Fluid Inclusion and Stable Isotope Geochemistry of the Shangxu Gold Deposit, Northern Tibet

正Objective The Shangxu gold deposit is located in the south of the middle Bangong-Nujiang suture zone in northern Tibet.The origin of this deposit as an orogenic gold deposit is debatable.The study of the Shangxu deposit has a profound implication on gold exploration in the BangongNujiang metallogenic belt and can also improve our understanding of gold mineralization in northern Tibet.     

强度折减法在某核电站泵房边坡分析中的应用

对边坡稳定性分别采用按极限平衡法、有限元强度折减法进行二维分析,通过对比计算结果来验证强度折减法分析的准确性与可行性。针对边坡开挖与加固及隧洞开挖的三维效应,采用三维弹塑性有限元强度折减法分析计算边坡的稳定性,计算分析了开挖完成、支护完成条件下边坡安全系数、位移分布、主应力分布、等效塑性应变区和潜在滑动面。结果表明,支护加固可较大提高边坡的稳定安全系数,三维强度折减法分析在岩土工程领域具有明显优势。     

The effects of clay minerals and organic matter on nanoscale pores in Lower Paleozoic shale gas reservoirs,Guizhou, China

In organic-rich gas shales, clay minerals and organic matter (OM) have significant influences on the origin, preservation, and production of shale gas. Because of the substantial role of nanoscale pores in the generation, storage, and seepage of shale gas, we examined the effects of clay minerals and OM on nanoscale pore distribution characteristics in Lower Paleozoic shale gas reservoirs. Using the Niutitang and Longmaxi shales as examples, we determined the effects of clay minerals and OM on pores through sedimentation experiments. Field emission–scanning electron microscopy combined with low-pressure N₂ adsorption of the samples before and after sedimentation showed significant differences in pore location and pore size distribution between the Niutitang and Longmaxi shales. Nanoscale pores mostly existed in OM in the Longmaxi shale and in clay minerals or OM–clay composites in the Niutitang shale. The distribution differences were attributed largely to variability in thermal evolution and tectonic development and might account for the difference in gas-bearing capacity between the Niutitang and Longmaxi reservoirs. In the nanoscale range, mesopores accounted for 61–76% of total nanoscale pore volume. Considerably developed nanoscale pores in OM were distributed in a broad size range in the Longmaxi shale, which led to good pore connectivity and gas production. Numerous narrow pores (i.e., pores?<?20 nm) in OM–clay composites were found in the Niutitang shale, and might account for this shale’s poor pore connectivity and low gas production efficiency. Enhancing the connectivity of the mesopores (especially pores?<?20 nm and those developed in OM–clay composites) might be the key to improving development of the Niutitang shale. The findings provide new insight into the formation and evolutionary mechanism of nanoscale pores developed in OM and clay minerals.     

Geochemistry and geochronology of Late Jurassic and Early Cretaceous intrusions related to some Au (Sb) deposits in southern Anhui: a case study and review

Some Au deposits in southern Anhui Province have recently been found to be closely associated with Late Mesozoic intrusions. Typical examples include the Huashan Au (Sb) deposit and Au deposits at Zhaojialing, Wuxi, and Liaojia. In order to understand the mechanisms that led the formation of these Au deposits, we make detailed reviews on the geological characteristics of these Au deposits. Specifically, we present new LA-ICP-MS zircon U–Pb dating, along with elemental and Hf isotopic data from the Huashan Au (Sb) deposit. Our data suggests that the Huashan ore-related intrusions were emplaced during the Late Jurassic and Early Cretaceous periods (144–148 Ma). They are characterized by arc-magma features and high oxygen fugacity and are rich in inherited zircons. Zircon U–Pb ages and Lu–Hf isotopes from intrusions suggest that Proterozoic juvenile lithosphere is the main source of these intrusions. The regional geological history implies that lithosphere beneath southern Anhui was produced during a Proterozoic subduction and was fertilized with Au (Cu) in the process. Integrated with the results of previous studies, we inferred that Late Mesozoic intrusions formed by the remelting of the lithosphere could provide the metal endowment for the Au-rich deposits in southern Anhui.     

