A groundwater isoscape (δD, δO) for Mexico

Numerous studies have shown that precipitation isocapes drive δD and δ¹⁸O patterns in surficial waters and in terrestrial food webs. While the GNIP (Global Network for Isotopes in Precipitation) dataset provided a key foundation for linking precipitation-terrestrial isoscapes globally, it has insufficient spatial coverage in many countries like Mexico. To overcome this limitation, we hypothesized that shallow phreatic groundwaters in Mexico could be used as an isotopic integrator of long-term seasonally weighted precipitation inputs to the landscape to aid in calibrating spatial H and O isotope datasets for terrestrial, biological and hydrological research. Groundwater was sampled from 234 sites in Mexico at ~ 50 km latitudinal spacing to obtain high spatial resolution and country-wide coverage for the construction of a groundwater isoscape. Our data revealed that shallow groundwater infiltration in Mexico appears largely unaffected by evaporation and reflects seasonally weighted precipitation inputs. These precipitation inputs are primarily biased to summertime when highest rainfall occurs, but a small degree of post-precipitation evaporation revealed a lower d-excess zone that corresponded to the interior semi-arid ecozone. We developed a predictive general linear model (GLM) for hydrogen and oxygen isotopic spatial patterns in Mexican groundwater and then compared the results to a validation subset of our field data, as well external data reported in the literature. The GLM used elevation, latitude, drainage basin (Atlantic vs. Pacific), and rainfall as the most relevant predictive variables. The GLM explained 81% of the overall isotopic variance observed in groundwater, 68% of the variance within our validation subset, and 77% of the variance in the external data set. Our predictive GLM is sufficiently accurate to allow for future ecological, hydrological and forensic isoscape applications in Mexico, and may be an approach that is applicable to other countries and regions where GNIP stations are lacking.     

绿帘石记录俯冲带变质流体活动

俯冲带是连接地球表生圈层和深部圈层的关键纽带,深刻影响着地球内部的运行方式和人类宜居环境。俯冲板片脱水释放的高压-超高压变质流体控制着俯冲带诸多重要地质过程,如地幔楔交代和部分熔融、岛弧岩浆活动、中/深源地震以及地球内部的元素迁移和分异等等。深入了解这些流体的源区、运移、成分和物理化学条件是理解这些流体性质和行为的前提和关键。绿帘石是俯冲带变质岩中一个常见的含水造岩矿物,具有较宽广的稳定温压范围(绿片岩相-榴辉岩相)、较高的微量元素含量和缓慢的体扩散行为(如Sr、Pb、Th、U、Cr、V和LREE),能够指示俯冲带(多期)变质流体活动和地球化学效应。本文总结了近年来俯冲带变质绿帘石研究的主要进展及其在揭示俯冲带流体活动方面的重要应用,包括探究俯冲带流体的起源、成分特征、运移方式、氧逸度条件、交代效应和多期次结晶行为。这些研究表明绿帘石是一个极好的变质流体活动记录器,能够为理解俯冲带流体活动和深部元素迁移提供关键信息。     

中国火山温泉气体地球化学特征及其在火山监测中的应用

中国火山温泉主要分布在吉林长白山、云南腾冲和黑龙江五大连池等火山区。这些火山虽然处于休眠状态,但大面积的温泉分布指示着岩浆房存在的可能性。本文总结了前人研究成果,分析了中国主要火山区温泉气体地球化学特征,并探讨了温泉气体在火山监测中的应用。长白山、腾冲和五大连池火山区温泉气体地球化学性质类似,都以CO₂为主要气体,含量在80%以上,最高可达99%以上,其它气体组分包括CH₄、N₂、O₂、SO₂、H₂S、He和H₂等。长白山火山温泉气体中氦同位素比值（3He/4He）最高,约为4—6R_A,CO₂中碳同位素比值（δ13C）为-7.9‰—-1.3‰,CH₄中碳同位素为-48.0‰—-28.7‰;腾冲火山温泉气体氦同位素比值为3—5.5R_A,CO₂中的碳同位素为-6.49‰—-2.07‰,CH₄中碳同位素为-23.5‰—-9.3‰;五大连池火山温泉气体氦同位素比值约为3R_A,CO₂中的碳同位素比值为-9.6‰—-3.1‰,CH₄中碳同位素为-47.2‰—-44.4‰。3个火山区的温泉气体均显示地幔来源的岩浆气体特征,并在上升运移过程中受地壳或古俯冲物质的影响。     

Diagenesis in salt dome roof strata: Barite - calcite assemblage in Jebel Madar,Oman

