Trace-metal content of the Pueblo Viejo precious-metal deposits and their relation to other high-sulfidation epithermal systems

We provide here information on the distribution of copper, zinc, lead, gold, silver, barium, arsenic, antimony, mercury, selenium and tellurium in the Moore and Monte Negro high-sulfidation epithermal deposits in the Pueblo Viejo district, Dominican Republic. Moore and Monte Negro are funnel-shaped zones of advanced argillic alteration and precious-metal mineralization which extend to depths of about 350 m below the present surface. The uppermost part of the Moore deposit has been removed by erosion, whereas the Monte Negro deposit is covered by rocks containing low, but still anomalous gold grades. At Moore, concentrations of all elements except copper increase upward through the deposit. At Monte Negro, all elements except barium and zinc show a similar upward increase in concentration to a point near the top of the deposit from which they decrease upward. This difference reflects the fact that the top of the Moore deposit has been removed by erosion. Because the deposits are funnel-shaped and average metal concentrations increase by almost an order of magnitude upward, most of the metals are concentrated in the upper parts of the deposits. The upward increase in concentration of most metals is gradual and similar in magnitude to the prograde temperature dependence in solubilities of many metal complexes, suggesting that the metals were deposited by cooling. By contrast, concentrations of mercury and, to a lesser extent, tellurium increase more abruptly in the upper part of the deposits. This change probably reflects boiling of the hydrothermal solutions and partitioning of mercury and tellurium into a rising vapor phase, and it suggests that host rocks overlying the deposits will be anomalous in mercury and tellurium. Comparison to the Broadlands, New Zealand, hydrothermal system supports these inferred depositional processes. It shows that the behavior of arsenic and antimony at Broadlands was different from that at Pueblo Viejo, possibly because the elements were complexed differently in the two ore fluids. Comparison of trace-element abundances at Pueblo Viejo to other high-sulfidation epithermal systems shows differences in base-metal, arsenic and mercury abundances which may be related to the depths at which the deposits formed. The results of this study highlight the application and need for quantitative trace-element data from epithermal deposits.     

Electron spin resonance of auriferous and barren quartz at beaconsfield, Northern Tasmania

The intensity of ESR spectra of powdered quartz from auriferous veins at Beaconfield is greater that the intensity of the spectra from barren vein quartz at the same locality. Lattice impurities are presumed to be the cause of the electron paramagnetism of the mineralised quartz species. The method can be used for the characterisation of different types of quartz and may provide a tool useful in exploration geochemistry.     

Determination of sulfide ligands and association with natural organic matter

Group B metals, such as Hg, Cu, Ag, Pb and Cd bind strongly to reduced inorganic and organic S(II−) ligands. These S(II−) ligands, stable in oxic waters for significant periods of time, occur at the <1–100 s nM concentrations. It is hypothesized that S(II−) ligands are stabilized as Cu–S molecules associated with organic matter by multi-ligand binding or in nano-pore encapsulations in organic matter. S(II−) ligands are estimated by two methods: purge/trap analysis as Cr-reducible sulfide (CRS), and strong ligand (SL_T) from a competitive ligand titration with Ag(I). The CRS/SL_T ratio is nearly one for selected samples. CRS correlates reasonably well (r² ∼ 0.5) with organic C with a slope of 14.6 nM per mg C. The conditional binding constant of Ag–SL is 11.3 for effluent associated with waste-water and decreases for river waters from about 12–8.8 as the strong sites are occupied with Ag(I).     

The Quassaic Group,a Medial to Late Ordovician arenite sequence in the Marlboro Mountains Outlier,mid-Hudson Valley,New York,U.S.A

