Tectonic and structural setting for active mesothermal gold vein systems,Southern Alps,New Zealand

The Southern Alps of New Zealand is an active oblique collisional mountain belt with extensive regional tectonically driven fluid flow. There is no evidence for igneous activity, and fluids consist of varying proportions of meteoric water and mid-crustal fluid derived from dehydration reactions. Fluid flow is controlled by fracture porosity, particularly in damage zones along faults and fault intersections. Gold and arsenic bearing veins exposed at the surface indicate two principal zones of gold mineralisation at depth. One of these is in the highest mountains, near to, but not in the region of maximum uplift. Deformation is dominated by reverse faulting, but some normal and strike-slip faults occur as well. The other zone of gold mineralisation is at and near the intersection of regional oblique dextral reverse faults and regional strike-slip faults. Both zones are characterised by small discontinuous vein systems, locally accompanied by ankeritic alteration of host rock. Veins occur in extensional and shear veins, and in dilational jogs with implosion breccias. Gold mineralisation occurred at many structural levels between the brittle–ductile transition and the near-surface region. The Southern Alps hydrothermal system represents an active roof zone to a mesothermal gold deposition system at depth. As such, this is a modern analogue for mesothermal gold terranes elsewhere in New Zealand and around the world. Observations on the regional distribution of fluid flow in active orogens can give insights into fluid flow at depth where gold mineralisation is occurring now. Comparison of these observations with ancient gold-bearing belts allows construction of three-dimensional concepts of orogenic fluid flow and gold mineralisation.     

Tectonically driven fluid flow and gold mineralisation in active collisional orogenic belts: comparison between New Zealand and western Himalaya

Hydrothermal activity and mesothermal-styled gold mineralisation occurs near the main topographic divide of most active or young collisional mountain belts. The Southern Alps of New Zealand is used in this study as a model for the mineralising processes. The collisional tectonics results in a two-sided wedge-shaped orogen into which rock is transported horizontally. Upper crustal rocks pass through the orogen and leave the orogen by erosion, whereas lower crustal rocks are deformed into the mountain roots. High relief drives meteoric water flow to near the brittle–ductile transition. Lower to upper greenschist facies metamorphic reactions, driven by deformation at the crustal decollement and in the root, release water-rich fluids that rise through the orogen. Intimate chemical interaction between fluid and rock results in dissolution and later precipitation of gold, arsenic and sulphur. Fluid flow and mineralisation in the topographic divide region is facilitated by a network of steeply dipping faults and associated rock damage zones where oblique strike-slip faults intersect the thrust faults that strike subparallel to the main mountain range.The Nanga Parbat massif of the western Himalaya is an example of an active collisional zone which hosts hydrothermal activity but no gold mineralisation. The lack of gold mineralisation is due to the following factors: CO₂-dominated rising metamorphic fluid in dehydrated amphibolite-granulite facies metamorphic rocks does not dissolve gold and arsenic; hot (up to 400 °C) meteoric water confined to fractures in the gneiss limits dissolution of gold and arsenic; low density of hot water/dry steam, and low reduced sulphur content of fluid, restrict solubility of gold and arsenic; absence of fracture networks in the core of the massif and the small volumes of circulating fluid limit metal concentration; and lack of reactive rock compositions limits chemically mediated metal deposition.     

Southern Alps Cu-Au hydrothermal system,Westland, New Zealand

The Southern Alps of New Zealand is an actively rising mountain belt which displays a thermal anomaly adjacent to the Alpine Fault, the Australian-Pacific plate boundary. Extensive fluid movement occurs in this uplift zone, resulting in metallic vein mineralization. Gold mineralization is confined to greenschist facies rocks, while younger veins in amphibolite facies rocks near the Alpine Fault are enriched in copper. Transport and deposition of metals in this complex hydrothermal system is governed by interaction between rising metamorphic fluids and downward-percolating meteoric fluid. Metamorphic fluids have equilibrated with graphitic schist country rock and are relatively reduced. Infiltration and mixing of meteoric water increases oxygen activity and decreases sulphur activity in the fluid. Oxidised meteoric water heats up and dissolves Cu during downward percolation. This Cu is deposited as the fluid becomes more reduced. Hence, there is a progressive increase in copper content in the middle portions of the hydrothermal system, especially in the more permeable highly fractured rocks near the Alpine Fault.     

