Geologic model of the magmatichydrothermal system of vulcano (Aeolian Islands, Italy)

Summary This paper presents a model of the active magmatic-hydrothermal (high-sulfidation) system of La Fossa volcano, based on mineralogical and geochemical studies of hydrothermal alteration on the surface and in the subsoil (geothermal wells and lithic clasts from explosive eruptions).The main engine of this system is represented by the shallow magmatic feeding system of La Fossa, which produces substantial degassing of volatiles (H₂O, S, Cl). The introduction of magmatic fluids into the conduit system causes high temperature recrystallisation and metasomatism of the volcanic and sub-volcanic rocks. Lateraly to the volcanic conduits, the magmatic fluids undergo a primary neutralization, forming neutral low permeability hydrothermal zones. During their rise to the surface, the magmatic vapours may condense in groundwater, forming acid solutions that react with rocks to form superficial hydrothermal alteration. Silicic, advanced argillic and intermediate argillic alteration facies develop. This reflects the progressive neutralisation of extremely acid fluids. High contents of trace elements, like TI and Bi, supporting evidence for magmatic fluid transport, were found close to the high temperature fumaroles (up to 500°Q in the silicic alteration zone of La Fossa.

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Ein geologisches Modell des magmatisch-hydrothermalen Systems von Vulcano, Aeolische Inseln, Italien

Zusammenfassung Diese Arbeit stellt ein Modell für das aktive magmatisch-hydrothermale (highsulfidation) System des La Fossa Vulkans vor. Dieses beruht auf mineralogischen und geochemischen Studien der hydrothermalen Umwandlung an der Oberfläche und im Untergrund (geothermale Bohrungen und lithische Klasten von explosiven Eruptionen). Als Energiequelle fungiert das seichte magmatische Zufuhrsystem von La Fossa, das signifikante Entgasung volatiler Phasen (H₂O, S, HCl) mit sich bringt. Das Eindringen magmatischer Fluide in die Zufuhrkanäle verursacht Rekristallisation und Metasomatose der vulkanischen und subvulkanischen Gesteine bei hohen Temperaturen. In lateralen Bereichen der vulkanischen Zufuhrkanäle erfahren die magmatischen Fluide eine primäre Neutralisation, wobei neutrale hydrothermale Zonen niedriger Permeabilität entstehen. Während des Aufstiegs an die Oberfläche können die magmatischen Fluide im Grundwasser kondensiert werden, wobei sie saure Lösungen bilden, die wiederum mit den Gesteinen reagieren und zu Hydrothermalalteration führen. Dabei entstehen silizische, fortgeschrittene argillische und intermediäre agillische Umwandlungsfazies. Dies entspricht der zunehmenden Neutralisation extrem saurer Fluide. Hohe Gehalte an Spurenelementen, wie TI und Bi können als zusätzliche Hinweise für magmatischen Fluidtransport gesehen werden, sie treten in der Nähe der HochTemperatur-Fumarolen (bis 500'C) in der silizischen Alterationszone von La Fossa auf.

     

Atmospheric sources and sinks of volcanogenic elements in a basaltic volcano (Etna, Italy)

This study reports on the first quantitative assessment of the geochemical cycling of volcanogenic elements, from their atmospheric release to their deposition back to the ground. Etna’s emissions and atmospheric depositions were characterised for more than 2 years, providing data on major and trace element abundance in both volcanic aerosols and bulk depositions. Volcanic aerosols were collected from 2004 to 2007, at the summit vents by conventional filtration techniques. Precipitation was collected, from 2006 to 2007, in five rain gauges, at various altitudes around the summit craters. Analytical results for volcanic aerosols showed that the dominant anions were S, Cl, and F, and that the most abundant metals were K, Ca, Mg, Al, Fe, and Ti (1.5-50 μg m⁻³). Minor and trace element concentrations ranged from about 0.001 to 1 μg m⁻³. From such analysis, we derived an aerosol mass flux ranging from 3000 to 8000 t a⁻¹. Most analysed elements had higher concentrations close to the emission vent, confirming the prevailing volcanic contribution to bulk deposition. Calculated deposition rates were integrated over the whole Etna area, to provide a first estimate of the total deposition fluxes for several major and trace elements. These calculated deposition fluxes ranged from 20 to 80 t a⁻¹ (Al, Fe, Si) to 0.01-0.1 t a⁻¹ (Bi, Cs, Sc, Th, Tl, and U). Comparison between volcanic emissions and atmospheric deposition showed that the amount of trace elements scavenged from the plume in the surrounding of the volcano ranged from 0.1% to 1% for volatile elements such as As, Bi, Cd, Cs, Cu, Tl, and from 1% to 5% for refractory elements such as Al, Ba, Co, Fe, Ti, Th, U, and V. Consequently, more than 90% of volcanogenic trace elements were dispersed further away, and may cause a regional scale impact. Such a large difference between deposition and emission fluxes at Mt. Etna pointed to relatively high stability and long residence time of aerosols in the plume.     

