Detection of chromite bearing mineralized zones in Abdasht ophiolite complex using ASTER and ETM+ remote sensing data

Podiform chromite ore deposits in ultramafic parts of ophiolite rock complexes can be detected using remote sensing data. This study focuses on the discrimination of chromite bearing mineralized zones using Landsat TM and Advance Spaceborne Thermal Emission and Reflection Radiometer (ASTER) satellite data in Abdasht ophiolite complex, south of Iran. Several image processing methods, including Log residual, Decorellation Stretch, Band ratio and Mixture-Tuned Matched-Filtering (MTMF) have been evaluated for lithological mapping using Landsat ETM and ASTER data. The outcome showed that TIR band ratios of ASTER can discriminate quartzite, carbonate and mafic–ultramafic rocks in the ophiolite complex. Log residual, Decorollation Stretch and MTMF methods were more capable than previous published ASTER methods specifically for lithological mapping at a regional scale. New geological map of Abdasht region was produced based on the interpretation of ASTER image processing results and field verification. Consequently, the proposed methods demonstrated the ability of ASTER and Landsat ETM data to provide information for detecting chromite host rock (serpentinized dunites) that is valuable for chromite prospecting in study area. Additionally, the techniques used in this study are subtle for exploration geologist and mine engineering to identify high-potential chromite-bearing zones in the ophiolite complex, minimizing costly and time-consuming field works.     

Application of ASTER and Landsat TM Data for Geological Mapping of Esfandagheh Ophiolite Complex,Southern Iran

This research developed an approach to enable the discrimination of lithological units and detection of host rock of chromitite bodies within ophiolitic complexes using the advanced spaceborne thermal emission and reflection radiometer (ASTER) and Landsat thematic mapper (TM) satellite data. Three main ophiolite complexes located in southern Iran were selected for the study. A specialized band ratio (4/1, 4/5, 4/7) of ASTER, minimum noise fraction (MNF) components and spectral angle mapper (SAM) on ASTER and Landsat TM data were used to distinguish ophiolitic rock units. Results show that the specialized band ratio was able to identify different rock units and serpentinized dunite as host rock of chromitites within ophiolitic complexes. Minimum noise fraction components of ASTER and Landsat TM data are suitable for distinguishing ophiolitic rock complexes at a regional scale. The integration of SAM and feature level fusion used in this investigation discriminated the ophiolitic rock units and provided geological map for the study area, including identification of high potential areas (serpentinite dunite) for chromite exploration targets.     

藏南罗布莎铬铁矿床铬尖晶石矿物学与矿床成因研究

西藏罗布莎铬铁矿床是我国目前研究程度最高、规模最大、地幔橄榄岩相对新鲜的豆荚状铬铁矿床,主要工业矿体产于蛇绿岩壳-幔边界(即岩石莫霍面)以下方辉橄榄岩相带一定层位中,主要有块状、浸染状和豆状等矿石类型。罗布莎铬尖晶石成分变化范围大,依据铬尖晶石的化学成分与矿物学研究至少可识别出3个期次铬尖晶石:(1)成矿前期铬尖晶石,主要以熔蚀残斑晶、出溶晶及少量自形晶形式产于方辉橄榄岩中,以富Al₂O₃为特征,Cr^#值变化范围大(17.19~66.30),且大部分小于60,并与Mg^#值呈负相关关系,由出溶晶,残斑晶到自形晶铬尖晶石,总体表现向富Cr、Fe的方向演变;(2)成矿主期铬尖晶石,可分为早、晚2个阶段。早阶段铬尖晶石主要以它形晶产于不同类型铬铁矿石中,部分呈自形-半自形晶产于铬铁矿体的纯橄岩外壳中,主要以富铬为特征,矿石中Cr^#值变化范围小(70.08~87.03),均大于60,其中块状铬铁矿具有最高的Cr^#和Mg^#,由纯橄岩外壳中副矿物铬尖晶石向豆状、浸染状矿石以及块状矿石演变过程中,铬尖晶石化学成分总体向更富Cr、富Mg方向演变;晚阶段铬尖晶石:主要以自形-半自形晶产于具堆晶结构的纯橄岩相带中,成份上以更加富而贫Al₂O₃,且具有最低Mg^#(18.79~44.77)值为特征;(3)成矿晚期铬尖晶石,主要以网状集合体产于豆状-网脉状(眼眉状)矿石中,以更贫Al、富Fe为特征,具有最高的Cr^#值和低的Mg^#值。综合研究表明,罗布莎铬铁矿中的铬主要来自原始地幔岩本身,且主要来自于地幔橄榄岩中2种辉石的不一致熔融和对副矿物铬尖晶石的改造,原始富铬矿物可能来自地幔深部的八面体硅酸盐矿物。罗布莎豆荚状铬铁矿的成矿作用具有多期次、多成因、多种构造背景下成矿特征,成矿作用过程经历了由大洋中脊(MOR)扩张环境向岛弧体系俯冲环境的转变过程,洋内俯冲带之上(SSZ)的弧间盆地环境是形成冶金级豆荚状铬铁矿的最为有利构造环境。研究提出了罗布莎铬铁矿的"三阶段"成矿模式,即,经历了大洋中脊预富集阶段,俯冲带之上主成矿阶段及之后的构造抬升改造阶段。纯橄岩与方辉橄榄岩接触带之下的方辉橄榄岩相带是寻找较大规模铬铁矿床的有利地带。     

