Metamorphism in Archaean greenstone belts: calculated fluid compositions and implications for gold mineralization

An inescapable consequence of the metamorphism of greenstone belt sequences is the release of a large volume of metamorphic fluid of low salinity with chemical characteristics controlled by the mineral assemblages involved in the devolatilization reactions. For mafic and ultramafic sequences, the composition of fluids released at upper greenschist to lower amphibolite facies conditions for the necessary relatively hot geotherm corresponds to those inferred for greenstone gold deposits (X_CO2= 0.2–0.3). This result follows from the calculation of mineral equilibria in the model system CaO–MgO–FeO–Al₂O₃–SiO₂–H₂O–CO₂, using a new, expanded, internally consistent dataset. Greenstone metamorphism cannot have involved much crustal over-thickening, because very shallow levels of greenstone belts are preserved. Such orogeny can be accounted for if compressive deformation of the crust is accompanied by thinning of the mantle lithosphere. In this case, the observed metamorphism, which was contemporaneous with deformation, is of the low-P high-T type. For this type of metamorphism, the metamorphic peak should have occurred earlier at deeper levels in the crust; i.e. the piezothermal array should be of the ‘deeper-earlier’type. However, at shallow crustal levels, the piezothermal array is likely to have been of ‘deeper-later’type, as a consequence of erosion. Thus, while the lower crust reached maximum temperatures, and partially melted to produce the observed granites, mid-crustal levels were releasing fluids prograde into shallow crustal levels that were already retrograde. We propose that these fluids are responsible for the gold mineralization. Thus, the contemporaneity of igneous activity and gold mineralization is a natural consequence of the thermal evolution, and does not mean that the mineralization has to be a consequence of igneous processes. Upward migration of metamorphic fluid, via appropriate structurally controlled pathways, will bring the fluid into contact with mineral assemblages that have equilibrated with a fluid with significantly lower X_CO2. These assemblages are therefore grossly out of equilibrium with the fluid. In the case of infiltrated metabasic rocks, intense carbonation and sulphidation is predicted. If, as seems reasonable, gold is mobilized by the fluid generated by devolatilization, then the combination of processes proposed, most of which are an inevitable consequence of the metamorphism, leads to the formation of greenstone gold deposits predominantly from metamorphic fluids.     

Geochemistry and Origin of Ananai Stratiform Manganese Deposit in the Northern Chichibu Belt, Central Shikoku, Japan

Abstract. Major and trace element contents are reported for Permian manganese ore and associated greenstone from the Ananai manganese deposit in the Northern Chichibu Belt, central Shikoku, Japan. The manganese deposit occurs between greenstone and red chert, or among red chert beds. Chemical compositions of manganese ore are characterized by enrichments in Mn, Ca, P, Co, Ni, Zn, Sr and Ba, and negative Ce and positive Eu anomalies relative to post-Archean average Australian Shale (PAAS). Geochemical features of the manganese ore are similar to those of modern submarine hydrother-mal manganese deposits from volcanic arc or hotspot setting. In addition, geochemical characteristics of the greenstone closely associated with the Ananai manganese deposit are analogous to those of with-in plate alkaline basalt (WPA). Consequently, the Ananai manganese deposit was most likely formed by hydrothermal activity related to hotspot volcanism in the Panthalassa Ocean during the Middle Permian. This is the first report documenting the terrestrially-exposed manganese deposit that was a submarine precipitate at hotspot.     

火山活动与金矿床

火山活动不仅对铁、铜多金属矿床的形成具有重要意义，而且对金矿形成也是至关重要的。笔者多年在火山岩分布区的工作的整理大量国内外大型超大型矿床矿田地质资料，深切地认识到火山作用在金矿形成过程中的重要意义。本文将从金矿床地质成因类型划分及其规模和资源量、各类型矿床的地质条件分析来说明这一认识，并初步总结了找矿工作中应注意的问题和标志，试图来推动火山岩地区金矿找矿工作。由于陆相火山岩金矿较为直观，因此本文着墨较少，而着重说明海底火山活动与金矿形成的内在联系。     

辽北－吉南地区太古宙花岗岩－绿岩带地质地球化学

辽北－吉南地区是我国典型太古宙花岗岩－绿岩带出露区之一。根据其地质地球化学特征，本区绿岩带可划分为清原型和夹皮沟型，其形成的古构造环境分别为与现代岛弧的大陆边缘活动带和弧后盆地或大陆边缘裂谷相类似的裂谷型构造环境。与绿岩带有关的花岗质岩石可划分为三类：即片麻状花岗质杂岩体、花岗闪长岩和英云闪长岩底辟岩基以及钾质花岗岩。花岗岩－绿岩带的形成时代为２．５－２．９Ｇａ。     

