Self‐similar solution of a plane‐strain fracture driven by a power‐law fluid

This paper analyses the problem of a hydraulically driven fracture, propagating in an impermeable, linear elastic medium. The fracture is driven by injection of an incompressible, viscous fluid with power‐law rheology and behaviour index n?0. The opening of the fracture and the internal fluid pressure are related through the elastic singular integral equation, and the flow of fluid inside the crack is modelled using the lubrication theory. Under the additional assumptions of negligible toughness and no lag between the fluid front and the crack tip, the problem is reduced to self‐similar form. A solution that describes the crack length evolution, the fracture opening, the net fluid pressure and the fluid flow rate inside the crack is presented. This self‐similar solution is obtained by expanding the fracture opening in a series of Gegenbauer polynomials, with the series coefficients calculated using a numerical minimization procedure. The influence of the fluid index n in the crack propagation is also analysed. Copyright © 2002 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Geochronology, Geochemistry, Fluid Inclusion and C, O Isotope Compositions of Calcite Veins in the Paleogene of the Jiangling Basin, South China: Implications for Fluid Evolution and Brine Potash Mineralization

Deep-seated potassium-rich brines were identified in the Jiangling Basin, South China. Although magmatic-hydrothermal sources have been proposed, the relationship between brine-type potash mineralization and volcanism remains unclear. In this study, U-Pb geochronology, geochemistry, fluid inclusion and C-O isotopic compositions of hydrothermal vein minerals in the Jiangling Basin are examined. Laser ablation U-Pb dating of calcite veins indicates that the ages are slightly younger than the formation age of the Balingshan basalt. Fluid inclusions in hydrothermal minerals show medium–low homogenization temperatures (160–220°C) and low salinities (0.14 to 4.9 wt% NaCl eqv.) and densities (0.882–0.944 g/cm3). The liquid compositions of fluid inclusions in calcite veins from sedimentary strata have higher contents of potassium, compared with those from basalt. The coupled negative δ13CPDB (?10.3‰ to ?8.0‰) and positive δ18OSMOW (17.4‰ to 20.7‰) values imply that calcite precipitation resulted from CO2 degassing of the basaltic magmatic fluids, as indicated by the gas composition of these inclusions in hydrothermal minerals. Rare earth element patterns indicate that water-rock interaction between hydrothermal fluids and sedimentary wall rocks contributed to the calcite precipitation in sedimentary strata. It is proposed that high-temperature water-rock interaction between magmatic fluids and sedimentary strata resulted in the potassium enrichment in fluids, interpreted as one of the sources of potassium-rich brines in the Jiangling Basin.     

3D Modeling and Determination of Factors Responsible for Zinc-Lead Mineralization in the Mehdiabad Deposit, Central Iran, based on Statistical Analysis of Geochemical Data

Although the Mehdiabad zinc-lead deposit is one of the most well-known deposits in the central Iran structural zone, the genesis of the deposit remains controversial. The host rock of the ore is a dolomitic limestone of the Lower Cretaceous Taft Formation. In the two main orebodies of the deposit, which includes the Black Hill and East Ridge ore zones, the oxide and sulfide ores are observed at the surface and at depth, respectively. The elements Zn, Fe, Mn and Mg are more abundant in the East Ridge ore zone (in both sulfide and oxide ores), with Ba, Pb, Ag and Cu being more abundant in the Black Hill oxide ore. Based on the distribution of elements and their correlation with each other in these ore zones, the elements are divided into three general groups, that of terrigenous elements, chemically-deposited elements and ore-forming (hydrothermally deposited) elements, a division that is supported by the results of factor analyses. The spatial distribution of elements is jointly affected by contact with host rocks, the boundary of oxide-sulfide ores and fault zones. The main factors governing the distribution of elements are the mechanical transfer of detrital sediments, chemical sedimentation, transfer by hydrothermal fluids, oxidation and surface dissolution, all of which affected the spatial distribution of elements. The ore-forming elements are mostly affected by hydrothermal fluids and oxidation. This study not only provides additional information about the genesis of the Mehdiabad deposit, but also could assist in the exploitation of ore and further exploration purposes. The results of this study can aid in the exploration and exploitation of the Mehdiabad deposit and similar deposits in the region.     