对“也谈铙钹寨超镁铁岩体的成因和构造类型的归属问题”一文评论的答疑

张旗先生的《评论》和他之前的工作没有提供饶钹寨岩体的“地幔交代作用”的证据；地幔交代作用不能作为判别地幔岩为大陆地幔和大洋地幔属性的标志，因为两者均可能发生地幔交代作用。根据铙钹寨岩体原岩为强烈亏损的方辉橄榄岩（和二辉橄榄岩）；伴有豆荚状铬铁矿及瘤状矿石和铬尖晶石成分具有蛇绿岩地幔岩属性（双峰分布）而非大陆地幔橄榄岩特征，认为该岩体带有蛇绿岩成员的某些特征，并认为该岩体经历了角闪岩相-麻粒岩相的变质作用。我们对《评论》中列举的所谓大陆地幔橄榄岩中也产有豆荚状铬铁矿的诸多例子给予了剖析，指出《评论》犯有基本概念的错误。     

西藏罗布莎豆荚状铬铁矿床深部找矿突破与成因模式讨论

中国铬铁矿资源的瓶颈状态已持续多年。最近,在西藏罗布莎蛇绿岩地幔橄榄岩的深部勘探发现200万t致密块状铬铁矿床,这是中国近50年来铬铁矿找矿的重大突破,对今后继续寻找同类型的铬铁矿床具有重要指导意义。蛇绿岩地幔橄榄岩中产出的豆荚状铬铁矿床是工业需求铬的重要来源。研究豆荚状铬铁矿的成矿作用和矿体围岩地幔橄榄岩地质特征,建立铬铁矿的成矿模型和找矿标志,是开展寻找同类型矿床的重要保证。随着近些年在豆荚状铬铁矿及围岩地幔橄榄岩中金刚石等深部矿物的不断发现和深入研究,人们对蛇绿岩型铬铁矿的物质来源和形成过程,有了新的认识,提出了铬铁矿的深部成因模式。研究认为深部成因铬铁矿床主要经历了4个阶段:(1)早期俯冲到地幔过渡带(410~660 km)的陆壳和洋壳物质被脱水和肢解,过渡带产生的热和流体促成了地幔的熔融和Cr的释放和汇聚;(2)铬铁矿浆在地幔柱驱动下,运移到过渡带顶部冷凝固结,并有强还原的流体进入,后者携带了深部形成的金刚石、斯石英等高压矿物,进入"塑性—半塑性地幔橄榄岩"中;(3)随着物质向上移动,深度降低,早期超高压相矿物发生相变,如斯石英转变成柯石英,高压相的铬铁矿中出溶成柯石英和单斜辉石;(4)在侵位过程和俯冲带环境下,含水熔体与方辉橄榄岩反应形成了不含超高压矿物的规模相对较小的浸染状铬铁矿及纯橄岩岩壳。进一步研究表明,同处雅鲁藏布江缝合带西段的几个大型地幔橄榄岩岩体与罗布莎岩体可以对比,经历了相同的构造背景和豆荚状铬铁矿的成矿作用,存在较大的找矿空间。     

