Retrograde fluid infiltration in the high-grade Modum Complex South Norway: evidence for age,source and REE mobility

The high-grade metamorphic basement of the Modum Complex, South Norway,exhibits retrogradation and alteration due to late stage fluid infiltration.Extensive alteration zones of albite-and calcite-rich veining occur especiallywithin and around numerous metagabbros. The gabbros, intruded at 1224±15Ma, are now partly altered to amphibolites due to the subsequent high-grade metamorphism.Two generations of albite-rich rocks have been recognized: (1) a fine-grained, foliated type;(2) a coarse-grained, crosscutting type. Both types show a typical greenschist facies mineralassemblage; albite ± actinolite ± chlorite ± talc. The calcite veins/dykesrepresent a younger generation of veins than both albite-rich types. U–Pb data for spheneof type (1) yielded an age of 1080±3 Ma, determining a point on the retrogradeP-T-t path of the Modum Complex. Increasing albitisation of themetagabbros leads to a decrease in(¹⁴³ND/¹⁴⁴Nd)_oand an increase in (⁸⁷Sr/⁸⁶)_o.Albite- and calcite-rich samples show negative _Nd and positive _Sr, suggesting that fluids which interacted with the metagabbros originated from a crustal reservoir. The Nd and Sr isotopic data show disequilibrium at the microscale as well as at the macroscale. Negative Sm–Nd model ages of the albite-rich rocks demonstrate that rare-earth elements (REEs) were mobile and fractionated during albitisation.     

Gold mineralization in As-rich mesothermal gold ores of the Bogosu-Prestea mining district of the Ashanti Gold Belt,Ghana: remobilization of “invisible” gold

The Bogosu-Prestea mining district of southwestern Ghana is a 33 km section of the Early Proterozoic Ashanti Gold Belt. Greenschist facies carbonaceous and carbonate-bearing turbidites and greywackes, and mafic dikes host numerous economic mesothermal gold deposits. Structurally higher ores in the Bogosu concession have brittle deformation and consist of disseminated-sulphide lodes in tectonically-disrupted sedimentary rocks and carbonate-altered mafic dikes. Most gold occurs as micrometre-size particles in arsenian pyrite, and as invisible gold in arsenian pyrite and arsenopyrite. The structurally deeper ores of the adjoining Prestea concession are associated with brittle-ductile deformation and consist of extensive crack-seal quartz-veins and graphitic shear zones. Only minor amounts of invisible gold were detected; in these deeper lodes, gold occurs dominantly as abundant microscopic and larger particles in sulphide/arsenide minerals and in gangue. The gold distribution patterns revealed by SIMS microprobe analysis and ion maps, EMP and colour staining suggest that most of the primary gold in the Bogosu-Prestea system precipitated in solid-solution with sulphide/arsenide minerals. However, post-depositional concentration and redistribution occurred, in increasing degree with: 1) increase in metamorphic/hydrothermal gradients in the gold system (depth), 2) decrease in the refractory properties of the host mineral, and 3) increase in the amount of post-depositional, host-mineral recrystallization and deformation. Gold evolved from primary solid-solution within sulphide/arsenide minerals, to colloidal and micrometre-size particles concentrated in voids, fractures and internal grain boundaries, and finally to microscopic and larger particles at sulphide/arsenide grain margins and in the gangue assemblage. The general conclusions presented here are applicable to As-rich gold deposits of all ages, worldwide. The presence of gold in late fractures is insufficient evidence for late-stage introduction of gold in mesothermal gold systems.     