四川大水沟碲矿床微量元素地球化学特征

大水沟碲矿床产出于大渡河韧性剪切带中段热穹窿体北端,以Te为主成矿元素的Te,Bi,Se,Ag和Cu等多元素组合型矿床.通过对研究区碲矿床矿体和花岗岩体微量元素对比研究,对碲矿体样品、花岗岩体样品和成矿围岩火山岩微量元素进行R型聚类分析,结果发现,碲矿床成矿物质来源于附近花岗岩体,矿床成因可能与花岗岩关系密切,碲矿床成矿物质来源具多源性.     

Covellite of the Semenov-2 hydrothermal field (13°31.13′ N,Mid-Atlantic Ridge): Enrichment in trace elements according to LA ICP MS analysis

As a result of LA ICP MS analysis of sulfides of the Semenov-2 hydrothermal field, it is established that covellite, which replaces Zn sulfides, is enriched in most trace elements. The Ga, Ni, and In contents in it do not vary, whereas Mn, Co, and Cd are lower than in sphalerite. The distribution of trace elements in covellite, which replaces Cu–Fe sulfides, is distinct: it is enriched in Cd, Sb, Pb, and Bi, whereas the contents of other elements are either lower or invariant. Covellite, which replaces Zn sulfides, is enriched in all trace elements relative to that replacing Cu–Fe sulfides. Enrichment of covellite in trace elements relative to primary sulfides was favored by oxidation of the hydrothermal fluid by seawater, which is similar to the processes of submarine oxidation of ancient massive sulfide deposits. Covellite is also a host to invisible gold and silver in ores of the Semenov-2 field along with toxic elements such as As, Se, Te, Tl, and Cd.     

Pedo-geochemical baseline content levels and soil quality reference values of trace elements in soils from the Mediterranean (Castilla La Mancha, Spain)

To evaluate trace element soil contamination, geochemical baseline contents and reference values need to be established. Pedo-geochemical baseline levels of trace elements in 72 soil samples of 24 soil profiles from the Mediterranean, Castilla La Mancha, are assessed and soil quality reference values are calculated. Reference value contents (in mg kg^?1) were: Sc 50.8; V 123.2; Cr 113.4; Co 20.8; Ni 42.6; Cu 27.0; Zn 86.5; Ga 26.7; Ge 1.3; As 16.7; Se 1.4; Br 20.1; Rb 234.7; Sr 1868.4; Y 38.3; Zr 413.1; Nb 18.7; Mo 2.0; Ag 7.8; Cd 4.4; Sn 8.7; Sb 5.7; I 25.4; Cs 14.2; Ba 1049.3; La 348.4; Ce 97.9; Nd 40.1; Sm 10.7; Yb 4.2; Hf 10.0; Ta 4.0; W 5.5; Tl 2.3; Pb 44.2; Bi 2.2; Th 21.6; U 10.3. The contents obtained for some elements are below or close to the detection limit: Co, Ge, Se, Mo, Ag, Cd, Sb, Yb, Hf, Ta, W, Tl and Bi. The element content ranges (the maximum value minus the minimum value) are: Sc 55.0, V 196.0, Cr 346.0, Co 64.4, Ni 188.7, Cu 49.5, Zn 102.3, Ga 28.7, Ge 1.5, As 26.4, Se 0.9, Br 33.0 Rb 432.7, Sr 3372.6, Y 39.8, Zr 523.2, Nb 59.7, Mo 3.9, Ag 10.1, Cd 1.8, Sn 75.2, Sb 9.9, I 68.0, Cs 17.6, Ba 1394.9, La 51.3, Ce 93.5, Nd 52.5, Sm 11.2, Yb 4.2, Hf 11.3, Ta 6.3, W 5.2, Tl 2.1, Pb 96.4, Bi 3.0, Th 24.4, U 16.4 (in mg kg^?1). The spatial distribution of the elements was affected mainly by the nature of the bedrock and by pedological processes. The upper limit of expected background variation for each trace element in the soil is documented, as is its range as a criterion for evaluating which sites may require decontamination.     

