnabled":true,"dfaEnabled":false,"editorialSystem":"","reportingPortfolio":"","inReviewEnabled":false,"inReviewRevisionsEnabled":true}}],"origin":"","ownerIdentity":"24390ae9-1fe8-4f1c-9646-48862092ae0c","owner":[],"postedDate":"June 9th, 2023","published":true,"recentEditorialEvents":[],"rejectedJournal":[],"revision":"","amendment":"","status":"posted","subjectAreas":[],"tags":[],"updatedAt":"2023-07-25T15:09:25+00:00","versionOfRecord":[],"versionCreatedAt":"2023-06-09 19:24:18","video":"","vorDoi":"","vorDoiUrl":"","workflowStages":[]},"version":"v1","identity":"rs-2805118","journalConfig":"researchsquare"},"__N_SSP":true},"page":"/article/[identity]/[[...version]]","query":{"redirect":"/article/rs-2805118","identity":"rs-2805118","version":["v1"]},"buildId":"-HB7Z8yhvgn0wM9Nzuekk","isFallback":false,"isExperimentalCompile":false,"dynamicIds":[84888],"gssp":true,"scriptLoader":[]}