Fluid sources for the La Guitarra epithermal deposit (Temascaltepec district, Mexico): Volatile and helium isotope analyses in fluid inclusions

The La Guitarra deposit (Temascaltepec district, South-Central Mexico), belongs to the low/intermediate sulfidation epithermal type, has a polymetallic character although it is currently being mined for Ag and Au. The mineralization shows a polyphasic character and formed through several stages and sub-stages (named I, IIA, IIB, IIC, IID, and III). The previous structural, mineralogical, fluid inclusion and stable isotope studies were used to constrain the selection of samples for volatile and helium isotope analyses portrayed in this study. The N₂/Ar overall range obtained from analytical runs on fluid inclusion volatiles, by means of Quadrupole Mass Spectrometry (QMS), is 0 to 2526, and it ranges 0 to 2526 for stage I, 0 to 1264 for stage IIA, 0 to 1369 for stage IIB, 11 to 2401 for stage IIC, 19 to 324 for stage IID, and 0 to 2526 for stage III. These values, combined with the CO₂/CH₄ ratios, and N₂-He-Ar and N₂-CH₄-Ar relationships, suggest the occurrence of fluids from magmatic, crustal, and shallow meteoric sources in the forming epithermal vein deposit. The helium isotope analyses, obtained by means of Noble Gas Mass Spectrometry, display R/Ra average values between 0.5 and 2, pointing to the occurrence of mantle-derived helium that was relatively diluted or “contaminated” by crustal helium. These volatile analyses, when correlated with the stable isotope data from previous works and He isotope data, show the same distribution of data concerning sources for mineralizing fluids, especially those corresponding to magmatic and crustal sources. Thus, the overall geochemical data from mineralizing fluids are revealed as intrinsically consistent when compared to each other.The three main sources for mineralizing fluids (magmatic, and both deep and shallow meteoric fluids) are accountable at any scale, from stages of mineralization down to specific mineral associations. The volatile and helium isotope data obtained in this paper suggest that the precious metal-bearing mineral associations formed after hydrothermal pulses of predominantly oxidized magmatic fluids, and thus it is likely that precious metals were carried by fluids with such origin. Minerals from base-metal sulfide associations record both crustal and magmatic sources for mineralizing fluids, thus suggesting that base metals could be derived from deep leaching of crustal rocks. At the La Guitarra epithermal deposit there is no evidence for an evolution of mineralizing fluids towards any dominant source. Rather than that, volatile analyses in fluid inclusions suggest that this deposit formed as a pulsing hydrothermal system where each pulse or set of pulses accounts for different compositions of mineralizing fluids.The positive correlation between the relative content of magmatic fluids (high N₂/Ar ratios) and H₂S suggests that the necessary sulfur to carry mostly gold as bisulfide complexes came essentially from magmatic sources. Chlorine necessary to carry silver and base metals was found to be abundant in inclusion fluids and although there is no evidence about its source, it is plausible that it may come from magmatic sources as well.     

High-resolution shallow seismic identification of gas escape features in the sediments of Loch Tay, Scotland: tectonic and microbiological associations

High-resolution seismic reflection profiles (3·5 kHz) have revealed the presence of extensive interstitial gas accumulation within the sedimentary sequences of Loch Tay, Scotland, as identified by acoustic turbidity masking the seismic stratigraphy. Within the central section of the loch, in the deepest water area directly above the zone of the seismically active Loch Tay Fault, focused flows of gas through the sediment pile to the loch bed via chimneys and pockmarks, together with gas seeps within the water column, have been identified. Microbiological observations indicate that the gas is biogenic CH₄, produced by both chemoautotrophic (which use CO₂ as a source of carbon and H₂ as a source of energy) and aceticlastic species (which use acetate as a source of carbon and energy) of methanogens in the fine-grained, organic rich deposits that have been focused into the zone of accumulation in the deep central part of the loch. The spatial distribution of the gas escape features suggests that earthquake movements along the Loch Tay Fault are responsible for facilitating focused gas escape in this part of the loch, by the creation of new pathways and conduits through the sediment pile, along which gas can migrate upwards and exit into the water column. Relict pockmarks and associated chimneys identified in the seismic records indicate that gas escape has been taking place since Pleistocene times though the precise timings cannot be ascertained. This is the first time that such features have been reported from a lake in the UK.     

Rock fracturing by explosive energy: review of state-of-the-art

A study of the dynamic rock fracture initiation and propagation due to explosive energy is presented through a detailed state-of-the-art review. Explosive energy dissipation in crushing and fracturing is examined and the various means to enhance the explosive energy utilization for dynamic rock fracturing are reviewed. The study highlights the need for a better understanding of the dynamic fracturing process particularly in the presence of in situ stresses in the rock mass.     

