Influence of surface geology and mineral deposits on the spatial distributions of elemental concentrations in the stream sediments of Hokkaido,Japan

An elucidation of the background levels of heavy metals, including certain toxic elements, is very essential to accomplish an important environmental assessment. A regional geochemical mapping in Hokkaido, Japan was undertaken by the Geological Survey of Japan, AIST as part of a nationwide geochemical mapping for this purpose. There were 692 stream sediments collected from the active channel (1 sample) / (100 km²) in Hokkaido and the fine fraction sieved through a 180 μm screen was analyzed using the AAS, ICP-AES, and ICP-MS techniques. The regional geochemical maps for 51 elements were created as a 2000 m mesh map using the geographic information system software. Spatial distribution patterns of elemental concentrations in stream sediments, particularly Neogene–Quaternary volcanic and pyroclastic rocks, are primarily determined by surface geology. The correspondence of elemental concentrations in stream sediments to parent lithology is clearly indicated by ANOVA and a multiple comparison. Sediment samples supplied from mafic volcanic and felsic–mafic pyroclastic rocks are significantly rich in MgO, Al₂O₃, P₂O₅, CaO, Sc, TiO₂, V, MnO, Total (T)-Fe₂O₃, Co, Zn, Sr, and heavy rare earth elements (REEs) (Y and Eu–Lu), but significantly lacking in alkali elements, Be, Nb, light REEs (La–Nd), Ta, Tl, Th, and U. Accretionary complexes with sedimentary rocks derived from sediments are in stark contrast to volcanic and pyroclastic rocks. Accretionary complexes with mafic–ultramafic rock have significantly elevated Nb, Ta, and Th abundances in sediments besides MgO, Cr, Ni, Co, and Cu. This inexplicable result is caused by the mixed distributions of granite and ultramafic–mafic rocks.The watersheds with mineral deposits relate to the high concentrations of certain elements such as Zn, As, and Hg. The geochemically anomalous pattern, which is a map of the regional anomalies, and a scatter diagram were applied to examine the contribution of mineral deposits to MnO, T-Fe₂O₃, Cr, Cu, Zn, As, Cd, Sb, Hg, Pb, and Bi concentrations. Consequently, they were grouped into four types: 1) Mineral deposits with no outliers resulting from mineralization (MnO, T-Fe₂O₃, and Cr), 2) sediments supplied from watersheds without metal deposits conceal high metal inputs from known mineral deposits (Cu), 3) deposits from a geochemically anomalous area that closely relates to the presence of mineral deposits (As, Sb, and Hg), and 4) deposits from the widely altered zone associated with the Kuroko as well as hydrothermal deposits corresponding to geochemically anomalous patterns (Zn, Cd, and Pb). This study provides an important regional geochemical database for a young island-arc setting and interpretational problems, such as complicated geology and active erosion, that are unique to Japan.     

Application of multi-element statistical analysis for regional geochemical mapping in Central Japan

Some 434 stream sediment samples were collected in Central Japan for a nationwide geochemical mapping project. The resulting geochemical maps are compared with geological, mineral resource and land use maps. Spatial distribution patterns of elemental concentrations in stream sediments are determined mainly by surface geology. Elevated elemental concentrations of alkali elements, Be, Ga, Y, Cs, Ba, lanthanide (Ln), Tl, Th, and U are consistent with outcrop areas of granite, felsic volcanic rock, and accretionary complexes. High concentrations of MgO, Al₂O₃, P₂O₅, CaO, 3d transition metals, Zn, and Sr are present in sediments supplied from mafic volcanic rock, high pressure metamorphic rocks, and mafic-ultramafic rocks in accretionary complexes.A procedure is established and guidelines are set for a statistical test suite for geochemical mapping. Analysis of variance (ANOVA) and multiple comparison tests are effective for comparing means among the data subsets that are classified by parent lithological materials. Among the many procedures that have been proposed for multiple comparison tests, the Holm procedure was selected for this study. Multiple comparison statistically confirmed the correspondence of elemental abundance in stream sediments with surface geologies. However, visual interpretation of some elements is inconsistent with results of multiple comparison. According to the Holm procedure, the U content in stream sediments is affected not by granite, but by felsic volcanic rock. The Holm procedure clarifies that As, Sb, and Bi, that are not explained by the presence of mineral deposits, are enriched significantly in samples derived from accretionary complexes. Hydrothermal activity on the ocean floor might affect their levels of enrichment. Significant enrichment of Cu, Zn, Cd, Sn, Sb, Hg, and Pb observed in urban areas are also supported by the Holm procedure. The authors inferred that these sediment samples had been contaminated.     