Effects of water on strength and failure mode of coarse-grained granites at 300°C

Summary Deformation experiments have been performed in a triaxial compression cell at a temperature of 300°C and confining pressures up to 65 MPa using samples of homogeneous, fresh two-mica-granite (RM) and monzogranite (CM). The cylindrical specimens (d=70 mm, h=140 mm, V=540 cm³) were tested undrained under dry (105°C), as received, and water saturated conditions at deformation rates between and . The mechanical behaviour of the two types of coarse-grained, crystalloblastic granites is critically influenced by mineralogical composition, porosity, and the amount of intergranular water present in the samples. The failure stress of the CM granite is at about 65% of that of the RM granite; in both rocks strength decreases with increasing porosity and water content.The presence of interstitial water causes a failure mode of non-localized, homogeneously distributed microcracking in the central parts of the samples, whereas, in runs with dry granites, strain localization along a single shear fracture was observed. When aqueous fluids are present, the macroscopic style of deformation of granites appears to be ductile even at lowP andT conditions. Strength and angle of internal friction are reduced to very low values. The style of deformation, as well as the reduction of strength of the water-saturated rock samples, is due to mechanical and chemical effects of intergranular water at elevated temperatures.The maximum differential stresses measured for these coarse-grained granites are much lower than the strength commonly reported for other granites, e. g. Westerly and Charcoal granites. Our data suggest that the strength of the granitic crust under differential stress is lower than currently deduced from laboratory experiments.     

A rural “eye” in the Capital: Tuti Island,Khartoum, Sudan

Islands at strategic points have often become the core of a modern city, or have been developed as historic heritage sites. This has been especially true when the settlers have been strangers in the land. This paper examines why such a situation has not occurred with Tuti Island at the confluence of the White and Blue Niles in the centre of Sudan's Three Towns capital, even though the first permanent inhabitants at the confluence were strangers and chose Tuti Island for their first settlement. The paper questions whether Tuti can survive as a green eye in its present form with the increasing pressures from the urban areas surrounding it.     

Multiple Isotopic Components in Quaternary Volcanic Rocks of the Cascade Arc near Crater Lake, Oregon

Quaternary lavas and pyroclastic rocks of Mount Mazama, CraterLake caldera, and the surrounding area have variable Sr, Nd,and Pb isotopic compositions. High-alumina olivine tholeiites(HAOT) have ⁸⁷Sr/⁸⁶Sr ratios of 0.70346–0.70364; basalticandesite, 0–70349–0.70372; shoshonitic basalticandesite, 0.70374–0.70388; and andesite, 0.70324–0.70383.Dacites of Mount Mazama have ⁸⁷Sr/⁸⁶Sr ratios of 0.70348–0.70373.Most rhyodacites converge on 0.7037. However, rhyodacite ofthe caldera-forming, climactic eruption has ⁸⁷Sr/⁸⁶Sr=0.70354because of an admixed low-⁸⁷Sr/⁸⁶Sr component. Andesitic tomafic-cumulate scoriae of the climactic eruption, and enclavesin preclimactic rhyodacites, cluster in two groups but shownearly the entire ⁸⁷Sr/⁸⁶Sr range of the data set, confirmingpreviously suggested introduction of diverse parental magmasinto the growing climactic chamber. Pb and Nd isotope ratiosdisplay less variation (²⁰⁶Pb/²⁰⁴Pb= 18.838–18.967, ²⁰⁷Pb/²⁰⁴Pb=15.556–15.616,²⁰⁸Pb/²⁰⁴Pb=38.405–38.619; _Nd= +3.9 to +6.1) and generallycovary with ⁸⁷Sr/⁸⁶ Sr ratios. Radiogenic isotope data fromCrater Lake plot with published data for other Cascade volcanoeson isotope ratio correlation diagrams. The isotopic data for the Crater Lake area require sources ofprimitive magmas to consist of depleted mantle and a subductioncomponent, introduced in variable quantity to the depleted mantlewedge. Variable degrees of melting of this heterogeneous mantle,possibly at different depths, produced the diversity of isotopiccompositions and large-ion lithophile element (LILE) abundancesin primitive magmas. Trace element ratios do not indicate presenceof an ocean island basalt (OIB) source component that has beenreported in lavas of some other Cascade volcanoes. Crustal contamination may have affected isotope ratios and LILEconcentrations in evolved HAOT, where initial LILE concentrationswere low. Contamination is more difficult to detect in the calcalkalinelavas because of their higher LILE concentrations and the smallisotopic contrast with likely contaminants, such as mid- tolower-crustal rocks thought to be equivalents of igneous rocksof the Klamath Mountains and associated lower crust. Crustalassimilation appears to be required for calcalkaline rocks onlyby ¹⁸O values, which vary from lows of +5.6 to + 6.0% in HAOTand primitive basaltic andesites to a high of +7.0% in dacite,a range that is too high to be explained by plagioclase-dominatedclosed-system fractional crystallization. Elevated ¹⁸O valuesof differentiated lavas may be attributed to interaction withrelatively ¹⁸O-rich, ⁸⁷Sr-poor crustal rocks. Variably fused granitoid blocks ejected in the climactic eruption,and rarely in late Pleistocene eruptive units, have ¹⁸Opl of–3.4 to +6.5% and ¹⁸O_qz of –2.2 to +8.0% but haveSr, Nd, and Pb isotope ratios similar to volcanic rocks (e.g.⁸⁷Sr/⁸⁶Sr0.7037). Rb and Sr data for glass separates from granodioritessuggest that the source pluton is Miocene. Glass from granodioritehas ⁸⁷Sr/⁸⁶Sr ratios as high as 0.70617. Oxygen isotope fractionationbetween quartz, plagioclase, and glass indicates requilibrationof O isotopes at magmatic temperatures, after ¹⁸O/¹⁶O had beenlowered by exchange with meteoric hydrothermal fluids. Unmeltedgranodiorite xenoliths from pre-climactic eruptive units have¹⁸O values that are consistent with onset of hydrothermal exchangeearly during growth of the climactic magma chamber. Assimilationof such upper-crustal granodiorite apparently lowered ¹⁸O valuesof rhyodacites without significantly affecting their magmaticcompositions in other ways.     

