Second Hydrocarbon—Generation from Organic Matter Trapped in Fluid Inclusions in Carbonate Rocks

The mechanism and significance of second hydrocarbon-generation from organic matter trapped in fluid inclusions in carbonate rocks are discussed.The types of organic matter and the relationship between them are also reviewed.The organic matter trapped in inclusions and crystals,which account for more than 20%of the total organic matter in carbonate rocks,may be of great significance in the generation of hydrocarbons.High-temperature oil resulting from second hydrocarbon-generation should be an important target,in addition to natural gas,in oilgas prospecting in regions of high-maturity carbonate rocks.     

碳酸盐岩生油岩的有机地球化学、岩石学特征

Features of oil-generating carbonate rocks are studied in terms of petrology and organic geochemistry of fluorescent materials in rocks. It is postulated by the authors that the organic carbon content in oil-generatlng carbonate rocks is necessarily lower than that in shales, and the possible cause of this observation is discussed. The quality of oil-ganerating carbonate rocks may be judged by aromatic structure index,amino acid, pigment index, and DTA data on organic matter. However, the application of presently available organic geochemical criteria to non-oil-generating reservoir rocks may always give misleading results. To circumvent this difficulty, it is necessary first to make distinction between primary and secondary organic matter by cxamining the fluorescent materials under a fluorescence microscope. Measurementof radical content of the organic substances and DTA are useful techniques to determine the degree of maturation. The maturation of organic substances proceeds at a lower rate in carbonate rocks than in shales. It is likely, therefore, that some older carbonate strata can also be promising areas for petroleum exploration. Oil-generating carbonate rocks consist mainly of mierite limestones rich in organic matter and are thought to be formed under low-encrgy environment. Consequently, petrological(especially mierolithofacies) studies are very important in evaluating carbonate source rocks.     

碳酸盐矿物的包裹有机质及其生油意义

Fluorescent slice observations have revealed a considerable amount of organic matter enclosed in carbonate minerals, most of it giving off yellow-brown fluorescence and being zonally distributed in calcite and dolomite. The amount of enclosed organic matter released from the enclosure when treated with HCl is two times higher than that of extractable organic mattes in the same rock sample. In comparison to the extractable organic matter, the enclosed organic matter is possessed of some compositional characters of its own. In terms of the distribution of biological markess, it is suggested that the enclosed organic matter may be low in maturity relative to the extractable organic matter in the same source rock.Results of the simulating experiments under high temperatures and pressures show that this kind of organic matter enclosed in carbonate minerals can be converted into oil-generating substances. Therefore, detailed studies of the enclosed organic matter are of much help to the evaluation of oil-generating potentiality of carbonate source rocks.     

A Novel Type of Oil—generating Organic Matter —Crystal—enclosed Organic Matter

The comparative study of organic matter in carbonate rocks and argillaceous rocks from the same horizon indicates that the organic thermal maturities of carbonate rocks are much lower than those of argillaceous rocks .Ana extensive analysis of extracted and inclused organic matter from the same sample shows that inclused organic matter is different from extracted organic matter,and the thermal maturity of the former is usually lower than that of the latter in terms of biomarker structural parameters.It seems that carbonate mineras could preserve organic matter and retard organic maturation.The inclused organic matter,abundant in most carbonate rocks,will be released from minerals and transformed into oil and gas during the high-thermal maturity stage.     

A Three—Stage Metallogenic Model for Gold Deposits in Metamorphosed Microclastic Rocks

Gld deposits occurring in metamorphosed microcelastic rocks are distributed extensively at home and abroad.Some deposits of this type are of superlarge tonnage.The formation of gold deposits in metamorphosed microclastic rocks involves three stages:the sedimentary stage,the regionally metamorphic stage,and the ore-forming stage.At the first stage,microclastic sedimentary source rocks were developed in a relatively semi-enclosed reducing sea basin and were enriched in carbon,sulfur and gold.At the second stage,the gold adsorbed on organic matter and clay minerals was relesed and poorly concentrated during the destruction of organic matter and the depletion of clay minerals by regional metamorphism with increase temperature and pressure.At the third stage,a tectono-hydrothermal event took place.As a result,gold was leached from metamorphosed microclastic rocks,transported to ore depositional locus and/or mixed with gold of other sources in the course of migration,and finally precipitared as ores.Gold deposits of this type were eventually formed at the third stage,and they also can be classified as the orogenic belt type and the activation zone type.The gold deposits occurring in metamorphosed microcalastic rocks are the products of reworking processes and the influence of magmatism should be taken into consideration in some cases.     

