Two magma series and associated ore deposit types in the Permian Emeishan large igneous province, SW China

The Late Middle Permian ( 260 Ma) Emeishan large igneous province in SW China contains two magmatic series, one comprising high-Ti basalts and Fe-rich gabbroic and syenitic intrusions, the other low-Ti basalts and mafic–ultramafic intrusions. The Fe-rich gabbros are spatially and temporally associated with syenites. Each series is associated with a distinctive type of mineralization, the first with giant Fe–Ti–V oxide ore deposits such as Panzhihua and Baima, the second with Ni–Cu–(PGE) sulfide deposits such as Jinbaoshan, Limahe and Zhubu. New SHRIMP zircon U–Pb isotopic data yielded 263 ± 3 Ma for the Limahe intrusion, 261 ± 2 Ma for the Zhubu intrusion and 262 ± 2 Ma for a syenitic intrusion. These new age dates, together with previously reported SHRIMP zircon U–Pb ages, suggest that all these intrusions are contemporaneous with the Emeishan flood basalts and formed during a major igneous event at ca. 260 Ma.The oxide-bearing intrusions have higher Al₂O₃, FeO (as total iron) and total alkalis (Na₂O + K₂O) but lower MgO than the sulfide-bearing intrusions. All intrusions are variably enriched in LREE relative to HREE. The oxide-bearing intrusions display positive Nb- and Ti-anomalies and in certain cases negative Zr–Hf anomalies, whereas the sulfide-bearing intrusions have obvious negative Nb- and Ti-anomalies, a feature of crustal contamination. Individual intrusions have relatively small ranges of Nd(t) values. All the intrusions, however, have Nd(t) values ranging from − 3.9 to + 4.6, and initial ⁸⁷Sr/⁸⁶Sr ratios from 0.7039 to 0.7105. The syenites have very low MgO (< 2 wt.%) but highly variable Fe₂O₃ (2.5 to 13 wt.%) with initial ⁸⁷Sr/⁸⁶Sr ratios ranging from 0.7039 to 0.7089. Magmas from both series could have derived by melting of a heterogeneous mantle plume: the high-Ti series from a Fe-rich, more fertile source and the low-Ti series from a Fe-poor, more refractory source. In addition, the low-Ti series underwent significant crustal contamination. The two magma series evolved along different paths that led to distinct mineralization styles.     

Igneous banding, schlieren and mafic enclaves in calc-alkaline granites: The Budduso pluton (Sardinia)

This study deals with the origin of igneous layering in plutons, and, especially, the extent layering is related to mafic–silicic magma interactions. The Budduso pluton (Sardinia) shows three main scales of organization.(i) Large scale lithological variations correspond to three main magmatic units, with differentiation increasing from the Outer (hornblende-bearing biotite granodiorite/monzogranite) to the Middle (biotite monzogranite) and the Inner (leucomonzogranite) units. The striking homogeneity of ⁸⁷Sr/⁸⁶Sr initial ratios (0.7090 ± 4) and ε_Nd(t) values (− 5.6 ± 0.1) strongly suggests that magma isotopic equilibration was achieved prior to emplacement, whereas mixing/mingling structures observed within the pluton reflect second-stage processes involving broadly cogenetic components.(ii) Metre to decametre-scale igneous layering may be isomodal or modally-graded, locally with cross-layering. Biotite and plagioclase compositions are similar in both biotite-rich and quartzofeldspathic layers, as are the trace-element patterns which differ only by relative abundances. This precludes an origin by fractional crystallization. A penetrative submagmatic fabric superimposed on the layering and corresponding mainly to flattening can be ascribed to interference between pluton growth and regional deformation.(iii) Composite layering and schlieren are commonly associated to mafic microgranular enclaves, locally within synmagmatic shear zones or disrupted synplutonic dykes. In that case, there is a progressive shift in biotite X_Fe values from the core of enclave ( 0.65) to the host monzogranite ( 0.72): schlieren in the monzogranite show biotite X_Fe values similar to that of the host rock, whereas schlieren close to mafic enclaves show lower X_Fe values ( 0.69) towards those of enclave rims.These features can be ascribed to three main processes: (i) assembly of differentiated (± mixed/mingled) magmatic pulses; (ii) local hydrodynamic sorting related to density currents in a mush, and segregation of residual melt; (iii) mechanical disruption and chemical hybridization of mafic magmas during ascent or within the pluton related to magma dynamics. None of these processes affect the whole pluton but they are limited to specific magmatic units. Therefore, pluton growth by incremental assembly of magma batches is not incompatible with magma chamber processes.     