Integrated chemostratigraphy and biostratigraphy of the Windermere Supergroup, northwestern Canada: implications for Neoproterozoic correlations and the early evolution of animals

The thick, richly fossiliferous succession of the upper Windermere Supergroup, Mackenzie Mountains, northwestern Canada, provides a test of integrated biostratigraphic and chemostratigraphic frameworks in terminal Proterozoic correlation. The C- and Sr-isotopic abundances of lower Keele Formation carbonates approximate those for other pre-Varanger samples, confirming that the simple disc-like fossils of the underlying Twitya Formation predate all known diverse Ediacaran faunas. "Tepee" and Sheepbed carbonates record strong post-glacial isotopic excursions; in contrast, delta13C values for Gametrail through Risky carbonates vary only within the narrow range of about +l% to +2%. A second negative excursion occurs in Ingta Formation carbonates that immediately underlie the paleontologically determined Precambrian-Cambrian boundary. The upper Windermere profile as a whole compares closely with curves determined for other terminal Proterozoic successions. The lowermost diverse Ediacaran assemblages in the Sheepbed Formation correlate chemostratigraphically with the oldest fauna in Namibia, but the two assemblages differ in taxonomic composition. Blueflower assemblages correlate both chemostratigraphically and taxonomically with faunas from Australia, China, Siberia, and elsewhere. Increasing data support the hypothesis that paleontological and geochemical data together provide a reliable means of correlating terminal Proterozoic sedimentary rocks throughout the world.     

