Simulating coseismic deformation of quartz in the middle crust and fabric evolution during postseismic stress relaxation — An experimental study

Non-steady state deformation and annealing experiments on vein quartz are designed to simulate earthquake-driven episodic deformation in the middle crust. Three types of experiments were carried out using a modified Griggs-type solid medium deformation apparatus. All three start with high stress deformation at a temperature of 400 °C and a constant strain rate of 10^− 4 s^− 1 (type A), some are followed by annealing in the stability field of α-quartz for 14–15 h at zero nominal differential stress and temperatures of 800–1000 °C (type A + B), or by annealing for 15 h at 900 °C and at a residual stress (type A + C).The quartz samples reveal a very high strength > 2 GPa at a few percent of permanent strain. The microstructures after short-term high stress deformation (type A) record localized brittle and plastic deformation. Statisc annealing (type A + B) results in recrystallisation restricted to the highly damaged zones. The new grains aligned in strings and without crystallographic preferred orientation, indicate nucleation and growth. Annealing at non-hydrostatic conditions (type A + C) results in shear zones that also develop from deformation bands or cracks that formed during the preceding high stress deformation. In this case, however, the recrystallised zone is several grain diameters wide, the grains are elongate, and a marked crystallographic preferred orientation indicates flow by dislocation creep with dynamic recrystallisation. Quartz microstructures identical to those produced in type A + B experiments are observed in cores recovered from Long Valley Exploratory Well in the Quaternary Long Valley Caldera, California, with considerable seismic activity.The experiments demonstrate the behaviour of quartz at coseismic loading (type A) and subsequent static annealing (type A + B) or creep at decaying stress (type A + C) in the middle crust. The experimentally produced microfabrics allow to identify similar processes and conditions in exhumed rocks.     

The geology of the Taparko gold deposit, Birimian greenstone belt, Burkina Faso, West Africa

The Taparko gold deposit, located in the eastern branch of the Proterozoic Birimian Bouroum-Yalogo greenstone belt (Burkina Faso) consists of a network of quartz veins developed in a N 170° trending shear zone (250 m wide, 4 km long) superimposed on the regional Birimian structural pattern. The quartz vein network is composed of: (a) a dominant array of quartz veins (type 1), parallel to the shear zone and comprising strongly deformed dark quartz exhibiting foliation, layering, ribbon, tension gashes, etc.; (b) oblique and subparallel related veins (type 2) of gray to white weakly deformed quartz crosscutting the dominant quartz veins resulting in breccia structures; and (c) shallow dipping veins (type 3), cross-cutting veins types 1 and 2 and filled by undeformed white buck structure quartz. Cross-cutting relationships and different quartz types in different veins and within individual veins imply a concomitant filling of the veins during the progressive deformation. Initial sinistral transcurrent shearing evolved with time to sinistral reverse shearing. Metallic minerals occur only in type 1 and 2 veins and were deposited in two stages, with native gold being related to second stage sulfides. Gold (and chalcopyrite) precipitated preferentially upon the surfaces of fractured pyrite grains in low-pressure sites (pressure shadow zones) around and/or within the sulfide grains (along subsequently annealed fractures). The formation of the South Taparko deposit can be divided into a succession of events: (a) during the first event, N 170°-directed sinistral transcurrent shearing resulted in a N 20° mylonitic foliation and fractured rock which allowed H₂O-, CO₂- and SiO₂-rich fluids to circulate and deposit quartz with buck texture; (b) during the second event, type 1 quartz was strongly deformed and type 2 veins formed with sigmoidal shapes as viewed on a horizontal plane; and (c) during the third event, the sinistral transcurrent shearing evolved to sinistral reverse shearing and the deformation style evolved correspondingly from ductile to brittle-ductile. During the last phase of deformation gold nucleated and deposited in low-pressure zones. Received: 9 July 1997 / Accepted: 23 March 1998     

云南东川新山含金剪切带型金矿

新山金矿属构造剪切带控制的典型金矿床,产于中元古界昆阳群美党组(Pt2m)中部变质石英砂板岩中。规模大、品位富、易采易选。矿区构造——含金剪切带与土壤地球化学金异常,是寻找该类金矿的重要标志。     

