Magnetic properties related to hydrothermal alteration processes at the Escondida porphyry copper deposit,northern Chile

Fluid–rock interaction related to the circulation of hydrothermal fluids can strongly modify the physicochemical properties of wall rocks in porphyry Cu deposits. These processes can also produce compositional and textural changes in ferromagnetic minerals, which can be quantified using magnetic methods. In the Escondida porphyry Cu deposit of northern Chile, each hydrothermally altered lithology is characterized by a discrete assemblage of Fe–Ti oxide minerals. These minerals have distinctive bulk magnetic susceptibility (K _bulk), temperature-dependent magnetic susceptibility, and magnetic hysteresis parameters. Selectively altered rocks (i.e., potassic and chloritic alteration types) exhibit the highest K _bulk values (>3.93?×?10^?3 SI units), and their hysteresis parameters indicate multidomain magnetic mineral behavior. This suggests that these rocks are composed of the coarsest magnetic grain sizes within the deposit. Optical analyses and susceptibility–temperature curves confirm that the magnetic signals in selectively altered rocks are mainly carried by secondary magnetite. In contrast, pervasively altered rocks (i.e., quartz-sericite and argillic alteration types) exhibit low K _bulk values (<1.93?×?10^?4 SI units) and contain smaller pseudo-single domain magnetic grain assemblages. This is consistent with the destruction and/or reduction in size of magnetite under acidic conditions. The results therefore demonstrate a genetic relationship between the hydrothermal alteration processes, Fe–Ti oxide minerals, and magnetic properties of the wall rock in the Escondida deposit. These magnetic methods can be considered a sensitive and efficient petrophysical tool for the identification and semi-quantification of alteration assemblages, and facilitating the recognition and mapping of discrete hydrothermal zones during exploration and operation of porphyry Cu deposits.     

Variations in Chemical Composition of Clay Minerals and Magnetic Susceptibility of Hydrothermally Altered Rocks in the Hishikari Epithermal Gold Deposit, SW Kyushu, Japan

Hydrothermal alteration, involving chiefly chlorite and illite, is extensively distributed within host rocks of the Pleistocene Hishikari Lower Andesites (HLA) and the Cretaceous Shimanto Supergroup (SSG) in the underground mining area of the Hishikari epithermal gold deposit, Kagoshima, Japan. Approximately 60% of the mineable auriferous quartz‐adularia veins in the Honko vein system occur in sedimentary rocks of the SSG, whereas all the veins of the Yamada vein system occur in volcanic rocks of the HLA. Variations in the abundance and chemical composition of hydrothermal minerals and magnetic susceptibility of the hydrothermally altered rocks of the HLA and SSG were analyzed. In volcanic rocks of the HLA, hydrothermal minerals such as quartz, chlorite, adularia, illite, and pyrite replaced primary minerals. The amount of hydrothermal minerals in the volcanic rocks including chlorite, adularia, illite, and pyrite as well as the altered and/or replaced pyroxenes and plagioclase phenocrysts increases toward the veins in the Honko vein system. The vein‐centered variation in mineral assemblage is pronounced within up to 25 m from the veins in the peripheral area of the Honko vein system, whereas it is not as apparent in the Yamada vein system. The hydrothermal minerals in sandstone of the SSG occur mainly as seams less than a few millimeters thick and are sporadically observed in halos along the veins and/or the seams. The alteration halos in sandstone of the SSG are restricted to within 1 m of the veins. In the peripheral area of the Honko vein system, chlorite in volcanic rocks is characterized by increasing in Al in its tetrahedral layer and the Fe/Fe + Mg ratio toward the veins, while illite in volcanic rocks has relatively low K and a restricted range of Fe/Fe + Mg ratios. Temperature estimates derived from chlorite geothermometry rise toward the veins within the volcanic rocks. The magnetic susceptibility of tuff breccia of the HLA varies from 21 to less than 0.01 × 10^?3 SI within a span of 40 m from the veins and has significant variation relative to that of andesite (27–0.06 × 10^?3 SI). The variation peripheral to the Honko vein system correlates with an increase in the abundance of hematite pseudomorphs after magnetite, the percentage of adularia and chlorite with high Fe/Fe + Mg ratios, and the degree of plagioclase alteration with decreasing distance to the veins. In contrast, sedimentary rocks of the SSG maintain a consistent magnetic susceptibility across the alteration zone, within a narrow range from 0.3 to 0.2 × 10^?3 SI. Magnetic susceptibility of volcanic rocks of the HLA, especially tuff breccia, could serve as an effective exploration tool for identifying altered volcanic rocks.     