Evidence for early miocene wrench faulting in the Marlborough fault system,New Zealand: structural implications

In New Zealand, the Marlborough strike-slip faults link the Hikurangi subduction zone to the Alpine fault collision zone. Stratigraphic and structural analysis in the Marlborough region constrain the inception of the current strike-slip tectonics.Six major Neogene basins are investigated. Their infill is composed of marine and freshwater sediments up to 3 km thick; they are characterised by coarse facies derived from the basins bounding relief, high sedimentation rates and asymmetric geometries. Proposed factors that controlled the basins' generation are the initial geometry of the strike-slip faults and the progressive strike-slip motion. Two groups of basins are presented: the early Miocene (23 My) basins were generated under wrench tectonics above releasing-jogs between basement faults. The late Miocene (11 My) basins were initiated by halfgrabens tilted along straighter faults during a transtensive stage. Development of faults during Cretaceous to Oligocene times facilitated the following propagation of wrench tectonics. The Pliocene (5 My) to current increasing convergence has shortened the basins and distorted the Miocene array of faults. This study indicates that the Marlborough Fault System is an old feature that connected part of the Hikurangi margin to the Alpine fault since the subduction and collision initiation.     

Role of fluids in the metamorphism of the Alpine Fault Zone,New Zealand

Models of fluid/rock interaction in and adjacent to the Alpine Fault in the Hokitika area, South Island, New Zealand, were investigated using hydrogen and other stable isotope studies, together with field and petrographic observations. All analysed samples from the study area have similar whole‐rock δD values (δD_WR = ?56 to ?30‰, average = ?45‰, n = 20), irrespective of rock type, degree of chloritization, location along the fault, or across‐strike distance from the fault in the garnet zone. The green, chlorite‐rich fault rocks, which probably formed from Australian Plate precursors, record nearly isothermal fluid/rock interaction with a schist‐derived metamorphic fluid at high temperatures near 450–500°C (δD of water in equilibrium with the green fault rocks (δD_{H2O, green}) ≈ ?18‰; δD of water in equilibrium with the greyschists and greyschist‐derived mylonites (δD_{H2O, grey}) ≈ ?19‰ at 500°C; δD_{H2O, green} ≈ ?17‰; δD_{H2O, grey} ≈ ?14‰ at 450°C). There is no indication of an influx of a meteoric or mantle‐derived fluid in the Alpine Fault Zone in the study area. The Alpine Fault Zone at the surface shows little evidence of late‐stage retrogression or veining, which might be attributed to down‐temperature fluid flow. It is probable that prograde metamorphism in the root zone of the Southern Alps releases metamorphic fluids that at some region rise vertically rather than following the trace of the Alpine Fault up to the surface, owing to the combined effects of the fault, the disturbed isotherms under the Southern Alps, and the brittle–ductile transition. Such fluids could mix with meteoric fluids to deposit quartz‐rich, possibly gold‐bearing veins in the region c. 5–10 km back from the fault trace. These results and interpretations are consistent with interpretations of magnetotelluric data obtained in the South Island GeopHysical Transects (SIGHT) programme.     

Evidence for Early Miocene wrench faulting in the Marlborough Fault System,New Zealand: structural implications

Abstract

In New Zealand, the Marlborough strike-slip faults link the Hikurangi subduction zone to the Alpine fault collision zone. Stratigraphic and structural analysis in the Marlborough region constrain the inception of the current strike-slip tectonics.