The formation environment and development modes of Cenozoic source rocks in the Qiongdongnan Basin

According to the drilling results,there are three sets of source rocks of the Cenozoic Group in the Qiongdongnan Basin,including the Yacheng Formation transitional facies mudstone,the Oligocene Lingshui Formation semi-enclosed marine facies mudstone,and the Miocene neritic-bathyal facies mudstone.The hydrocarbon generating conditions of the source rocks in the study area are mainly controlled by sedimentary environment and organic matter input.The abundance of organic matter in the Oligocene source rocks which were formed in a low-energy back shore environment is confined by organic matter input and hydrodynamic condition.The Miocene source rocks formed in the open marine environment lack terrestrial organic matter input,whose organic matter abundance is constrained by the primary production of the ocean and the preservation condition of organic matter.In addition,the redox conditions are also significant to the formation of source rocks in the study area.According to the differences in key factors controlling the development of source rocks in different time periods and structural belts revealed by drilling practice,three development patterns of source rocks have been put forward.The first one is the transitional facies model featuring a great deal of terrestrial organic matter and weakly hydrodynamic conditions which are apt to develop high effective source rocks in the Yacheng Formation.The second one is the semi-enclosed marine facies featuring abundant terrestrial organic matter,weakly hydrodynamic condition and fine preservation condition in the central depression zone,which are apt to form fine-quality source rocks in the Lingshui Formation.The third one is the marine facies model featuring strong hydrodynamics in the shore-shallow area of northern continental shelf and the lack of benthic algae which are against the development of source rocks.It can be predicted that the continental slope is the perfect place to form source rocks where adequate amounts of light favor the photosynthesis of plants,besides the fine preservation and weakly hydrodynamic conditions.In the deep sea area,although accompanied with weakly hydrodynamic conditions and a reduction environment,it is not suitable for the development of source rocks on account of less aquatic organisms causing low primary production.     

Origin of Phosphate-bearing Carbonate Concretions in the Upper Triassic Lacustrine Black Shales of the Southern Ordos Basin,China

Carbonate concretions are conspicuous in organic-rich shales and are generally related to decomposition of organic matter.The black shales from the Chang 7 Member of the Upper Triassic Yanchang Formation of the southern Ordos Basin host abundant carbonate concretions,which provide a unique record of depositional and early diagenetic conditions of the paleo-lake sediments.However,little attention has been given to the genesis and growth processes of the concretions in these lacustrine petroleum source rocks.New petrographic observations and geochemical analysis show that the concretions are composed of calcite,phosphate fossil fragments,K-NH_4-feldspar,quartz,bitumen,and minor Fedolomite.Phosphate minerals,mainly carbonate fluorapatite (CFA),show pervasive replacement by calcite,most of which contains phosphorus,ranging in concentration from 0.26 to 2.35 wt%.This suggests that the phosphate minerals are the precursors for concretion growth.Positiveδ~(13)C (+5.6 to+12.4‰V-PDB) signatures and the absence of pyrite indicate that microbial methanogenesis was the dominant driver for concretion growth,rather than bacterial sulfate reduction.Quartz,bitumen,and Fe-dolomite are the last cements that occurred,at deep burial depths and high temperatures.The formation of phosphate minerals might have been induced by upwelling of phosphate-enriched deep water in the Late Triassic paleolake,which promoted phytoplankton blooms and further enrichment of organic matter.Extremely slow sedimentation rates of fine-grained detrital minerals,relative to dead organism accumulation,led to the high permeabilities of the organic-rich sediments and rapid concretion growth during shallow burial.The close association of phosphate-bearing carbonate concretions and organic-rich shales reflects that upwelling played a critical role in the formation of the high-quality petroleum source rocks in the Triassic paleo-Ordos lake.     