Geochemical mapping in Shikoku, southwest Japan

Geochemical mapping of Shikoku in the SW Japan Arc was conducted using stream sediments (<0.18 mm fraction) with sample densities of 1 site per 106 km². Concentrations of 51 elements in 173 stream sediments were determined. Areas with especially high Cr, Ni, Mg and Co concentrations run intermittently and linearly through Shikoku, and coincide with exposures of the Mikabu greenstone complex composed of oceanic basaltic and gabbroic rocks with minor ultramafic bodies. Areas with higher concentrations of Fe, V, Sc, Ti, Mn, Cr, Ni, Mg, Co and Eu are distributed widely along the Shikoku Island axis; they mainly overlap with the zones of the high-pressure type metamorphic rocks (Sanbagawa Belt) and of the Jurassic accretionary complexes with sedimentary rocks (Chichibu Belt): in contrast, areas with lower concentrations spread over the northern coastal zone of Cretaceous granitoids (Ryoke Belt) and in the southern coastal zone of Cretaceous-Paleogene accretionary complexes (Shimanto Belt). Distribution patterns of these elements reflect that various amounts of mafic and ultramafic materials, possibly of oceanic origin, are associated with the rocks in the Sanbagawa and Chichibu Belts, although such components occur sparsely in the Shimanto and Ryoke Belts. Calcium, Sr, Na, Nb, Sm and Gd contents are lower along the southern coastal zone. High values of Th, U, La, Ce and Ba are associated with granitic rocks. The positive anomalies of Cu and Cd coincide with the distribution of stratabound Cu deposits in the Sanbagawa Belt. Positive anomalies of Sb in the northern area are associated with Sb deposits near the large Median Tectonic Line fault zone. A high-Hg zone is present in the southern fore-arc area. The median concentrations for stream sediments in Shikoku are higher in Hg, Cu, Ni, Cr, Rb, Li, Cs, K, slightly higher in Nb, Ta, La, Ce, Sn and lower in Ca than those for average Japanese stream sediments. The median concentrations for the four geologic zones show systematic wide variations of mafic associated elements, and narrow variations of lithophile elements generally more abundant in felsic rocks. The chemical compositions of the stream sediments in Shikoku largely reflect the concentrations in the pre-Neogene accretionary complexes and in the high-P metamorphic rocks mainly formed from clastic materials derived from continental margins, and ratios of mafic and ultramafic materials within surface rocks; they are partly influenced by sulfide mineralization and fluid migration.     

Geochemical Exploration on the Stream Sediments of Gabal El Mueilha Area, Central Eastern Desert, Egypt: An Overview on the Rare Metals

Abstract: El Mueilha area consists of post-collision granitic rocks intruding Pan-African metasediments, metavolcanics and granodiorites. Tin mineralization in Gabal El Mueilha is either of vein type or disseminated in the greisenized and albitized parts of the granitic rocks. Cassiterite and wolframite-bearing quartz veins also characterize a small intrusion of muscovite granite at El Mueilha tin mine area. Detailed geochemical prospecting for the rare metals Sn, Nb, Be, Li, U, Th and some other trace elements was carried out at Gabal El Mueilha area using stream sediments survey. Sixty-seven stream sediment samples were collected from the main drainage patterns of the study area. Statistical parameters were calculated for the analyzed elements. The sought elements Sn, Nb, Be and Li have relatively high background values in the studied sediments. This may reflect the role of the pathfinder elements (Nb, Be and Li) during secondary dispersion survey for Sn mineralization.
Geochemical maps were constructed to delineate anomalous areas with abnormally high rare metal contents. The anomalous Sn, Nb and Be areas are mainly encountered in the main stream draining the mineralized zones of El Mueilha tin mine and near the SW albitized parts of the post-collision granite. Correlation coefficient matrices show significant positive relation between Sn and the rare metals group (Nb, Rb and Li) at 99 % significant level. R-mode factor analysis for the concerned elements yields five factor–model.     

