Oxidized and reduced mineral assemblages in greenstone belt rocks of the St. Ives gold camp, Western Australia: vectors to high-grade ore bodies in Archaean gold deposits?

Hydrothermal sulfide–oxide–gold mineral assemblages in gold deposits in the Archaean St. Ives gold camp in Western Australia indicate extremely variable redox conditions during hydrothermal alteration and gold mineralization in space and time. Reduced alteration assemblages (pyrrhotite–pyrite) occur in deposits in the southwest of the camp (e.g., Argo, Junction deposits) and moderately to strongly oxidized assemblages (magnetite–pyrite, hematite–pyrite) occur in deposits in the Central Corridor in the northeast (e.g., North Orchin, Revenge deposits). Reduced mineral assemblages flank the Central Corridor of oxidized deposits and, locally, cut across it along E–W trending faults. Oxidized mineral assemblages in the Central Corridor are focused on gravity lows which are interpreted to reflect abundant felsic porphyritic intrusions at about 1,000 m below present surface. Hydrothermal magnetite predates and is synchronous with early phases of gold-associated albite–carbonate–pyrite–biotite–chlorite hydrothermal alteration. Later-stage, gold-associated pyrite is in equilibrium with hematite. The spatial distribution and temporal sequence of iron sulfides and oxides with gold indicate the presence of at least two spatially restricted but broadly synchronous hydrothermal fluids with contrasting redox states. Sulfur isotope constraints support the argument that the different mineral assemblages reflect differences in redox conditions. The δ ³⁴S values for pyrite for the St. Ives gold camp range between −8.4‰ and +5.1‰ with the negative values occurring in oxidized magnetite-rich domains and slightly negative or positive values occurring in reduced, pyrrhotitic domains. Preliminary spatial and paragenetic analysis of the distribution of iron sulfides and oxides in the St. Ives camp suggests that gold grades are highest where the redox state of the hydrothermal alteration assemblages switches from relatively reduced pyrrhotite–pyrite to relatively oxidized magnetite–pyrite and hematite–pyrite both in space and time. Gold deposition is inferred to have occurred where fluids of contrasting redox state mixed.     

Atmospheric Mercury Concentrations from Several Observatory Sites in the Northern Hemisphere

In an effort to investigate both large-scale (spatial) and short/long-term (temporal) distribution characteristics of atmospheric mercury, we have combined and analyzed the Hg concentration data sets collected continuously by four different scientific groups for the areas and periods covering (1) America (three sites near the Canadian Great Lakes (CGL): 1997–2000), (2) Asia (Seoul, Korea (SEL): 1997–2002), (3) Arctic (Alert, Canada (ALT): 1995–2001), and (4) Europe (Mace Head, Ireland (MH): 1996–2002). The mean concentrations of Hg data from those widely dispersed monitoring stations were computed to be (1) 1.58 ± 0.23, 1.69 ± 0.32, and 1.93 ± 0.44 (three sites in CGL), (2) 5.06 ± 2.46 ng m^–3 (SEL), (3) 1.55 ± 0.41 (ALT), and (4) 1.76 ± 0.31 (MH). Intersite relationships were investigated among all different stations using the data groups divided into different temporal intervals. The analysis of diurnal variation patterns of Hg indicated differences in regional source/sink characteristics, with increasing amplitudes of variability toward areas under the strong influence of anthropogenic sources. When the analysis was made over different seasons, the patterns contrasted greatly between the Arctic and the other areas. It was found that the relative enhancement of Hg concentrations was dominant during winter/spring in most areas due to direct or indirect influences of anthropogenic emissions. However, the pattern for the Arctic area was distinguished pronouncedly from others with the spring minimum and summer maximum both of which reflect the potent effects of mercury depletion phenomenon (MDP). By contrast, no long-term trend, either being an increase or decrease, was evident from any of the stations during each respective study period. Although our initial attempts to examine the distribution characteristics of Hg analyzed by different scientific groups were successful, we feel that these efforts should be continued further to extend the compatibility of the global database of Hg.     