Geochemistry and origin of the Proterozoic ultrapotassic rocks of the Churchill Province,Canada

Summary Early Proterozoic ultrapotassic dikes, lava flows, and pyroclastic rocks of the Christopher Island Formation (CIF) erupted throughout an area 600 × 300 km within the Churchill Province of the Canadian Shield at 1.84 Ga. The rocks range from mafic lamprophyres (mg # 60; SiO₂ 47–54%, mean K₂O/Na₂O > 4) with phenocrysts of phlogopite + diopside + apatite ± olivine ± magnetite, to phenocryst-poor felsic rocks and sanidine porphyries (SiO₂55–69%). All samples have high incompatible element contents and display large depletions of high field strength elements relative to K, Rb, Sr, Ba, and Th. The CIF has geochemical and petrographic characteristics of both minettes and lamproites, but overall most closely resembles young Mediterranean lamproites. Felsic rocks of the CIF were produced by crystal fractionation and crustal contamination of mafic ultrapotassic magma, and include both high-silica lamproites strongly enriched in Zr, U, and Th, and weakly potassic to sodic rocks of trachytic composition. Flows and feeder dikes have relatively homogeneous _{Nd, 1840 Ma} (–6 to –11) but highly variable ES., 1840 Ma (–40 to + 100); samples classified as lamproites have higher average _Sr. Dike samples have highly variable present-day Pb isotope compositions, ranging from moderately to strongly nonradiogenic. Geochemical and isotopic data are consistent with contributions from depleted Archean lithospheric mantle, and OIB-type convecting mantle, both metasomatized by subduction-related processes during the Early Proterozoic. The lithospheric mantle probably contained Archean enriched domains as well. Proterozoic enrichment may have accompanied shallow underplating of subducted oceanic lithosphere beneath the Churchill Province during amalgamation of the Laurentian supercontinent. There are strong analogies in isotopic composition, and interpreted source region history, between the CIF and lamproites and minettes of the Wyoming Province and western Greenland, which suggest the existence of a Laurentian ultrapotassic superprovince.

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Geochemie und Entstehung der Proterozoischen ultrapotassischen Gesteine der Churchill Provinz, Kanada

Zusammenfassung Altproterozoische, ultrapotassische Gänge, Lavaströme und pyroklastische Gesteine der Christopher Island Formation (CIF), eruptierten in einem Gebiet von 600 × 300 km in der Churchill Provinz des Kanadischen Schildes vor 1.84 Ga. Die Zusammensetzung dieser Gesteine variiert von mafischen Lamprophyren (mg > 60; SiO₂ = 47–54%, durchschnittliches K₂O/Na₂O > 4) mit Phänokristallent von Phlogopit + Diopsid + Apatit + Olivin + Magnetit, bis zu phänokristallarmen felsischen Gesteinen und Sanidinporphyren (SiO₂ = 55–69%). Alle Proben zeigen hohe Gehalte an inkompatiblen Elementen und zeigen beträchtliche Verarmung an high field strength Elementen relativ zu K, Rb, Sr, Ba und Th. Die CIF hat geochemische und petrographische Eigenschaften sowohl von Minetten wie von Lamproiten, aber im allgemeinen ähnelt sie am stärksten jungen mediterranen Lamproiten. Felsische Gesteine der CIF wurden durch Fraktionierung und Krustenkontamination aus mafischen ultrapotassischen Magmen gebildet. Letztere umfassen sowohl siliziumreiche Lamproite, die deutlich an Zr, U und Th angereichert sind und schwach potassische bis sodische Gesteine von trachytischer Zusammensetzung. Lavenergüsse und zufuhrgänge zeigent ein relativ homogenes _{Nd, 1840 Ma} (–6 bis –11) aber ein sehr variables _{Sr, 1840 Ma} (-40 bis + 100); Proben die als Lamproite klassifiziert wurden, zeigent höhere durchschnittliche _Sr-Werte. Proben von Gängen haben sehr variable Bleiisotopen-Zusammensetzungen, die von mäßig bis stark nichtradiogen variieren. Geochemische und Isotopendaten weisen auf Beiträge aus verarmtem archaischen lithosphärischen Mantel und aus konvektierendem OIB-Typ Mantel hin, die beide während des Alproterozoikums durch Subduktions-Vorgänge metasomatisiert wurden. Der lithosphärische Mantel enthielt wahrscheinlich auch angereicherte archaische Domänen. Proterozoische Anreicherungsvorgänge dürften seichtes Underplating subduzierter ozeanischer Lithosphäre unter der Churchill Provinz während der Amalgamation des laurentischen Superkontinentes begleitet haben. Es gibt starke Analogien in der Isotopenzusammensetzung und in der interpretierten Geschichte der Ursprungsregion, zwischen den CIF und Lamproiten und Minetten der Wyoming Provinz, und des westlichen Grönland. Diese weisen auf die Existenz einer laurentischen ultrapotassischen Superprovinz hin.