Six major Neogene basins are investigated. Their infill is composed of marine and freshwater sediments up to 3 km thick; they are characterised by coarse facies derived from the basins bounding relief, high sedimentation rates and asymmetric geometries. Proposed factors that controlled the basins generation are the initial geometry of the strike-slip faults and the progressive strike-slip motion. Two groups of basins are presented: the early Miocene (23 My) basins were generated under wrench tectonics above releasing-jogs between basement faults. The late Miocene (11 My) basins were initiated by halfgrabens tilted along straighter faults during a transtensive stage. Development of faults during Cretaceous to Oligocene times facilitated the following propagation of wrench tectonics. The Pliocene (5 My) to current increasing convergence has shortened the basins and distorted the Miocene array of faults. This study indicates that the Marlborough Fault System is an old feature that connected part of the Hikurangi margin to the Alpine fault since the subduction and collision initiation. © Elsevier, Paris     

胶东金牛山金矿床构造-流体-成矿作用体系研究

通过对胶东金牛山金矿床构造变形和流体包裹体的研究,探讨了矿床的形成过程和流体成矿机理,认为本区经历了多期构造变形演化,并伴有多次脉动式热液活动,金牛山断裂总体上控制流体来源、运移和沉淀。第二构造变形期早阶段,热液来源以大气降水为主,而中 晚阶段为大气降水和岩浆水;断裂带中流体异常活跃,局部有高压流体存在,产生水压致裂作用;构造变形引起流体的沸腾、混合和相分离作用,并使流体成份和性质发生变化,导致金的沉淀。因此,构造和流体的共同作用控制了矿床的形成,而异常流体叠加控制了富矿体的形成。在此基础上总结了金牛山金矿床形成的构造—流体—成矿作用体系模式。     

山东平邑卓家庄金矿构造控矿因素及其意义

平邑卓家庄金矿是一隐爆角砾岩筒型金矿床，矿区内断裂构造发育且具有多期活动的特点，NW向和EW向断裂交汇部位控制了角砾岩筒的产出，等距性分布的次级断裂控制了砾岩筒的等距产出，断裂的交线产状代表了角砾岩筒的产状，是矿体定位预测的重要依据。     

Near-surface expression of a young mesothermal gold mineralizing system, Sealy Range, Southern Alps, New Zealand

Carbonate-limonite veins formed in steeply dipping fractures in the upper few hundred metres of basement greywacke in the actively rising Southern Alps of New Zealand. The veins are found commonly in extensional fractures near to, but not in, major faults associated with mountain uplift, and/or sinistral faults which bound mountain ranges. Some of the veins contain sulphides and minor gold deposited as part of incrementally formed fracture fillings. Oxygen isotope ratios of calcite range widely between +6 and +24‰, and calcite δ¹³C_PDB=−5.5 to −11.5‰. The veins formed from isotopically exchanged crustal fluid with a probable meteoric water component. The shallow vein network is the near-surface expression of a tectonically induced hydrothermal system which has deposited gold-bearing veins with a mesothermal style over several vertical kilometres. This vein network has formed in a dilatational zone of the oblique collisional orogen where near-vertical fractures tap deep-sourced fluids. Similar processes acting at the southern end of the Southern Alps in the Miocene resulted in locally rich mesothermal quartz-gold veins. Received: 21 May 1997 / Accepted: 30 June 1998     

冀东长城式金矿成矿中一些问题的初步探讨

长城式金矿主要受长城系岩石层间角砾岩破碎带,褐铁矿化和有机质（碳）含量控制,与岩石层位和性质无关。成矿热液可能是在伸展构造体系的控制下,超糜棱岩化变质作用衍生的变货流体或溶熔岩浆作用衍生的岩浆热液流体,在构造动力驱动下上升至盖层破碎带与天水混合的产物。它们在白云岩破碎带中渗流形成碳质含矿热液;在碎屑岩破碎带中渗流形成硅质含矿热液。     

剪切带断层泥特征及其在胶东金矿床研究中的应用

剪切带断层泥是中低温热液蚀变的产物。研究表明,断层泥的形成演化与剪切带水-力行为间存在强烈的作用与反馈。断层泥的粒度分布、矿物组成以及孔渗结构受断裂带构造变形和流体作用的控制。同时,由于具有组成和结构上的特性,断层泥可以通过增强岩石各向异性和储存或释放流体而改变断裂带剪切强度和流体压力。以胶东金矿集中区为例,讨论了剪切带构造变形、流体输运-反应与断层泥形成演化的耦合作用,及其对剪切带流变学行为及金矿化形成和分布的影响。     

