Generation and Evolution of Ore Fluids for Porphyry Cu-Au Mineralization of the Santo Tomas II (Philex) Deposit, Philippines

Abstract: The Santo Tomas II (Philex) deposit is a porphyry Cu‐Au deposit, located in the southern part of the Baguio mineral district, Benguet Province, northern Luzon, Philippines. The Santo Tomas II deposit is associated with an intrusive complex consisting of four rock types that are distinguished based on petrography. They are 1) post‐ore clinopyroxene‐bearing hornblende andesite porphyry, 2) ore‐generating hornblende andesite porphyry, 3) hornblende quartz diorite porphyry and 4) porphyritic hornblende quartz diorite. K‐Ar age of hydrothermal biotitization was estimated to be 1.5±0.4 Ma. A number of intrusive bodies having broadly similar petrography and K‐Ar age occur in the vicinity of the Santo Tomas II deposit, such as at Clifton, Ligay (Binang), Bumolo (Waterhole) and Philex Main Camp areas. The intrusions at the Santo Tomas II deposit and in the vicinity are characterized by high X_Mg (Mg/[Mg+Fe] atomic ratio, about 0.7 or higher) of mafic silicate phenocrysts such as hornblende, and high sulfur contents (> 0.2 wt% as SO₃) in accessory microphenocrystic apatite, suggesting a highly oxidizing condition. Sulfur is accommodated dominantly as oxidized species since the crystallization of phe‐nocrysts. Sub‐dendritic rim of tremolitic amphibole on hornblende phenocryst in the ore‐generating andesite porphyry at the Santo Tomas II deposit suggests interaction of magma and aqueous fluid(s) exsolved due to decompression during intrusion. Dissemination of magnetite is associated with hydrothermal biotitization and is followed by sheeted and stockwork quartz veinlets having silician magnetite and rare titanohematite instead of Cu‐Fe sulfides. The silician magnetite‐rich quartz veinlet was formed at f_O2 near the hematite‐magnetite buffer at nearly magmatic temperature, where sulfur dominantly existed as oxidized species such as SO₂. Chalcopyrite and bornite, which commonly exhibit micrographic texture often accompanying Pd telluride and native gold/Au‐rich electrum, are associated with subsequent anhydrite (‐quartz) veinlets and stringers. Both intermediate solid solution (iss) and bornite solid solution (bnss) are thought to have coprecipitated primarily at above 500°C based on fluid inclusion microthermometry and sulfur isotope thermometry applied for anhydrite and associated chal‐copyrite and bornite. The initial iss is considered to have converted to chalcopyrite partly replacing bnss during cooling. The hypersaline polyphase fluid inclusions abundantly found in the sheeted and stockwork quartz as well as anhydrite veinlets with scarce gaseous inclusions suggest that they have been trapped in the two aqueous fluid immiscible region. The western Luzon arc associated with porphyry Cu mineralization is characterized by oxidized hydrous magmatism and shallow emplacement, and by the source of sulfur enriched in ³⁴S.     

Changes in magnetic and fractal properties of fractured granites near the Nojima Fault, Japan

Abstract Anisotropy of magnetic susceptibility (AMS) has been used to infer finite strain fabrics in plastically deformed rocks, but there are few studies of magnetic properties in fractured fault rocks. Changes in magnetic and fractal properties of fractured granites from the Disaster Prevention Research Institute, Kyoto University (DPRI) 500 m drilling core towards the Nojima Fault and of the well-foliated fault gouge are described. Fractal analysis of fractured granites shows that the fractal dimension ( D ) increases linearly toward the gouge zone of the fault. In weakly fractured granites ( D = 1.05–1.24), it was found that the degree of AMS correlates positively with the fractal dimension, suggesting a fracture-related magnetic fabric due to fracturing. In strongly fractured granites ( D = 1.25–1.50), weaker, nearly isotropic AMS is found, suggesting erasure by the fragmentation of the magnetic minerals. Within the fault gouge zone, an isotropic AMS fabric was found, as well as twofold increases in magnetic intensity and susceptibility. These changes reflect the production of new magnetite grains, subsequently confirmed by hysteresis studies, which suggests that fault gouge might be regarded as the source of the regional geomagnetic field contrast along active faults. Thus, AMS is clearly a potentially useful tool for inferring the fracturing texture of magnetic minerals in fractured rocks and detecting active faults from the high susceptibility contrast of fault gouge.     