Early Cretaceous Climate Changes Recorded in Magnetic Susceptibility and Color Index Variations of the Lower Liupanshan Group, Central China

This study carried out comprehensive analysis on sedimentology, magnetic susceptibility(χlf) and color data of the continental sediments of the Liupanshan Group in Central China so as to obtain climatic change information during the 129.14–122.98 Ma interval. Based on the results of the ?lf and of the redness(a*), the section can be divided into two segments:(1) 129.14–126.3 Ma, with the lowest ?lf values and strongly variable relatively high values of redness and(2) 126.3–122.98 Ma, with high ?lf values and relatively low redness. Analysis of the lithology and facies as well as the magnetic minerals and their contents points to a detrital origin of the magnetic minerals and this allow us to interpret the relationship between magnetic susceptibility variations and climate changes. Our study shows that the climate was significantly dry and hot during the whole studied interval although the interval between 126.3 Ma and 122.98 was a little bit cooler with increased humidity.     

Hydrothermal carbonates in altered wall rocks at the Uwamuki Kuroko deposits, Japan

Magnesite, siderite and dolomite are characteristic alteration minerals occurring in Miocene hanging wall rocks of dacitic composition which host the Kuroko orebodies. These carbonates generally occur in a more stratigraphically upper horizon than chlorite alteration zone surrounding the orebodies. The Mg/(Mg+Fe) ratios of the carbonates decrease from the central alteration zone to marginal zone. The Mg/(Mg+Fe) ratios of carbonates and chlorite positively correlate. The δ¹⁸O and δ¹³C values of magnesite, siderite and dolomite positively correlate with each other and lie between the igneous and marine carbonate values. The petrographic, isotopic and fluid inclusion characteristics and thermochemical modelling calculations indicate that magnesite and dolomite formed in the central zone close to the orebodies due to the interaction of hydrothermal solutions with the biogenic marine carbonates. Calcite formed further from the orebodies from hydrothermal fluids which did not contain a biogenic marine carbon component. The compositional and textural relationships indicate that superimposed alterations (chlorite alteration and carbonate alteration) occurred in hanging wall rocks. The mode of occurrences and the Mg/(Mg+Fe) ratios of magnesite and dolomite occurring in hanging wallrocks are useful in the exploration for concealed volcanogenic massive sulfide-sulfate deposits. Received: 9 September 1997 / Accepted: 23 September 1997     

Isotopic constraints on ice age fluids in active geothermal systems: Reykjanes, Iceland

The Reykjanes geothermal system is located on the landward extension of the Mid-Atlantic Ridge in southwest Iceland, and provides an on-land proxy to high-temperature hydrothermal systems of oceanic spreading centers. Previous studies of elemental composition and salinity have shown that Reykjanes geothermal fluids are likely hydrothermally modified seawater. However, δD values of these fluids are as low as −23‰, which is indicative of a meteoric water component. Here we constrain the origin of Reykjanes hydrothermal solutions by analysis of hydrogen and oxygen isotope compositions of hydrothermal epidote from geothermal drillholes at depths between 1 and 3 km. δD_EPIDOTE values from wells RN-8, -9, -10 and -17 collectively range from −60 to −78‰, and δ¹⁸O_EPIDOTE in these wells are between −3.0 and 2.3‰. The δD values of epidote generally increase along a NE trend through the geothermal field, whereas δ¹⁸O values generally decrease, suggesting a southwest to northeast migration of the geothermal upflow zone with time that is consistent with present-day temperatures and observed hydrothermal mineral zones. For comparative analysis, the meteoric-water dominated Nesjavellir and Krafla geothermal systems, which have a δD_FLUID of ∼ −79‰ and −89‰, respectively, show δD_EPIDOTE values of −115‰ and −125‰. In contrast, δD_EPIDOTE from the mixed meteoric-seawater Svartsengi geothermal system is −68‰; comparable to δD_EPIDOTE from well RN-10 at Reykjanes.Stable isotope compositions of geothermal fluids in isotopic equilibrium with the epidotes at Reykjanes are computed using published temperature dependent hydrogen and oxygen isotope fractionation curves for epidote-water, measured isotope composition of the epidotes and temperatures approximated from the boiling point curve with depth. Calculated δD and δ¹⁸O of geothermal fluids are less than 0‰, suggesting that fluids of meteoric or glacial origin are a significant component of the geothermal solutions. Additionally, δD_FLUID values in equilibrium with geothermal epidote are lower than those of modern-day fluids, whereas calculated δ¹⁸O_FLUID values are within range of the observed fluid isotope composition. We propose that modern δD_EPIDOTE and δD_FLUID values are the result of diffusional exchange between hydrous alteration minerals that precipitated from glacially-derived fluids early in the evolution of the Reykjanes system and modern seawater-derived geothermal fluids. A simplified model of isotope exchange in the Reykjanes geothermal system, in which the average starting δD_ROCK value is −125‰ and the water to rock mass ratio is 0.25, predicts a δD_FLUID composition within 1‰ of average measured values. This model resolves the discrepancy between fluid salinity and isotope composition of Reykjanes geothermal fluids, explains the observed disequilibrium between modern fluids and hydrothermal epidote, and suggests that rock-fluid interaction is the dominant control over the evolution of fluid isotope composition in the hydrothermal system.     

