Crystallisation sequence and magma evolution of the De Beers dyke (Kimberley,South Africa)

We present petrographic and mineral chemical data for a suite of samples derived from the De Beers dyke, a contemporaneous, composite intrusion bordering the De Beers pipe (Kimberley, South Africa). Petrographic features and mineral compositions indicate the following stages in the evolution of this dyke: (1) production of antecrystic material by kimberlite-related metasomatism in the mantle (i.e., high Cr-Ti phlogopite); (2) entrainment of wall-rock material during ascent through the lithospheric mantle, including antecrysts; (3) early magmatic crystallisation of olivine (internal zones and subsequently rims), Cr-rich spinel, rutile, and magnesian ilmenite, probably on ascent to the surface; and (4) crystallisation of groundmass phases (i.e., olivine rinds, Fe-Ti-rich spinels, perovskite, apatite, monticellite, calcite micro-phenocrysts, kinoshitalite-phlogopite, barite, and baddeleyite) and the mesostasis (calcite, dolomite, and serpentine) on emplacement in the upper crust. Groundmass and mesostasis crystallisation likely forms a continuous sequence with deuteric/hydrothermal modification. The petrographic features, mineralogy, and mineral compositions of different units within the De Beers dyke are indistinguishable from one another, indicating a common petrogenesis. The compositions of antecrysts (i.e., high Cr-Ti phlogopite) and magmatic phases (e.g., olivine rims, magnesian ilmenite, and spinel) overlap those from the root zone intrusions of the main Kimberley pipes (i.e., Wesselton, De Beers, Bultfontein). However, the composition of these magmatic phases is distinct from those in ‘evolved’ intrusions of the Kimberley cluster (e.g., Benfontein, Wesselton water tunnel sills). Although the effects of syn-emplacement flow processes are evident (e.g., alignment of phases parallel to contacts), there is no evidence that the De Beers dyke has undergone significant pre-emplacement crystal fractionation (e.g., olivine, spinel, ilmenite). This study demonstrates the requirement for detailed petrographic and mineral chemical studies to assess whether individual intrusions are in fact ‘evolved’; and that dykes are not necessarily produced by differentiated magmas.

     

Quantifying local flow direction uncertainty

Absolute elevation error in digital elevation models (DEMs) can be within acceptable National Map Accuracy standards, but still have dramatic impacts on field-level estimates of surface water flow direction, particularly in level regions. We introduce and evaluate a new method for quantifying uncertainty in flow direction rasters derived from DEMs. The method utilizes flow direction values derived from finer resolution digital elevation data to estimate uncertainty, on a cell-by-cell basis, in flow directions derived from coarser digital elevation data. The result is a quantification and spatial distribution of flow direction uncertainty at both local and regional scales. We present an implementation of the method using a 10-m DEM and a reference 1-m lidar DEM. The method contributes to scientific understanding of DEM uncertainty propagation and modeling and can inform hydrological analyses in engineering, agriculture, and other disciplines that rely on simulations of surface water flow.     

Alteration patterns related to gold mineralization and their relation to CO2/H2O ratios

Summary The pattern of hydrothermal alteration associated with a gold prospect located within a differentiated iron-rich gabbro sill in the Chibougamau region has been investigated in order to establish the alteration mechanism. The gold mineralization, occurring in east-west trending shear zone, shows a close spatial relationship to zones of intense alteration. Ankerite-sericite-pyrite/ankerite-fuchsite-chlorite/ankerite-sericite-chlorite, and chlorite-calcite-magnetite form four distinct alteration facies which extend outward from the mineralized zones. Detailed mineralogical, petrological and chemical studies show that the iron content of chlorite increases whereas the iron content of the carbonate decreases from the mineralized zone outwards. The hydrothermal alteration pattern is shown to be derived from a single fluid with a high initial CO₂/H₂O ratio. At first, reducing reactions prevailed and, with progressive fluid-rock interaction, the CO₂/H₂O ratio was lowered and oxidation reactions dominated.

