Introduction of the mining royalty system in Hungary

The new mining act that becarne effective in Hungary in 1993 instituted the payment of royalties for the minerals produced and sold annually. To arrive at the amount of mineral production, the Hungarian Geological Survey (HGS) conducts the National Inventory, which is used by the Mining Bureau of Hungary (MBH) to verify the mining royalty payment obligations. This paper explains the major legal requirements for the mining royalties and how the values of the minerals are calculated. It also describes the first experience with the declaration and payment of the mining royalties and provides the declared and paid 1995 royalties. The Mining Bureau of Hungary reports on the introduction of the mining royalty system that became effective with the Mining Act in 1993. This article is sponsored by the U.S. Hungarian Science and Technology Joint Fund under Project Joint Fund Number 539.     

THE ORO GRANDE,NEW MEXICO,CHONDRITE AND ITS LITHIC INCLUSION

The Oro Grande, New Mexico, U.S.A., chondrite was found in 1971. Electron microprobe analyses and microscopic examination show the following mineralogy: olivine (Fa 19.3 mole percent), orthopyroxene (Fs 16.2 mole percent), diopside, feldspar (An 13.6 mole percent), chlorapatite, whitlockite, kamacite, taenite, troilite, chromite, and an iron-bearing terrestrial weathering product. A bulk chemical analysis of the meteorite shows the following results (weight percent): Fe 0.84, Ni 1.46, Co 0.07, FeS 3.62, SiO₂ 34.18, TiO₂ 0.14, Al₂O₃ 1.83, Cr₂O₃ 0.55, Fe₂O₃ 21.25, FeO 9.13, MnO 0.31, MgO 21.52, CaO 1.72, Na₂O 0.70, K₂O 0.08, P₂O₅ 0.25, H₂O+ 2.14, H₂O^- 0.40, C 0.22, Sum 100.41. On the basis of composition and texture, the Oro Grande meteorite is classified as an H5 chondrite. A large lithic fragment (～5 mm long) with a very fine-grained texture different from that of the host meteorite was analyzed for bulk composition using the broad beam of an electron microprobe, and was found to be enriched in Ca, Al, Na, and K, and depleted in Mg and Fe relative to the bulk composition of the host meteorite. Its mineral compositions, however, are very similar to those of the host. It is suggested that the fragment is not a xenolith of a previously undescribed type of achondrite, but is probably an impact-produced partial melt of the host chondrite or a fragment of an unusually large chondrule.     

A multi‐system geochronology in the Ad‐3 borehole,Pannonian Basin (Hungary) with implications for dating volcanic rocks by low‐temperature thermochronology and for interpretation of (U–Th)/He data

Independent geochronological and thermal modelling approaches are applied to a biostratigraphically exceptionally well‐controlled borehole, Alcsútdoboz‐3 (Ad‐3), in order to constrain the age of Cenozoic geodynamic events in the western Pannonian Basin and to test the efficacy of the methods for dating volcanic rocks. Apatite fission track and zircon U–Pb data show two volcanic phases of Middle Eocene (43.4–39.0 Ma) and Early Oligocene (32.72 ± 0.15 Ma) age respectively. Apatite (U–Th)/He ages (23.8–14.8 Ma) and independent thermal and subsidence history models reveal a brief period of heating to 55–70 °C at ~17 Ma caused by an increased heat‐flow related to crustal thinning and mantle upwelling. Our results demonstrate that, contrary to common perception, the apatite (U–Th)/He method is likely to record ‘apparent’ or ‘mixed’ ages resulting from subsequent thermal events rather than ‘cooling’ or ‘eruption’ ages directly related to distinct geological events. It follows that a direct conversion of ‘apparent’ or ‘mixed’ (U‐Th)/He ages into cooling, exhumation or erosion rates is incorrect.     

