Geology and Genesis of the Ta'ergou Skarn - Quartz Vein Tungsten Deposit in the North Qilian Caledonian Orogenic Belt, Northwest China

Abstract. The Ta'ergou tungsten deposit in Gansu province, northwestern China, is located in the western part of the North Qilian Caledonian orogen, and consists of scheelite skarn bodies and wolframite quartz veins. The tungsten‐bearing skarn developed by the replacement of carbonate layers intercalated in the Precambrian schist and amphibolite whereas wolframite‐quartz ore veins developed along a group of fractures that cut through horizontal skarns. The Ta'ergou tungsten deposit is genetically related to the Caledonian Yeniutan granodiorite intrusion and occurs ca. 500 m wide in the exo‐contact zone 300 ～ 500 m apart from the intrusion. The granodiorite displays a lower grade of differentiation, low content of SiO₂ and high contents of mafic components. There are three types of fluid inclusions in the wolframite‐quartz vein systems, i. e. aqueous, CO₂‐H₂O and CO₂‐rich. The homogenization temperature of aqueous inclusion ranges from 140 to 380d?C and their salinities from 6.4 to 17.4 equivalent wt% NaCl. Laser Raman spectroscopy shows that the inclusions contain a relatively high content of CO₂. The δ³⁴S values of skarn type sulfides range from +8.1 to +12.7 per mil and those of quartz vein sulfides from +9.3 to +14.9 per mil, similar to sulfides of the granodiorite with from +6.0 to +11.7 per mil. The δ¹⁸O values of quartz are between +10.5 and +13.3 per mil and those of wolframite between +3.4 and +5.1 per mil. The δ¹⁸O water values of ore forming fluids range from +0.6 to +6.4 per mil and suggest the mixture of magmatic fluids with meteoric water formed the ore‐forming fluids. It has been proved that Precambrian strata in the west sector of North Qilian region are enriched in tungsten. We propose the strata were remelted to be tungsten‐granitoid during subduction. The polymetallic tungsten was gradually accumulated into the roof pendants of the granite intrusion by fractional crystallization and then was deposited by hydrothermal fluids during metasomatism and infilling along fractures. On the other hand, the granite intrusion also acted as “heating machine” to make hydrothermal fluids leach out the metals from Precambrian strata and these metals joined the ore‐forming hydrothermal system.     

强烈气洗作用导致原油成分变化的定量计算:以库车坳陷天然气藏为例

库车坳陷以产天然气为主,同时产出少量原油和凝析油,油气充注不同步,普遍具有"油早气晚"的特点,晚期大量天然气的侵入,必然对早期聚集的油藏发生改造作用。对气藏中原油成分变化的定量计算和讨论,可为天然气的注入强度定量评价提供直接证据。未遭受气洗的原油,正构烷烃摩尔浓度的对数与相应的碳数呈线性关系,而气洗作用可使轻组分的正构烷烃最先溶解于干气中,并随着天然气继续向前运移,原始油藏中的轻组分正构烷烃大大减少。以此为理论基础,建立了正构烷烃损失的定量计算模型。结果表明克拉2构造原油正构烷烃损失程度最高,平均可达70%左右,大北构造带原油正构烷烃损失程度差异较大,与该地区断块发育有关。气洗作用导致原油正构烷烃减少,而金刚烷、多环芳烃等在天然气中溶解度较低的化合物得以浓缩富集,相对含量大大增加。轻芳烃含量也会随之而增加,原油芳香度增加,石蜡度降低。在模拟实验基础上对气洗程度进行了定量评价,初步估算表明,克拉2构造原油遭受的气洗作用最强,是其他构造带的2～5倍。     

Cracking mechanisms during galena mineralization in a sandstone-hosted lead–zinc ore deposit: case study of the Jinding giant sulfide deposit, Yunnan, SW China

