6: Classification of VMS deposits: Lessons from the South Uralides

VMS deposits of the South Urals developed within the evolving Urals palaeo-ocean between Silurian and Late Devonian times. Arc-continent collision between Baltica and the Magnitogorsk Zone (arc) in the south-western Urals effectively terminated submarine volcanism in the Magnitogorsk Zone with which the bulk of the VMS deposits are associated. The majority of the Urals VMS deposits formed within volcanic-dominated sequences in deep seawater settings. Preservation of macro and micro vent fauna in the sulphide bodies is both testament to the seafloor setting for much of the sulphides but also the exceptional degree of preservation and lack of metamorphic overprint of the deposits and host rocks. The deposits in the Urals have previously been classified in terms of tectonic setting, host rock associations and metal ratios in line with recent tectono-stratigraphic classifications. In addition to these broad classes, it is clear that in a number of the Urals settings, an evolution of the host volcanic stratigraphy is accompanied by an associated change in the metal ratios of the VMS deposits, a situation previously discussed, for example, in the Noranda district of Canada.Two key structural settings are implicated in the South Urals. The first is seen in a preserved marginal allochthon west of the Main Urals Fault where early arc tholeiites host Cu–Zn mineralization in deposits including Yaman Kasy, which is host to the oldest macro vent fauna assembly known to science. The second tectonic setting for the South Urals VMS is the Magnitogorsk arc where study has highlighted the presence of a preserved early forearc assemblage, arc tholeiite to calc-alkaline sequences and rifted arc bimodal tholeiite sequences. The boninitc rocks of the forearc host Cu–(Zn) and Cu–Co VMS deposits, the latter hosted in fragments within the Main Urals Fault Zone (MUFZ) which marks the line of arc-continent collision in Late Devonian times. The arc tholeiites host Cu–Zn deposits with an evolution to more calc-alkaline felsic volcanic sequences matched with a change to Zn–Pb–Cu polymetallic deposits, often gold-rich. Large rifts in the arc sequence are filled by thick bimodal tholeiite sequences, themselves often showing an evolution to a more calc-alkaline nature. These thick bimodal sequences are host to the largest of the Cu–Zn VMS deposits.The exceptional degree of preservation in the Urals has permitted the identification of early seafloor clastic and hydrolytic modification (here termed halmyrolysis sensu lato) to the sulphide assemblages prior to diagenesis and this results in large-scale modification to the primary VMS body, resulting in distinctive morphological and mineralogical sub-types of sulphide body superimposed upon the tectonic association classification.It is proposed that a better classification of seafloor VMS systems is thus achievable using a three stage classification based on (a) tectonic (hence bulk volcanic chemistry) association, (b) local volcanic chemical evolution within a single edifice and (c) seafloor reworking and halmyrolysis.     

