Thermal and isotopic profiling of the Pipeline hydrothermal system: Application to exploration for Carlin-type gold deposits

New exploration techniques are vital to the search for new orebodies in mature terranes, as well as for extensions of existing orebodies. This research focused on application of low-temperature dating techniques (primarily apatite fission-tracks) and stable isotope measurements (carbon and oxygen in carbonate rocks) in and around the Pipeline deposit, a Carlin-type gold system. The primary purpose of the project was to assess whether these techniques could provide exploration vectors that might be used in conjunction with other geologic, geochemical, and geophysical techniques to determine the locus of fossil hydrothermal fluid flow, and the attendant possibility of finding economic mineral deposits.At Pipeline, measurements of apatite fission-tracks and (U − Th) / He geochronometry yield a clear indication of the elevated temperatures associated with the fossil hydrothermal system. The pattern is one of a central target (Pipeline deposit) with decreasing thermal effects as far as several kilometers laterally from the known ore zone. Because of the irregular nature of fluid flow through fractures, a significant number of samples are required to discern this pattern, but the pattern is quite clear from the 32 samples in and around the Pipeline pit.Stable isotope measurements of carbonate rocks yield patterns centered on the Pipeline pit area. Oxygen isotopes in particular are shifted toward lower values as the result of interaction between the hydrothermal fluids and carbonate rocks. Carbon isotopes show a pattern, but it is somewhat more difficult to interpret than the oxygen isotope pattern. As with the geochronometric patterns, isotopic indications of fluid flow are present several kilometers from the ore zone at Pipeline. Also as with the geochronometric data, a relatively large sample set is required to see the pattern. At Pipeline, the patterns are evident in approximately 45 surface samples and very clearly in the cross-sections containing approximately 100 samples.From these data, it is clear that thermal and stable isotopic measurements on rocks at a significant distance from the known Pipeline hydrothermal system record the passage of hot fluids through the rock. Both techniques provide a footprint of the Pipeline system that is several diameters larger than the ore zone (as presently known). Therefore, thermochronologic and stable isotopic measurements can be utilized in conjunction with other techniques as part of an overall exploration strategy for Carlin-type deposits. Although these techniques do not provide a direct indication of the metal content of the fossil hydrothermal fluids, they do provide an indication of the robustness of fluid flow and the potential size of a hydrothermal system.     

Lower Eocene carbonate-cemented “chimney” structures (Varna, Bulgaria) — Control of seepage rates on their formation and stable isotopic signature

The genesis of Lower Eocene calcite-cemented columns, “pisoid”-covered structures and horizontal interbeds, clustered in dispersed outcrops in the Pobiti Kamani area (Varna, Bulgaria) is related to fossil processes of hydrocarbon migration. Field observations, petrography and stable isotope geochemistry of the cemented structures and associated early-diagenetic veins, revealed that varying seepage rates of a single, warm hydrocarbon-bearing fluid, probably ascending along active faults, controlled the type of structure formed and its geochemical signature. Slow seepage allowed methane to oxidize within the sediment under ambient seafloor conditions (δ¹⁸O = − 1 ± 0.5‰ V-PDB), explaining columns' depleted δ¹³C ratios of − 43‰. Increasing seepage rates caused methane to emanate into the water column (δ¹³C = − 8‰) and raised precipitation temperatures (δ¹⁸O = − 8‰). Calcite-cemented conduits formed and upward migrating fluids also affected interbed cementation. Even higher-energy fluid flow and temperatures likely controlled the formation of “pisoids”, whereby sediment was whirled up and cemented.     

3-D seismic structure of the source area of the 1993 Latur, India, earthquake and its implications for rupture nucleations

The Latur earthquake (M_w 6.1) of 29 September 1993 is a rare stable continental region (SCR) earthquake that occurred on a previously unknown blind fault. In this study, we determined detailed three-dimensional (3-D) P- and S-wave velocity (V_p, V_s) and Poisson's ratio (σ) structures by inverting the first P- and S-wave high-quality arrival time data from 142 aftershocks that were recorded by a network of temporary seismic stations. The source zone of the Latur earthquake shows strong lateral heterogeneities in V_p, V_s and σ structures, extending in a volume of about 90 × 90 × 15 km³. The mainshock occurred within, but near the boundary, of a low-V_p, high-V_s and low-σ zone. This suggests that the structural asperities at the mainshock hypocenter are associated with a partially fluid-saturated fractured rock in a previously unknown source zone with intersecting fault surfaces. This might have triggered the 1993 Latur mainshock and its aftershock sequence. Our results are in good agreement with other geophysical studies that suggest high conductivity and high concentration of radiogenic helium gas beneath the source zone of the Latur earthquake. Our study provides an additional evidence for the presence of fluid related anomaly at the hidden source zone of the Latur earthquake in the SCR and helps us understand the genesis of damaging earthquakes in the SCR of the world.     