江苏东海地区石英脉地质特征及找矿方向

区域变质作用、韧性剪切作用和超高压变质作用为SiO2富集创造条件,印支期-燕山期的构造活动为石英脉富集定位创造构造环境。东海群地层、韧性剪切带、超高压变质带为石英脉的形成提供了SiO2物质来源。     

赣南地区石雷石英闪长岩的成因:岩石化学、副矿物微量元素、锆石U-Pb年代学与Sr-Nd-Hf同位素制约

石雷石英闪长岩是赣南崇-余-犹地区比较特殊的闪长质侵入体。锆石的原位U-Pb定年表明,该岩体侵位于433.5±3.4Ma。全岩主量元素特征上显示出中偏酸性(SiO2=56.92%～64.70%),富Al(Al2O3=14.10%～14.83%),富碱(Alk=6.41%～7.40%)特别是富钾(K2O=3.86%～4.85%),镁、铁含量较高,MgO:3.47%～5.95%,FeOT:5.23%～8.14%以及低磷(P2O5=0.27%～0.4%)的特点;微量元素上主要富集K、Rb、Cs等大离子亲石元素和轻稀土元素,亏损Nb、Ta、Ti、P等高场强元素。磷灰石微量元素特征上显示高度富集稀土元素特别是轻稀土元素的特征;具有Eu的负异常(δEu=0.37～0.45)。ISr位于0.7073～0.7132之间,εNd(t)变化于-8.41～-4.97之间,两阶段钕模式年龄介于1.58～1.86Ga之间,Hf同位素组成相对均一,εHf(t)主要集中变化于-8～-2之间,两阶段Hf模式年龄加权平均为1.77±0.09Ga,这些特征都暗示了该石英闪长质岩体的形成是强烈壳幔相互作用的产物,区内加里东晚期可能发生了局部的岩石圈的减薄。     

http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1674987114000395

The study of fluid inclusions in high-grade rocks is especially challenging as the host minerals have been normally subjected to deformation, recrystallization and fluid-rock interaction so that primary in- clusions, formed at the peak of metamorphism are rare. The larger part of the fluid inclusions found in metamorphic minerals is typically modified during uplift. These late processes may strongly disguise the characteristics of the ＂original＂ peak metamorphic fluid. A detailed microstructural analysis of the host minerals, notably quartz, is therefore indispensable for a proper interpretation of fluid inclusions. Cathodoluminescence （CL） techniques combined with trace element analysis of quartz （EPMA, LA- [CPMS） have shown to be very helpful in deciphering the rock-fluid evolution. Whereas high-grade metamorphic quartz may have relatively high contents of trace elements like Ti and A1, low- temperature re-equilibrated quartz typically shows reduced trace element concentrations. The result- ing microstructures in CL can be basically distinguished in diffusion patterns （along microfractures and grain boundaries）, and secondary quartz formed by dissolution-reprecipitation. Most of these textures are formed during retrograde fluid-controlled processes between ca. 220 and 500 ℃, i.e. the range of semi-brittle deformation （greenschist-facies） and can be correlated with the fluid inclusions. In this way modified and re-trapped fluids can be identified, even when there are no optical features observed under the microscope.     

Quartz resources in the Serra de Santa Helena formation,Brazil: A geochemical and technological study

This study presents an evaluation of Brazilian quartz deposits of Corinto and Olhos D'água, in Minas Gerais State, as potential high purity raw material for the production of silica glass. Both deposits are part of the Serra de Santa Helena formation, which holds other quartz deposits. Several quartz samples from these mines were analyzed to evaluate their chemical purity, by determination of the content of trace elements by ICP-MS after acid digestion. The technological characteristics of the ores after flame-fusion into silica glass were evaluated according to their bubble generation and UV transparency. The results indicate that silica glass with chemistry suitable for crucible applications can be obtained from materials of both mines, and even optical grade silica glass can be manufactured using transparent ore from one of the mines. In addition, this work explores the trace elements composition of each mine, as well as their fluid inclusions, and characterizes the mines as being of hydrothermal origin. Small differences in the physical and chemical characteristics of quartz that could affect the technological behavior of the ores are related to the geological history of the mines and provide interesting insights regarding the exploration of other quartz resources within the same geological formation.     