6: Classification of VMS deposits: Lessons from the South Uralides

VMS deposits of the South Urals developed within the evolving Urals palaeo-ocean between Silurian and Late Devonian times. Arc-continent collision between Baltica and the Magnitogorsk Zone (arc) in the south-western Urals effectively terminated submarine volcanism in the Magnitogorsk Zone with which the bulk of the VMS deposits are associated. The majority of the Urals VMS deposits formed within volcanic-dominated sequences in deep seawater settings. Preservation of macro and micro vent fauna in the sulphide bodies is both testament to the seafloor setting for much of the sulphides but also the exceptional degree of preservation and lack of metamorphic overprint of the deposits and host rocks. The deposits in the Urals have previously been classified in terms of tectonic setting, host rock associations and metal ratios in line with recent tectono-stratigraphic classifications. In addition to these broad classes, it is clear that in a number of the Urals settings, an evolution of the host volcanic stratigraphy is accompanied by an associated change in the metal ratios of the VMS deposits, a situation previously discussed, for example, in the Noranda district of Canada.Two key structural settings are implicated in the South Urals. The first is seen in a preserved marginal allochthon west of the Main Urals Fault where early arc tholeiites host Cu–Zn mineralization in deposits including Yaman Kasy, which is host to the oldest macro vent fauna assembly known to science. The second tectonic setting for the South Urals VMS is the Magnitogorsk arc where study has highlighted the presence of a preserved early forearc assemblage, arc tholeiite to calc-alkaline sequences and rifted arc bimodal tholeiite sequences. The boninitc rocks of the forearc host Cu–(Zn) and Cu–Co VMS deposits, the latter hosted in fragments within the Main Urals Fault Zone (MUFZ) which marks the line of arc-continent collision in Late Devonian times. The arc tholeiites host Cu–Zn deposits with an evolution to more calc-alkaline felsic volcanic sequences matched with a change to Zn–Pb–Cu polymetallic deposits, often gold-rich. Large rifts in the arc sequence are filled by thick bimodal tholeiite sequences, themselves often showing an evolution to a more calc-alkaline nature. These thick bimodal sequences are host to the largest of the Cu–Zn VMS deposits.The exceptional degree of preservation in the Urals has permitted the identification of early seafloor clastic and hydrolytic modification (here termed halmyrolysis sensu lato) to the sulphide assemblages prior to diagenesis and this results in large-scale modification to the primary VMS body, resulting in distinctive morphological and mineralogical sub-types of sulphide body superimposed upon the tectonic association classification.It is proposed that a better classification of seafloor VMS systems is thus achievable using a three stage classification based on (a) tectonic (hence bulk volcanic chemistry) association, (b) local volcanic chemical evolution within a single edifice and (c) seafloor reworking and halmyrolysis.     

Vergence: an evaluation

Fold asymmetry is an independent concept distinct from facing. Fold vergence is a direction relating to the sense of asymmetry of folds. The complementary concept of cleavage vergence is defined allowing asymmetry to be used to locate major fold traces where no minor folds exist. Cleavage vergence is a valuable tool in complex structural terrains. Both concepts can be used singly or in combination to identify refolding. Vergence can define structural way-up where sedimentological or stratigraphic way-up cannot be recognised.     

9: Processes of tectonism, magmatism and mineralization: Lessons from Europe

Metallogenic provinces in Europe range in age from the Archaean to the Neogene. Deposit types include porphyry copper and epithermal Cu–Au, volcanic-hosted massive sulphide (VMS), orogenic gold, Fe-oxide–Cu–Au, anorthosite Fe–Ti-oxide and sediment-hosted base-metal deposits. Most of them formed during short-lived magmatic events in a wide range of tectonic settings; many can be related to specific tectonic processes such as subduction, hinge retreat, accretion of island arcs, continental collision, lithosphere delamination or slab tear. In contrast, most sediment-hosted deposits in Europe evolved in extensional, continental settings over significant periods of time. In Europe, as elsewhere, ore formation is an integral part of the geodynamic evolution of the Earth's crust and mantle. Many tectonic settings create conditions conducive to the generation of water-rich magma, but the generation of ore deposits appears to be restricted to locations and short periods of change in temperature and stress, imposed by transitory plate motions. Crustal influence is evident in the strong structural controls on the location and morphology of many ore deposits in Europe. Crustal-scale fault–fracture systems, many involving strike-slip elements, have provided the fabric for major plumbing systems. Rapid uplift, as in metamorphic core complexes, and hydraulic fracturing can generate or focus magmatic–hydrothermal fluid flow that may be active for time spans significantly less than a million years. Once a hydrologically stable flow is established, ore formation is strongly dependent on the steep temperature and pressure gradients experienced by the fluid, particularly within the upper crust. In Europe, significant fracture porosity deep in the crystalline basement (1%) is not only important for magmatic–hydrothermal systems, but allows brines to circulate down through sedimentary basins and then episodically upward, expelled seismically to produce sediment-hosted base-metal deposits and Kupferschiefer copper deposits. Emerging research, stimulated by GEODE, can improve the predicting power of numerical simulations of ore-forming processes and help discover the presence of orebodies beneath barren overburden.     

