Resource Evaluation of Indium in the Dajing Tin-Polymetallic Deposits, Inner Mongolia, China

Individual ores of 37 specimens and five mill concentrates were analyzed chemically, and anomalous indium contents were detected in the tin‐polymetallic veins of the Dajing mine. The indium contents are heterogenously distributed (0.5–296 ppm In), and are low generally in the ores of the East Block. Indium is mainly correlated with copper, partly with zinc in the Dajing deposits, implying that the element is substituted in copper and zinc sulfides and sulfosalts. The total indium content is expected as >768 tons, which is lower than a previous estimation of this mine. The whole tonnage of the southern part of the Da Hinggang Mountains is >1200 tons In, which is the second largest in China after the tin‐polymetallic deposits in the southern China.     

Inferred Indium Resources of the Bolivian Tin‐Polymetallic Deposits

Tin‐polymetallic base metal deposits of Miocene age in the Eastern Cordillera in Bolivia were studied by ICP/MS and EPMA for major and minor elements, paying an attention to indium concentration of the ore deposits. The highest indium content and 1000 In/Zn ratio of individual ore deposits are 5,740 ppm and 22.2 for the Potosi deposits, 2,730 ppm and 7.4 for Bolivar deposit, 2,510 ppm and 17.5 for Siete Suyos–Animas deposits, and 1,290 ppm and 3.3 for San Vicente deposit. The same content and ratio of composite samples of the studied deposits are up to 292 ppm and 4.0 for Potosi deposits, 3,080 ppm and 11.3 for Huari Huari deposit, 100 ppm and 0.3 for Tuntoco deposit, 152 ppm and 1.8 for Porco deposit, 103 ppm and 59.2 for Animas deposit, and 1,160 ppm and 3.7 for Pirquitas deposit. Those of zinc concentrates are as follows: 1,080 ppm and 2.1 at San Lorenzo; 584 ppm and 1.7 at Bolivar; 499 ppm and 1.23 at Porco; 449 ppm and 1.21 at Reserva, and 213 ppm and 0.61 at Colquiri deposit. Indium occurs mostly in dark colored sphalerite and that of the Potosi deposit was found to have one of the highest concentrations, containing up to 1.27 wt% In. Petrukite was discovered in the Potosi deposit, and indium minerals are expected to occur in the Huari Huari deposit and others with the high 1000 In/Zn ratios. The indium contents of the zinc concentrates and composite samples were applied to the produced and remaining ores, then the total amounts of indium in the Bolivian tin‐polymetallic base metal deposits are speculated to be more than 12,000 tons In, which is bigger than that of South China (11,000 tons) and the Japanese Islands (9,000 tons). Sphalerites of the Potosi deposit have one of the highest ranges of indium, similarly to those of the San Vicente deposit. Both the San Vicente and Potosi deposits are rich in silver, implying significance of both silver‐polymetallic and tin‐polymetallic environments for the concentration of trace amounts of indium.     

Distribution of fluorite deposits in Japanese Islands

The occurrence of fluorite deposits in Japan is limited in the provinces characterized by tin and tungsten mineralization within Southwest Japan. The deposits were formed near acidic igneous rocks of Cretaceous to Tertiary age. The ores in limestone are generally associated with skarn and metallic ore minerals such as cassiterite, scheelite and chalcopyrite. Granitic rocks in the provinces are the ilmenite-series (Ishihara, 1977) having enhanced fluorine contents and high initial strontium ratios. A reducing condition of the ilmenite-series granitic magma may have been more favorable for the concentration of fluorine in the residual magma because of the crystallization of relatively Fe-rich mafic minerals. Presence of thick crust bearing carbonaceous matter at the site of magmatism could have involved in the enrichment of fluorine as well as the reducing condition.     