有机质差热分析在有机地球化学中的应用和解释

The present paper primarily deals with DTA data on organic matters in carbonate rocks. In combination with analyzes of organic carbon and bituminous substances as well as infrared absorption spectra, an explanation of the features with respect to oil-generating carbonate roeks has been made. The results are summarized as fellows: (1) If the degree of hydrocarbonization ef organic matters in carbonate rocks is high, DTA exothermic pre-peaks will be expected at lower temperatures. (2) Insoluble organic matters in carbonate rocks, would crack up into soluble organic matters (light hydroearbons) during the meso-catagenetic stage. (3) Evolution of liquid hydrocarbons produced in the preto-eatagenetic stage is recognizable during the meso-eatagenetie stage.     

Some aspects of excellent marine source rock formation:implications on enrichment regularity of organic matter in continental margin basins

Through the analysis of ocean organisms, the distribution characteristics and enrichment of organic matters in modern marine sediments and ancient marine strata, this paper shows that the main factors influencing the formation of excellent marine source rocks are the paleoclimate, biologic productivity, terrestrial organic matter, oxidation–reduction environment, sedimentation rate, and the type of the basin. In addition to those factors,high biologic productivity or high content of terrestrial organic matter input is a requirement for the enrichment of the organic matter in a marine environment. Reducing environment was favorable for organic matter accumulation and preservation in depositing and early diagenesis stage, which is an important element for the formation of high-quality marine source rocks. Paleoclimate also influences the marine source rocks formation, as humid subtropical and tropical climates are the most favorable regimes for the formation of marine source rocks. Wind transports some vascular plant materials into the marine environment. Furthermore, upwellings driven by steady wind can cause high biologic productivity, thus formingorganic-C-rich mud. Suitable sedimentation rate is beneficial for marine organic matter accumulation. Moreover, the type of the basin also plays an important role in the development of marine source rocks. Silled basins with a positive water balance often act as nutrient traps, thus enhancing both productivity and organic matter preservations, while in open oceans, organic matter enrichment in sediments has just been found in the oxygen minimum layers.     

Genesis of the Dalingzi Pb-Zn Deposit in the Western Margin of Yangtze Plate: Constraints from Fluid Inclusions and Isotopic EvidenceEI北大核心CSCD

The Daliangzi Pb-Zn deposit is a large deposit hosted in the Sinian Dengying Formation dolostone, located in the Sichuan-Yunnan-Guizhou ore concentration area. Ore minerals are mianly sphalerite, galena, and gangue minerals consist of dolomite, quartz and calcite. The metallogenic stages may be divided into sphalerite-pyrite-carbon stage, sphalerite-galena stage and galena-chalcopyrite-carbonate stage. The ore-forming fluid is basin brine, which is characterized by medium-low temperature of 117.5 ℃ to 320.3 ℃ and medium salinity of 5.11% NaCleqv to 18.96% NaCleqv, moreover, the abundant CH4 and pitch in the fluid inclusions indicate that the participation of organic matter in the mineralization. The δ13CV-PDB and δ18OSMOW values of the Dengying Formation dolostone are similar to that of marine carbonate, revealing that the dolostone belongs to marine carbonate. Both the δ13CV-PDB and δ18OSMOW values of hydrothermal calcites are lower than that of the Dengying Formation dolostone, which may result from dissolution of the Dengying Formation dolostone. The δ34S values of ore minerals are mainly in the range of 9.8‰-20.8‰, indicating the sulfur may come from thermochemical reduction of marine sulfate in the Dengying Formation. The 207Pb/204Pb versus 206Pb/204Pb diagram manifests that Pb is crustal origin, and likely comes mainly from the wall rocks and less from the basement. (87Sr/86Sr)i ratios of sphalerites and hydrothermal calcite are higher than that of the Dengying Formation dolostone, indicating that the ore-forming fluid flew through the basement. In conclusion, the ore-forming fluid was basin brine, which extracted the metallogenic materials, Pb and Zn, from the basement and wall rocks. When the ore-forming fluid reached the "black fractured zones", carbonized tectonic breccia zone, S2- was produced by the thermochemical reduction reaction under the influence of the organic matter, and interaction between the S2- and Pb2+, Zn2+, resulted in the precipitation of ore metals. © 2018, Science Press. All right reserved.     