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Alterationsmuster in beziehung zur goldmineralisation und dem CO₂/H₂O- Verhältnis

Zusammenfassung Hydrothermale Alterationen in Zusammenhang mit einer Goldvererzung eines differenzierten eisenreichen gabbroischen Sills im Chibougamaugebiet wurden untersucht, um den Umwandlungsmechanismus zu ermitteln. Die Goldvererzung in der Ost-West verlaufenden Scherzone ist eng mit Zonen intensiver Alteration verbunden. 4 deutlich unterscheidbare Alterationsfazics, die mit zunehmender Entfernung von der Vererzung auftreten, sind: Ankerit - Serizit - Pyrit/Ankerit - Fuchsit - Chlorit/Ankerit -Serizit - Chlorit und Chlorit - Kalzit - Magnetit. Detailierte mineralogische, petrographische und geochemische Untersuchungen zeigen, daß sich von der Vererzung weg der Eisengehalt im Chlorit, erhöht, gleichzeitig aber in Karbonaten verringert. Die hydrothermale Alteration ist auf eine einzige fluide Phase mit ursprünglich hohem CO₂/ H₂O-Verhältnis zurückzuführen. Vorherrschend waren zunächst reduzierende Reaktionen. Mit zunehmender Wechselwirkung zwischen Fluid und Gestein erniedrigte sich das CO₂/H₂O-Verhältnis und oxidierende Reaktionen nahmen zu.

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With 9 Figures     

Thermal maturation, potential source rocks and hydrocarbon generation in Mesozoic rocks, Lougheed Island area, Central Canadian Arctic archipelago

Significant oil and gas accumulations occur in and around Lougheed Island, Arctic Canada, where hydrocarbon prospectivity is controlled by potential source rock distribution and composition. The Middle to Upper Triassic rocks of the Schei Point Group (e.g. Murray Harbour and Hoyle Bay formations) contain a mixture of Types I and II organic matter (Tasmanales marine algae, amorphous fluorescing bituminite). These source rocks are within the oil generation zone and have HI values up to 600 mg HC/g Corg. The younger source rocks of the Lower Jurassic Jameson Bay and the Upper Jurassic Ringnes formations contain mainly gas-prone Type II/III organic matter and are marginally mature. Vitrinite reflectance profiles suggest an effective geothermal gradient essentially similar to the present-day gradient (20 to 30°C/km). Maturation gradients are low, ranging from 0.125 to 0.185 log%Ro/km. Increases in subsidence rate in the Early Cretaceous suggest that the actual heat flow history was variable and has probably diminished from that time. The high deposition rates of the Christopher Formation shales coincide with the main phase of rifting in Aptian-Albian times. Uplift and increased sediment supply in the Maastrichtian resulted in a new sedimentary and tectonic regime, which culminated in the final phase of the Eurekan Orogeny. Burial history models indicate that hydrocarbon generation in the Schei Point Group took place during rifting in Early Cretaceous, long before any Eurekan deformation.     

Hierarchical multiscale numerical modelling of internal erosion with discrete and finite elements

This paper presents a coupled finite and discrete-element model (FEM and DEM) to simulate internal erosion. The model is based on ICY, an interface between COMSOL, an FEM engine, and YADE, a DEM code. With this model, smaller DEM subdomains are generated to simulate particle displacements at the grain scale. Particles in these small subdomains are subjected to buoyancy, gravity, drag and contact forces for short time steps (0.1 s). The DEM subdomains provide the macroscale (continuum) model with a particle flux distribution. Through a mass conservation equation, the flux distribution allows changes in porosity, hydraulic conductivity and hydraulic gradient to be evaluated for the same time steps at a larger, continuum scale. The updated hydraulic gradients from the continuum model provide the DEM subdomains with updated hydrodynamic forces based on a coarse-grid method. The number of particles in the DEM subdomains is also updated based on the new porosity distribution. The hierarchical multiscale model (HMM) was validated with the simulation of suffusion. Results for the proposed HMM algorithm are consistent with results based on a DEM model incorporating the full sample and simulation duration. The proposed HMM algorithm could enable the modelling of internal erosion for soil volumes that are too large to be modelled with a single DEM subdomain.

