Revisiting platinum group elements of Late Permian coals from western Guizhou Province, SW China

Twenty five coal samples from the Late Permian coal-bearing strata in Weining, Nayong, and Zhijin, western Guizhou Province, SW, China, were analyzed for platinum group elements (PGEs). The coal ashes were digested by the Carius tube technique and accurately measured by isotope dilution-inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ID-ICP-MS) for all PGEs. The results are much lower than the previous reported values. Our study suggested that the previously reported PGE values are incorrect and may due to the polyatomic interferences in ICP-MS measurements. In our study, samples from the Weining coalfield have the lowest PGE contents (from 0.019 Ir to 0.42 ng/g Pd), which represent the PGE background value in coal in western Guizhou province. Some of the coals have Pt and Pd contents about 20-times higher than the background value, indicating PGEs are concentrated. We also reported new and reliable PGE data and background value of coal in western Guizhou province, SW, China, and suggested to rework the PGE background values of Chinese coals.     

黔西晚二叠世煤地球化学性质变异及特殊组构的火山灰成因

运用仪器中子活化分析(INAA)、电感耦合等离子体原子发射光谱(ICP—AES)、X射线衍射(XRD)、带能谱仪的扫描电镜(SEM—EDX)及光学显微镜等手段，对黔西晚二叠世煤地球化学性质变异及其特殊组构的火山灰成因进行了研究。结果表明，贵州西部织金矿区9煤层中异常高含量的Fe(4．24％)、Cu(369．90μg／g)、U(49．6μg／g)、Mo(63．10μg／g)、Zn(33．97μg／g)等是来源于同沉积基性火山灰降落到泥炭沼泽中所致；高含量的Fe、Cu并非以通常意义的煤中硫化物状态存在；除煤中有机质和陆源碎屑外，发现了由火山灰、有机质和陆源碎屑所形成的煤层中的特殊组构，暂定名为沉碳质火山胶凝物，它是一种有机—无机高度混合物质，根据沉碳质火山胶凝物的形态特征和物质组成，厘定出6种组构类型，分别是：网状组构、细屑组构、基质组构、孔腔组构、均质组构和碎屑组构。     

东天山黑峰山、双峰山及沙泉子(铜)铁矿床的矿物微量和稀土元素地球化学特征

东天山黑峰山铁矿床、双峰山铁矿床以及沙泉子铜铁矿床位于新疆哈密盆地以南,是东天山阿齐山-雅满苏构造带的重要矿床。文章利用磁铁矿、黄铁矿和方解石的微量元素及稀土元素组成示踪了这些矿床的成矿流体来源和性质,初步探讨了矿床的成因类型。激光剥蚀（LA）-ICP-MS磁铁矿微量元素分析表明,三个矿床的磁铁矿具有非常低的w（V）、w（Cr）和w（Ti）（平均分别为68×10^-6、13×10^-6和237×10^-6）,指示磁铁矿形成于热液过程而不是岩浆分异。黄铁矿中较高的Cu含量可能反映了含Cu矿物微颗粒的存在。黄铁矿中较低的Pb、Zn含量可能反映了成矿流体中较低的Pb²⁺和Zn²⁺浓度。黄铁矿中的Co/Ni比值表明这些矿床均为火山-热液成因。三个矿床黄铁矿的稀土元素总量都很低（ΣREE为0.58×10^-6~3.02×10^-6）,黑峰山铁矿中的黄铁矿轻、重稀土元素分馏不明显,双峰山铁矿和沙泉子铜铁矿中的黄铁矿均为轻稀土元素富集型,（La/Yb）_N分别为3.51~13.4和2.76~17.2。三个矿床略有差别的方解石稀土元素配分模式,反映了其流体组成和形成机制的差别。黑峰山铁矿中的重稀土元素富集型的方解石稀土元素配分模式为方解石Sm-Nd定年提供了依据。三个矿床的黄铁矿和方解石均无Ce异常,黑峰山铁矿中的黄铁矿和方解石表现为负Eu异常,而双峰山铁矿和沙泉子铜铁矿中的黄铁矿和方解石表现为正Eu异常,反映了三个矿床均形成于较高的温度,前者成矿流体可能为碱性,后两者成矿流体为酸性、还原性。结合前人研究成果认为,黑峰山铁矿、双峰山铁矿及沙泉子铜铁矿均为火山热液-充填（交代）矿床。     

