{"status":"ok","message-type":"work","message-version":"1.0.0","message":{"indexed":{"date-parts":[[2026,1,20]],"date-time":"2026-01-20T22:38:31Z","timestamp":1768948711827,"version":"3.49.0"},"reference-count":53,"publisher":"MDPI AG","issue":"1","license":[{"start":{"date-parts":[[2026,1,17]],"date-time":"2026-01-17T00:00:00Z","timestamp":1768608000000},"content-version":"vor","delay-in-days":0,"URL":"https:\/\/creativecommons.org\/licenses\/by\/4.0\/"}],"funder":[{"name":"Institute of Geosciences of Timor-Leste"}],"content-domain":{"domain":[],"crossmark-restriction":false},"short-container-title":["Minerals"],"abstract":"<jats:p>Ata\u00faro Island, located in the inner Banda Arc, provides a natural laboratory to investigate the interplay between magmatic evolution, hydrothermal circulation, and near-surface weathering in an active arc\u2013continent collision setting. This study presents the first systematic island-wide geochemical baseline for Ata\u00faro Island, based on multi-element analyses of stream sediments integrated with updated geological, structural, and hydromorphological information. Compositional Data Analysis (CoDA\u2013CLR\u2013PCA), combined with anomaly mapping and spatial overlays, defines a coherent three-tier geochemical framework comprising: (i) a lithogenic component dominated by Fe\u2013Ti\u2013Mg\u2013Ni\u2013Co\u2013Cr, reflecting the geochemical signature of basaltic to andesitic volcanic rocks; (ii) a hydrothermal component characterized by Ag\u2013As\u2013Sb\u2013S\u2013Au associations spatially linked to structurally controlled zones; and (iii) an oxidative\u2013supergene component marked by Fe\u2013V\u2013Zn redistribution along drainage convergence areas. These domains are defined strictly on geochemical criteria and represent geochemical process domains rather than proven metallogenic provinces. Rare earth element (REE) systematics further constrain the geotectonic setting and indicate that the primary geochemical patterns are largely controlled by lithological and magmatic differentiation processes. Spatial integration of geochemical patterns with fault architecture highlights the importance of NW\u2013SE and NE\u2013SW structural corridors in focusing hydrothermal fluid circulation and associated metal dispersion. The identified Ag\u2013As\u2013Sb\u2013Au associations are interpreted as epithermal-style hydrothermal geochemical enrichment and exploration-relevant geochemical footprints, rather than as evidence of confirmed or economic mineralization. Overall, Ata\u00faro Island emerges as a compact natural analogue of post-arc geochemical system evolution in the eastern Banda Arc, where lithogenic background, hydrothermal fluid\u2013rock interaction, and early supergene processes are superimposed. The integrated geochemical framework presented here provides a robust baseline for future targeted investigations aimed at distinguishing lithogenic from hydrothermal contributions and evaluating the potential significance of the identified geochemical enrichments.<\/jats:p>","DOI":"10.3390\/min16010089","type":"journal-article","created":{"date-parts":[[2026,1,20]],"date-time":"2026-01-20T09:24:34Z","timestamp":1768901074000},"page":"89","update-policy":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.3390\/mdpi_crossmark_policy","source":"Crossref","is-referenced-by-count":0,"title":["Geochemical Framework of Ata\u00faro Island (Timor-Leste) in an Arc\u2013Continent Collision Setting"],"prefix":"10.3390","volume":"16","author":[{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0009-0000-4184-8284","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Job Brites dos","family":"Santos","sequence":"first","affiliation":[{"name":"Instituto de Geoci\u00eancias de Timor-Leste, Organiza\u00e7\u00e3o Governamental, CITY 8, CBD Piso 2, Rua Has Laran, Manleuana, Dili, Timor-Leste"},{"name":"Centro de Geoci\u00eancias da Universidade de Coimbra, Universidade de Coimbra-Polo II, 3030-790 Coimbra, Portugal"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0002-6908-1596","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Marina","family":"Cabral Pinto","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Instituto de Geoci\u00eancias de Timor-Leste, Organiza\u00e7\u00e3o Governamental, CITY 8, CBD Piso 2, Rua Has Laran, Manleuana, Dili, Timor-Leste"},{"name":"Geobiotec Research Centre, Department of Geosciences, University of Aveiro, 3810-193 Aveiro, Portugal"}]},{"given":"Victor A. S.","family":"Vicente","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Instituto de Geoci\u00eancias de Timor-Leste, Organiza\u00e7\u00e3o Governamental, CITY 8, CBD Piso 2, Rua Has Laran, Manleuana, Dili, Timor-Leste"},{"name":"Centro de Geoci\u00eancias da Universidade de Coimbra, Universidade de Coimbra-Polo II, 3030-790 Coimbra, Portugal"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0009-0009-9191-8290","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Andr\u00e9 Ram","family":"Soares","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Instituto de Geoci\u00eancias de Timor-Leste, Organiza\u00e7\u00e3o Governamental, CITY 8, CBD Piso 2, Rua Has Laran, Manleuana, Dili, Timor-Leste"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0003-1684-2643","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Jo\u00e3o A. M. S.","family":"Pratas","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Instituto de Geoci\u00eancias de Timor-Leste, Organiza\u00e7\u00e3o Governamental, CITY 8, CBD Piso 2, Rua Has Laran, Manleuana, Dili, Timor-Leste"},{"name":"Centro de Geoci\u00eancias da Universidade de Coimbra, Universidade de Coimbra-Polo II, 3030-790 Coimbra, Portugal"}]}],"member":"1968","published-online":{"date-parts":[[2026,1,17]]},"reference":[{"key":"ref_1","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"353","DOI":"10.1016\/S1367-9120(01)00069-4","article-title":"Cenozoic geological and plate tectonic evolution of SE Asia and the SW Pacific: Computer-based reconstructions, model and animations","volume":"20","author":"Hall","year":"2002","journal-title":"J. Asian Earth Sci."},{"key":"ref_2","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","unstructured":"Harris, R. (2011). The Nature of the Banda Arc\u2013Continent Collision in the Timor Region, Springer. 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