Geochemical Characteristics,Origin, and Evolution of Ore‐Forming Fluids of the Khut Copper Skarn Deposit,West of Yazd in Central Iran

The Khut copper skarn deposit is located at about 50 km northwest of Taft City in Yazd province in the middle part of the Urumieh‐Dokhtar magmatic arc. Intrusion of granitoid of Oligocene–Miocene age into carbonate rocks of the Triassic Nayband Formation led to the formation of marble and a calcic skarn. The marble contains high grade Cu mineralization that occurs mainly as open space filling and replacement. Cu‐rich sulfide samples from the mineralized marble are also anomalous in Au, Zn, and Pb. In contrast, the calcic skarn is only weakly anomalous in Cu and W. The calcic skarn is divided into garnet skarn and garnet–pyroxene skarn zones. Paragenetic relationships and microthermometric data from fluid inclusions in garnet and calcite indicate that the compositional evolution of skarn minerals occurred in three main stages as follows. (i) The early prograde stage, which is characterized by Mg‐rich hedenbergite (Hd_53.7Di_42.3–Hd_86.1Di_9.5) with Al‐bearing andradite (69.8–99.5 mol% andradite). The temperature in the early prograde skarn varies from 400 to 500°C at 500 bar. (ii) The late prograde stage is manifested by almost pure andradite (96.2–98.4 mol% andradite). Based on the fluid inclusion data from garnet, fluid temperature and salinity in this stage is estimated to vary from 267 to 361°C and from 10.1 to 21.1 wt% NaCl equivalent, respectively. Pyrrhotite precipitation started during this stage. (iii) The retrograde stage occurs in an exoskarn, which consists of an assemblage of ferro‐actinolite, quartz, calcite, epidote, chlorite, sphalerite, pyrite, and chalcopyrite that partially replaces earlier mineral assemblages under hydrostatic conditions during fracturing of the early skarn. Fluids in calcite yielded lower temperatures (T < 260°C) and fluid salinity declined to ～8 wt% NaCl equivalent. The last stage mineralization in the deposit is supergene weathering/alteration represented by the formation of iron hydroxide, Cu‐carbonate, clay minerals, and calcite. Sulfur isotope data of chalcopyrite (δ³⁴S of +1.4 to +5.2‰) show an igneous sulfur source. Mineralogy and mineral compositions of the prograde assemblage of the Khut skarn are consistent with deposition under intermediately oxidized and slightly lower fS₂ conditions at shallow crustal levels compared with those of other typical Fe‐bearing Cu–Au skarn systems.     

Perturbed physics ensemble using the MIROC5 coupled atmosphere–ocean GCM without flux corrections: experimental design and results

In this study, we constructed a perturbed physics ensemble (PPE) for the MIROC5 coupled atmosphere–ocean general circulation model (CGCM) to investigate the parametric uncertainty of climate sensitivity (CS). Previous studies of PPEs have mainly used the atmosphere-slab ocean models. A few PPE studies using a CGCM applied flux corrections, because perturbations in parameters can lead to large radiation imbalances at the top of the atmosphere and climate drifts. We developed a method to prevent climate drifts in PPE experiments using the MIROC5 CGCM without flux corrections. We simultaneously swept 10 parameters in atmosphere and surface schemes. The range of CS (estimated from our 35 ensemble members) was not wide (2.2–3.2?°C). The shortwave cloud feedback related to changes in middle-level cloud albedo dominated the variations in the total feedback. We found three performance metrics for the present climate simulations of middle-level cloud albedo, precipitation, and ENSO amplitude that systematically relate to the variations in shortwave cloud feedback in this PPE.     

Chemistry of Fe-Ti oxide minerals in the Hobenzan granitic complex,SW Japan: Subsolidus reduction in relation to base metal mineralization

Summary The mineralized stock of the Hobenzan granitic complex is composed of tonalite and a continuous differentiation series of biotite-hornblende granodiorite, hornblende biotite granite and biotite granite. Texture and mineral chemistry of the Fe-Ti oxide minerals in the Hobenzan granitic complex exhibit two different processes of magma evolution: one is an oxyexsolution process related to the magmatic and high temperature subsolidus stage, and the other is a reduction process of consecutive subsolidus stage. Rocks distributed in the northern part of the granitic complex preserve well the oxyexsolution process and show higher magnetic susceptibility, whereas those in the southern part of the complex, record the reduction process and show lower magnetic susceptibility.The magnetite-ilmenite geothermometer indicates temperatures of ca. 730°C for the oxide pairs of the early stage. Oxygen fugacity of one to three orders of magnitude higher than the annite-sanidine-magnetite (ASM) univariant curve, and an aqueous sulfur composition,fSO₂/fH₂S, of around 1.0 is indicated. This first stage corresponds to the crystallization of phenocrystic hornblende and plagioclase at depth. At about 700°C crystallization changed to biotite, K-feldspar and quartz, and continued to about 600°C. ThefO₂ during this second stage is buffered by the ASM assemblage. This second stage defines the oxyexsolution process. Below about 600°C, a reduction process, caused by assimilation of carbonaceous matter of country rocks, overprinted the southern part of the complex. Oxide pairs show that thefO₂ is about four orders of magnitude lower than the ASM univariant curve, andfSO₂/fH₂S is 10^–8.0 or less at 550°C for this reduced assemblage. The drastic change in composition of sulfur-bearing aqueous species may be one of the principal factors allowing base metal mineralization.