Organic Geochemistry Characteristics in Ores and Host Rocks from Qixiashan Lead-Zinc Deposit, Nanjing, China

Organic matter, associated with ores, host rocks, ore source rocks and present in fluid inclusions in the Qixiashan lead-zinc polymetailic deposit hosted in Upper Carboniferous dolomites and limestones in East China, was systematically analyzed using Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, gas chromatography (GC), GC/mass spectrometry and proton-induced X-ray emission. The biomarker ratios of nC21^--/n22^ -alkanes, C23-tricydic/C30-hopane and the tricyclic terpane parameters induding C21/C23, C19-10/C21-29 and C19-25/C26-29 can effectively discriminate ores from host rocks. Extractable organic matter present in fluid inclusions displays similariUes to those enclosed in the ore source rocks in the biomarker ratios, suggesting that a proportion of orphic matter was introduced into the deposit from the ore source strata. The presence of copper and zinc in stage Ⅱ pyrobitumen indicates that some metals may have been transported by an organic fluid or removed from an aqueous fluid by organic matter.     

Weathering-pedogenesis of Carbonate Rocks and Its Environmental Effects in Subtropical Region

We investigated the weathering-pedogenesis of carbonate rocks and its environmental effects in subtropical regions of China. The investigation demonstrated that the weathering- pedogenesis of carbonate rocks is the process of a joint action of corrosion and illuviation and metasomatism in subtropical region. It is characterized by multi-stage, multi-path and multi-style. With the persisting development of weathering-pedogenesis of carbonate rocks, metasomatic pedogenesis progressively became the main process of the weathering-pedogenesis and the dominant style of formation of minerals. And it proceeds through the whole process of evolution of the weathering-pedogenesis of carbonate rocks. The stage evolution of weathering-pedogenesis of carbonate rocks and the fractionation evolution of newly produced minerals are characterized by obvious vertically zoning structures and the rules of gradation of elements geochemical characteristics in the carbonate rocks weathering profiles. The geochemical process of weathering-pedogenesis of carbonate rocks can be divided into three geochemical evolution stages, i.e., the Ca, Mg-depletion and Si, Al-enrichment stage; the Fe, Mn enrichment stage and the Si-depletion and Al-enrichment stage in the subtropical regions. Consistent with the three geochemical evolution stages, the sequence of formation and evolution of minerals can be divided into the clay mineral stage; the Fe, Mn oxide and the gibbsite stage. The influence of weathering-pedogenesis of carbonate rocks on the chemical forms of heavy elements is mainly affected via newly produced components and minerals in the process of weathering-pedogenesis, e.g., iron oxide minerals and organic matters. The important mechanism for the mobilization, transport and pollution of F and As is affected the selective adsorption and desorption of F and As on the surface of iron oxide minerals in the subtropical karst zones, i.e., the selective adsorption and desorption on mineral surfaces of newly produced minerals in the process of weath     

Study of the Factors Affecting the Abundance of Organic Matter in Jurassic Carbonate Rocks in Qiangtang Basin, Tibet

Field and laboratory analyses of carbonate rock samples from the Qiangtang Basin,Tibet, indicate that carbonate source rocks are mainly developed in the Middle Jurassic Xiali Formation and Upper Jurassic Suowa Formation. Comprehensive studies showed that the Suowa Formation carbonate source rocks have a favorable hydrocarbon-generating potential. The abundance of organic matter in the carbonate rocks is controlled mainly by sedimentary environment and inorganic compounds in the rocks, which is higher in the restricted platform facies than in the open platform facies. Organic carbon contents decrease with increasing CaO contents in the source rocks.     

A Study on Organic Inclusions in Clastic Reservoir Rocks and Their Application to the Assessment of Oil and Gas Accumulations

Terrigenous clastic reservoir rocks are widespread in China,and nearly all the industrial oil and gas accumulations in eastern China occur in the clastic rocks.The study shows that organic inclusions are mostly distributed in the secondary fissures and pores which were ormed in the process of oil-rock interaction,rather than in the cements or secondary enlargements. The organic inclusions are dominantly organic gas-rich or are composed of pure hydrocarbons.Homogenization temperatures range mainly from 120℃ to 130℃，which shows a relatively high maturity of organic matter.Vertical and horizontal temperature changes provide the grounds for the investigation of basin evolution and thermal fluid-kinetics-model.Fluorescence spectral characteristics o the organic inclusions indicate that oils and gases in the area studied probably have experienced two-stage or two-time migration.Micro-fluorescence rescearch is one of the effective approaches to oil/source correlation and oil migration-stage determination.The abundance and occurrence of organic inclusions is one of the indicators of oil and gas abundance and accumulation in rock layers.With the help of other informatio,organic inclusions can provide the basis for the prospective assessment of oil and gas in clastic reservoir rocks.     

