Reflectance spectroscopic characterisation of mineral alteration footprints associated with sediment-hosted gold mineralisation at Mt Olympus (Ashburton Basin,Western Australia)

Hydrothermal ore deposits are typically characterised by footprints of zoned mineral assemblages that extend far beyond the size of the orebody. Understanding the mineral assemblages and spatial extent of these hydrothermal footprints is crucial for successful exploration, but is commonly hindered by the impact of regolith processes on the Earth's surface. Hyperspectral drill core (HyLogger?-3) data were used to characterise alteration mineralogy at the Mt Olympus gold deposit located 35 km southeast of Paraburdoo along the Nanjilgardy Fault within the northern margin of the Ashburton Basin in Western Australia. Mineralogy interpreted from hyperspectral data over the visible to shortwave (400–2500 nm) and thermal (6000–14500 nm) infrared wavelength ranges was validated with X-ray diffraction and geochemical analyses. Spaceborne multispectral (ASTER) and airborne geophysical (airborne electromagnetic, AEM) data were evaluated for mapping mineral footprints at the surface and sub-surface. At the deposit scale, mineral alteration patterns were identified by comparing the most abundant mineral groups detected in the HyLogger data against lithology logging and gold assays. Potential hydrothermal alteration phases included Na/K-alunite, kaolin phases (kaolinite, dickite), pyrophyllite, white mica, chlorite and quartz, representing low-T alteration of earlier greenschist metamorphosed sediments. The respective zoned mineral footprints varied depending on the type of sedimentary host rock. Siltstones were mainly characterised by widespread white-mica alteration with proximal kaolinite alteration or quartz veining. Sandstones showed (1) distal white mica, intermediate dickite, and proximal alunite + kaolinite or (2) widespread white-mica alteration with associated intervals of kaolinite. In both, sandstones and siltstones, chlorite was distal to gold mineralisation. Conglomerates showed distal kaolinite/dickite and proximal white-mica/dickite alteration. Three-dimensional visualisation of the gold distribution and spatially associated alteration patterns around Mt Olympus revealed three distinct categories: (1) several irregular, poddy, SE-plunging zones of >0.5 ppm gold intersected by the Zoe Fault; (2) sulfate alteration proximal to mineralisation, particularly on the northern side of the Mt Olympus open pit; and (3) varying Al^IVAl^VISi^IV_–1(Mg,Fe)^VI_–1 composition of white micas with proximity to gold mineralisation. Chlorite that developed during regional metamorphic or later hydrothermal alteration occurs distal to gold mineralisation. ASTER mineral mapping products, such as the MgOH Group Content used to map chlorite (±white mica) assemblages, showed evidence of correlation to mapped, local structural features and unknown structural or lithological contacts as indicated by inversion modelling of AEM data.     

The Mesozoic structural evolution of the Gorgon Platform,North Carnarvon Basin,Australia

The Gorgon Platform is located on the southeastern edge of the Exmouth Plateau in the North Carnarvon Basin, North West Shelf, Australia. A structural analysis using three-dimensional (3D) seismic data has revealed four major sets of extensional faults, namely, (1) the Exmouth Plateau extensional fault system, (2) the basin bounding fault system (Exmouth Plateau–Gorgon Platform Boundary Fault), (3) an intra-rift fault system in the graben between the Exmouth Plateau and the Gorgon Platform and (4) an intra-rift fault system within the graben between the Exmouth Plateau and the Exmouth Sub-basin. Fault throw-length analyses imply that the initial fault segments, which formed the Exmouth Plateau–Gorgon Platform Boundary Fault (EG Boundary Fault), were subsequently connected vertically and laterally by both soft- and hard-linked structures. These major extensional fault systems were controlled by three different extensional events during the Early and Middle Jurassic, Late Jurassic and Early Cretaceous, and illustrate the strong role of structural inheritance in determining fault orientation and linkage. The Lower and Middle Jurassic and Upper Jurassic to Lower Cretaceous syn-kinematic sequences are separated by unconformities.     

Late Oligocene–Early Miocene palaeoecology based on pollen data from the Kalkım-Gönen Basin (Northwest Turkey)

Radiometric and palynological data of the Upper Oligocene–Lower Miocene Soma Formation from the Kalk?m-Gönen Basin yield new results related to age and palynological contents. In this study, Upper Oligocene strata from the Dani?ment and Linfa areas and Lower Miocene strata from the Bengiler area were sampled palynologically and for radiometric dating. The Dani?ment assemblage, which is older than the Linfa assemblages, mainly contains coniferous and evergreen to deciduous mixed mesophytic forest elements. Relatively high quantities of the altitudinal plants Picea and Abies, indicate a cooler palaeoclimate. The Linfa associations mainly include coniferous and riparian elements. Pollen of the riparian plant Alnus and Taxodiaceae indicative for the swamp forest community was predominant, probably as a result of a high lake level. There is a hiatus during the Oligocene–Miocene transition, probably showing a non-depositional phase and sea-level fall indicating the Mi-1 glaciation event. Higher in the sequence, the Aquitanian Bengiler sediments include high amounts of coniferous forest elements as well as components indicative for the evergreen and deciduous mesophytic forest and also riparian forest and swamp forest. Due to presence of thermophilous taxa Reveesia, Mastixiaceae and Arecaceae, a warm and humid palaeoclimate is inferred according to quantitative analyses using the Coexistence Approach.     

