Fluid unmixing/immiscibility as an ore-forming process in the giant REE–Nb–Fe deposit, Inner Mongolian, China: Evidence from fluid inclusions

The giant Bayan Obo REE–Nb–Fe deposit consists of replacement bodies hosted in dolomite marble made up of magnetite, REE fluorocarbonates, fluorite, aegirine, amphibole, calcite and barite. Two or three phase CO₂-rich, three phase hypersaline liquid–vapor–solid, and two phase liquid-rich inclusions have been recognized in mineralized fluorite and quartz samples. Microthermometry measurements indicate that the carbonic phase in CO₂-rich inclusions is nearly pure CO₂. Fluids involving in REE–Nb–Fe mineralization at Bayan Obo might be mainly of H₂O–CO₂–NaCl–(F–REE) system. Coexistences of brine inclusions and CO₂-rich inclusions with similar homogenization temperatures give evidence that immiscibility happened during REE mineralization. An unmixing of an original H₂O–CO₂–NaCl fluid probably derived from carbonatitic magma. The presence of REE-carbonates as an abundant solid in fluid inclusions shows that the original ore-forming fluids are very rich in REE, and therefore, have the potential to produce economic REE ores at Bayan Obo.     

Mineral and fluid inclusions in zircon of UHP metamorphic rocks from the CCSD-main drill hole: A record of metamorphism and fluid activity

The Chinese Continental Scientific Drilling (CCSD) main drill hole (0–3000 m) in Donghai, southern Sulu orogen, consists of eclogite, paragneiss, orthogneiss, schist and garnet peridotite. Detailed investigations of Raman, cathodoluminescence, and microprobe analyses show that zircons from most eclogites, gneisses and schists have oscillatory zoned magmatic cores with low-pressure mineral inclusions of Qtz, Pl, Kf and Ap, and a metamorphic rim with relatively uniform luminescence and eclogite-facies mineral inclusions of Grt, Omp, Phn, Coe and Rt. The chemical compositions of the UHP metamorphic mineral inclusions in zircon are similar to those from the matrix of the host rocks. Similar UHP metamorphic P–T conditions of about 770 °C and 32 kbar were estimated from coexisting minerals in zircon and in the matrix. These observations suggest that all investigated lithologies experienced a joint in situ UHP metamorphism during continental deep subduction. In rare cases, magmatic cores of zircon contain coesite and omphacite inclusions and show patchy and irregular luminescence, implying that the cores have been largely altered possibly by fluid–mineral interaction during UHP metamorphism.

Abundant H₂O–CO₂, H₂O- or CO₂-dominated fluid inclusions with low to medium salinities occur isolated or clustered in the magmatic cores of some zircons, coexisting with low-P mineral inclusions. These fluid inclusions should have been trapped during magmatic crystallization and thus as primary. Only few H₂O- and/or CO₂-dominated fluid inclusions were found to occur together with UHP mineral inclusions in zircons of metamorphic origin, indicating that UHP metamorphism occurred under relatively dry conditions. The diversity in fluid inclusion populations in UHP rocks from different depths suggests a closed fluid system, without large-scale fluid migration during subduction and exhumation.     

Postcollisional flow of aqueous fluid within ultrahigh-pressure eclogite in the Dabie orogen

A combined study of chronometric dating and oxygen isotope analysis for minerals from vein and host eclogite as well as regional country-rock gneiss in the Dabie orogen provides a direct constraint on timing of fluid flow in this orogen formed by continental collision. Oxygen isotope ratios of vein minerals are significantly lower than those of the host eclogite, but comparable with those of the regional gneiss. This suggests the veining fluid came from the regional gneiss (i.e. exhumed slab itself) rather than the host eclogite. While zircon U–Pb and phengite Ar–Ar dating yields ages of 214 to 222 Ma for the eclogite and gneiss, the vein gives a quartz–muscovite Rb–Sr isochron age of 181 Ma and a muscovite K–Ar age of 179 Ma. Thus the veining postdates the Triassic ultrahigh pressure metamorphic event, witnessing postcollisional fluid flow after the orogenic cycle of continental collision.     

