Rare earth element geochemistry of the Woxi W–Sb–Au deposit, Hunan Province, South China

The Woxi W–Sb–Au deposit in Hunan, South China, is hosted by Proterozoic metasedimentary rocks, a turbiditic sequence of slightly metamorphosed (greenschist facies), gray-green and purplish red graywacke, siltstone, sandy slate, and slate. The mineralization occurs predominantly (> 70%) as stratabound/stratiform ore layers and subordinately as stringer stockworks. The former consists of rhythmically interbedded, banded to finely laminated stibnite, scheelite, quartz, pyrite and silty clays, whereas the latter occurs immediately beneath the stratabound ore layers and is characterized by numerous quartz + pyrite + gold + scheelite stringer veins or veinlets that are typically either subparallel or subvertical to the overlying stratabound ore layers. The deposit has been the subject of continued debate in regard to its genesis. Rare earth element geochemistry is used here to support a sedimentary exhalative (sedex) origin for the Woxi deposit. The REE signatures of the metasedimentary rocks and associated ores from the Woxi W–Sb–Au deposit remained unchanged during post-depositional processes and were mainly controlled by their provenance. The original ore-forming hydrothermal fluids, as demonstrated by fluid inclusions in quartz from the banded ores, are characterized by variable total REE concentrations (3.5 to 136 ppm), marked LREE enrichment (La_N/Yb_N = 28–248, ∑LREE/∑HREE = 16 to 34) and no significant Eu-anomalies (Eu/Eu = 0.83 to 1.18). They were most probably derived from evolved seawater that circulated in the clastic sediment pile and subsequently erupted on the seafloor. The bulk banded ores are enriched in HREE (La_N/Yb_N = 4.6–11.4, ∑LREE/∑HREE = 3 to 14) and slightly depleted in Eu (Eu/Eu = 0.63 to 1.14) relative to their parent fluids. This is interpreted as indicating the influence of seawater rather than a crystallographic control on REE content of the ores. Within a single ore layer, the degree of HREE enrichment tends to increase upward while the total REE concentrations decrease, reflecting greater influence and dilution of seawater. There is a broad similarity in chondrite-normalized REE patterns and the amount of REE fractionation of the banded ores in this study and exhalites from other sedex-type polymetallic ore deposits, suggesting a similar genesis for these deposits. This conclusion is in agreement with geologic evidence supporting a syngenetic (sedex) model for the Woxi deposit.     

GPS观测到的智利及其邻区多次大地震前后地壳运动

2001年以来,智利及其邻区发生了3次7.1—7.7级和4次8级以上大地震,其震中附近至少有一个甚至多个GPS连续观测站观测到地震前后的地壳运动。从http://geodesy.unr.edu网站可获得GeoffreyBlewitt教授用GIPSY软件处理得到的南美大量GPS连续观测站南美板块（SA）区域参考框架位移时间序列,获得的这些大地震同震、震前位移积累和震后位移,特别是同震水平位移和震前水平位移积累,为探索地震预测,增添了更多有意义的震例。研究表明,这些大地震的同震水平位移也是震前水平位移积累的回跳或弹性回跳,同样也证明了震前存在前兆地壳形变;这些大地震前震中及其附近也无明显的垂直位移积累,由此证明了板块运动或地壳水平运动就是地震成因。尽管东日本和智利近海大地震的构造环境不同,日本2011年9级和智利2010年8.8级巨大地震前的地壳运动都清楚显示太平洋海底扩张。这些地震的同震水平位移回跳或弹性回跳的规律一致,地震成因都是水平挤压。智利多次大地震GPS观测到的最特殊现象是,在2015年8.3级地震震中以北,2010年8.8级地震的同震水平位移量值偏小,且方向异常一致向北,可认为是8.3级地震的前兆形变现象。临近智利的南美地区应是全球最利于地震预测探索的地区之一。      

Seismically induced changes in groundwater levels and temperatures following the ML5.8 (ML5.1) Gyeongju earthquake in South Korea