坦桑尼亚西北部苏库马绿岩带含金石英脉成矿特征

坦桑尼亚克拉通西北部的苏库马绿岩带是坦桑尼亚环维多利亚湖绿岩带重要的金矿聚集区。区内金矿化类型以含金石英脉为主,矿体的产出主要受剪切构造带控制。通过研究区域构造特征和岩石地球化学特征,认为苏库马绿岩带中玄武岩为弧后环境形成,流纹岩和花岗岩形成于陆弧环境,N--S向挤压作用和E--W向伸展作用是区域内主要的构造展布特征。建立了含金石英脉的成矿模式,表明具有金矿化作用的石英脉集中分布在EW、SEE、NE向剪切构造破碎带中,含金石英脉富矿体的形成经历了多期构造变形和成矿流体的叠加、富集作用。     

Sunrise Hill unconformity: A newly discovered regional hiatus between Archaean granites and greenstones in the northeastern Pilbara Craton

Contacts between Archaean granites and greenstones in the northeastern part of the Pilbara Craton have been described as intrusive and tectonic. New field observations in the Shay Gap region demonstrate that greenstones of the Gorge Creek Group unconformably overlie the Muccan and Warrawagine batholiths. Regionally, the unconformity is marked by a persistent but relatively thin basal clastic sequence, locally with a granite boulder conglomerate, overlain by ore‐bearing banded iron‐formation, fine‐grained clastic rocks and chert. The granite basement is dated at 3443 ± 6 Ma. The precise age of the hiatus is unknown but its maximum effect might have been the removal of a substantial thickness of Early to Middle Archaean strata.     

吉林省夹皮沟金矿地质特征及成因探讨

夹皮沟金矿产于晚太古宙绿岩带的下部层位。北西向的韧性剪切带控制着金矿田和矿床分布,而矿体主要受叠加于韧性剪切带之上的脆性断裂构造制约。金主要来源于围岩。华力西晚期—燕山早期为主要成矿期。属多源、多期的叠生型金矿床。     

Gold-bearing rocks of Mangalur greenstone belt,Gulbarga District,Karnataka

The Mangalur greenstone belt of Dharwar Craton, South India, is an Archaean schist belt dominated by metavolcanic rocks. The gold mineralization occurs within the metavolcanics and the fabric, mineralogy and geochemistry of these host rocks indicate that they were tholeiitic basalts regionally metamorphosed under medium to low-grade greenschist facies. The basic metavolcanic rocks occur as tholeiitic metabasalts and amphibolites. The rocks have undergone some fractionation and appear to be derived from melts generated by 10 to 25% melting of the mantle at depths 30 to 35 km around temperature 1200°C and pressure 12 kb. The source of gold is mainly in the basalts and not in the surrounding granites.     

鲁西地区太古宙绿岩带硫铁矿床地质特征及成矿机制

鲁西地区新太古代雁翎关组由科马提岩、角闪质岩石、变粒岩和含铁石英岩等组成 ,其原岩为一套超镁铁质镁铁质火山熔岩及火山碎屑沉积的表壳岩建造 ,经历了三期区域变质作用 ,变质程度达低角闪岩相 ,是华北地台上一个典型的绿岩带。鲁西花岗岩绿岩带中分布有大小黄铁矿脉数十条之多 ,呈层状、透镜状或脉状沿片麻理方向展布 ,硫品位 3 .79%～ 3 1.6% ,伴生有用组分Fe、Ni、Ag等。通过对绿岩、矿体和矿石特征、S、Fe分布及变质成矿作用等方面的研究 ,证实绿岩中含有丰富的S、Fe、Ni等造矿元素 ,认为绿岩既是赋矿岩石亦是矿源层 ,矿床属变质热液叠加的变质火山沉积型硫铁矿床。     

五台山—恒山绿岩带Au-Ag-Cu成矿作用地球化学特征

五台山—恒山绿岩带Ａｕ、Ａｇ、Ｃｕ矿床可分为二大类型：（１）再生型金银铜矿，产在包括岩浆岩在内的各类岩石断裂构造中，与岩浆期后热液有关；（２）变生型金银铜矿，产于各类变质岩中，具有层控特征（即绿岩型金矿）。在地球化学特征上，再生型矿床与变生型矿床相比，矿体及围岩中Ｍｏ、Ａｇ、Ｐｂ、Ｚｎ、Ｃｄ等成矿及伴生元素明显富集；Ｋ２Ｏ、Ｒｂ、Ｓｒ、Ｂａ、Ｔｈ、Ｕ也明显富集，是后期岩浆热液作用的结果；Ｈｇ、Ｆ的明显富集则与后期构造活动有关；Ｚｎ／Ｃｄ比值较低，说明受到后期岩浆侵入影响；Ｔｈ／Ｕ比值低，可能指示富钙的酸性岩环境。再生型Ａｕ矿化的元素组合为Ｃｄ、Ａｓ、Ｎｉ、Ａｇ、Ｓｂ、Ａｕ、Ｈｇ（Ｂｉ），再生型Ａｇ矿化的元素组合为Ａｓ、Ｓｂ、Ａｇ、Ｃｄ、Ｃｕ、Ｎｉ（Ｍｏ、Ｐｂ、Ｚｎ、Ｂｉ），变生型Ａｕ矿化的元素组合较简单，只为Ａｕ、Ｈｇ、Ａｓ或Ａｕ、Ｃｕ。上述地球化学特征不仅可以有效地区分矿化类型，而且可以作为地球化学找矿和评价的指标