Mineral resources inventory in the northern part of haiti: A basic rationale for selecting areas of potential mining interest

Agriculture has always been the major source of income of the Republic of Haiti. Only in the late sixties did the Haitian Government decide to move toward industrialization and explotation of natural resources, but no reliable inventory of mineral potential was available. In June 1970 the Resources and Transport Division of the U.N. (now CNRET) undertook a structural analysis of the Caribbean with reference to defining favorable loci for ore disposition. One of the conclusions of this survey was that from the metallogenetic point of view, the Northern part of Haiti was a favorable area for prospecting for habe metal deposits, especially for copper. Those conclusions were acknowleadged with great enthusiams by the Haitian authorities, and they welcomed in July 1971 a UN technical adviser who outlined a first phase of exploration. Following this mission, a “Mineral exploration Project” was created by the Haitian Government with the cooperation of UNDP, and an area of 9000 km² was selected, based on structural, lithological, and metallogenetic reasons, as an exploration target. The most important aspects of this project were:Mineral Exploration—First Phase (1973–1974). The following operations were carried out by a small team: (a) photo interpretation at 1:50,000 and 1:200,000 scale, (b) geological reconnaissance at 1:50,000 scale, (c) geochemical reconnaissance (stream sediment) at 1:50,000 scale. The photo interpretation helped outline zones of particular structural interest and was followed up by ground control studies. Stream sediment geochemical reconnaissance was carried out over half of the project area, following the indications given by the photo geological interpretation. finally, combining all the data, five areas were selected for detailed follow up survey: (1) Terrier Rouge—Perche, (2) Vallieres, (3) Mont-Organise, (4) Limonade, (5) Gros Morne—Le Borgne.Mineral Exploration—Second Phase (1975–1976). The main zones of interest were reduced to a few hundred km² and porphyry copper type deposits appeared to be the most promising target. Detailed geological mapping (1:25,000 to 1:2,000) and soil geochemistry were carried out on the above mentioned five areas, the most promising appearing quickly to be Terrier Rouge-Perges, with porphyry-type copper mineralization. A geophysical survey (IP and Mag) confirmed the geochemical results. At the end of the second phase of exploration (December 1976) two of the five prospects of the Terrier Rouge area have been diamond drilled and appeared to be of potential economic interest. Because of the number and importance of the prospects discovered a third phase of exploration was deemed necessary with the purpose of continuing the detailed prospection work and drilling the other prospects. This third phase started in January 1977 and was expected to last until December 1979. This paper was presented at the International Geological Correlation Program (IGCP) Project 98: “Standards for Computer Applications in Resource Studies” held at Taita Hills, Kenya, November 8–15, 1977.     

Earthquakes at depth beneath volcanoes,forerunners of their activities. Application to White Island,New Zealand

The concept of a time-depth correlation between tectonic earthquakes at depth beneath some volcanoes, and their eruptions, developed by the author since 1962, has been confirmed by new observations and successful prediction of renewed volcanic activity in New Zealand.Regular earthquake migrations are observed along the Benioff zone, and volcanic eruptions are found to be related to these seismic migrations beneath the volcanoes, as follows:

Therefore, in island arcs and continental margins, volcanic activity is the result of two processes occurring beneath the volcanoes: (1) a “tectonic process”, a migration of strain release along the downgoing lithosphere, of which the earthquakes are the manifestation; (2) a “magmatic process”, a relatively fast vertical ascent of magmatic material from the deep root of the volcano, where the observed shocks may be the starting signal from this level.The rate of migration of tectonic earthquakes increases with depth in the upper mantle.An empirical time relationship between the earthquakes occurring at depth beneath a volcano and its eruptions, has been successfully tested for renewed activity at White Island in New Zealand, over the period 1977–1978.     

Evolution of particle size and concentration in the Rhône river mixing zone: : influence of salt flocculation

The salt induced flocculation phenomenon is often proposed as a major mechanism influencing the deposition of the suspended matter near the mouth of major rivers. However, depending on the particular mixing conditions between fresh water and marine water and on suspended solids (SS) reactivity, salt induced aggregation may be a minor factor controlling fast deposition of SS. This work combines field studies and laboratory experiments in order to assess the importance of salt induced flocculation in the case of the saltwedge estuary of the Rhône river. Sampling of the mixing zone has been performed in contrasted hydrodynamic conditions from a low water discharge period (500 m³ s⁻¹) to a small flood event (2400 m³ s⁻¹) for particle counting and salinity measurements. Through laboratory experiments, it is shown that the Rhône river particulate matter has a poor average reactivity regarding salt induced flocculation. Considering the hydrodynamics of the estuary, we show that the evolution of the concentration of larger particles (>5 μm) can be explained by settling and dilution. In contrast, the smallest measured fraction (2–5 μm) shows a more complex behavior and settling processes alone cannot explain the observed particle concentrations during the field studies. Four hypotheses are discussed for explaining the 2–5 μm particle concentration evolutions.     