滇东黔西晚二叠世聚煤区潮坪沉积特征

滇东黔西晚二叠世聚煤区为整个华南地区重要的成煤区域。根据地质资料及工作实践,论述和总结了该区潮坪沉积特征及成煤规律。结果显示,本区潮坪体系特有的沉积构造十分丰富,主要有潮汐作用形成的单粘土层、双粘土层和潮汐周期层序、涨落潮沉积的二元韵律结构、扁平状和浑圆状泥砾、双向泥砾、递变式的潮汐周期层序和泥冲槽等;潮坪体系的沉积层序和平面砂体特征明显,潮沟砂体一般垂直于海岸展布,且常朝陆地方向分岔尖灭;潮坪环境在相对稳定的构造条件下,多形成广泛稳定的优质煤层,但潮沟或泻湖海湾等长期被海水侵漫的区域,常使下伏煤层的含硫量变高。指出潮坪体系是该区富集优质煤层的重要成煤环境之一。     

新疆金矿火山岩微量及稀土元素地球化学特征

金矿火山岩微量元素以Th和Zr的明显正异常及Nb和Ti的明显负异常为特征。微量元素比值蛛网图模式曲线均呈微向左倾斜的多峰多谷曲线。过渡元素以Cr和Ni的明显负异常及Sc,Co,Cu明显正常为特征。过渡元素球粒陨石标准化曲线，也均呈微向右倾斜的W形曲线。稀土元素以稀土总量偏低，轻稀土富集，重稀土亏损，Eu具微弱异常至微弱正常为特征。稀土元素配分模式均呈微向右倾斜和近于水平的平滑曲线，陆相火山作用两类成矿岩浆建造－陆相火山岩与潜火山杂岩具有基本一致的微量元素和稀土元素地球化学特征。     

云县-景谷火山弧带大中河晚志留世火山岩的发现及其地质意义

云县-景谷火山弧带大中河地区新识别出一套晚志留世中基性-中酸性火山岩组合,其LA-ICPMS锆石U-Pb年龄为421.2±1.2Ma和417.6±5.1Ma。该套火山岩具有富铝(12.73%～16.63%)、富钠(K₂O/Na₂O=0.56～0.99)和高Mg^#(46.0～50.0)的特征,属于钙碱性系列岩石;同时富集轻稀土,Eu具有不同程度的弱亏损,亏损高场强元素(Nb、Ta、Ti),具有正ε_Nd(t)值(3.86～4.39)和较高的Th/Ta比值(15～17),显示与活动大陆边缘岛弧型火山岩相似的地球化学性质。大中河晚志留世火山岩很可能是俯冲沉积物流体交代地幔楔物质部分熔融的产物,并在岩浆上升过程中经历了一定的分离结晶作用和浅部地壳物质的同化混染;结合区域同期(410～420Ma)岩浆活动及相关的高压变质事件分析,应为原-古特提斯洋在早古生代末期向东俯冲消减作用的产物,从而为扬子陆块西部边缘晚古生代"三江"多岛弧盆系的形成演化提供了前锋弧发育的岩石学证据及其动力学机制。     

贵州西部煤层中若干有害微量元素的分布及迁移富集规律

煤中有害微量元素不仅影响煤的加工利用,而且对生态环境及人类健康有极大危害,本文利用现代分析测试手段,对贵州西部晚二叠世主采煤层中的有害微量元素Ａｓ,Ｆ,Ｈｇ,Ｐｔ,Ｃｄ等的含量,分布赋存状态及其迁移富集规律进行了研究。     

Trace element and REE geochemistry of the Zhewang gold deposit,southeastern Guizhou Province,China