江西德兴斑岩铜钼矿床流体包裹体子矿物SEM-EDS 研究及其对成矿流体性质的制约

江西德兴斑岩铜钼矿床Q+Py±Cp±Cc脉、(黄铁)绢英岩和Q+Py+Mo±Cp脉中发育大量多相(透明、暗色子矿物)包裹体。本文以详细的显微观察和流体包裹体岩相学观察为基础,利用SEM-EDS(扫描电镜-X射线能谱仪)对多相包裹体内的子矿物进行了系统的鉴定。分析结果表明,Q+Py±Cp±Cc脉石英中发育的透明子矿物包括绢云母、石盐、水氯镁石、白云石、铁氯化物、磷灰石和含稀土元素磷酸盐;暗色子矿物包括赤铁矿、铁氧化物和黄铜矿。(黄铁)绢英岩石英和黄铁矿中透明子矿物包括石盐、(硬)石膏、绢云母、硫酸镁、菱镁矿、六水泻盐和(Fe、Cu、Mg)碳酸盐和硫酸盐,暗色子矿物包括磁铁矿、赤铁矿、金红石和黄铜矿;Q+Py+Mo±Cp脉石英包裹体中发育的子矿物相对较少,透明子矿物包括石盐、菱铁矿和钾长石;暗色矿物为赤铁矿。它们中发育种类繁多的子矿物,表明热液的化学成分非常复杂,多种盐类以及高氧化态子矿物出现指示流体具有高盐度-高氧化态的特征。此外,还鉴别出了黄铜矿、赤铁矿和磁铁矿等金属矿物,这表明热液含有丰富的成矿物质,这些成矿物质随物理化学条件的变化以黄铜矿等金属矿物从热液中沉淀下来,形成了矿床内的主要矿体。结合蚀变矿物组成观察,我们认为Q+Py±Cp±Cc脉、(黄铁)绢英岩和Q+Py+Mo±Cp脉中子矿物组成很可能不代表原始流体的化学成分,因为它们在很大程度上受到了热液蚀变作用的影响,围岩矿物由于水-岩反应被分解,同时释放出Na、Ca、Mg、Fe等元素进入热液,形成了上述种类多样的子矿物。通过流体包裹体岩相学观察发现,(黄铁)绢英岩和中Q+Py+Mo±Cp脉含石盐多相包裹体通常与富气包裹体或者CO₂包裹体紧密共生,这表明热液在被捕获前发生了相分离(或沸腾)作用,而这一过程必然会导致富液包裹体盐度的升高,因此不能排除这些高盐包裹体是由中低盐度流体发生相分离而形成的可能性。Q+Py±Cp±Cc脉中发育的稀土子矿物指示成脉流体具有高盐度-低pH-含CO₂的特征,而这类子矿物在(黄铁)绢英岩和Q+Py+Mo±Cp脉中不发育的原因可能是CO₂与液相发生了相分离作用。     

Mineralogical Characteristics of the Separated Magnetic Rutile of the Egyptian Black Sands

