Composition and Genesis of Zeolitic Claystones from the Central Indian Ocean Basin

We examined more than fifty indurated sediments recovered from the Central Indian Ocean Basin （CIOB） during the course of collection for manganese nodules and crusts. The samples occur as slabs either over which ferromanganese oxides are present or over a substrate of altered oceanic basalt in conjunction with palagonite or within the nucleus of manganese nodules. Mineralogically and compositionally, the samples show a mixture of phillipsite, palagonite and montmorillonite. We suggest that the volcanogenic precursors occurring in the CIOB were subjected to varying degrees of alteration under the influence of low temperature conditions, resulting in the formation of zeolitic claystones. The CIOB samples have similarities to those reported from various sites in the world oceans.     

Geochemistry and Origin of Layers in Single Manganese Nodule from the Philippine Sea and Manganese Nodules from Offshore Minami-Torishima,Western Pacific

Layers from one manganese nodule dredged from the Philippine Sea(16°56'N, 129°48'E; water depth, 5700 m) and 45 bulk nodules from offshore Minami-Torishima Island, Japan(23°3'N, 153°22'E; water depth, 1200 m) were analyzed chemically and their origin is discussed based on geochemical constraints. In general, Cu, Ni, Zn and Mo tend to increase with increasing Mn content, while Co, Pb, Ba, V, Sc, Th, and the rare earth elements(REEs) show less variation with increasing Mn content. Nodule 42 H from the Philippine Sea has an average Mn/Fe ratio close to 1 and shows a positive Ce anomaly, suggesting a predominant hydrogenous origin. Profiles of 230Th230 ex and Thex/232 Th ratios in the outer ~0.3 mm of nodule 42 H indicate a steady growth rate of ~1.7 mm/Myr. Nodule E30 from offshore Minami-Torishima is characterized by lower Mn, Fe, Mn/Fe(0.53) and Mo/V(0.2) ratios but higher P and Cu/Ni(0.31) ratio relative to other nodules from that area. The Ce content of E30 is unusually low(82 ppm) when compared with other nodules from the area and it is the only nodule analyzed with a negative Ce anomaly(-0.64). Based on the geochemical data we suggest that most nodules from offshore Minami-Torishima are primarily of hydrogenous origin except E30, which is dominated by hydrothermal input, and E45, which has about a 35% hydrothermal contribution.     

Mineral Geochemical Compositions of Tourmalines and Their Significance in the Gejiu Tin Polymetallic Deposits, Yunnan, China

Abstract: The Gejiu tin polymetallic deposits are located in the southeastern part of Yunnan Province in China. A detailed electronic microprobe study has been carried out to document geochemical compositions of tourmalines from the deposits. The results indicate a systematic change of mineral geochemical compositions, which might be used as a mineral geochemical tracer for post-magmatic hydrothermal fluid, basin fluid and their mixture. The tourmalines from granite are schorl with Fe/(Fe+Mg) ratios of 0.912-1.00 and Na/(Na+Ca) ratios of 0.892-0.981. Tourmalines as an inclusion in quartz from the ore bodies are dravite with Fe/(Fe+Mg) ratios of 0.212-0.519 and Na/ (Na+Ca) ratios of 0.786-0.997. Tourmalines from the country rocks are dravite with Fe/(Fe+Mg) ratios of 0.313-0.337 and Na/(Na+Ca) ratio of 0.599-0.723. Tourmalines from cassiterite-tourmaline veins that occur in crannies within the country rocks show distinct optical zoning with alternate occurrence of dravite and schorl, Fe/(Fe+Mg)=0.374-0.843, Na/(Na+Ca)=0.538-0.987. It suggests that schorl in granite and dravite in carbonatite are related to magmatic fluid and basin fluid respectively. When magmatic fluid rose up and entered into crannies of the country rocks, consisting mainly of carbonatite, basin fluid would be constantly added to the magmatic fluid. The two types of fluid were mixed in structural crannies of the sedimentary basin accompanied with periodic geochemical oscillations to form material records in chemical composition zonings of tourmalines.     