用ASETR图像和地统计学纹理进行岩性分类

运用新获取的ASTER数据可以对岩性进行识别与分类：首先运用地统计学中的变差函数来计算分析几种选定的岩性单元的灰度值空间变化特征；运用ASTER数据的可见光一近红外波段、短波红外(SWIR)波段以及二者的组合进行岩性的分类，分析分类精度的变化。用变差函数作为纹理的计算函数来提取图像纹理，并与原始的光谱数据结合，进行岩性的分类。结果表明，与单纯的光谱分类相比，加入纹理信息可显著改善分类精度；用不同方向的滞后距离提取的图像纹理对图像的分类结果有一定的差异，尤其是对存在明显的各向异性的岩石单元。     

新疆达拉布特超镁铁岩成因——来自铬尖晶石的证据

通过研究西准噶尔达拉布特蛇绿混杂岩中方辉橄榄岩和橄榄辉石岩的岩石学特征,分析方辉橄榄岩广泛发育的铬尖晶石和斜方辉石构成的蠕虫状共生连晶结构的成因,得出结论认为:这种共生连晶结构不是前人所认为的文象结构或者石榴石的后成合晶,而是原始地幔岩熔融形成富铬岩浆的演化产物。这种富铬岩浆高度分异形成铬铁矿块体(即萨尔托海铬铁矿矿床)后,熔体进入地幔岩中结晶形成铬尖晶石和斜方辉石的蠕虫状共生连晶结构。因此,铬尖晶石与辉石的共生连晶结构可以作为豆荚状铬铁矿的重要找矿标志。方辉橄榄岩中的斜方辉石发育铬尖晶石出溶结构,出溶棒的成分特点表明,该结构是达拉布特蛇绿岩在快速就位过程中环境氧逸度突然升高诱发变质反应的结果。     

寻找超高压地幔矿物的储存库——豆荚状铬铁矿

沿印度河—雅鲁藏布江缝合线出露的罗布莎蛇绿岩块位于拉萨南东 2 0 0km处 ,含有地幔矿物群。罗布莎蛇绿岩主要由地幔方辉橄榄岩、堆晶岩和蛇纹混杂岩组成。由 60～ 70种矿物组成的一个地幔矿物群出现在方辉橄榄岩相内的豆荚状铬铁矿中。这些矿物包括 :自然元素矿物 :金刚石、石墨、金、铜、铁、镍、硅、铬、铝、钨、锌、铅、锡 ;铂族矿物 :铱锇矿、锇铱矿、铱锇钌矿、含锇铱矿、含铱钌矿、Ir Os硫化物 ;合金 :FeSi,FeNi,SiC ,CrC ,NiC ,NiCrC ,Au Ag ,Ag Au ,Ag Sn ,AlFe ,IrFe ,NiFeCr,NiIrFe ,FeC ,FePtPd ;硫 (砷 )化物 :黄铁矿、毒砂、镍黄铁矿、闪锌矿、方铅矿、三方闪锌矿 ;氧化物 :铬铁矿、含硅镁尖晶石、刚玉、方镁石、金红石、方铁矿、锰方铁矿、CaO、石英 ;磷酸盐 :磷灰石 ;硅酸盐 :橄榄石、斜顽辉石、铬透辉石、锆石、榍石、硅线石、蓝晶石、角闪石、白云母、黑云母、金云母、钙铬榴石、钙铁榴石、镁铝榴石、铬绿泥石、蛇纹石、八面体假象蛇纹石、八面体假象绿泥石 ;碳酸盐 :方解石、白云石等。文中只介绍几个矿物 ,如金刚石、碳硅石、富Cr铬铁矿、富Si顽辉石、富Mg橄榄石、锆石、含硅镁尖晶石、八面体硅酸盐以及含水硅酸盐的深部爆破结构。这些矿物信息对地幔研究具有重要意义。     