Seismic lamination and anisotropy of the Lower Continental Crust

Seismic lamination in the lower crust associated with marked anisotropy has been observed at various locations. Three of these locations were investigated by specially designed experiments in the near vertical and in the wide-angle range, that is the Urach and the Black Forrest area, both belonging to the Moldanubian, a collapsed Variscan terrane in southern Germany, and in the Donbas Basin, a rift inside the East European (Ukrainian) craton. In these three cases, a firm relationship between lower crust seismic lamination and anisotropy is found. There are more cases of lower-crustal lamination and anisotropy, e.g. from the Basin and Range province (western US) and from central Tibet, not revealed by seismic wide-angle measurements, but by teleseismic receiver function studies with a P–S conversion at the Moho. Other cases of lamination and anisotropy are from exhumed lower crustal rocks in Calabria (southern Italy), and Val Sesia and Val Strona (Ivrea area, Northern Italy). We demonstrate that rocks in the lower continental crust, apart from differing in composition, differ from the upper mantle both in terms of seismic lamination (observed in the near-vertical range) and in the type of anisotropy. Compared to upper mantle rocks exhibiting mainly orthorhombic symmetry, the symmetry of the rocks constituting the lower crust is either axial or orthorhombic and basically a result of preferred crystallographic orientation of major minerals (biotite, muscovite, hornblende). We argue that the generation of seismic lamination and anisotropy in the lower crust is a consequence of the same tectonic process, that is, ductile deformation in a warm and low-viscosity lower crust. This process takes place preferably in areas of extension. Heterogeneous rock units are formed that are generally felsic in composition, but that contain intercalations of mafic intrusions. The latter have acted as heat sources and provide the necessary seismic impedance contrasts. The observed seismic anisotropy is attributed to lattice preferred orientation (LPO) of major minerals, in particular of mica and hornblende, but also of olivine. A transversely isotropic symmetry system, such as expected for sub-horizontal layering, is found in only half of the field studies. Azimuthal anisotropy is encountered in the rest of the cases. This indicates differences in the horizontal components of tectonic strain, which finally give rise to differences in the evolution of the rock fabric.     

西北旅游落后现状的突破及列车旅游的新思路--兼论"西部之星"旅游列车的产品设计

近几年，西北地区的旅游业虽然取得了很大的成绩，但其发展相对于东部地区却显得落后，其主要原因之一就是西北地区的旅游资源过于分散，景点间距过大，由此导致游览行程过长，游览内容单薄，这在客观上影响了游客的选择。而与此同时，在国外，列车旅游早已作为各国旅游业的重要旅游产品为世人所熟知。文章从分析我国西北旅游业发展的现状入手，针对景点分散这一制约我国西部旅游业发展的客观不利因素，肯定了开发旅游列车产品的思路。作者以西北地区为例，结合目前我国旅游专列发展现状，提出开通“西部之星”旅游列车的构想，并进行了初步的设计。     

山区生态县区域协调发展的机制构建--以粤北始兴县为例

区域协调机制在不同类型地域和一种类型地域的不同的发展阶段是不同的。始兴县作为一个典型的山区生态县,工业进入加速发展时期,在此经济发展阶段的区域协调问题主要表现在:与外部区域经济、社会发展差距拉大,工业化与流域生态环境保护的矛盾已开始凸现,县政府协调区域发展的财政能力较低,区域协调机制不健全等。由此对始兴县的区域协调机制进行建构:建立健全多层次的区域协调机构;加大纵向和横向政府财政转移支付的力度;加强与相邻相关地区的协调;实施区域空间管治协调,保护城乡生态环境;科学合理选择产业,大力发展循环经济;全县推行绿色GDP考核等。     