The relationship between foliation and strain: an experimental investigation: discussion

The account of the relationship of foliation and strain in a salt-mica experiment by Hobbs, Means and Williams is criticized for two reasons. Firstly, the scales of the experimental material and the finite elements measured are considered inappropriate. Secondly, the strain data presented is actually the tectonic, not finite, strain. Both criticisms restrict the application of the experimental results to foliation and strain in rocks.     

Antimony in the environment: a review focused on natural waters: I. Occurrence

Antimony is ubiquitously present in the environment as a result of natural processes and human activities. It exists mainly as Sb(III) and Sb(V) in environmental, biological and geochemical samples. Antimony and its compounds are considered to be priority pollutants interest by the USEPA and the EU. In this first review paper on antimony occurrence in natural waters, 420 papers on freshwaters, marine waters, estuaries, soils, and sediments have been reviewed. All data are quoted from the original sources. Typical concentrations of total dissolved antimony are usually less than 1.0 μg/l in non-polluted waters. When redox speciation determinations are performed, most studies report the dominance of Sb(V) under oxic conditions. However, the presence of significant proportions of Sb(III) is sometimes detected. This is in contrast with thermodynamic equilibrium predictions and discrepancies are often attributed to biological activity or kinetic effects but proofs are lacking. Similarly, the existence of Sb(V), although not thermodynamically predicted, is often reported under anoxic conditions. Low concentrations of methylated antimony species are mentioned in a few studies. Antimony is not considered to be a highly reactive element in oceans, with concentrations of the order of 200 ng/l. In estuarine waters, both conservative and non-conservative behaviours are reported depending on the estuaries' characteristics. Elevated concentrations of antimony in soils and sediments are either related to anthropogenic sources or associated with high arsenic concentrations in sulfidic ores. Antimony appears to be highly unreactive in soils. Low accumulation factors are reported in algae. Airborne supply of antimony to aquatic and terrestrial systems seems to be important in systems far from direct pollution sources. However, the limited available data do not allow firm conclusions to be drawn on the reactivity and cycling of the element in natural systems and a list of research priorities is given.     

Rural development: the Rehovot approach

After briefly discussing the problems involved in generating rural economic development in poor countries, the Rehovot Approach to rural planning and implementation is assessed. This approach, first developed in Israel, has subsequently been refined to apply to the myriad problems of rural areas in the diversity of countries that comprise the developing world. After discussing the basic rules in the development strategy, the need for simultaneous planning of multipurpose activities is stressed. Throughout, great emphasis is placed on integrated rural management strategies; ensuring that agricultural changes are paralleled by the development of secondary and tertiary sector activities and of appropriate social and administrative institutions. The role of ‘bottom-up’ planning systems is highlighted, as is the importance of creating organizations capable of plan implementation. This holistic approach to planning is illustrated by actual case examples.     

年代古地理学: 理论与实践*

古地理学研究和探讨的是地质历史时期的地表环境,是构造—环境(气候)—物质相互作用的产物。传统的古地理学及相应的构造古地理、生物古地理学等对大地构造演化及古大陆重建、油气勘探等起到了重要的作用。随着地球演化的深入研究,在多层圈的相互作用,特别是古气候、古环境等研究基础上,需要有机地把地表环境和构造环境相结合,并且综合考虑深层及浅层地质过程对古地理格局的形成和演化的制约。在传统的古地理学基础上,提出一个新的学科——年代古地理学,用以研究和探讨地质历史时期的地表过程。该学科是精细的同位素年代格架下的不同动力学—运动学—物质迁移—环境变迁形成古地理的研究,或者物质—力学—环境(气候)相互作用下的古地理格局的研究。旨在研究和探讨地表过程,亦即形成地表环境的过程,强调同一时间的多元性、不同空间的差异性和不同尺度的穿时性。文中以近年来研究的台湾、扬子及华北克拉通等地区的精细时间尺度下的古地理环境为例,进一步剖析年代古地理学对于重新理解和认识古构造格局演化的重要性。     