Halokinesis causes a dynamic structural evolution with the development of faults and fractures, which can act as either preferential fluid pathways or barriers. Reconstructing reactive fluid flow in salt dome settings remains a challenge. This contribution presents for the first time a spatial distribution map of diagenetic phases in a salt dome in northern Oman. Our study establishes a clear link between structural evolution and fluid flow leading to the formation of diagenetic products (barite and calcite) in the salt dome roof strata. Extensive formation of diagenetic products occurs along NNE-SSW to NE-SW faults and fractures, which initiated during the Santonian (Late Cretaceous) and were reactivated in the Miocene, but not along the E-W fault, which was generated during Early Paleocene time. We propose that the diagenetic products formed by mixing of a warm (100 °C) saline (17 wt% NaCl eq.) ⁸⁷Sr enriched (⁸⁷Sr/⁸⁶Sr: 0.71023) fluid with colder (35 °C) meteoric fluid during Miocene to Pleistocene. The stable sulphur and strontium isotope composition and fluid inclusion data indicate that a saline fluid, with sulphate source derived from the Ara Group evaporite and Haima Supergroup layers, is the source for barite formation at about 100 °C, predominantly at fault conjunctions and minor faults away from the main graben structure in the dome. In the Miocene, the saline fluid probably ascended along a halokinesis-related fault due to fluid overpressure (due to the rising salt and impermeable layers in the overlying stratigraphic sequence), and triggered the formation of barite due to mixing with barium-rich fluids, accompanied by a drop in temperature. Subsequently, evolving salt doming with associated fault activity and erosion of the Jebel allows progressively more input of colder meteoric fluids, which mix with the saline warmer fluid, as derived from stable isotope data measured in the progressively younger barite-associated calcite, fault zone calcite and macro-columnar calcite. The reconstructed mixing model indicates a 50/50 to 90/10 meteoric/saline fluid mixing ratio for the formation of fault zone calcite, and a 10 times higher concentration of carbon in the saline fluid end member compared to the meteoric fluid end member. The presented mixing model of salt-derived fluids with meteoric fluids is suggested to be a general model applicable to structural diagenetic evolution of salt domes world wide.     

Hydrochemical and isotopic investigation of a sandstone aquifer groundwater in a semi arid region,El Ma El Abiod,Algeria

This work present results of the hydrochemical and isotopic studies on groundwater samples from the study area. Chemical and environmental isotope data are presented and discussed in terms of the origin of dissolved species and of groundwater. All of the investigated groundwater are categorized into two chemical types: low and relatively high mineralized waters type. Interpretation of chemical data, based on both thermodynamic calculations and stability diagrams, suggests that the chemical evolution of groundwater is primarily controlled by water-rock interactions. Interpretation of ¹⁸O and ²H suggests that the recharge of the investigated groundwater may result from differents mechanisms     

Elemental (C,N, H and P) and stable isotope (δ<Superscript>15</Superscript>N and δ<Superscript>13</Superscript>C) signatures in sediments from Zeekoevlei,South Africa: a record of human intervention in the lake

We used elemental carbon, nitrogen, phosphorus and hydrogen ratios (C/N, N/P and H/C) with total organic carbon (TOC) and total phosphorus (TP) as well as stable carbon and nitrogen isotopes (δ¹³C and δ¹⁵N) to investigate the source and depositional conditions of organic matter in sediments from Zeekoevlei, the largest freshwater lake in South Africa. Typical C/N (10–12), H/C ratios (≥1.7) and δ¹³C_organic values (−22 to −19‰) together with the increase in TOC concentration indicate elevated primary productivity in lower middle (18–22 cm) and top (0–8 cm) sections of the sediment cores. Seepage of nutrients from a nearby waste water treatment plant, rapid urbanization and heavily fertilized farming in the catchments are responsible for the increased productivity. Consistent with this, measured δ¹⁵N_organic values (∼11‰) indicate increased raw sewage input towards the top-section of the core. Although cyanobacterial blooms are evident from the low δ¹⁵N values (∼3‰) in mid-section of the core, they did not outnumber the phytoplankton population. Low N/P ratio (∼0) and high TP (100–2,200 mg l⁻¹) support cyanobacterial growth under N limited condition, and insignificant input of macrophytes towards the organic matter pool. Dredging in 1983, caused sub-aerial exposure of the suspended and surface sediments, and affected organic matter preservation in the upper mid-section (12–14 cm) of the core.     