Geochemistry, Petrogenesis and Metallogenesis of the Panzhihua Gabbroic Layered Intrusion and Associated Fe-Ti-V Oxide Deposits, Sichuan Province, SW China

The Panzhihua gabbroic layered intrusion is associated withthe 260 Ma Emeishan Large Igneous Province in SW China. Thissill-like body hosts a giant Fe–Ti–V oxide depositwith 1333 million ton ore reserves, which makes China a majorproducer of these metals. The intrusion has a Marginal zoneof fine-grained hornblende-bearing gabbro and olivine gabbro,followed upward by Lower, Middle, and Upper zones. The Lowerand Middle zones consist of layered melanogabbro and gabbrocomposed of cumulate clinopyroxene, plagioclase, and olivine.These zones also contain magnetite layers. The Upper zone consistschiefly of leucogabbro composed of plagioclase and clinopyroxenewith minor olivine. Most rocks in the body show variable-scalerhythmic modal layering in which dark minerals, primarily clinopyroxene,dominate in the lower parts of each layer, and lighter minerals,primarily plagioclase, dominate in the upper parts. The oxideores occur as layers and lenses within the gabbros and are concentratedin the lower parts of the intrusion. Ore textures and associatedmineral assemblages indicate that the ore bodies formed by verylate-stage crystallization of V-rich titanomagnetite from animmiscible oxide liquid in a fluid-rich environment. The rocksof the Panzhihua intrusion become more evolved in chemistryupward and follow a tholeiitic differentiation trend with enrichmentin Fe, Ti, and V. They are enriched in light rare earth elementsrelative to heavy rare earth elements, and exhibit positiveNb, Ta, and Ti anomalies and negative Zr and Hf anomalies. Thesilicate rocks and oxide ores of the Panzhihua intrusion formedfrom highly evolved Fe–Ti–V-rich ferrobasaltic orferropicritic magmas. The textures of the ores and the abundanceof minor hydrous phases indicate that addition of fluids fromupper crustal wall-rocks induced the separation of the immiscibleoxide melts from which the Fe–Ti–V oxide ore bodiesin the lower part of the intrusion crystallized. KEY WORDS: magnetite; Fe–Ti-rich gabbro; layered intrusion; Panzhihua; SW China     

Competition between enzymatic and abiotic reduction of uranium(VI) under iron reducing conditions

Reduction of U(VI) under iron reducing conditions was studied in a model system containing the dissimilatory metal-reducing bacterium Shewanella putrefaciens and colloidal hematite. We focused on the competition between direct enzymatic uranium reduction and abiotic reduction of U(VI) by Fe(II), catalyzed by the hematite surface, at relatively low U(VI) concentrations (< 0.5 μM) compared to the concentrations of ferric iron (> 10 mM). Under these conditions surface catalyzed reduction by Fe(II), which was produced by dissimilatory iron reduction, was the dominant pathway for uranium reduction. Reduction kinetics of U(VI) were identical to those in abiotic controls to which soluble Fe(II) was added. Strong adsorption of U(VI) at the hematite surface apparently favored the abiotic pathway by reducing the availability of U(VI) to the bacteria. In control experiments, lacking either hematite or bacteria, the addition of 45 mM dissolved bicarbonate markedly slowed down U(VI) reduction. The inhibition of enzymatic U(VI) reduction and abiotic, surface catalyzed U(VI) reduction by the bicarbonate amendments is consistent with the formation of aqueous uranyl-carbonate complexes. Surprisingly, however, more U(VI) was reduced when dissolved bicarbonate was added to experimental systems containing both bacteria and hematite. The enhanced U(VI) reduction was attributed to the formation of magnetite, which was observed in experiments. Biogenic magnetite produced as a result of dissimilatory iron reduction may be an important agent of uranium immobilization in natural environments.     

氧化铁矿物催化分解苯酚的动力学速率及其产物特征

本文研究了针铁矿、纤铁矿、赤铁矿和磁铁矿在过氧化氢参与下催化分解苯酚的动力学速率与溶液pH值的关系,并用紫外吸收谱测定了反应产物的谱学特征。结果表明,纤铁矿反应体系催化分解苯酚的速率常数(k)最大,其余依次为磁铁矿、针铁矿和赤铁矿。在纤铁矿反应体系中又以pH=3.8时反应速率常数最大。除赤铁矿反应体系外,当溶液pH=3~4时苯酚被完全分解,并有50%~65%的有机碳(TOC)被矿化。在pH=3.25的赤铁矿反应体系中,苯酚大多仅被转化为多酚,小部分苯环被打开形成己烯酸。当溶液pH=4~5时,苯酚一般仅被转化为多酚类化合物,但TOC基本不变。当溶液pH>5时,苯酚没有发生明显的转化和矿化现象。     

湖北省大冶铁矿区内矿石磁性特征分析

从磁铁矿矿石的磁性差异入手,对铁(铜)矿床中各矿体的矿石磁性特征进行了系统的描述,得出大冶铁矿铁(铜)矿床是一个磁性特征变化较大的矿区.之后对矿石中引起磁性差异的原因进行了分析,并指出影响磁铁矿矿石磁性特征的主要因素为矿石的矿物组成、化学成分以及矿石的结构和构造.