Experimental Studies on Permeability of Intact and Singly Jointed Meta-Sedimentary Rocks Under Confining Pressure

Three different types of permeability tests were conducted on 23 intact and singly jointed rock specimens, which were cored from rock blocks collected from a rock cavern under construction in Singapore. The studied rock types belong to inter-bedded meta-sandstone and meta-siltstone with very low porosity and high uniaxial compressive strength. The transient pulse water flow method was employed to measure the permeability of intact meta-sandstone under a confining pressure up to 30 MPa. It showed that the magnitude order of meta-sandstone’s intrinsic permeability is about 10^?18 m². The steady-state gas flow method was used to measure the permeability of both intact meta-siltstone and meta-sandstone in a triaxial cell under different confining pressures spanning from 2.5 to 10 MPa. The measured permeability of both rock types ranged from 10^?21 to 10^?20 m². The influence of a single natural joint on the permeability of both rock types was studied by using the steady-state water flow method under different confining pressures spanning from 1.25 to 5.0 MPa, including loading and unloading phases. The measured permeability of both jointed rocks ranged from 10^?13 to 10^?11 m², where the permeability of jointed meta-siltstone was usually slightly lower than that of jointed meta-sandstone. The permeability of jointed rocks decreases with increasing confining pressure, which can be well fitted by an empirical power law relationship between the permeability and confining pressure or effective pressure. The permeability of partly open cracked specimens is lower than that of open cracked specimens, but it is higher than that of the specimen with a dominant vein for the meta-sandstone under the same confining pressure. The permeability of open cracked rock specimens will partially recover during the unloading confining pressure process. The equivalent crack (joint) aperture is as narrow as a magnitude order of 10^?6 m (1 μm) in the rock specimens under confining pressures spanning from 1.25 to 5.0 MPa, which represent the typical ground stress conditions in the cavern. The in situ hydraulic conductivity measurements conducted in six boreholes by the injection test showed that the in situ permeability of rock mass varies between 10^?18 and 10^?11 m². The lower bound of the in situ permeability is larger than that of the present laboratory-tested intact rock specimens, while the upper bound of the in situ permeability is less than that of the present laboratory-tested jointed rock specimens. The in situ permeability test results were thus compatible with our present laboratory permeability results of both intact and jointed rock specimens.     

Influence of permeability in modeling of reservoir triggered seismicity in Koyna region,western India

The Koyna region located in the west coast of India is a classic example of reservoir triggered seismicity (RTS) that started soon after the impoundment of the Koyna reservoir in 1962. Previous studies have shown that RTS can be explained in terms of stress and pore pressure changes due to poroelastic response of the rock matrix. The permeability of rock matrix is a key parameter for pore pressure diffusion which is mainly responsible for generation of stress perturbation related to seismicity. Based on the poroelastic theory, we employ 2-D finite element models to simulate the evolution of pore pressure up to 5 years after the reservoir impoundment in 1962, using a range in permeability, 10^?16–10^?14 m². Constraints on material properties of Deccan basalt and granitic rocks were taken from available studies. The results show the formation of pore pressure front and its propagation with depth and time since the reservoir impoundment as a function of permeability. While a permeability of 10^?16 m² does not produce any significant change in pore pressure, a ten-fold increase in permeability produces significant changes up to a depth of 2 km only beneath the reservoir after 5 years of impoundment. Permeability values between 10^?15 m² and 10^?14 m² are required to induce critical pore pressure changes in the range 0.1–1 MPa up to depth of 10 km, capable of triggering earthquakes in a critically stressed region. Studies on core samples of granitic basement rock down to a depth of 1522 m in the Koyna region provide evidences of fracture zones that may contribute to water channelization. Direct measurements of material properties through the ongoing deep drilling programme would help to develop more realistic models of RTS.     

