Metal sources of the Navan carbonate-hosted base metal deposit, Ireland: Nd and Sr isotope evidence for deep hydrothermal convection

Nd and Sr isotope analyses are presented for gangue mineral samples from the giant carbonate-hosted Navan Zn–Pb deposit, Ireland, and for rocks from which Navan metals may have been derived. Analysis of gangue minerals spanning the Navan paragenetic sequence reveals systematic evolution in the composition of the mineralising fluid. Early fluid represented by replacive dolomite exhibits the lowest initial ⁸⁷Sr/⁸⁶Sr ratio (0.7083–0.7086), closest to that of the host limestone and to Lower Carboniferous seawater, and the highest ¹⁴³Nd/¹⁴⁴Nd ratio (0.51161–0.51176). Later generations of dolomite, barite and calcite, which encompass sulphide precipitation, have higher initial ⁸⁷Sr/⁸⁶Sr ratios (maximum 0.7105) and lower initial ¹⁴³Nd/¹⁴⁴Nd ratios (minimum 0.51157). All samples have initial Nd isotope ratios that are too low to have been acquired only from the host limestone. Drill core samples of presumed Ordovician volcanic and sedimentary rocks from beneath the Navan orebody have ¹⁴³Nd/¹⁴⁴Nd and ⁸⁷Sr/⁸⁶Sr ratios at the time of mineralisation of 0.51184–0.51217 and 0.7086–0.7138, respectively. The data are interpreted to indicate mixing of sulphide-rich, limestone-buffered brine, with a metal-bearing hydrothermal fluid, which had passed through sub-Carboniferous rocks, consistent with published fluid inclusion and S isotope data. The ¹⁴³Nd/¹⁴⁴Nd ratio of this basement-derived fluid is too low to have been imparted by flow through the Devonian Old Red Sandstone, as required in models of regional fluid flow in response to Hercynian uplift. Irrespective of whether such regional fluid flow occurred, the hydrothermal Nd must have been derived from sub-Devonian rocks. These conclusions broadly support the hydrothermal convection cell model in which brines, ultimately of surface origin, penetrated to a depth of several kilometres, leaching metals from the rocks through which they passed. The data also support increasing depth of penetration of convection cells with time. Metals were subsequently precipitated in carbonate rocks at sites of mixing with cooler, sulphide-rich fluids. However, comparison of the Navan hydrothermal gangue Nd–Sr isotope data with data from Lower Palaeozoic rocks strongly suggests that the latter cannot alone account for the “basement” signature. As the Navan deposit lies immediately north of the Iapetus Suture, this suggests that the Laurentian margin includes Precambrian basement.     

Post-depositional 137Cs Mobility in the Sediments of Three Shallow Coastal Lagoons, SW England

We present ¹³⁷Cs profiles for three low lying coastal lagoons in Southwest England that show a decline in activity with sediment depth. ¹³⁷Cs inventories are lower than expected by comparison with local reference inventories despite the fact that sampling was undertaken in the deep-water zone of each lake where sediment and ¹³⁷Cs focusing would be expected. At all three locations, lake sediment ⁷Be and unsupported ²¹⁰Pb (²¹⁰Pb_un) inventories are not significantly lower than the local reference inventory. ¹³⁷Cs inventories in the study cores range from 38 to 95% of local reference inventories. The standing water level and mud: water interface at two sites are below maximum tide level and, at all three sites, salinity increases significantly in the water columns between low and high tide and in the pore waters of the underlying sediments. We suggest that the difference in hydrostatic pressure between sea level and standing water levels in the lagoons forces salt water up through the sediment column and that monovalent cations (especially Na⁺ and K⁺) replace ¹³⁷Cs on exchange sites leading to the upward migration and loss of ¹³⁷Cs. Rising sea levels may therefore contribute to remobilisation and release of ¹³⁷Cs to the aquatic environment from the sediments of coastal lagoons.     

