Composition of a carbonatitic melt in equilibrium with lherzolite at 5.5–6.3 GPa and 1350°C

Generation of ultra-alkaline melts by the interaction of lherzolite with cardonatites of various genesis was simulated at the P–T parameters typical of the base of the subcratonic lithosphere. Experiments with a duration of 150 h were performed at 5.5 and 6.3 GPa and 1350°C. The concentrations of CaO and MgO in melts are buffered by the phases of peridotite, and the concentrations of alkalis and FeO depend on the composition of the starting carbonatite. Melts are characterized by a low (<7 wt %) concentration of SiO₂ and Ca# from 0.40 to 0.47. It is demonstrated that only high-Mg groups of carbonatitic inclusions in fibrous diamonds have a composition close to that of carbonatitic melts in equilibrium with lherzolite. Most likely, the formation of kimberlite-like melts relatively enriched in SiO₂ requires an additional source of heat from mantle plumes and probably H₂O fluid.     

The aqueous corrosion of potash-lime-silica glass in the range 10–250°C

It is difficult to measure accurately the natural long-term corrosion rates of highly durable nuclear waste glasses. Care should be taken when using data from high temperature experiments to predict corrosion rates under ambient repository conditions as there are many factors (such as the precipitation of secondary compounds, the chemistry of the water in contact with the glass, or circulation of this water through the repository) that can influence the temperature dependence of aqueous reactions. In this study, some standard leach tests using pure water, in continuous flow and direct sampling autoclaves, were performed on a synthetic medieval glass. Archaeological glass samples of a similar composition and which had suffered several centuries of corrosion in damp soil had been the subject of previous studies. The corrosion of the archaeological samples in damp soil was well understood and the aim was to determine how well standard leach tests would predict the observed corrosion.The experimentally measured long-term corrosion rates were not simply dependent on temperature, therefore they could not be used to predict either the corrosion rates or products found on the archaeological samples. In continuous flow experiments this was largely because the release of some cations (e.g. Mg²⁺) was proportional to the flow rates used, and so the long-term corrosion was dependent on both flow rate and temperature. In the autoclave experiments, concentrations of dissolved ions climbed rapidly in the small water volume, leading to the precipitation of complex mineral phase assemblages. The experiments did not reach silica saturation, therefore the long-term rates measured were a function of both the temperature and the extent of reaction. The initial release rates of silica and of the network modifying cations showed an Arrhenius temperature dependence with an activation energy of about 78.5 kJmol⁻¹. These results would have predicted the soil corrosion of the archaeological samples to within about 30%, i.e. the initial corrosion rate in pure water was similar to the long-term rate in damp soil. As an explanation of the experimental observations it is suggested that clay minerals in the soil consumed silica as the glass dissolved, maintaining under-saturated conditions and allowing corrosion at a rate similar to the initial rate in pure water.     

SHRIMP U–Pb and Ar–Ar geochronology of major porphyry and skarn Cu deposits in the Balkhash Metallogenic Belt,Central Asia,and geological implications