Prediction of Flowing Bottomhole Pressures for Two-Phase Coalbed Methane Wells

A method is proposed to predict the flowing bottomhole pressures(FBHPs)for two-phase coalbed methane(CBM)wells.The mathematical models for both gas column pressure and two-phase fluid column pressure were developed based on the well liquid flow equation.FBHPs during the production were predicted by considering the effect of entrained liquid on gravitational gradients.Comparison of calculated BHPs by Cullender-Smith and proposed method was also studied.The results show that the proposed algorithm gives the desired accuracy of calculating BHPs in the lowproductivity and low-pressure CBM wells.FBHP is resulted from the combined action of wellhead pressure,gas column pressure and fluid column pressure.Variation of kinetic energy term,compressibility and friction factors with depth increments and liquid holdup with velocity should be considered to simulate the real BHPs adequately.BHP is a function of depth of each column segment.The small errors of less than 1.5%between the calculated and measured values are obtained with each segment within 25 m.Adjusting BHPs can effectively increase production pressure drop,which is beneficial to CBM desorption and enhances reservoir productivity.The increment of pressure drop from 5.37 MPa2 to 8.66 MPa2 leads to an increase of CBM production from 3270 m3/d to 6700 m3/d and is attributed to a decrease in BHP from 2.25 MPa to 1.33 MPa.     

Magnetite-Fluorite Rock:A New Rock Type of Hot Water Sedimentation

The new type hot water sedimentary rock -- magnetite-fluorite rock occurs as quasi-layers in flat parts of contact zones between rock body and strata in Bamianshan of Changshan County, Zhejiang Province, China. The main mineral assemblage is fluorite＋magnetite＋cassiterite. The rock shows typical laminated structure and obvious mosaic texture. Its formation temperature is between 123℃-160℃, averaging at 142℃. The major chemical composition of the rock includes CaF2, SiO2, Al2O3, FeO, and Fe2O3; the high-content microelement association includes W, Sn, Be, Rb, Sr, S, and CI; and the total content of REE is low （∑REE between 35.34×10^-6-38.35×10^-6）, showing LREE enrichment type of distribution pattern. Diagenesis： driven by the tectonic stress, the formation water heated in the deep strata had moved along the fissures or fractures in strata and had extracted components from the strata on the way, and finally stagnated in the flat parts of contact zones between rock body and strata. With drop in temperature, magnetite and fluorite were separated from the hot water and precipitated alternately, forming this hot water sedimentary rock with new type mineralogical composition, typical laminated structure, obvious mosaic texture and sub-horizontal occurrence. The characteristics of the new type mineralogical composition, sedimentary tectonic environment and chemical composition are different from that of the well-known traditional hydrothermai sedimentary rocks.     

Gold Content of Mantle-Derived Rocks from Eastern China and Its Implications

We have analyzed the gold content of 65 samples of mantle-derived xenoliths and their host rocks from eastern China, which is found to be inhomogeneous, falling in the ranges of 1.0×109-8.2×109 (averaging 3.8 ×10-9) and 0.2×10-9-5.3×10-9 (averaging 2.7×10-9) in the mantle-derived xenoliths and the host basalts respectively. Except the samples from Wanquan County of Hebei Province and Anding County of Hainan Province, the gold content is the highest on the margins of the North China platform and decreases spatially towards the north and south, and temporally the samples of the Tertiary have a higher gold content than those of the Quaternary. The gold content of the mantle-derived xenoliths and the host Paleozoic kimberlites is 3.8×10-9-180×109and 0.1×10-9-38.0×10-9 respectively, which are higher than that in the mantle-derived xenoliths in basalt and the host Cenozoic basalts. The mantle-derived xenoliths have a higher gold content than the host rocks, but their relativity is not very clear, su     

In, Sn, Pb and Zn Contents and Their Relationships in Ore-forming Fluids from Some In-rich and In-poor Deposits in China

All the indium-rich deposits with indium contents in ores more than 100×10- 6 seems to be of cassiterite-sulfide deposits or Sn-bearing Pb-Zn deposits, e.g., in the Dachang Sn deposit in Guangxi, the Dulong Sn-Zn deposit in Yunnan, and the Meng'entaolegai Ag-Pb-Zn deposit in Inner Mongolia, the indium contents in ores range from 98×10-6 to 236×10-6 and show a good positive correlation with contents of zinc and tin, and their correlation coefficients are 0.8781 and 0.7430, respectively. The indium contents from such Sn-poor deposits as the Fozichong Pb-Zn deposit in Guangxi and the Huanren Pb-Zn deposit in Liaoning are generally lower than 10×10-6, i.e., whether tin is present or not in a deposit implies the enrichment extent of indium in ores. Whether the In enrichment itself in the ore -forming fluids or the ore-forming conditions has actually caused the enrichment/depletion of indium in the deposits? After studying the fluid inclusions in quartz crystallized at the main stage of mineralization of several In-rich and In-poor deposits in China, this paper analyzed the contents and studied the variation trend of In, Sn, Pb and Zn in the ore-forming fluids. The results show that the contents of lead and zinc in the ore-forming fluids of In-rich and -poor deposits are at the same level, and the lead contents range from 22×10-6 to 81×10-6 and zinc from 164×10-6 to 309×10-6, while the contents of indium and tin in the ore-forming fluids of In-rich deposits are far higher than those of In-poor deposits, with a difference of 1-2 orders of magnitude. Indium and tin contents in ore-forming fluid of In-rich deposits are 1.9×10-6-4.1×10-6 and 7×100-6-55×10-6, and there is a very good positive correlation between the two elements, with a correlation coefficient of 0.9552. Indium and tin contents in ore-forming fluid of In-poor deposits are 0.03×10-6-0.09×10-6 and 0.4×10-6--2.0×10-6, respectively, and there is no apparent correlation between them. This indicates, on one hand, that In-rich ore-forming fluids are the material basis for the formation of In-rich deposits, and, on the other hand, tin probably played a very important role in the transport and enrichment of indium.     

