Geology and D-O-C Isotope Systematics of the Tieluping Silver Deposit,Henan, China: Implications for Ore Genesis

The Tieluping silver deposit, which is sited along NE-trending faults within the high-grade metamorphic basement of the Xiong‘er terrane, is part of an important Mesozoic orogenic-type Ag-Pb and Au belt recently discovered. Ore formation includes three stages: Early (E), Middle (M) and Late (L), which include quartz-pyrite (E),polymetallic sulfides (M) and carbonates (L), respectively. The E-stage fluids are characterized by δD=-90%c,δ^13CCO2=2.0‰ and δ^18O=9‰ at 373℃, and are deeply sourced; the L-stage fluids, with δD=-70‰, δ^13C CO2=-1.3%c and δ^18O=-2‰, are shallow-sourced meteoric water; whereas the M-stage fluids, with δD=-109‰, δ^13C CO2=0.1%c and δ^18O2‰, are a mix of deep-sourced and shallow-sourced fluids. Comparisons of the D-O-C isotopic systematics of the Estage ore-forming fluids with the fluids derived from Mesozoic granites, Archean-Paleoproterozoic metamorphic basement and Paleo-Mesoproterozoic Xiong‘er Group, show that these units cannot generate fluids with the measured isotopic composition (high δ^180 and δ^13C ratios and low δD ratios) characteristic of the ore-forming fluids. This suggests that the E-stage ore-forming fluids originated from metamorphic devolatilization of a carbonate-shale-chert lithological association, locally rich in organic matter, which could correspond to the Meso-Neoproterozoic Guandaokou and Luanchuan Groups, rather than to geologic units in the Xiong‘er terrane, the lower crust and the mantle. This supports the view that the rocks of the Guandaokou and Luanchuan Groups south of the Machaoying fault might be the favorable sources. A tectonic model that combines collisional orogeny, metallogeny and hydrothermal fluid flow is proposed to explain the formation of the Tieluping silver deposit. During the Mesozoic collision between the South and North China paleocontinents, a crustal slab containing a lithological association consisting of carbonate-shale-chert, locally rich in organic matter (carbonaceous shale) was thrust northwards beneath the Xiong‘er terrane along the Machaoying fault.Metamorphic devolatilization of this underthrust slab provided the ore-forming fluids to develop the Au-Ag-(Pb-Zn) ore belt, which includes the Tieluping silver deposit.     

Evolution of the Mesozoic Granites in the Xiong＇ershan-Waifangshan Region, Western Henan Province, China, and Its Tectonic Implications

Based on the new data of isotopic ages and geochemical analyses, three types of Mesozoic granites have been identified for the Xiong'ershan-Waifangshan region in western Henan Province: high-Ba-Sr I-type granite emplaced in the early stage (～160 Ma), I-type granite in the middle stage (～130 Ma) and anorogenic A-type granite in the late stage (～115 Ma).Geochemical characteristics of the high-Ba-Sr I-type granite suggest that it may have been generated from the thickened lower crust by partial melting with primary residues of amphibole and garnet. Gradual increase of negative Eu anomaly and Sr content variations reflect progressive shallowing of the source regions of these granites from the early to late stage. New 40Ar/39Ar plateau ages of the early-stage Wuzhangshan granite (156.0±1.1 Ma, amphibole) and middle-stage Heyu granite (131.8±0.7 Ma, biotite) are indistinguishable from their SHRIMP U-Pb ages previous published, indicating a rapid uplift and erosion in this region. The representative anorogenic A-type granite, Taishanmiao pluton, was emplaced at ～115 Ma. The evolution of the granites in this region reveals a tectonic regime change from post-collisional to anorogenic between ～160 Ma and ～115 Ma. The genesis of the early- and middle-stage I-type granites could be linked to delamination of subducted lithosphere of the Qinling orogenic belt, while the late-stage A-type granites represent the onset of extension and the end of orogenic process. In fact, along the Qinling -Dabie-Sulu belt, the Mesozoic granitoids in western Henan, Dabieshan and Jiaodong regions are comparable on the basis of these temporal evolutionary stages and their initial 87Sr/86Sr ratios,which may suggest a similar geodynamic process related to the collision between the North China and Yangtze cratons.     

Assessing reference conditions and physico-chemical status according to the European Water Framework Directive: a case-study from the Basque Country (Northern Spain)

The European Water Framework Directive requires the development of new and accurate methodologies, addressing the assessment of the physico-chemical status of transitional and coastal waters; these are considered by the Directive as the supporting elements for the final evaluation of the Ecological Quality Status.