The Balkhash Metallogenic Belt (BMB) in Kazakhstan, Central Asia, with the occurrence of the super-large Kounrad and Aktogai, the large Borly porphyry Cu–Mo deposits, and the large Sayak skarn polymetallic ore-field, is one of the central regions of the Paleozoic Central Asian metallogenic domain and orogenic belt. In this study, newly obtained SHRIMP zircon U–Pb ages of nine samples and ⁴⁰Ar/³⁹Ar ages of six mineral samples (inclding hornblende, biotite and K-feldspar) give more detailed constraints on the timing of the granitic intrusions and their metallogeny. Porphyritic monzonite granite and tonalite porphyry from the Kounrad deposit yield U–Pb zircon SHRIMP ages of 327.3 ± 2.1 Ma and 308.7 ± 2.2 Ma, respectively. Quartz diorite and porphyritic granodiorite from the Aktogai deposit yield U–Pb SHRIMP ages of 335.7 ± 1.3 Ma and 327.5 ± 1.9 Ma, respectively. Porphyritic granodiorite and granodiorite from the Borly deposit yield U–Pb SHRIMP ages of 316.3 ± 0.8 Ma and 305 ± 3 Ma, respectively. Diorite, granodiorite, and monzonite from the Sayak ore-field yield U–Pb SHRIMP ages of 335 ± 2 Ma, 308 ± 10 Ma, and 297 ± 3 Ma, respectively. Hornblende, biotite, and K-feldspar from the Aktogai deposit yield ⁴⁰Ar/³⁹Ar cooling ages of 310.6 Ma, 271.5 Ma, and 274.9 Ma, respectively. Hornblende, biotite, and K-feldspar from the Sayak ore-field yield ⁴⁰Ar/³⁹Ar cooling ages of 287.3 ± 2.8 Ma, 307.9 ± 1.8 Ma, and 249.8 ± 1.6 Ma, respectively. The new ages constrain the timing of Late Paleozoic felsic magmatism to ∼336 to ∼297 Ma. Skarn mineralization in the Sayak ore-field formed at ∼335 and ∼308 Ma. Porphyry Cu–Mo mineralization in the Kounrad deposit and the Aktogai deposit formed at ∼327 Ma, and in the Borly deposit at ∼316 Ma. The Late Paleozoic regional cooling in the temperature range of ∼600 °C to ∼150 °C occurred from ∼307 to ∼257 Ma.     

The thermodynamics of arsenates,selenites, and sulfates in the oxidation zone of sulfide ores. XI. Solubility of synthetic chalcomenite analog and zinc selenite at 25°C

The aim of this study is the synthesis of CuSeO₃·2H₂O (chalcomenite analog), ZnSeO₃·2H₂O, and ZnSeO₃·H₂O and the investigation of their solubility in water. CuSeO₃·2H₂O has been synthesized from solutions of Cu nitrate and Na selenite, while Zn selenites were synthesized from solutions of Zn nitrate and Na selenite. The samples obtained have been examined with X-ray diffraction and infrared and Raman spectroscopy. The solubility has been determined using the isothermal saturation method in ampoules at 25°C. The solubility has been calculated using the Geochemist’s Workbench (GMB 9.0) software package. Solubility products have been calculated for CuSeO₃·2H₂O (10^–10.63), ZnSeO₃·2H₂O (10^–8.35), and ZnSeO₃·H₂O (10^–7.96). The database used comprises thermodynamic characteristics of 46 elements, 47 base particles, 48 redox pairs, 551 particles in solution, and 624 solid phases. The Eh–pH diagrams of the Zn–Se–H₂O and Cu–Se–H₂O systems were plotted for the average contents of these elements in underground water in oxidation zones of sulfide deposits.     

Thermodynamics of arsenates, selenites, and sulfates in the oxidation zone of sulfide ores: VI. Solubility of synthetic analogs of ahlfeldite and cobaltomenite at 25°C

The understanding of the mechanisms of the selenium behavior under near-surface conditions is an urgent problem of modern mineralogy and geochemistry, and is very important for solving environmental problems. The objective of this study is to synthesize analogs of ahlfeldite and cobaltomenite and to estimate their solubility in water. These analogs have been synthesized by mixing aqueous solutions of cobalt and nickel nitrates, respectively, and sodium selenite acidified with a solution of nitric acid. The obtained samples have been identified by X-ray diffraction and IR spectroscopy. The solubility has been determined by the isothermal saturation method in ampoules at 25°C, while the solubility products have been calculated using the Geochemist’s Workbench (GMB 7.0) software package. The solubility products of ahlfeldite and cobaltomenite are 10^?9.20 and 10^?9.44, respectively. The Eh-pH diagrams were calculated and plotted with the GMB 7.0 software package. The Eh-pH diagrams of the Ni-Se-H₂O and Co-Se-H₂O systems have been calculated for the average contents of these elements in underground water and their contents in acidic water of the oxidation zone of sulfide deposits. The formation of ahlfeldite and cobaltomenite under near-surface conditions is discussed.     