Nano-scale pore structure and fractal dimension of organic-rich Wufeng-Longmaxi shale from Jiaoshiba area,Sichuan Basin: Investigations using FE-SEM,gas adsorption and helium pycnometry

Much attention have been recently paid to the upper Ordovician Wufeng shale (O₃w) and lower Silurian Longmaxi shale (S₁l) in the Jiaoshiba area of Sichuan Basin, which is now the largest producing shale gas field in China. Field emission scanning electron microscopy (FE-SEM), low pressure gas (N₂ and CO₂) adsorption, helium pycnometry, X-ray diffraction and geochemical analyses were performed to investigate the pore structure and fractal dimension of the pores in O₃w-S₁l shale formation in the Jiaoshiba area. FE-SEM images show that organic matter (OM) pores are dominant in the organic-rich samples and these pores are often irregular, bubble-like, elliptical and faveolate in shape, while in organic-poor samples, limited and isolated interparticle (interP), intraparticle (intraP) and OM pores are observed. Reversed S-shaped isotherms obtained from nitrogen adsorption are type Ⅱ, and hysteresis loops indicate that the shape of micropore in the samples is slit-or plate-like. BET surface areas and total pore volume vary from 12.2 to 27.1 m²/g and from 1.8 × 10⁻² to 2.9 × 10⁻² cm³/g, with an average of 19.5 m²/g and 2.3 × 10⁻² cm³/g, respectively. Adsorption volume from both N₂ and CO₂ adsorption increases with respect to TOC contents. Porosities obtained from helium porosimetry are comparable with these from gas (CO₂ and N₂) adsorption in O₃w-S₁l shale. However, porosity determined by quantitative FE-SEM analysis is much smaller, which is mainly related to limited resolution and the small areas of investigation.Based on the Frenkel-Halsey-Hill (FHH) model of low-pressure N₂ adsorption, fractal dimensions of the pores varied from 2.737 to 2.823. Relationships between pore structure parameters and TOC content, mineral composition and fractal dimension reveal that the fractal dimension is mainly associated with micropores. Samples with higher TOC content, higher quartz content and lower clay content tend to contain more heterogeneous micropores, resulting in higher fractal dimensions and more complicated pore structure in shales. Therefore, fractal dimension is an effective parameter to reflect the complexity of pore structure and the degree of micropore development in O₃w-S₁l shale.     

A new tree fern stem,Tempskya zhangii sp. nov. (Tempskyaceae) from the Cretaceous of Northeast China

A new Cretaceous tree fern species from the family Tempskyaceae, Tempskya zhangii sp. nov., from Keshan County, Heilongjiang Province, Northeast China, is described based on silicified fragments. The species is characterized by dichotomizing stems embedded in a matrix of adventitious roots, together forming a solid and compact false trunk. The dorsiventral stems are composed of solenosteles, and their internodes are short with 2–3 (rarely 4) leaf traces. A three-layered cortex includes a sclerenchymatous outer zone, parenchymatous middle zone, and an inner zone composed of sclerenchyma band and parenchyma cells. The pith consists of a parenchymatous outer zone and sclerenchymatous inner zone. The petiole has a single C- or U-shaped vascular strand. The adventitious root has diarch xylem surrounded by an inner sclerenchymatous and an outer parenchymatous cortex. In possessing these characters, T. zhangii is more similar to T. wyomingensis from the Cretaceous of North America than to other species of Tempskya. However, the Chinese species distinctly differs from T. wyomingensis in having a sclerenchymatous outer cortex, parenchymatous middle cortex, and sparse parenchyma in the xylem. It is the first record of Tempskya from China and the fourth from Asia. This species, together with Cyatheaceae, Osmundaceae, Cycadeoidaceae, and conifers found in the same region constituted the plant community at the time.     

Subsidence in the Kathmandu Basin,before and after the 2015 Mw 7.8 Gorkha Earthquake,Nepal Revealed from Small Baseline Subset-DInSAR Analysis

