The “El Pilote” fluorite skarn: A crucial deposit in the understanding and interpretation of the origin and mobilization of F from northern Mexico deposits

Fluorite deposits are widespread in northern Mexico and those deposits have traditionally been categorized as exclusively hydrothermal–magmatic in origin. Recently, two different fluorite-bearing type models have been proposed for the Northern Mexican deposits: (1) MVT-like deposits formed from basinal brines mobilized during the Laramide Orogeny (La Encantada deposit, Gonzalez-Partida et al., [Gonzalez-Partida, E., Carrillo-Chavez, A., Grimmer, J.O.W., Pironon, J., 2002. Petroleum-rich fluid inclusions in fluorite, Purisima mine, Coahuila, Mexico. International Geological Review 44 (8), 751–763.]; Tritlla et al., [Tritlla, J., Gonzalez-Partida, E., Levresse, G., Banks, D., Pironon, J., 2004. Fluorite deposits at Encantada-Buenavista, Mexico: products of Mississippi Valley type processes — a reply. Ore Geology Reviews 25, 329–332.]); and (2) fluorite-bearing skarns in close contact with rhyolite intrusives (Levinson, [Levinson, A.A., 1962. Beryllium–fluorine mineralization at Aguachile Mountain, Coahuila, Mexico. American Mineralogist 47, 67–75.]). The El Pilote fluorite deposit falls into the second category, and is the only known example of a magmatic-related fluorite deposit in the area. The fluorite trace-element patterns from both the El Pilote skarn and La Encantada MVT deposits display comparable and very low relative abundances as well as comparable chondrite-normalized REE patterns; this would suggest that the skarn F-source comes from the remobilization of a MVT fluorite manto.     

Multiphase structural evolution of the western margin of the Girardot subbasin, Upper Magdalena Valley, Colombia

More than 1400 km of two-dimensional seismic data were used to understand the geometries and structural evolution along the western margin of the Girardot Basin in the Upper Magdalena Valley. Horizons are calibrated against 50 wells and surface geological data (450 km of traverses). At the surface, low-angle dipping Miocene strata cover the central and eastern margins. The western margin is dominated by a series of en echelon synclines that expose Cretaceous–Oligocene strata. Most synclines are NNE–NE trending, whereas bounding thrusts are mainly NS oriented. Syncline margins are associated mostly with west-verging fold belts. These thrusts started deformation as early as the Eocene but were moderately to strongly reactivated during the Andean phase. The Girardot Basin fill records at least four stratigraphic sequences limited by unconformities. Several periods of structural deformation and uplifting and subsidence have affected the area. An early Tertiary deformation event is truncated by an Eocene unconformity along the western margin of the Girardot Basin. An Early Oligocene–Early Miocene folding and faulting event underlies the Miocene unconformity along the northern and eastern margin of the Girardot Basin. Finally, the Late Miocene–Pliocene Andean deformation folds and erodes the strata along the margins of the basin against the Central and Eastern Cordilleras.     

Thermal evolution of the orogenic lower crust during exhumation within a thickened Moldanubian root of the Variscan belt of Central Europe

At the eastern margin of the Bohemian Massif (Variscan belt of Central Europe), large bodies of felsic granulite preserve mineral assemblages and structures developed during the early stages of exhumation of the orogenic lower continental crust within the Moldanubian orogenic root. The development of an early steep fabric is associated with east–west-oriented compression and vertical extrusion of the high-grade rocks into higher crustal levels. The high-pressure mineral assemblage Grt-Ky-Kfs-Pl-Qtz-Liq corresponds to metamorphic pressures of ∼18 kbar at ∼850 °C, which are minimum estimates, whereas crystallization of biotite occurred at 13 kbar and ∼790 °C during decompression with slight cooling. The late stages of the granulite exhumation were associated with lateral spreading of associated high-grade rocks over a middle crustal unit at ∼4 kbar and ∼700 °C, as estimated from accompanying cordierite-bearing gneisses. The internal structure of a contemporaneously intruded syenite is coherent with late structures developed in felsic granulites and surrounding gneisses, and the magma only locally explored the early subvertical fabric of the felsic granulite during emplacement. Consequently, the emplacement age of the syenite provides an independent constraint on the timing of the final stages of exhumation and allows calculation of exhumation and cooling rates, which for this part of the Variscan orogenic root are 2.9–3.5 mm yr⁻¹ and 7–9.4 °C Myr⁻¹, respectively. The final part of the temperature evolution shows very rapid cooling, which is interpreted as the result of juxtaposition of hot high-grade rocks with a cold upper-crustal lid.     