Formation of N–С–О–Н molecules and complexes in the basalt–basaltic andesite melts at 1.5 Gpa and 1400°C in the presence of liquid iron alloys

The contents and speciation of nitrogen, carbon, and hydrogen were determined in basalt–basaltic andesite melts in equilibrium with liquid Fe alloys at 1.5 Gpa, 1400°C, and oxygen fugacity (fO₂) 1.4–1.9 log units below that of the Fe–FeO buffer (ΔlogfO₂(IW) =–1.4 …–1.9). Experiments were carried out on a piston- cylinder type apparatus using welded Pt capsules in the presence of excess С (graphite). Starting mixture consisted of natural ferrobasaltic glass and silicon nitride (Si₃N₄) as nitrogen source in the system. Experimental quench products representing glasses with spherical inclusions of iron alloy were analyzed using electron microprobe, Raman, and IR spectroscopy. With increase of Si₃N₄ in the starting mixture and, respectively, decrease of fO₂, silicate melt forming during experiments became depleted in FeO and enriched in SiO₂. It was established that the nitrogen content in the glasses increases from 0.13 to 0.44 wt % with decrease of ΔlogfO₂(IW) from–1.4 to–1.9, whereas C content in the first approximation remains constant within 1.18–1.13 wt %, while the total water content (ОН^– + Н₂О) determined by IR spectroscopy decreases from 4.91 to 1.20 wt %. The N (0.13–0.48 wt %) and C (0.75–2.26 wt %) contents determined in the Fe alloy show no clear correlation with fO₂. The IR and Raman spectroscopic study of the glasses indicates the formation of molecules and complexes with bonds N–H (NH₃, NH₂ ^?, NH₂ ⁺, NH₄ ⁺), Н–О (Н₂О, OH^–), С–Н (СН₄) as well as N₂ and Н₂ molecules in silicate melts. IR spectra also reveal the presence of complexes with С=О, С–N bonds and СО₂ molecules. Obtained data are compared with results of previous studies on the solubility and speciation of N, С, and Н in the model FeO–Na₂O–SiO₂–Al₂O₃ melts in equilibrium with liquid iron alloys at 1.5 GPa (1400°C) and 4 GPa (1550°C) (Kadik et al., 2011, 2015).     

Thermodynamics of arsenates, selenites, and sulfates in the oxidation zone of sulfide Ores: Part VII. Solubility of synthetic analogs of erythrite and annabergite at 25°C

Understanding the mechanisms of arsenic’s behavior under near-surface conditions is one of the actual problems of contemporary mineralogy and geochemistry and is important for solving environmental problems. The aim of this study is to synthesize analogs of erythrite and annabergite and to investigate their solubility in water. These phases have been synthesized by the boiling-dry of aqueous solutions of cobalt and nickel nitrates mixed with sodium hydroarsenate alkalized with NaOH. The samples obtained have been identified with electron microprobe, X-ray diffraction, and IR spectroscopy. Solubility has been determined by the isothermal saturation method in ampoules at 25°C. The solubility has been calculated using the Geochemist’s Workbench (GMB 7.0) software package. The measured solubilities of erythrite and annabergite are 10^?35.76 and 10^?36.43, respectively. Eh-pH diagrams were calculated and plotted using the GMB 7.0 software package. The database comprises the thermodynamic parameters of 46 elements, 47 main particles, 48 redox pairs, 552 particles in solution, 624 solid phases, and 10 gases. The Eh-pH diagrams of the Ni-As-H₂O and Co-As-H₂O systems were plotted for the average contents of these elements in the acidic waters in the oxidation zones of sulfide deposits. The formation of erythrite and annabergite under near-surface conditions is discussed.     