The quartz vein-type gold deposits are widely hosted by the Neoproterozoic （Xiajiang Group） epimeta- morphic clastic rock series in southeastern Guizhou Province, China. The Zhewang gold deposit studied in this paper occurs in the second lithologieal member of the Pinglue Formation of the Xiajiang Group. Trace element geochemis- try of host rocks, quartz veins and arsenopyrite has revealed that ore-forming fluid was enriched in sulphophile ele- ments such as Au, Ag, As, Sb, Pb and Zn, and simultaneously concentrated some magmaphile elements such as W and Mo, which probably provides some evidence for multi-stage mineralization or overprinting of magmatic hydro- therm. Quartz veins and arsenopyrite were characterized by depletion in HFSE and enrichment in LREE. Hf/Sm, Nb/La and Th/La imply that the ore-forming fluid was probably a NaC1-H20 solution system enriched in more C1 than F; Th/U values reflect the strong reducibility of the ore-forming fluid, coincident with the sulfide assemblages. The values of Co/Ni reflect that magmatic fluids may have partly participated in the ore-forming process and Y/Ho values have proved that the ore-forming fluid was associated with metamorphism and exotic hydrotherm which has reformed former quartz veins during late mineralization. The concentrations of REE, Eu anomalies and Ce anomalies of this deposit display that ore-forming elements mainly were derived from host rocks and possibly from a mixed deep source, and the ore-forming fluid was mixed by dominant metamorphic fluid and minor other sources. The physical-chemical conditions of ore-forming fluid changed from the initial stage to the late stage. The metamorphic fluid is responsible for the mineralization. Therefore, the Zhewang gold deposit is classified as a quartz vein-type gold deposit which may have been reformed by magmatic fluids during the late stage.     

Neutron Activation Analysis Applied to the Determination of Heavy Metals and Other Trace Elements in Sediments from Sepetiba Bay (RJ), Brazil

In this work, instrumental neutron activation analysis (INAA) was applied to the determination of the elements As, Ba, Br, Ce, Co, Cr, Cs, Eu, Fe, Hf, La, Lu, Nd, Rb, Sc, Sm, Ta, Tb, Th, U, Yb, Zn in twenty eight bottom sediment samples from Sepetiba Bay, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. With the concentration data obtained, contour maps were prepared, by using Kriging method, to show the spatial distribution of the studied elements in the Bay. The elements Co, Cr, Cs, Fe, Sc, Ta and Zn showed similar behaviour in the sediments, with higher concentrations along the northern coast of the bay, where the fluvial water inputs are concentrated. The distribution of U, rare earth elements and Ba in the Bay indicates that these elements are not deposited as contaminants.     

Chalcophile element constraints on magma differentiation of Quaternary volcanoes in Tengchong,SW China

The Tengchong volcanic field comprises numerous Quaternary volcanoes in SW China. The volcanic rocks are grouped into Units 1–4 from the oldest to youngest. Units 1, 3 and 4 are composed of trachybasalt, basaltic trachyandesite and trachyandesite, respectively, and Unit 2 consists of hornblende-bearing dacite. This rock assemblage resembles those of arc volcanic sequences related to oceanic slab subduction. Rocks of Units 1 and 3 contain olivine phenocrysts with Fo contents ranging from 65 to 85 mole%, indicating early fractionation of olivine and chromite prior to the eruption of magma. All the rocks from Units 1, 3 and 4 have very low PGE concentrations, with <0.05 ppb Ru and Rh, <0.2 ppb Pt and Pd, and Ir that is commonly close to, or slightly higher than detection limits (0.001 ppb). The small variations of Pt/Pd ratios (0.4–2.2) are explained by fractionation of silicate and oxide minerals. The 5-fold variations in Cu/Pd ratios (200,000–1,000,000) for the lavas at Tengchong, which do not vary systematically with fractionation, likely reflect retention of variable amounts of residual sulfide in the mantle source. In addition, all the rocks from Units 1, 3 and 4 have primitive mantle-normalized chalcophile element patterns depleted in PGE relative to Cu. Together with very low Cu/Zr ratios (0.06–0.24), these rocks are considered to have undergone variable degrees of sulfide-saturated differentiation in shallow crustal staging magma chambers. Large amounts of olivine and chromite crystallization probably triggered sulfide saturation of magma at depth for Units 1 and 3, whereas crustal contamination was responsible for sulfide saturation during ascent of magma for Unit 4.     