A nonstationary parameter model for the sandstone creep tests

The rock masses of hydro-fluctuation belt experience seepage pressure following impoundment in the Three Gorges Reservoir; its creep behaviors are significant for reservoir bank slopes. To study the creep behaviors under seepage pressure (0, 1.45, and 1.75 MPa), we performed creep tests using representative landslide sandstone in the Three Gorges Reservoir and investigated the sandstone creep behaviors under the coupling effects of seepage pressure and stress. Previous researches on rocks have usually regarded the creep constitutive parameter as a constant; however, in this study, a nonlinear, nonstationary, plastic-viscous (NNPV) creep model which can describe the curve of sandstone creep tests is proposed. The rock-creep parameters under three levels of seepage pressure were identified, and theoretical curves using the NNPV model agreed well with the experimental data, indicating that the new model cannot only describe the primary creep and secondary creep stages under varying seepage pressures but also, in particular, perfectly describes the tertiary creep stage. Finally, the sensitivity of the NNPV model parameters is analyzed, and the result shows that the nonstationary coefficient α and the nonlinear coefficient m are main parameters affecting the tertiary creep stage.     

Assessing rockfall susceptibility in steep and overhanging slopes using three-dimensional analysis of failure mechanisms

Rockfalls strongly influence the evolution of steep rocky landscapes and represent a significant hazard in mountainous areas. Defining the most probable future rockfall source areas is of primary importance for both geomorphological investigations and hazard assessment. Thus, a need exists to understand which areas of a steep cliff are more likely to be affected by a rockfall. An important analytical gap exists between regional rockfall susceptibility studies and block-specific geomechanical calculations. Here we present methods for quantifying rockfall susceptibility at the cliff scale, which is suitable for sub-regional hazard assessment (hundreds to thousands of square meters). Our methods use three-dimensional point clouds acquired by terrestrial laser scanning to quantify the fracture patterns and compute failure mechanisms for planar, wedge, and toppling failures on vertical and overhanging rock walls. As a part of this work, we developed a rockfall susceptibility index for each type of failure mechanism according to the interaction between the discontinuities and the local cliff orientation. The susceptibility for slope parallel exfoliation-type failures, which are generally hard to identify, is partly captured by planar and toppling susceptibility indexes. We tested the methods for detecting the most susceptible rockfall source areas on two famously steep landscapes, Yosemite Valley (California, USA) and the Drus in the Mont-Blanc massif (France). Our rockfall susceptibility models show good correspondence with active rockfall sources. The methods offer new tools for investigating rockfall hazard and improving our understanding of rockfall processes.     

Study of late-Mesozoic magmatic rocks and their related copper-gold-polymetallic deposits in the Guichi ore-cluster district,Lower Yangtze River Metallogenic Belt,East China

ABSTRACT

The Guichi ore-cluster district in the Lower Yangtze River Metallogenic Belt hosts extensive Cu–Au–Mo polymetallic deposits including the Tongshan Cu–Mo, Paodaoling Au, Matou Cu–Mo, Anzishan Cu–Mo, Guilinzheng Mo and Zhaceqiao Au deposits, mostly associated with the late Mesozoic magmatic rocks, which has been drawn to attention of study and exploration. However, the metallogenic relationship between magmatic rocks and the Cu–Au-polymetallic deposits is not well constrained. In this study, we report new zircon U–Pb ages, Hf isotopic, and geochemical data for the ore-bearing intrusions of Guichi region. LA-ICP-MS U–Pb ages for the Anzishan quartz diorite porphyrite is 143.9 ± 1.0 Ma. Integrated with previous geochronological data, these late Mesozoic magmatic rocks can be subdivided into two stages of magmatic activities. The first stage (150–132 Ma) is characterized by high-K calc-alkaline intrusions closely associated with Cu–Au polymetallic ore deposits. Whereas, the second stage (130–125 Ma) produced granites and syenites and is mainly characterized by shoshonite series that are related to Mo–Cu mineralization. The first stage of magmatic rocks is considered to be formed by partial melting of subducted Palaeo-Pacific Plate, assimilated with Yangtze lower crust and remelting Meso-Neoproterozoic crust/sediments. The second stage of magmatism is originated from partial melting of Mesoproterozoic-Neoproterozoic crust, mixed with juvenile crustal materials. The depression cross to the uplift zone of the Jiangnan Ancient Continent forms a gradual transition relation, and the hydrothermal mineralization composite with two stages have certain characteristics along the regional fault (Gaotan Fault). Guichi region results from two episodes of magmatism probably related to tectonic transition from subduction of Palaeo-Pacific Plate to back-arc extensional setting between 150 and 125 Ma, which lead to the Mesozoic large-scale polymetallic mineralization events in southeast China.     