Trace element degassing and enrichment in the eruptive plume of the 2000 eruption of Hekla volcano, Iceland

During its last eruption in February 2000, Hekla volcano (Iceland) emitted a sub-Plinian plume that was condensed and scavenged down to the ground by heavy snowstorms, offering the unique opportunity to study the chemistry of the gaseous plume released during highly explosive eruptions. In this paper, we present results on trace element and minor volatile species (sulfates, chlorides, and fluorides) concentrations in snow samples collected shortly after the beginning of the eruption. The goal of this study is to better constrain the degassing and mobility of trace elements in gaseous emissions. Trace element volatility at Hekla is quantified by means of enrichment factors (EF) relative to Be. Well-known volatile trace elements (e.g., transition metals, heavy metals, and metalloids) are considerably enriched in the volcanic plume of Hekla. Their abundances are governed by the primary magmatic degassing of sulfate and/or halide compounds, which are gaseous at magmatic temperature. Their volatility is, however, slightly lower than in basaltic systems, most likely because of the lower magma temperature and higher magma viscosity at Hekla. More surprisingly, refractory elements (e.g., REE, Th, Ba, and Y) are also significantly enriched in the eruptive plume of Hekla where their apparent volatility is two orders of magnitude higher than in mafic systems. In addition, REE patterns normalized to the Hekla 2000 lava composition show a significant enrichment of HREE over LREE, suggesting the presence of REE fluorides in the volcanic plume. Such enrichments in the most refractory elements and REE fractionation are difficult to reconcile with primary degassing processes, since REE fluorides are not gaseous at magma temperature. REE enrichments at Hekla could be attributed to incongruent dissolution of tephra grains at low temperature by F-rich volcanic gases and aerosols within the eruptive plume. This view is supported by both leaching experiments performed on Hekla tephra and thermodynamic considerations on REE mobility in hydrothermal fluids and modeling of glass dissolution in F-rich aqueous solutions. Tephra dissolution may also explain the observed enrichments in other refractory elements (e.g., Th, Y, and Ba) and could contribute to the degassing mass balance of some volatile trace elements, provided they are mobile in F-rich fluids. It thus appears that both primary magmatic degassing and secondary tephra dissolution processes govern the chemistry of eruptive plumes released during explosive eruptions.     

Contents of eleven trace elements in ureilite achondrites

We determined Ag, Bi, Cd, Co, Cs, Ga, In, Se, Te, Tl and Zn in the 6 ureilite achondrites by neutron activation analysis. All 11 elements are depleted below Cl levels and their characteristic abundance pattern differs substantially from those of chondritic groups. Thus ureilites do not represent a simple mixture of volatile-rich chondrites with achondritic material but perhaps cosmochemically-fractionated achondritic material and a late ‘distillate’ of mobile elements.     

四川省癌死亡率与土壤环境中化学元素的关系

利用中国癌死亡率与土壤坏境中化学元素的相关性成果，研究了四川省癌死亡率与土壤环境中化学元素：As、Cd、Co、Cu、Hg、Mn、Ni、Pb、Se、V、Li、Na、K、Rb、Cs、Mg、Ca、Sr、Ba、B、Al、Ga、In、Tl、Sc、Y、La、Ce、Pr、Nd、Tb、Dy、Ho、Er、Tm、Yb、Lu、Th、U、Sn、Ti、Zr、Hf、Sb、Bi、Ta、Te、Mo、W、Br、I、Fe等52个元素含量的关系     

The degassing behavior of Au, Tl, As, Pb, Re, Cd and Bi from silicate liquids: Experiments and applications

We investigate the degassing of volatile heavy metals from natural basalt and dacite and synthetic rhyolite melts doped with Bi, Pb, Tl, Au, Re, Sb, Sn, Cd, Mo, As, Cu in Pt capsules over a range of temperatures (1200-1430 °C) exposed to air at 0.1 MPa. We also investigated the effects of ligands on degassing by adding known concentrations of Cl and S. During the experiments concentration gradients normal to the melt/gas interface arose for the trace metals Au, Tl, As, Cd, Re, Bi and Pb, as shown by measurements by laser ablation inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (LA-ICP-MS) on the quenched glasses. In contrast, erratic concentration gradients occurred for Cu, Mo, Sn, Sb due to the development of compositional cords in the glass for those elements. The diffusivities for Au, Tl, As, Cd, Re, Bi and Pb (in decreasing order of volatility) followed an Arrhenius relationship with log D at 1260 °C varying from −12 to −17. The addition of Cl and S were shown to increase by two-to five-fold the volatilities of all metals, with S having a more profound effect. Diffusivities from the experiments were applied in a bubble growth model to examine the behavior of Tl and Pb in volcanic gases. The Tl/Pb ratio in gases shows much greater variation than can be explained by partitioning and magma composition alone, with diffusion serving to drastically enrich or deplete the Tl/Pb of gases to values significantly different from that of the melt.     