This contribution develops new approaches in the determination of the physico-chemical status, solving some problems detected in previous contributions, i.e.: (a) fitting the classification of water bodies and typologies, by means of the stretching of the typologies, according to the natural salinity gradient of types; (b) defining reference conditions, based upon the new approach to typologies, (c) proposing accurate multivariate methodologies, in determining the physico-chemical status of the transitional and coastal waters, based upon the defined typologies and references; and (d) discussion of the results obtained by reference to methodological aspects and water quality evolution in the Basque Country, Spain (as a case-study), during the last decade.     

Spada: An Array of Spad Detectors For Astrophysical Applications

Astrophysical studies require accurate, sensitive and fast detectors to detect faint sources with high variability. Recently an array of Single Photon Avalanche Diodes (SPAD), SPADA, has been developed. This array is suitable for competitive adaptive optics operations and fast transient image acquisition at a fraction of the current cost of imaging arrays. The fabricated solid-state photon counters are rugged, easily integrated with the optics, free from readout noise, and have very fast frame rates (> 10 kHz, for visible corrections) with nanosecond electronic gating. In this paper, the following are described: the development of silicon monolithic arrays of 60 photon-counters, the detection electronics (based on integrated active quenching circuits for each pixel of the array), the real-time data-processing board implemented into FPGA and some aspects of the mechanical housing.     

Interval velocity and thickness estimate from wide-angle reflection data

A method to estimate interval velocities and thickness in a horizontal isotropic layered medium from wide-angle reflection traveltime curves is presented. The method is based on a relationship between the squared reflection traveltime differences and the squared offset differences relative to two adjacent reflectors. The envelope of the squared-time versus offset-difference curves, for rays with the same ray parameter, is a straight line, whose slope is the inverse of the square of the interval velocity and whose intercept is the square of the interval time. The method yields velocity and thickness estimates without any knowledge of the overlying stratification. It can be applied to wide-angle reflection data when either information on the upper crust and/or refraction control on the velocity is not available. Application to synthetic and real data shows that the method, used together with other methods, allows us to define a reliable 1D starting model for estimating a depth profile using either ray tracing or another technique.     

Amplification of strong ground motion in the city of Zagreb, Croatia, estimated by computation of synthetic seismograms

A hybrid technique consisting of modal summation and subsequent finite differences modelling is applied for the computation of synthetic accelerograms along a profile crossing the city of Zagreb, the capital of Croatia. Assuming the source geometry is known, the amplification properties of the underlying soil may be determined by comparison of synthetics and their response spectra computed for a bedrock model with the ones obtained under the assumption of a realistic laterally varying local model. The peak ground acceleration is larger by a factor of up to 3.5 than the value obtained for the bedrock model. The amplification of the response spectra is most prominent for frequencies below 2 Hz, and increases sharply to the SW from the mapped fault running through the centre of the city.     

Gold and silver metallogeny of the South China Fold Belt: a consequence of multiple mineralizing events?

The South China Fold Belt is part of the South China Block that is interpreted to be the result of multiple tectonic and magmatic events that formed a collage of accreted Proterozoic and Phanerozoic terranes. The Jurassic to early Cretaceous Yanshanian period (180–90 Ma), a time of major tectono-thermal events that affected much of eastern and southeastern China, is of great metallogenic importance in the fold belt. This period is linked to subduction of the Pacific plate beneath the Eurasian continent, and is manifested by voluminous volcano-plutonic activity of predominantly calc-alkaline affinity.The distribution of gold and silver deposits in the South China Fold Belt indicates the presence of two distinct metallogenic provinces. A region of basement uplifts, which are controlled by shear zones and form Neoproterozoic inliers of metamorphosed iron-rich rock types, defines the first province. In this province, orogenic lodes and volcanic-related epithermal deposits represent the more significant precious-metal mineralization. The second province is essentially confined to a belt of Yanshanian felsic–intermediate volcanic and subvolcanic rocks that extends along most of the southeastern China coast in an area known as the Coastal Volcanic Belt. Deposits in the Coastal Volcanic Belt are silver- and/or copper-rich, volcanic-hosted and epithermal in character.The precious-metal metallogeny of the South China Fold Belt is interpreted to have developed in at least three stages: one as a result of collision events, during the Caledonian Orogeny (ca. 400 Ma), the second during the Indosinian Orogeny (ca. 200 Ma) and the third during or soon after the formation of the Yanshanian magmatic belt (Yanshanian Orogeny; 180–90 Ma). The latter was responsible for a hydrothermal event that affected large sections of the belt and its Proterozoic substrate. This may have resulted in the redistribution and enrichment of precious metals from preexisting orogenic gold lodes in Neoproterozoic basement rocks, which are now exposed as windows in zones of tectonic uplift. The Yanshanian hydrothermal activity was particularly widespread in the Coastal Volcanic Belt and resulted in the formation of both low- and high-sulfidation epithermal gold and silver, and locally copper and other base-metal mineralization. It is suggested that the Coastal Volcanic Belt has greater potential for world-class epithermal and porphyry deposits than previously realised.     