Geoevents 1: January-June 1989

In response to a number of requests, we propose to report regularly on major volcanic and seismic activity. Unfortunately, this cannot be a hot-news service. Reports of geoevents are published monthly in the United States by the Scientific Event Alert Network (SEAN); bur each one is issued during the month following the report period, it takes about two months to reach Britain by mail, and the essence of it then has to be distilled by us to meet a Geology Today deadline that is generally two months prior to the cover date. What we can do, however, is to provide a continuous record. As the information for 1989 is not yet complete, a convenient starting date would appear to be January 1989. This first part therefore covers the first six months of 1989 (the 'period' referred to in the text below); the second part will cover the latter half of that year; and thereafter, reports will appear as appropriate, each covering a reporting period of at least three months. We are grateful 10 the SEAN for allowing us to use its reports as the basis of our summaries.     

区域生态地球化学评价思路及建议

区城生态地球化学评价是在多目标地球化学调查基础上开展的一项区域评价研究工作，其目的是为国家和所薪究地区的国民经济建设、工农业结构调整和社会可持续发展提供基础地球化学资料。区域生态地球化学评价以异常元素的来源-成因-迁移转化-生态效应-预测预警为研究主线，以生态系统为研究基本单元，查明异常元素分布、分配、成因及来源，研究它们在地球表层备大层圈中的迁移转化规律，评价它们所产生的生态效应，应用地球化学和生态学的基本原理和方法对污染的生态系统进行预测预警，井提出治理建议，为国家区域性经济战略调整和工农业可持续发展提供科学依据。     

年代古地理学: 理论与实践*

古地理学研究和探讨的是地质历史时期的地表环境,是构造—环境(气候)—物质相互作用的产物。传统的古地理学及相应的构造古地理、生物古地理学等对大地构造演化及古大陆重建、油气勘探等起到了重要的作用。随着地球演化的深入研究,在多层圈的相互作用,特别是古气候、古环境等研究基础上,需要有机地把地表环境和构造环境相结合,并且综合考虑深层及浅层地质过程对古地理格局的形成和演化的制约。在传统的古地理学基础上,提出一个新的学科——年代古地理学,用以研究和探讨地质历史时期的地表过程。该学科是精细的同位素年代格架下的不同动力学—运动学—物质迁移—环境变迁形成古地理的研究,或者物质—力学—环境(气候)相互作用下的古地理格局的研究。旨在研究和探讨地表过程,亦即形成地表环境的过程,强调同一时间的多元性、不同空间的差异性和不同尺度的穿时性。文中以近年来研究的台湾、扬子及华北克拉通等地区的精细时间尺度下的古地理环境为例,进一步剖析年代古地理学对于重新理解和认识古构造格局演化的重要性。     

冰川表面水文过程研究进展

冰面水文过程是冰川径流过程的重要组成部分,对于冰川运动与物质平衡具有重要影响。冰川表面在太阳辐射、冰川物理性质、冰面地形和成冰带空间分布等多种因素影响下消融,形成以冰面水系为主线,锅穴、冰裂隙、冰面湖等为端点的冰面融水输送与分配体系。深入理解冰面水文过程,掌握冰川表面融水的输送、存储与释放,对于研究短时间尺度的冰川融水径流过程、探索冰川动态响应机理具有重要意义。总结回顾了目前国内外冰面水文过程的研究现状,提出了该领域有待解决的主要科学问题。     

Economic Hotspots: Visualizing Vulnerability to Flooding

We simulate a large-scale flooding in the province of South-Holland in the economic centre of the Netherlands. In traditional research, damage due to flooding is computed with a unit loss method coupling land use information to depth-damage functions. Normally only direct costs are incorporated as an estimate of damage to infrastructure, property and business disruption. We extend this damage concept with the indirect economic effects on the rest of the regional and national economy on basis of a bi-regional input output table.We broaden this damage estimation to the concept of vulnerability. Vulnerability is defined as a function of dependence, redundancy and susceptibility. Susceptibility is the probability and extent of flooding. Dependency is the degree to which an activity relates to other economic activities in the rest of the country. Input–output multipliers form representations of this dependency. Redundancy is the ability of an economic activity to respond to a disaster by deferring, using substitutes or relocating. We measure redundancy as the degree of centrality of an economic activity in a network. The more central an activity is, the less it encounters possibilities to transfer production and the more vulnerable it is for flooding. Vulnerability of economic activities is then visualized in a GIS. Kernel density estimation is applied to generalize point information on inundated firms to sectoral information in space. We apply spatial interpolation techniques for the whole of the province of South-Holland. Combining information of sectoral data on dependency and redundancy, we are able to create maps of economic hotspots. Our simulation of a flood in the centre of Holland reveals the vulnerability of a densely populated delta.     