Contributions to the mineral chemistry of Hawaiian rocks

Feldspar phenocrysts, microphenocrysts, groundmass feldspar, interstitial material of feldspar composition, and residual SiO₂-K₂O-rich glass in 24 rocks of the tholeiitic, alkalic, and nephelinic suites from Haleakala and West Maui volcanoes, Maui, Hawaii, were analyzed quantitatively with the electron microprobe. Rocks studied include tholeiite, olivine tholeiite, oceanite, alkalic olivine basalt, alkalic basalt, hawaiite, mugearite, trachyte, basanite, and basanitoid. Results and conclusions: i) In all rocks studied, An decreases and Or increases from phenocrysts to microphenocrysts to groundmass feldspar to interstitial material of feldspar composition. ii) Phenocrysts occur in rocks of the tholeiitic and alkalic suites and, in spite of differences in bulk rock compositions, overlap in composition. iii) Groundmass feldspar in rocks of the tholeiitic suite are nearly identical in composition; the same is true for rocks of the nephelinic suite. However, in the highly differentiated alkalic suite, groundmass feldspar composition ranges from labradorite to sanidine; i.e. the higher the bulk rock CaO, the higher is the An content, and the higher the bulk K₂O, the higher is the Or content. iv) In general, rocks with phenocrysts have groundmass feldspar less An-rich than those without phenocrysts. v) In rocks of the tholeiitic suite, normative feldspar approaches modal feldspar. However, in rocks of the alkalic and nephelinic suites, normative feldspar, because of the presence of highly alkalic interstitial material and the absence of nepheline in the mode but its presence in the norm, is drastically different from modal feldspar. vi) Hawaiites contain labradorite and not andesine, as per definition, and mugearite contains andesine and not oligoclase, as groundmass feldspar. In fact, when considering phenocrysts and interstitial material of feldspar composition, hawaiites range from bytownite to sanidine and mugearite from andesine to sodic sanidine, but normative feldspar plots in the andesine field for hawaiites and the oligoclase field for mugearite. vii) Rocks of the three suites can be distinguished on the basis of Or and An in groundmass feldspar, the presence of thin rims of groundmass composition of phenocrysts of rocks of the alkalic suite, and the presence of interstitial material of anorthoclase to sanidine composition in rocks of the alkalic and nephelinic suites. iix) Rocks transitional between the tholeiitic and alkalic suites are observed and are characterized by transitional mineral compositions.This paper was first presented as a talk before the 68. Annual Meeting of the Cordilleran Section of the Geological Society of America, Honolulu, Hawaii, March 29–April 1, 1972.     

Miocene to Quaternary deformation in NE Slovenia: complex paleomagnetic and structural study

Combined paleomagnetic and structural research was carried out in the Mura-Zala Basin including the western and southern surrounding hills in northeastern Slovenia. The Mura-Zala Basin was formed due to ENE–WSW trending crustal extension in the late Early Miocene (18.3–16.5 Ma). First, marine sedimentation took place in several more or less confined depressions, then in a unified basin. During thermal subsidence in the late Miocene deltaic to fluvial sediments were deposited. After sedimentation, the southernmost, deepest depression was inverted. Map-scale folds, reverse and strike-slip faults were originated by NNW–SSE compression. This deformation occurred in the latest Miocene–Pliocene and is reflected also in the magnetic fabric (low field susceptibility anisotropy). After this folding, the Karpatian sediments of the Haloze acquired magnetization, then suffered 30° counterclockwise rotation relative to the present north (40° counterclockwise with respect to stable Europe). This Pliocene (Quaternary?) rotation affected a wide area around the Mura-Zala Basin. The latest Miocene to Quaternary folding and subsequent rotation may be connected to the counterclockwise rotation of the Adriatic microplate.     

MV-WG: a new multi-variable weather generator

This paper presents a new stochastic multi-variable weather generator (MV-WG) and compares its performance with LARS-WG version 4.0. Daily data of 109 meteorological stations from a North American database were used in a twofold comparison of the two generators: (1) the capability of reproducing the mean and variance of annual, seasonal and monthly values, and (2) the capability of reproducing extreme weather events were compared. Both generators did very well on imitating the mean and the variance of the monthly values of the investigated variables, but both showed a more moderate performance as far as the generation of extreme events was concerned. The three-parameter Weibull function, which is first introduced in MV-WG, was found to be a powerful tool to describe not only the distribution of the daily precipitation amounts, but also the distribution of dry and wet spell lengths, as well.     

Fault-related folds and along-dip segmentation of breaching faults: syn-diagenetic deformation in the south-western Sirt basin, Libya

Field examples of fault-related folds were observed in the south-western margin of the Sirt basin, south-central Libya. Single or paired (conjugate) monoclines, drape synclines, special drag faults can be put in a geometric and evolutionary model, which describes the propagation of basement faults to overlying sediments. At the first stage of evolution the propagating normal or oblique-slip faults show segmentation along-dip direction. Fault segments are separated by continuous, moderately to strongly bended horizons, which show different degrees of diagenesis than surrounding intervals. Fault-related folding and faulting was coeval with lithification of certain carbonate levels. Their gradual cementation increased the rigidity of layers promoting discrete faulting and breaching of fault-related folds. However, folding can be maintained up to the extent when layer dip approaches the dip of the propagating fault zone. This type of deformation can be characteristic for sequences consisted of lithified carbonates sandwiched between thicker marl/shale intervals.     