Rodingites from the Veria-Naousa ophiolite (Greece): Mineralogical evolution,metasomatism and petrogenetic processes

In the Veria-Naousa ophiolitic complex (north Greece), rodingite appears mainly in the form of cross cutting dykes within serpentinised peridotites. It is distinguished into three types, based upon the provenance of its protoliths, textural characteristics, mineralogical assemblages and geochemical affinities. Type I rodigites were derived from boninitic diabasic protoliths and their mineralogical assemblage include garnet + clinopyroxene + chlorite. Type II rodingites were formed at the expense of gabbroic precursors, comprising clinopyroxene + garnet + vesuvianite ± quartz, whereas Type III rodingites replaced diabasic tholeiitic protoliths comprising of garnets + vesuvianite + clinopyroxene + chlorite. Rodingitisation resulted in desilification, decrease of alkalies, Al, Fe, Mg and increase in Ca contents. In Type I rodingites the MREE (middle rare earth elements) and HREE (heavy rare earth elements) were slightly reduced. Type II rodingites experienced LREE (light rare earth elements) depletions, whereas MREE and HREE remained fairly stable. Restricted mobility of REE in Type III rodingites is assigned to shallow-level rodingitisation under decreasing pH.Rodingitisation occured in two distinct stages at fore-arc settings. The first stage occured under mildly oxidising conditions and enhanced CO₂/H₂O ratios. This stage affected the protoliths of all rodingite types. The second rodingitisation stage occured under more oxidising conditions and lower CO₂/H₂O ratios, which corresponds to the exhumation stage of the serpentinite-rodingite formations. Types II and III rodingites were subjected to further rodingitisation under the increasing influence of slab-derived hydrous phases at shallower depths, leading to the formation of late-stage andradite and vesuvianite. All stages of rodingitisation are estimated to have occurred under relatively moderate temperatures and pressure (~300 to 450 °C; ~2–6 kbar respectively).     

新城金矿稳定同位素地球化学特征及成矿物质的来源

新城金矿是胶东金矿集区招远—莱州成矿带的一个"焦家式"蚀变型金矿床。本文主要通过C、H、O、S、Pb同位素研究,对新城金矿成矿流体、物质来源和成矿作用进行探讨和研究。新城金矿矿石中δD值范围为-116‰~-91‰,δ18O水值范围为3.8‰~7.2‰,表明成矿流体早期来源于岩浆水,成矿晚期混入大气降水。矿石硫化物、郭家岭花岗闪长岩、玲珑花岗岩和胶东群δ34S平均值分为7.9‰、6.5‰、8.5‰和6.2‰,认为矿石硫具有对矿区地层及岩浆岩硫的继承性。硫化物矿石206Pb/204Pb=17.115~17.414,207Pb/204Pb=15.460~15.577,208Pb/204Pb=37.912~38.196,显示铅具有壳幔混合来源的特征。碳、氢、氧、硫、铅同位素反映新城金矿成矿物质和流体主要来源于深部岩浆。     

金属矿床的成矿流体成分和流体包裹体

自然界中的成矿流体按其主要成分,可分为:(1)岩浆,即形成岩浆矿床的岩浆;(2)以H2O为主的流体(含Na Cl);(3)以CO2为主的流体。地壳中的流体类型很多,只有含一定金属元素含量的,并且达到一定浓度时才称为金属矿床的成矿流体。基于对矿床中流体包裹体和天然成矿流体中金属种类和含量的测定,这些金属矿床的成矿流体按金属元素含量可以分为五组,成矿流体可以来自岩浆、岩浆热液、大气降水、盆地卤水和变质流体等地质环境。     

地质流体对砂岩储层黏土矿物的影响——以渤海海域古近系为例

根据偏光显微镜、扫描电镜和X-衍射等分析手段获取的数据和资料,分析对比了早期沉积水介质、幔源CO2流体、大气水、超压流体和充注烃类等对储层黏土矿物的控制作用。研究表明,早期沉积水介质是储层黏土矿物的决定性因素,微咸水-半咸水湖盆储层黏土矿物以伊利石为主,淡水湖盆储层黏土矿物以高岭石为主;幔源CO2流体侵位后带来明显的储层改造和热波动效应,储层中I/S中S%含量低于同深度泥岩,储层中高岭石含量明显偏高。欠压实超压储层中黏土演化明显滞后,表现在I/S中S%含量低于同深度泥岩和常压储层。油气层高岭石含量往往远高于相近深度的水层,可能与充注烃类携带的有机酸的溶蚀作用有关,另外,烃类充注后形成的惰性成岩环境也有利于高岭石的保存,高岭石的高含量带常与油层及高渗层相对应;受大气水淋滤的储层,以长石大量溶蚀,富含高岭石为特征,储层孔隙度一般较高。     

