Nature and origin of the BIF-hosted São Bento gold deposit, Quadrilátero Ferrífero, Brazil, with special emphasis on structural controls

The orogenic banded iron formation (BIF)-hosted Au mineralization at São Bento is a structurally-controlled, hydrothermal deposit hosted by Archean rocks of the Rio das Velhas greenstone belt, Quadrilátero Ferrífero region, Brazil. The deposit has reserves of 14.3 t Au and historical (underground) production of 44.6 t Au between 1987 and 2001. The oxide-facies São Bento BIF is mineralized at its lower portion, where in contact with carbonaceous, pelitic schists, particularly in the proximity of sulfide-bearing quartz veins. Shear-related Au deposition is associated with the pervasive, hydrothermal sulfidation (mainly arsenopyrite) of the Fe-rich bands of the São Bento BIF. Auriferous, sulfide- and quartz-rich zones represent proximal alteration zones. They are enveloped by ankerite-dominated haloes, which reflect progressive substitution of siderite and magnetite within the BIF by ankerite and pyrrhotite, respectively. The São Bento BIF was intensely and extensively deformed, first into open, upright folds that evolved into tight, asymmetric, isoclinal folds. The inverse limb of these folds attenuated and gave way to sheath folds and the establishment of ductile thrusts. Mineralized horizons at São Bento result from early structural modifications imposed by major transcurrent and thrusts faults, comprising the Conceição, Barão de Cocais and São Bento shear zones. Dextral movement on the SW–NE-directed Conceição shear zone may have generated splays at a compressional side-stepping zone, such as the São Bento shear zone, which is the structural locus for the São Bento gold mineralization. Relaxation of the Conceição shear zone under more brittle conditions resulted in the development of dilatational zones where gold–sulfide–quartz veins formed. These structures are considered to have been generated in the Archean. Geochronological data are scarce, with Pb–Pb analyses of refractory arsenopyrite and pyrite from bedded and remobilized ore plotting on a single-stage growth curve at 2.65 Ga. A later compressional, ductile deformation of unknown age overprinted, rotated and flattened the original, N60E-directed structure of the whole rock succession, with development of planar and linear fabrics that appear similar to Proterozoic-aged structures. Fluid inclusion studies indicate low salinity, aqueous fluids, with or without CO₂ and/or CH₄, with extremely variable CO₂/CH₄ ratios, of probable metamorphic origin. Fluid evolution shows a paragenetic decrease in the carbonic phase from 10–15% to 5%, and increase in the H₂O/(CO₂ + CH₄) and CO₂/CH₄ ratios, suggesting important interaction with carbonaceous sediment. Trapping conditions indicate a temperature of 300 °C at 3.2 kbar.     

ESR chronology of the Somme River Terrace system and first human settlements in Northern France

The Somme Valley, Northern France, is famous for its archaeological sequence, where numerous rich Palaeolithic sites, such as Saint-Acheul, the type site of the Acheulian, have been discovered. The archaeological levels are often directly associated with fossil alluvial sediments of the River Somme or with slope deposits, including loess and palaeosols. In the middle reaches of the valley, near Amiens, the system of fossil-stepped fluvial terraces is particularly well developed and preserved, and occurs on 10 alluvial formations. These terraces, from +5 to +55 m above the present-day valley bedrock, allow the study of the environmental changes and the human settlement of this area through the Pleistocene.

Since 1988, ESR dating was systematically applied on bleached quartz extracted from the fossil fluvial deposits, in order to better describe the geological evolution of the stepped system. More recently, U-series/ESR dating has also been performed on teeth collected from the different terrace deposits. Here we present a synthetic review of the main ESR results, and propose an ESR chronology for the geological evolution of the Somme fluvial system and for the Middle Pleistocene human settlement of northern France.     