Isotope Geochemistry of Gold Ore Deposits in the Gezhen Shear Zone, Qiongxi, Hainan Island

Gold deposits hosted in the Gezhen shear zone at Qingxi, Hainan Island occur in the Preeambrian metamorphic rock series and are regionally developed in the N-E direction along the tectonic zone. From northeast to southwest are distributed the Tuwaishan-Baoban gold mining district, the Erjia gold mining district and the Bumo gold mining district, making up the most industrially important gold metallogenesis zone on the Hainan Island. Isotope geochemical studies of the typical gold deposits in this metallogenesis zone indicate that their ore-forming materials stemmed largely from the Baoban Group migmatite series, though the involvement of some plutonic materials could not be ruled out. The ore fluids are the mixture of migrnatitized hydrothermal solutions and meteoric waters in addition to the involvement of local magmatic hydrothermal solutions. The superimposition of plutonie materials and magmatic hydrothermal solutions is controlled by the deformation environment of the shear zone and later magrnatic activities. Obvious variations are noticed in isotopic composition in the region studied, probably related to tectonic deformation, metamorphism and other evolutionary characteristics. This study is of great significance in understanding the relationship between the shear zone and gold metallogenesis,the rules of gold metallogenesis and gold ore prognosis.     

上明峪金矿地质特征及其与大河南岩体的关系

太行山北部的大河南岩体内部分布有一些金矿床及大量金矿化点,其中最具代表性的是上明峪金矿。大河南岩体侵位之后,遭受了强烈的构造运动,形成了近ＳＮ向和近ＥＷ向的两组断裂构造,断裂构造的活动使岩石强烈破碎形成破碎蚀变岩,岩浆热液萃取了花岗岩中的成矿元素并将其搬运至断裂带内,这种富含成矿元素的岩浆热液在断裂带中与天水混合,导致热液中的成矿元素沉淀形成矿化。上明峪金矿的形成是岩浆热液与天水共同作用的结果。     

马鞍桥金矿床成矿流体特征研究

马鞍桥金矿床产于西秦岭造山带商丹断裂带南缘的E-W脆-韧性剪切带中,矿床空间定位和矿体展布受脆-韧性剪切带控。选择马鞍桥金矿床矿石、地层岩石和二长花岗斑岩的代表性样品,针对性地开展碳-氧和氢-氧同位素分析测试。研究结果证明:成矿早阶段和主阶段成矿流体以变质热液或地层改造热液为主,而晚阶段则主要为大气降水。马鞍桥金矿床矿化地质特征和同位素地球化学组成为广义的类卡林型金矿床或属介于造山型和卡林型金矿床之间的过渡类型。     

甘肃省肃北县东洞沟金矿地质特征及控矿因素分析

东洞沟金矿位于党河南山金成矿带上,是由断裂构造控制的岩浆热液型金矿。中奥陶统砂岩是本区金成矿的地层条件。断裂构造及由其形成的蚀变破碎带控制着区内金矿体的形态、产状及延伸,是区内金的导矿和容矿构造。东洞沟金矿的矿体多分布在志留纪的闪长玢岩、石英闪长岩和中奥陶统砂岩的接触带上,岩体既提供了热源,也提供了部分矿质,对东洞沟金矿的形成起重要作用。     

Fracture analysis in the south-western Corinth rift (Greece) and implications on fault hydraulic behavior

This paper reviews the data concerning the fracture network and the hydraulic characteristics of faults in an active zone of the Gulf of Corinth. Pressure gap measured through fault planes shows that in this area the active normal faults (Aigion, Helike) act, at least temporarily and locally, as transversal seal. The analysis of the carbonate cements in the fractures on both the hangingwall and the footwall of the faults also suggests that they have acted as local seals during the whole fault zone evolution. However, the pressure and the characteristics of the water samples measured in the wells indicate that meteoric water circulates from the highest part of the relief to the coast, which means it goes through the fault zones. Field quantitative analysis and core studies from the AIG-10 well have been performed to define both regional and fault-related fracture networks. Then laboratory thin section observations have been done to recognize the different fault rocks characterizing the fault zone components. These two kinds of approach give information on the permeability characteristics of the fault zone. To synthesize the data, a schematic conceptual 3D fluid flow modeling has been performed taking into account fault zone permeability architecture, sedimentation, fluid flow, fault vertical offset and meteoric water influx, as well as compaction water flow. This modeling allows us to fit all the data with a model where the fault segments act as a seal whereas the relays between these segments allow for the regional flow from the Peloponnese topographic highs to the coast.     