粤西地区县域城镇化发展探讨——以广东省高州市为例

受地理条件、经济基础等因素的制约,粤西地区面临着城镇化进程滞后、整体发展层次偏低等一系列问题。加速推进县域城镇化是加快粤西地区经济发展,缩小与发达地区差距的内在要求和必然选择。以高州市为例,全面总结了粤西地区县域城镇化发展的特点及存在的主要问题,并在系统分析其城镇化发展机制的基础上,提出通过完善城镇体系,加强产业集聚,提升建设品位,增强城镇自我发展能力等促进县域城镇化发展。     

Study of stable isotopes for highly deformed aquifers in the Hsinchu-Miaoli area, Taiwan

This study was based on the analysis of isotopic compositions of hydrogen and oxygen in samples from precipitation, groundwater and stream water. In addition, parts of groundwater samples were dated by carbon-14 and tritium. These data are integrated to provide other views of the hydrologic cycle in the Hsinchu-Miaoli groundwater district. The groundwater district is principally composed of Pleistocene and Holocene aquifers. The Pleistocene aquifers are highly deformed by folding and faults into small sub-districts with areas of only tens of square kilometers. These aquifers are exclusively recharged by local precipitation. The Holocene aquifers cover narrow creek valleys, only tens of meters in thickness. The local meteoric water line (LMWL), constructed from rainfall samples in the Hsinchu Science Park, is described by the equation δD=8.02δ¹⁸O+10.16, which agrees with the global meteoric water line. In addition, the precipitation isotopic compositions can be categorized into two distinct end members: typhoon type and monsoon type. The groundwater isotopic compositions are perfectly located on an LMWL and can be considered a mixture of precipitations. Based on the mass balance of isotopic compositions of oxygen and hydrogen, infiltration is more active in the rainy season with depleted isotopic compositions. The amount of infiltration during May–September is roughly estimated to comprise at least 55% of the whole year’s recharge. The isotopic compositions of stream water are expressed by a regression equation: δD=7.61δ¹⁸O+9.62, which is similar to the LMWL. Although precipitation isotopic compositions are depleted during summer time, the isotopic compositions contrarily show an enriched trend in the upstream area. This is explained by the opposite altitude effect on isotopic compositions for typhoon-related precipitations.     

紫色丘陵区水土保持林低效化的土壤成因

四川盆地紫色丘陵区的水土保持林低效化问题已较严重。研究了其土壤方面的成因。通过对土壤构造、土壤肥力特性、土壤结构性评价等研究，指出该区人工林地的土壤构造发育不正常，土壤腐殖质胶体积累量低。土壤结构质量差等林地土壤退化是土壤水土保持功能降低的主要原因。根据研究的初步结果，提出了相应的对策建议。     

Climate change in Mt. Qomolangma region since 1971

Using monthly average, maximum, minimum air temperature and monthly precipitation data from 5 weather stations in Mt. Qomolangma region in China from 1971 to 2004, climatic linear trend, moving average, low-pass filter and accumulated variance analysis methods, the spatial and temporal patterns of the climatic change in this region were analyzed. The main findings can be summarized as follows: (1) There is obvious ascending tendency for the interannual change of air temperature in Mt. Qomolangma region and the ascending tendency of Tingri, the highest station, is the most significant. The rate of increasing air temperature is 0.234 oC/decade in Mt. Qomolangma region, 0.302 oC/decade in Tingri. The air temperature increases more strongly in non-growing season. (2) Compared with China and the global average, the warming of Mt. Qomolangma region occurred early. The linear rates of temperature increase in Mt. Qomolangma region exceed those for China and the global average in the same period. This is attributed to the sensitivity of mountainous regions to climate change. (3) The southern and northern parts of Mt. Qomolangma region are quite different in precipitation changes. Stations in the northern part show increasing trends but are not statistically significant. Nyalam in the southern part shows a decreasing trend and the sudden decreasing of precipitation occurred in the early 1990s. (4) Compared with the previous studies, we find that the warming of Mt. Qomolangma high-elevation region is most significant in China in the same period. The highest automatic meteorological comprehensive observation station in the world set up at the base camp of Mt. Qomolangma with a height of 5032 m a.s.l will play an important role in monitoring the global climate change.