榴辉岩相峰期流体活动：来自东昆仑榴辉岩石英脉的证据

本文通过对东昆仑温泉地区榴辉岩中石英脉的锆石U-Pb定年和Lu-Hf同位素的综合研究,为榴辉岩相峰期变质阶段的流体活动提供了一定的证据。石英脉中的锆石晶型较好,具有振荡环带或弱分带,排除了从寄主榴辉岩中捕获锆石的可能性。石英脉和寄主榴辉岩中锆石U-Pb年龄的加权平均值分别为450±2Ma和451±2Ma,说明石英脉中锆石的形成年龄与榴辉岩相的峰期变质阶段一致。两种锆石Hf同位素组成的相似性说明形成石英脉的流体/熔体为内部来源,推测可能为榴辉岩中石英发生溶解以及绿辉石和石榴石分子结构中羟基的出溶作用形成。锆石较低的U、Th含量以及Th/U比值说明石英脉更可能是流体活动形成而非熔体。     

云南会泽HZT 型铅锌矿床蚀变白云岩特征及岩石-地球化学找矿标志

蚀变白云岩是会泽超大型铅锌矿床的赋矿围岩。通过矿区调研和近矿围岩典型剖面精细测量,矿区蚀变中-粗晶白云岩从颜色上可分为4种类型:肉红中粗晶白云岩、米黄色针孔状粗晶白云岩、灰白孔洞状粗晶白云岩、纯白色粗晶白云岩;前三者与矿体产出关系密切,从远矿到近矿依次为:肉红中粗晶白云岩→米黄色针孔状粗晶白云岩→灰白孔洞状粗晶白云岩→铅锌矿石;总结了3个带主要矿物组合、组构特征,认为3个带在白云石重结晶程度、显微构造、黄铁矿、晶洞充填物及裂隙等具明显差异,据此可作为辨识赋矿白云岩的重要标志。同时,对比了摆佐组白云岩(矿化粗晶白云岩、粗晶白云岩、白云石化灰岩)主量元素变化特征,分析了近矿蚀变白云岩主量元素及其比值与矿体距离的相关性,以及CaO与其他主量元素相关性,确定了热液蚀变参数有SiO2、MgO/CaO、K2O/CaO、Al2O3/TFe等,为找矿预测提供理论依据。     

Variations in the sensitivity of the optically stimulated luminescence from quartz in the Xifeng section: A spatiotemporal comparison across the Chinese Loess Plateau since the last interglaciation

The sensitivity of the optically stimulated luminescence (OSL) from quartz is thought to be mainly influenced by source rock (crystallization temperature and quartz defect types) and depositional history (irradiation/bleaching cycles). In this study, the OSL sensitivity of quartz of different grain sizes from loess (L1) and paleosol (S1) layers at the Xifeng section of the Chinese Loess Plateau was analyzed. The OSL sensitivity of the samples from the Xifeng section shows a distinct difference between glacial and interglacial cycles, which is consistent with the patterns observed from magnetic susceptibility (MS) and grain sizes. The highest OSL sensitivity is observed in S1, which is twelve times the lowest sensitivity observed in L1. Moreover, the contribution of the fast component of quartz OSL from the paleosol accounts for more than 90% of the total OSL signal. In contrast, the middle and slow components contribute more in loess, and a significant variation among different aliquots was observed.Comparison of the data obtained from loess sections from different regions, including Xifeng, Luochuan, Jingyuan and Shimao, show significant differences in the magnitudes of OSL sensitivity but a similar pattern between glacial and interglacial periods. The results of this study suggest that, except for the wildfire model proposed to interpret the high OSL sensitivity in paleosol (Zhang, 2018), the shift of wind pattern of westerly wind (i.e., transporting “dim” source from North Tibetan Plateau and northwesterly wind (i.e., transporting “bright” source from Alxa Arid Lands and the subsequent mixture from the different sources may partially contribute to the different OSL sensitivities observed for Xifeng and Luochuan. In contrast, the OSL sensitivity of Shimao samples from L1 was affected by the input from the Mu Us Desert, and those of Jingyuan may affected by the contribution from the Yellow River.