Influence of the oceanic biology on the tropical Pacific climate in a coupled general circulation model

The influence of chlorophyll spatial patterns and variability on the tropical Pacific climate is investigated by using a fully coupled general circulation model (HadOPA) coupled to a state-of-the-art biogeochemical model (PISCES). The simulated chlorophyll concentrations can feedback onto the ocean by modifying the vertical distribution of radiant heating. This fully interactive biological-ocean-atmosphere experiment is compared to a reference experiment that uses a constant chlorophyll concentration (0.06 mg m⁻³). It is shown that introducing an interactive biology acts to warm the surface eastern equatorial Pacific by about 0.5°C. Two competing processes are involved in generating this warming: (a) a direct 1-D biological warming process in the top layers (0–30 m) resulting from strong chlorophyll concentrations in the upwelling region and enhanced by positive dynamical feedbacks (weaker trade winds, surface currents and upwelling) and (b) a 2-D meridional cooling process which brings cold off-equatorial anomalies from the subsurface into the equatorial mixed layer through the meridional cells. Sensitivity experiments show that the climatological horizontal structure of the chlorophyll field in the upper layers is crucial to maintain the eastern Pacific warming. Concerning the variability, introducing an interactive biology slightly reduces the strength of the seasonal cycle, with stronger SST warming and chlorophyll concentrations during the upwelling season. In addition, ENSO amplitude is slightly increased. Similar experiments performed with another coupled general circulation model (IPSL-CM4) exhibit the same behaviour as in HadOPA, hence showing the robustness of the results.     

Sources and Transport of Urban and Biomass Burning Aerosol Black Carbon at the South–West Atlantic Coast

The total extent of the atmospheric impacts associated to the aerosol black carbon (BC) emissions from South America is not completed described. This work presents results of BC monitored during three scientific expeditions (2002, 2003 and 2004) on board of a Brazilian oceanographic vessel Ary Rongel that covered the South–West Atlantic coast between 22–62°S. This latitudinal band encloses major urban regions of South America and the outflow region of the SACZ (South Atlantic Convergent Zone), which is an important mechanism of advective transport of heat, moisture, minor gases and aerosols from the South America continental land to the Southern Atlantic Ocean. Our results showed that aerosol BC enhanced concentrations from urban/industrial origin can be transported to the South–West Atlantic Ocean due to the migration of sub-polar fronts that frequently reach tropical/subtropical regions. Despite the decrease of aerosol BC concentrations southwards (from ∼1,200 ng m⁻³ at latitude 22°S to ∼10 ng m⁻³ at latitude 62°S), several observed peak events were attributed to regional urban activities. Most of such events could be explained by the use of air mass back trajectories analysis. In addition, a global model simulation is presented (Goddard Institute for Space Studies – GISS GCM BC simulation) to explore the origins of aerosol BC in the South–West Atlantic. The model allowed isolating the biomass emissions from South America and Africa and industrial (non-biomass) pollution from other regions of the globe. This model suggests that the apportionment of about half of the aerosol BC at the South–West Atlantic may derive from South American biomass burning.     

Influence of traffic emissions on the composition of atmospheric particles of different sizes – Part 1: concentrations and elemental characterization

Epidemiological studies initially considered the impact of total solid particles on human health, but according to the acquired knowledge about the worse effect of smaller particles, those studies turned to consider the impact of PM₁₀. However, for the last decade PM_2.5 began to be more important, once as they are smaller they can penetrate deeper in the lungs, being possible their trapping in alveoli and worse effects on human health. Therefore, more information on PM_2.5 should be provided namely concerning the levels and elemental composition. Considering the relevance of traffic on the emission of particles of small sizes, this work included the detailed characterization of PM₁₀ and PM_2.5, sampled at two sites directly influenced by traffic, as well as at two reference sites, aiming a further evaluation of the influence of PM₁₀ and PM_2.5 on public health. The specific objectives were to study the influence of traffic emission on PM₁₀ and PM_2.5 characteristics, considering concentration, size distribution and elemental composition. PM₁₀ and PM_2.5 samples were collected using low-volume samplers; the element analyses were performed by particle induced X-ray emission (PIXE). At the sites influenced by traffic emissions PM₁₀ and PM_2.5 concentrations were 7–9 and 6–7 times higher than at the background sites. The presence of 17 elements (Mg, Al, Si, P, S, Cl, K, Ca, Ti, V, Cr, Mn, Fe, Ni, Cu, Zn and Pb) was determined in both PM fractions; particle metal contents were 3–44 and 3–27 times higher for PM₁₀ and PM_2.5, respectively, than at the backgrounds sites. The elements originated mostly from anthropogenic activities (S, K, V, Mn, Ni, Zn and Pb) were predominantly present in PM_2.5, while the elements mostly originated from crust (Mg, Al, Si and Ca) predominantly occurred in PM_2.5–10. The results also showed that in coastal areas sea salt spray is an important source of particles, influencing PM concentration and distributions (PM₁₀ increased by 46%, PM_2.5/PM₁₀ decreased by 26%), as well as PM compositions (Cl in PM₁₀ was 11 times higher).     