Be-daughter minerals in fluid and melt inclusions: implications for the enrichment of Be in granite–pegmatite systems

The study of re-homogenized melt inclusions in the same growth planes of quartz of pegmatites genetically linked to the Variscan granite of the Ehrenfriedersdorf complex, Erzgebirge, Germany, by ion microprobe analyses has determined high concentrations of Be, up to 10,000 ppm, in one type of melt inclusion, as well as moderate concentrations in the 100 ppm range in a second type of melt inclusion. Generally, the high Be concentrations are associated with the H₂O- and other volatile-rich type-B melt inclusions, and the lower Be concentration levels are connected to H₂O-poor type-A melt inclusions. Both inclusion types, representing conjugate melt pairs, are formed by a liquid–liquid immiscibility separation process. This extremely strong and very systematic scattering in Be provides insights into the origin of Be concentration and transport mechanisms in pegmatite-forming melts. In this contribution, we present more than 250 new analytical data and show with ion microprobe and fs-LA-ICPMS studies on quenched glasses, as well as with confocal Raman spectroscopy of daughter minerals in unheated melt inclusions, that the concentrations of Be may achieve such extreme levels during melt–melt immiscibility of H₂O-, B-, F-, P-, ± Li-enriched pegmatite-forming magmas. Starting from host granite with about 10 ppm Be, melt inclusions with 10,000 ppm Be correspond to enrichment by a factor of over 1,000. This strong enrichment of Be is the result of processes of fractional crystallization and further enrichment in melt patches of pegmatite bodies due to melt–melt immiscibility at fluid saturation. We also draw additional conclusions regarding the speciation of Be in pegmatite-forming melt systems from investigation of the Be-bearing daughter mineral phases in the most H₂O-rich melt inclusions. In the case of evolved volatile and H₂O-rich pegmatite systems, B, P, and carbonates are important for the enrichment and formation of stable Be complexes.     

Geochemistry of mafic rocks and melt inclusions and their implications for the heat source of the 14.0°S hydrothermal field,South Mid-Atlantic Ridge

Fresh rocks sampled from the 14.0°S hydrothermal field of the South Atlantic Ridge can be divided into two categories： olivine-gabbro and basalt. The olivine-gabbro is composed mainly of three types of minerals： olivine, clinopyroxene and plagioclase, while a multitude of melt inclusions occur in the plagioclase phenocrysts of the basalts. We analyzed the whole-rock, major and trace elements contents of the basaks, the mineral chemistry of phenocrysts and melt inclusions in the basalts, and the mineral chemistry of olivine-clinopyroxene-plagioclase in the olivine-gabbro, then simulated magma evolution within the crust using the COMAGMAT program. The whole-rock geochemistry shows that all the basalts exhibit typical N-MORB characteristics. In addition, the mineral chemistry characteristics of the olivine-gabbro （low-Fo olivine, low-Mg# clinopyroxene, high-TiO2 clinopyroxene, low-An plagioclase）, show that strong magma differentiation occurred within the crust. Nevertheless, significant discrepancies between those minerals and phenocrysts in the basalts （high-Fo olivine, high-An plagioclase） reflect the heterogeneity of magma differentiation. High Mg# （-~0.72） melt inclusions isobaric partial crystallization simulations suggest that the magma differentiation occurred at the depth shallower than 13.03 km below the seafloor, and both the vertical differentiation column shows distinct discrepancies from that of a steady-state magma chamber. Instead, a series of independent magma intrusions probably occurred within the crust, and their corresponding crystallized bodies, as the primary high-temperature thermal anomalies within the off-axis crust, probably act as the heat source for the development of the 14.0°S hydrothermal system.     