火山-侵入杂岩带的成岩-成矿专属性

成岩成矿关系问题,特别是成矿作用与岩浆活动的专属性问题,一直是矿床学研究中的重要课题。粤东地区热液脉状锡、钨（多金属）矿床产于中生代花岗质火山岩、次火山岩和侵入岩组成的火山侵入杂岩带中,成岩年龄与成矿年龄一致,但矿床地质、矿床矿物流体包裹体和同位素地球化学没有相对标准来区分这些来源于岩浆作用不同阶段、不同产出状态岩浆岩的成矿物质特征,使得人们对于区内矿床成因的认识不一。文中运用稀土元素地球化学方法,着重探讨和对比了矿床矿石、蚀变岩石及与成矿有关的岩浆岩的稀土元素特征和配分型式,并进一步根据在不同压力条件下Ｃｌ－在熔体和热液间的分配系数实验数据和不同压力条件下热液与相应熔体平衡时的稀土元素分配系数实验结果,分别计算了厚婆坳锡矿床和莲花山钨矿床与矿区有关岩浆岩熔体平衡的热液中的稀土元素浓度并制出配分型式,再与矿床矿石及矿石矿物稀土元素配分型式比较,从而确定成矿与侵入阶段的花岗岩岩浆活动关系密切。区内矿床为岩浆热液矿床。研究结果表明,稀土元素作为热液流体来源的示踪剂能有效地确定火山侵入杂岩带的成岩成矿专属性。     

岩浆-热液系统中铟的成矿作用

铟作为支撑新兴高科技产业发展的关键金属,主要应用于电子工业、半导体、焊料合金及航空航天等领域,对国家安全和经济发展至关重要.当前铟的重要来源是与花岗质岩浆有关的锡多金属矿床,其中铟的富集程度远超其他类型矿床.文章在简要概括铟矿床类型的基础上,探讨了铟在岩浆-热液系统各演化阶段的富集过程以及锡、铟同步富集的原因.在岩浆演...     

Magnetite/Ilmenite–series Classification and Magnetic Susceptibility of the Mesozoic-Cenozoic Batholiths in Peru

Abstract: Plutonic rocks of the Coastal Batholith of Peru were evaluated in terms of the granitoid-series classification using the bulk ferric/ferrous ratio from the literature and new measurements of magnetic susceptibility. The batholith is largely composed of magnetite-series plutonic rocks; the magnetite series make up 85% by number of chemical analyses (n=130) and 80% by measurement of magnetic susceptibility (n=210). The ilmenite-series rocks are mostly found in the felsic facies of the batholith. Asymmetrical distribution of magnetic susceptibility is not clear as in the Japanese Islands and Peninsular Range Batholith, but the magnetic susceptibility may decreases continentward (i. e., Peninsular Range type).
The Cordillera Blanca Batholith and stocks are also composed of mainly magnetite series plutonic rocks, but ilmenite-series rocks may be more predominant than in the Coastal Batholith, which is also indicated by the presence of Sn and W mineralizations.     

Indium Mineralization in Copper–Tin Stratiform Skarn Ores at the Saishitang–Rilonggou Ore Field,Qinghai, Northwest China

The Saishitang–Rilonggou Ore Field (SROF), which includes the Saishitang, Tongyugou, and Rilonggou ore deposits as well as other scattered occurrences, is located in the Elashan region in Qinghai Province, and is a significant Cu–Sn ore field in NW China. These ores are hosted in stratiform skarn deposits with the main metals being Cu and Sn, as well as Zn, Pb, Au, Ag, and trace elements (e.g. Ga, Ge, Se, and In). Bulk‐rock geochemical analyses of 50 ore samples from the three deposits show that In contents in the Saishitang deposit range from 0.03 to 39 ppm (average 12.7 ppm, n = 19), with 1000 In/Zn values that vary from >0.01 to 29.83 (average 4.29). Indium contents in the Tongyugou deposit vary from 7.51 to 131 ppm (average 28.37 ppm, n = 13), with 1000 In/Zn values from 0.74 to 48 (average 17.55). Finally, indium contents in the Rilonggou deposit vary from 0.73 to 120 ppm (average 36.15 ppm, n = 18), with 1000 In/Zn values from 0.33 to 47 (average 8.52). Indium is hosted mainly in sphalerite, while some other In‐bearing minerals (e.g., roquesite, stannoidite, and stannite) are present locally within the ore field. Roquesite, which replace or fill bornite, occurs in bornite‐rich ores in the Saishitang deposit. This is the first reported Chinese locality of roquesite. Based on previously reported Zn resources, a total of 136 tons of In is calculated to be hosted in the SROF, with 30, 66, and 40 tons of In attributed to the Saishitang, Tongyugou, and Rilonggou deposits, respectively. The differences in indium contents among the deposits and their respective geological histories and characteristics suggest that the origin of indium relates to volcanogenic metallogenesis in an early Permian volcano‐sedimentary basin. Based on the evaluation of In resources, future mining operations should include the recovery of indium in the Tongyugou and Rilonggou deposits.     