There are two types of lead–zinc ore bodies, i.e., sandstone-hosted ores (SHO) and limestone-hosted ores (LHO), in the Jinding giant sulfide deposit, Yunnan, SW China. Structural analysis suggests that thrust faults and dome structures are the major structural elements controlling lead–zinc mineralization. The two types of ore bodies are preserved in two thrust sheets in a three-layered structural profile in the framework of the Jinding dome structure. The SHO forms the cap of the dome and LHO bodies are concentrated beneath the SHO cap in the central part of the dome. Quartz, feldspar and calcite, and sphalerite, pyrite, and galena are the dominant mineral components in the sandstone-hosted lead–zinc ores. Quartz and feldspar occur as detrital clasts and are cemented by diagenetic calcite and epigenetic sulfides. The sulfide paragenetic sequence during SHO mineralization is from early pyrite to galena and late sphalerite. Galena occurs mostly in two types of cracks, i.e., crescent-style grain boundary cracks along quartz–pyrite, or rarely along pyrite–pyrite boundaries, and intragranular radial cracks in early pyrite grains surrounding quartz clasts. The radial cracks are more or less perpendicular to the quartz–pyrite grain boundaries and do not show any overall (whole rock) orientation pattern. Their distribution, morphological characteristics, and geometrical relationships with quartz and pyrite grains suggest the predominant role of grain-scale cracking. Thermal expansion cracking is one of the most important mechanisms for the generation of open spaces during galena mineralization. Cracking due to heating or cooling by infiltrating fluids resulted from upwelling fluid phases through fluid passes connecting the SHO and LHO bodies, provided significant spaces for crystallization of galena. The differences in coefficients of thermal expansion between pyrite and quartz led to a difference in volume changes between quartz grains and pyrite grains surrounding them and contributed to cracking of the pyrite grains when temperature changed. Combined thermal expansion and elastic mismatch due to heating and subsequent cooling resulted in the radial and crescent cracking in the pyrite grains and along the quartz–pyrite grain boundaries.     

南秦岭西乡群锆石SHRIMP U—Pb年龄及其构造地质意义

2009年陕西省地质志修编项目组,重点对出露于西乡县城东孙家河附近,南秦岭西乡群孙家河组英安质火山熔岩进行了锆石SHRIMP U-Pb同位素年代学和岩石化学、稀土元素、微量元素等方面的研究,获得了新的同位素年龄为814.8±5.2 Ma。认为该岛弧火山系的形成时代为青白口纪晚期,属晋宁期古扬子板块西缘与青康滇古板块汇聚的产物,为研究南秦岭扬子陆块过渡基底的形成时代,提供了有力的佐证。对进一步详细研究扬子陆块Rodinia超大陆汇聚时限及秦岭造山带的构造演化提供了新的时代证据,具有重要的地质构造意义。     

Erratum to: Iron isotope variations in spinel peridotite xenoliths from North China Craton: implications for mantle metasomatism

Iron isotopes, together with mineral elemental compositions of spinel peridotite xenoliths and clinopyroxenites from Hannuoba and Hebi Cenozoic alkaline basalts, were analyzed to investigate iron isotopic features of the lithospheric mantle beneath the North China Craton. The results show that the Hannuoba spinel peridotite xenoliths have small but distinguishable Fe isotopic variations. Overall variations in δ⁵⁷Fe are in a range of −0.25 to 0.14‰ for olivine, −0.17 to 0.17‰ for orthopyroxene, −0.21 to 0.27‰ for clinopyroxene, and −0.16 to 0.26‰ for spinel, respectively. Clinopyroxene has the heaviest iron isotopic ratio and olivine the lightest within individual sample. No clear linear relationships between the mineral pairs on “δ-δ” plot suggest that iron isotopes of mineral separates analyzed have been affected largely by some open system processes. The broadly negative correlations between mineral iron isotopes and metasomatic indexes such as spinel Cr#, (La/Yb)_N ratios of clinopyroxenes suggest that iron isotopic variations in different minerals and peridotites were probably produced by mantle metasomatism. The Hebi phlogopite-bearing lherzolite, which is significantly modified by metasomatic events, appears to be much heavier isotopically than clinopyroxene-poor lherzolite. This study further confirms previous conclusions that the lithospheric mantle has distinguishable and heterogeneous iron isotopic variations at the xenoliths scale. Mantle metasomatism is the most likely cause for the iron isotope variations in mantle peridotites.     