     

Carlin-type gold mineralization at Saint-André-de-Ristigouche,Gaspé Peninsula (Québec), Canadian Appalachians

The Gaspé Peninsula, in the Canadian Appalachians, hosts a variety of mineral occurrences that are spatially associated with the Grand Pabos and Restigouche faults. Among these occurrences, the Saint-André-de-Ristigouche gold (SAR-Au) showing has peculiar features comparable with Carlin-type gold deposits at the regional, district, and prospect scales. The most striking ones are: (1) the calcareous nature of the host rocks; (2) the Au-As-Sb-Hg metallic signature with absence of base metals and Ag; (3) the association with a crustal scale fault zone; (4) the hydrothermal alteration characterized by silicification, calcite, and quartz veinlets at the margin of the Au-bearing zones and the occurrence of kaolinite in large halos of argillic alteration; (5) numerous felsic dikes; (6) the occurrence of Au in As-rich pyrite forming overgrowths on premineralization As-free pyrite, and in arsenopyrite; (7) hydrothermal fluids equilibrated with host rocks at high temperature (>200°), which cooled to precipitate arsenopyrite and then mixed with evolved meteoric water to precipitate stibnite in veins. Although the SAR-Au showing is relatively small, analogies with Carlin-type mineralization encourage exploration in the Gaspé Peninsula and in similar settings elsewhere in the Appalachians.     

4D seismic for oil-rim monitoring

In the central North Sea ‘Gannet‐A’ field, a 50 ft oil rim is overlain by a gas cap of variable thickness. Oil is produced from horizontal wells which initially produced dry oil, but as the field became more mature, a significant water cut was seen in several wells. A dedicated 4D seismic monitor survey was acquired in order to assess the remaining distribution of oil reserves. By forward modelling the synthetic seismic response to parameters such as contact movement and residual saturations (using 2D and 3D wedge models), and comparing the results with real seismic data, we are able to decipher the contact movements across the field. It is shown that, in one part of the field, the increased water cut is caused primarily by the vertical displacement of the entire oil rim into the initial gas cap. This oil‐rim displacement produces a very different 4D seismic response from the case of a static gas–oil contact and rising oil–water contact (normal production). As a result of these observations, we are able to optimize field production by both re‐perforation of existing wells and by drilling sidetracks into the displaced rim: a brown‐field development opportunity that might otherwise be missed.     

Boundary between the Lower and Middle Carboniferous in the Eastern Urals: New isotope–geochronological data

The U–Pb age of the boundary between the Lower and Middle Carboniferous has been determined on zircons separated from a volcanic tuff layer within a limestone unit near the roof of the Serpukhovian Stage in an occurrence at the right bank of the Iset’ River. The zircons have been dated using SIMS SHRIMP-II at 320 ± 3 Ma. The result agrees well with the accepted age of the boundary between the Serpukhovian and Bashkirian ages (323.2 ± 0.4 Ma, [1]).     

Mapping the human record in the British early Palaeolithic: evidence from the Solent River system

The lithic record from the Solent River and its tributaries is re‐examined in the light of recent interpretations about the changing demography of Britain during the Lower and early Middle Palaeolithic. Existing models of the terrace stratigraphies in the Solent and its tributary areas are reviewed and the corresponding archaeological record (specifically handaxes) for each terrace is assessed to provide models for the relative changes in human occupation through time. The Bournemouth area is studied in detail to examine the effects of quarrying and urbanisation on collection history and on the biases it introduces to the record. In addition, the effects of reworking of artefacts from higher into lower terraces are assessed, and shown to be a significant problem. Although there is very little absolute dating available for the Solent area, a cautious interpretation of the results from these analyses would suggest a pre‐Marine Isotope Stage (MIS) 12 date for the first appearance of humans, a peak in population between MIS 12 and 10, and a decline in population during MIS 9 and 8. Owing to poor contextual data and small sample sizes, it is not clear when Levallois technology was introduced. This record is compared and contrasted to that from the Thames Valley. It is suggested that changes in the palaeogeography of Britain, in particular land connections to the continent, might have contributed to differences in the archaeological records from the Solent and Thames regions. Copyright © 2009 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Heavy metal distribution in karst soils from Croatia and Slovakia

With the use of the optimised three-step BCR sequential-extraction procedure it was possible to assess the mobility of selected elements in soil profiles from Croatian and Slovakian karst terrains. The soils in the Croatian karst were enriched in Cr, Ni, V, Mn, Cu, Cd and Mo, while soils from the Slovak Karst had high Pb and Zn concentrations. It was determined that the elements were most readily mobilised from the topsoil and the degree of mobility decreased with depth. Cr and Ni were mainly bound to the residual fraction, and Pb in the oxidisable fraction. Cu mobility was high in samples treated with agrochemicals throughout the soil profile.