Platinum-group minerals from the Jinbaoshan Pd–Pt deposit,SW China: evidence for magmatic origin and hydrothermal alteration

The Jinbaoshan Pt–Pd deposit in Yunnan, SW China, is hosted in a wehrlite body, which is a member of the Permian (∼260 Ma) Emeishan Large Igneous Province (ELIP). The deposit is reported to contain one million tonnes of Pt–Pd ore grading 0.21% Ni and 0.16% Cu with 3.0 g/t (Pd + Pt). Platinum-group minerals (PGM) mostly are ∼10 μm in diameter, and are commonly Te-, Sn- and As-bearing, including moncheite (PtTe₂), atokite (Pd₃Sn), kotulskite (PdTe), sperrylite (PtAs₂), irarsite (IrAsS), cooperite (PtS), sudburyite (PdSb), and Pt–Fe alloy. Primary rock-forming minerals are olivine and clinopyroxene, with clinopyroxene forming anhedral poikilitic crystals surrounding olivine. Primary chromite occurs either as euhedral grains enclosed within olivine or as an interstitial phase to the olivine. However, the intrusion has undergone extensive hydrothermal alteration. Most olivine grains have been altered to serpentine, and interstitial clinopyroxene is often altered to actinolite/tremolite and locally biotite. Interstitial chromite grains are either partially or totally replaced by secondary magnetite. Base-metal sulfides (BMS), such as pentlandite and chalcopyrite, are usually interstitial to the altered olivine. PGM are located with the BMS and are therefore also interstitial to the serpentinized olivine grains, occurring within altered interstitial clinopyroxene and chromite, or along the edges of these minerals, which predominantly altered to actinolite/tremolite, serpentine and magnetite. Hydrothermal fluids were responsible for the release of the platinum-group elements (PGE) from the BMS to precipitate the PGM at low temperature during pervasive alteration. A sequence of alteration of the PGM has been recognized. Initially moncheite and atokite have been corroded and recrystallized during the formation of actinolite/tremolite, and then, cooperite and moncheite were altered to Pt–Fe alloy where they are in contact with serpentine. Sudburyite occurs in veins indicating late Pd mobility. However, textural evidence shows that the PGM are still in close proximity to the BMS. They occur in PGE-rich layers located at specific igneous horizons in the intrusion, suggesting that PGE were originally magmatic concentrations that, within a PGE-rich horizon, crystallized with BMS late in the olivine/clinopyroxene crystallization sequence and have not been significantly transported during serpentinization and alteration.     

大火成岩省及其在古大陆重建及裂解研究中的应用

大火成岩省是地质历史上与地球深部过程（如地幔柱）密切相关的极端地质事件,以相对较短时期内形成规模宏大的板内幔源基性岩浆活动为主要特征,对研究全球性大气—海洋环境的巨变与生物灭绝、大规模成矿及超大陆的重建和裂解均有重要意义。从潘吉亚超大陆的裂解过程可以看出,尽管不是所有的大火成岩省都与大陆裂解有关,但几乎每一次重要的裂解事件都伴有大火成岩省的出现,因此大火成岩省对于研究前潘吉亚超大陆,特别是对于缺少古生物等重建标志,古地磁数据偏少的前寒武纪超大陆重建及裂解研究有重要价值。近20多年来随着年代学技术的进步及研究工作的不断深入,大火成岩省在古大陆重建及裂解方面取得了一些重要进展,并发挥了越来越重要的作用。前寒武纪大火成岩省由于经历了多次裂解事件改造及后期抬升剥蚀或覆盖的影响,现今保留的是一些分散在不同大陆上的大火成岩省残片或碎片。用大火成岩省开展古大陆重建及裂解的目标就是通过不同陆块大火成岩省或大规模基性岩浆活动的年代学、岩石学及地球化学对比,结合其他证据,恢复大火成岩省形成时的时空分布特征,据此来确定这些陆块在超大陆中的相对或绝对位置。与其他前寒武纪大陆重建标志相似,大火成岩省也有一些局限性及不确定性,因此应用大火成岩省开展古大陆重建及裂解研究中要与前岩浆期沉积地层中的特殊事件层（如冰碛岩、火山灰、黑色页岩、不整合面、古生物等）对比、岩墙几何学产状、基性岩浆事件序列对比、古地磁、大型构造（如造山带）对比及深部地球物理等多学科方法相结合。     

Hydrogeological conditions for the forming and quality of mineral waters in Serbia

In the past researches conducted on the territory of Serbia, 5 regional geotectonic units have been distinguished with registered occurrences of 230 mineral springs. Recent analyses of the bottled mineral waters quality have not included systematic examinations of micro-components present in these waters. Based on the analyses of the bottled mineral waters (EuroGeoSurveys Geochemistry Expert Group), it has been observed that the water quality is greatly influenced by the chemical composition of igneous intrusions, regardless of the fact that the analyzed waters have been taken from different aquifers (Neogene sediments, limestone, flysch, schist).     