西藏罗布莎不同类型铬铁矿的特征及成因模式讨论

蛇绿岩地幔橄榄岩中产出的豆荚状铬铁矿是铬的主要来源。已有的研究表明,豆荚状铬铁矿形成于洋中脊或俯冲带的浅部地幔环境。但随着近些年在豆荚状铬铁矿及围岩地幔橄榄岩中不断发现金刚石等深部矿物,人们也开始质疑豆荚状铬铁矿的浅部成因理论。本文系统研究了西藏雅鲁藏布江蛇绿岩带东段的罗布莎豆荚状铬铁矿床,识别出两类铬铁矿,一类以方辉橄榄岩为围岩的致密块状铬铁矿(Cr1#),另一类是以纯橄岩壳为围岩的浸染状铬铁矿(Cr2#)。两类铬铁矿在铬尖晶石的矿物化学成分、PGE和Re-Os同位素特征上存在较大差别,属不同演化过程的结果。地幔橄榄岩的地球化学特征指示罗布莎橄榄岩中存在由低铬且轻稀土亏损和高铬且轻稀土富集的两类方辉橄榄岩。在此基础上,提出豆荚状铬铁矿为多阶段形成的新认识,经历了早期俯冲至地幔过渡带(410~660km)的陆壳和洋壳物质被脱水和肢解,过渡带产生的热和流体促成了地幔的熔融和Cr的释放和汇聚;铬铁矿浆在地幔柱/地幔对流驱动下,运移至过渡带顶部冷凝固结,并有强还原性的流体进入,后者携带了深部形成的金刚石、斯石英等高压矿物,并进入"塑性-半塑性地幔橄榄岩"中;随着物质向上移动,深度降低,早期超高压相矿物发生相变,如斯石英转变成柯石英,高压相的铬铁矿中出溶成柯石英和单斜辉石;在侵位过程和俯冲带环境,含水熔体与方辉橄榄岩反应形成了不含超高压矿物的规模相对较小的浸染状铬铁矿(Cr2#)及纯橄岩壳。     

豆荚状铬铁矿:古大洋岩石圈残片的重要证据

豆荚状铬铁矿为蛇绿岩的特征性矿产 ,保留了上地幔岩浆构造作用、高温变形以及岩石成因的重要信息。它们常见于方辉橄榄岩内 ,位于大洋岩石圈莫霍面下 1～ 2km的古深度范围内。豆荚状铬铁矿常被纯橄岩薄壳围限 ,保留特征的豆状、豆壳状等构造。豆荚状铬铁矿的TiO2 含量较低 ,铂族元素 (PGE)的分布模式显示特征的负斜率。普遍认为 ,豆荚状铬铁矿形成于部分熔融条件下 ,涉及原始地幔熔体与亏损地幔橄榄岩的相互作用 ,伴随复杂的岩浆混合及结晶过程。狭窄的上地幔岩浆通道或孔穴为豆荚状铬铁矿理想的堆积部位。超俯冲带 (弧后盆地、岛弧、弧前 )、大洋中脊、转换断层均可能是豆荚状铬铁矿形成的理想环境。其中 ,洋脊扩张模式及大洋上俯冲带模式较好地解释了豆荚状铬铁矿成因。对于经历高级变质及多期变形的华北大陆基底 ,豆荚状铬铁矿是研究古老蛇绿岩最直接而有效的地质标志 ,对于研究古大洋岩石圈增生过程 ,上地幔演化 ,探索早期板块构造意义重大。     

Supra-subduction zone magmatism of the Neyriz ophiolite,Iran: constraints from geochemistry and Sr-Nd-Pb isotopes

The Neyriz ophiolite along the northeast flank of the Zagros fold-thrust belt in southern Iran is an excellent example of a Late Cretaceous supra-subduction zone (SSZ)-related ophiolite on the north side of the Neotethys. The ophiolite comprises a mantle sequence including lherzolite, harzburgite, diabasic dikes, and cumulate to mylonitic gabbro lenses, and a crustal sequence comprising a sheeted dike complex and pillow lavas associated with pelagic limestone and radiolarite. Mantle harzburgites contain less CaO and Al₂O₃, are depleted in rare earth elements, and contain spinels that are more Cr-rich than lherzolites. Mineral compositions of peridotites are similar to those of both abyssal and SSZ- peridotites. Neyriz gabbroic rocks show boninitic (SSZ-related) affinities, while crustal rocks are similar to early arc tholeiites. Mineral compositions of gabbroic rocks resemble those of SSZ-related cumulates such as high forsterite olivine, anorthite-rich plagioclase, and high-Mg# clinopyroxene. Initial εNd(t) values range from +7.9 to +9.3 for the Neyriz magmatic rocks. Samples with radiogenic Nd overlap with least radiogenic mid-ocean ridge basalts and with Semail and other Late Cretaceous Tethyan ophiolitic rocks. Initial ⁸⁷Sr/⁸⁶Sr ranges from 0.7033 to 0.7044, suggesting modification due to seafloor alteration. Most Neyriz magmatic rocks are characterized by less radiogenic ²⁰⁷Pb/²⁰⁴Pb (near the northern hemisphere reference line), suggesting less involvement of sediments in their mantle source. Our results for Neyriz ophiolite and the similarity to other Iranian Zagros ophiolites support a subduction initiation setting for its generation.     