The Egyptian black sands contain several economic minerals, such as ilmenite, magnetite, garnet, zircon, rutile and monazite. During the concentration and separation of a high-grade rutile concentrate a bulk magnetic fraction is obtained. This fraction is composed mainly of opaques, titanhematite, ilmenite–titanhematite exsolved intergrown grains, magnetic leucoxene in addition to chromite, and magnetic rutile. The magnetic rutile occupies 6 wt.% of the bulk magnetic fraction or approx. 4 wt.% of the original rutile content in the raw sands. Most of magnetic rutile crystals are contaminated with opaque inclusions, staining-coating and/or composite locked grains. This magnetic rutile has a magnetic range from strongly paramagnetic to very weak paramagnetic. Electron microprobe analysis for twenty-three magnetic rutile grains identified mineral components of rutile, titanhematite, pseudorutile, leached pseudorutile and ilmenite in decreasing order of abundance. Some other inclusions are also detected in the different magnetic rutile grains. They are most probably garnet, silica, amphibole, ilmenite, feldspar, mica and zircon. The presence of these inclusions reflect the derivation of magnetic rutile of various crystalline igneous and metamorphic rocks. The magnetic susceptibility of magnetic rutile depends on the associated mineral components and their relative volumes in comparison to the rutile mineral component. Magnetic susceptibility of magnetic rutile is also related to both type and size of the associated mineral inclusions. The average chemical composition of the magnetic rutile is 66.34 wt.% TiO₂, 21.71 wt.% Fe₂O₃, 6.39 wt.% SiO₂, 1.80 wt.% Al₂O₃, 1.19 wt.% CaO and 0.10 wt.% Cr₂O₃. Thus, the contamination of magnetic rutile in the non-magnetic rutile concentrate would decrease the market value of the rutile concentrate. Alternatively these magnetic rutile grains are recommended to be blended with magnetic leucoxene or some types of ilmenite concentrate to improve the overall marketable specifications especially for both of Ti, Fe and Cr contents.     

弓长岭铁矿蚀变岩及富矿成因

弓长岭铁矿床是鞍山本溪地区最典型的BIF型铁矿床之一,而且是该地区最大的富铁矿产区。从野外产出关系来看,弓长岭矿区的富铁矿与蚀变岩密切相关,蚀变岩与富铁矿基本上是形影相随。蚀变岩具有分带性,由富铁矿向外依次为镁铁闪石岩石榴石岩绿泥石岩弱蚀变斜长角闪岩斜长角闪岩。弱蚀变岩保留了蚀变原岩的岩貌特征,矿物的蚀变并不完全,可见残余的原生矿物。强蚀变岩的蚀变较彻底,基本无原生矿物残留。将蚀变岩与斜长角闪岩、磁铁石英岩的地球化学特征进行对比可以发现弱蚀变岩、石榴石岩、绿泥石岩与斜长角闪岩的痕量元素特征基本一致,而镁铁闪石岩的痕量元素特征更接近磁铁石英岩。再结合镜下特征、野外接触关系、主量元素特征等证据,认为除了镁铁闪石岩是由磁铁石英岩蚀变形成,其余蚀变岩都是由斜长角闪岩蚀变形成。根据各类蚀变岩中主要矿物的(Fe+Mg)/Si值以及蚀变岩的SiO2和Fe2OT3含量变化规律可以发现,在蚀变岩和富矿形成过程中发生了Mg、Fe以及Si的迁移。对本次取样的样品进行原岩恢复和构造环境判别投图,投图结果表明,绿泥石岩和弱蚀变岩的最初原岩都是形成于弧后盆地的玄武岩。     

Oxygen isotope studies of the geothermal system at Wairakei,New Zealand

Volcanic rocks in the Wairakei geothermal field have undergone extensive oxygen isotope exchange with the thermal waters, resulting in an O¹⁸-depletion averaging about 4%. A lower limit on the ratio of the mass of water to rock in the exchange system is 4·3, at least ten times greater than the corresponding figure for the Salton Sea geothermal system. Carbonates, present as alteration products in most samples, are found to be in equilibrium with waters at present-day temperatures in some wells, and to record higher ‘fossil’ temperatures in others. Quartz phenocrysts and xenocrysts remain unexchanged, and only new hydrothermal quartz is in isotopic equilibrium with geothermal solutions.     