Land subsidence in densely urbanized areas is a global problem that is primarily caused by excessive groundwater withdrawal. The Kathmandu Basin is one such area where subsidence due to groundwater depletion has been a major problem in recent years. Moreover, on 25 April 2015, this basin experienced large crustal movements caused by the Gorkha earthquake (Mw 7.8). Consequently, the effects of earthquake-induced deformation could affect the temporal and spatial nature of anthropogenic subsidence in the basin. However, this effect has not yet been fully studied. In this paper, we applied the SBAS-DInSAR technique to estimate the spatiotemporal displacement of land subsidence in the Kathmandu Basin before and after the Gorkha earthquake, using 16 ALOS-1 Phased Array L-band Synthetic Aperture Radar (PALSAR) images during the pre-seismic period and 26 Sentinel-1 A/B SAR images during the pre- and post-seismic periods. The results showed that the mean subsidence rate in the central part of the basin was about ?8.2 cm/year before the earthquake. The spatial extents of the subsiding areas were well-correlated with the spatial distributions of the compressible clay layers in the basin. We infer from time-series InSAR analysis that subsidence in the Kathmandu basin could be associated with fluvio-lacustrine (clay) deposits and local hydrogeological conditions. However, after the mainshock, the subsidence rate significantly increased to ?15 and ?12 cm/year during early post-seismic (108 days) and post-seismic (2015–2016) period, respectively. Based on a spatial analysis of the subsidence rate map, the entire basin uplifted during the co-seismic period has started to subside and become stable during the early-post-seismic period. This is because of the elastic rebound of co-seismic deformation. However, interestingly, the localized areas show increased subsidence rates during both the early-post- and post-seismic periods. Therefore, we believe that the large co-seismic deformation experienced in this basin might induce the local subsidence to increase in rate, caused by oscillations of the water table level in the clay layer.     

南图尔盖盆地Aryskum坳陷钾盐的测井响应特征及其分布

钾盐作为战略资源,在农业、工业等领域具有重要的使用价值。世界大多数固态钾资源发现于大规模的石油勘探过程中,充分利用各种油气地质、地球物理资料开展钾盐勘探对于国家发展尤为重要。位于哈萨克斯坦的南图尔盖盆地地质构造简单、资源勘探潜力较大。文中以南图尔盖盆地Aryskum坳陷为研究区块,基于其沉积地质特点,结合多口井的常规测井资料及前人研究成果,综合分析自然伽马、自然电位、三孔隙度等测井曲线的响应特征,含钾层段具体表现为自然伽马异常高值,并通过无铀伽马曲线等排除铀、钍元素影响,扩径使得中子值偏高,自然电位异常幅度由砂岩层的负异常变化为正异常,电阻率值偏高,密度值介于2.25~2.45 g/cm³,声波时差在270~350 μs/m范围内。基于含钾层测井曲线特点,利用测井曲线综合识别法、重叠法、交会图法进行研究区钾盐识别。在研究区30余口井中发现有可溶性钾盐层分布,分布在M-Ⅱ-3、M-Ⅱ-2小层底部,其中M-Ⅱ-3层底部为主要钾盐层段,并对各井含钾层段累计厚度进行统计分析。最后,借助地层对比分析含钾层段在横向和纵向上的展布情况,通过等厚图的绘制开展了找钾有利区分析,拓展了测井资料在南图尔盖盆地钾盐勘查中的应用,进而为今后研究区钾盐找矿提供重点方向。     

新疆焉耆盆地绿洲景观的空间格局及其变化

通过GIS技术的叠加和提取功能建立了焉耆盆地两个时间段的景观类型转移矩阵。在此基础上,分析了焉耆盆地内部绿洲景观类型的动态演化过程和空间分布特征。结果表明:焉耆盆地经过近40年的土地开垦后,人工绿洲呈现出上升的趋势,农田向自然绿洲和荒漠的扩张在整个研究阶段均可见;农田开垦的对象表现为从草地(含部分沼泽地)→多汁木本盐柴类荒漠→超旱生灌木半灌木荒漠迁移,体现了农田绿洲开垦从易到难,自然绿洲不断缩小,人工绿洲不断扩大的过程;对土地和水资源的不合理利用,导致盆地内湖泊水体、湖泊周边及农田绿洲出现明显的生态退化。焉耆盆地今后的规划和发展必须高度重视人工绿洲生态系统和自然生态之间的平衡,盆地环境治理很大程度决定于水资源的合理利用和合理调节。     

塔里木盆地区域地下水环境同位素特征及其意义

以大量水环境同位素样品测试结果为依据,对塔里木盆地的区域水环境同位素特征进行了分析,得出了一些有意义的认识:(1)塔里木盆地不同14C年龄的地下水的δD、δ18O值差异不明显,反映了水资源形成区在最后冰期和冰后期气温相差不大,推测是由于新构造运动使山体隆升,同一位置因高程变化产生的气温变化弥合了气候的变化,这一特征使我们难以运用δD-δ18O关系区别古水(冰期)与现代水(冰后期)。(2)在δD-δ18O关系图上,沿大气降水线可把盆地内主要河流及其补给形成的地下水大致圈定在3个域内,这3个域的区别不是大气环流作用的结果,而是河流源区山脉高程效应的反映。(3)与西北内陆盆地其他大型河流比较,阿克苏河流域下游承压自流水的14C年龄小得多,这是由阿克苏河径流量大、下游为河槽洼地、不完全具备山前倾斜平原水文地质特征等决定的。阿克苏河下游承压水水循环交替迅速,开发潜力较大,在西北内流盆地中是一个特例。(4)塔克拉玛干沙漠第四系松散层地下水主要是从盆地南缘侧向补给的,在沙漠腹地由深部向浅部顶托排泄。盆地内深层油田水处于高度封闭的滞留状态,与上部松散沉积层地下水之间基本没有联系。