Calcite Dissolution in Deionized Water from 50°C to 250°C at 10 MPa: Rate Equation and Reaction Order

Carbonate minerals and water （or geofluids） reactions are important for modeling of geochemical processes and have received considerable attention over the past decades. The calcite dissolution rates from 50℃ to 250℃ at 10 MPa in deionized water with a flow rate varying from 0.2 to 5 mL/min were experimentally measured in a continuous flow column pressure vessel reactor. The dissolution began near the equilibrium with c/ceq 〉 0.3 and finally reached the equilibrium at 100℃-250℃, so the corresponding solubility was also determined as 1.87, 2.02, 2.02 and 1.88×10^-4.mol/L at 100℃, 150℃, 200℃ and 250℃ respectively, which was first increasing and then switching to decreasing with temperature and the maximum value might occur between 150℃ and 200℃. The experimental dissolution rate not only increased with temperature, but also had a rapid increase between 150℃ and 200℃ at a constant flow rate of 4 mL/min. The measured dissolution rates can be described using rate equations of R = k（1-c/ceq）n or R = kc-n. In these equations the reaction order n changed with temperature, which indicates that n was a variable rather than a constant, and the activation energy was 13.4 kJ/mol calculated with R = k（1-c/ceq）n or 18.0 kJ/mol with R = kc^-n, which is a little lower than the surface controlled values. The varied reaction order and lower activation energy indicates that calcite dissolution in this study is a complex interplay of diffusion controlled and surface controlled processes.     

Studies of smectite membrane behavior: Temperature dependence, 20–180°C

A brine 5.0 molal in NaCl and 0.45 molal in CaCl₂ was forced through random-fabric clay cakes, 1.0 to 1.6 cm thick, prepared from the 0.25–2.7 μm diameter size fraction of Cheto montmorillonite from Chambers, Arizona. Runs were made at 20°, 95°, 140° and 180°C using a compaction pressure of 34.5 MPa (5000 psi), an upstream fluid pressure of 22.8 MPa (3300 psi), and a downstream fluid pressure of 8.96 MPa (1300 psi). An additional run was made at 140°C, a compaction pressure of 68.9 MPa (10,000 psi), an upstream fluid pressure of 39.0 MPa (5650 psi), and a downstream fluid pressure of 25.3 MPa (3650 psi). At constant fluid flow rate, the molal filtration efficiencies of both Na⁺ and Ca²⁺ increase with temperature, the latter more rapidly. The effect of compaction pressure is shown by comparing the two runs at 140°C: the filtration efficiency for Ca²⁺ at the higher compaction pressure was twice that at the lower compaction pressure; for Na⁺, it was 60% greater. At the slower flow rates found in nature, it appears that Ca²⁺ must be retained preferentially relative to Na⁺ in virtually all sedimentary environments, with the Ca²⁺ preference increasing with increasing temperature. The apparent membrane enrichment for the heavy oxygen isotopes of throughput water molecules observed at 140°C is 0.15%. and that at 180°C is 0.05%., values that are opposite in sign to those reported in the literature for 20°C. This apparent shift in enrichment with temperature is 4 to 5 times the room-temperature salinity correction, but the reliability of the shift value is reduced by the possibility in the high-temperature runs of exchange between brine and clay, which would also make the brine isotopically heavier. Observed changes in filtration efficiency of Ca²⁺ and Na⁺ with temperature and fluid velocity can be explained qualitatively using arguments involving fluid viscosity and hydraulic drag. The newly-designed membrane press used in the study performed adequately at temperatures up to 180°C, but failed in several respects at 220°C.     