Hydrogeological responses to earthquakes such as changes in groundwater level, temperature, and chemistry, have been observed for several decades. This study examines behavior associated with M_L 5.8 and M_L 5.1 earthquakes that occurred on 12 September 2016 near Gyeongju, a city located on the southeast coast of the Korean peninsula. The M_L 5.8 event stands as the largest recorded earthquake in South Korea since the advent of modern recording systems. There was considerable damage associated with the earthquakes and many aftershocks. Records from monitoring wells located about 135 km west of the epicenter displayed various patterns of change in both water level and temperature. There were transient-type, step-like-type (up and down), and persistent-type (rise and fall) changes in water levels. The water temperature changes were of transient, shift-change, and tendency-change types. Transient changes in the groundwater level and temperature were particularly well developed in monitoring wells installed along a major boundary fault that bisected the study area. These changes were interpreted as representing an aquifer system deformed by seismic waves. The various patterns in groundwater level and temperature, therefore, suggested that seismic waves impacted the fractured units through the reactivation of fractures, joints, and microcracks, which resulted from a pulse in fluid pressure. This study points to the value of long-term monitoring efforts, which in this case were able to provide detailed information needed to manage the groundwater resources in areas potentially affected by further earthquakes.

     

An occurrence of tuite, γ‐Ca3(PO4)2, partly transformed from Ca‐phosphates in the Suizhou meteorite

Tuite is a high‐pressure γ‐form of Ca₃(PO₄)₂. An occurrence of tuite partly transformed from merrillite and chlorapatite was observed in the chondritic area adjacent to the shock veins in the Suizhou meteorite. Tuite grains are found in contact with both merrillite and chlorapatite, indicating two different transformation pathways. Tuite isochemically transformed from merrillite contains much higher contents of Na₂O and MgO than those transformed from chlorapatite. Tuite transformed from merrillite does not contain Cl, but tuite transformed from chlorapatite contains 1.90–3.91 wt% of Cl, hence indicating an incomplete phase transformation from chlorapatite to tuite. P‐T conditions of above 12 GPa and 1100 °C are probably required for the transformation from merrillite and chlorapatite to tuite. A temperature gradient from the hot vein at 2000 °C to the surrounding chondritic area at 1000 °C corresponds to the partial phase transitions in the Suizhou phosphates. Fast cooling of the thin shock veins plays a key role in the preservation of phosphates that suffered partial high‐pressure phase transformation.     

新疆阿克陶县玛尔坎苏一带锰矿石矿物特征及矿床成因浅析

新疆玛尔坎苏一带锰矿赋存于上石炭统喀拉阿特河组地层中,锰矿层呈层状、似层状产出,顶底板均为泥灰岩、泥晶灰岩。矿层产状与地层产状一致,明显受层位控制,延伸较为稳定。锰矿品位比较高,局部富集品位高达50%以上,通过X衍射、电子探针等实验方法对锰矿石矿物成分分析,推测矿床为海相沉积成因,且经后期热液多次改造用作影响。     

扬子台地北缘志留纪笔石Oktavites spiralis居群差异研究

通过对陕西紫阳、岚皋地区多个志留系特列奇阶剖面的研究,根据更为精确的化石定义,奥氏笔石属新种Oktavites ziyangensis sp. nov可以从Oktavites spiralis 居群中识别出来。新种O. ziyangensis 在笔石枝盘旋方式和胞管形态上与O. spiralis 和Oktavites contortus 均存在一定的相似性,三者共生层位为特列奇阶Spirograptus turriculatus 笔石带至Cyrtograptus lapworthi 笔石带。尽管新种O. ziyangensis 地层延限较长,但胞管的快速演化仍使其具备较强的地层对比意义。根据“深水起源、浅水扩散”的笔石演化模式推测,O. contortus-O. ziyangensis-O. spiralis 的演化过程是笔石在纵向上的生态位占据过程,而O. spiralis 居群形态差别则是笔石深度分带的结果。同时,关于O. spiralis 居群差异的研究,也为讨论弓笔石的起源和分类提供更多的参考依据。     

Partial melting of ultrahigh-pressure metamorphic rocks at convergent continental margins: Evidences,melt compositions and physical effects

