Geology of epithermal silver-gold bulk-mining targets,bodie district,Mono County,California

The Bodie mining district in Mono County, California, is zoned with a core polymetallic-quartz vein system and silver- and gold-bearing quartz-adularia veins north and south of the core. The veins formed as a result of repeated normal faulting during doming shortly after extrusion of felsic flows and tuffs, and the magmatic-hydrothermal event seems to span at least 2 Ma.Epithermal mineralization accompanied repeated movement of the normal faults, resulting in vein development in the planes of the faults. The veins occur in a very large area of argillic alteration. Individual mineralized structures commonly formed new fracture planes during separate fault movements, with resulting broad zones of veinlets growing in the walls of the major vein-faults. The veinlet swarms have been found to constitute a target estimated at 75,000,000 tons, averaging 0.037 ounce gold per ton. The target is amenable to bulkmining exploitation.The epithermal mineralogy is simple, with electrum being the most important precious metal mineral. The host veins are typical low-sulfide banded epithermal quartz and adularia structures that filled voids created by the faulting. Historical data show that beneficiation of the simple vein mineralogy is very efficient. On the cover: Southeast view of Bodie mining district in Mono County, California, one of the more famous pioneer epithermal gold producers in the western U.S. Recent exploration drilling suggests an additional resource of 2 million ounces of gold. The townsite is at the intersection of roads near the center of the photo. The foreground is mainly tuff breccia of the Bodie Hills volcanic field. Arcuate lines in the valley beyond the hills are old Mono Lake shorelines. The White Mountains form the ridge on the skyline. Photo by Frank Kleinhampl, about 1970.     

内蒙古东珺铅锌银矿床Ag和Pb-Bi-Cu硫盐矿物学研究及其对成矿温度的指示意义

东珺矿床是近年在内蒙古额尔古纳地区陆相火山岩系内新发现的一处脉状Pb-Zn-Ag矿床,其以富含多量Ag及微量Au为特征。在野外考察的基础上,本文以电子探针、能谱-扫描电镜及多项光谱分析等方法查明了其矿石中Au、Ag的赋存状态及矿物组成,其主要矿物包括辉银矿、火硫锑银矿、黝锑银矿、深红银矿、硫锑铜银矿及脆银矿。除此,还发现了一些罕见的矿物,如碲铋矿、硫锑铜矿的锌变种、针硫铋铅矿、库辉铋铜铅矿以及某些未知的Pb-Bi相金属矿物。为了估算本矿床的成矿温度,着重对矿床中的银锑黝铜矿系列的组成做了分析,并将其Ag/(Ag+Cu)及Zn/(Zn+Fe)数值投至Sack等温曲线图上,由其结果可判断出本矿床应属于浅成低温成因,而深部矿体中碲铋矿及无Ag硫盐的出现亦可视为一重要旁证。东珺矿床丰富的银矿物及其粗大粒度对于矿山工艺流程选定以及开发利用将会大有裨益,而本矿床Au含量过低,仅具有地球化学的理论意义。     

Chemical,isotopic and mineralogical characteristics of volcanogenic epithermal fluorite deposits on the Permo-Mesozoic foreland of the Andean volcanic arc in Patagonia (Argentina)

Epithermal deposits mined for fluorite in Patagonia, Argentina, are closely related to late Triassic through Jurassic magmatic activity which brought about felsic to intermediate magmatic rocks. The fluorite mineralization in the Patagonian epithermal system resulted from gaseous F-and CO₂-enriched magmas which lead to an explosive phreatomagmatic volcanism, when getting in contact with groundwater near the surface. As a result of these hydrothermal processes, rapid cooling took place in the epithermal mineralization. Changes in the viscosity along with the cooling down of mineralizing fluids caused mottled mineral colors blurring the boundaries between the stages and ore textures.The fluids accountable for the main constituents fluorite, quartz, barite and silica were operative over a vertical extension of roughly 600 m. Their temperature of formation dropped from 379 °C through 64 °C, while the pH decreased from the heat center towards the paleosurface under oxidizing conditions. This steep temperature gradient conducive to the telescoping of mineral associations into each other was accompanied by a rapid loss in CO₂, and a mixing of meteoric and magmatic fluids. Even the boundary between the hypogene and supergene alteration cannot be drawn precisely within the assemblage of Mn oxides, which bridge the gap between hypogene and supergen mineralization. The physical-chemical parameters of the fluids, particularly, the redox conditions did not allow sulfides to be preserved. A classification of the epithermal system as to its degree of sulfidation is based on K-feldspar and kaolinite which are present in significant amounts, whereas APS (aluminum-phosphate-sulfate) minerals are absent. Therefore a categorization as an epithermal fluorite deposit of low- to intermediate sulfidation is justified, because the only mineral of economic interest in the system is fluorite.The data obtained during this joint study render the Patagonian fluorite district a reference type of fluorite in an epithermal system of low- to intermediate sulfidation which are widespread in Argentina, e.g., Sierras Pampeanas, and evolved on part of the stable craton, called Gondwana and which grade into epithermal Au, Ag, In, Pb and Zn deposits.     