Discussion on the interrelationship among Cu-Ni sulfide deposits, mafic volcanic rocks and intrusive rocks in the Sipu region, northern Guangxi, China

The Sipu region of North Guangxi is located in the southwest of the "Jiangnan Ancient Land",where there are developed the oldest stratum in southern China,the Proterozoic Sipu Group,and there are also largely ex-posed mafic intrusive rocks,mafic volcanic rocks and copper-nickel sulfide deposits.Both mafic intrusive rocks and volcanic rocks are rich in MgO(6.52%-26.39%),but poor in K2O(0.05%-1.00%) and TiO2(0.33%-0.89%).They are also rich in trace elements such as Rb and Ba while poor in Ta,Nb and the like.Both of them have medium con-tents of rare-earth elements,30.26×10-6-126.71×10-6,in which LREEs are slightly rich with ΣLREE/ΣHREE of 1.35-2.46,δEu 0.79-1.33,displaying weak or no δEu anomaly,with the same geochemical features.The right-inclined distribution patterns and the features show that magma would be formed at the comagmatic un-diagenetic stage.All studies show that mafic intrusive rocks and volcanic rocks are the products of the same source region evolving in different stages and times.The copper-nickel sulfide deposits are characterized by liquation,crys-tallization and fractionation of mafic rocks,and have some interrelations with mafic intrusive rocks and volcanic rocks with respect to magmatic genesis.     

内蒙古中部大青山新地沟-卯独庆金矿床的构造-蚀变-成矿作用

新地沟和卯独庆金矿赋存于新太古界色尔腾山群柳树沟岩组中,是典型的与韧性一脆韧性剪切变形有关的绿岩型金矿。构造-蚀变岩石的主要类型有千糜岩化石英绢云片岩、千糜岩化绿泥绢云片岩、糜棱岩化绿泥石英片岩、绢云绿泥长英质糜棱片岩、长英质碎裂岩、黄铁绢英岩质构造片岩等。构造一蚀变岩石的岩石地球化学特征与中基性火山岩类似．其稀土元素总量∑REE（44．9×10^-6～155．4×10^-6）、LREE／HREE比值（7．0～26．1）、δEu（0．6～1．2）也显示了中基性火山原岩的特点。构造一蚀变一成矿流体的特征为富CO2的低盐度的较高密度的流体,具有造山型金矿的特点。前寒武纪绿岩带建造变质镁铁质火山岩分布的地区构造一蚀变作用强烈的地段是重要的找矿有利地区。     

Factors controlling regional spatial distribution of 53 elements in coastal sea sediments in northern Japan: Comparison of geochemical data derived from stream and marine sediments

In all, 53 elements were analyzed in 1406 coastal sea sediment samples collected from an area off Hokkaido and the Tohoku region of Japan during a nationwide marine geochemical mapping project. The spatial distribution patterns of the elemental concentrations in coastal seas along with the existing geochemical maps in terrestrial areas were used to define natural geochemical background variation and mass transport processes. The terrestrial area is covered by mafic volcanic rocks and accretionary complexes associated with ophiolite, which has small amounts of felsic volcanic rocks and granite. The spatial distribution patterns of elements enriched in mafic lithologies such as Fe (Total Fe₂O₃) and Sc in marine environments are influenced by adjoining terrestrial materials. The spatial distribution patterns of Cr and Ni concentrations, which are highly abundant in ultramafic rocks on land, are used to evaluate the mass transport from land to the sea and the dispersive processes caused by oceanic currents. The scale of mass transport by oceanic currents occurs up to a distance of 100–200 km from the coast along the coastal areas. The regional differences of elements rich in felsic lithologies such as K (K₂O), Nb and La in marine sediments are determined mainly by the relative proportion of minerals and lithic fragments enriching felsic materials to those associated with mafic materials. The spatial distribution of elemental concentration is not always continuous between the land areas and coastal sea areas. That difference is interpreted as resulting from (1) transportation of marine sediments by oceanic currents and storm waves, (2) contribution of volcanic materials such as tephra, (3) occurrence of shell fragments and foraminifera tests and (4) distribution of relict sediments of the last glacial age and early transgression age. Contamination with Cu, Zn, Cd, As, Mo, Sn, Sb, Hg, Pb and Bi was not observed in marine environments because the study area has little anthropogenic activity. Terrestrial materials are the dominant source for these metals. The Mo, Cd, Sn, Sb, Hg, Pb and Bi are abundant in silty and clayey sediments locally because of early diagenetic processes, authigenic precipitation and organic substances associated with these elements. The spatial distribution of As concentration shows exceptions: it is concentrated in some coarse and fine sands on the shelf. The enrichment is explained by adsorption of As, sourced from a coal field, to Fe hydroxide.     