Mineralogy and geochemistry of a Late Permian coal in the Dafang Coalfield, Guizhou, China: influence from siliceous and iron-rich calcic hydrothermal fluids

This paper describes the influence of siliceous and iron-rich calcic low-temperature hydrothermal fluids (LTHF) on the mineralogy and geochemistry of the Late Permian No. 11 Coal (anthracitic, R_r=2.85%) in the Dafang Coalfield in northwestern Guizhou Province, China. The No. 11 Coal has high contents of vein ankerite (10.2 vol.%) and vein quartz (11.4 vol.%), with formation temperatures of 85 and 180 °C, respectively, indicating that vein ankerite and vein quartz were derived from low-temperature calcic and siliceous hydrothermal fluids in two epigenetic episodes. The vein quartz appears to have formed earlier than vein ankerite did, and at least three distinct stages of ankerite formation with different Ca/Sr and Fe/Mn ratios were observed.The two types of mineral veins are sources of different suites of major and trace metals. Scanning electron microscope and sequential extraction studies show that, in addition to Fe, Mg, and Ca, vein ankerite is the dominant source of Mn, Cu, Ni, Pb, and Zn in the coal, and the contents of these five elements are as high as 0.09% and 74.0, 33.6, 185, and 289 μg/g, respectively. In contrast, vein quartz is the main carrier mineral for platinum-group elements (PGEs) Pd, Pt, and Ir in the coal, and the contents of Pd, Pt, and Ir are 1.57, 0.15, and 0.007 μg/g, respectively. Sequential extraction showed a high PGE content in the silicate fraction, up to 10.4 μg/g Pd, 1.23 μg/g Pt, and 0.05 μg/g Ir, respectively. It is concluded that the formation of ankerite and quartz and the anomalous enrichment of trace elements in the No. 11 Coal in the Dafang Coalfield, Guizhou, result from the influx of calcic and siliceous low-temperature hydrothermal fluids.     

Tephrochronology of recent events in the Andean Range (northern Patagonia): spatial distribution and provenance of lacustrine ash layers in the Nahuel Huapi National Park

Tephrochronology is a powerful tool for dating sedimentary sequences, especially in Patagonia, where a large number of active volcanoes have produced frequent historical eruptions. Short lacustrine sedimentary sequences were extracted from the lakes Moreno Oeste and Ton?ek (Nahuel Huapi National Park). Seventeen volcanic ash layers were identified in both cores, ²¹⁰Pb and ¹³⁷Cs were used for dating techniques, and historical volcanic records were employed for correlation. White pumice and glass shards from the tephras were characterised by measuring major and trace element contents by instrumental neutron activation analysis. Two volcanic sources – the Cordón Caulle and the Calbuco volcanoes – were recognised as the prevailing systems that impacted the area in the past 800–1000 a. The Calbuco volcano was mainly responsible for the nine tephras identified in the Lake Ton?ek sequence. Four of these nine tephras also contained material from the Cordón Caulle complex, and could be interpreted as composite tephras or possible reworked ones. The Calbuco volcano showed predominant influences in the Lake Moreno Oeste sequence. Six of the eight tephras identified in such a sequence were from the Calbuco volcano, and three of these six contained material from the Cordón Caulle complex. The other two were from the Cordón Caulle complex, with contributions from the Calbuco volcano in one of them. These findings show that the high frequency of volcanic events in the study region demands an accurate characterisation of the products generated by each source, as well as an evaluation of their spatial distribution, to obtain a consistent framework for dating recent environmental changes. Copyright © 2010 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