广西大厂锡矿铟的地球化学特征及成因机制初探

广西大厂锡矿位于江南古陆西南缘,桂西北海西-印支期被动陆缘裂谷盆地北部的断裂凹陷盆地中,是中国重要的、以锡为主的有色金属矿床。它主要由长坡-铜坑和高峰矿床、拉么矿床、大福楼矿床和亢马矿床等组成,其铟资源量约6 000 t。文章在对长坡-铜坑矿床、高峰矿床以及拉么矿床不同类型围岩（包括花岗岩质岩石）、矿石以及不同矿床类型中矿石矿物（硫化物和氧化物）中的In、Cu、Cd、Sn、Fe、Zn等微量元素分析的基础上,结合不同类型矿床、不同矿物组合中硫化物的微量元素电子探针测试以及硫同位素分析结果,初步认为大厂锡矿岩浆源区是富铟的,在正常的沉积岩中不存在铟的初始富集;In主要赋存于闪锌矿中,与层状和块状的矿体关系密切。在成矿作用过程中,In的分布和富集对矿物组合和矿石类型具有明显的选择性。大厂铟矿的形成是富铟的岩浆源区重融产生含铟岩浆,在岩浆侵位冷却过程中,由岩浆结晶所产生的流体携带In、Cu、Fe、Zn、Sn等成矿元素从岩浆中出溶,形成含In的成矿流体。水-岩反应以及在大气降水来源流体的参与下,导致In、Cu、Fe、Zn、Sn等从成矿流体中沉淀、富集成矿。     

New data on distribution of indium in ore deposits of Central Kazakhstan

Iron, tin, tungsten, copper, and polymetallic deposits are examined and the paper investigates the mineral distribution of indium in mineral deposits in central Kazakhstan. Indium is a relatively rare element; of the 18 formations examined only five revealed high concentrations of indium. Economic accumulations were discovered only in Early and Late Variscan skarnitic formations with lead-zinc, copper, and bismuth mineralizations. Among the hypogene minerals, indium was found in sulfides, and silicates. Among supergene minerals indium was found only in oxides, carbonates, and silicates. Sphalerites are the principal collector of indium. No connection between the enrichment in indium and the typomorphic peculiarities of different varieties of sphalerites could be established. In mineral deposits with higher indium concentration, a paragenetic connection of this element with tin is noticeable. Regular enrichment of sphalerites in indium would admit as most probable an isomorphous replacement of zinc and bivalent iron by indium. — A.W. Bellais     

Hydrogeochemical exploration for volcanic-hosted massive sulfide deposits in semi-arid Australia

Research on hydrogeochemistry for mineral exploration for inland Australia includes development of weathering models and extensive mine-scale and regional groundwater data. Mineral saturation indices for groundwater, activity–activity plots and reaction modelling simulate weathering of volcanic-hosted massive sulfide (VHMS) deposits in deeply weathered environments. At 10 m or more below surface, dissolved O₂ is very low and other solutes such as sulfate, carbonate and nitrate are more likely oxidants. Modelling indicates that these processes differ from oxic weathering of highly eroded terrains, and provide the framework to develop robust hydrogeochemical exploration procedures in covered terrains. Sulfide weathering potentially occurs in two or more phases that effect surrounding groundwaters in differing manners. Deeper oxidative alteration of sulfides (e.g. bornite to chalcopyrite), occurring tens to hundreds of metres below surface, uses sulfate and carbonate as oxidants, causing neutral to alkaline conditions. In this zone, only pyritic massive sulfides potentially generate acidic conditions. Thus, deep sulfide-rich rocks are indicated by sulfate-depleted groundwater. Closer to the surface, sulfides are oxidised to soluble sulfates by dissolved nitrate, with much less acid production than if dissolved oxygen was the main oxidant. Thus, in shallow groundwater, sulfides are indicated by sulfate enrichment and nitrate depletion. Elements are released from sulfides and wall rocks by acid or alkaline conditions. The derived FeS (pH–Eh + Fe + Mn) and AcidS (Li + Mo + Ba + Al) indices distinguish sulfide systems through tens of metres of cover. VHMS systems are distinguished from other non-economic sulfide deposits where there is little transported cover, using various dissolved elements, including Zn, Pb and Cu. Elsewhere, ‘patchiness’ and limited aerial extent of metal signals are due to adsorption effects, that intensify with depth. Other elements such as Mn and Co have lesser diminution effects, but are less selective indicators for VHMS. There is exploration potential for elements such as Pt or Ag. These varying sulfide indicators have moderate utility, even for large-scale (～5 km spacing) sampling. Results indicate that hydrogeochemistry can add value to greenfields exploration for VHMS ore deposits in deeply weathered terrains. It is also moderately successful at indicating the presence of sulfide-rich systems (whether magmatic or hydrothermal) under >100 m cover, thus providing a rapid and cost-effective regional prospectivity tool for deeply buried terrains. Such mineral exploration tools will encourage exploration investment for more difficult regions of Australia and in other deeply weathered regions of the world.     