Exhalative Sn and W deposits associated with mafic volcanism as precursors to Sn and W deposits associated with granites

Precambrian and Early Palaeozoic submarine exhalative Sn and W deposits are most commonly present in thick deep water sequences comprising pelites, carbonate, calcsilicate and cherty rocks, mafic volcanics and quartz-tourmaline rocks. The exhalative deposits are commonly low grade and, in places, the sequence is transgressed by granites with economic Sn or W mineralisation. These thick deep water sequences as components of sinking trenches are more likely than most other rocks to undergo high grade metamorphism and anatexis. Thus elements such as Sn, W, B, F, Mo, Bi, Li, Be and base metals associated with the exhalites rapidly partition into the anatectic melt, lower the liquidus and solidus, and are concentrated in the late stage aqueous fluids and residual melt fractions to form Sn or W deposits associated with highly fractionated granitic rocks.     

Evolution of Calc-alkaline Magmas in Continental Arc Volcanoes: Evidence from Alicudi, Aeolian Arc (Southern Tyrrhenian Sea, Italy)

Major, trace element, and Sr isotopic data are reported forvolcanic rocks from the island of Alicudi, Aeolian Arc, SouthernTyrrhenian Sea. The island is constructed of basalt, basalticandesite to high-K andesite lavas, and pyroclastites, whichshow a continuum in the variation of many major and trace elements.Total iron, MgO, CaO, Ni, Co, Sc, and Cr decrease with increasingsilica, whereas incompatible elements Rb, Ba, Th, and LREE displaythe opposite tendency. Very significant positive correlationsare defined by incompatible elements on interelemental variationdiagrams. Sr isotopic ratios vary from 0–70352 to 0–70410.Overall, basalts (0–70352–O-70410) and basalticandesltes (0–70356–0–70409) are enriched in⁸⁷Sr compared with high-K andesites (O–70352–O–70367),which display the lowest Sr isotopic ratios within the entireAeolian archipelago. Overall negative relationships exist between⁸⁷Sr/⁸⁶Sr and several incompatible trace element abundancesand ratios, such as Th, U, LREE, Zr, La/Yb, and Th/Hf. Otherelemental ratios such as La/Rb, Ba/Rb, and Sr/Rb show more complexbehaviour, even though negative correlations with Sr isotopicratios are observed in the basalts. The observed compositional variations are best explained interms of a model in which primitive calc-alkaline magmas evolvedby crystal-liquid fractionation to give a series of variouslydifferentiated liquids, which underwent different degrees ofinteraction with crustal material. The more mafic and hotterbasaltic liquids appear to have assimilated higher amounts ofmetamorphic wall rocks than did the cooler late erupted andesiticmagmas. This process produced significant variations of Sr isotopicratios, Rb, Cs, Rb/Sr ratios, and LILE/Rb ratios in mafic magmas,but had only minor effects on the abundances and ratios of otherincompatible elements such as Th, LREE, La/Yb, and Th/Hf. When compared with mafic rocks from other Aeolian islands, theAlicudi basalts are more primitive geochemically and isotopically.Going eastward, there is a decrease in Ni and Cr abundances,mg-number and Nd isotopic ratios which parallels an increaseof Sr isotopic ratios in basaltic rocks along the arc. Thesecompositional variations are typical of volcanic series whichhave undergone interaction with upper-crustal material, andsuggest that this process may have contributed significantlyto the regional geochemical and isotopic trends observed inthe Aeolian arc.     