Trace elements in primitive meteorites—VI. Abundance patterns of thirteen trace elements and interelement relationships in unequilibrated ordinary chondrites

Neutron activation analysis was used to determine As, Au, Bi, Cd, Co, Cu, Ga, In, Sb, Se, Te, Tl and Zn in 13 different unequilibrated ordinary chondrites (UOC), i.e. those having chemicallyinhomogeneous silicates. This study together with prior data completes our coverage of this group of 23 primitive chondrites. Four elements are quite variable in UOC (Cd—20 x, In—30 x, Bi—300 x and Tl—1300 x), the others varying by 2–8 x. Three highly-depleted elements—Bi, In and Tl—are richer by 5–35 x in unequilibrated chondrites than in their equilibrated congeners. All 3 elements vary directly in characteristic fashion with disequilibrium parameters for olivine and pyroxene in UOC and generally with petrologic type 3 > 4 > 5 > 6. The data do not provide unambiguous evidence for nebular fractionation of siderophile elements. Examination of statistically-significant interelement relationships among various ordinary chondrite populations involving 34 elements reveals patterns distinct from those of other chondritic groups. These patterns reflect nebular metal-silicate fractionation which preceded or accompanied thermal fractionation. The results point to significant differences in the formation of primitive carbonaceous, enstatite and ordinary chondrites.     

Chemical characteristics and origin of H chondrite regolith breccias

We report petrologic data and contents of Ag, Bi, Cd, Co, Cs, Ga. In, Rb, Se, Te, Tl and Zn-trace elements spanning the volatility/mobility range-in light and dark portions of H chondrite regolith breccias and L chondrite fragmental breccias. The chemical/petrologic characteristics of H chondrite regolith breccias differ from those of non-brecciated chondrites or fragmentai breccias. Petrologic characteristics and at least some trace element contents of H chondrite regolith breccias reflect primary processes; contents of the most volatile/mobile elements may reflect either primary or secondary processing, possibly within layered H chondrite parent object(s). Chemical/petrologic differences existed in different regions of the parents). Regolith formation and gardening and meteoroid compaction were not so severe as to alter compositions markedly.     

分散元素--金矿床中应引起注意的地球化学信息

分散元素Te、Se、Cd、Tl在某些类型金矿中可以富集,是黄金找矿的重要指示元素,甚至是最重要的指示元素。Te、Se主要富集在与碱性岩浆活动有关的金矿中,Cd主要富集在火山热液型金矿和古老结晶基底内的糜棱岩型金矿中,而Tl则在卡林型金矿中富集．分散元素在金矿床中的地球化学信息丰富了黄金找矿方法理论,拓宽了找矿思路．     

Thermal metamorphism of primitive meteorites—V. Ten trace elements in Tieschitz H3 chondrite heated at 400–1000°C

We determined ten trace elements by neutron activation analysis in Tieschitz (H3) chondrite powder heated in a low-pressure environment (initially ~ 10^?5 atm H₂) for 1 week at 100°C increments from 400–1000°C. Of these, Co seems unaffected by heating, 20% of Ga is lost only at 1000°C and losses of other elements progress with temperature to extremes of 25% for Se, 75% for Cs and 90–97% for Ag, Bi, In, Te, Tl and Zn. Treating elemental mobilization as kinetically-controlled by diffusion from spherical grains of uniform size, Ag, Cs, In and Se are lost from a single site by a single process while Bi, Te, Tl and Zn are lost from two sites or from one site by different processes at high and low temperatures. Magnitudes of apparent activation energies for loss of the first four elements at all temperatures and the last four at low temperatures are consistent with volume diffusion; at high temperatures Bi, Te, Tl and Zn are lost by a low-energy process, like desorption.We compared trace element abundances, patterns of statistically-significant correlations, factor analysis and two-element correlations between Tieschitz and heated Krymka (L3) and, except for factor analysis, “as-received” H3–6 chondrites. Trends for heated ordinary chondrites are similar though small differences occur; those for Tieschitz and H3–6 chondrites differ markedly indicating that H3–6 chondrites—unlike E3–6 chondrites—probably escaped substantial open-system metamorphism. Sharp contrasts in pictures for E-, L- and H-group chondrites indicate substantial differences in genetic histories.     