PCA and SVM as geo-computational methods for geological mapping in the southern of Tunisia,using ASTER remote sensing data set

The purpose of this study was to examine the efficiency of Advanced Space Borne Thermal Emission and Reflection Radiometer (ASTER) data in the discrimination of geological formations and the generation of geological map in the northern margin of the Tunisian desert. The nine ASTER bands covering the visible (VIS), near-infrared (NIR) and short-wave infrared (SWIR) spectral regions (wavelength range of 400–2500 nm) have been treated and analyzed. As a first step of data processing, crosstalk correction, resampling, orthorectification, atmospheric correction, and radiometric normalization have been applied to the ASTER radiance data. Then, to decrease the redundancy information in highly correlated bands, the principal component analysis (PCA) has been applied on the nine ASTER bands. The results of PCA allow the validation and the rectification of the lithological boundaries already published on the geologic map, and gives a new information for identifying new lithological units corresponding to superficial formations previously undiscovered. The application of a supervised classification on the principal components image using a support vector machine (SVM) algorithm shows good correlation with the reference geologic map. The overall classification accuracy is 73 % and the kappa coefficient equals to 0.71. The processing of ASTER remote sensing data set by PCA and SVM can be employed as an effective tool for geological mapping in arid regions.     

Melting and Melt Segregation in the Mantle Wedge above a Subduction Zone: Evidence from the Chromite-bearing Peridotites of the Miyamori Ophiolite Complex, Northeastern Japan

Chromite-bearing peridotites of the Ordovician Miyamori ophiolitecomplex exhibit spatial mineralogical variations on scales rangingfrom several centimeters to a few kilometers. The largest variationscorrespond to the entire structure of the complex, which featuresa layered zone of interstratified harzburgite, wehrlite, andvarious pyroxenites sandwiched between zones of unlayered harzburgiteand dunite containing only minor pyroxenite bands. All zonesexhibit the same deformation microstructures, tabular equigranularto porphyroclastic textures, and strong mineral aggregate lineation.Harzburgite from the unlayered zones is characterized by olivinevalues of 100Mg/(Mg+Fe)=91–93.5 and chromite values of100Cr/(Cr+Al+Fe³⁺)=40–75. These variables exhibit a positivecorrelation, which is typical of harzburgites and lherzolitesfrom the basal units of ophiolites and from xenoliths in alkalibasalts and kimberlites. The harzburgite is therefore interpretedas a residue from partial melting in the mantle. By contrast,harzburgite in the interlayered zone features olivine valuesof 100Mg/(Mg+Fe)=88–92 and chromite values of 100Cr/(Cr+Al+Fe3+)=40–60,and in this case the variables tend to show a negative correlationin any given locality and they partly overlap data from theintercalated wehrlite and dunite. The harzburgite of the layeredzone is interpreted as residual mantle that reacted with evolvedmelts that then crystallized as wehrlite and dunite. The harzburgitein the unlayered zones is more refractory than that in the layeredzone, even after removing effects of reaction. This differencecan be explained either by enhanced partial melting and meltextraction in the unlayered zones, possibly owing to the preferentialintroduction of a waterrich fluid, or by melt segregation fromthe unlayered zones and transfer to the layered zone in responseto a piezometric pressure gradient and compaction of a solidresidual matrix. Mineralogical evidence suggests that evolvedmelts migrated through conduits formed in the layered zone byfracturing or diapirism.     