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Chemismus von Fe-Ti Oxiden des Hobenzan Granitkomplexes, SW Japan: Subsolidus Reduktion und ihre Beziehung zu metallischen Vererzungen

Zusammenfassung Der mineralisierte Hobenzan Granitkomplex setzt sich aus Tonaliten und einer kontinuierlichen Differentiationsserie, bestehend aus Biotit-Hornblende-Granodioriten, Hornblende-Biotit-Graniten und Biotit-Graniten, zusammen. Die Texturen und die Mineralchemie der Fe-Ti Oxide belegen zwei unterschiedliche Prozesse bei der Entwicklung des Hobenzan Granitkomplexes: einerseits einen Oxyexsolution-Prozeß, während des magmatischen und hochtemperierten Subsolidus-Stadiums, andererseits einen Reduktionsprozeß während des tiefertemperierten Subsolidus-Stadiums. Gesteine im nördlichen Hobenzan Komplex belegen vor allem den Oxyexsolution Prozeß und zeigen höhere magnetische Suszeptibilität, während jene im südlichen Teil den Reduktionsprozeß widerspiegeln und niedrigere magnetische Suszeptibilität zeigen.Das Magnetit-Ilmenit Geothermometer ergab Temperaturen von ca. 730°C für Oxidpaare des Frühstadiums. Die Sauerstoff Fugazität liegt um eine bis drei Größenordnungen über der univarianten Reaktionskurve Annit-Sanidin-Magnetit (ASM), und dasfSO₂/fH₂S Verhältnis der wässrigen Schwefelkomplexe bei ca. 1.0. Dieses Frühstadium korrespondiert mit der Kristallisation von Horblende und Plagioklas im Magma in größerer Tiefe. Ab ca. 700°C erfolgt die Kristallisation von Biotit, Alkalifeldspat und Quarz bis etwa 600°C, wobeifO₂ durch die ASM Mineralassoziation gepuffert wird. Dieses zweite Stadium wird als Oxyexsolution Prozeß beschrieben. Unter 600°C erfolgte eine Reduktion durch Assimilation von kohlenstoffreichem Material vor allem im südlichen Teil des Komplexes. Oxidpaare dieses Stadiums belegen, daßfO₂ um etwa vier Größenordnungen unterhalb des ASM Puffers liegt, undfSO₂/fH₂S ist 10^–8 bei 550°C. Die dramatische Änderung in der Zusammensetzung der Schwefelkomplexe in den Lösungen wird als der Hauptfaktor für die Bildung der Erzmineralisationen angesehen.

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With 5 Figures     

The Cretaceous Ofuku Pluton and Its Relation to Mineralization in the Western Akiyoshi Plateau,Yamaguchi Prefecture,Japan

