Hydrological budget,carbon sources and biogeochemical processes in Lac Pavin (France): Constraints from δO of water and δC of dissolved inorganic carbon

Lac Pavin (French Massif Central) is a permanently stratified lake: the upper water layers (mixolimnion, from 0 to 60 m depth) are affected by seasonal overturns, whereas the bottom water layers (monimolimnion, from 60 to 90 m depth) remain isolated and are never mixed. Hence, they are capable of storing important quantities of dissolved gases, mainly CO₂. With the aim of better constraining the water balance and of gaining new insights into the carbon cycle of Lac Pavin, an isotopic approach is used. The δ¹⁸OH₂O$\delta {}^{18}{\text{O}}_{{\text{H}}_2\text{O}}$ profiles lead the authors to give a new evaluation of the evaporation flow rate (8 L s⁻¹), and to propose and characterize two sub-surface springs. The sub-surface spring located at the bottom of the lake can be deduced from the 1% isotopic difference between the upper water layers (mean δ¹⁸OH₂O$\delta {}^{18}{\text{O}}_{{\text{H}}_2\text{O}}$ value: −7.3‰) and the bottom water layers (δ¹⁸OH₂O=-8.4‰$\delta {}^{18}{\text{O}}_{{\text{H}}_2\text{O}}=-8.4‰$). It is argued that this sub-surface spring has isotopic and chemical characteristics similar to those of the magmatic CO₂-rich spring (i.e. Fontaine Goyon, δ¹⁸OH₂O=-9.4‰$\delta {}^{18}{\text{O}}_{{\text{H}}_2\text{O}}=-9.4‰$), and we calculate its flow rate of 1.6 L s⁻¹. The second sub-surface spring is located around 45 m depth, with a composition close to those of the water surface streams (δ¹⁸OH₂O<-7.6‰$\delta {}^{18}{\text{O}}_{{\text{H}}_2\text{O}}<-7.6‰$).     

Isotopic and textural discrimination between hypogene,ancient supergene,and modern sulfates at the Questa mine,New Mexico

Chemical and mineralogical changes due to pyrite weathering are of interest with respect to understanding long-term physical stability of mine rock piles at the Questa mine, New Mexico. The ability to discriminate between ancient and modern processes is important for establishing the extent of modern weathering within the piles. Initial inventories of sulfur minerals and representative isotope compositions in rocks from orebodies, the hydrothermal alteration zones associated with orebodies, hydrothermal alteration scars, and mine rock piles were determined. Ore body sulfides have δ³⁴S_CDT of 0 ± 4‰, typical for sulfides formed by magmatic processes in stockwork Mo systems. Pyrite from alteration scars has a wide range of δ³⁴S values from 0.0‰ to −13.6‰. Sulfate from the ore body has markedly positive δ³⁴S (5–10‰) accompanied by positive δ¹⁸OSO₄${\delta }^{18}{\text{O}}_{{\text{SO}}_4}$ values (6–15‰) reflecting equilibrium formation from magmatic fluids. Sulfates from alteration scars have δ³⁴S values over a broad range, similar to alteration scar pyrites, from −10.6‰ to 0‰ and δ¹⁸OSO₄${\delta }^{18}{\text{O}}_{{\text{SO}}_4}$ of 0 ± 3‰. Sulfates with fine grained, delicate, and euhedral mineral habits suggesting recent formation within the mine rock piles, have δ³⁴S values similar to orebody pyrite and alteration scars but more negative δ¹⁸OSO₄${\delta }^{18}{\text{O}}_{{\text{SO}}_4}$ values (−3‰ to −10‰). Sulfates from all three sources occur in these piles, and their stable isotope values have proven useful in differentiating them and their environments of formation (i.e., hypogene, ancient supergene, and recent weathering). Correlating the isotopic compositions with textures allows petrographic assessment for the origins of sulfate minerals in the rock piles, but this must be applied with caution because some sulfate mineral recycling has occurred.