Numerical modelling of hydraulic decompression due to the excavation of tunnel and drifts at the Tournemire underground laboratory

The Tournemire underground laboratory is situated in a clay formation and consists of a disaffected railway tunnel and two perpendicular drifts. The paper presents modelling and 3D simulations of the hydraulic behaviour of the argillaceous formation around the works. Experimental measurements of porosity, permeability and specific storage coefficients allowed us to model the hydraulic properties of the shale. Numerical simulations are performed with the code CASTEM. Numerical results of hydraulic heads are compared to experimental measurements. Calculations show that the excavation of the tunnel and drifts has induced an hydraulic decompression of the indurated argillaceous formations. The zones of decompression are centred around the structures and extend depending on the values of hydraulic parameters such as permeability and specific storage selected in the model. Six years after the excavation of the drifts, the hydraulic steady state in the fractured zone is not yet reached.     

Helium isotopes on the Macdonald seamount (Austral chain): constraints on the origin of the superswell

We present new helium isotope data from the Macdonald seamount (Austral chain). The helium isotopic ratio varies from ⁴He/³He=45 000 (R/Ra=16.0) to 200 170 (R/Ra=3.6). The helium content is between 1.5×10^?8 and 1.1×10^?5 ccSTP/g. These helium results show clearly the presence of primitive mantle material in the source of the Austral chain. Macdonald has the lowest ⁴He/³He ratio among the Polynesian submarine volcanoes, except Hawaii (Loihi). The simplest explanation for the primitive helium signature is the presence under Macdonald of a mantle plume that derives either from the 670 km or 2900 km boundary layers, or, eventually, from the top of a large mantle dome resulting from a stratified two-layer convection. This plume contains less-degassed material with low ⁴He/³He ratio. To cite this article: M. Moreira, C. Allègre, C. R. Geoscience 336 (2004).     

Eaux fortement minéralisées et circulations profondes dans le socle. Exemple des Alpes franco-italiennes

The presence in the French–Italian Alps of several springs characterized by a high sodium–chloride content, depleted in oxygen-18, tritium free and with low carbon-14 activity, is well known. The geological, hydrological, and geochemical studies in progress for the new high-speed railway tunnel crossing the French–Italian Alps, show, in the drilled boreholes at a mean elevation of 700 masl, the presence of brines. Brines appear to be the basis of the geological, structural, and hydrodynamic systems, and fill the largest faults and the main tectonic contacts. The brines squeezed by tectonic activity, are mobilised at depth by freshwaters from the surface. To cite this article: G.-M. Zuppi et al., C. R. Geoscience 336 (2004).     

Le métamorphisme Tardi-Crétacé à Éocène des zones internes de la chaı̂ne Indo-Birmane (Myanmar occidental) : implications géodynamiquesLate Cretaceous to Eocene metamorphism of the internal zone of the Indo-Burma range (western Myanmar): geodynamic implications

Metamorphic study on Triassic schists in the internal zone of the Indo-Burma range, essentially based on chlorite–mica equilibrium in metapelites, allows a P–T path to be quantified. During the prograde metamorphism, the geothermic gradient evolves from that of a ‘normal’ crust (30 °C km^?1) to that of a thickened crust (18 °C km^?1). The peak conditions are around 8 kbar and 450 °C. This thickening (25–30 km) is probably made in a wedge set up between the Late Cretaceous and the Eocene, in front of the obduction. The obtained cold retrograde path requires a mechanism allowing thermal re-equilibration, implying slow exhumation. It occurred along a shear zone that put into contact the micaschists of the core with the Triassic schists of the roof. To cite this article: A. Socquet et al., C. R. Geoscience 334 (2002) 573–580.     