Kiglapait Geochemistry II: Petrography

The mode of the Kiglapait intrusion carries 73 per cent feldspar,but average rocks near the base of the Upper Zone contain aslittle as 48 per cent feldspar. Olivine remained stable throughoutthe crystallization, but was locally suppressed by abundantcrystallization of augite and titano-magnetite. Red biotiteoccurs as rims on Fe–Ti oxide minerals and is probablyfluorine oxybiotite; its frequently similar occurrence in troctoliticrocks may, perversely, indicate dry magmas rather than dampones. Excluded modal components follow Rayleigh fractionation behaviour;their presence in trace amount permits estimation of residualporosity in the Lower Zone. This porosity diminishes directlywith accumulation rate from 0.14 to 0.03 over the first 80 percent of crystallization history. The saturation ratio of excludedmodal components is a well-behaved function of fraction solidified,and implies that the decrease in porosity continues above the80 per cent solidified level. The saturation ratio links withbulk composition, porosity, and F_L, allowing one of these parametersto be estimated from the others. The cumulus arrival of apatite is abrupt, but the earlier arrivalsof augite, oxide minerals, and sulfide each occur over an interval,followed by an interval of overproduction. This behaviour isattributed to feedback on concentration gradients generatedby a long history of plagioclase + olivine extraction, in theabsence of perfect stirring. Diffusion plays a role in the differentiationof large, slowly cooled magma systems because radial mixingby convection is inefficient. Inherited potential supersaturationis the inevitable result. This leads to modal irregularities,and to crystallization effectively on metastable extensionsof field boundaries. The track of the liquid in the Lower Zone is closely parallelto that in the system Fo–Di–An, but offset fromit by the combined effects of Ab and P (toward plagioclase)and Fa (away from plagioclase). The latter effect is important,with the result that the shedding of plagioclase by an ascendingmagma will be much less marked than predicted from iron-freeexperimental systems.     

Fine-grained rocks: Shales or physilites

Fine-grained sediments and rocks containing a high percentage of phyllosilicate minerals have never been satisfactorily classified. Rocks names are poorly defined. The definition of many terms such as clay, clay mineral and shale are logically inconsistent. The major problems are caused by the assumption that there is a fixed relation between grain size and mineralogy and that structure is a basic parameter.Shallow-buried recent and ancient marine sediments with a high content of phyllosilicates commonly contain 60–80% clay and 20–40% silt. Phyllosilicates are present in approximately the same amounts as the clay-size material. Many fine-grained sediments that have been deeply buried commonly contain 30–40% clay; the phyllosilicate mineral content is in the range of 60–80%.In most fine-grained sediments, as deposited, the majority of the material is in the clay size. With burial and diagenesis, much of the clay-sized material grows to silt size. Thus, claystones are converted to siltstones.The term physil, an abbreviated form of phyllosilicate, is proposed to describe all sheet silicate minerals regardless of grain size. Physilites are rocks with a high content of physils. A simple classification is proposed in which size, mineralogy and structure are treated as independent variables.     

Classic localities explained 6: Tobago

The island of Tobago is only about 40 km in length and to the geologist is a demonstration of the old saying that good things come in small packages. Situated in the southeast corner of the Caribbean Plate, it is the eastern extremity of the Caribbean Mountain System of northern South America, and is divided into three geologic provinces, one metamorphic, one igneous and one sedimentary.     