Indium in cassiterite and ores of tin deposits

The results obtained with LA-ICP-MS by less abundant lighter ¹¹³In isotope and EPMA show that in cassiterite of cassiterite–quartz veins the indium contents do not exceed 160 ppm, while cassiterite from Sn–sulfide veins is characterized by higher indium contents from 40 to 485 ppm; sulfides of Sn–sulfide veins unlike sulfides of cassiterite–quartz veins also have the highest indium contents: Fe-sphalerite (100–25,000 ppm), chalcopyrite (up to 1000 ppm), and stannite (up to 60,000 ppm). Indium contents in the Sn–sulfide ore of the Tigrinoe and Pravourmiiskoe deposits obtained using SR-XRF, ICP-MS and atomic absorption methods range from 10 to 433 ppm with average values of 56–65 ppm. Indium-rich Sn–sulfide mineralization in five large Sn–Ag ore districts of the Far East Russia (Khingansky, Badzhalsky, Komsomolsky, Arminsky, Kavalerovsky) provides the impetus for further exploration of deposits with Sn–sulfide mineralization as the most promising indium resources in Russia. Empirical observations from geology and geochronology of cassiterite–quartz and Sn–sulfide mineralization show that the combined contribution from granite and alkaline–subalkaline mafic sources and multistage ore-forming processes doubled indium resources of deposits being the main factors in the formation of high grade indium mineralization.     

Magmatic Sulfide Ni-Cu Deposits in China

Deep-seated magmatic liquation-injection deposits form a major type of magmatic sulfide deposit in China. The reserves of nickel and copper in this type of deposit may attain several hundred thousand tons (e.g.Hongqi 7 and Karatunggu) to nearly ten million tons (e.g.Jinchuan). Those deposits can be classified as large or superlarge deposits. The ore grade is relatively high, commonly with w(Ni)＞1 %.The mineralized intrusions are small in size, generally only 0.0n km2 to 0.n km2, with the largest one not exceeding a few km2. Before intruding, the primary magmas have undergone liquation and partial crystallization at depth; as a result, the magmas have partitioned into barren magma, ore-bearing magma, ore-rich magma and ore magma, which then ascended and injected into the present locations once or multiple times, to form ore deposits. The above-mentioned mineralizing process is known as deep-seated magmatic liquation-injection mineralization. The volume of the barren magma is generally much larger than those of the ore-bearing magma, ore-rich magma and ore magma. In the ascending process, most of the barren magma intruded into different locations or outpoured onto the ground surface, forming intrusions or lava flows. The rest barren magma, ore-bearing magma, ore-rich magmaand ore magma may either multiple times inject into the same place in which rocks and ores are formed or separately inject into different spaces to form rocks and ores. Such deep-seated magmatic liquation-injection deposits have a much smaller volume, greater ore potential and higher ore grade than those of in-situ magmatic liquation deposits. Consequently, this mineralizing process leads to the formation of large deposits in small intrusions.     