江西大湖塘超大型钨矿初始岩浆流体出溶——来自似伟晶岩壳的记录

江西大湖塘地区是江南造山带中段九岭矿集区内近年查明的世界级超大型钨矿产地,白钨矿体主要呈细脉浸染状缓倾于中粗粒黑云母花岗闪长岩中。位于区内一矿带的成矿母岩顶部发育完好的似伟晶岩壳,壳层的组构特征明显,由母岩向含矿围岩,依次为似斑状黑云母花岗岩→长英质细晶岩→石英长石似伟晶岩→长石石英似伟晶岩→含白钨矿黑云母花岗闪长岩。壳内石英的阴极发光岩相学研究显示,石英巨晶、斑晶、基质和石英脉大多经历了早阶段主晶石英,中阶段扩散交代石英和晚阶段渗滤充填石英3个生长阶段。微量元素研究表明,早阶段石英的生长是一个流体加速沉淀的过程,中阶段和晚阶段流体对主晶石英均有叠加改造,其微量元素呈降低趋势。各类石英均表现为富碱金属元素、中高温（≥483℃）、低Li/Al（0.01~0.50,大多小于0.24）的地球化学特征,反映了成矿流体为岩浆水来源,石英的生长具有岩浆—热液过渡性质。综合研究表明,大湖塘一矿带似伟晶岩壳是初始含矿岩浆流体出溶的产物,其形成过程中动态的物理化学条件促进了成矿元素W由母岩向围岩搬运富集。     

Refined conceptualization of TOPMODEL for shallow subsurface flows

The TOPMODEL framework was used to derive expressions that account for saturated and unsaturated flow through shallow soil on a hillslope. The resulting equations were the basis for a shallow‐soil TOPMODEL (STOPMODEL). The common TOPMODEL theory implicitly assumes a water table below the entire watershed and this does not conceptually apply to systems hydrologically controlled by shallow interflow of perched groundwater. STOPMODEL provides an approach for extending TOPMODEL's conceptualization to apply to shallow, interflow‐driven watersheds by using soil moisture deficit instead of water table depth as the state variable. Deriving STOPMODEL by using a hydraulic conductivity function that changes exponentially with soil moisture content results in equations that look very similar to those commonly associated with TOPMODEL. This alternative way of conceptualizing TOPMODEL makes the modelling approach available to researchers, planners, and engineers who work in areas where TOPMODEL was previously believed to be unsuited, such as the New York City Watershed in the Catskills region of New York State. Copyright © 2002 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Seepage response along an alluvial valley in a semi‐arid catchment in north‐central California

Over a period of 12 months, soil moisture content and potential was monitored in an annual‐grass‐dominated 20 ha catchment in order to determine flow paths leading to exfiltration at the catchment outlet. Water was found to enter the catchment valley either through flow originating in the slopes or through surface infiltration during rainfall events. Although subsurface flow from the slopes to the catchment outlet occurred throughout the year, surface recharge was restricted to a few events during the wet season. In the deeper saturated profile of the valley, flow was directed upwards along the valley edges and gradually became horizontal towards the central axis of the valley. During the peak of the rainfall season, horizontal flow close to the catchment outlet intercepted the gradually sloping surface, resulting in exfiltration. Plants influenced the hydrology of the catchment by removing moisture from the root zone during spring and early summer, resulting in evapotranspiration losses from the vadose zone. Heterogeneities within the valley soil were evident as variable‐permeability layers that resulted in a seasonally confined water table within the valley. This investigation shows that the vadose zone plays an important role in redistributing surface recharge and emphasizes the importance of accounting for effective moisture in low‐yielding catchments with ephemeral surface runoff. Copyright © 2002 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.