Phase Relations in the Fe–S–C System at P = 0.5 GPa,T = 1100–1250°C: Fe–S–C Liquation and Its Role in the Formation of Magmatic Sulfide Deposits

Doklady Earth Sciences - The liquid phases are represented by immiscible Fe–S and Fe–C melts under partial melting of the graphite-saturated Fe–S–C system at P = 0.5 GPa and...     

40Ar–39Ar age and geochemistry of subduction-related mafic dikes in northern Tibet,China: petrogenesis and tectonic implications

The early Permian Xiaomiao mafic dike swarm in the East Kunlun orogenic belt (EKOB) provides an excellent opportunity to study the petrogenesis of such swarms developed in supra-subduction zone environments, and to investigate the early plate tectonic history of the Palaeo-Tethyan Ocean. Hornblende ⁴⁰Ar–³⁹Ar dating results indicate that the mafic dikes formed in the early Permian (277.76 ± 2.72 Ma). The Xiaomiao mafic hypabyssals have the following compositional range: SiO₂ = 46.55–55.75%, MgO = 2.80–7.38%, Mg^# = 36–61, and (Na₂O + K₂O) = 2.87–4.95%. Chemically, they display calc-alkali affinities, ranging in composition from gabbro to gabbroic diorite. All analysed dikes are enriched in light rare earth elements and large-ion lithophile elements (e.g. Rb and Ba), but are depleted in heavy rare earth elements and high field strength elements (e.g. Nb, Ta, and Ti). Their I_Sr and ?_Nd(t) values range from 0.707 to 0.715 and –2.60 to +2.91, respectively. They are geochemically similar to subduction-related basaltic rocks (e.g. island arc basalt), but differ from E-MORB and N-MORB. Petrographic and major element data reveal that fractional crystallizations of clinopyroxene, olivine, hornblende, and Fe–Ti oxides may have occurred during magma evolution, but that crustal contamination was minor. Based on geochemical and Sr–Nd isotopic bulk-rock compositions, we suggest that the mafic dikes were likely generated by 10–20% partial melting of a spinel + minor garnet lherzolite mantle source metasomatized by subducted, slab-derived fluids, and minor sediments. Based on our results, we propose that the early evolution of the Palaeo-Tethyan Ocean involved the spreading and initial subduction of the Carboniferous to early Permian ocean basin followed by late Permian subduction, which generated the magmatic arc.     

A Compensated-Redlich-Kwong (CORK) equation for volumes and fugacities of CO2 and H2O in the range 1 bar to 50 kbar and 100–1600°C

We present a simple virial-type extension to the modified Redlich-Kwong (MRK) equation for calculation of the volumes and fugacities of H₂O and CO₂ over the pressure range 0.001–50 kbar and 100 to 1400°C (H₂O) and 100 to 1600°C (CO₂). This extension has been designed to: (a) compensate for the tendency of the MRK equation to overestimate volumes at high pressures, and (b) accommodate the volume behaviour of coexisting gas and liquid phases along the saturation curve. The equation developed for CO₂ may be used to derive volumes and fugacities of CO, H₂, CH₄, N₂, O₂ and other gases which conform to the corresponding states principle. For H₂O the measured volumes of Burnham et al. are significantly higher in the range 4–10 kbar than those presented by other workers. For CO₂ the volume behaviour at high pressures derived from published MRK equations are very different (larger volumes, steeper (P/T)_V, and hence larger fugacities) from the virial-type equations of Saxena and Fei. Our CORK equation for CO₂ yields fugacities which are in closer agreement with the available high pressure experimental decarbonation reactions.     