Fluid inclusion studies of the Abawso gold prospect,near the Ashanti Belt,Ghana

The major Ghanaian lode gold deposits are preferentially aligned along the western and eastern contacts of the Kumasi Basin with the Ashanti and Sefwi Belts, respectively. The investigated area of the Abawso small-scale concession, covering the workings of the old Ettadom mine, is situated 3 km west of the lithological contact of the Birimian metavolcanic rocks of the Akropong Belt in the east with the Birimian metasedimentary rocks of the Kumasi Basin in the west. The rocks of the Abawso concession represent a steeply NW-dipping limb of a SE-verging anticline with an axis plunging to the SW. Quartz veining occurs predominantly in the form of en échelon dilatational veins along NNE–SSW-striking shear zones of a few metres width and shows evidence of brittle and ductile deformation. Also stockwork-style quartz veining occurs in the vicinity of the main shaft of the old Ettadom mine. Hydrothermal alteration includes sericitisation, sulphidation and locally carbonatisation. The auriferous quartz veins mainly follow the trend of brittle to ductile deformed quartz veins; however, some occur in stockwork. Fluid inclusion studies reveal a large number of H₂O inclusions along intragranular trails in auriferous quartz vein samples, as well as an overall dominance of H₂O and H₂O-CO₂ inclusions over CO₂ inclusions. Textural observations and physico-chemical fluid inclusion properties indicate post-entrapment modifications for all quartz vein samples due to grain boundary migration recrystallisation. This process is interpreted to be responsible for the generation of the CO₂ inclusions from a H₂O-CO₂ parent fluid. In comparison with mineralisation at the Ashanti and Prestea deposits, which are characterised by CO₂±N₂ inclusions, the observed inclusion assemblage may be due to a shallower crustal level of mineralisation, or different degrees and styles of recrystallisation, or a less pronounced development of laminated quartz veins due to comparably restricted pressure fluctuations. Furthermore, the microthermometric observations allow the reconstruction of a possible retrograde P-T path, depicting near-isothermal decompression in the P-T range of the brittle/ductile transition.Editorial handling: E. Frimmel     

三峡库区泥灰质岩石斜坡带构造对岩溶地质灾害的控制机理

三峡库区三叠系巴东组(T26)泥灰质岩石岩溶是移民迁建中发现的重大工程地质问题。泥灰质岩石中的构造非常复杂，包括老构造、新构造和表生构造，它们共同控制了岩溶作用。老构造中，褶皱和断裂带等局部构造控制着岩溶的重要部位和重要层位，节理和层理等小构造使岩溶普遍存在。新构造时期地表隆升和河流切割使岩体卸荷松动，岩溶通道扩宽。表生岩溶构造加密了岩溶通道，使岩溶作用增强。三峡库区泥灰质岩石斜坡带地质灾害形成的机理遵循着构造控制下岩溶发育的规律性，致使岩溶地质灾害具有范围广、规模大和结构复杂的特点。岩溶地质灾害的形式包括地面不均匀沉降、地裂缝、滑坡、崩塌、泥石流和地面塌陷。     

小秦岭金矿田北矿带厚覆盖层钻探技术难点及对策

针对小秦岭金矿田北矿带厚覆盖层钻孔施工存在的技术难点进行分析,从钻进方法、钻孔结构、泥浆护壁、工艺措施等方面,研究出解决厚覆盖层钻孔绳索取心钻进的技术对策和措施,在生产实践中较好地解决了技术难点问题,并取得了好的经济技术效果。     

流体包裹体方法在油气源追踪对比中的应用——以四川盆地碳酸盐岩大型气田为例

本文运用流体包裹体方法，基于薄片观察和岩矿学研究，探讨了四川盆地碳酸盐岩大型气田的气源。首先对包裹体的生源属性、多期捕获和后生变化进行了精细的鉴别分析。在此基础上，通过成岩自生矿物微量元素、包裹体相组成、均一温度、初熔温度等参数鉴别多期演化的油气充注。通过烃类包裹体化学成分初步鉴别出煤成气和油型气。根据烃类包裹体的相组成鉴别有机质可能来源于腐泥型源岩还是腐殖型源岩。最后根据同期包裹体生物标志物确定某一期次的油气所对应的烃源层。结果表明研究成果符合地质实际，为传统的油气源追踪对比研究提供了一个重要有效的辅助方法。     