High Pressure Response of Rutile Polymorphs and Its Significance for Indicating the Subduction Depth of Continental Crust

α-PbO2-type TiO2 （TiO2-Ⅱ） is an important index mineral for ultrahigh-pressure metamorphism. After the discovery of a natural high-pressure phase of titanium oxide with α-PbO2- structure in omphacite from coesite-bearing eclogite at Shima in the Dabie Mountains, China, a nanoscale （〈2 nm） α-PbO2-type TiO2 has been identified through electron diffraction and high-resolution transmission electron microscopy in coesite-bearing jadeite quartzite at Shuanghe in the Dabie Mountains. The crystal structure is orthorhombic with lattice parameters a = 4.58×10-1 nm, b = 5.42×10-1 nm, c = 4.96×10-1 nm and space group Pbcn. The analysis results reveal that ruffle {011}R twin interface is a basic structural unit of α-PbO2-type TiO2. Nucleation of α-PbO2-type TiO2 lamellae is caused by the displacement of one half of the titanium cations within the {011}R twin slab. This displacement reduces the Ti-O-Ti distance and is favored by high pressure. The identification of α- PbO2-type TiO2 in coesite-bearing jadeite quartzite from Shuanghe, Dabie Mountains, provides a new and powerful evidence of ultrahigh-pressure metamorphism at 4--7 GPa, 850℃-900℃, and implies a burial of continental crustal rocks to 130-200 kilometers depth or deeper. The α-PbO2-type TiO2 may be a useful indicator of the pressure and temperature in the diamond stability field.     

Deformation-enhanced metamorphic reactions and the rheology of high-pressure shear zones, Western Gneiss Region, Norway

Microstructural and petrological analysis of samples with increasing strain in high‐pressure (HP) shear zones from the Haram garnet corona gabbro give insights into the deformation mechanisms of minerals, rheological properties of the shear zone and the role of deformation in enhancing metamorphic reactions. Scanning electron microscopy with electron backscattering diffraction (SEM–EBSD), compositional mapping and petrographic analysis were used to evaluate the nature of deformation in both reactants and products associated with eclogitization. Plagioclase with a shape‐preferred orientation that occurs in the interior part of layers in the mylonitic sample deformed by intracrystalline glide on the (0 0 1)[1 0 0] slip system. In omphacite, crystallographic preferred orientations indicate slip on (1 0 0)[0 0 1] and (1 1 0)[0 0 1] during deformation. Fine‐grained garnet deformed by diffusion creep and grain‐boundary sliding. Ilmenite deformed by dislocation glide on the basal and, at higher strains, prism planes in the a direction. Relationships among the minerals present and petrological analysis indicate that deformation and metamorphism in the shear zones began at 500–650 °C and 0.5–1.4 GPa and continued during prograde metamorphism to ultra‐high‐pressure (UHP) conditions. Both products and reactants show evidence of syn‐ and post‐kinematic growth indicating that prograde reactions continued after strain was partitioned away. The restriction of post‐kinematic growth to narrow regions at the interface of garnet and plagioclase and preservation of earlier syn‐kinematic microstructures in older parts layers that were involved in reactions during deformation show that diffusion distances were significantly shortened when strain was partitioned away, demonstrating that deformation played an important role in enhancing metamorphic reactions. Two important consequences of deformation observed in these shear zones are: (i) the homogenization of chemical composition gradients occurred by mixing and grain‐boundary migration and (ii) composition changes in zoned metamorphic garnet by lengthening diffusion distances. The application of experimental flow laws to the main phases present in nearly monomineralic layers yield upper limits for stresses of 100–150 MPa and lower limits for strain rates of 10^?12 to 10^?13 s^?1 as deformation conditions for the shear zones in the Haram gabbro that were produced during subduction of the Baltica craton and resulted in the production of HP and UHP metamorphic rocks.     