Spatial Analysis of Airborne Geophysical Data Applied to Geological Mapping and Mineral Prospecting in the Serra Leste Region, Carajás Mineral Province, Brazil

The Serra Leste region, located in the northeast portion of Carajás Mineral Province (PA), hosts important chrome-PGE, Au–Pd–Pt, Cu–Mo–Au, iron, and manganese deposits and occurrences related to different geological settings. We present a regional prospective model with focus on PGE mineralizations based on airborne geophysics (magnetometry, gamma-ray spectrometry and time domain electromagnetometry) and geological data. Geological and geophysics data analysis indicate a plausible correspondence between areas with meta-mafic–ultramafic rocks and low values in gamma spectrometry, mainly for the thorium channel. The meta-ultramafic units of the complexes, the main host rock of the PGE mineralization, are well defined by analytic signal from the anomalous magnetic field and by the apparent conductance anomalies derived from the GEOTEM system. The combination of the derivative products with updated geological data of the Serra Leste region and PGE-Luanga deposit enable to establish a regional prospective model for PGE and the identification of new targets within the studied area.     

Mise en évidence d'un mécanisme de carbonatation secondaire dans le manteau supérieur du Languedoc

Lherzolite xenoliths with calcite-rich microgranular secondary aggregates (0.1–1 mm) have been sampled in a Messinian breccia pipe from the northeastern part of the Languedoc volcanic province (South France). Their study shows that the carbonate crystallized at low pressure from a silico-carbonated melt resulting from partial melting of diopside and spinel at depth. This melting has been induced by injection, shortly before the eruption, of CO₂ and H₂O-rich fluids, stored probably within the upper lithospheric mantle and reset in motion by the magma ascension. These fluids would derive from decarbonation of levels of deeper lithospheric mantle previously metasomatized by carbonatitic melts. To cite this article: J.-M. Dautria et al., C. R. Geoscience 338 (2006).     

Variability in habitat use by young-of-the-year winter flounder,<Emphasis Type="Italic">Pseudopleuronectes americanus</Emphasis>, in three northeastern U.S. estuaries

We compared distribution and abundance by habitat for age-0, young-of-the-year (YOY) winter flounder,Pseudopleuronectes americanus, in three estuaries (Hammonasset River, Navesink River, and Great Bay-Little Egg Harbor) in the northeastern United States to better define essential fish habitat (EFH). Two replicates of five representative habitats were sampled in most estuaries: eelgrass (Zostera marina), unvegetated areas adjacent to eelgrass, macroalgae, (primarilyUlva lactuca), unvegetated areas adjacent to macroalgae, and tidal marsh creeks. Fish were sampled every two weeks, May through October 1995 and 1996, with a beam-trawl (1-m width, 3-mm mesh net). Abundance of YOY winter flounder was highest in the Navesink River estuary and similar between years, but was significantly lower and differed between years in the Great Bay-Little Egg Harbor and Hammonasset River estuaries. Annual temperature differences appear to influence estuary use by YOY. In the years and estuaries studied, where habitat-related differences in abundance were significant, YOY were found in higher densities in unvegetated areas adjacent to eelgrass. The exception was in the Hammonasset River in 1995 when densities were higher in eelgrass. We conclude that the type of habitat most important to YOY winter flounder varies among estuaries and as a result, care should be taken in defining EFH, based only on limited spatial and temporal sampling.