Detrital record of the denudation of volcanic islands under sub-tropical climate (Cape Verde)

This research is focused on the composition of the sediments produced in volcanic islands when the climate does not favour weathering. The XRD mineralogy (bulk sample and fraction finer than 63 μm), petrography and geochemistry of a set of bedload stream and beach samples collected in the “old” Maio and the “young” Fogo islands of Cape Verde archipelago are used to investigate the compositional transformations promoted by exogenous processes during island denudation. The main factor responsible for the variability in sediment composition is the incorporation of biogenic material derived from the evolving shelves; it largely exceeds the effects of the exhumation of different volcanic and basement units. Given the arid climate (and steep land surface in Fogo), only the most labile components of basaltic rocks, such as volcanic glass, are decomposed. The incipient weathering and sorting processes are responsible for the depletion of Al in bedload deposits. The same happens with other elements usually regarded as non-mobile (namely, Nb, Th, REE, etc.), while Mg is concentrated. Thus, weathering indices grounded on the premise that “mobile” elements are lost and “non-mobile” elements are enriched via weathering are useless in Cape Verde bedload sediments. With time, weathering is able to promote Na leaching and the formation of secondary minerals, which tend to retain non-mobile elements released in the earlier stages of alteration (e.g., LREE, Th, Y, Nb, Ta etc.). Sorting processes are responsible for the selective removal of less-dense grains, explaining local differences between beach and stream deposits. Beach placers are enriched in augitic clinopyroxene (occasionally also in olivine in the Fogo island), and Sc, Cr and Co. Niobium and Ta must be hosted in fine-grained particles that are easily windblown and their abundances in dusts may reveal Cape Verde as a source of airborne material crossing the Atlantic Ocean.     

云南曲靖盆地蔡家冲粗面英安质凝灰岩——扬子克拉通内曲靖深断裂新生代强烈活动的证据

云南曲靖盆地内的蔡家冲火山岩作为扬子克拉通内部深断裂受青藏高原向东南逃逸而影响强度的标志之一,具有重要意义。在该区新发现的新生代火山岩的斑晶成分主要为正长石和少量黑云母,为钾质火山岩(粗面质火山岩);结合火山岩的全岩成分、微量元素分析,确定蔡家冲火山岩为粗面质火山岩(超钾质火山岩),经湖相水解后K、Na等碱质组分部分流失,导致该区火山岩在火山岩分类图解中落入碱质稍低的花岗闪长岩区域,其本质是水解的粗面质火山岩;全岩K/Ar同位素测年显示:火山岩活动时间范围在44.9±0.8~48.4±0.9Ma之间;火山岩下部至上部年龄差大致为3.5Ma,属于古近纪始新世路特阶的产物。该区的新生代火山岩反映出,曲靖深断裂的走滑拉分不仅形成了曲靖、陆良、弥勒、开远等一系列盆地,其活动强度还导致新生代始新世路特阶的蔡家冲组火山岩的喷发,曲靖深断裂同小江深断裂一样,新生代活动显示为超壳深断裂。火山岩显著富集Cd、Pb、Zn等元素,综合考虑东川播卡等地深部发现同时期的富碱侵入岩及金矿床,该区火山岩显示的金矿、铅锌矿的找矿潜力值得关注。曲靖深断裂还与地震活动、热水资源、农业生态环境、油气资源、固体矿产等密切相关,值得深入研究。     

Identification and mapping of geochemical patterns and their significance for regional metallogeny in the southern Sanjiang,China