Fluid Inclusions of Calcite and Sources of Ore-forming Fluids in the Huize Zn-Pb-(Ag-Ge) District, Yunnan, China

The Huize Zn-Pb- (Ag-Ge) district is a typical representative of the well-known medium-to large-sized carbonate-hosted Zn-Pb- (Ag-Ge) deposits, occurring in the Sichuan-Yunnan-Guizhou Pb-Zn Ore-forming Zone. Generally, fluid inclusions within calcite, one of the major gangue minerals, are dominated by two kinds of small (1-10 um) inclusions including pure-liquid and liquid. The inclusions exist in concentrated groups along the crystal planes of the calcite. The ore-forming fluids containing Pb and Zn, which belong to the Na+-K+-Ca2+-Cl--F--SO42- type, are characterized by temperatures of 164-221℃, medium salinity in 5-10.8 wt% NaCl, and medium pressure at 410×105 to 661×105 Pa. The contents of Na+-K+ and C1--F-, and ratios of Na+/K+-Cl-/F- in fluid inclusions present good linearity. The ratios of Na+/K+ (4.66-6.71) and Cl-/F- (18.21-31.04) in the fluid inclusions of calcite are relatively high, while those of Na+/K+ (0.29-5.69) and Cl-/F- (5.00-26.0) in the inclusions of sphalerite and pyrite are rela     

An unusual modern silica–carbonate sinter from Pavlova spring, Ngatamariki, New Zealand

ABSTRACT A silica–carbonate deposit is forming from the dilute alkali chloride waters of Pavlova spring, a small thermal pool and outflow channel (85 to <40 °C), situated at the northern extent of the South Orakonui area of the Ngatamariki geothermal field, Taupo Volcanic Zone (TVZ), New Zealand. It is one of a small but growing number of thermal spring features known to yield deposits of mixed mineralogy. At Pavlova, a distinctive, crustose, chalk‐white, meringue‐like sinter, comprising non‐crystalline opal‐A silica with subordinate calcite, is actively precipitating both around the margins of and as small islets within the spring, with an average accumulation rate of ≈ 2 mm year^?1. Both emergent and partly submerged substrates host the sinter, including fallen pine branches, twigs, needles and cones, gum leaves, grass blades, bracken fronds, pumice, sediment and microbial mats. The sinter is thin (25–35 mm thickness), finely laminated and contains three distinct types of stacked horizons. Submerged basal layers constitute stratiform to undulatory microstromatolites with pseudocolumns, which grew outwards and upwards on narrow twig nuclei. Emergent middle layers comprise discontinuous, spicular microstromatolites (to 10 mm height), with prostrate and erect microbial filaments, silica spheres and silicified mucus, overlain by silicified structures of probable fungal origin. In places, lower and middle sinter layers are capped by white, smooth, convex surfaces that coalesce into subdued, curved ridges, resembling laterally continuous peaks of egg‐white meringue. The meringue is internally laminated, with fossilized microbes preserved in thin horizons. Small lensoid masses of calcite crystals nestle between silica laminae throughout the sinter. The near‐neutral (pH ≈ 7·2) spring water is a dilute chloride‐carbonate type (HCO≈ 470 µg g^?1, Cl^–≈ 600 µg g^?1) with low (≈ 50 µg g^?1), typical of TVZ thermal fields where deep chloride fluid mixes with CO₂‐rich, steam‐heated shallow waters before discharge. The hot water changed little in composition from 1993 to 1999 and, despite dilution by meteoric waters, contains sufficient SiO₂ (≈ 220 µg g^?1) for opal‐A to deposit at the surface upon cooling. However, the concentration of Ca²⁺ (≈ 6 µg g^?1) is such that the precipitation of calcite is not expected without modification of spring waters. Precipitation occurs by evaporation of thin water films at exposed substrate surfaces, via meniscoid as well as capillary creep (wicking), through porous sinter horizons and across emergent vegetative surfaces in contact with spring water or steam. The height of the deposit above the water surface is restricted by the upper limit of moisture bathing these substrates. Splash and spray are not involved in the formation of Pavlova spicular microstromatolites, as is the case for other texturally similar deposits from hotsprings elsewhere. This young (< 15 years), mineralogically and morphologically complex hot‐spring deposit exhibits > 10 times lower accumulation rates than typical siliceous sinters in the TVZ, and deposition of both silica and calcite is controlled by microchemical conditions and local temperature gradients, rather than by bulk spring water chemistry.     