云南富宁地区晚二叠世基性火山岩的发现及其构造意义

笔者在云南富宁地区厘定出一套较大面积展布的火山岩,为讨论该火山岩岩石地球化学特征及其构造意义,对该火山岩进行了地质学、岩石学、地球化学分析。结果表明：（1） 该套火山岩是研究区全新发现,结合其地质学特征及邻近地区测年数据,认为其时代可能为晚二叠世;（2）该火山岩主要由灰色致密状玄武岩、灰色（球颗）玄武岩、灰色气孔状玄武岩等基性岩石构成,多具有间粒结构,致密块状构造、气孔状构造,主要由斜长石、辉石组成,局部可见微弱热液蚀变发育;（3）该火山岩属亚碱性系列,SiO2含量处于46.08%~51.80%之间,全碱alk=2.94~5.21,K2O/Na2O=0.03~1.03,钠质多,为基性中-高钾钙碱性玄武岩;（4）该火山岩呈现轻稀土富集、重稀土亏损的弱分异右倾式稀土元素配分特征,δEu=1.02~1.10,呈现Eu正异常,δCe=0.93~0.96,表现Ce负异常。（Rb/Yb）N=1.6~11.4,强不相容元素富集;（Ce/Yb）N=2.03~7.59,（La/Lu）N=2.4~9.93,稀土元素分异明显;微量元素表现为Sr、Ti、Zr、Nb亏损,而P、Th富集特征。Nb/Ta介于11.8~18.5,显示出岩浆源遭受过来自消减板块的影响;（5）火山岩构造判别图显示该火山岩既具有大陆板内环境特征,又具有大洋板内构造背景,是一种叠加的构造环境,这可能是因为该地区大洋演化过程中同时受到了峨眉山玄武岩影响造成的。     

滇西六合正长斑岩和花岗岩包体中锆石U-Pb年代和微量元素地球化学研究

六合正长斑岩是滇西新生代富碱斑岩的典型代表,以发育各类深浅不一的岩石包体而闻名,其中包括了同期的花岗岩包体;主岩和包体所蕴含的深部地质过程对于富碱岩浆的形成和演化具有重要约束作用。本文以六合正长斑岩和其中花岗岩包体的锆石微量元素地球化学为研究重点,结合主岩主量元素、锆石U-Pb年龄、Ti温度、锆石氧逸度的对比研究,分析和探讨富碱岩浆的形成和演化过程。研究表明:锆石U-Pb年龄所限定的六合富碱岩浆活动时限为(37.89±0.96)~(35.87±0.58) Ma;而花岗岩包体代表的同期富硅酸性岩浆活动时限为(38.21±0.44)~(36.21±0.36) Ma;两者几乎同步活动。锆石微量元素成因判别图显示主岩锆石主要位于钾镁煌斑岩范围,暗示富碱岩浆源区具地幔属性;花岗岩包体锆石大多位于花岗岩范围,两者在花岗岩范围有部分重叠,证实了主岩锆石和花岗岩包体锆石结晶时存在共同的生长环境。Ce^(Ⅳ)/Ce^(Ⅲ)比值估算和Ti温度计算显示,在36.42~36.41 Ma范围内富碱岩浆氧逸度和锆石结晶温度发生突变,指示在该时限内富碱岩浆及所裹挟的花岗质岩浆发生了混合作用;氧逸度的振荡降低反映了后期幔源岩浆的补充。综合研究认为,六合地区来自富集地幔的喜山期富碱岩浆底侵熔化上覆深部地壳长英质岩石形成花岗质岩浆,随即以富碱岩浆为主与少量花岗质岩浆不均一混合并同步结晶成岩形成含有花岗岩包体的正长斑岩。     