南海南部陆缘地质流体类型及其油气成藏意义

南海南部陆缘蕴藏着非常丰富的油气资源。为了解南海南部陆缘流体活动系统以及与油气藏之间的关系,以高精度2D地震资料为基础,对南海南部陆缘流体活动系统的类型、地震反射特征、以及对油气成藏的意义开展了研究。在南海南部陆缘发现了多种流体活动系统,包括:泥底辟/泥火山、气烟囱、管状通道、与构造断层相关的流体活动系统。这些流体活动系统具有不同的地震反射特征,常常出现含气强振幅异常带、弱振幅杂乱反射带以及"下拉"或者"上拱"地震反射形态等流体活动系统的标志特征。流体活动系统受到构造运动和沉积因素的影响,并且与深部高温高压塑性流体密切相关,流体活动系统优先发育在地层薄弱部位。流体活动系统及所伴生的断裂和裂隙常常作为油气富集区的运输通道;并且流体活动系统所运移的强溶蚀性流体和深部热液流体有利于油气储层的形成,特别是对于碳酸盐岩储层的改造尤为明显。因此,流体活动系统不仅能作为油气运移通道,也可以改善储层,对油气成藏具有重要意义。     

北衙金矿多期热液成矿作用识别:来自地质、岩相学、流体包裹体和H-O-S同位素证据

北衙超大型金矿床是三江特提斯成矿域中喜山期斑岩-矽卡岩型矿床的典型代表,长期以来大量研究均围绕斑岩-矽卡岩成矿作用开展并取得了丰硕成果,然而对于北衙金矿是否存在多期热液成矿作用尚不明确。本次研究基于详细野外调查、岩相学与矿相学研究,流体包裹体显微测温及成分分析、H-O-S同位素分析等多种手段,识别了北衙金矿成矿晚期存在新一期热液成矿事件。主要证据如下:(1)野外调查发现北衙金矿发育NW向陡倾断裂控制的石英多金属硫化物脉,其切割矽卡岩矿体与矽卡岩晚期石英硫化物矿脉;(2)本次研究矿脉中原生流体包裹体类型主要为富CO_2三相水溶液包裹体、含CO_2三相水溶液包裹体及气液两相水溶液包裹体,而矽卡岩晚期硫化物脉中除上述三种类型外还发育含子晶三相水溶液包裹体;(3)成矿流体均一温度分布范围为204～426℃,盐度为1.0%～14.2%NaCleqv,整体表现为中高温、中低盐度的NaCl-CO_2-H_2O流体体系,而矽卡岩晚期硫化物脉成矿流体体系具有中温、中高盐度的特征;(4)该矿脉中石英的δ~(18)O、δD范围分别为7.5‰～9.4‰与-102.0‰～-75.0‰,指示岩浆水来源,而矽卡岩晚期硫化物脉具有岩浆水和大气水混合来源。本次研究的多金属硫化物矿脉δ~(34)S值范围为-0.97‰～1.40‰,与矽卡岩期和矽卡岩晚期硫化物脉中黄铁矿S同位素一致,表明多期矿化成矿物质均具有幔源贡献。结合北衙矿集区成岩成矿动力学背景,推测始新世大规模地壳拆沉、软流圈上涌导致的强烈的壳幔相互作用可能是北衙金矿多期成矿作用的诱因。     

滇西北雪鸡坪斑岩铜矿流体包裹体初步研究

雪鸡坪中型斑岩铜矿床位于三江地区义敦岛弧南端的中甸弧,成矿斑岩为石英闪长玢岩和石英二长斑岩,属于印支期产物。含矿岩体蚀变分带明显,由中心向外发育强硅化带→石英绢云母化带→粘土化-石英绢云母化带→青磐岩化带,工业矿体赋存于斑岩体中心强硅化和石英绢云母化带内。矿化类型以网脉状矿化为主,细脉浸染状矿化不发育。本文对主要矿化阶段石英脉中的流体包裹体系统进行了包裹体岩相学、显微测温学和激光拉曼谱学研究,发现与成矿有关的流体包裹体可以分为水溶液包裹体、CO2包裹体和含子矿物包裹体3类,子矿物主要为石盐、方解石、赤铁矿和少量CaCl2水合物及不透明硫化物。其中含子矿物包裹体均一温度为230～420℃,盐度为33．48％～75．40％NaCl equiv．,密度为1．01～1．09g／cm^3。激光拉曼光谱分析表明,包裹体的液相成分主要为H2O,气相成分为H2O和CO2。早期水溶液包裹体和CO2包裹体共生,其均一温度相近,以及纯CO2包裹体的发现,指示成矿流体存在不混溶现象,这种不混溶是由原始岩浆流体“二次沸腾”作用产生的。CO2相分离、温压条件降低和pH值升高是雪鸡坪斑岩铜矿硫化物沉淀的主要原因。晚期低温、低盐度的流体可能来源于大气降水与岩浆流体的混和,对矿化的意义不大。