An experimental study of grain scale melt segregation mechanisms in two common crustal rock types

Creation of pathways for melt to migrate from its source is the necessary first step for transport of magma to the upper crust. To test the role of different dehydration‐melting reactions in the development of permeability during partial melting and deformation in the crust, we experimentally deformed two common crustal rock types. A muscovite‐biotite metapelite and a biotite gneiss were deformed at conditions below, at and above their fluid‐absent solidus. For the metapelite, temperatures ranged between 650 and 800 °C at P_c=700 MPa to investigate the muscovite‐dehydration melting reaction. For the biotite gneiss, temperatures ranged between 850 and 950 °C at P_c=1000 MPa to explore biotite dehydration‐melting under lower crustal conditions. Deformation for both sets of experiments was performed at the same strain rate (ε.) 1.37×10^?5 s^?1. In the presence of deformation, the positive ΔV and associated high dilational strain of the muscovite dehydration‐melting reaction produces an increase in melt pore pressure with partial melting of the metapelite. In contrast, the biotite dehydration‐melting reaction is not associated with a large dilational strain and during deformation and partial melting of the biotite gneiss melt pore pressure builds more gradually. Due to the different rates in pore pressure increase, melt‐enhanced deformation microstructures reflect the different dehydration melting reactions themselves. Permeability development in the two rocks differs because grain boundaries control melt distribution to a greater extent in the gneiss. Muscovite‐dehydration melting may develop melt pathways at low melt fractions due to a larger volume of melt, in comparison with biotite‐dehydration melting, generated at the solidus. This may be a viable physical mechanism in which rapid melt segregation from a metapelitic source rock can occur. Alternatively, the results from the gneiss experiments suggest continual draining of biotite‐derived magma from the lower crust with melt migration paths controlled by structural anisotropies in the protolith.     

Oxygen diffusion in amphiboles

The kinetics of oxygen isotope self-diffusion in natural samples of hornblende, tremolite, and richterite have been measured. Samples were run under hydrothermal conditions using ¹⁸O enriched water. Profiles of ${}^{18}\text{O}\text{(}{}^{16}\text{O +}{}^{18}\text{O)}$vs depth into the crystal were obtained using an ion microprobe; the depths of sputtered holes were measured using an optical interferometer. At 1000 bars (100 MPa) water pressure, the activation energies (Q) and pre-exponential factors (D₀) for diffusion parallel to c are: D₀(cm²/sec) Q (kcal/gm-atom) T (°C) Hornblende 1⁺²⁰_?1 × 10^?741 ± 6 650–800 Tremolite 2⁺³⁰_?2× 10^?8 39 ± 5 650–800 Richterite 3⁺⁵_?2 × 10^?4 57 ± 2 650–800The diffusion coefficient (D) for hornblende at 800°C and 1000 bars water pressure measured parallel to the c crystallographic direction is at least ten times greater than that parallel to the a or b directions. An increase in water pressure from 200 to 2000 bars increases D by a factor of 2.7 for diffusion parallel to c at 800°C. The D value for hornblende at 800°C is about 0.01 that for quartz and 0.001 that for anorthite. As a result, closure temperatures for oxygen exchange in natural primary amphiboles are significantly higher than for quartz or feldspars. It is unlikely that amphiboles will exchange oxygen isotopes by diffusion under most crustal conditions.     

Experimental deformation of sintered albite above and below the order-disorder transition

Abstract

Purified albite powder (44-53 μm) has been sintered to form an albite polycrystal suitable for deformation studies close to the melting temperature. Experiments have been carried out in Griggs solid medium deformation apparatus at 800, 1020 °C and 700 MPa pressure in a dehydrating pyrophyllite confining medium at constant strain rates of 10^?4, 10^?5, 10^?6 and 10^?7/s. At 800 °C the samples were brittle-ductile whereas at 1020 °C they were ductile with a rheology well described by a power law with a stress exponent of 3. The transition from brittle-ductile to ductile also coincided with the order-disorder or low-high albite transition, as indicated by the marked increase in mechanical twinning on the albite law at high temperature. At 1020 °C high dislocation densities (10^?10 - 10^?11/cm² and mechanical twinning characterised the original high albite grains, whereas fine recrystallised grains ( < 5 цm) had low dislocation densities (10⁷ - 10⁸/cm²) and often contained polysynthetic albite and pericline (M-type) twins. It is suggested that the recrystallized grains were monalbite (monoclinic) under test conditions which have inverted to high albite (triclinic) and in so doing produced M-twins, and that the recrystallization mechanism involved grain-boundary bulging to nucleate new high angle boundaries. The implications of the order-disorder transition for twinning and grain boundary migration are discussed and it is suggested that the data cannot be simply extrapolated to natural deformation in the low albite field.     