Gold mineralisation throughout about 45 Ma of Archaean orogenesis: protracted flux of gold in the Golden Mile, Yilgarn craton, Western Australia

The Golden Mile deposit was discovered in 1893 and represents today the largest Archaean orogenic lode gold system in the world (50 M oz produced gold). The Golden Mile deposit comprises three major styles of gold mineralisation: Fimiston, Oroya and Charlotte styles. Fimiston-style lodes formed at 250 to 350 °C and 100 to 200 MPa and are controlled by brittle–ductile fault zones, their subsidiary fault zone and vein networks including breccias and open-cavity-infill textures and hydrothermally altered wall rock. Fimiston lodes were formed late D₁, prior to D₂ regional upright folding. Hydrothermal alteration haloes comprise a progression toward the lode of diminishing chlorite, an increase in sericite and in Fe content of carbonates. Lodes contain siderite, pyrite, native gold, 17 different telluride minerals (Au–Ag tellurides contain ~25% of total gold), tourmaline, haematite, sericite and V-rich muscovite. Oroya-style lodes formed at similar P–T conditions as the Fimiston lodes and are controlled by brittle–ductile shear zones, associated dilational jogs that are particularly well developed at the contact between Paringa Basalt and black shale interflow sedimentary rocks and altered wall rock. The orebodies are characterised by micro-breccias and zones of intense shear zone foliation, very high gold grades (up to 100,000 g/t Au) and the common association of tellurides and vanadian mica (green leader). Oroya lodes crosscut Fimiston lodes and are interpreted to have formed slightly later than Fimiston lodes as part of one evolving hydrothermal system spanning D₁ and D₂ deformation (ca. 2,675–2,660 Ma). Charlotte-style lodes, exemplified by the Mt Charlotte deposit, are controlled by a sheeted vein (stockwork) complex of north-dipping quartz veins and hydrothermally altered wall rock. The Mt Charlotte orebody formed at 120 to 440 °C and 150 to 250 MPa during movement along closely spaced D₄ (2,625 Ma) and reactivated D₂ faults with the quartz granophyre in the Golden Mile Dolerite exerting a strong lithological control on gold mineralisation. Veins consist of quartz–carbonate–minor scheelite, and wall-rock alteration comprises chlorite destruction and growth of ferroan carbonate–sericite–pyrite–native gold. Pyrite–pyrrhotite is zoned on the scale of vein haloes and of the entire mine, giving a vertical temperature gradient of 50–100 °C over 1,000 vertical metres. The structural–hydrothermal model proposed consists of four major stages: (1) D₁ thrusting and formation of Fimiston-style lodes, (2) D₂ reverse faulting and formation of Oroya-style lodes, (3) D₃ faulting and dissecting of Fimiston- and Oroya-style lodes, and (4) D₄ faulting and formation of Mt Charlotte-style sheeted quartz vein system. The giant accumulation of gold in the Golden Mile deposit was formed due to protracted gold mineralisation throughout episodes of an Archaean orogeny that spanned about 45 Ma. Fluid conduits formed early in the tectonic history and persisted throughout orogenesis with the plumbing system showing a rare high degree of focussing, efficiency and duration. In addition to the long-lasting fluid plumbing system, the wide variety of transient structural and geochemical traps, multiple fluid sources and precipitation mechanism contributed towards the richest golden mile in the world.Editorial handling: B. Lehmann     

青藏高原东北缘冬给错纳湖全新世湖面波动

青藏高原处于东亚季风、印度季风和西风环流交互作用区.末次冰消期以来,太阳辐射对该地区的古气候环境产生了重要影响,湖泊随着季风系统的变化发生了明显的水位升降,对湖岸阶地的形成起到了直接作用.本项研究重建了青藏高原东北缘冬给错纳湖湖岸阶地记录的湖面波动历史,试图了解青藏高原季风系统演变过程.通过湖泊北岸265 cm厚湖岸阶地沉积物粒度、碳酸盐、矿物、元素和介形虫古环境指标,结合OSL年代模式,分析表明在约10. 2 ka B. P.之前水体较浅;约10. 2~9. 0 ka B. P.湖面开始上升,气候凉湿;9. 0~8. 5 ka B. P.为印度季风强盛期,湖面明显上升,降雨量增高、温度上升;8. 5~7. 9 ka B. P.湖面降低与气候变冷有关;7. 9~7. 0 ka B. P.印度季风开始减弱,气温、降雨下降,但有效湿度较大,湖面降低;7. 0~6. 1 ka B. P.湖面上升可能与低蒸发作用有关,印度季风仍然影响该地区;6. 1~5. 2 ka B. P.,印度季风衰退,气候逐渐变冷、降雨量减小、水体变浅;5. 2~4. 6 ka B. P.气候冷干,有效湿度减小,湖面进一步下降;4. 6 ka B. P.至今气候干冷,东亚季风衰退,湖面下降,期间也可能受西风环流影响而有短暂的降雨增加时期.     

How Effective Is Thermal Remediation of DNAPL Source Zones in Reducing Groundwater Concentrations?