Lead, zinc, and antimony contamination of the Rio Chilco-Rio Tupiza drainage system, Southern Bolivia

An intense, but localized rainfall event in February 2003, led to the severe erosion and failure of a tailings disposal impoundment at the Abarόa Antimony Mine in southern Bolivia. The failure released approximately 5,500 m³ of contaminated tailings into the Rio Chilco-Rio Tupiza drainage system. The impacts of the event on sediment quality are examined and compared to contamination resulting from historic mining operations in the headwaters of the basin. Of primary concern are contaminated floodplain soils located along downstream reaches of the Rio Tupiza which were found to contain lead (Pb), zinc (Zn), and antimony (Sb) concentrations that locally exceed Canadian, German, and Dutch guidelines for agricultural use. Spatial patterns in sediment-borne trace metal concentrations, combined with Pb isotopic data, indicate that Pb, Zn, and Sb are derived from three tributary basins draining the Abarόa, Chilcobija, and Tatasi-Portugalete mining districts. Downstream of each tributary, geographical patterns in trace metal concentrations reflect local geomorphic changes throughout the drainage system. Trace metal concentrations within the Rio Chilco decrease rapidly downstream as a result of dilution by uncontaminated sediments and storage of metal enriched particles (e.g., sulfide minerals) in the channel bed as a result of ongoing aggradation. Storage in the floodplains is limited. These processes significantly reduced the dispersal and, thus, the relative environmental affects of tailings eroded from the Abarόa Mine during the 2003 flood. In contrast, storage of Pb, Zn, and Sb in floodplains along the Rio Tupiza is significant, the majority of which is derived from historic mining operations, particularly mining within the Tatasi-Portugalete district.     

Early Cretaceous U–Pb zircon ages for the Copiapó plutonic complex and implications for the IOCG mineralization at Candelaria, Atacama Region, Chile

Four of the major plutons in the vicinity of the Candelaria mine (470 Mt at 0.95% Cu, 0.22 g/t Au, 3.1 g/t Ag) and a dike–sill system exposed in the Candelaria open pit have been dated with the U–Pb zircon method. The new geochronological data indicate that dacite magmatism around 123 Ma preceded the crystallization of hornblende diorite (Khd) at 118 ± 1 Ma, quartz–monzonite porphyry (Kqm) at 116.3 ± 0.4 Ma, monzodiorite (Kmd) at 115.5 ± 0.4 Ma, and tonalite (Kt) at 110.7 ± 0.4 Ma. The new ages of the plutons are consistent with field relationships regarding the relative timing of emplacement. Plutonism temporally overlaps with the iron oxide Cu–Au mineralization (Re–Os molybdenite ages at ∼115 Ma) and silicate alteration (ages mainly from 114 to 116 and 110 to 112 Ma) in the Candelaria–Punta del Cobre district. The dated dacite porphyry and hornblende diorite intrusions preceded the ore formation. A genetic link of the metallic mineralization with the quartz–monzonite porphyry and/or the monzodiorite is likely. Both of these metaluminous, shoshonitic (high-K) intrusions could have provided energy and contributed fluids, metals, and sulfur to the hydrothermal system that caused the iron oxide Cu–Au mineralization. The age of the tonalite at 110.7 Ma falls in the same range as the late alteration at 110 to 112 Ma. Tonalite emplacement may have sustained existing or driven newly developed hydrothermal cells that caused this late alteration or modified ⁴⁰Ar/³⁹Ar and K/Ar systematic in some areas.     