Mass transfer and preferred orientation development during extensional microcracking in slate-belt folds, Elura Mine, Australia

Microstructures in slate belt rocks at the Elura Mine, near Cobar, south-eastern Australia, indicate that volume loss by syntectonic dissolution is coupled with mass accretion by reprecipitation of the dissolved material in dilational sites. The mass accretion is sustained primarily by repetitive tensile microfracturing at high pore-fluid pressures. Oriented growth in the inter- and intragranular microcracks is locally host-controlled, creating lattice- and shape-preferred orientations. The grain-scale crack-seal features throughout the rock reflect rhythmic fluid pressure fluctuations; a balance is achieved between the fracture-induced permeability (and consequent flushing rates), and the rate of fluid build-up in a relatively sealed environment.
Instability in the balancing factors can lead to localization and intensification of tensile failure (and hence, tension vein formation) in the grain aggregate. Growth of veins by crack-seal also reflects a steady state, but with more localized fluctuations of fluid flow on the aggregate scale. Still larger imbalances between flushing and fluid accumulation (i.e. pressure variations) induce breccia veining. The larger pressure gradients over greater distances, associated with dilation localization (from pervasive microfracturing to spaced breccia domains), allow fluid channelling with an increased potential for chemical fluid/rock disequilibrium. Therefore, large breccia vein systems tend to be sites of extensive fluid/rock interaction and replacement, as spectacularly illustrated by the syntectonic sulphide orebodies at Elura. The huge amounts of silicate, carbonate and sulphide accumulated during folding at Elura illustrate the large scale of source and sink couples possible in solute mass transfer.     

江苏观山高硫型铜铅金矿床稳定同位素地球化学和成因意义

江苏观山铜铅金矿是典型的高硫型浅成低温热液矿床。本文通过对观山铜铅金矿床氢、氧、碳、硫同位素组成的研究,探讨成矿溶液中水、碳、硫的来源以及成矿溶液的演化。同位素测定显示石英流体包裹体水的δD=-90‰～-70‰,δ18O水=-8.9‰～-1.1‰;热液方解石流体包裹体水的δD=-90‰～-81‰,δ18O水=0.1‰～2.3‰。氢氧同位素组成说明成矿流体主要为与围岩进行过水岩反应的循环大气降水,不排除有少量岩浆水的加入。黄铁矿与黄铜矿矿石的δ34SV-CDT=5.8‰～9.9‰,平均值为7.6‰,表明该矿成矿过程中的S很可能是沉积岩来源的硫与岩浆岩来源硫的混合。矿床中可见较多的重晶石等硫酸盐矿物,这种高价态硫的矿物的存在显示其成矿溶液具有富集34S的特征,加上成矿过程中流体的沸腾导致H2S等气体大量逸出和残余岩浆流体富集34S,使得沉淀的黄铁矿、黄铜矿等硫化物同样具有富集34S的特征;热液方解石碳同位素δ13C方解石=-4.1‰～6.1‰,平均为δ13C方解石=1.3‰,显示其中的C主要来源于流体对流循环过程中对基底岩石中碳酸盐地层的溶解。     

Seismic Sequence in Carbonate Rocks By Vibrational Liquefaction

On the basis of the records of strong seismic events taking place in soft carbonate sediments, a new seismic sequence system of vibrational liquefaction is established, which consists of a series of units, such as escaped structure of micrite veins and liquefied deformation formed in the period of seismic liquefaction, land subsidence structure after liquefaction, tsunamic hummocky and turbidite produced by seismic events, This sequence is a generalization and summation of field observation in vast areas, which shows the whole process of a strong seismic event and provides an unified theoretical explanation. The pattern of the seismic sequence by vibrational liquefaction provides one of correlation standards for geologists in the field to discriminate events in carbonate sequences. Based on the pattern of seismic sequence, the authors first advance a new conception of the Palaeo-Tanlu (Tancheng-Lujiang) Zone and discuss primarily its geological significations.     