Origin of Ore-Forming Fluids of Mississippi Valley-Type （MVT） Pb-Zn Deposits in Kangdian Area, China

Analyses of fluid-inclusion leachates from ore deposits show that Na/Br ratios are within the range of 75 - 358 and Cl/Br 67 - 394, respectively, and this variation trend coincides with the seawater evaporation trajectory on the basis of the Na/Br and Cl/Br ratios. The average Cl/Br and Na/Br ratios of mineralizing fluids are 185 and 173 respectively, which are very close to the ratios ( 120 and 233 ) of the residual evaporated seawater past the point of halite precipitation. It is suggested that the original mineralizing brine was derived from highly evapo-rated seawater with a high salinity. However, the inclusion fluids have absolute Na values of 69.9—2606.2 mmol kg^-1 and Cl values of 106.7 — 1995.5 mmol kg^-1. Most of the values are much less than those of seawater: Na, 485 mmol kg^-1 and Cl, 566 mmol kg^-1 , respectively; the salinity measured from fluid inclusions of the deposits ranges from 2.47 wt% to 15.78 wt% NaCl equiv. The mineralizing brine has been diluted. The δ ^18O and δD values of ore-forming fluids vary from -8.21‰ to 9.51‰ and from -40.3‰ to -94.3‰, respectively. The δD values of meteoric water in this region varied from - 80‰ to - 100‰ during the Jurassic. This evidenced that the ore-forming fluids are the mixture of seawater and meteoric water. Highly evaporated seawater was responsible for leaching and extracting Pb, Zn and Fe, and mixed with and diluted by descending meteoric water, which resulted in the formation of ores.     

Pelagic Manganese Nodules--A New Type of Oncolites

Pelagic manganese nodules from the East Pacific Ocean have been studied using polarizing,scanning electron and transmission electron microscopes. It has been revealed that the manganesenodules are composed of cores and stromatolite coatings. The structures and textures of thesenodules are peculiar to oncolite. Consequently, the pelagic manganese nodules are manganeseoncolites. Based on the stromatolites in the coatings, the manganese oncolites from the East Paci-fic Ocean can be divided into two types. One is smooth on surface and dense inside. Its coatingsare composed mainly of Minima. The other has a knobby surface and is loose internally. Itscoatings consist mainly of Admirabilis. The TEM investigation has also revealed that the con-structors of the manganese oncolites are ultra-microbes. The Minima is constructed byMiniactinomyces chinensis sp. nov. and the Admirabilis is built by Spirisosphaerospora pacifica sp.nov.     

Rare Earth Elements Composition and Constraint on the Genesis of the Polymetallic Crusts and Nodules in the South China Sea

The rare earth elements(REE) composition of the polymetallic crusts and nodules obtained from the South China Sea(SCS) were analyzed through inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry.Results revealed great differences in the REE abundances(∑REE) of the SCS polymetallic crusts and nodules; the crusts show the highest ∑REE, whereas the nodules exhibit the lowest ∑REE. The similarity in their NASC-normalized patterns, the enriched light REE(LREE), the markedly positive Ce anomaly(δCe), and the non-or weakly positive Eu anomaly(δEu), suggest that the polymetallic crusts and nodules are of hydrogenetic origin. Moreover, the REE contents and their relevant parameters are quite different among the various layers of the crusts and nodules, which probably results from the different marginal sea environments and mineral assemblages of the samples. The growth profiles of the SCS polymetallic crusts and nodules reveal the tendency ∑REE and δCe to slightly increase from the outer to the inner layers, suggesting that the growth environments of these samples changed smoothly from an oxidizing to a relatively reducing environment; in addition, the crust ST1 may have experienced a regressive event(sea-level change) during its growth, although the REE composition of the seawater remained relatively stable. On the basis of the regional ∑REE distribution in the SCS crusts and nodules,the samples collected near the northern margin were influenced by terrigenous material more strongly compared with the other samples, and the REE contents are relatively low. Therefore, the special geotectonic environment is a significant factor influencing the abundance of elements, including REE and other trace elements. Compared with the oceanic seamount crusts and deep-sea nodules from other oceans,the SCS polymetallic crusts and nodules exhibit special REE compositions and shale-normalized patterns, implying that the samples are of marginal sea-type Fe-Mn sedimentary deposits, which are strongly affected by the epicontinental environment, and that they grew in a more oxidative seawater environment. This analysis indicates that the oxidized seawater environment and the special nano property of their Fe-Mn minerals enrich the REE adsorption.     

日本西南部四国增生复合体中的锰矿分布

Bedded manganese ore deposits occur in many localities within the accretionary belts of the Shikoku region, SW Japan. The deposits occur mostly in bedded chert or its metamorphosed equivalent. These chert-hosted manganese deposits are considered to have been manganese nodule/crust-bearing siliceous sediments on deep-sea floor and have been converted to manganese ores by low-grade metamorphism through subduction-accretion process. The mineral assemblages of the ores reflect the metamorphic grade of the accretionary complexes. On the other hand, iron-manganese deposits and some manganese deposits occurring directly over basalt are considered to have been the hydrothermal precipitates associated with submarine volcanism.     