古/中元古代界线:1.8Ga

年代地层表是我们描述地球历史演化的时间框架,也隐含着我们对地球演化过程的基本认识,承载着一系列核心科学问题。现有的国际前寒武纪地质年表存在不少问题,还没有被普遍接受的新方案。在现行国际地层年表(IUGS 1989—2004)中,20～18亿年被称为造山纪,18～16亿年被称为固结纪,16～14亿年被称为盖层纪,也即:造山运动结束到盖层发育之间的过渡时期为固结纪,而将盖层的广泛发育作为中元古代的开始。在我国,由于"吕梁运动"是华北克拉通结晶基底最终形成的标志性构造-热事件,此后发育以长城系-蓟县系-青白口系为代表的地台型沉积盖层,因此我国地质界一直以长城系的底界代表中元古代的开始,并根据"吕梁运动"结束时间,将古/中元古代的时间界线置于18亿年。2012年国际地层委员会提出了一份全新的全球前寒武纪地质年代表划分建议方案,其中2060～1780Ma阶段被称为古元古代哥伦比亚纪,主要以Columbia超大陆的聚合为特征;而之后17. 8～8. 5亿年的近10亿年间,则被定义为罗迪尼亚纪,代表了从Columbia超大陆裂解到Rodinia超大陆聚合的漫长阶段。即这一新建议方案的古/中元古代界线为17. 8亿年,与我国学者长期以来所坚持的古/中元古代分界是基本一致的。在华北克拉通,"吕梁运动"的结束时间在～18亿年,此后整体处于多期裂解的陆内伸展环境,长城系-蓟县系基本上属于连续的陆表海沉积。近年来的研究表明,燕山地区长城系的底界年龄约为17亿年,长城系与蓟县系的分界则为16亿年。如果一味按照现行国际地层划分方案,其古/中元古代的界线(16亿年)将对应于长城系-蓟县系的分界,华北克拉通这套盖层型沉积将被人为分割为两部分,这显然是很不合理的。值得注意的是,在华北克拉通中部吕梁地区发育的小两岭组火山岩和在其南部地区发育的、也是世界范围内同时期最大规模的火山活动——熊耳群火山-沉积岩系,是华北克拉通结晶基底之上最早发育的盖层沉积,其起始形成时间约为18亿年。这与新建议的古/中元古代分界非常接近。从全球地质演化来看,从18到16亿年,造山作用结束,Columbia超大陆开始裂解,岩浆作用方式和岩浆岩组合类型及其地球化学特征发生明显改变,如斜长岩、环斑花岗岩在世界主要克拉通均有发育。与此同时,稳定沉积盖层开始广泛发育,条带状铁建造(BIF)消失,代之以鲕状或粒状矿物集合体组成的浅海富铁沉积,另外海相硫化物沉积、有核原生生物等也首次出现。所有这些都标志着,在此前后,地球岩石圈、水圈和大气圈均发生了重大转折,生物圈也进入新的演化阶段,标志着地球进入"中年期"演化阶段。虽然地球演化发生重要转折的根本原因和细节还有待进一步深入探讨,但这一转变的起点或最重要的时间点,无疑就在18亿年前后,因此,本文认为,应将其作为全球古/中元古代的时间界线。     

Alkali-feldspars: Which solvus?

Variation in published alkali-feldspar solvus curves is discussed in the light of the concept of complete (crystal-crystal) and exchange (crystal-fluid-crystal) equilibrium. Exchange equilibrium may lead to very regular solvus-like two-phase curves differing substantially from the true binodal solvus; certain experimental strategies tend to favour the attainment and persistence of the exchange equilibrium condition. New long duration experiments under “alkali excess” and “alkali+silica excess” conditions did not yield fledspar pairs significantly off the bracketed binodal obtained by Smith and Parsons (1974) but exchange equilibrium behaviour is shown to influence the course of equilibration in peralkaline experiments. Agreement in solvus curves obtained by bracketing experiments by several workers is excellent (±2 mol. % Or) with a straight linear relationship between T _crit and P such that dT _crit/dP≈16°/Kbar. These curves do not exhibit breaks or sensitivity to chemical environment, and there is no evidence that the solvus changes shape with increasing P.