浅成热液成矿系统模型研究评述

目前国内外矿床模型研究的一个明显发展势是研制成矿系统的地质成因模型，即建立具有一定的成因联系的不同矿种的矿系列成因模型。分析了近年来浅成热液矿床概念，分类、成模型式研究进展，评述了浅成热液矿床矿系统研究现状，并对我国此类矿床的研究提出建议。     

Mineralogical,petrographic and fluid inclusion evidence for the link between boiling and epithermal Ag-Au mineralization in the La Luz area,Guanajuato Mining District,México

Theoretical, experimental and observation data provide strong evidence that boiling is the dominant depositional mechanism in many low to intermediate sulfidation epithermal precious metals deposits. Textural and petrographic features that are evidence for boiling in the epithermal environment include the presence of coexisting liquid-rich and vapor-rich fluid inclusions, assemblages consisting of only vapor-rich fluid inclusions, colloform quartz, adularia and bladed calcite. We have examined 213 samples collected from surface outcrops, underground workings and drill cores from the central part of the La Luz vein system in the Guanajuato mining district, Mexico. In each sample, the various features that are evidence of boiling have been recorded. These observations have been quantified using a Boiling Confidence Factor that provides a means of scoring and rating each sample or area relative to the likelihood that boiling occurred.Homogenization temperatures of liquid-rich fluid inclusions within assemblages of coexisting liquid-rich and vapor-rich fluid inclusions have been measured to estimate the depth of trapping of the inclusions, and these data have been used to estimate the depth to the 300 °C isotherm along the La Luz vein system.Fluid inclusions and mineral textural features show strong evidence of boiling in the deepest levels sampled in the La Luz system. This observation suggests that the bottom of the boiling zone is at some depth beneath the deepest levels explored and opens the potential for additional resources at depth.     

构造驱动大巴山前陆烃类流体排泄:含烃包裹体纤维状方解石脉证据

含烃包裹体纤维状方解石脉被认为是超高压下油气流体形成和排泄的标志。大巴山前陆构造带一些断裂和下古生界黑色泥岩和泥灰岩烃源岩微裂隙中分布有含烃包裹体纤维状方解石脉,成分分析表明其为低镁方解石。纤维状方解石脉δ13CVPDB和δ18OVPDB比围岩碳酸盐岩的明显变轻,前者δ13CVPDB和δ18OVPDB变化范围分别为-1.9%～-4.8‰和-8.4%～-12.8‰,后者分别为-1.7%～+3.1‰和-8.7%～-4.5‰,且δ13C与δ18O具有明显的线性关系,反映出纤维状方解石脉具有成岩有机流体与浅部流体混合的流体特征。纤维状方解石脉含有共生的固体沥青包裹体、含甲烷液相包裹体和气液二相盐水包裹体等多相态包裹体,其中沥青包裹体为油气运移的残余沥青。气液二相盐水包裹体均一温度主要位于140℃和196℃之间（峰值为179℃）,盐度较高（平均为9.7wt% NaCl）。分别应用盐水包裹体和甲烷包裹体等溶线P-T相图确定出含烃包裹体纤维状方解石脉形成的流体压力为150~200 MPa,属于异常超高压流体。地质和地球化学特征分析认为,大巴山含烃包裹体纤维状方解石脉不具有泥岩因压实成岩作用而形成的超高压流体特征。结合沉积和构造演化历史分析认为,印支碰撞造山运动和燕山前陆构造作用导致大巴山褶皱隆起并伴随天然气藏破坏和改造,挤压环境下的超高压构造应力驱动天然气流体排泄,大巴山前陆构造带含烃包裹体纤维状方解石脉就是超高压构造应力驱动天然气排泄的产物。     

华北地台中元古代串岭沟组页岩中的砂脉构造:17亿年前甲烷气逃逸的沉积标识?

华北地台中元古界串岭沟组暗色页岩中发育一种特殊的砂质脉状构造;层面上表现为不规则密集分布的细砂脊,垂向上由不连续薄砂层和近于直立的"肠状"砂脉体相交互组成.浅色砂脉由较纯的石英粉砂-细砂组成,含微量自生白云石、菱铁矿及微晶碳酸盐岩斑块,与黑色泥质围岩边界截然.研究表明,砂脉构造可能是在早期成岩阶段前由来自薄砂层的细-粉砂灌入甲烷缓慢逃逸通道而成,并由于压实缩短而褶皱成"肠状".薄砂层与黑色页岩形成的能量条件完全不同,可能系由风暴将海岸带或砂坝细砂带入低能环境而形成;甲烷源自沉积中埋藏的微生物席腐烂分解.围岩层面有微生物席成因微皱痕和气体逃逸形成的气泡构造,围岩中发现有细菌化石和草霉状黄铁矿.串岭沟组中密集发育的砂脉构造是目前地层中识别的最古老的甲烷排放证据,并有可能作为指示地质时期陆源碎屑沉积环境甲烷逃逸的沉积标识.大量高效温室气体进入大气圈可能是导致元古宙地球表层高温室气候和无冰川发育的重要原因.