微波消解-电感耦合等离子体质谱法同时测定金属硫化矿中的稀散元素

铜精矿、镍精矿和锌精矿是金属硫化矿物,且为大宗进口商品,准确分析其中的稀散元素有利于矿物的综合利用。这类矿物中的稀散元素含量极低,各元素性质各异,尤其Ge和Se在湿法消解中由于挥发损失而无法准确定值,很难进行多种元素的同时测定,传统的方法需要通过预先分离富集,采用不同的仪器进行测定。本文以铜精矿、锌精矿和镍精矿为代表性硫化矿,采用微波消解对样品进行密闭前处理,电感耦合等离子体质谱法(ICP-MS)测定稀散元素含量,实现了多种元素的同时测定。条件实验表明在同时检测镓、锗、硒、镉、铟、碲、镧、铊的过程中,总固溶量、内标、质谱干扰消除的条件对三种金属硫化矿均一致,只是前处理过程中用酸的选择有些差异。硝酸-盐酸-氢氟酸-过氧化氢体系适合于测定镍精矿和锌精矿中的Ga、Ge、Se、Cd、In、Te、La、Tl和铜精矿中的Ga、Ge、Se、Cd、In、La、Tl,各元素的回收率在85.5%～116.6%之间;王水溶样法更适合测定铜精矿中的Te。     

Comparative geochemistry of shell phosphorites and dictyonema shales of the Baltic

Major and trace element composition of the Ordovician Obolus phosphorites and associated Dictyonema shales were determined by ICP-MS and chemical and microchemical elemental analyses. Relative to the phosphorites, the Dictyonema shales are substantially enriched in a variety of trace elements, except for As, Be, Co, Y, REE, Sr, and Pb. The Obolus phosphorites show enrichment of As, Bi, Hg, Mo, La, Y, Pb, and Sr and depletion of Ag, Ba, Be, Cd, Cr, Cu, Hf, Ni, Sc, Sn, U, V, Zn, and Zr relative to the world average phosphorite composition. The average trace element composition of the Dictyonema shales is close to the mean shale composition, except for higher contents of Mo, Hg, Pb, Se, Ta, Te, Th, V, and U and lower contents of Ba, Bi, Cd, Co, Re, Sr, and Zn. The results suggest that the change from phosphate sedimentation in aerated environments to anoxic carbonaceous sedimentation was accompanied by changes in the composition and concentration of trace elements in the sediment. Both facies show similar trends of trace element distribution indicative of the stability of the composition of seawater and terrigenous sediment input.     

R-mode factor analysis on enstatite chondrite analyses

R-mode factor analysis on 11 specimens of 9 enstatite chondrites, analysed for Ga, Se, Te, Zn, Cd, Bi, Tl, In, Sb, As, Co, showed three factors (rotated) to account for 92 per cent of the elemental variations (variance).Factor 1 dominates the first 8 elements listed, all volatile and mostly chalcophile: factors 2 and 3 express Sb and As variations, respectively, probably dependent on siderophile and less volatile behaviour; factors 1 and 2 contribute to Co.Factor-scores for individual meteorites indicate compositional differences (for these elements) between the E4 as against E5 and E6 stones (which are indistinguishable).Factor analysis of a second suite of 10 specimens analysed for Zn, Cd, Bi, Tl, In, Ag, Rb, Cs showed one factor to account for 93 per cent of the elemental variance. This expresses the association of Ag, Rb, Cs with the volatile-chalcophile factor.     

Thermal metamorphism of primitive meteorites—II. Ten trace elements in Abee enstatite chondrite heated at 400–1000°C

