Gold ore-forming fluids of the Tanami region, Northern Australia

Fluid inclusion studies have been carried out on major gold deposits and prospects in the Tanami region to determine the compositions of the associated fluids and the processes responsible for gold mineralization. Pre-ore, milky quartz veins contain only two-phase aqueous inclusions with salinities ≤19 wt% NaCl eq. and homogenization temperatures that range from 110 to 410°C. In contrast, the ore-bearing veins typically contain low to moderate salinity (<14 wt% NaCl eq.), H₂O + CO₂ ± CH₄ ± N₂-bearing fluids. The CO₂-bearing inclusions coexist with two-phase aqueous inclusions that exhibit a wider range of salinities (≤21 wt% NaCl eq.). Post-ore quartz and carbonate veins contain mainly two-phase aqueous inclusions, with a last generation of aqueous inclusions being very CaCl₂-rich. Salinities range from 7 to 33 wt% NaCl eq. and homogenization temperatures vary from 62 to 312°C. Gold deposits in the Tanami region are hosted by carbonaceous or iron-rich sedimentary rocks and/or mafic rocks. They formed over a range of depths at temperatures from 200 to 430°C. The Groundrush deposit formed at the greatest temperatures and depths (260–430°C and ≤11 km), whereas deposits in the Tanami goldfield formed at the lowest temperatures (≥200°C) and at the shallowest depths (1.5–5.6 km). There is also evidence in the Tanami goldfield for late-stage isothermal mixing with higher salinity (≤21 wt% NaCl eq.) fluids at temperatures between 100 and 200°C. Other deposits (e.g., The Granites, Callie, and Coyote) formed at intermediate depths and at temperatures ranging from 240 to 360°C. All ore fluids contained CO₂ ± N₂ ± CH₄, with the more deeply formed deposits being enriched in CH₄ and higher level deposits being enriched in CO₂. Fluids from deposits hosted mainly by sedimentary rocks generally contained appreciable quantities of N₂. The one exception is the Tanami goldfield, where the quartz veins were dominated by aqueous inclusions with rare CO₂-bearing inclusions. Calculated δ ¹⁸O values for the ore fluids range from 3.8 to 8.5‰ and the corresponding δD values range from −89 to −37‰. Measured δ ¹³C values from CO₂ extracted from fluid inclusions ranged from −5.1 to −8.4‰. These data indicate a magmatic or mixed magmatic/metamorphic source for the ore fluids in the Tanami region. Interpretation of the fluid inclusion, alteration, and structural data suggests that mineralization may have occurred via a number of processes. Gold occurs in veins associated with brittle fracturing and other dilational structures, but in the larger deposits, there is also an association with iron-rich rocks or carbonaceous sediments, suggesting that both structural and chemical controls are important. The major mineralization process appears to be boiling/effervescence of a gas-rich fluid, which leads to partitioning of H₂S into the vapor phase resulting in gold precipitation. However, some deposits also show evidence of desulfidation by fluid–rock interaction and/or reduction of the ore-fluid by fluid mixing. These latter processes are generally more prevalent in the higher crustal-level deposits.     

闽北前寒武纪变质岩的P—T—t轨迹和其形成的动力学过程

闻北前寒武纪变质岩是华夏古陆基底的重要组成部分。本文通过对闽北麻源群和马面山群变质岩详细的变质变形关系的研究和石榴子石环带测定P-T-t轨迹的应用,结合构造地质和同位素年代学的资料,证实了麻源群变质岩形成于早元古代或更老年代,在早元古代末期遭受过中压、中高温变质,但在晚元古代晋宁期与中元古代形成的马面山群岩石一起经历了强烈的变质变形作用,表现为早元古代麻源群岩石遭受强烈改造,具有早期地壳再活化特点。麻源群岩石完整的晋宁期变质P-T-t轨迹不支持正常大陆碰撞的假说,它的形成与异常的地幔热流有关,很可能为一种地壳增厚和地幔减薄的动力学模式。     