大洋地幔橄榄岩-铬铁矿中的金刚石和深地幔再循环

全球多地蛇绿岩型地幔橄榄岩和铬铁矿中发现微粒金刚石,并在中国西藏南部和俄罗斯乌拉尔北部的蛇绿岩铬铁矿中发现原位产出的金刚石,认为是地球上金刚石的一种新的产出类型,不同于金伯利岩型金刚石和超高压变质型金刚石。它们与呈斯石英假象的柯石英、高压相的铬铁矿和青松矿等高压矿物以及碳硅石和单质矿物等强还原矿物伴生,指示蛇绿岩中的这些矿物组合形成于深度150~300 km或者更深的地幔。金刚石具有很轻的C同位素组成（δ13C-18‰~-28‰）,并出现多种含Mn矿物和壳源成分包裹体。研究认为它们曾是早期深俯冲的地壳物质,达到>300 km深部地幔或地幔过渡带后,经历了熔融并产生新的流体,后者在上升过程中结晶成新的超高压、强还原矿物组合,通过地幔对流或地幔柱作用被带回到浅部地幔,由此建立了一个俯冲物质深地幔再循环的新模式。蛇绿岩型地幔橄榄岩和铬铁矿中发现金刚石等深部矿物,质疑了蛇绿岩铬铁矿形成于浅部地幔的已有认识,引发了一系列新的科学问题,提出了新的研究方向。      

ETM+和ASTER数据在遥感矿化蚀变信息提取应用中的比较——以安徽铜陵凤凰山矿田为例

在利用遥感技术找矿中,矿化蚀变信息识别与提取起着重要作用。选择具有典型蚀变特征的安徽铜陵凤凰山矿田作为研究区,从分析地物波谱,尤其是岩矿光谱特征出发,根据ETM+和ASTER数据的光谱特征,采用主成分分析（PCA）,设计了相应的粘土矿化蚀变信息提取方案,成功地进行信息提取。对两者的提取结果进行比较后表明,ASTER数据较之ETM数据在粘土类矿化蚀变信息提取中具有更大的优势。     

Alteration Mechanisms of Chromian-Spinel during Serpentinization at Wadi Sifein Area, Eastern Desert, Egypt

Wadi Sifein podiform chromite deposits, Central Eastern Desert of Egypt, are hosted by fully serpentinized peridotite that is a part of the dismembered Pan‐African ophiolite complexes. Relics of primary minerals and the chemical characters indicate that the ophiolitic rocks were derived from depleted mantle peridotite of harzburgite and subordinate dunite compositions. The mantle rocks were initially formed at a mid‐oceanic ridge and subsequently thrust at a supra‐subduction zone. The chromite mineralization at Wadi Sifein area displays either pod‐shaped bodies with massive and lumpy chromitite appearance or dissemination of chromian‐spinel in serpentinite matrix. The podiform chromitite exhibits a very limited compositional range in terms of Cr# [Cr/(Cr + Al) atomic ratio] and Mg# [Mg/(Mg + Fe) atomic ratio]. The chromian‐spinel, however, frequently displays optical and geochemical zoning. Four zones can be identified from core to edge: inner core representing the original composition of the chromian‐spinel; narrow Cr‐rich ferritchromit zone; wide ferritchromit zone; and outer Cr‐magnetite/magnetite zone. The zonation of chromian‐spinel is interpreted to be a result of serpentinization rather than magmatic or metamorphic processes. The geochemical data obtained from the chromitite and chromian‐spinel was statistically processed using discriminant and R‐mode factor analyses. Two trends, minor and major, were achieved considering the formation of ferritchromit. The minor trend is controlled by the redistribution of trivalent cations, where Cr₂O₃ increased on the expense mainly of Al₂O₃ and to less extent Fe₂O₃ to form zone II during the peak of serpentinization. The major trend of alteration, however, is explained by the exchange between Mg‐Fe²⁺ rather than Cr, Al, and Fe³⁺ to form zone III. Kammererite formation was accompanied the formation of zones III and IV at a 314°C temperature of formation.     