Dense nonaqueous phase liquid (DNAPL) source areas containing chlorinated volatile organic compounds (cVOCs) such as trichloroethene (TCE) and perchloroethene (PCE) often give rise to significant dissolved plumes in groundwater, leading to the closure of downgradient water supply wells and creating vapor intrusion issues in buildings located above the plume. Hydraulic containment via pump‐and‐treat has often been implemented to limit migration but must continue indefinitely. Removal of the DNAPL source area by means such as in situ thermal remediation (ISTR) offers the potential to diminish or end the need for hydraulic containment if the associated dissolved plume attenuates sufficiently following source removal. A question often raised is whether this occurs or whether the back diffusion of contaminants from secondary sources such as low‐permeability lenses in the dissolved plume precludes it. The authors conducted DNAPL source removal using ISTR at dozens of sites. This paper presents a compilation of cases—10 separate DNAPL source areas at five project sites—where data indicate that the implementation of a thorough ISTR in a DNAPL source area can result in the attenuation of the associated dissolved plume, such that in several cases, long‐standing pump‐and‐treat systems could be turned off. Our findings contrast with recent assertions that aggressive source remediation may not be justifiable because dissolved plume concentrations will not decline sufficiently. We show that the application of ISTR can result in the thorough removal of the DNAPL source, effective diminution of dissolved plume groundwater concentrations, and achievement of drinking water standards.     

Climate sensitivity studies of the Greenland ice sheet using satellite AVHRR,SMMR, SSM/I and in situ data

Summary The feasibility of using satellite data for climate research over the Greenland ice sheet is discussed. In particular, we demonstrate the usefulness of Advanced Very High Resolution Radiometer (AVHRR) Local Area Coverage (LAC) and Global Area Coverage (GAC) data for narrow-band albedo retrieval. Our study supports the use of lower resolution AVHRR (GAC) data for process studies over most of the Greenland ice sheet. Based on LAC data time series analysis, we can resolve relative albedo changes on the order of 2–5%. In addition, we examine Scanning Multichannel Microwave Radiometer (SMMR) and Special Sensor Microwave Imager (SSM/I) passive microwave data for snow typing and other signals of climatological significance. Based on relationships between in situ measurements and horizontally polarized 19 and 37 GHz observations, wet snow regions are identified. The wet snow regions increase in aerial percentage from 9% of the total ice surface in June to a maximum of 26% in August 1990. Furthermore, the relationship between brightness temperatures and accumulation rates in the northeastern part of Greenland is described. We found a consistent increase in accumulation rate for the northeastern part of the ice sheet from 1981 to 1986.With 16 Figures     

Clay smear processes in mechanically layered sequences — Results of water-saturated model experiments with free top surface

The aim of this study is to improve our knowledge of the processes that lead to clay smear during faulting of a layered sand-clay sequence in an analogue sandbox model. We carefully characterized mechanical properties of the materials used by a series of geotechnical tests. Displacement field was quantified using PIV (Particle Image Velocimetry). The model is water-saturated to allow the deformation of wet clay and sand in one experiment comprising a sand package with a horizontal layer of clay above a predefined rigid basement fault. The thickness and rigidity of the clay layer are the parameters varied in this study. The model shows a range of structures that are related to competence contrast between sand and different clay types. Results show ductile shearing of soft clay with a transition to brittle fracturing of stiff clay accompanied by the formation of rotating clay blocks in the fault zone. Localized deformation is observed through time showing (i) the propagation of one active fault migrating laterally through the sediment package, and (ii) the formation of a stable prism between two or more active faults that gets progressively smaller with minor rotation of the hanging wall fault. Continuous clay smear is observed resulting from the lateral injection of clay as well as from a reworked mixture of sand and clay.     

Decadal fingerprints of freshwater discharge around Greenland in a multi-model ensemble

The recent increase in the rate of the Greenland ice sheet melting has raised with urgency the question of the impact of such a melting on the climate. As former model projections, based on a coarse representation of the melting, show very different sensitivity to this melting, it seems necessary to consider a multi-model ensemble to tackle this question. Here we use five coupled climate models and one ocean-only model to evaluate the impact of 0.1 Sv (1 Sv = 10⁶ m³/s) of freshwater equally distributed around the coast of Greenland during the historical era 1965–2004. The ocean-only model helps to discriminate between oceanic and coupled responses. In this idealized framework, we find similar fingerprints in the fourth decade of hosing among the models, with a general weakening of the Atlantic Meridional Overturning Circulation (AMOC). Initially, the additional freshwater spreads along the main currents of the subpolar gyre. Part of the anomaly crosses the Atlantic eastward and enters into the Canary Current constituting a freshwater leakage tapping the subpolar gyre system. As a consequence, we show that the AMOC weakening is smaller if the leakage is larger. We argue that the magnitude of the freshwater leakage is related to the asymmetry between the subpolar-subtropical gyres in the control simulations, which may ultimately be a primary cause for the diversity of AMOC responses to the hosing in the multi-model ensemble. Another important fingerprint concerns a warming in the Nordic Seas in response to the re-emergence of Atlantic subsurface waters capped by the freshwater in the subpolar gyre. This subsurface heat anomaly reaches the Arctic where it emerges and induces a positive upper ocean salinity anomaly by introducing more Atlantic waters. We found similar climatic impacts in all the coupled ocean–atmosphere models with an atmospheric cooling of the North Atlantic except in the region around the Nordic Seas and a slight warming south of the equator in the Atlantic. This meridional gradient of temperature is associated with a southward shift of the tropical rains. The free surface models also show similar sea-level fingerprints notably with a comma-shape of high sea-level rise following the Canary Current.     