Metallogeny of the Lannigou Sedimentary Rock-hosted Disseminated Gold Deposit in Southwestern Guizhou Province, China

The Lannigou deposit is a large-sized sedimentary rock-hosted disseminated gold （SRHDG） deposit located in the Youjiang Basin. It is hosted by the Middle Triassic turbidite. Wall rock alterations, including silicification, pyritization, arsenopyritization, carbonatization and argillization, commonly occur along fractures. PGE study demonstrates that either Permian basalts or Triassic ultrabasic intrnsives are unlikely to be the main source of gold mineralization. Coupled with the lack of other nmgmatic activity in the vicinity of the mining area, an amagmatic origin is proposed. Organic matter compositions and GC-MS analysis of the ores and host rocks show that the organics in the ores and the host rocks have a common source; the organic matter in the ores was mainly indigenous. The positive correlation between S2 and Au contents, along with the common occurrence of organic inclusions, suggest involvement of organic matter in the ore-forming process in terms of promoting Au leaching from the source rocks, making colloidal Au migration possible, as well as hydrocarbon reduction of sulphate. Geological and geochemical characteristics of the Lannigou deposit suggest that it was formed through circulation of meteoric water and probably less importantly organic bearing formation water driven by high geothermal gradient caused by late Yanshanian extension, which leached Au from the source bed, and then migrated as Au-bisnlfides and colloidal Au, culminating in deposition by reduction-adsorption and surface complexation of gold onto the growth surface of arsenlan pyrite.     

Thermal Evolution of Organic Matter in Source Rocks—Experimental and Scanning Electron Microscopic Studies

Five major froms(lamellar,banded,crack-like,dissceminated and segregated encrustation(of organic matter distribution in sourc rocks have been revealed under scanning electron microscope by using the heavy metal staining technique.The degree of organic impregnation is related to the amount of liquied hydrocarbons in the rocks,and from this relationship a rough estimation of organic matter can be made on the basis of electron microscopic observations.In conjunction with experimental studies it has been found that the distribution forms of organic matter are a function of its maturity in the process of thermal evolution and accordingly some microscopic criteria can be developed for the assessment of source rocks.     

Interactions between basalts and oil source rocks in rift basins： CO2 generation

Basalts interbedded with oil source rocks are discovered frequently in rift basins of eastern China, where CO2 is found in reservoirs around or within basalts, for example in the Binnan reservoir of the Dongying Depression. In the reservoirs, CO2 with heavy carbon isotopic composition (δ13C>-10‰ PDB) is in most cases accounts for 40% of the total gas reserve, and is believed to have resulted from degassing of basaltic magma from the mantle. In their investigations of the Binnan reservoir, the authors suggested that the CO2 would result from interactions between the source rocks and basalts. As the source rocks around basalts are rich in carbonate minerals, volcanic minerals, transition metals and organic matter, during their burial history some of the transition metals were catalyzed on the thermal degradation of organic matter into hydrocarbons and on the decomposition of carbonate minerals into CO2, which was reproduced in thermal simulations of the source rocks with the transition metals (Ni and Co). This kind of CO2 accounts for 55%-85% of the total gas reserve generated in the process of thermal simulation, and its δ13C values range from -11‰- -7.2‰ PDB, which are very similar to those of CO2 found in the Binnan reservoir. The co-generation of CO2 and hydrocarbon gases makes it possible their accumulation together in one trap. In other words, if the CO2 resulted directly from degassing of basaltic magma or was derived from the mantle, it could not be accumulated with hydrocarbon gases because it came into the basin much earlier than hydrocarbon generation and much earlier than trap formation. Therefore, the source rocks around basalts generated hydrocarbons and CO2 simultaneously through catalysis of Co and Ni transition metals, which is useful for the explanation of co-accumulation of hydrocarbon gases and CO2 in rift basins in eastern China.     