The migration of fluid-filled grain boundaries in recrystallizing synthetic bischofite: first results of in-situ high-pressure, high-temperature deformation experiments in transmitted light

The effect of fluids on recrystallization behaviour is well known; however, the detailed microscale distribution of fluid in grain boundaries and the influence of fluid on grain boundary migration are still unresolved. In this study, in‐situ deformation experiments in transmitted light microscopy were undertaken, as this allows continuous and direct observation of the whole range of processes involved in fluid‐assisted grain boundary migration. A new see‐through deformation apparatus was developed to enable the control of fluid pressure. Bischofite containing small amounts of aqueous fluid was deformed at temperatures between 50 and 90 °C, over a range of fluid pressure from 0.5 to 1 MPa, and strain rates of 5 × 10^?6 to 1 × 10^?4 s^?1. The rates of grain boundary migration were measured at different temperatures and strain rates. Detailed observations during and after the deformation illustrate the evolution of migrating fluid‐filled grain boundaries and show that the incorporation of fluids from inclusions as well as their pinch‐off is dependent on the grain boundary velocity, the thickness of the grain boundary and the size and shape of the inclusions. Direct evidence is presented for the contraction of the grain boundary fluids into isolated inclusions after equilibrium conditions are attained.     

Experimental Investigation of Eclogite Rheology and Its Fabrics at High Temperature and Pressure

Eclogite plays an important role in mantle convection and geodynamics in subduction zones. An improved understanding of processes in the deeper levels of subduction zones and collision belts requires information on eclogite rheology. However, the deformation processes and associated fabrics in eclogite are not well understood. Incompatible views of deformation mechanism have been proposed for both garnet and omphacite. We present here deformation behaviour of eclogite at temperatures of 1027–1427 °C, confining pressures of 2.5–3.5 GPa, and strain rates of 1 × 10^?5 s^?1 to 5 × 10^?4 s^?1. We obtained a power‐law creep for the high temperature and pressure deformation of a ‘dry’ eclogite (50 vol.% garnet, 40% omphacite and 10% quartz) with A = 10^{3.3 ± 1.0}, n = 3.5 ± 0.4, ΔE =403 ± 30 KJ mol^?1 and ΔV = 27.2 cm³ mol^?1. The two principal minerals of eclogite have greatly different strengths. Progressive increase of garnet results in a smooth increase in strength. Analysis by electron back‐scattered diffraction shows that: (1) garnet displays pole figures with near random distributions of misorientation angle under both dry and wet conditions; (2) omphacite shows pronounced lattice preferred orientations (LPOs), suggesting a dominant dislocation creep mechanism. Further investigation into the water effects on eclogite show: (3) water content does not influence the style of omphacite fabric but increases slightly the fabric strength; (4) grain boundary processes dominate the deformation of garnet under high water fugacity or high shear‐strain conditions, yielding a random LPO similar to that of non‐deforming garnet, despite the strong shape preferred orientation (SPO) observed. {110} [001] slip may dominate the deformation of rutile. Quartz displays complicated and inconsistent LPOs in eclogite. These results are remarkably similar to observations from deformed eclogites in nature.     

On the mechanical properties of synthetic kaolinite/quartz fault gouge

The mechanical properties and microstructures of mixed kaolinite/ quartz fault gouge have been studied by means of triaxial tests, wherein a 1 mm thickness of fault gouge was sheared between rigid, sintered alumina sliders. Test conditions ranged up to 200 MPa confining pressure, 175 MPa pore water pressure and temperatures to 600°C. Constant displacement rate tests were carried out at 5×10^-4 mm s^-1, and the stress relaxation technique was used to access a wide range of lower displacement rates down to 10^-10 mm s^-1. The effects of different ratios of clay: quartz were studied, and some experiments were cafried out using crushed Tennessee sandstone gouge and pre-faulted cylinders of Tennessee sandstone. Deformation-induced microstructures were studied by optical, scanning and transmission electron microscopy, and mineral chemistry changes were identified using EDS analysis in the STEM. The most important factor determining the strength of these gouges is effective confining pressure, and the effective stress law was obeyed at all test conditions. Increasing the proportion of quartz in the gouge slightly increases the strength, as does increase of temperature. Under all test conditions the gouges deformed by strain-hardening stable sliding. At 2 mm displacement the friction coefficient is similar to that for rock and rock sliding (μ= 0.85). Over wide ranges of strain-rate and temperature the strength of these gouges is little affected if the effective pressure is high, but strength drops rapidly with decreasing strain-rate if effective pressure is low (or if pore water pressure is high). Reloading of the gouge after stress relaxation at high temperatures demonstrated hardening arising from hydrothermal cementation during stress relaxation, which led to sudden rupture of the cemented gouge. This phenomenon may be responsible for cyclic rupture of natural faults. New mineral phases were produced in these experiments only at 600°C. At 400°C, anticipated production of pyrophyllite from kaolinite plus quartz was not found, but recrystallization of kaolinite is believed to have occurred and evidence of healing of cracks in quartz was seen. Microstructural studies revealed the ubiquitous development of P and R₁ foliations and other features, which are identical to those found in natural clay-bearing fault zones. Microstructural evolution is associated with the strain-hardening, and apparent hardening is strongly associated with the stress path during loading.     