Geological,fluid inclusion,and O–C–S–Pb–He–Ar isotopic constraints on the genesis of the Honghuagou lode gold deposit,northern North China Craton

The Honghuagou Au deposit is located in the Chifeng-Chaoyang region within the northern margin of the North China Craton. The auriferous quartz veins are mainly hosted in the mafic gneiss and migmatite of the Neoarchean Xiaotazigou Formation along NNW- and NE-striking faults, with pyrite as the predominant ore mineral. The gold mineralization process can be divided into two stages, involving stage I quartz-pyrite and stage II quartz-calcite-polymetallic sulfide. Three types of fluid inclusions (FIs) have been identified in the Honghuagou deposit, namely, carbonic inclusions, aqueous‑carbonic inclusions, and aqueous inclusions. Quartz of stage I contains all types of FIs, whereas only aqueous inclusions are evident in stage II veins. The FIs of stages I and II yield homogenization temperatures of 275–340 °C and 240–290 °C with salinities of 3.4–10.7 wt% and 1.4–9.7 wt% NaCl eqv., respectively. The ore-forming fluids are characterized by medium temperature and low salinity, belonging to the H₂O–NaCl–CO₂ system. The δ¹⁸O_H2O values of the ore fluids are between 2.1‰ and 5.9‰, within the range of enriched mantle-derived fluids in the North China Craton. The carbon isotope compositions of calcite (δ¹³C_PDB = −4.4‰ to −4‰) are also similar to mantle carbon. He-Ar isotope data (³He/⁴He = 0.38–0.44 Ra; ⁴⁰Ar/³⁶Ar = 330–477) of fluid inclusions in pyrite indicate a mixed crustal and mantle source for the ore-forming fluids. Whereas, S-Pb isotope compositions of sulfides reveal that ore metals are principally derived from crustal rocks. On the basis of available geological and geochemical evidence, we suggest that the Honghuagou deposit is an orogenic gold deposit.     

Pyrochlore Solubility in NaF Solutions at 800°C and p = 170–230 MPa

Doklady Earth Sciences - The solubility of pyrochlore (NaCa)Nb2O6F was studied experimentally in the NaF–H2O system covering both the homogeneous region of hydrothermal solutions and the...     

New calibration data for the Fe–Ti oxide thermo-oxybarometers from experiments in the Fe–Ti–O system at 1 bar, 1,000–1,300°C and a large range of oxygen fugacities

The current formulations of the Fe–Ti oxide thermobarometer (titanomagnetite–ilmenite_ss) fail to reproduce experimental results, in particular at the high temperatures that are relevant for basaltic assemblages. With the aim of improving the experimental basis of the calibration in the Fe–Ti–O system, we have synthesised assemblages of titanomagnetite–ilmenite_ss (Tmt–Ilm_ss), ilmenite_ss–pseudobrookite_ss (Ilm_ss–Psb_ss) and single-phase samples under a wide range of fO₂ (fixed with CO/CO₂ mixtures or by solid oxygen buffers) in sub-solidus conditions (1,000–1,300°C) at 1 bar. Runs lasted 24 h at 1,300°C and up to 240 h at 1,000°C and were terminated by quenching in water. All run products are polycrystalline, roughly equigranular aggregates, with grain sizes of 10–50 m. They were examined and analysed with the SEM and EMP. Tmt compositions are broadly in accordance with the current models at moderate fO₂, but significantly richer in Ti at low fO₂ and high T, due to cationic vacancies. Ilm_ss compositions depart from the predicted values practically at all fO₂ and T conditions, which is related to unsatisfactory thermodynamic models for the rhombohedral oxide. For Ilm_ss–Psb_ss assemblages the best agreement between our data and current calculations is at 1,000°C and moderately high fO₂. Otherwise, experimental and calculated data strongly disagree. The experimental data set on the three Fe–Ti oxide solid solutions presented here is intended to support new versions of both the titanomagnetite–ilmenite_ss thermo-oxybarometer and the ilmenite_ss–pseudobrookite_ss oxybarometer.     