苏鲁超高压变质岩区深部流体He-Ar的系统关系：中国大陆科学钻探工程在线流体监测的解析

中国大陆科学钻探工程在线监测从泥浆中分离出的气体地球化学组成揭示了一段重要的气体异常,从2004年12月24日夜里开始到12月29日晚上结束。从12月10日到24日晚上11点30分的气体的Ar、He和N2基本上沿着趋势A分布,而12月26日早上7点半到29日晚上7点半的数据沿趋势C分布。相对于趋势A,趋势C中的气体含有相对升高的Ar,Ar/He和Ar/N2的平均值分别为3653和0.0142,明显高于空气的比值1800和0.0119。趋势A中的气体的Ar/He和Ar/N2比值分别围绕1851和0.0118变化,其中的Ar/He比值稍微高于空气的比值,但Ar/N2比值近似于空气比值,表明背景地下流体含非常低的Ar,而He和N2主要是大气组分。在趋势A和趋势C之间的数据(时间段B)具有和空气接近的Ar/N2比值,但平均Ar/He比值为3265,明显高于空气比值,反映了该段气体具有相对亏损的He。苏鲁-大别山地区的热年代学研究已经表明云母和角闪石的Ar/Ar的冷却年龄大大地高于磷灰石或锆石的He的冷却年龄,说明Ar在超高压变质地体折返早期就已封闭,而He一直保持开放状态,直到超高压变质岩接近地表。这种Ar和He对温度变化的不同反应,导致大部分的He在超高压岩石折返过程中脱气并释放到空气中,Ar则相对圈闭在固体岩石或封闭的断裂带中。在He-Ar的系统关系上,表现为来自于超高压岩石或断裂带中的流体具有富集Ar、亏损He及升高的Ar/He比值。气体组分从趋势A向趋势C的骤然跳跃,反映了地下流体组分的强烈变化,即具有相对富集Ar的深部流体的贡献大大增强。     

野外简易脱气装置简介

根据水力学原理结合水氡在实验室分析中水样鼓泡脱气的方法 ,进行了大量的野外试验 ,研制开发了野外简易脱气装置。通过几个月的试观测 ,脱气装置气流稳定 ,脱气效率高 ,完全可以满足自动化观测仪器对气量的需求。该装置解决了地下水化学在野外冷水泉无法进行气体观测的难题 ,而且制作简单、费用低廉 ,非常便于推广。     

超声提取-气相色谱法测定覆盖区土壤中的六六六和滴滴涕

将超声波提取技术引入到覆盖区土壤样品六六六、滴滴涕组分的预处理中，建立了超声提取，磺化法净化，气相色谱测定的分析方法。对被测组分在超声波提取中的稳定性进行了试验，对超声提取时间、提取温度、提取溶剂用量以及磺化净化过程可能导致组分损失的各种相关条件逐个试验筛选，采用样品加标回收法对六六六、滴滴涕的8种组分进行了两种浓度的精密度和准确度试验，RSD值均小于10％，平均回收率92．5％-103．9％。方法对各种异构体的六六六、滴滴涕的最低检测浓度为0．30-3．89ng／g。     

灾害预报与鸡西煤矿瓦斯爆炸事件

2002年上半年,伴随着厄尔尼诺现象的日益加剧,全球性重大自然灾害频繁发生.6月20日发生在中国黑龙江省鸡西煤矿的瓦斯爆炸事件和6月22日发生在伊朗的强烈地震,时间恰逢月亮近地潮的6月19日和太阳潮半日形变最大值的夏至的6月21日附近,是地球形变和排气较强烈的时段.据国内外有关资料,月球与地球发震有关系的重要条件是“近地点兼朔、望”以及各大行星特定位置的配合,张元东称之为“特殊天象组合期”[1];郭增建等提出,月亮赤纬角或太阳黄赤交角最大时地球形变和排气最强烈[2～5].在此期间,中国各种大的突发性灾难,如空难、海难、火车事故、矿…     

浅述五大连池火山区浅层气体钍、氡与断裂构造和火山活动的关系

在五大连池火山区流体化学研究原有工作的基础上，对火山群的重要区段开展了野外踏勘、气体普查，特别是用放射性气体测量方法对火烧山、老黑山、笔架山、药泉山等火山区进行了Tn、Rn测量。通过大量实测资料，分析和研究了Tn、Rn等气体和火山、火山活动、断裂构造、断裂活动性及其他地质条件的关系，初步查明了五大连池火山区的气体组成特征、分布和形成规律，对地下主要气体的成因、气体和火山构造活动及其它地质条件的关系进行了初步探讨，并提出了对五大连池火山区气体观测的初步设想和建议。     

天然气水合物似海底反射层的全波形反演

建立了天然气水合物似海底反射层(BSR)研究的全波形反演方法. 这是一种将 水平层状弹性介质的反射共中心点道集转换为截距时间-水平慢度域的反演方法. 反演过程 中采用了全局搜索方法与非线性局部搜索方法. 分两步进行. 第一步是根据走时数据应用非 常快速模拟算法求得速度结构的长波长分量. 第二步，利用波形资料用共轭梯度法求得速度 的短波长扰动分量. 这样，最后反演得到的速度结构模型包含了长波长与短波长分量. 反演 中利用了多网格参数化技术. 日本东南海海槽双BSR的速度结构的反演表明，全波形反演是 天然气水合物BSR研究的重要手段之一.     

天然气水合物体系动态演化研究(Ⅲ):水合物的产生、聚集和分解

从天然气水合物的产生、聚集和分解，分析天然气水合物的动态演化过程，沉积压实、地温梯度、构造运动以及深部流体对水合物产生的效率起决定作用，根据流体的运移和天然气水合物在水合物稳定带中的分布状况，天然气水合物的聚集可以分为构造聚集、地层聚集和混合聚集三种模式，当由于各种原因引起海底温压条件变化时，天然气水合物会发生分解，水合物也会在水体中上浮，在这个过程中，水合物的分解速率能高出其溶解速率二至三个数量级，海底泥火山、甲烷气柱、甲烷气裂缝、双似海底反射等大量的证据，都有助于揭示天然气水合物体系的动态演化的特征，弄清楚天然气水合物的动态演化过程对于我们未来对这种潜在能源的开发利用，并分析其在全球变化、碳循环以及海底滑坡中所起的作用有着相当重要的意义。