The influence of climate, geomorphology and primary geology on the supergene migration of gold and silver

Redistribution of secondary gold and silver through the weathering profile is dependent on the nature and stability of anionic complexes present in fluids of the oxidized zone. Through their effect on groundwater composition, and profile development, external controls such as climate and geomorphology, as well as regional and ore geology, may influence the form and concentration of complexes and hence the mobility of gold and silver during secondary processes. Secondary gold and silver in the supergene zone of the Edna May gold mine at Westonia in Western Australia, and at the Upper Ridges mine near Wau, in Papua New Guinea, have been transported under contrasting chemical and physical conditions occurring in the extreme climate and topography of these regions. Consequent differences in the nature of secondary gold and silver enrichments have been noted. At Westonia secondary gold reprecipitated by reduction at the site of iron oxidation, is of higher fineness (lower silver content) than primary gold, due to the formation of soluble AgCl⁰, and AgCl₂⁻ complexes. Gold migrates as the chloride complex AuCl₄⁻, in the acid, saline groundwaters present in the near-surface iron-rich laterite profile.At the Upper Ridges mine, repeated “flushing” by heavy rainfall in a region of rugged relief, dilutes groundwater and prohibits anion concentration and/or the development of acid conditions on a regional scale. Under neutral to basic, moderately oxidizing conditions, found in the vicinity of the weathering carbonate veins, gold and silver may be complexed by thiosulphate, to form Au(S₂O₃)³⁻₂ and Ag(S₂O₃)³⁻₂ or a mixed complex. Secondary gold-silver alloy is reprecipitated by oxidation in the MnO₂ wad assemblage. Gold of low fineness (high silver content) is reprecipitated by reduction at the water table, as both gold and silver complexes destabilize under similar pH and Eh conditions. The identification of secondary enriched gold horizons, relative to primary ore, has important repercussions for the potential viability of a drilled deposit.     

Chuaria circularis from the early Mesoproterozoic Suket Shale, Vindhyan Supergroup, India: Insights from light and electron microscopy and pyrolysis-gas chromatography

Chuaria circularis (Walcott 1899) from the Suket Shale of the Vindhyan Supergroup (central India) has been reinvestigated for its morphology and chemical composition using biostatistics, electron microscopy and pyrolysis-gas chromatography. Morphology and microscopic investigations provide little clues on the specific biological affinity ofChuaria as numerous preservational artifacts seem to be incorporated. On the contrary, the predominance of η aliphatic pyrolysates of presently studiedChuaria from India rather supports an algal affinity. Moreover, the reflectance ofC circularis can be used to obtain a comparative maturity parameter of the Precambrian sediments. The review of the age and geographical distribution ofC circularis constrains that this species cannot be considered as an index fossil for the Proterozoic time.     

CRS-stack-based residual static correction

In the case of onshore data sets, the acquired reflection events can be strongly impaired due to rough top‐surface topography and inhomogeneities in the uppermost low‐velocity layer, the so‐called weathering layer. Without accounting for these influences, the poor data quality will make data processing very difficult. Usually, the correction for the top‐surface topography is not perfect. The residuals from this correction and the influence of the weathering layers lead to small distortions along the reflection events. We integrated a residual static correction method into our data‐driven common‐reflection‐surface‐stack‐based imaging workflow to further eliminate such distortions. The moveout‐corrected traces and the stacked pilot trace are cross‐correlated to determine a final estimate of the surface‐consistent residual statics in an iterative manner. As the handling of top‐surface topography within the common‐reflection‐surface stack is discussed in a separate paper in this special issue, the corresponding residual static correction will be explained in more detail. For this purpose, the results obtained with a data set from the Arabian Peninsula will be presented.     

Eclogites from the Chinese continental scientific drilling borehole, their petrology and different P-T evolutions

Abstract Four phengite‐bearing eclogites, taken from different depths of the Chinese continental scientific drilling (CCSD) borehole in the Sulu ultrahigh pressure terrane, eastern China, were studied with the electron microprobe. The compositional zonations of garnet and omphacite are moderate, whereas phengite compositions generally vary significantly in a single sample from core to rim by decrease of the Si content. Various geothermobarometric methods were applied to constrain the P‐T conditions of these eclogites on the basis of the compositional variability of the above minerals. The constrained P‐T path for sample B218 is characterized by pressure decrease from ca 3.0 GPa (ca 600°C) to 1.3 GPa (ca 550°C). Eclogite B310 yielded P‐T conditions of 3.0 GPa and 750°C. The path for eclogite B1008 starts at about 650°C and 3.6–3.9 GPa (stage I) followed by a pressure decrease to 2.8–3.0 GPa and a significant temperature rise (stages II and IIIa, 750–810°C). Afterwards, this rock cooled down to 620–660°C at still high pressures (2.5–2.7 GPa, stage IIIb). Retrograde conditions were about 670°C and 1.3 GPa (stage IV). Eclogite B1039 yielded a P‐T path starting at ca 600°C and 3.3–3.9 GPa (stage I). A pressure decrease to about 3.0 GPa (stage II, 590–610°C) and then a moderate isobaric temperature increase to ca 630°C (stage III) followed. Stage IV is characterized by temperatures of 650°C at pressures close to 1.3 GPa. During and after this stage (hydrous) fluids partially rich in potassium penetrated the rocks causing minor changes. Relatively high oxygen fugacities led to andradite and magnetite among the newly formed minerals. We think that the above findings can be best explained by mass flow in a subduction channel. Thus, we conclude that the assembly of UHP rocks of the CCSD site, eclogites, quartzofeldspathic rocks, and peridotites, cannot represent a crustal section that was already coherent at UHP conditions as it is the common belief currently. The coherency was attained after significant exhumation of these UHP rocks.     