The southern Sanjiang region, southwestern China, comprises various continental blocks, tectonic sutures and arcs. This complex structural area is a proper place for the recognition of geochemical patterns and understanding of regional metallogenesis. Considering each individual tectonic unit (i.e., western South China block, Ailaoshan suture, Simao block, Changning–Menglian suture, Baoshan block and Tengchong block) as a statistical unit, this study identifies the distribution patterns of geochemical elements, distinguishes elemental associations for different geological backgrounds (controlled by the regional lithology) and diverse mineralizations, and thereby delineates the mineralized anomalies. To achieve the goals, the kriging interpolation, staged factor analysis and local singularity technology were utilized after the centered logratio (clr) transformation of stream sediment geochemical data. The spatial distributions of metallogenic elements (Au, Ag, Cu, Pb, Zn and Sn) show that not all the areas with high concentrations of elements contain ore deposits. It means that the formation of ore deposits is an independent anomalous geological event, not necessarily related to the original regional abundance of geochemical elements. The different element associations obtained by staged factor analysis of 28 elements are able to reveal the geological backgrounds and metallogenic signatures for different tectonic units. For example, the element associations for the first, second and third factors (Fs) in the western South China block are groups of Ti–Co–V, Sb–Ag–As and Th–U–Be (see text for the detailed element associations), which represent the Emeishan flood basalts, Ag–Pb mineralization and felsic rocks, respectively. Similarly, the element associations Co–V–Cu, Be–U–Th and Sb–Ag–Au for F1, F2 and F3 in the Ailaoshan suture respectively represent the ophiolite complex and mafic rocks, felsic rocks and Au mineralization. The associations from F1 to F4 in the Simao block are Th–U–Sn, V–Co–Cr, Cd–Ag–Pb and Au–Sb, which represent the Linchang batholith, mafic rocks, Ag–Pb–Zn mineralization and Au mineralization, respectively. The distribution patterns of their factor scores can roughly distinguish the anomalies caused by regional backgrounds and mineralizations. The local singularity of factor scores for mineralization can further identify mineralized areas in most of the tectonic units. Nevertheless, an exception occurs in the western South China block where the background element association, Ti–Co–V–Cu–Ni–Cr–P–Mn–Nb–Zn (F1), obscures the Au signature. Therefore, we substituted the single element Au for mineralized element association (F1) to perform singularity mapping, and obtained better result. It was concluded that the combination of staged factor analysis, local singularity and tectonic setting is effective in regional metallogenic potential analysis.     

西藏羊八井—宁中地区水系沉积物中分散元素地球化学特征及其对找矿的指示意义

水系沉积物中元素地球化学特征研究是区域地球化学勘查找矿工作的基础, 分散元素作为一类新型的地球化学勘查指标, 已在勘查找矿工作中显示出显著的效用。西藏地区研究程度低, 以往区域地球化学勘查工作中, 多以主成矿元素及伴生有益元素研究为主, 一直缺乏对分散元素组成特征的研究。本文首次报道了西藏羊八井—宁中地区680件水系沉积物样品的分散元素地球化学特征。从区域上看, 研究区内水系沉积物中强烈富集Cd、Se、Te元素, 其它元素分布均匀, 无富集。与羊八井—宁中地区水系沉积物中分散元素平均值相比, 区内二叠系洛巴堆组地层中强烈富集Cd、In、Se、Te元素, Tl仅在第四系中富集, Cd、In、Se、Te元素的富集可能是由洛巴堆铅锌铜矿床中闪锌矿、方铅矿等金属硫化物的风化作用引起的, Tl元素的富集与羊八井—宁中一带地热资源的热水沉积作用有关; 不同时代侵入岩区水系沉积物中分散元素含量接近研究区平均值, 仅有In、Tl呈现弱的富集。Cd、In、Se、Te元素作为地球化学勘查指标, 可指示铅锌矿化体的产出范围, 为区内开展铅锌多金属矿产勘查工作提供了地球化学依据。     