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With 7 Figures     

Deep structure of the Central Alps in the light of recent seismic data

The deep seismic reflection traverses across the Central Alps (NFP 20, ECORS-CROP) contain a new set of data on the lower crust which has been interpreted in different ways. One currently fashionable model depicts the European lower crust (ELC) as gently dipping below the Adriatic crust. However, this model requires that an observed sharp termination of the ELC under the internal border of the External Massifs is due to the non-transmission of organized seismic energy through the complex upper crust. This explanation is questioned as other reflections in this and similarly complex areas are recorded, and as the same sharp termination of the ELC under the internal border of the External Massifs is observed on all seismic lines for a length of 300 km. A tectonic — metamorphic cause appears to more satisfactorily explain the obeservations, and therefore an alternative model combining surface and deep geophysical data is proposed. It consists of three mutually largely decoupled tectonic levels. (1) The shallow obducted part or lid, bounded at its base by the combined Late Miocene Jura and Lombardic basal thrusts. Estimates of shortening based on balanced sections are at least about 100 km. (2) The intermediate level between the brittle-ductile transition and the top of the subducted mantle. It contains a stack of lower crust imbrications (with a minor admixture of upper mantle) accommodated by (inducted into) the ductile middle crust. Estimates of shortening based on area balancing are again of the order of slightly more than 100 km. (3) The subducted upper mantle, for which there are no reflection data.In the Central Alps the Late Miocene phase was dextrally transpressive, producing flower structures at the shallow level (External Massifs); the stacks of lower crust imbrications at the intermediate level may be the equivalent of the External Massifs at that level. Inverted flower structures of the subducted mantle are possible, but no detailed data are available.     

Inner part observation of theβ pictoris disk

The inner regions of the circumstellar disk around Pictoris might be dust-free due to a possible planet which may have cleared up dust particles. We present a new observational technique based on the use of an anti-blooming CCD in order to directly image this zone. The structure of the disk is revealed down to 2 arcsec from the star (30 AU). We show that the Pic disk brightness is neutral inV, R, andI _C , but drops down when going inward inB, possibly related to a change in the dust composition. Also, a slight disk asymmetry is present but inverted from the outer to the inner zones.Paper presented at the Conference onPlanetary Systems: Formation, Evolution, and Detection held 7–10 December, 1992 at CalTech, Pasadena, California, U.S.A.     

Long,accurate time series measurements of radial velocities of solar-type stars

We have been measuring changes in the radial velocities (RV's) of solar-type stars to search for gravitational perturbations by planets. We transmit violet starlight through a Fabry-Perot etalon interferometer and sense changes in Doppler shift from changes in the fluxes of light on the slopes of stellar absorption lines. Our data now span 6 years. Our observations of the Sun showed earlier that both our technique and the profiles of solar photospheric violet absorption lines can be stable enough to reveal planetary perturbations. We now carry this validation to the spectra of other near-solar-type stars. Annual averages of our RV's of Draconis and Virginis are stable to ±6 m s^–1. The slope of our five-year series of RV's of Bootis A is consistent with the star's well-determined visual astrometric orbit about Bootis B. The Fabry-Perot technique of Doppler shift measurement is fully capable of detecting perturbations due to planets with masses and orbits similar to those of Jupiter.Paper presented at the Conference onPlanetary Systems: Formation, Evolution, and Detection held 7–10 December, 1992 at CalTech, Pasadena, California, U.S.A.