Controlling factors of loess landslides in western China

Based on detailed field data from recent geo-hazards surveys in the Loess Plateau region of western China, this study analyzes the key factors that control loess landslides. The evolution phase of river valleys, the geological structure of slopes and the geometry of slopes are all found to play a role in determining the occurrence, distribution and other characteristics of loess landslides. Groundwater and vegetation also contribute to their formation. A combination of human engineering activities and precipitation events are the principal triggering factors for the instability of loess slopes.     

Comparison of net primary productivity in karst and non-karst areas: a case study in Guizhou Province,China

Green plants play an important role in energy flows and material cycles. The net primary productivity (NPP) reflects the capability of vegetation to convert solar energy into photosynthate (fixed carbon). Understanding the factors that contribute to variations in NPP is of key importance for improving the rock-desertification environment in karst areas. In this paper, the NPP model (Light Use Efficiency model) is modified on the basis of remote sensing data [moderate resolution imaging spectroradiometer (MODIS)], climate data and observed information. Then the model is employed to estimate the spatial–temporal variations of NPP in the Guizhou Province, China. Finally, the NPP differences between karst area and non-karst area, and the relationships between NPP and climate factors are analyzed. The results show that the NPP estimated using MODIS data are reasonable. The mean NPP of territorial vegetation is 421.46 gC m⁻² year⁻¹; the NPP in the non-karst area is 13.3% higher than that in the karst area; the correlation degree between NPP and precipitation is better in southeastern and western districts.     

Microstructure characteristics and forming environment of late Quaternary Period loess in the Loess Plateau of China

Since the late Quaternary Period, the rapid rising of the northeastern Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau has greatly changed the East Asian climate and formed different regional monsoon climates. Various microstructures of the loess in northern China have formed under a variety of climatic conditions. The scanning electron microscope (SEM) and energy spectrum analysis are used in this paper to study the relationship between the indexes of loess microstructures and the forming climates, and the indexes include the diameter of sand grains, Ca/Fe value and the characteristic shapes of the loess from SEM microstructures pictures. In terms of their respective climatic circumstances, the major microstructures of regional loess may be classified into nine categories according to their forms and particle sizes, such as loess formed in near-sand source, loess of granule sand dropping, and loess formed in hot and rainy places, i.e. with the loess SEM pictures, climates of about 15 ka b.p. in different places may be evaluated. In conclusion, the clear and distinguishable loess microstructures and their indexes in the Loess Plateau of China can also deduce the evolution of climate, such as warm or cold and wet or dry, and even sandstorm activities when the loess is deposited.     

小秦岭地区金矿成矿机理分析

小秦岭成矿带是我国重要的贵金属成矿带之一,金矿受地层、构造和岩浆岩控制,具有＂三位一体＂的成矿模式。太古宙太华群地层为成矿提供了物质基础,区域变质作用使金发生初次富集;早期自北而南的挤压形成规模巨大的推覆构造为含金石英脉的生成提供了有利空间;燕山期构造—岩浆活动对金的活化、迁移、富集起主导作用     

西藏谢通门县德新铅锌矿地质特征及找矿标志

德新铅锌矿位于西藏自治区谢通门县,地处西藏冈底斯Cu、Mo、Pb、Zn、Au、Fe成矿带中段。矿体主要赋存于岩浆岩与第三系火山岩的接触带,地层、岩浆岩控制了矿体的总体展布方向和空间位置。早期东西向构造对成矿起了导矿作用,晚期近南北向、北西、北东向构造是主要的容矿、储矿构造。属标准的地层、构造、岩浆岩＂三位一体＂的成矿模式。矿床成因可能属火山隐爆角砾岩型。本文提出了区内8条找矿标志。