Trace element and sulfur isotopic evidence for redox changes during formation of the Wallaby Gold Deposit,Western Australia

Wallaby is a major gold deposit of the St Ives Gold field of Western Australia, with an estimated resource of 8 million ounces of gold. It has a well-established paragenesis across five vein sets that displays macroscopic evidence of changing redox through time; from hematite to magnetite. Micro-analysis of pyrite from each vein generation shows a progressive and gradual change in redox conditions. The sulfur isotope composition has a δ³⁴S range of −7.7 to +9.8‰ using 3 μm spots on the Sensitive High Resolution Iron Micro Probe-Stable Isotope (SHRIMP-SI). Negative values indicative of an oxidized sulfur signature are found in the earliest generation of pyrite (which coexists with hematite) that also contains high concentrations of As, Ni, Zn, Ag, Sb, Cu and Pb. Conversely, positive values representative of reduced sulfur are found in later generations of pyrite, with lower concentrations of As, Ni, Sb, Cu, Zn and Pb. These later pyrite crystals display higher As/Ni, As/Sb, and As/Bi, and lower Cu/Te. These geochemical trends are the result of redox controlled transport and partitioning into pyrite of minor and trace elements now within the pyrite structure. Previous studies suggested a single orogenic event formed the Wallaby Deposit. This is not supported by the present study. Trace element ratios such as As/Ni clearly delineate the high Au generations and could be used as an exploration tool. It is suggested that pyrite from the Wallaby Gold Deposit formed via desulfidation and a gradual change in redox conditions within an evolving fluid and did not result from mixing of two separate fluids as previously advocated. Utilizing pyrite to link the entire fluid history of Wallaby demonstrates the general use of pyrite as a valuable mineral tracer in gold-bearing fluid systems.     

Geology,geochronology and fluid characteristics of the Pingqiu gold deposit,Southeastern Guizhou Province,China

The junction of the southeastern Guizhou, the southwestern Hunan, and the northern Guangxi regions is located within the southwestern Jiangnan orogen and forms a NE-trending ∼250 km gold belt containing more than 100 gold deposits and occurrences. The Pingqiu gold deposit is one of the numerous lode gold deposits in the southeastern Guizhou district. Gold mineralization is hosted in Neoproterozoic lower greenschist facies metamorphic rocks and controlled by fold-related structures. Vein types present at Pingqiu include bedding-parallel and discordant types, with saddle-reefs and their down limb extensions dominating but with lesser discordant types. The major sulfide minerals are arsenopyrite and pyrite, with minor sphalerite, galena, chalcopyrite, and rare pyrrhotite, marcasite, and tetrahedrite. Much of the gold is μm- to mm-sized grains, and occurs as fracture-controlled isolated grains or filaments in quartz, galena, sphalerite, pyrite, and wallrock.Three types of fluid inclusions are distinguished in hydrothermal minerals. Type 1 aqueous inclusions have homogenization temperatures of 171–396 °C and salinities of 1.4–9.8 wt% NaCl equiv. Type 2 aqueous-carbonic inclusions yield final homogenization temperatures of 187–350 °C, with salinities of 0.2–7.7 wt% NaCl equiv. Type 3 inclusions are carbonic inclusions with variable relative content of CO₂ and CH₄, and minor amounts of N₂ and H₂O. The close association of CO₂-rich inclusions and H₂O-rich inclusions in groups and along the same trail suggests the presence of fluid immiscibility. The calculated δ¹⁸O_H2O values range from 4.3‰ to 8.3‰ and δD_H2O values of fluid inclusions vary from −55.8‰ to −46.9‰. A metamorphic origin is preferred on the basis of geological background and analogies with other similar deposit types.Two ore-related sericite samples yield well-defined ⁴⁰Ar/³⁹Ar plateau ages of 425.7 ± 1.7 Ma and 425.2 ± 1.3 Ma, respectively. These data overlap the duration of the Caledonian gold mineralization along the Jiangnan orogen, and suggest that gold mineralization was post-peak regional metamorphism and occurred during the later stages of the Caledonian orogeny.Overall, the Pingqiu gold deposit displays many of the principal characteristics of the Bendigo gold mines in the western Lachlan Orogen (SE Australia) and the Dufferin gold deposit in the Meguma Terrane (Nova Scotia, Canada) but also some important differences, which may lead to the disparity in gold endowment. However, the structural make-up at deposit scale, and the shallow mining depth at present indicate that the Pingqiu gold deposit may have considerable gold potential at depth.     

碳酸盐沉积物的成岩作用

化学沉淀碳酸盐矿物在沉积后很容易受到各种作用的影响,其中最重要的是其在成岩阶段所经历的成岩作用.碳酸盐沉积物在成岩过程中主要受大气降水、海水和埋藏过程中孔隙流体的控制,经历一系列压实、溶解、矿物的多相转变、重结晶、胶结等成岩作用,逐渐转变为固结的岩石.在成岩过程中,由于孔隙流体与沉积流体之间的异同以及温度的变化,碳酸盐沉积物的原始矿物成分、地球化学特征可能会很好的保存下来,但在许多情况下,也可能会改变,从而使我们无法准确反演碳酸盐沉积物在沉积时水体的特征.因此,我们在应用碳酸盐岩重建相关古环境和古气候变化的时候,必须要通过有效的方法来对碳酸盐岩是否受到成岩作用的影响进行鉴定.