Metallogenic Model of Bauxite in Central Guizhou Province: an Example of Lindai Deposit

The bauxites in central Guizhou are hosted by the Lower Carboniferous Jiujialu Formation.Geochemistrial characteristics of the Lindai bauxite deposit indicate that the underlying Shilengshui Formation dolomite is the precursor rock of mineral resources.Weathering simulation experiments show that Si is most likely to migrate with groundwater,the migration rate of which is several magnitude higher than Al and Fe under nature conditions （pH=3-9）.The neutral and acid nonreducing condition is the most conducive to the Al rich and Si removal,while the acid reducing conditions is the most conducive to the Al rich and Fe removal.In the process of bauxite formation,coal beds overlying the Al-bearing rock series or other rock formation rich in organic materials can produce acid reducing groundwater,which are important for the bauxite formation.Finally,propose the metallogenic model of the bauxite in central Guizhou Province and put forward three new words which are ＂original bauxite material＂,＂bauxite material＂ and ＂original bauxite＂.     

Genesis for Rare Earth Elements Enrichment in the Permian Manganese Deposits in Zunyi,Guizhou Province,SW China

The Zunyi manganese deposits, which formed during the Middle to Late Permian period and are located in northern Guizhou and adjacent areas, are the core area of a series of large-medium scale manganese enrichment minerogenesis in the southern margin and interior of the Yangtze platform, Southern China. This study reports the universal enrichment of rare earth elements(REEs) in Zunyi manganese deposits and examines the enrichment characteristics, metallogenic environment and genesis of REEs. The manganese ore bodies present stratiform or stratoid in shape, hosted in the silicon–mud–limestones of the Late Permian Maokou Formation. The manganese ores generally present lamellar, massive, banded and brecciated structures, and mainly consist of rhodochrosite, ropperite, tetalite, capillitite, as well as contains paragenetic gangue minerals including pyrite, chalcopyrite, rutile, barite, tuffaceous clay rock, etc. The manganese ores have higher ΣREE contents range from 158 to 1138.9 ppm(average 509.54 ppm). In addition, the ΣREE contents of tuffaceous clay rock in ore beds vary from 1032.2 to 1824.5 ppm(average 1396.42 ppm). The REEs from manganese deposits are characterized by La, Ce, Nd and Y enriched, and existing in the form of independent minerals(e.g., monazite and xenotime), indicating Zunyi manganese deposits enriched in light rare earth elements(LREE). The Ce_(anom) ratios(average-0.13) and lithofacies and paleogeography characteristics indicate that Zunyi manganese deposits were formed in a weak oxidation-reduction environment. The(La/Yb)_(ch), Y/Ho,(La/Nd)_N,(Dy/Yb)_N, Ce/Ce* and Eu/Eu* values of samples from the Zunyi manganese deposits are 5.53–56.92, 18–39, 1.42–3.15, 0.55–2.20, 0.21–1.76 and 0.48–0.86, respectively, indicating a hydrothermal origin for the manganese mineralization and REEs enrichment. The δ~(13) C_(V-PDB)(-0.54 to-18.1‰) and δ~(18) O_(SMOW)(21.6 to 26.0‰) characteristics of manganese ores reveal a mixed source of magmatic and organic matter. Moreover, the manganese ore, tuffaceous clay rock and Emeishan basalt have extremely similar REE fractionation characteristic, suggesting REEs enrichment and manganese mineralization have been mainly origin from hydrothermal fluids.     

Rare Earth Elements in Manganese Nodules from the Central Pacific Ocean

Manganese nodules in areas CP and CC of the central Pacific are rich in REE. Comparatively speaking,the REE contents of nodules in area CP are hihger than those in area CC; and the REE contents of nodulesfrom seamounts are higher than those of nodules from sea-floor plains and hills. Within the nodules, the REEshow a zonal distribution. The REE distribution patterns of the nodules are similar to those of the sedimentsand have a mirror image relationship with those of the sea water. Trivalent REE were not obviously differenti-ated when they entered into the nodules from the sea water.A major factor causing the difference of REE abundances between nodules and sediments is the redoxconditions. The redox intensity of the ocean floor of the Pacific is controlled mainly by Antarctic Bottom Wat-er(AABW), The iron-bearing facies in the nodules is the main carrier of REE.