Metamorphic Rock-hosted Disseminated Gold Deposits—A Case Study of the Xiaotongjiapuzi Gold Deposit of Eastern Liaoning

The Xiaotongjiapuzi gold deposit occurs in a Palaeoproterozoic rift accretionary terrane in eastern Liaoning and is hosted by a carbonate formation of the Dashiqiao Formation, Liaohe Group. The metamorphic grade of the host rock is low amphibolite-high greenschist facies. Gold, which is mainly invisible, is distributed in pyrite and arsenopyrite. The grains of Au-bearing sulphide minerals are fine, ranging from 0.0 n to 1 mm. The wall-rock alterations are characterized by low-temperature silification, hydro-sericitization, sericitization and carbonatization. The homogenization temperatures of the fluid inclusions in quartz closely associated with gold mineralization range from 140 to 240° C. The metallogenic age represented by the Ar-Ar isotopic age of sericite is 167 Ma. Comparisons and studies show that the Xiaotongjiapuzi gold deposit can be classified as the submicron-sized disseminated deposit (analogous to the Carlin-type) hosted in metamorphic rocks.     

Characteristics of biomarkers in source rocks of the Ganquan Formation in the Dahulishan region, Ejina Banner

Based on gas chromatography and gas chromatography mass spectrometry techniques, the authors examined biomarker characteristics of the Ganquan Formation source rocks in the area of Dahulishan, Ejina, and analyzed the information and petroleum geological significance that were indicated by the source of organic matter, sedimentary environment and maturity and so on. Gas chromatography peak of saturated hydrocarbons from the Ganquan Formation source rocks showed "the former peak" of the single peak distribution, the main peak of carbon being C18 , indicating the main sources of organic matter with marine organic matter. Pr/Ph ranges from 0.3 to 0.6, indicating a strongly reducing sedimentary environment. Biomarker assemblages of the Ganquan Formation source rocks are abundant in tricyclic terpane with long side chains, with a high level of gammacerane, showing dominant distribution of C27 sterane. High contents of gammacerane in organic matter show organic facies of source rocks in the saltwater sedimentary environment. That average hopane/sterane ratio is 0.59, showing that algae have made more contributions to organic matter than bacteria. And the high level of C27 steranes shows that algae are the main source of hydrocarbon precursors. The Ganquan Formation’s methylphenanthrene index, which is an effective molecular parameter index to measure thermal evolution of organic matter, ranges from 0.35 to 0.50, and the conversion of vitrinite reflectance Rc from it is within the range of 2.00-2.09, indicating that the Ganquan Formation source rocks are in the over-mature stage of thermal evolution.     

Organic Geochemistry of Sedimentary Rock-hosted Disseminated Gold Deposits in Southwestern Guizhou Province, China

Sedimentary rock-hosted disseminated gold (SRHDG) deposits in the Youjiang-Nanpanjiang Basin,southwestem Guizhou Province are commonly hosted by the same fold crests that commonly contain a remarkable amount of organic material. The total organic carbon (TOC) contents of the ores and host rocks are usually less than 1%. The reflectance of vitrinite and pyrobitumen in the ores and the host rocks ranges from 1.5% to 4.5%, often in the range of 2% to 3%. In the Lannigou deposit, the reflectance of vitrinite and pyrobitumen in the ores is usually somewhat higher than those within the host rocks, indicating a hydrothermal impact on the organic matter in the altered host rocks. On the contrary, the estimated maximum paleotemperatures of the Getang and Zimudang deposits are higher than the homogenization temperatures of the fluid inclusions in the ores, signifying that the organic matter maturation predated Au mineralization. No correlation between the organic matter contents and Au concentrations were recognized in the ores.However, the most striking observation is that there is a positive correlation between the $2 (a parameter of Rock-Eval analysis), Au and As contents of the ores in the Lannigou deposit. Organic matter maturation and migration is apparent from the TOC vs. HCI diagram. Furthermore, group analysis of the dichloromethane extractable organic component of the ores and host rocks shows that the maturation degree of the organic matter in the ores is slightly higher than that of the host rocks in the Lannigou gold deposit. However, the compositions of their alkanes, steranes and terpenes, which serve as biomarkers, are quite similar; this suggests that the organic matter found in the ores and host rocks has a common marine source. Organic matter probably contributed to the preconcentration of Au in the host rocks. Hydrocarbons in the system,on the other hand, clearly contributed to the emplacement of the gold mineralization through thermal sulfate reduction.Organic matter in the solution might have increased the potential of the hydrothermal solution to transport Au.