Sustainable Capture: Concepts for Managing Stream‐Aquifer Systems

Most surface water bodies (i.e., streams, lakes, etc.) are connected to the groundwater system to some degree so that changes to surface water bodies (either diversions or importations) can change flows in aquifer systems, and pumping from an aquifer can reduce discharge to, or induce additional recharge from streams, springs, and lakes. The timescales of these interactions are often very long (decades), making sustainable management of these systems difficult if relying only on observations of system responses. Instead, management scenarios are often analyzed based on numerical modeling. In this paper we propose a framework and metrics that can be used to relate the Theis concepts of capture to sustainable measures of stream‐aquifer systems. We introduce four concepts: Sustainable Capture Fractions, Sustainable Capture Thresholds, Capture Efficiency, and Sustainable Groundwater Storage that can be used as the basis for developing metrics for sustainable management of stream‐aquifer systems. We demonstrate their utility on a hypothetical stream‐aquifer system where pumping captures both streamflow and discharge to phreatophytes at different amounts based on pumping location. In particular, Capture Efficiency (CE) can be easily understood by both scientists and non‐scientist alike, and readily identifies vulnerabilities to sustainable stream‐aquifer management when its value exceeds 100%.     

Lateglacial and Holocene variation in aeolian sediment flux over the northeastern Tibetan Plateau recorded by laminated sediments of a saline meromictic lake

Predominantly laminated lake sediments from a saline closed‐basin lake on the northeastern Tibetan Plateau were investigated using a multi‐proxy approach (¹⁴C‐accelerator mass spectrometry dating, smear‐slide analysis, loss on ignition, grain size, X‐ray diffraction, elemental concentration, ostracod assemblages, stable isotopes of ostracod shells) to trace the regional environmental and climatic history in the Lateglacial and Holocene. Before about 15 cal. ka BP, small saline water bodies probably filled the basin under unstable cold and harsh environmental conditions. Soon after about 14.9 cal. ka BP, a relatively deep saline lake was established, probably as a result of runoff from melting snow, ice and frozen ground in the lake's catchment. Large changes in flux of aeolian material to the lake were recorded during this initial period of formation of Lake Kuhai. Highest lake levels, a low sediment accumulation rate and less saline conditions were maintained between about 12.8 and 7.1 cal. ka BP when the aeolian influx diminished significantly. After about 7.1 cal. ka BP, the aeolian influx remained at a moderate level apart from a strongly increased dust delivery to the lake between about 6.1 and 5.4 cal. ka BP and a minor short‐lived period of slightly enhanced aeolian influx at about 2.7 cal. ka BP. The strongly enhanced dust input to the lake between 6.1 and 5.4 cal. ka BP represented the largest influx of aeolian material to Lake Kuhai during the entire Holocene. However, evidence for climatic deterioration during this period is not seen at most other palaeoclimate sites on the Tibetan Plateau, but instead a significant increase in aridity has been recorded at numerous sites in the northern foreland of the Tibetan Plateau and on the Chinese Loess Plateau. The large dust input to Lake Kuhai between 6.1 and 5.4 cal. ka BP probably did not result from a severe climate deterioration on the Tibetan Plateau itself, but from the pronounced aridity in its northern and eastern foreland. In contrast, the increase in dust influx about 2.7 cal. ka BP seems to correspond to a brief warming spell recorded at other sites on the Tibetan Plateau too. A slight increase in lake level and decrease in salinity after about 0.6 cal. ka BP suggests a slightly higher effective moisture during the final lake stage, accompanied by a somewhat larger dust influx. This apparent contradiction possibly results from enhanced human activities on the northeastern Tibetan Plateau during the last 600 years. Copyright © 2009 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.