Ultrahigh-pressure(UHP) metamorphic rocks are distinctive products of crustal deep subduction,and are mainly exposed in continental subduction-collision terranes. UHP slices of continental crust are usually involved in multistage exhumation and partial melting, which has obvious influence on the rheological features of the rocks, and thus significantly affect the dynamic behavior of subducted slices. Moreover,partial melting of UHP rocks have significant influence on element mobility and related isotope behavior within continental subduction zones, which is in turn crucial to chemical differentiation of the continental crust and to crust-mantle interaction.Partial melting can occur before, during or after the peak metamorphism of UHP rocks. Post-peak decompression melting has been better constrained by remelting experiments; however, because of multiple stages of decompression, retrogression and deformation, evidence of former melts in UHP rocks is often erased. Field evidence is among the most reliable criteria to infer partial melting. Glass and nanogranitoid inclusions are generally considered conclusive petrographic evidence. The residual assemblages after melt extraction are also significant to indicate partial melting in some cases. Besides field and petrographic evidence, bulk-rock and zircon trace-element geochemical features are also effective tools for recognizing partial melting of UHP rocks. Phase equilibrium modeling is an important petrological tool that is becoming more and more popular in P-T estimation of the evolution of metamorphic rocks; by taking into account the activity model of silicate melt, it can predict when partial melting occurred if the P-T path of a given rock is provided.UHP silicate melt is commonly leucogranitic and peraluminous in composition with high SiO_2,low MgO, FeO, MnO, TiO_2 and CaO, and variable K_2 O and Na_2 O contents. Mineralogy of nanogranites found in UHP rocks mainly consists of plagioclase + K-feldspar + quartz, plagioclase being commonly albite-rich.Trace element pattern of the melt is characterized by significant enrichment of large ion lithophile elements(LILE), depletion of heavy rare earth elements(HREE) and high field strength elements(HFSE),indicating garnet and rutile stability in the residual assemblage. In eclogites, significant Mg-isotope fractionation occurs between garnet and phengite; therefore, Mg isotopes may become an effective indicator for partial melting of eclogites.     

Distribution patterns and controlling factors for reservoir characteristic difference of oolitic shoals,Feixian’guan Formation,eastern Longgang area,SW China

In eastern Longgang area of northeastern Sichuan Basin, the Kaijiang-Liangping trough was deposited with and leveled up by Feixian’guan sediments, where oolitic shoals exhibit progradation and upward migration. These oolitic shoals are classified into oolitic dolostone shoals and oolitic limestone shoals. The dolostone shoals occur within a narrow belt along Changxingian platform margin where the thickness of one single layer can be large; however, the cumulative thickness is rather small. On the contrary, the limestone shoals spread widely along shifted platform margin and is characterized by small thickness of one single layer and large cumulative thickness. Diagenesis has been found to play an important role in oolitic reservoir properties. The origin of low porosity and permeability in this extensive oolitic limestone reservoirs was attributed to burial cementation, while diagenetic processes, such as, reflux and hydrothermal dolomitization, have been identified as the primary factors for generating high-grade oolitic dolostones. Feixian’guan reservoir is characterized by low matrix porosity (which usually ranges from 2 to 3%). Existence of fractures may improve overall porosity and permeability of these reservoirs. The direct influence of these fractures may be to connect originally isolated pores to form a better connected pore-fracture system. Additionally, the fractures may have facilitated the migration of the organic acids that are associated with oil and gas, to help further enhance the quality of the reservoir through corrosion.     

The Distinct Light Curve Shape of the Asteroid (469)

The observation light curves of the main belt asteroid (469) Argentina, obtained on March 9–11 2002 and August 10–11 2004, are presented in this paper. The complex light curve of the (469) suggests that it may be in NPA rotation. Using the Fourier analysis method, some prominent spectrum values are derived individually for two subset data. Among these period values, periods of 13.00 and 8.74 h are regarded as basic components. Other derived period values can be combined linearly with these two basic period values. If the (469) is in a free-force precession mode, the motion mode will be LAM (largest-axis mode) according the ratio of precession and rotation periods. And the minimum of I ₁/I ₃ (ratio of the largest and smallest principal momentum of inertial) is 3.05. Assuming an external torque releasing by a satellite forces the (469) to precess, the mass of satellite roughly is the same order as the primary’s on condition that the precession and rotation periods are two basic values. At present, we cannot draw an unambiguous conclusion on (469)’s motion for sparse data, So the further observations are necessary for understanding the (469)’s tumbling motion farther.