The relationship between the magmatism of the Cretaceous Ofuku pluton and mineralization in and around the Akiyoshi Plateau, Yamaguchi Prefecture, Japan was investigated using a combination of field observation, petrographic and geochemical analyses, K–Ar geochronology, and fluid inclusion data. The Ofuku pluton has a surface area of 1.5 × 1.0 km, and was intruded into the Paleozoic accretionary complexes of the Akiyoshi Limestone, Ota Group and Tsunemori Formation in the western part of the Akiyoshi Plateau. The pluton belongs to the ilmenite‐series and is zoned, consisting mainly of early tonalite and granodiorite that share a gradational contact, and later granite and aplite that intruded the tonalite and granodiorite. Harker diagrams show that the Ofuku pluton has intermediate to silicic compositions ranging from 60.4 to 77.9 wt.% SiO₂, but a compositional gap exists between 70.5 to 73.4 wt.% SiO₂ (anhydrous basis). Modal and chemical variations indicate that the assumed parental magma is tonalitic. Quantitative models of fractional crystallization based on mass balance calculations and the Rayleigh fractionation model using major and trace element data for all crystalline phases indicate that magmatic fractionation was controlled mainly by crystal fractionation of plagioclase, hornblende, clinopyroxene and orthopyroxene at the early stage, and quartz, plagioclase, biotite, hornblende, apatite, ilmenite and zircon at the later stage. The residual melt extracted from the granodiorite mush was subsequently intruded into the northern and western parts of the Ofuku pluton as melt lens to form the granite and aplite. The age of the pluton was estimated at 99–97 Ma and 101–98 Ma based on K–Ar dating of hornblende and biotite, respectively. Both ages are consistent within analytical error, indicating that the Ofuku pluton and the associated Yamato mine belong to the Tungsten Province of the San‐yo Belt, which is genetically related to the ilmenite‐series granitoids of the Kanmon to Shunan stages. The aplite contains Cl‐rich apatite and REE‐rich monazite‐(Ce), allanite‐(Ce), xenotime and bastnäsite‐(Ce), indicating that the residual melt was rich in halogens and REEs. The tonalite–granodiorite of the Ofuku pluton contains many three‐phase fluid inclusions, along with daughter minerals such as NaCl and KCl, and vapor/liquid (V/L) volume ratios range from 0.2 to 0.9, suggesting that the fluid was boiling. In contrast, the granite and aplite contain low salinity two‐phase inclusions with low V/L ratios. The granodiorite occupies a large part of the pluton, and the inclusions with various V/L ratios with chloride daughter minerals suggest the boiling fluids might be related to the mineralization. This fluid could have carried base metals such as Cu and Zn, forming Cu ore deposits in and around the Ofuku pluton. The occurrence and composition of fluid inclusions in the igneous rocks from the Akiyoshi Plateau are directly linked to Cu mineralization in the area, demonstrating that fluid inclusions are useful indicators of mineralization.     

Ag-Cu-Pb-Bi-S Minerals Newly Discovered from the Ohori Base Metal Deposit, Yamagata Prefecture, NE Japan: Implications for Bi-metallogenesis in the Green-Tuff Region

The Ohori deposit, one of the base metal deposits in the Green-Tuff region, NE Japan, is composed of two types of mineralization; a skarn-type (Kaninomata orebody) made by the replacement of the Miocene calcareous layer, and a vein-type (Nakanomata orebody). While the ore mineral assemblage of the deposit (chalcopyrite, pyrite, sphalerite and galena) has been known for being rather simple, some Pb-Bi-S minerals have been discovered for the first time in the present study. The minerals mainly occur in the chalcopyrite-rich ores of both orebodies. They essentially belong to the Pb-Bi-S system and contain Cu and Ag in minor amounts, which correspond to the lillianite–gustavite solid solution series (phases Z and X), cosalite, neyite, felbertalite, krupkaite and Bi-bearing galena. The chalcopyrite-rich (Bi-bearing) ores from both orebodies are richer in chalcopyrite, pyrite and chlorite, and have higher homogenization temperatures (>300°C) of fluid inclusions, and higher FeS contents in sphalerite compared to the Bi-free ores. In the Green-Tuff region, Bi-minerals have been reported from many base metal deposits. Most of these Bi-bearing ore deposits are referred to as xenothermal-type deposits, and are characterized by the following common features; composite mineralization of high- and low-temperatures in the shallower environments, and close relationships with the Tertiary granitic rocks. The whole mineralization at the Ohori deposit also has a similar xenothermal character because of the coexistence of high-temperature chalcopyrite-rich ores with Pb-Bi-S minerals, which were formed by the influence of the Tertiary granitic rocks at a shallow depth.     

Buoyancy-driven propagation of an isolated fluid-filled crack in rock: implication for fluid transport in metamorphism

A new model for upward transport of buoyant fluid released during metamorphism is proposed. The model is fluid transport by buoyancy-driven propagation of isolated fluid-filled cracks. The mechanical behavior of a two-dimensional, isolated, vertical, and fluid-filled crack in impermeable rock is investigated using linear fractire mechanics and fluid dynamics. The results show that steady-state crack propagation which causes long-distance transport of the fluid occurs when the vertical cross-sectional area of the crack exceeds a critical value. Propagation velocity and average thickness of the crack under the steady-state propagation regime are expressed explicitly by the following seven parameters: vertical crack length; rigidity, Poisson's ratio, and fracture toughness of the rock; fluid viscosity; density difference between the rock and the fluid; gravitational acceleration. An isolated H₂O-filled crack of vertical length 100 m, for example, propagates upwards in the crust at 0.3 m/s with the average thickness 0.2 mm when the following likely values are assumed: 0.1 mPa s for the H₂O viscosity; 3 MPa m^1/2 for the fracture toughness of the crustal rock. The application of the obtained results to the transport of H₂O released during metamorphism suggests that the number density of isolated cracks propagating in the crust is very low. Since the propagation velocity is high, our model is suitable particularly for fluid transport through hot quartz-rich rock where fluid-filled cracks have geologically short lifetimes.