豫西栾川县骆驼山硫锌多金属矿床闪锌矿微量元素地球化学特征及其地质意义

豫西栾川晚侏罗世中酸性岩浆热液活动形成了一套Mo-W(Fe)-Pb-Zn-Ag多金属成矿系列。其中骆驼山硫锌多金属矿床位于南泥湖矿田岩体的外接触带。在野外地质调查的基础上,通过ICP-MS对该矿床中闪锌矿/黄铁矿微量元素地球化学特征进行了详细研究。研究表明,矿床中闪锌矿微量元素的组成以富集Cd、In、Cu,亏损Ga、Tl为主要特征;Cd、In、Ga等分散元素主要赋存在闪锌矿中,Co、Ni主要富集在黄铁矿中。闪锌矿/黄铁矿中的∑REE含量均明显低于近矿围岩,早阶段闪锌矿轻重稀土元素分馏明显,配分曲线右倾;晚阶段闪锌矿LREE含量降低,配分曲线趋向平缓,并与晚阶段黄铁矿呈现互补性异常。闪锌矿的部分微量元素如Ga、Ge、Cd、In、Tl等能指示成矿温度、成矿流体特征及矿床成因,总体上闪锌矿微量元素组成特征与岩浆热液型矿床一致,与栾川中鱼库矿床成因相近,矿床形成于中高温环境。通过与邻区矿床对比分析,显示从成矿系列的过渡带到外围,成矿温度等特征呈规律性变化。     

火山"熔岩流气泡古高度计"及其在云南腾冲火山区的应用

通过对火山熔岩流及其气泡特征的研究能够确定熔岩流喷发时的古高度,本文将这一方法称为火山“熔岩流气泡古高度计”.“熔岩流气泡古高度计”是在实地测量熔岩流厚度和实验室对熔岩流顶底气泡体积精确测定的基础上,利用流体力学原理和气体状态方程,通过计算古大气压强,最终获得火山喷发时的古高度.由于火山岩是开展同位素测年的理想材料,并且利用熔岩流计算古高度所需的参数(熔岩流厚度和气泡体积)不受古气候等因素(温度、降雨量等)影响,因此,这一方法以其可靠的年龄和独立的计算参数明显区别于其它古高度计.“熔岩流气泡古高度计”核心技术包括:(1)熔岩流的挑选与厚度测量;(2)熔岩流底部和顶部气泡体积的计算.中等规模、具简单冷凝历史,并且厚度稳定的偏基性熔岩流,是开展古高度计算的理想对象.熔岩流气泡体积的测试手段包括注胶、岩石抛光-扫描、体视学转换和三维CT扫描4种方法.“熔岩流气泡古高度计”最终计算结果误差为400m左右.本文利用“熔岩流气泡古高度计”计算了腾冲火山区熔岩流的古高度,研究结果显示:“熔岩流气泡古高度计”计算的黑空山熔岩流高程与目前的实际高程相吻合.开展“熔岩流气泡古高度计”研究的前提是研究区必须出露保存完好的熔岩流.我国青藏高原的隆升历史一直是国际学术界争论的热点课题,那里出露大面积熔岩流.可以预见,“熔岩流气泡古高度计”将会逐渐成为研究青藏高原隆升历史的有效手段之一.     

REE and Other Trace Element Chemistry of Oldhamite（CaS） in the Qingzhen Chondrite（EH3） and Their Genetic Implications

Instrumental neutron activation analysis(INAA) of 14 single oldhamite grains separated from the Qingzhen chondrite (EH3) for refractory(La,Ce,Sm ,Eu,Yb,Lu,Ca,Sc,Hf, and Th),volatile (Na,Cr,Zn,Se,Br,etc.)and siderophile elements (Fe,Ni,Co,Ir,Au ,and As) revealed that oldhamite is highly rich in refractory elements.The mineral serves as the principal carrier of REE and contains about 80% of the REEs in the Qingzhen enstatite chondrite .Furthermore, the large enrichment of LREE relative to HREE is noticed in oldhamite from the Qingzhen .In general, the oldhamite from metal-sulfide assemblages is richer in REE than that from the matrix,i.e.,the earlier the oldhamite grains condensed, the richer they are in REE. Meanwhile.oldhamite is also rich in vol-atile elements such as Se,Br, etc.In terms of the distribution of trace elements in oldhamitc from the Qingzhen ,the chondrite is srggested to have resulted from high-temperature condensation of solar nebula.     