娄里金矿床包裹体测试及地质意义

娄里金矿床位于华北地台山西断隆与华北断拗两个Ⅱ级构造单元结合部位的武安凹断束中。金矿床在区域上主要受火山机构控制,矿体主要产于白垩系下统娄里组凝灰熔岩中。通过对娄里金矿床成矿流体包裹体的温度、气液相成分和盐度的测试和分析,估算成矿压力和深度,从而对金矿床类型和成矿流体来源进行了探讨。结果表明,娄里金矿床成矿温度低、盐度低、成矿压力小、成矿深度浅,矿床类型属于浅成低温热液矿床。流体包裹体氢氧同位素组成显示成矿流体位于岩浆水与大气降水之间,是岩浆水与循环的大气降水的混合。     

Fluid Evolution and Metallogenic Dynamics during Tectonic Regime Transition: Example from the Jiapigou Gold Belt in Northeast China

The Jiapigou gold belt, one of the most important gold-producing districts in China, is located in the northern margin of the North China Craton (NCC). The tectonic evolution of the gold belt is closely related to the Siberian Plate (SP) in the north, Yangtze Craton (YC) in the south and Pacific Plate in the east. In order to investigate the nature of the tectono-fluid-metallogenic system, the authors investigated the relationships among the tectonic regimes, fluid evolution and metallogenesis. This paper examined the corresponding spatial–temporal relationship between the ore-controlling tectonic regime and hydrothermal fluid evolution in the Jiapigou gold belt. There are two types of gold mineralization: disseminated ores that are distributed within the NW-trending main ductile shear zone and gold-bearing quartz veins and minor disseminated ores that are distant to the ductile shear zone. The fluid inclusions in quartz contain a large amount of CO₂. Metamorphic fluids of middle to high temperatures and pressures and meteoric waters of low temperatures and pressures mixed together during mineralization. A proposed ore-forming model is as follows: in the pre-ore phase, the collision of SP and NCC resulted in the NS-trending compression of the ore belt. This formed the NE-trending and NW-trending shear faults and EW-trending folds. During the ore-forming phase, the collision of YC and NCC resulted in dextral shearing of the NW-trending Jiapigou fault and the NE-trending Green faults. High-pressure fluids caused by the compression flowed into the dilatant zone. This may have caused both phase separation of CO₂-bearing fluids and the mixing of meteoric waters, metamorphic waters and magmatic source fluids and finally resulted in the disequilibrium of the ore fluids and precipitation of ore minerals.     

安徽省五河县荣渡金矿床地质特征及成因

五河荣渡金矿床是多种成矿作用叠加、改造的产物，为燕山期中高温岩浆热液形成的。成矿物质主要来自岩浆期后热液，其次与围岩、脉岩等关系密切。郯庐韧一脆性剪切带是主要的导矿构造。其次级断裂是主要容矿场所。     

吉南老岭成矿带荒沟山、板庙子金矿床地质特征与成因

以吉林东南部老岭成矿带中较具规模的荒沟山、板庙子金矿床为代表,对矿床地质特征进行对比,认为区内太古界表壳岩、晚元古界老岭群为主要矿源层,北东向深大断裂带为主要控矿构造,空间上金矿体的分布与岩浆岩关系不密切。结合区内成矿地质条件及成矿物质来源分析,认为金矿床形成于中低温热液环境,深部流体、岩浆热液及大气降水作为成矿流体共同参与了成矿作用,以大气降水为主,构成大气降水—深源热液循环成矿系统。老岭金及多金属成矿带具有较大的成矿潜力和良好的找矿远景,区内金矿的分布主要与大型断裂带相关联的珍珠门组大理岩上部不整合有关。