IMPLICATIONS OF POIKILITIC TEXTURES IN LL-GROUP CHONDRITES

Lithic fragments in LL-group chondrites commonly have poikilitic textures, in part or in whole, where mainly olivine is enclosed by orthopyroxene. Partially poikilitic fragments also have grano-blastic areas and anhedral olivine larger than the olivine enclosed by pyroxene. In analogy to lunar poikilitic rocks and lithic fragments, poikilitic lithic fragments in LL-group chondrites, i.e., meteorites which are highly brecciated due to repeated impacts, are also interpreted as being related to impact events on meteorite parent bodies where melting and reheating of protolith occurred. Compositional characteristics of minerals in certain fragments, such as highly-unequilibrated clinopyroxene (CaO, 14.5 to 17.3 wt %; Al₂O₃, 6.7%) and relatively high CaO (0.70 to 2.5 wt %) in orthopyroxene in a Ngawi fragment, seem to indicate a melt origin. However, as in the lunar case, it is difficult to decide whether the meteoritic poikilitic textures resulted from complete or partial melting or largely by solid-state recrystallization, although the large olivines that may be relict crystals appear to indicate that at least partial melting was involved. In all probability, all three processes are responsible for the poikilitic textures in chondrites, since temperature regimes produced by impact processes are likely to range widely. These interpretations may also apply to the poikilitic-textured Shaw chondrite, L-group, which may owe its poikilitic texture to impact partial-melting processes while in the parent body regolith.     

Plagioclase of Hawaiian tholeiitic and alkalic magma parentages: distinctions based on REE, Sr, Ba, Hf, and Ta

Summary ?To enhance the ability to distinguish tholeiitic from alkalic magma parentages by mineral compositions, I determined trace-element abundances in plagioclase separated from xenolithic gabbros of Mauna Kea volcano. These gabbros have origins in tholeiitic and alkalic magmas of the Hamakua postshield stage of Mauna Kea volcanism. Chondrite-normalized rare-earth element (REE) patterns for plagioclase show that highly calcic plagioclase, ≥ An₇₈, from alkalic magma has greater light-REE/heavy-REE (LREE/HREE) ratios than less calcic plagioclase, An_64–75, from tholeiitic magma (ratios, 22–33 vs < 20), suggesting that higher LREE/HREE ratios are inherent to plagioclase of alkalic magmas. However, with compositional evolution (i.e., to lower An), plagioclase REE patterns are of limited use for distinguishing tholeiitic from alkalic parentage because LREE/HREE ratios within each group increase and overlap in the range of ∼ 20–90. Sr, Ba, Hf, and Ta can also discern parentages as their abundances in plagioclase largely reflect abundances inherent to their parental magmas. The best expressions for identifying parentage use Sr abundances (Sr vs An; vs Ce/Yb; vs Sr/Ce), although Hf, Ba, and Ta abundances vs An and vs Ce/Yb are also useful – the distinctions due to tholeiitic plagioclase having relatively low Sr (∼ 500–1000 ppm), Ba (< 100 ppm), Hf (< 0.10 ppm), and Ta (< 0.05 ppm). These relationships help to distinguish between the effects of differentiation on trace-element abundances in plagioclase and their abundances owed to intrinsic concentrations in their magmas. They create compositional fields for tholeiitic and alkalic parentages that remain graphically separated even though differentiation may have enriched the plagioclase in incompatible elements.