泰国北部三叠系Lampang群Doi Long组的有孔虫组合与沉积环境

A rich foraminiferal assemblage, consisting of abundant Aulotortus sinuosus and A. tumidus in association with Lamelliconus multispirus, Endoteba ex gr. controversa, E. ex gr. badouxi, Endotebanella kocaeliensis, Endotriada tyrrhenica, Endotriadella wirzi, Malayspirina fontainei, Ammobaculites rhaeticus, Diplotremina astrofimbriata, Agathammina austroalpina, and others, was found in the Doi Long Formation of the Triassic Lampang Group, Northern Thailand. These foraminifers suggest that the formation is referable to the Carnian (early Late Triassic), which is consistent with the age estimated by ammonoids. In microfacies, peloidal grainstone, bioclastic grainstone, sponge-microbial boundstone, and oolitic grainstone were recognized in the Doi Long Formation. Based on microfacies, three depositional facies, the lagoon facies, reef facies, and shoal facies, are recognized in this formation. These lines of evidence are suggestive that the Doi Long Formation was deposited in a reef or bank setting rather than a ramp setting.     

Nature and role of CO2 in some hot and cold HCO3/Na/CO2-rich Portuguese mineral waters: a review and reinterpretation

 At the northern part of the Portuguese mainland, the upflow zone of several hot and cold HCO₃/Na/CO₂-rich mineral waters is mainly associated with important NNE–SSW faults. Several geochemical studies have been carried out on thermal and non-thermal hydromineral manifestations that occur along or near these long tectonic alignments. The slight chemical differences that exist between these meteoric hot and cold HCO₃/Na/CO₂-rich mineral waters seem to be mainly caused by CO₂. δ¹³C_(TIDC) values observed in these groundwaters range between –6.00 and –1.00‰ versus V-PDB (V denotes Vienna, the site of the International Atomic Energy Agency; PDB originates from the CaCO₃ of the rostrum of a Cretaceous belemnite, Belemnitella americana, collected in the Peedee formation of South Carolina, USA) indicating a deep-seated (mantle) origin for most of the CO₂. Nevertheless, in the case of the heavier δ¹³C_(TIDC) values, the contribution of metamorphic CO₂ or the dissolution of carbonate rock levels at depth cannot be excluded. Concerning the hot waters, the lack of a positive ¹⁸O-shift should be attributed to water-rock interaction in a low temperature environment, rather than to the isotopic influence of CO₂ on the δ¹⁸O-value of the waters. Received: 9 August 1999 · Accepted: 8 March 2000     

Le Silurien de la région d'Oulad Abbou (Meseta occidentale,Maroc) : une sédimentation péritidale sous contrôle tectonique

In the Oulad Abbou syncline, western coastal Meseta, the Silurian deposits exhibit siliciclastic or mixed siliciclastic/carbonate tidal facies that recorded alkaline basalt flows and syn-sedimentary deformations. These facies are staked into peritidal shallowing upward sequences reflecting the evolution from an infratidal to a supratidal environment. These sequences recorded low-amplitude and high-frequency sea-level variations. The built-up of these rhythmic sequences is related to distensive tectonic that allowed the development of isolated platform from extensive siliciclastic influx. This tectonic event is well recorded in the palaeogeographic evolution of the northern Gondwana platform during the Lower Palaeozoic time. To cite this article: A. Attou, N. Hamoumi, C. R. Geoscience 336 (2004).     

Late Jurassic-Early Cretaceous Northern Qaidam Basin, NW China: Implications for the earliest Cretaceous intracontinental tectonism

Formation of Mesozoic western China, which was dominated by tectonic amalgamation along its southern margin and associated intracontinental tectonisms, holds a key for interpreting the succedent Cenozoic evolution. This paper presents new data including lithology, sedimentary facies, stratigraphic contact, seismic interpretation and paleo-structures within the Upper Jurassic-Lower Cretaceous strata in the northern Qaidam Basin, NW China. These data all account for a contractional tectonic deformation in the earliest Cretaceous. The South Qilian Shan, according to the sedimentary features and provenance analysis, reactivated and exhumated during the deformation, controlling the deposition of the Lower Cretaceous sequences. A simplified model for the Late Jurassic-Early Cretaceous paleogeography and tectonics of the northern Qaidam Basin is accordingly proposed. The results also support a ∼25° clockwise rotation of the Qaidam Basin since the Early Cretaceous and a more accurate Mesozoic evolution process for the basin. This earliest Cretaceous deformation, associated with the reactivation of the South Qilian Shan at the time, are part of the intracontinental tectonisms in central Asia during the Mesozoic, and probably driven by both the closure of the Mongol-Okhostk Ocean to the north and the collision of the Lhasa and the Qiangtang blocks to the south.     