The Northern Cordilleran Mid-Cretaceous Plutonic Province: Ilmenite/Magnetite-series Granitoids and Intrusion-related Mineralisation

Abstract. Twenty-five Early and mid-Cretaceous (145–90 Ma) plutonic suites and belts are defined across Alaska and Yukon, in the northern North American Cordillera, on the basis of lithological, geochemical, isotopic, and geochronometric similarities. These features are combined with aeromagnetic characteristics, magnetic susceptibility measurements, and whole-rock ferric: ferrous ratios to ascertain the distribution of magnetite- and ilmenite-series plutonic belts. Magnetite-series plutonic belts are dominantly associated with the older parts of the plutonic episode and comprise subduction-generated metaluminous plutons that are distributed preferentially in the more seaward localities dominated by primitive tectonic elements. Ilmenite-series plutonic belts comprise slightly younger, slightly peraluminous plutons in more landward localities in pericratonic to continental margin settings. They were likely initiated in response to crustal thickening following terrane collision. The youngest plutonic belt forms a small, but significant, magnetite-series belts in the farthest inboard position, associated with alkalic plutons that were emplaced during weak extension.
Intrusion-related metallogenic provinces with distinctive metal associations are distributed, largely in accord with classical redox-sensitive granite-series. Copper, Au, and Fe mineralisation are associated with magnetite-series plutons and tungsten mineralisation associated with ilmenite-series plutons. However, there are some notable deviations from expected associations, as intrusion-related Ag-Pb-Zn deposits are few, and significant tin mineralisation is rare. Most significantly, many gold deposits and occurrences are associated with ilmenite-series plutons: these form the basis for the newly recognized reduced intrusion-related gold deposit model.     

Thermoluminescence of carbonates from carbonatites

The Gejiu tin field in southern China consists of six major deposits and many minor ones containing more than 120 million tons (pre-mining resource) at 1% Sn and significant amounts of Cu, Ag, Zn, and Pb. It is one of the largest tin fields of primary deposits in the world. Mineralization is the result of the intrusion of granitic plutons into Permian and Triassic sedimentary rocks, which are dominantly limestone, dolomitic limestone, and dolomite. Five (mostly peraluminous) granitic intrusives (64-115 Ma) are present in the area. The largest orebodies are spatially and temporally related to the Laoka (principally), Beipaotai, and Marsong granites. Tin mineralization is mainly within greisens developed at the outermost zone of a skarn zonal sequence and are mineralogically dominated by fluorite, quartz, and micas.

The deposits are the result of volatile-rich ore solutions that evolved late in the plutonic crystallization history. The solutions produced metamorphic skarns as well as ore skarns, both of which later became “greisenized” skarns. Gejiu is the largest example of what has been, up to now, a style of mineralization reported only in minor amounts.     

The Genetic Types of Some Granite Intrusions Associated with Tin Polymetallic Deposits in the Nanling Region

Tin polymetallic deposits are the most important type of tin deposit in the Nanling region. Manyresearchers both at home and abroad consider this type of tin deposit to be the product of differentiation andevolution of granite magmas resulting from anatexis of continental crust and to be genetically related to thetransformation-type (S-type) granitoids. In this paper, on the basis of the geological settings, petrology, REEgeochemistry and strontium and oxygen isotopic compositions of 6 granite intrusions associaied with tinpolymetallic deposits in the Nanling region, the authors suggest that the ore-bearing granites of this type areprobably the products of differentiation and evolution of acid magmas resulting from 40-50‰ fractionalcrystallization of magmas formed by partial melting of the pre-existing intermediate-basic volcanic rocks ofmantle origin in the lower crust and a small amount of sialic material and belong to crust-mantle-derivedgranitoids (approaching I-type of B. W. Chappell and A.J.R. White, but being evidently different from theS-type granitoid related to W, Sn, Nb, Ta and REE deposits).     

K-Ar Ages of Granitic Magmatism and Related Pegmatite Formation at the Umanotani-Shiroyama Mine, Shimane Prefecture, SW Japan and Their Bearings on Cooling History

Abstract. The Umanotani-Shiroyama pegmatite deposits, the largest producer of K-feldspar and quartz in Japan, are of typical granitic pegmatite. Ilmenite-series biotite granite and granite porphyry, hosting the ore deposits, and biotites separated from these rocks yielded K-Ar ages ranging from 89.0 to 81.4 Ma and 95.2 to 93.7 Ma, respectively. Muscovite and K-feldspar separated from the ore zone yielded K-Ar ages with the range of 96.2 to 93.1 Ma and 87.3 to 80.7 Ma, respectively. Muscovites from quartz-muscovite veins in the ore zone and in the granite porphyry yielded K-Ar ages of 90.4 and 76.3 Ma, respectively. K-feldspar is much younger in age than coexisting muscovite. It is noted that the K-Ar ages of biotite separates and the whole-rock ages are identical to those of muscovite and K-feldspar in the ore zone, respectively. These time relations, as well as field occurrence, indicate that the formation of the pegmatite deposits at the Umanotani-Shiroyama mine is closely related in space and time to a series of granitic magmatism of ilmenite-series nature. Using closure temperatures of the K-Ar system for biotite and K-feldspar (microcline), cooling rate of the pegmatite deposits is estimated to be about 82C/m.y. at the beginning, but slowed down to about 15C/m.y. in the later period.     