新疆谢米斯台地区中段火山岩岩石学、地球化学及其含矿性研究

新疆西准噶尔谢米斯台山地区位于西伯利亚板块与准噶尔板块之间的古生代萨吾尔—阿尔曼太复合岛弧内。该地区的火山岩以安山岩—英安岩—流纹岩组合为主,有少量的粗面岩产出。在地球化学特征上,火山岩SiO_2含量变化范围较大(53.91～75.71 wt%),K_2O/Na_2O比值为0.45～1.89,Al_2O_3含量较高(10.81～17.94 wt%),铁含量低(1.20～7.26 wt%),TiO_2含量低(0.19～1.78 wt%),大离子亲石元素及轻稀土元素富集,微量元素具岛弧火山岩特征;地球化学的特征以及在该地区发现的大量铜矿化,预示着该地区将是一个有利的成矿远景区。     

The relationship between seismic velocity and radioactive heat production in crustal rocks: An exponential law

In crystalline rocks seismic velocityV _p and densityp increase, whereas radioactive heat productionA decreases from acidic to basic compositions. From the velocity-density systematics for crustal rocks at different pressures an empiricalA(V _p) relationship has been derived for the range 5.0–8.0 km/sec which follows the exponential law:A(V _p )=a exp (-bV _p ), where the numerical factorsa andb depend onin situ pressure. A graph is given by means of which the heat production distributionA(z) can be obtained for any givenV _p (z) structure.Contribution No. 207, Institute of Geophysics, ETH Zurich.     

硅质大火成岩省的形成机制及其与资源环境的关系

硅质大火成岩省是以流纹质熔结凝灰岩为主体的( 80vol.%),覆盖面积大于105km2、体积大于2.5×105km3的巨型岩浆岩建造,多呈条带状产出在大陆边缘,可能与大陆裂解和相邻镁铁质大火成岩省密切相关;其形成时间相对镁铁质大火成岩省较长,可达～40Myr。岩石中有黑云母、角闪石等含水斑晶,多为钙碱性系列,具有从I型向A型花岗质岩石过渡的地球化学特征。本文在前人工作的基础上,整理了五个主要硅质大火成岩省的样品数据,综合研究认为其形成是玄武质岩浆底侵(或地幔柱上升),使得前期由于俯冲形成的富水下地壳重熔后经历不同程度分离结晶的结果。硅质大火成岩省的形成暗示深部有"隐伏的镁铁质大火成岩省",因为上部硅质岩浆的阻碍和富水地壳不易形成岩浆运移通道所以未能喷出,但这些镁铁质岩浆向上输送了大量的SO_2气体。大规模的硅质岩浆活动一方面能够将这些SO_2气溶胶送入平流层吸收太阳辐射,另一方面能够使海洋富铁后通过光合作用吸收大气中的CO_2,从而导致全球降温。此外,硅质大火成岩省还是一个大型的热液成矿系统,形成大量的低硫化型贵金属浅成低温热液矿床,具有重要的经济意义。     

Volcanic features of the North Rockall Trough: application of visualisation techniques on 3D seismic reflection data

Understanding the volcanic processes operating during continental break-up is hampered by the subsequent burial of the majority of the volcanic pile beneath thick sedimentary sequences currently located in bathymetrically deep offshore regions. Although portions of these volcanic systems are currently exposed on land, a full understanding of the volcanic structure, the eruptive styles and their evolution is not possible as these localities have been partially eroded. Furthermore, as the onshore exposure represents a volumetrically minor part of the entire system, the documented eruptive styles may not be representative. The increasing availability of 3D seismic reflection data has the potential to significantly enhance our understanding of break-up related volcanism, as it allows direct access to detailed information from the buried volcanic succession. However, conventional seismic interpretation methodologies cannot determine lava flow morphologies, and as a result, eruptive styles and their evolution are still largely based on extrapolation from the accessible onshore outcrop data. New 3D seismic volume visualisation techniques allow the buried basalt morphologies to be examined for the first time in a manner similar to outcrop, aerial photographic or satellite-based observations. Applying this new approach for 3D seismic data to the North Rockall Trough, U.K. Atlantic margin, demonstrates that a range of volcanic features indicative of eruptive style can be determined. The data reveal a complex terrain containing lava flows originating from discrete volcanic centres, contemporaneous normal faults, linear fissures a few kilometres long, radial fissures and inflation ridges. Lava flow morphologies that are indicative of tube-fed inflated sheetflows, intracanyon flows and elongate subaerial flows that enter water downslope to produce a large hyaloclastite delta are observed.Electronic Supplementary Material Supplementary material is available in the online version of this article at .Editorial responsibility: J. Stix     

Contact zone permeability at intrusion boundaries: new results from hydraulic testing and geophysical logging in the Newark Rift Basin, New York, USA

Hydraulic tests and geophysical logging performed in the Palisades sill and the underlying sedimentary rocks in the NE part of the Newark Rift Basin, New York, USA, confirm that the particular transmissive zones are localized within the dolerite-sedimentary rock contact zone and within a narrow interval below this contact zone that is characterized by the occurrence of small layers of chilled dolerite. Transmissivity values determined from fluid injection, aquifer testing, and flowmeter measurements generally fall in the range of 8.1E-08 to 9.95E-06 m²/s and correspond to various scales of investigation. The analysis of acoustic and optical BHTV images reveals two primary fracture sets within the dolerite and the sedimentary rocks—subhorizontal fractures, intersected by subvertical ones. Despite being highly fractured either with subhorizontal, subvertical or both fracture populations, the dolerite above and the sedimentary rocks below the contact zone and the zone with the layers of chilled dolerite are significantly less conductive. The distribution of the particular conductive intervals is not a function of the two dominant fracture populations or their density but rather of the intrusion path of the sill. The intrusion caused thermal fracturing and cracking of both formations, resulting in higher permeability along the contact zone.