We used neutron activation analysis to determine ten trace elements retained in Abee (E4) samples heated at 400–1000°C for 1 week in a low-pressure (initially ~ 10^?5atm H₂) environment. Eight elements generally are lost progressively with increasing temperature although gas(es) evolved from the samples apparently affect retention of some elements. In the extreme, ‘open-system’ losses are: Se—23%, Cs—40%; Te—87%; Ag, Bi, In, Tl, Zn— ≥93%. Under these conditions Co is not lost; Ga is lost only at 1000°C. At 900°C elements are lost from Abee chips in the same relative order as from Abee powder but the loss is somewhat less facile. Three of the most mobile elements—Bi, In, Tl—are lost more readily from Abee than from Allende (C3), the only other primitive chondrite studied to date. Assuming that elemental loss is a kinetic process involving mobilization from spherical grains, Bi, In, Se, Tl and Zn have different activation energies at high and low temperatures either because each element was originally present in two different sites or each has more than one loss mechanism (diffusion or desorption) in different temperature ranges.Comparison of elemental abundance patterns, patterns of statistically-significant correlations, factor analysis results and two-element correlation diagrams indicate strong similarities between heated Abee and ‘as-received’ enstatite chondrites for mobile elements. These results are consistent with a two-stage evolutionary model for enstatite chondrites involving condensation of cosmochemically fractionated primitive nebular material and subsequent loss of mobile elements from parent material by metamorphism.     

Fluorine speciation in topsoils of three active volcanoes of Sicily (Italy)

Fluorine is one of the many environmental harmful elements released by volcanic activity. The content of total oxalate-extractable and water-extractable fluorine was determined in 96 topsoils of three active volcanic systems of southern Italy (Mt Etna, Stromboli and Vulcano). Total fluorine (F) content (F _TOT) ranges from 112 to 7,430 mg kg⁻¹, F extracted with oxalate (F _OX) ranges from 16 to 2,320 mg kg⁻¹ (2–93% of F _TOT) and F extracted with distilled water ( ) ranges from 1.7 to 159 mg kg⁻¹ (0.2–40 % of F _TOT). Fluorine in the sampled topsoils derives both from the weathering of volcanic rocks and ashes and from the enhanced deposition due to volcanic gas emissions either from open-conduit passive degassing (Mt Etna and Stromboli) or from a fumarolic field (Vulcano). Fluorine accumulation in the studied soils does not generally present particular environmental issues except for a few anomalous sites at Vulcano, where measured contents could be dangerous both for vegetation and for grazing animals.     

Meteoritic trace elements in lunar rock 14321, 184

The 16 trace elements (Ag, Au, Bi, Br, Cd, Cs, Ge, In, Ir, Rb, Re, Sb, Se, Te, Tl and Zn) were measured by radiochemical neutron activation analysis in six samples of 14321, 184: microbreccia-2 (15), microbreccia-3 (14A, 16A and 19A), basaltic clast (1A), and light matrix material (9A). The 14321 microbreccias typically contain a siderophile-rich ancient meteoritic component, poor in volatiles, which is characterized by low $\text{Ir}\text{Au}$ and $\text{Re}\text{Au}$ ratios (0.25-0.38 and 0.34-0.50, respectively, normalized to Cl). This component also occurs in Apollo 12 KREEP glasses, norite fractions of Apollo 14 1–2 mm soils, Apennine Front breccias, and Cayley Formation material, and may represent ejecta from the Imbrian basin.The basaltic clast 14321, 184-1A closely resembles 14053 in trace element content, and both are 5–10 times higher than mare basalts in volatile trace elements (Br, Cd, Tl). The light matrix material contains 9.2 ± 0.5 per cent of microbreccias, judging from its siderophile content.     

Mercury gas emissions from La Soufrière Volcano, Guadeloupe Island (Lesser Antilles)

Quantifying mercury (Hg) emissions from active volcanoes is of particular interest for better constraining the global cycle and environmental impact of this highly toxic element. Here we report on the abundance of total gaseous (TGM = Hg⁰_(g) + Hg^II_(g)) and particulate (Hg_(p)) mercury in the summit gas emissions of La Soufrière andesitic volcano (Guadeloupe island, Lesser Antilles), where enhanced degassing of mixed hydrothermal-magmatic volatiles has been occurring since 1992 from the Southern summit crater. We demonstrate that Hg in volcanic plume occurs predominantly as gaseous mercury, with a mean TGM/Hg_(p) mass ratio of ~ 63. Combining the mean TGM/H₂S mass ratio of the volcanic plume (~ 3.2 × 10^− 6), measured close to the source vent, with the H₂S plume flux (~ 0.7 t d^− 1), determined simultaneously, allows us to estimate a gaseous mercury emission rate of 0.8 kg yr^− 1 from La Soufrière summit dome. Somewhat lower TGM/S_tot mass ratio in fumarolic gases from the source vent (4.4 × 10^− 7) suggests that plume chemical composition is not well represented by the emission source (fumaroles) due to chemical processes prior to (or upon) discharge. Current mercury emission from La Soufrìere volcano represents a very small contribution to the estimated global volcanic budget for this element.