中亚地区现代表土磁学特征及其古环境意义*

在中国西北地区主要沙漠、绿洲和戈壁及蒙古国南部戈壁等亚洲中部粉尘源区采集了表土(包括沙漠和土壤)样品,系统分析了样品的磁学性质(包括磁化率、无磁滞磁化率、等温剩磁、磁滞回线和热磁曲线)。结果表明,中亚地区表土样品中主要磁性矿物是铁磁矿,含有赤铁矿和磁赤铁矿,并伴有少量顺磁性矿物;磁性矿物粒度主要是准单畴(PSD)和多畴(MD),超顺磁性颗粒含量较低,接近于中国西部黄土地层含量。中亚地区表土磁性矿物含量总体都较低,磁性矿物含量在空间上与降雨量成正比。研究结果指示西部地区(准噶尔盆地和南部塔里木盆地)表土样品较北部地区(鄂尔多斯高原、阿拉善高原以及蒙古高原)表土样品,其粗颗粒磁性矿物含量高,而细颗粒磁性矿物含量低。本研究结果为黄土地层古土壤磁性增强源自成土过程提供了最直接的证据。     

Specific features of the mineral composition and petromagnetic properties of rocks from the Minami-Khiosi submarine volcano (Mariana island arc)

Complex studies of the mineral composition and petromagnetic properties of the rocks which compose an edifice of the Minami–Khiosi submarine volcano located in the Mariana island arc are carried out for the first time. The Minami–Khiosi Volcano is a part of the Khiosi volcanic complex within the alkaline province of the Idzu–Bonin and Mariana island arcs. All of the rocks analyzed are enriched in K₂O (1.34–3.30%), Ba (370–806 ppm), and Sr (204–748 ppm). The basalt has a porhyric texture and contains mosTy olivine phenocrysts as individual crystals and growths with a size up to 2 cm; the groundmass is finecrystalline. The samples studied contain at least three Fe-bearing oxide minerals. These are predominant magnetite and less abundant ilmenite and Fe hydroxides. It is established that the samples studied are magnetically isotropic and have high values of natural remanent magnetization and Königsberger ratio. Similarly to the other island-arc Late Cenozoic submarine volcanoes in the western part of the Pacific Ocean, the samples studied are strongly differentiated by the value of natural remanent magnetization and magnetic susceptibility. The low-coercivity magnetic minerals (titanomagnetite and magnetite) of the pseudo-single-domain structure, as well as high-coercivity minerals (hematite) are the main carriers of magnetization. The high values of natural remanent magnetization are explained by the pseudo-single-domain structure of the titanomagnetite grains, whereas the high values of magnetic susceptibility result from the high concentration of ferromagnetic grains.     

The mineral chemistry of hydrothermally altered and metamorphosed wall-rocks at the Stollberg Fe-Pb-Zn-Mn(-Ag) deposit,Bergslagen, Sweden

The c. 1.9 Ga old Stollberg sulphide and Mnrich skarn iron ores and sulphide ores in Bergslagen, south-central Sweden are hosted by hydrothermally altered and metamorphosed felsic volcanic and volcaniclastic rocks. The ores are underlain by comformable alteration zones characterized by albite-gedrite-quartz and biotite-muscovite-plagioclase-K-feldspar-quartz +/– garnet assemblages. The present mineralogies are interpreted as medium-grade metamorphic equivalents to the original alteration mineral assemblages. PT-conditions during prograde regional metamorphism are semiquantatively determined to be 510 to 560 °C at approximately 3 kbar. With increasing modal content of gedrite and biotite in the alteration zones, the Mg/Fe ratios and X_Mg's in octahedral positions of these minerals also increase. In the gedrite-bearing strata, whole-rock Mg/Fe ratios remain constant, whereas in the biotite-rich unit the wholerock Mg/Fe trend is parallel to that of the biotites.The trends in the metamorphic mineral composition are interpreted to be a product of original changes in fluid composition during the evolution of a sub-seafloor hydrothermal system. During the initial stage of alteration, Fe-Mn-rich fluids altered the rocks, and during a later stage, the fluids became more Mg-rich, possibly due to entrainment of fresh seawater, and the alteration zones became relatively more Mg-rich. Sulphide precipitation was contemperaneous with Mg metasomatism, suggesting base metal precipitation was a function of the mixing of cool seawater with hydrothermal fluid. It is proposed that early hydrothermal alteration was associated with the deposition of areally extensive Fe-oxide formation, and that Mg metasomatism defines a second stage of hydrothermal activity during which sulphide mineralization overprinted the earlier formed Fe-oxide deposit.     