Mantle processes in an Archean orogen: Evidence from 2.67 Ga diamond-bearing lamprophyres and xenoliths

The world's oldest diamond deposits occur in 2.67 Ga dikes and heterolithic breccias emplaced into greenstone belts of the Wawa and Abitibi Subprovinces, southern Superior Province, Canada. Thousands of white to yellow microdiamonds and macrodiamonds to 5 mm in width have been recovered by non-contaminating fusion techniques. The host rocks exhibit petrographic and compositional features that are characteristic of post-Archean minettes and spessartites of the calc-alkaline or shoshonitic lamprophyre clan. Based on chemical trends and petrographic evidence, host rocks that contain more than 16 wt.% MgO represent lamprophyre magmas that entrained cumulate olivine, probably at the base of the crust. Breccia bodies that are tens of metres wide at the two localities are somewhat atypical of late Archean lamprophyre occurrences in the Superior Province and owe their size to optimum conditions for magma ascent that were required to preserve the diamonds. Abundant altered ultramafic xenoliths occur in the host rocks. The majority of xenoliths studied (10 of 14) display uniform major element compositions similar to websterite cumulate suites derived from crystal fractionation processes at the base of post-Archean volcanic arcs. The xenoliths display highly variable trace element abundances that are characteristic of cryptic metasomatism associated with the flux of an oxidised fluid above a subduction zone.

The tectonic setting of the deposits and the nature of the host rocks indicate that the diamonds may be derived from the asthenospheric wedge and subducted slab at shallow depths (100 to 160 km) rather than the deep keels of Archean cratons associated with traditional diamond deposit types. Models of low-temperature Phanerozoic diamond formation in active subduction zones, or rapid uplift and emplacement of peridotite massif occurrences, can be adapted to the Archean deposits. The stability field of diamonds in most Phanerozoic subduction scenarios, however, may be too deep to be accessed by the lamprophyric magmas. In contrast, shallow subduction, as invoked for the distinctive occurrence of adakitic (slab-melt) type rocks in the southern Superior Province, could generate two different diamond stability windows at sufficiently shallow depths to account for their presence in lamprophyric magmas.

The multiple requirements imposed on Archean tectonic models by occurrences of diamonds in hydrous shoshonitic rock types (spessartite and minette lamprophyres), along with distinctively metasomatised xenoliths, strongly favour plate tectonic subduction models of orogeny. Evidence of slightly earlier mantle plumes, such as 2.7 Ga komatiites, only strengthens the need for a subduction-driven low-temperature thermal anomaly in the Archean mantle prior to lamprophyric magmatism.     

Intrusion-related gold deposits associated with tungsten-tin provinces

An under-recognized and economically important class of intrusion-related gold deposits, which occur within magmatic provinces best known for tungsten and/or tin mineralization, is described with reference to seven major deposits (Fort Knox, Mokrsko, Salave, Vasilkovskoe, Timbarra, Kidston and Kori Kollo). These gold deposits contain a metal suite that includes some combination of bismuth, tungsten, arsenic, tin, molybdenum, tellurium and antimony, and contrasts with that found in the more widely-developed gold-rich porphyry copper and related deposits. The gold deposits associated with tungsten and/or tin provinces are located in cratonic margins, in a landward or back-arc position relative to continental margin arcs (where recognized), or within continental collisional settings. The deposits are related genetically to felsic domes, stocks or plutons of intermediate oxidation state, both magnetite- and ilmenite-series magmas are represented. The intrusion-hosted gold deposits are most commonly of sheeted vein/veinlet type, although greisen-like, disseminated and breccia deposits are also described. Gold may also be concentrated more distally (1–3 km) with respect to the intrusions, where deposits may be of skarn, disseminated replacement or vein types. K-feldspar, albite and/or sericitic alteration assemblages, commonly including carbonate, accompany the gold mineralization. In sheeted vein deposits, alteration is normally restricted to narrow envelopes around veins, whereas more pervasive alteration occurs in greisen-like, disseminated and shallow (<3 km) deposits. The gold mineralization is commonly present with low total sulphide contents (<3%), mainly pyrite and lesser arsenopyrite. In several deposits, bismuth minerals are closely associated with gold, and bismuth-gold and tellurium-gold correlations exist. Most deposits contain tungsten, tin, molybdenum and antimony, although generally these do not correlate with gold; tungsten and molybdenum concentrations may increase with depth or may occur in separate zones. Base metals generally are present in minor amounts (e.g. <100 ppm Cu). The distinct spatial association with felsic intrusions, combined with the consistent metal signature, suggests a magmatic-hydrothermal origin. Fluid inclusions studies indicate the presence of high-salinity fluids in some deposits, and low-salinity and carbonic fluids in most deposits, similar to the composition of fluids in intrusion-related tungsten deposits. Variations in mineralization style largely reflect depth of formation and location relative to the intrusive centre. Several deposits in this class contain >100 tonnes (3 million oz) of gold, thereby highlighting the gold potential of intrusion-related deposits beyond the more traditionally explored gold and copper provinces in arc terranes. Received: 13 March 1998 / Accepted 14 January 1999     