南海北部深水盆地沉积-构造的差异性及其油气意义

南海北部深水区自西向东依次分布着琼东南盆地、珠江口盆地、台西南盆地等新生代被动陆缘盆地,这些盆地经历了大致相当的从裂陷到坳陷的构造演化史,但在张裂活动过程中存在着明显的沉积-构造的差异性。构造沉降特征分析显示:在同一构造带上自西向东有盆地主要构造沉降发生的时段逐步变晚的趋势;在不同构造带上自北向南有盆地主要构造沉降发生的时段逐步变晚的趋势。这种沉积-构造的差异性对烃源岩的发育类型、分布及生储盖组合等方面有明显的控制作用,表现为:裂谷期构造沉降幅度大的盆地,陆相烃源岩发育,以陆生陆储陆盖型成藏组合为主;裂后期构造沉降幅度大的盆地,海相烃源岩发育规模较大,海生海储海盖型成藏组合及混生海储海盖型生储盖组合所占分量逐渐增多。推测渐新统湖相-湖沼相及海陆过渡相源岩和中新统海相烃源岩应是南海北部深水区油气的主要来源,陆生海储海盖型、海生海储海盖型及混生海储海盖型生储盖组合应是深水区基本生储盖组合类型。     

新疆东准噶尔老鸦泉富碱花岗岩型锡矿床地质及成矿流体

老鸦泉碱性花岗岩位于新疆北部东准噶尔地区。老鸦泉碱性花岗岩体及其内卡姆斯特、干梁子锡矿床的矿石和岩石的岩矿鉴定、稀土元素以及流体包裹体的系统研究表明,老鸦泉碱性花岗岩及其内的花岗斑岩及含矿石英岩、云英岩化锡矿体、石英脉锡矿体,实际上是富碱花岗质岩浆逐渐分异演化的同源和最终产物,锡成矿流体为中-高温、低盐度。碱性岩浆晚期分异的大量气水热液富锡、富硅、富碱、富含F、Cl、SO²₄离子及离子团,其氧逸度高、酸度高、温度高,这种热液引起花岗岩体的硅化、云英岩化等自变质作用,在该作用中随温度、压力的降低及CH₄等还原性气体及CO₂气体的逃逸,改变了成矿流体的氧化-还原环境,流体向相对还原及碱性条件转化,在新的氧化还原、酸碱度界面条件下,其携带的锡的络合物不稳定而分解,锡沉淀成矿。     

GEOLOGICAL SIGNIFICANT OF SPOROPOLLEN ASSEMBLAGE IN THE XUESHAN FORMATION

GEOLOGICAL SIGNIFICANT OF SPOROPOLLEN ASSEMBLAGE IN THE XUESHAN FORMATION     

新疆北天山西段P波、S波衰减特征研究

针对2008年1月至2011年12月发生在新疆北天山西段的地震事件,分析新源、温泉和巴仑台3个台站记录到的波形资料,采取尾波归一化方法,计算出P、S波在多个频率点f的衰减系数Q-1P、Q-1S,利用最小二乘法拟合得到Q-1=Q0fη,得到该区域P波衰减系数和S波衰减系数。结果表明,新源研究区关于P波、S波的衰减指数为-0.982 1、-0.978 1;温泉研究区关于P波、S波的衰减指数为-1.049 7、-0.773 8;巴仑台研究区关于P波、S波的衰减指数为-0.870 0、-0.956 8。与中国云南地区关于P波、S波衰减结果相比,新源研究区域与云南的禄劝研究区地下介质衰减特性比较一致。