Lithium isotopes in island arc geothermal systems: Guadeloupe, Martinique (French West Indies) and experimental approach

We report lithium (Li) isotopic measurements in seawater-derived waters that were discharged from geothermal wells, thermal springs, and sub-marine springs located in volcanic island arc areas in Guadeloupe (the Bouillante geothermal field) and Martinique (Lamentin plain and the Diamant areas). While Li isotopic signatures of the geothermal fluids collected from deep reservoirs were found to be homogeneous for a given site, the δ⁷Li signatures for each of these reservoirs were significantly different. The first low temperature (25-250 °C) experiments of Li isotope exchange during seawater/basalt interaction confirmed that Li isotopic exchange is strongly temperature dependent, as previously inferred from natural studies. Li isotopic fractionation ranged from +19.4‰ (Δ_{solution-solid}) at 25 °C to +6.7‰ at 250 °C. These experiments demonstrated the importance of Li isotopic fractionation during the formation of Li-bearing secondary minerals and allowed us to determine the following empirical relationship between isotopic fractionation and temperature: Δ_{solution-solid} = 7847/T − 8.093. Application of experimental results and literature data to the Bouillante area suggested that geothermal water was in equilibrium at 250-260 °C. It likely has a deep and large reservoir located in the upper sheeted dike complex of the oceanic crust, just below the transition zone between andesite volcanic flows and the basaltic dikes. The upper dike section, from which Li is extracted by hydrothermal fluids, was characterized by light Li isotopic values in the rocks, indicating retention of ⁶Li by the altered rocks. For the Lamentin and Diamant areas, the geothermal fluids appeared to be in equilibrium with reservoir volcano-sedimentary rocks at 90-120 °C and 180 °C, respectively. Further evidence for this argument is provided by the fact that only the Na/Li thermometric relationship determined for sedimentary basins yielded temperature values in agreement with those measured or estimated for the reservoir fluids. This suggests the importance of a sedimentary signature in these reservoir rocks. Altogether, this study highlights that the use of Li isotopic systematics is a powerful tool for characterizing the origin of geothermal waters as well as the nature of their reservoir rocks.     

Corundum-group minerals in rocks of the Khibiny alkaline pluton,Kola Peninsula

Five minerals of the corundum group have been identified in the Khibiny pluton with certainty. Corundum proper and karelianite occur only in hornfels after volcanic and sedimentary rocks. Xenoliths of hornfels mark the ring faults that bound foidalite within the field of foyaite. Hematite occurs in hydrothermally altered nepheline syenite and crosscutting hydrothermal veins related to the ring faults. Minerals of the ilmenite-pyrophanite series are present in all rocks of the pluton, including veins. Accessory ilmenite in foyaite varies from the manganese variety and pyrophanite in the inner and outer parts of the pluton to manganese-free ilmenite in zone of the Main Ring Fault. In xenoliths of volcanic rocks and alkaline ultramafic rocks, ilmenite is enriched in magnesium. The zoning in distribution of the above-mentioned minerals and the character of variation in their compositions from margins of the pluton to its center are consistent with the petrochemical zoning formed as a result of foyaite alteration of near ring faults.     