THE EARLY UPLIFT IN NORTHERN TIBETAN PLATEAU: EVIDENCE FROM THE STUDY ON CENOZOIC VOLCANIC ROCKS IN QIANGTANG REGION

THE EARLY UPLIFT IN NORTHERN TIBETAN PLATEAU: EVIDENCE FROM THE STUDY ON CENOZOIC VOLCANIC ROCKS IN QIANGTANG REGION     

Review Section

ABSTRACT

The petrology, geochronology, and geochemistry of the early Permian volcanic rocks from Houtoumiao area, south Xiwuqi County in central Inner Mongolia of China, are studied to elucidate the early Permian tectonic setting of the region. The volcanic rocks, which are interbedded with sandstone, feature both mafic and felsic compositions and show a bimodal nature. Zircon U–Pb dating reveals that the volcanic rocks formed at 274–278 Ma, similar to the ages of bimodal magmatism in neighbouring areas. The mafic rocks are composed of tholeiitic basalt, basaltic andesite, basaltic trachyandesite, and trachyandesite. They are rich in Th, U, and LILEs, depleted in HFSEs Nb, Ta, and Ti, and have positive ε_Nd(t) values (+3.6 to +7.9). Geochemical analyses indicate that the mafic rocks originated from metasomatized lithospheric mantle. The felsic volcanic rocks are mainly rhyolite, with minor trachyte and dacite. They have different evolutionary tendencies of major elements, chondrite-normalized REE patterns, and isotopic compositions from the mafic volcanic rocks, which preclude formation by fractional crystallization of mafic melts. The ε_Nd(t) values of the felsic rocks are similar to those of the Carboniferous Baolidao arc rocks in the region. It is suggested that Permian felsic melts originated from the partial melting of Carboniferous juvenile arc-related rocks. By comparison with typical Cenozoic bimodal volcanism associated with several tectonic settings, including rift, post-collisional setting, back-arc basin, and the Basin and Range, USA, the bimodal volcanic rocks in central Inner Mongolia display similar petrological and geochemical characteristics to the rocks from back-arc basin and the Basin and Range, USA. Based on the analysis of regional geological data, it is inferred that the early Permian bimodal volcanic rocks in the study area formed on an extensional continental margin of the Siberian palaeoplate after late Carboniferous subduction–accretion.     

The mineralogy and chemical composition of the Woodlawn massive sulphide orebody

The main Woodlawn ore lens is a polymetallic, massive sulphide deposit’ with pyrite the major constituent, variable sphalerite, galena and chalcopyrite, and minor arsenopyrite, tetrahedrite‐tennantite, pyrrhotite and electrum. The silicate gangue minerals are chlorite, quartz, talc and sericitic mica. Other mineralization in the vicinity consists of footwall copper ore in chlorite schist and several smaller massive sulphide lenses. The predominant country rocks are felsic volcanics and shales, with abundant quartz, chlorite and mica, and talc in mineralized zones.

An important textural feature of the massive ore is the fine compositional banding. Bands, which vary in thickness from a few tens of micrometres to several millimetres, are produced by variations in the sulphide content. Post‐depositional metomorphism and minor fracturing have only slightly modified this banding.

Apart from the major element constituents—Pb, Zn, Fe, Cu and S—the ore is characterized by significant (100–1000 ppm) values for Ag, As, Cd, Mn, Sb and Sn, and lower (1–100 ppm) values of Au, Bi, Co, Ga, Hg, Mo, Ni, Tl. In and Ge. Variations in the base‐metal sulphide content, the gangue mineralogy, and trace elements, are used to separate the orebody into hanging‐wall and footwall zones. The hanging‐wall zone shows a more variable trace element content, with higher Tl, Sn, Ni, Mn, Ge and Sb, but lower Ag, Cd, and Mo, than the footwall zone.

In general style of mineralization, mineralogy, and chemistry, the Woodlawn deposit resembles other volcanogenic massive sulphide deposits in eastern Australia, in New Brunswick in Canada, and the Kuroko deposits of Japan.     

High-Field-Strength Elements in Mafic Volcanics from North China Craton: Implications for Archean-Proterozoic Boundary and Source Composition

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Neoproterozoic nascent island arc volcanism from the Nubian Shield of Egypt: Magma genesis and generation of continental crust in intra-oceanic arcs