我国铬铁矿床地质特征和找矿方向

我国已知的铬铁矿床均属于中小型豆荚状铬铁矿床,分布区域不均衡,开发利用条件差。豆荚状铬铁矿床包括高铬型和高铝型,两种矿床的形成环境和机制各不相同。弧后弧前盆地、岛弧、大洋中脊、转换断层均可能是豆荚状铬铁矿形成的理想构造环境,越来越多的学者认为豆荚状铬铁矿为深部地幔成因。铬铁矿是我国急缺的战略矿产,需要加大重要铬铁矿带隐伏矿体的找矿力度。     

Chromite deposits in China and their origin

The major chromite resources of China occur in ophiolites and continental intrusions. Podiform chromite deposits are mainly developed in the Palaeozoic and Mesozoic ophiolitic mantle sequences. They occur as tabular, lenticular, or irregular masses hosted by dunite lithologies, or dunite lenses, or harzburgite associated with dunite lenses. Main stratiform deposits occur within the Archean Northern China craton and are named as the Gaosi-type deposits, which are contained in intrusions similar to their Alaskan-type counterparts and are characterised by their ring-shaped ores. Stratiform deposits are also found in Phanerozoic ophiolites. Chromites in the ophiolites are chemically divided into high-A1 and high-Cr types, both of which plot in the alpine type field. Chromites from the Gaosi-type deposits belong to high-Fe type, possessing uniform Al contents. The podiform chromitites were generated from magmatic pockets in the mantle sequences, whereas those deposits (such as the Dadao deposit) in cumulate sequences had a similar origin but crystallized at shallower depths. Stratiform Gaosi-type deposits should have formed by accumulation of chromites which were in equilibrium with an ultramafic magma with a uniform Al content.     

雅鲁藏布江缝合带蛇绿岩中铬铁矿的前景讨论

蛇绿岩地幔橄榄岩中产出的豆荚状铬铁矿是铬的主要来源,是中国极缺的重要战略资源。开展豆荚状铬铁矿成矿作用及围岩地幔橄榄岩的研究,是进一步寻找铬铁矿床和缓解中国铬铁矿资源的瓶颈状态的必要手段。本文以西藏雅鲁藏布江蛇绿岩带内几个主要的地幔橄榄岩体及其中的铬铁矿体为研究主体。在野外地质调查的基础上,系统总结了蛇绿岩的组成、矿物成分、岩石地球化学成分和Re-Os同位素等特征,探讨铬铁矿和地幔橄榄岩的形成过程,取得以下进展和认识:(1)雅鲁藏布江缝合带各段的岩石组合存在较大差异,构造背景的演化过程也不同,佐证了特提斯洋演化过程的不均一性;(2)在雅江西段存在高铝型和高铬型两类铬铁矿矿体,其余都为高铬型铬铁矿,铬尖晶石的矿物化学特征记录了不同构造背景的痕迹;(3)地幔橄榄岩的矿物学和地球化学表明地幔橄榄岩及铬铁矿具有深海地幔橄榄岩和岛弧地幔橄榄岩两者的特点,是岩石/熔体反应和部分熔融作用叠加的结果;(4)提出豆荚状铬铁矿为多阶段形成的认识,经历了早期俯冲到地幔过渡带,在地幔柱/地幔对流驱动下,运移到过渡带顶部冷凝固结,在侵位过程和俯冲带环境,含水熔体与方辉橄榄岩反应的过程;(5)在雅鲁藏布江缝合带中金刚石等超高压矿物的普遍存在,西段的几个大型岩体与罗布莎存在较多相似之处,均经历了相同的构造背景和豆荚状铬铁矿的成矿作用,存在较大的找矿空间。     

ASTER mapping of gypsum deposits of Thumrait region of southern Oman

This study demonstrates the use of ASTER data for the mapping of gypsum deposits and associated geological formations that occurred in the Thumrait region of southern Oman. The measurement of spectra over samples of gypsum in the 1,300–2,500 nm wavelength using a PIMA spectrometer showed the presence of distinct absorptions at 1400–1600, 1750, 1940, 2,100, and 2,400 nm characteristics to O? H stretching, H₂O combinations, and S? O bending overtones and stretching, respectively. Studying the unique spectral absorption characters of gypsum samples, we developed a false color composite (FCC) and an image by decorrelation stretch using the spectral bands 7, 3, and 2 of ASTER. The results FCC showed the regions of gypsum occurrences, and the decorrelated image discriminated the gypsum occurrences from other geological formations of the area. The study of surface mineralogy of the region using the VNIR‐SWIR bands by the spectral angle mapper method showed the presence of sulfate, carbonate, and clay minerals of the geological formations in the study area. We compared the results of ASTER with the results obtained using spectral bands 12, 8, and 4 of Sentinel‐2A processed by the same methods. The study showed that the spectral bands of ASTER can be used for mapping the gypsum and associated geological formations.