Response of large benthic foraminifera to climate and local changes: Implications for future carbonate production

Large benthic foraminifera are major carbonate components in tropical carbonate platforms, important carbonate producers, stratigraphic tools and powerful bioindicators (proxies) of environmental change. The application of large benthic foraminifera in tropical coral reef environments has gained considerable momentum in recent years. These modern ecological assessments are often carried out by micropalaeontologists or ecologists with expertise in the identification of foraminifera. However, large benthic foraminifera have been under-represented in favour of macro reef-builders, for example, corals and calcareous algae. Large benthic foraminifera contribute about 5% to modern reef-scale carbonate sediment production. Their substantial size and abundance are reflected by their symbiotic association with the living algae inside their tests. When the foraminiferal holobiont (the combination between the large benthic foraminifera host and the microalgal photosymbiont) dies, the remaining calcareous test renourishes sediment supply, which maintains and stabilizes shorelines and low-lying islands. Geological records reveal episodes (i.e. late Palaeocene and early Eocene epochs) of prolific carbonate production in warmer oceans than today, and in the absence of corals. This begs for deeper consideration of how large benthic foraminifera will respond under future climatic scenarios of higher atmospheric carbon dioxide (pCO₂) and to warmer oceans. In addition, studies highlighting the complex evolutionary associations between large benthic foraminifera hosts and their algal photosymbionts, as well as to associated habitats, suggest the potential for increased tolerance to a wide range of conditions. However, the full range of environments where large benthic foraminifera currently dwell is not well-understood in terms of present and future carbonate production, and impact of stressors. The evidence for acclimatization, at least by a few species of well-studied large benthic foraminifera, under intensifying climate change and within degrading reef ecosystems, is a prelude to future host–symbiont resilience under different climatic regimes and habitats than today. This review also highlights knowledge gaps in current understanding of large benthic foraminifera as prolific calcium carbonate producers across shallow carbonate shelf and slope environments under changing ocean conditions.     

Evaluating essential processes and forecast requirements for meteotsunami-induced coastal flooding

Natural Hazards - Meteotsunamis pose a unique threat to coastal communities and often lead to damage of coastal infrastructure, deluge of nearby property, and loss of life and injury. The Great...     

The wetting ability of Si-bearing liquid Fe-alloys in a solid silicate matrix—percolation during core formation under reducing conditions?

The wetting characteristics of liquid Fe–Si alloys in a matrix of the respective predominating stable silicate mantle mineral (forsterite or silicate perovskite) at pressures of 2–5 and 25 GPa and temperatures of 1600–2000 °C were studied by determining the liquid metal–solid silicate contact angles. The median angle values from texturally equilibrated samples were found to be independent of pressure, temperature, silicate mineralogy and the Si content in the metal fraction and range between 130° and 140° which is far above the critical wetting boundary of 60°. This shows that within the studied range of conditions dissolved Si does not lower the surface energies between Fe-rich liquids and silicate mantle grains. As a consequence, under reducing conditions the presence of Si in the metal phase of planetary bodies would not have enhanced percolative flow as an effective metal–silicate separation process.     

海洋双壳类软体动物幼虫发育类型及其在东太平洋的地理分布

沿东太平洋浅海分布的双壳类软体动物数据显示,大量非浮游异养型双壳类具有广泛的地理分布.其中某些种的纬度跨度可达30°以上,这些种绝大部分是分布在38°N～5°S之间.东太平洋沿岸海流、热带海洋相对适宜的环境以及生物地理分区性是导致这一现象的主要原因.经历浮游异养型幼虫发育阶段的双壳类一般具有较高的地理散布潜力,但是,其中某些种由于其对环境的忍耐性较差,只能局限于狭窄的分布范围.东太平洋浅海双壳类的种多样性以及非浮游异养型与浮游异养型双壳类的比例随纬度发生变化.低纬度地区显示很高的多样性,向高纬度地区逐渐降低,浮游异养型双壳类的下降率大大高于非浮游异养型.热带地区以浮游异养型双壳类占主导地位,随着纬度增加其所占比例减少,而非浮游异养型双壳类的比例随纬度增加而逐渐提高.表明随纬度增加所发生的环境变化对浮游异养型双壳类的影响更为显著,而对以本身卵黄为幼虫营养来源的非浮游异养型双壳类影响相对较小一些.