Two examples of subaqueously welded ash-flow tuffs: the Visean of southern Vosges (France) and the Upper Cretaceous of northern Anatolia (Turkey)

Pyroclastic deposits interpreted as subaqueous ash-flow tuff have been recognized within Archean to Recent marine and lacustrine sequences. Several authors proposed a high-temperature emplacement for some of these tuffs. However, the subaqueous welding of pyroclastic deposits remains controversial.The Visean marine volcaniclastic formations of southern Vosges (France) contain several layers of rhyolitic and rhyodacitic ash-flow tuff. These deposits include, from proximal to distal settings, breccia, lapilli and fine-ash tuff. The breccia and lapilli tuff are partly welded, as indicated by the presence of fiamme, fluidal and axiolitic structures. The lapilli tuff form idealized sections with a lower, coarse and welded unit and an upper, bedded and unwelded fine-ash tuff. Sedimentary structures suggest that the fine-ash tuff units were deposited by turbidity currents. Welded breccias, interbedded in a thick submarine volcanic complex, indicate the close proximity of the volcanic source. The lapilli and fine-ash tuff are interbedded in a thick marine sequence composed of alternating sandstones and shales. Presence of a marine stenohaline fauna and sedimentary structures attest to a marine depositional environment below storm-wave base.In northern Anatolia, thick massive sequences of rhyodacitic crystal tuff are interbedded with the Upper Cretaceous marine turbidites of the Mudurnu basin. Some of these tuffs are welded. As in southern Vosges, partial welding is attested by the presence of fiamme and fluidal structures. The latter are frequent in the fresh vitric matrix. These tuff units contain a high proportion of vitroclasis, and were emplaced by ash flows. Welded tuff units are associated with non-welded crystal tuff, and contain abundant bioclasts which indicate mixing with water during flowage. At the base, basaltic breccia beds are associated with micritic beds containing a marine fauna. The welded and non-welded tuff sequences are interbedded in an alternation of limestones and marls. These limestones are rich in pelagic microfossils.The evidence above strongly suggest that in both examples, tuff beds are partly welded and were emplaced at high temperature by subaqueous ash flows in a permanent marine environment. The sources of the pyroclastic material are unknown in both cases. We propose that the ash flows were produced during submarine fissure eruptions. Such eruptions could produce non-turbulent flows which were insulated by a steam carapace before deposition and welding. The welded ash-flow tuff deposits of southern Vosges and northern Anatolia give strong evidence for existence of subaqueous welding.     

Ignimbrites of basaltic andesite and andesite compositions from Tanna,New Hebrides Arc

Tanna island is part of a large volcanic complex mainly subsided below sea-level. On-land, two series of hydroclastic deposits and ignimbrites overlie the subaerial remains of a basal, mainly effusive volcano. The ‘Older’ Tanna Ignimbrite series (OTI), Late Pliocene or Pleistocene in age, consists of ash flows and ash- and scoria-flow deposits associated with fallout tephra layers, overlain by indurated pumice-flow deposits. Phreatomagmatic features are a constant characteristic of these tuffs. The ‘younger’ Late Pleistocene pyroclastics, the Siwi sequence, show basal phreatomagmatic deposits overlain by two successive flow units, each comprising a densely welded layer and a nonwelded ash-flow deposit. Whole-rock analyses of 17 juvenile clasts from the two sequences (vitric blocks from the phreatomagmatic deposits, welded blocks, scoriaceous bombs and pumices from the ignimbrites) show basaltic andesite and andesite compositions (SiO₂=53–60%). In addition, 296 microprobe analyses of glasses in these clasts show a wide compositional range from 51 to 69% SiO₂. Dominant compositions at ∼54, 56, 58.5 and 61–62% SiO₂ characterize the glass from the OTI. Glass compositions in the lower – phreatomagmatic – deposits from the Siwi sequence also show multimodal distribution, with peaks at SiO₂=55, 57.5, 61–62 and 64% whereas the upper ignimbrite has a predominant composition at 61–62% SiO₂. In both cases, mineralogical data and crystal fractionation models suggest that these compositions represent the magmatic signature of a voluminous layered chamber, the compositional gradient of which is the result of fractional crystallization. During two major eruptive stages, probably related to two caldera collapses, the OTI and Siwi ignimbrites represent large outpourings from these magmatic reservoirs. The successive eruptive dynamics, from phreatomagmatic to Plinian, emphasize the role of water in initiating the eruptions, without which the mafic and intermediate magmas probably would not have erupted. Received: February 19, 1993/Accepted October 10, 1993     

First direct geodetic link between Europe,Africa and South America with a multi station VLBI array

The first geodetic experiment tying Europe, Africa and South-America was realized in July 1985 by Very Long Baseline Interferometry with a network of 5 radiotelescopes. TheVLBI technique and data analysis are presented, with special emphasis on the ionosphere modeling because of its importance in this particular experiment. Comparisons of the results with other geodetic information confirm the achievement of decimetric accuracy.