The Quassaic Group occurs as an outlier in the north-south trending Marlboro Syncline which extends 40 km between Kingston and Newburgh in southeastern New York. The group is comprised primarily of 3050 m of late Medial to medial Late Ordovician marine arenites. It is subdivided (oldest to youngest) into five formations: Creek Locks, Rifton, Shaupeneak. Slab Sides, and Chodikee. On the western limb of the syncline the group overlies a minimum of 610 m of the early late Medial Ordovician Bushkill Shale and the bottom three formations grade north and south to Bushkill Shale. Abundance of graded but occasionally conglomeratic beds, common tabular cross-lamination, much less common trough cross-lamination, comparative lack of channelling, general lack of shales, and scarcity of fossils indicate that the average depositional environment of the formations was near the base of the slope of a sedimentary apron or delta which lay to the southeast. The environment, however, probably extended from a basin plain, in the marginal Bushkill Shale, through the lower and middle slope and, rarely, to the upper slope. The occasional molasse-like deposits in the Shaupeneak Formation may indicate local transport of molasse to an upper slope position. The Quassaic Group thus records an initial, local extension of arenites of the lower slope of an apron or delta onto a downwarping basin plain in the Bushkill Trough. This was followed by progressive enlargement and extension of the delta slope with attendant shallowing, culminated by the appearance of molasse-like sediments. Subsequent deposition involved greater slope extension followed by recession with gradual deepening. These activities were prelude to the Hudson Valley Phase of the Taconian Orogeny which downfolded the Quassaic Group into the Marlboro Syncline during latest Ordovician times.     

Mapping the archaeological soil archive of sand and gravel mineral reserves in Britain

Primary sand and gravel deposits in Britain play an important role in preserving our cultural heritage and are also a valuable aggregate resource. While an understanding of the extrinsic properties of the soil archive (such as pH, redox, groundwater) can provide a firstorder assessment of the potential risk to any archaeologically sensitive deposits, we have very poor definition of spatial variations in the extrinsic properties of soil that influence archaeological preservation at a regional and national scale. Developments in digital geological mapping, remote sensing, and geochemical survey data undertaken by the British Geological Survey (BGS) have, however, significantly extended capabilities in this respect and can potentially be used to provide a primary assessment of the sensitivity of the present soil archive and the potential risk from changes to the soil process on cultural material in areas earmarked for aggregate extraction. Two of the major factors affecting archaeological preservation—soil acidification and groundwater—can be mapped or predicted at scales of better than 1:50,000 across increasingly large parts of the country using a combination of regional hydrogeological, geophysical, and geochemical data. Additional data from site investigations may further refine preservation potential as a function of changes in redox potential and acidity. These data, maps and models can be used to (1) better establish a baseline for archaeological preservation at a regional and national scale and (2) improve our understanding of how the physical and chemical properties of the near surface environment can be managed to sustainably preserve archaeological materials in areas impacted by sand and gravel extraction. © 2009 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.     

Geophysical Surveys in the Jebel Hamrat Fidan,Jordan

The Jebel (Jebel is mountain in Arabic) Hamrat Fidan marks the “gateway” to the Feinan district of southern Jordan—one of the largest sources of copper during the prehistoric and Early Bronze Ages in the eastern Mediterranean. Preliminary excavations and surveys at sites along the Wadi Fidan have revealed a long history of settled occupation extending from the Pre‐Pottery Neolithic (ca. 6,500 B.C.) to early medieval times. Because of this long history of occupation, and the fact that this area was a regional center for the production of copper, the study of this area is important for understanding early metallurgy, craft specialization, and social evolution. During the summer of 1997, geophysical investigations at a series of Neolithic and Bronze Age sites identified specific areas within Wadi Fidan for future intensive excavations. Three geophysical techniques (electromagnetic induction, ground‐penetrating radar, and magnetometry) were used to help locate buried architectural and industrial features remaining from early mining and metallurgical operations, including copper ore bodies or voids. Geophysics was not used at the actual mining sites because of scheduling constraints; however, geophysics did delineate buried stone walls at three distinct Wadi Fidan sites. Magnetometry and ground penetrating radar provided little useful information. Buried stone walls were apparently “masked” by numerous magnetic stones on the ground surface making magnetometry useless. Reflections from known strata demonstrated that radar penetrated the ground adequately; however, known shallowly buried walls were not recognizable. Electromagnetic induction produced maps of linear and rectilinear features that suggested spatial distribution of widespread buried stone walls suitable for future excavation. A significant and unexpected finding was that electromagnetic induction proved capable of delineating buried stone walls. © 2000 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.