Hydrology and hydrogeology of Sakaryabaşı Karstic springs, Çifteler, Turkey

The Sakarya River is one of the largest rivers in Turkey and is fed mainly from Sakaryabaşı springs. The Sakaryabaşı springs are located in the Central Anatolia and issue from confined/semi-confined karst having a thermal component and therefore, having quite different hydrogeological characteristics as compared to the Taurus Karst region, a typical example of the Mediterranean type of karst. The karstic carbonate rocks that form the groundwater reservoir are overlain by a thick semi-pervious overburden of mainly clastics of Neogene age. Tectonics is the major factor controlling the occurrence of the karst springs in the area where topography is rather flat. This study aimed at explaining the occurrence and movement of the karst groundwater within the system by use of hydrogeological, chemical, and isotopic tools. Isotopic composition of the waters revealed that all waters in the region are of meteoric origin and the thermal component is due to deep circulation. The catchment area of the hydrogeological system extends to the south and groundwater movement is towards the outlets, which are in a depression along a major fault. The movement of the groundwater, based on analysis of remotely sensed images, is controlled mainly by structural elements.     

Seismic activity associated with the subducting motion of the Philippine Sea plate beneath the Kanto district, Japan

The Pacific plate and the Philippine Sea plate overlap and subduct underneath the Kanto region, central Japan, causing complex seismic activities in the upper mantle. In this research, we used a map selection tool with a graphic display to create a data set for earthquakes caused by the subducting motion of the Philippine Sea plate that are easily determined. As a result, we determined that there are at least four earthquake groups present in the upper mantle above the Pacific plate. Major seismic activity (Group 1) has been observed throughout the Kanto region and is considered to originate in the uppermost part of mantle in the subducted Philippine Sea plate, judging from the formation of the focal region and comparison with the 3D structure of seismic velocity. The focal mechanism of these earthquakes is characterized by the down-dip compression. A second earthquake layer characterized by down-dip extension (Group 2), below the earthquakes in this group, is also noted. The focal region for those earthquakes is considered to be located at the lower part of the slab mantle, and the Pacific plate located directly below is considered to influence the activity. Earthquakes located at the shallowest part (Group 3) form a few clusters distributed directly above the Group 1 focal region. Judging from the characteristics of later phases in these earthquakes and comparing against the 3D structure of seismic velocity, the focal regions for the earthquakes are considered to be located near the upper surface of the slab. Another earthquake group (Group 4) originates further below Group 2; it is difficult to consider these earthquakes within a single slab. The seismic activities representing the upper area of the Philippine Sea plate are Group 3. This paper proposes a slab geometry model that is substantially different from conventional models by strictly differentiating the groups.     

An approximate projection of availability of the fresh groundwater resources in the South West district of NCT Delhi, India: a case study

The future availability and sustainability of fresh groundwater resources in the South West district of the national capital territory (NCT) Delhi, India, have been projected. Due to a rapid decline in groundwater level and quality, the district has been required by the Government of India to regulate development of groundwater resources. Shallow groundwater is mostly saline and water resources in the area are limited. The methodology applied here involves microzonation of the district in terms of thickness of fresh groundwater and then quantification of present and future availability of freshwater in different freshwater zones, including tentative timescales. The calculation method has been aided by data on historic trends in water level at representative groundwater monitoring stations, located either in fresh groundwater zones or near to them. It is estimated that the presently available 481 million m³ of resources will be reduced to 374 million m³ by year 2007 and to 303 million m³ by the year 2012, and by the year 2022 the district will have only 176 million m³ of available fresh groundwater resources.     