Os isotope systematics in ocean island basalts

New ReOs isotopic results for Os-poor basalts from St. Helena, the Comores, Samoa, Pitcairn and Kerguelen dramatically expand the known range of initial ¹⁸⁶Os/¹⁸⁷Os ratios in OIBs to values as high as 1.7. In contrast to the Os isotopic uniformity of Os-rich basalts from the HIMU islands of Tubuai and Mangaia found by Hauri and Hart [1], our values for St. Helena span most of the known range of Os isotopic variability in oceanic basalts (initial ¹⁸⁷Os/¹⁸⁶Os ranges from 1.2 to 1.7). Generation of such radiogenic Os in the mantle requires melting of source materials that contain large proportions of recycled oceanic crust. The very low Os concentrations of most of the basalts analyzed here, however, leave them susceptible to modification via interaction with materials containing radiogenic Os in the near-surface environment. Thus the high ¹⁸⁶Os/¹⁸⁷Os ratios may result from assimilation of radiogenic Os-rich marine sediments, such as Mn oxides, within the volcanic piles traversed by these magmas en route to the surface. Furthermore, the Os isotopic signatures of Os-rich, olivine-laden OIBs may reflect the accumulation of lithospheric olivine, rather than simply their mantle source characteristics. The extent to which these processes alter the view of the mantle obtained via study of ReOs systematics in oceanic basalts is uncertain. These effects must be quantified before ReOs systematics in OIBs can be used with confidence to investigate the nature of mantle heterogeneity and its causes.     

1980–1990: Ten years of geochemical investigation at Phlegrean Fields (Italy)

A systematic geochemical investigation on the thermal manifestations of the volcanic area of Phlegrean Fields started in 1980, with the aim of obtaining useful information about the changes possibly occurring at the same time of vertical ground movements, termed as “bradyseismic”, which frequently interested this area.The attention was initially given to the fumaroles and the boiling pools of Solfatara and Pisciarelli, then subsequently extended to thermal springs, dug wells, and crater lakes.Analytical data pertaining to a period preceding the last crisis of 1982–1984 were then available, as well as other data collected during the previous crisis of 1970; a comprehensive picture of the variations observed before, during and after the acceleration of vertical movement has been drawn.According to the results obtained, the intrusion of a magmatic body as the trigger of the observed ground deformation is considered unrealistic. The whole area appears now in a quiet stage, and no further perturbation is expected without previous significant tectonic activity; chemical precursors appear suitable for an early detection of changes occurring at depth, to forecast possible consequences to be expected in the surface environment.     

El cretácico medio y superior de la parte meridional del Bloque Maya (Guatemala)

Study of the Cretaceous strata of the Altos Cuchumatanes (western Guatemala) and in Alta Verapáz (central Guatemala) has revealed a number of foraminifers never before reported from these areas. These data permit a similar nomenclature to be applied to both areas in regard to the division of the sequence into formations. Thus, we distinguish in both areas: a) the Cobán Formation, a shallow platform carbonate of early Aptian to early Senonian age; b) the Campur Formation, of Campanian age, composed of a lower carbonate member with rudists and large benthonic foraminifers, and an upper carbonate member with pelagic foraminifers; c) the Sepur Formation, of Maastrichtian age, with flysch-like sediments, including intercalated blocks of ophiolite complex obducted during the Maastrichtian. We conclude that in early Aptian time, a shallow carbonate platform developed along the southern margin of the Maya Block. The platform subsided and was drowned during the terminal Campanian. This subsidence led to the formation of a flysch-like basin that received turbiditic sedimentation from the carbonate platform to the north and fragments of serpentinite from the ophiolite complex to the south.