Concentration of gold in in situ laterites from Mato Grosso

The gold concentration studied is located in lateritic soils overlying Precambrian schists of the Cuiaba Group in Mato Grosso, Brazil. The following five horizons may be recognized from bottom to top: (1) a gray-blue altered schist horizon, (2) a red argillaceous alterite, (3) a horizon characterized by iron oxihydroxide-rich pebbles and quartz fragments in an iron oxihydroxide-rich matrix and clays, (4) an iron crust, and (5) the present soil. The most significant gold content is found in the third horizon just below the iron crust. According to geological study and morphological observations of the gold particles, the gold ore mined today is the result of two combined processes, i.e., the ferrallitic alteration of quartz lodes enclosed in schists and the effect of the red argillaceous alterite which acts as an impervious structure preventing the largest gold grains from migrating downward during their mechanical concentration.     

Le microcontinent corso-sarde, sa position initiale: Donnees paleomagnetiques et raccords geologiques

New paleomagnetic results on Permian volcanics confirm the previously defined rotation for Corsica (30°) and Sardinia (60°). A geometrical fit of the continental slopes can be found with these rotation angles. The data allow us to put back the two islands in their previous position: northern Sardinia then faces Provence. The geological structures of the basement of Provence and Sardinia match together: lithology, metamorphic types and zones, granitology, fold directions are similar and parallel. Analogies can be found between Permian volcanics, and between Late Paleozoic and Mesozoic sediments from the three different areas. They may have had a similar geological evolution up to the Early Tertiary.

Résumé

De nouveaux résultats paléomagnétiques sur des formations volcaniques permiennes confirment les rotations de la Corse (30°) et de la Sardaigne (60° ). L'emboîtement des talus continentaux s'accorde avec de telles rotations. Ces différentes données permettent de replacer les deux îles dans leur position ancienne, la Sardaigne du Nord étant alors située face à la Provence. Les formations géologiques du socle provençal et de la Sardaigne du Nord se raccordent: la lithologíe, les zones et le type de métamorphisme, la ǵranitologie, les directions de plissements sont semblables et paralléles. Des analogies peuvent aussi être établies pour le volcanisme permien et les formations sédimentaires de la fin du Paléozoïque et du Mésozoïque. Ces domaines ont eu probablement une évolution géologique semblable jusqu'au début du Tertiaire.     

Fine chronology of volcanic processes using 238U-230Th systematics

The²³⁰Th-²³⁸U radioactive disequilibrium method was applied to the study of recent volcanic rocks from Costa Rica. Most samples are from the Irazu volcano. Some samples were dated by internal isochrons using the (²³⁰Th/²³²Th)-(²³⁸U/²³²Th) diagram, others were studied only by whole rock analyses. The evolution of the parent magma may be followed by the initial (²³⁰Th/²³²Th)₀ ratios of the rocks. A model involving a differentiating magma chamber that existed for 140,000 years under the Irazu volcano correlates well with the observations. Other volcanoes seem to be in earlier stages of their evolution. Continuing study may help to solve the tholeiitic to andesitic volcanism relationship.     

A re-appraisal of the use of trace elements to classify and discriminate between magma series erupted in different tectonic settings

The hygromagmatophile element composition of basic lavas from several tectonic environments are compared with the estimated composition of the primordial mantle. The observed variations are used to subdivide mid-ocean ridge basalts (MORB) into two main types according to the tectonic character of the ridge segment from which they were erupted. Ridge segments with positive residual gravity, depth and heat flow anomalies erupt E-type MORB which are predominantly enriched in the more hygromagmatophile elements, but also include magma types which are depleted in most of these elements. Both enriched and depleted E-type MORB can be distinguished from the basalts erupted at normal ridge segments (N-type MORB) by their La/Ta ratios (in E-type MORB La/Ta ～10, in N-type MORB La/Ta is ～15) and by Hf/Ta ratios (in E-type MORB Hf/Ta> 7, in N-type MORB Hf/Ta> 7). E-type MORB can be distinguished from the basalts erupted at ocean islands by their higher Hf/Ta ratios (>2). A Th-Hf-Ta triangular diagram is used to discriminate between the different ocean floor basalts as well as those erupted at destructive plate margins, which are depleted in Ta and Nb. This diagram can also distinguish between silicic lavas from the different tectonic environments as well as identifying lavas that have been contaminated with continental crust.     

Rare earths in barites: distribution and effects on aqueous partitioning

A large variety of barites collected from marine and continental environments was analyzed by neutron activation for the rare-earth elements (REE) La, Ce, Sm, Eu and Dy. Relative to chondrites, all barites show a decrease of the lighter REE from La toward Eu. The abundance and distribution of rare earths in barites show a distinction of barite types. Deep-sea barites have large REE concentrations as do other authigenic deep-sea minerals and display the chondrite normalized Eu minimum, but not the negative Ce anomaly, of sea water. Other barites, mostly on land, some hydrothermal, and others of shallow marine origin, display lower total Ree concentrations. Chondrite normalized positive Eu anomalies are displayed by those varieties of reducing sedimentary and metamorphic origin.Distribution of REE in barite can be attributed both to crystallographic constraints of substitution, and to solution complexing of REE in the precipitating medium. Plots of rare earth partitioning versus effective ion size suggest that the decreasing enrichment toward Eu for all barite types is caused by crystallographic constraints due to contraction of the substituting REE ion sizes relative to the size of the host Ba ion. Solution effects on REE substitution in barite can be evaluated by writing solid solution distribution equations based on mass action of REE and Ba sulfates and the lanthanide (Ln) solution species Ln (CO₃)^?5₄), LnSO⁺₄, LnCl⁺² and LnF⁺². Under normal sea water conditions, solution complexing plays a minor role. However, increased alkalinities of reducing sediments and increased brine chlorinities could cause significant complexing and deplete REE heavier than Eu. Besides Dy in barites, this could be true for aqueous precipitation of REE in general.     

Coupes sismiques des structures superficielles dans les petites antilles—I: Guadeloupe

Summary In 1976 and 1977, seismic profiles were carried out in Guadeloupe. Two profiles were established in the area of La Soufriére volcano and one profile through the northern part of Guadeloupe and southern part of Grande Terre. The two first profiles were occupied from 1 to 30 km and the third profile between 5 and 50 km.The interpretation shows that the superficial structures are characterized by a three-layers model: the compressional velocity is about 2.7 to 3.0 km/s down to a depth from 1 to 3 km. Below this, the velocity is between 4.0 and 4.5 km/s in a layer whose thickness varies from 1 to 2.5 km. Under this layer we find a 6.0–6.1 km/s layer which is one of the two known crustal layer under Lesser Antilles. The boundary between the old and new are which form the Lesser Antilles arc, is marked by a thicker layer of sediments on the eastern flank of recent volcanic chain.

     

Large intensity changes of the non-dipole field during a polarity transition

Directional and paleointensity data for the Steens Mountain geomagnetic polarity transition do not agree with the two simplest models of reversals: rotation of undiminished dipole or gradual diminution followed by change in polarity of the dipole moment. Instead, large and rapid changes in the intensity and direction of the field occur, probably as a result of non-dipole variations.