Trace and rare earth element geochemistry of the Upper Triassic mudstones in the southern Ordos Basin,Central China

Oil‐source correlation studies have demonstrated that the crude oils in the Ordos Basin were mainly derived from organic‐rich lacustrine mudstones of the Yanchang Formation. The sedimentology, petrology and organic geochemistry of these mudstones have been studied intensively, but their trace and rare earth element (REE) characteristics have received little attention. In this paper, we present trace and rare earth element data of the Upper Triassic Yanchang Formation mudstones in the southern Ordos Basin to constrain the palaeoenvironment, provenance and depositional setting. Our results show that the REE and trace element concentrations of the Yanchang Formation mudstones are higher than those of the upper continental crust (UCC). The Sr contents and Sr/Ba and Y/Ho ratios of these mudstones indicate the absence of a marine transgression during the sedimentation of the Upper Triassic mudstones. The depositional environment of the Upper Triassic mudstones was slightly oxic as evidenced by the values of Eu/Eu*, Ce/Ce*, Ce_anom, δU, U/Th, V/Cr and Ni/Co. The UCC‐normalized distribution pattern of REEs, spider diagrams, the ratios of related elements, the bivariate diagrams of Th/Sc–Zr/Sc and La/Th–Hf and the ternary plots of La–Th–Sc and Th–Sc–Zr/10 signify that the provenances of the Chang9–7 mudstones were mainly derived from a continental island arc, whereas the provenances of the Chang6–3 mudstones were mainly derived from a mixture of continental island arc and active continental margin, and the latter contain less recycled materials. Combined with the previous studies of detrital zircon dating and petrography of the Yanchang Formation sandstones in the southern Ordos basin, we propose that the Qinling orogenic belt served as one of the primary source regions occurring between the Chang7 and Chang6 periods, corresponding to the initial uplift of the west Qinling Mountains due to the collision between the Yangtze and North China blocks. Copyright © 2014 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Genesis of the Permian Baimazhai magmatic Ni–Cu–(PGE) sulfide deposit, Yunnan, SW China

The ~260 Ma-old Baimazhai Ni–Cu–(PGE) sulfide deposit in the Jinping region, Yunnan, SW China, is hosted in a small mafic–ultramafic intrusion, which intruded Ordovician sandstone and slate. The intrusion is concentric with lens shape, about 530 m long, 190 m wide and 24 to 64 m thick, trends 296°, and dips 22°NE. The massive sulfide ore body forms the core of the intrusion and is surrounded by variably mineralized orthopyroxenite, websterite and barren gabbro. The proportion of gabbro, websterite, orthopyroxenite and massive ore is approximately 30, 30, 20 and 20 vol.%, respectively. Magmatic pyrrhotite, pentlandite and chalcopyrite make up more than 90% of the massive ores. The massive ores contain high Ni (1.6 to 4.2 wt%) and Cu (0.4 to 6.5 wt%) and low ∑PGE contents (85 to 524 ppb). They have Pd/Ir ratios ranging from 6.7 to 530, Pd/Pt ratios from 0.7 to 2.6 and Cu/(Pd×1,000) ratios from 31 to 400, which are comparable with those of the silicate rocks [Pd/Ir = 4 to 183, Pd/Pt = 0.7 to 3.5, and Cu/(Pd×1,000) = 100 to 400]. Similar Pd/Pt and Cu/Pd ratios of the silicate rocks and massive ores throughout the intrusion indicate a single sulfide segregation event. Excess sulfide melt segregation resulted from intensive crustal contamination that formed Si-rich and Mg-rich basaltic magmas in a deep-seated staging chamber before magma emplacement. The immiscible sulfide melts and the silicate melts were eventually evacuated from the staging magma chamber by compressive forces. Flow differentiation under high velocity concentrated the sulfide melts toward the middle of the magma flow, and consequently, formed a massive sulfide ore body in the central part of the intrusion. Low concentrations of PGEs and general absence of platinum-group minerals in the massive ores may have resulted from a relatively large mass fraction of the sulfide melts (e.g. R-factor = ~70) in Baimazhai compared with other intrusions elsewhere, such as Noril’sk-Talnakh with a R-factor of >10,000.