Mineralogy of New Caledonian metamorphic rocks

Variations in chemistry and related physical properties of sheet silicates in the Ouégoa district with metamorphic grade are investigated. Weakly metamorphosed rocks prior to the crystallization of lawsonite contain phengite (d ₀₀₆=3.317–3.323 Å), chlorite and occasionally paragonite while interstratified basaltic sills contain chlorite, minor phengite and stilpnomelane. Pyrophyllite crystallizes before lawsonite in some metamorphosed acid tuffs and is also stable in the lawsonite zone. Paragonite, phengite and chlorite appear to be stable through the sequence from weakly metamorphosed rocks into high-grade “eclogitic” schists and gneisses. Optical, chemical and some X-ray diffraction data is given for representative sheet silicates. Electron probe analyses of 55 phengites, 21 paragonites, 57 chlorites, 12 vermiculites, 2 stilpnomelanes, and 2 chloritoids are presented in graphical form. All K-micas analysed are consistently phengitic (3.29–3.55 Si^iv ions per formula unit) and show limited solid solution with paragonite (4 to 13% Pa). The K∶Na ratio of the phengite is strongly dependant on the assemblage in which it occurs; the amount of phengite component and its Fe∶Mg ratio depends on bulk-rock composition. Phengites from acid volcanics have the highest Fe∶Mg ratio, highest phengite component and β refractive indices. Phengites from basic volcanics and metasediments of the epidote zone have the lowest Fe∶Mg ratio. Phengites from lawsonite-zone metasediments have intermediate Fe∶Mg ratios. The phengites show a small decrease in phengite component with increasing metamorphic grade. d ₀₀₆ for phengites varied from 3.302 to 3.323 Å but at least in the lawsonite and epidote zones appears to reflect composition and had little systematic variation with metamorphic grade; phengites from very low-grade rocks showed the longest values of d ₀₀₆. Paragonite shows almost no phengite-type substitution and only limited solid solution (4–12%) with muscovite. All paragonites (6) and most phengites (20) which have been examined are 2M₁ polymorphs; one Fe²⁺-phengite appears to be a 1M polymorph. The chemistry of chlorites closely reflects parent-rock chemistry. Chlorites from metasediments have distinctly higher Fe/(Fe+Mg) ratios than chlorites from basic igneous rocks; chlorites from the lawsonite and lawsonite-epidote transitional zone metasediments have the highest Fe/(Fe+Mg) ratios. In metabasalts Fe/(Fe+Mg) ratios appear to reflect individual variations in bulk-rock chemistry and show no direct correlation with metamorphic grade. There is little difference in Al/(Si+Al) ratio between chlorites from sediments and basic igneous rocks although in both lithologies the chlorites from the epidote zone appear to be slightly more aluminous. Fe-rich chlorites of the lawsonite zone metasediments have been altered by a process involving leaching of Fe and Mg and introduction of alkalies to a brown pleochroic Fe-vermiculite. Chemical and physical data for this vermiculite are given. The decrease in Fe/(Fe+Mg) ratio in chlorites and phengites on passing from the lawsonite to the epidote zone can be correlated with the crystallization of Fe-rich epidote and almandine in the epidote zone. Elemental partitioning between coexisting minerals has shown Ti to be partitioned into phengite, while Fe and Mn are strongly partitioned into chlorite. When either stilpnomelane or chloritoid coexists with phengite or chlorite, Fe and Mn are slightly enriched in the stilpnomelane or chloritoid relative to the chlorite.     

A chlorite solid solution geothermometer the Los Azufres (Mexico) geothermal system

Chlorite constitutes a major hydrothermal alteration product of metamorphism of andesites, in the active geothermal system of Los Azufres (Mexico). Electron microprobe analyses performed on a set of crystals from each sample show wide variations in composition. Correlation coefficients among chemical constituents were calculated. It is shown that the tetrahedral charge is positively correlated with the octahedral vacancy and negatively with the iron content, and there is almost no correlation with the octahedral aluminium and magnesium content. A procedure is proposed to select end-members and substitution vectors, and to give a general formula for these chlorites.Their formation temperatures are estimated with great accuracy, combining results of microthermometric data on fluid inclusions from gangue minerals of chlorites (quartz, calcite), direct measurements in wells (Kuster equipment), and chemical geothermometers. Correlations between chlorite compositions, range and nature of site occupancy, and temperature are good. Formation temperatures of chlorites range from 130° C to 300° C. As no other thermodynamic parameter varies significantly in the studied field (composition of the host rocks, nature of the geothermal fluids, pressure, ...), these variations of site occupancy (mainly Al(IV) and the octahedral occupancy (6-Al(VI)-(Mg+Fe(2+)) = VAC) are considered mainly as temperature dependent.Molar fractions of each end-member show very different variations with increasing temperature: X-kaolinite decreases, and X-chamosite increases, while X-talc-3 brucite does not show significant change. From these data, activity coefficients and standard state chemical potential of major components, and molar free energy formation of chlorite have been calculated for each temperature of crystallisation.     