Factors affecting preservation of coesite in ultrahigh‐pressure metamorphic rocks: Insights from TEM observations of dislocations within kyanite

To understand the preservation of coesite inclusions in ultrahigh‐pressure (UHP) metamorphic rocks, an integrated petrological, Raman spectroscopic and focussed ion beam (FIB) system–transmission electron microscope (TEM) study was performed on a UHP kyanite eclogite from the Sulu belt in eastern China. Coesite grains have been observed only as rare inclusions in kyanite from the outer segment of garnet and in the matrix. Raman mapping analysis shows that a coesite inclusion in kyanite from the garnet rim records an anisotropic residual stress and retains a maximum residual pressure of ~0.35 GPa. TEM observations show quartz is absent from the coesite inclusion–host kyanite grain boundaries. Numerous dislocations and sub‐grain boundaries are present in the kyanite, but dislocations are not confirmed in the coesite. In particular, dislocations concentrate in the kyanite adjacent to the boundary with the coesite inclusion, and they form a dislocation concentration zone with a dislocation density of ~10⁹ cm^?2. A high‐resolution TEM image and a fast Fourier transform‐filtered image reveal that a tiny dislocation in the dislocation concentration zone is composed of multiple edge dislocations. The estimated dislocation density in most of the kyanite away from the coesite inclusion–host kyanite grain boundaries is ~10⁸ cm^?2, being lower than that in kyanite adjacent to the coesite. In the case of a coesite inclusion in a matrix kyanite, using Raman and TEM analyses, we could not identify any quartz at the grain boundaries. Dislocations are not observed in the coesite, but numerous dislocations and stacking faults are developed in the kyanite. The estimated overall dislocation density in the coesite‐bearing matrix kyanite is ~10⁸ cm^?2, but a high dislocation density region of ~10⁹ cm^?2 is also present near the coesite inclusion–host kyanite grain boundaries. Inclusion and matrix kyanite grains with no coesite have dislocation densities of ≤10⁸ cm^?2. Dislocation density is generally reduced during an annealing process, but our results show that not all dislocations in the kyanite have recovered uniformly during exhumation of the UHP rocks. Hence, one of the key factors acting as a buffer to inhibit the coesite to quartz transformation is the mechanical interaction between the host and the inclusion that lead to the formation of dislocations in the kyanite. The kyanite acts as an excellent pressure container that can preserve coesite during the decompression of rocks from UHP conditions. The search for and study of inclusions in kyanite may be a more suitable approach for tracing the spatial distribution of UHP metamorphic rocks.     

He-Ar Isotopic Systematics of Fluid Inclusions in Pyrites from PGEpolymetallic Deposits in Lower Cambrian Black Rock Series, South China

He-Ar isotopic compositions of fluid inclusions trapped in pyrites from some representative PGE-polymetallic deposits in Lower Cambrian black rock series in South China were analyzed by using an inert gas isotopic mass spectrometer. The results show that the ore-forming fluids possess a low 3He/4He ratio, varying from 0.43×10-8 to 26.39×10-8, with corresponding R/Ra value of 0.003-0.189. The 40Ar/36Ar ratios are 258-287, close to those of air saturated water (ASW). He-Ar isotopic indicator studies show that the ore-forming fluids were mainly derived from the formation water or basinal hot brine and sea water, while the content of mantle-derived fluid or deep-derived magmatic water might be negligible. The PGE-polymetallic mineralization might be related to the evolution of the Caledonian miogeosynclines distributed along the southern margin of the Yangtze Craton. During the Early Cambrian, the formation water or basinal hot brine trapped in Caledonian basins which accumulated giant thick sediments was