基于数据密度确定分布区域的方法：以TAS图解分析为例

为了客观地确定数据点投图后分布的主要区域,本文提出了一种基于数据密度确定数据主要分布区域的方法。利用该方法可以更加直观地了解数据分布,并可以作为数据清洗的预处理手段。本文基于GEOROC大数据,以全碱对硅（TAS）图解为例,进行了分析和验证。通过提取GEOROC 数据库中与TAS 图解相关的岩石样本中SiO₂、Na₂O、K₂O 和烧失量含量数据,通过数据常规清洗和归算,最终获得24 个种类合计13.3 万条有效数据。通过数据投点、分区统计和提取80% 数据的分布区域,验证了24种岩石样品与TAS图解的吻合程度。通过综合研究分析发现,有6类岩石的数据分布与TAS图解定义区域基本一致,18类岩石的数据分布与TAS图解定义区域有系统性偏差。大数据研究证明了TAS图解的不足之处,利用全碱和SiO₂作为指标,难以实现提升总体分类的准确性。     

Rainfall threshold determination for flash flood warning in mountainous catchments with consideration of antecedent soil moisture and rainfall pattern

Flash flood disaster is a prominent issue threatening public safety and social development throughout the world, especially in mountainous regions. Rainfall threshold is a widely accepted alternative to hydrological forecasting for flash flood warning due to the short response time and limited observations of flash flood events. However, determination of rainfall threshold is still very complicated due to multiple impact factors, particular for antecedent soil moisture and rainfall patterns. In this study, hydrological simulation approach (i.e., China Flash Flood-Hydrological Modeling System: CNFF-HMS) was adopted to capture the flash flood processes. Multiple scenarios were further designed with consideration of antecedent soil moisture and rainfall temporal patterns to determine the possible assemble of rainfall thresholds by driving the CNFF-HMS. Moreover, their effects on rainfall thresholds were investigated. Three mountainous catchments (Zhong, Balisi and Yu villages) in southern China were selected for case study. Results showed that the model performance of CNFF-HMS was very satisfactory for flash flood simulations in all these catchments, especially for multimodal flood events. Specifically, the relative errors of runoff and peak flow were within?±?20%, the error of time to peak flow was within?±?2 h and the Nash–Sutcliffe efficiency was greater than 0.90 for over 90% of the flash flood events. The rainfall thresholds varied between 93 and 334 mm at Zhong village, between 77 and 246 mm at Balisi village and between 111 and 420 mm at Yu village. Both antecedent soil moistures and rainfall temporal pattern significantly affected the variations of rainfall threshold. Rainfall threshold decreased by 8–38 and 0–42% as soil saturation increased from 0.20 to 0.50 and from 0.20 to 0.80, respectively. The effect of rainfall threshold was the minimum for the decreasing hyetograph (advanced pattern) and the maximum for the increasing hyetograph (delayed pattern), while it was similar for the design hyetograph and triangular hyetograph (intermediate patterns). Moreover, rainfall thresholds with short time spans were more suitable for early flood warning, especially in small rural catchments with humid climatic characteristics. This study was expected to provide insights into flash flood disaster forecasting and early warning in mountainous regions, and scientific references for the implementation of flash flood disaster prevention in China.