Arsenic in surface- and up to 90°C ground waters in a basalt area,N-Iceland: processes controlling its mobility

The concentrations of As in surface- and up to 90 °C ground waters in a tholeiite flood basalt area in N-Iceland lie in the range <0.03–10 μg/kg. With few exceptions surface waters contain <0.5 μg/kg As whereas ground waters generally contain >0.5 μg/kg As. The As content of ground waters increases on the whole with rising temperature. Arsenic is highly mobile in the basalt-water environment of the study area. An insignificant fraction of the As dissolved from the rock is taken up into secondary minerals. Arsenic is less mobile than B but considerably more mobile than Na which has the highest mobility among the major aqueous components. A significant fraction of the As in the basalt occurs in an easily soluble form. The As hosted in the primary minerals is expected to be concentrated in the titano-magnetite. This mineral is stable in contact with both surface- and ground waters and does not, therefore, supply As to the water, explaining the difference in mobility between As and B. Aqueous As concentrations are a reflection of water/rock ratios, i.e. how much rock a given quantity of water has dissolved. This ratio increases with increasing temperature and increasing residence time of the water in contact with the rock. The distribution of As species has been calculated on the assumption of equilibrium at the redox potential retrieved from measurement of aqueous Fe(II) and Fe(III) concentrations. These calculations indicate that pentavalent As is stable in surface waters and in ground waters with an in situ pH of <10 and would occur mostly as H₂AsO₄⁻ and HAsO₄⁻². In higher pH ground waters the concentrations of the arsenite species H₂AsO₃⁻ is significant at equilibrium, up to 65% of the total dissolved As.     

Interaction of model F-bearing silicic melt with chloride fluid,uraninite, and columbite at 750°C and 1000–2000 bar and its implications for estimation of the ore-forming capability of the upper crustal magma chamber beneath the Strel’tsovka caldera,eastern Transbaikalia

The experimental study of an F-bearing silicic melt—U, Nb, Ta minerals—chloride-fluoride fluid system is focused on ascertaining the origin of uranium deposits spatially related to intraplate silicic volcanism. The first series of experiments on uranium solubility in silicic melts close in composition to ore-bearing rhyolite of the unique Strel’tsovka Mo-U ore field has been performed in order to determine more precisely the ore genesis. As starting solid phases, model homogeneous glass of the chemical composition (wt %) 72.18 SiO₂, 12.19 Al₂O₃, 1.02 FeO, 0.20 MgO, 0.33 CaO, 4.78 Na₂O, 3.82 K₂O, 1.44 Li₂O, and 2.4 F (LiF, NaF, KF, CaF₂, MgF₂); synthetic UO₂ and UO₃·0.33H₂O; and natural columbite were used. The starting solutions contained 1.0 m Cl and 10⁻² m F. The runs were conducted in a gas vessel at a pressure of 1000 bar and in a high-pressure hydrothermal vessel at 2000 bar. The O₂ (H₂) fugacity was set by Ni-NiO, Co-CoO, Fe₃O₄-Fe₂O₃, and Cu-Cu₂O buffers. The equilibrium between melt and solution for major elements is reached during the first day, whereas 5–7 days are required for ore elements (U, Nb, Ta) to come into equilibrium. The solubility of Nb and especially Ta in Cl-F solutions equilibrated with F-bearing melt is extremely low. The solubility of U is much higher (10⁻⁴−10⁻⁵ mol/kg H₂O). The energy dispersive spectroscopy of run products allowed us to establish that columbite dissolved incongruently with formation of U- and F-bearing pyrochlores. The performed experiments have shown that a silicic melt close to the rhyolitic magma of the Strel’tsovka caldera in composition is not able to generate postmagmatic ore-forming solutions containing more than 10⁻⁶−10⁻⁵ mol U/kg H₂O under the relatively low pressure necessary for the existence of the first type of fluid. The amount of uranium that could have precipitated from this fluid in the zone of ore deposition is estimated at 216–9000 t. This estimate is two orders of magnitude lower than the total uranium resources of the deposits localized in the Strel’tsovka caldera. Thus, the upper crustal silicic magma chamber hardly was a source of uranium for Mo-U deposits of the Strel’tsovka ore field.