Experimental study of hydrothermal alteration of carbonate rocks by Na-F solutions under flow conditions

Na-F solutions with different pH were allowed to react under flow conditions with limestone, dolomite and siderite at 300 and 400°C at 500 bars, in order to understand the geochemical characteristics of the interaction between rock and F-bearing hydrothermal solutions. The mineralogical and chemical composition of these carbonate rocks was studied by chemical analysis, XRD and SEM/EDAX before and after reaction with Na-F solutions. Based on an approximate thermodynamic calculation the formation of alteration phases is discussed. The pH value at room conditions and the contents of K, Na, Ca, Mg, Fe, F, SiO₂ and total dissolved CO₂ in solution after interaction with carbonate rocks were determined. From solution chemistry data, it is found that the amount of Na and F in the reacted solutions seemed to have roughly similar fluctuations with time, and hence, carbonate might be an effective precipitating agent for Fe in hydrothermal solutions. The present experimental study demonstrates that hydrothermal metasomatism played a very important role in the formation of the Baiyun Ebo iron deposit.     

Weathering of ilmenite from Chavara deposit and its comparison with Manavalakurichi placer ilmenite,southwestern India

The magnetic fractions of ilmenite from the beach placer deposit of Chavara, southwest India have been studied for mineralogical and chemical composition to assess the range of their physical and chemical variations with weathering. Chavara deposit represents a highly weathered and relatively homogenous concentration. Significant variation in composition has been documented with alteration. The most magnetic of the fractions of ilmenite, separated at 0.15 Å, and with a susceptibility of 3.2 × 10^?6 m³ kg^?1, indicates the presence of haematite–ilmenite intergrowth. An iron-poor, titanium-rich component of the ilmenite ore has been identified from among the magnetic fractions of the Chavara ilmenite albeit with an undesirably high Nb₂O₅ (0.28%), Cr₂O₃ (0.23%) and Th (149 ppm) contents. The ilmenite from Chavara is compared with that from the nearby Manavalakurichi deposit of similar geological setting and provenance. The lower ferrous iron oxide (2.32–14.22%) and higher TiO₂ (56.31–66.45%) contents highlight the advanced state of alteration of Chavara. This is also evidenced by the relatively higher Fe³⁺/Fe²⁺ ratio compared to Manavalakurichi ilmenite. In fact, the ilmenite has significantly been converted to pseudorutile/leucoxene.     

Hydrothermal alteration of felsic volcanic rocks associated with massive sulphide deposition in the northern Iberian Pyrite Belt (SW Spain)

Massive sulphide deposits of the northern Iberian Pyrite Belt (IPB) are mainly hosted by felsic volcanic rocks of rhyolitic to dacitic composition. Beneath most of the massive ores of this area (e.g., Concepción, San Miguel, Aguas Teñidas Este or San Telmo deposits) there is usually a wide hydrothermal alteration halo associated with stockwork-type mineralization. Within these alteration envelopes there are two principal rock types: (1) chlorite-rich rocks, linked to the inner and more intensely altered zones and dominantly comprising chlorite+pyrite+quartz+sericite (+carbonate+rutile+zircon+chalcopyrite), and (2) sericite-rich rocks, more common in the peripheral zones and showing a dominant paragenesis of sericite+quartz+pyrite+chlorite (+carbonate+rutile+zircon+sphalerite). Mass-balance calculations comparing altered and least-altered felsic volcanic rocks suggest that sericitization was accompanied by moderate enrichment in Mg, Fe and H₂O, with depletion in Si, Na and K, and a slight net mass loss of about 3%. Chloritization shows an overall pattern which is similar to that of the sericitic alteration, but with large gains in Fe, Mg and H₂O (and minor enrichment in Si, S and Mn), and a significant loss of Na and K and a minor loss of Ca and Rb. However, chloritization has involved a much larger net mass change (mass gain of about 28%). Only a few elements such as Nb, Y, Zr, Ti, P and LREE appear to have remained inert during hydrothermal alteration, whilst Ti and Al have undergone very minor mobilization. The results point to the severity of the physico-chemical conditions that prevailed during the waxing stage of the ore-forming hydrothermal systems. Further, mineralogical and geochemical studies of the altered footwall rocks in the studied deposits indicate that hydrothermal ore-bearing fluids reacted with host rocks in a multi-stage process which produced a succession of mineralogical and chemical changes as the temperature increased.