The Neoproterozoic Wadi Ranga metavolcanic rocks, South Eastern Desert of Egypt, constitute a slightly metamorphosed bimodal sequence of low-K submarine tholeiitic mafic and felsic volcanic rocks. The mafic volcanic rocks are represented by massive and pillow flows and agglomerates, composed of porphyritic and aphyric basalts and basaltic andesites that are mostly amygdaloidal. The felsic volcanic rocks embrace porphyritic dacites and rhyolites and tuffs, which overlie the mafic volcanic rocks. The geochemical characteristics of Wadi Ranga volcanic rocks, especially a strong Nb depletion, indicate that they were formed from subduction-related melts. The clinopyroxene phenocrysts of basalts are more akin to those crystallizing from island-arc tholeiitic magmas. The tholeiitic nature of the Wadi Ranga volcanics as well as their LREE-depleted or nearly flat REE patterns and their low K₂O contents suggest that they were developed in an immature island arc setting. The subchondritic Nb/Ta ratios (with the lowest ratio reported for any arc rocks) and low Nb/Yb ratios indicate that the mantle source of the Wadi Ranga mafic volcanic rocks was more depleted than N-MORB-source mantle. Subduction signature was dominated by aqueous fluids derived from slab dehydration, whereas the role of subducted sediments in mantle-wedge metasomatization was subordinate, implying that the subduction system was sediment-starved and far from continental clastic input. The amount of slab-derived fluids was enough to produce hydrous magmas that follow the tholeiitic but not the calc-alkaline differentiation trend. With Mg# > 64, few samples of Wadi Ranga mafic volcanic rocks are similar to primitive arc magmas, whereas the other samples have clearly experienced considerable fractional crystallization.The low abundances of trace elements, together with low K₂O contents of the felsic metavolcanic rocks indicate that they were erupted in a primitive island arc setting. The felsic volcanic rocks are characterized by lower K/Rb ratios compared to the mafic volcanic rocks, higher trace element abundances (~ 2 to ~ 9 times basalt) on primitive arc basalt-normalized pattern and nearly flat chondrite-normalized REE patterns, which display a negative Eu anomaly. These features are largely consistent with fractional crystallization model for the origin of the felsic volcanic rocks. Moreover, SiO₂-REE variations for the Wadi Ranga volcanic rocks display steadily increasing LREE over the entire mafic to felsic range and enriched La abundances in the felsic lavas relative to the most mafic lavas, features which are consistent with production of the felsic volcanic rocks through fractional crystallization of basaltic melts. The relatively large volume of Wadi Ranga silicic volcanic rocks implies that significant volume of silicic magmas can be generated in immature island arcs by fractional crystallization and indicates the significant role of intra-oceanic arcs in the production of Neoproterozoic continental crust. We emphasize that the geochemical characteristics of these rocks such as their low LILE and nearly flat REE patterns can successfully discriminate them from other Egyptian Neoproterozoic felsic volcanic rocks, which have higher LILE, Zr and Nb and fractionated REE patterns.     

豫西新生代基性火山岩地球化学特征及源区性质

豫西新生代基性火山岩主要为粗面玄武岩,少量碱玄岩和玄武岩。其地球化学特征表明该区基性火山岩基本代表了幔源原始岩浆的成分,结晶分异作用及地壳物质混染作用并未对本区基性火山岩产生明显影响。初步的研究表明,本区基性火山岩是富集型地幔熔体和亏损型地幔熔体混合的产物。     

藏东主要岩金矿床类型基本特点及其找矿前景

藏东地区是西南三江复合造山带有色金属，贵金属成矿带的重要组成部分，也是三江带中北段新生代强烈陆内变形区，具有金和金银金属矿产成矿的优越条件。已发现的众多岩金矿（化）点反映出藏东有多种岩金矿床成因类型，其中以斑岩型和破碎带充填交代型两种类型最为重要。前者以新生代浸源偏碱性斑岩为成矿母岩，矿（化）体赋存于斑岩，隐爆角砾岩内部，接触带及外接触蚀变带中，主矿化元素为金，银，铅，锌，少数还有铜，钨，后者的矿（化）体一般同存于多期活动的区域性大断裂侧次级断裂，派生断裂，层间破碎带及节理，劈理发育带内，主矿化元素亦为金及银，铅，锌，铜，个别有锑，汞等，成矿时代以新生代及白垩纪一新生代为主。文中还对藏东构造单元和新生代偏碱性岩带进行划分。对两种金矿床类型的一般矿化特征，矿源层，蚀变和化探异常与矿化关系。找矿标志及找矿方向作了简要论述。