Hydrogeology of thermal waters in Viterbo area, central Italy

A conceptual hydrogeological model of the Viterbo thermal area (central Italy) has been developed. Though numerous studies have been conducted on its geological, geochemical and geothermal features, there is no generalized picture defining the origin and yield of the hydrothermal system. These latter aspects have therefore become the objectives of this research, which is based on new hydrogeological and geochemical investigations. The geological setting results in the coexistence of overlapped interacting aquifers. The shallow volcanic aquifer, characterized by fresh waters, is fed from the area around the Cimini Mountains and is limited at its base by the semiconfining marly-calcareous-arenaceous complex and low-permeability clays. To the west of Viterbo, vertical upflows of thermal waters of the sulphate-chloride-alkaline-earth type with higher gas contents, are due to the locally uplifted carbonate reservoir, the reduced thickness of the semiconfining layer and the high local geothermal gradient. The hot waters (30–60°C) are the result of deep circulation within the carbonate rocks (0.5–1.8 km) and have the same recharge area as the volcanic aquifer. The upward flow in the Viterbo thermal area is at least 0.1 m³/s. This flow feeds springs and deep wells, also recharging the volcanic aquifer from below.     

Projecting land-use change processes in the Sierra Norte of Oaxaca, Mexico

The objective of study was to explore short-term trends of processes that determine land-use change in Sierra Norte of Oaxaca (SNO), Mexico. Land use and land cover changes (LULCC) were estimated in a complex mosaic of vegetation in the SNO from 1980 to 2000, and projected them to 2020 through a Markovian model. SNO is highly vulnerable to climatic change according to a 2050 GCM scenario. However, 3% annual rate of tropical and temperate forest deforestation from agriculture and livestock encroachment, suggest the threat from land-use change is higher than that from climatic change for this study site. Productive land-use strategies are needed to reduce such high deforestation rates for tropical regions. Controlling deforestation would also reduce short-term effects of CO₂ emissions to the atmosphere. Because of the necessity to evaluate anthropogenic ecosystem changes, it is imperative to separate short-term influences such as deforestation, from long-term influences such as climatic change.     

HUMBOLDT'S MEXICAN TEXTS AND LANDSCAPES*

ABSTRACT. While in New Spain from 1803 to 1804, Alexander von Humboldt interacted with some of its landscapes and the texts that represented them. Analysis of those interactions regarding the Basin of Mexico and the Gulf lowlands demonstrates what purely text‐based studies of the production of places cannot: The contrasting landscape elements and patterns that had emerged over millennia during precolonial times in those two places, their relative degrees of depopulation during the colonial era, and the relative degrees of rigor Humboldt applied to interacting with the resulting landscapes and the texts that represented them greatly affected his representations of those places in his 1811 Essai politique sur le royaume de la Nouvelle‐Espagne. His representations of the precolonial Basin of Mexico as productively developed and of the precolonial Gulf lowlands as pristine have influenced the transformations of those places in the two centuries after New Spain became the Mexican republic through its wars of independence (1810–1821).     

Diatom evidence for autochthonous artifact deposition in the Valsequillo region, Puebla, Mexico during the Sangamonian (sensu lato = 80,000 to ca. 220,000 yr BP and Illinoian (220,000 to 430,000 yr BP))

Fossil diatoms in the Valsequillo area are important in supplying adequate paleoecological evidence for the in situ deposition (in the absence of strong water currents necessary for the displacement and redeposition) of artifacts as large as those at the Hueyatlaco Archaeological Site. The paleoecology of lacustrine diatom-bearing samples from four nearby localities in the Valsequillo region all correlated with numerous diatomaceous samples from the Hueyatlaco Site (Puebla, Mexico) and indicate an autochthonous deposition of the artifacts at that site. This correlative evidence is consistent with a deposition in Sangamonian to Illinoian time and is based on the relationships of percentages of taxa in categories of the current, pH, and halobian spectra in six lines of correlation of samples between the Hueyatlaco Site and the four localities.