Paleontological analysis of a lacustrine carbonaceous uranium deposit at the Anderson mine, Date Creek basin, west-central Arizona (U.S.A.)

The Tertiary sedimentary sequence of the Date Creek basin area of Arizona is composed principally of intertonguing alluvial-fan and lacustrine deposits. The lacustrine rocks contain large intermediate- to, locally, high-grade uranium deposits that form one of the largest uranium resources in the United States (an estimated 670,000 tons of U₃O₈ at an average grade of 0.023% is indicated by drilling to date). At the Anderson mine, about 50,000 tons of U₃O₈ occurs in lacustrine carbonaceous siltstones and mudstones (using a cutoff grade of 0.01%). The Anderson mine constitutes a new class of ore deposit, a lacustrine carbonaceous uranium deposit.Floral and faunal remains at the Anderson mine played a critical role in creating and documenting conditions necessary for uranium mineralization. Organic-rich, uraniferous rocks at the Anderson mine contain plant remains and ostracodes having remarkably detailed preservation of internal features because of infilling by opaline silica. This preservation suggests that the alkaline lake waters in the mine area contained high concentrations of dissolved silica and that silicification occurred rapidly, before compaction or cementation of the enclosing sediment. Uranium coprecipitated with the silica. Thinly laminated, dark-colored, siliceous beds contain centric diatoms preserved with carbonaceous material suggesting that lake waters at the mine were locally deep and anoxic. These alkaline, silica-charged waters and a stagnant, anoxic environment in parts of the lake were necessary conditions for the precipitation of large amounts of uranium in the lake-bottom sediments.Sediments at the Anderson mine contain plant remains and pollen that were derived from diverse vegetative zones suggesting about 1500 m of relief in the area at the time of deposition. The pollen suggests that the valley floor was semiarid and subtropical, whereas nearby mountains supported temperate deciduous forests.     

大兴安岭南段锡多金属成矿系列

大兴安岭南段是我国北方最重要的锡-多金属成矿集中区.根据成矿花岗岩和成矿元素组合的不同,可分为3个成矿系列:锡(钨)成矿系列(Sn-W-Nb-Ta-Be)、锡-多金属系列(Sn-Ag-Cu-Pb-Zn)和含锡的多金属系列(Pb-Zn-Cu-Ag),3个系列的成矿时代相同(130～150Ma),均与大兴安岭南段燕山期花岗质岩浆作用有关.与锡(钨)成矿系列有关的花岗岩,主要是钾长花岗岩-花岗斑岩,具有钛铁矿系列花岗岩的特征;与含锡的多金属系列有关的花岗岩,主要是花岗闪长岩-石英二长岩类,具有I型或磁铁矿系列花岗岩的特征;而当钾长花岗岩类与花岗闪长岩-二长斑岩等构成花岗质杂岩体或定位在相近空间时,常形成锡-多金属共生组合.研究表明,锡-多金属系列是与含锡的钛铁矿系列和含多金属的磁铁矿系列两种不同花岗岩类有关的含矿热液同位叠加成矿的结果.高成熟度、富锡的锡林浩特元古宙变质岩的重融-分异演化,可能是形成大兴安岭南段锡富集的主要原因.