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Zusammenfassung ?Plagioklas aus tholeitischen und alkalischen Magmen von Hawaii: Unterscheidung aufgrund von REE, Sr, Ba, Hf und Ta Um die M?glichkeit der Unterscheidung tholeitischer von alkalischer Magmaherkunft durch Mineralzusammensetzungen zu verbessern, habe ich die Spurenelementverteilung in Plagioklasen, die von xenolithischen Gabbros des Mauna Kea Vulkans abgetrennt wurden, untersucht, Diese Gabbros entstammen tholeitischen und alkalischen Magmen des Hamakua “Post-Schild” Stadiums des Mauna Kea Vulkanismus. Chondritisch normalisierte Seltene Erd (SEE) Verteilungs-Muster für Plagioklase zeigen, dass stark kalzische Plagioklase, > An₇₈, aus alkalischen Magmen h?here leichte SEE/schwere SEE (LSEE/HSEE) Verh?ltnisse zeigen, als weniger kalzische Plagioklase, An_64–75 aus tholeitischem Magma (Verh?ltniszahlen 22–33 gegenüber < 20). Dies weist darauf hin, dass h?here LSEE/HSEE-Verh?ltnisse typisch für Plagioklase aus alkalischen Magmen sind. Im Zuge der Evolution der Zusammensetzungen (d.h. zu niedrigeren An-Werten hin), sind die SEE Verteilungsmuster von Plagioklasen weniger hilfreich um tholeitische von alkalischer Herkunft zu unterscheiden. Dies ist deshalb so, weil die Verh?ltniszahlen innerhalb jeder Gruppe zunehmen und im Bereich von 20–90 überlappen. Sr, Ba, Hf und Ta k?nnen auch dazu dienen, um die Herkunft der Plagioklase zu definieren, da ihre H?ufigkeit gro?teils auf H?ufigkeiten, die für die Ursprungsmagmen typisch sind, zurückgehen. Die besten Herkunft-Parameter sind die Sr H?ufigkeiten (Sr vs An; vs Ce/Yb; vs Sr/Ce), obwohl die H?ufigkeit von Hf, Ba und Ta gegen An und gegen Ce/Yb auch nützlich sind. Diese Unterscheidungen gehen darauf zurück, dass tholeitische Plagioklase relativ niedrige Sr (∼ 500–1000 ppm), Ba (< 500 ppm) Hf (< 0.10 ppm) und Ta (< 0.5 ppm) führen. Diese Beziehungen erleichtern die Unterscheidung zwischen den Auswirkungen der Differenzierung auf die Spurenelement-Verteilungsmuster in Plagioklasen und auf ihre H?ufigkeiten, die auf die intrisischen Konzentrationen in den Ursprungsmagmen zurückgehen. Sie definieren charakteristische Felder für tholeitische und für alkalische Herkunft, die graphisch separiert bleiben, auch wenn die Gehalte der Plagioklase an inkompatiblen Elementen durch Differenzierung zugenommen haben mag.

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Received July 22, 1999;revised version accepted December 7, 1999     

Petrology of gabbroic xenoliths in 1960 Kilauea basalt: crystalline remnants of prior (1955) magmatism

The 1960 Kapoho lavas of Kilauea’s east rift zone contain 1–10 cm xenoliths of olivine gabbro, olivine gabbro-norite, and gabbro norite. Textures are poikilitic (ol+sp+cpx in pl) and intergranular (cpx+pl±ol±opx). Poikilitic xenoliths, which we interpret as cumulates, have the most primitive mineral compositions, Fo_82.5, cpx Mg# 86.5, and An_80.5. Many granular xenoliths (ol and noritic gabbro) contain abundant vesicular glass that gives them intersertal, hyaloophitic, and overall ‘open’ textures to suggest that they represent ‘mush’ and ‘crust’ of a magma crystallization environment. Their phase compositions are more evolved (Fo_80–70, cpx Mg# 82–75, and An_73–63) than those of the poikilitic xenoliths. Associated glass is basaltic, but evolved (MgO 5 wt%; TiO₂ 3.7–5.8 wt%). The gabbroic xenolith mineral compositions fit existing fractional crystallization models that relate the origins of various Kilauea lavas to one another. FeO/MgO crystal–liquid partitioning is consistent with the poikilitic ol-gabbro assemblage forming as a crystallization product from Kilauea summit magma with ∼8 wt% MgO that was parental to evolved lavas on the east rift zone. For example, least squares calculations link summit magmas to early 1955 rift-zone lavas (∼5 wt% MgO) through ∼28–34% crystallization of the ol+sp+cpx+pl that comprise the poikilitic ol-gabbros. The other ol-gabbro assemblages and the olivine gabbro-norite assemblages crystallized from evolved liquids, such as represented by the early 1955 and late 1955 lavas (∼6.5 wt% MgO) of the east rift zone. The eruption of 1960 Kapoho magmas, then, scoured the rift-zone reservoir system to entrain portions of cumulate and solidification zones that had coated reservoir margins during crystallization of prior east rift-zone magmas. Received: January 7, 1993/Accepted: November 23, 1993