华南下寒武统镍钼矿层中铜铅锌矿物的发现及意义

华南扬子地块是我国古热水沉积成矿作用最为发育的地区之一,其热水沉积特性最早引起我国学者的关注。华南下寒武统黑色岩系中赋存多个与热水沉积成矿作用相关的大型、超大型重晶石矿床与N i-Mo-U-V多金属富集层。进一步研究分布在华南扬子地块黑色岩系中的金属、非金属矿床成因及其地球化学特征,对认识华南乃至全球晚震旦—早寒武世生物与环境演化有着十分重要的意义。本文对华南下寒武统镍-钼富集层矿石进行电子探针研究,识别出黄铜矿、黝铜矿等铜的独立矿物;闪锌矿等锌的独立矿物;方铅矿、白铅矿等铅的独立矿物。研究表明,在镍-钼矿石中这些矿物的发现为镍-钼矿层是热水沉积作用产物提供了直接的矿物学证据。     

西藏俄卡地银多金属异常区地球化学

异常形态、分布严格受推覆断裂控制,范围大、浓集中心明显,浓度变化及因子载荷表明。区内找Ag、Pb有利,而Sb又为其最佳指示元素。     

同位素地质学定年方法评述

详细分析了当前同纱年代学的常用定年方法，如K-Ar法，U-Pb法，Rb-Sr法和Sm-Nd法等的适用性和局限性。讨论了地质事件定年过程中存在的一些问题，提出了准确定年的注意事项。     

末次盛冰期百年尺度气候变化的南京石笋记录

据年层计数和TIMSU系测年结果,建立了南京汤山葫芦洞YT石笋年际精度时间标尺(18000～14000aB.P.)。除石笋顶部5mm层段外,高分辨率的^δ18O、灰度和年层厚度3种指标在百年尺度上具有相当一致的对应关系,表明这3种指标对气候因素变化响应比较敏感。综合石笋^δ18O和本区古植被资料,估计末次盛冰期和波令暖期年均温分别达7℃和15℃。石笋揭示的末次盛冰期气候可进一步划分为4个阶段:1)18150～16900aB.P.,年均温和洞穴湿度逐步下降;2)16900～16100aB.P.,年均温和洞穴湿度相对稳定,可进一步划分为3个暖峰和两个冷谷;3)16100～15600aB.P.,年均温快速下降,按氧同位素平衡方程计算,其冷谷可能接近于0℃,但洞穴湿度比前期下降幅度并不大;4)15600～14750aB.P.,年均温和洞穴湿度比较稳定。这种气候演化的阶段性和突变性与北大西洋地区气候记录可以对比,反映极地与东亚季风气候受共同的驱动机制支配。从石笋4种指标(^δ18O、^δ13C、灰度和年层厚度)的功率谱图中识别出不同尺度的太阳活动周期成分,其中80aGleissberg周期特别显著,表明末次盛冰期边界条件下太阳活动仍是短尺度气候变化的主要驱动力。     

吉林集安铅锌矿地球化学与分散元素

吉林集安铅锌矿床是我国最早报导的少数几个典型低温铅锌矿床之一。矿化具有多期次特点 ,富矿体都是多期次矿化叠加的产物。根据矿化先后和矿物生成顺序将矿化分为五个阶段 :①石英 黄铁矿矿化阶段 ;②重晶石 闪锌矿矿化阶段 ;③石英 方铅矿矿化阶段 ;④石英 黄铁矿矿化阶段 ;⑤碳酸盐 氧化矿物矿化阶段。用均一法和爆裂法测得石英、重晶石、闪锌矿包裹体成矿温度变化在 1 1 0℃～ 1 97℃之间。矿床中除含铅锌矿外 ,还有微量的Pt和Pd,并普遍含分散元素Cd、Ga、Tl、In、Se、Ge、Te,其中以Cd含量最高 ,闪锌矿中Cd含量最高可达 71 5 5× 1 0 6。分散元素主要呈类质同象形式赋存在各种矿物之中 ,未发现独立矿物。通过矿床地质和硫铅同位素研究表明该铅锌矿床属低温沉积 改造型层控矿床。     

柴北缘绿梁山地区辉长岩的锆石U-Pb年龄及意义

柴达木盆地北缘绿梁山地区的辉长岩侵入到古生代滩间山群及超基性岩中 ,地球化学、微量元素、稀土元素显示出源幔特征。选自其中的锆石明显具岩浆型锆石特点 ,4个单颗粒锆石U -Pb同位素年龄均为谐和年龄 ,2 0 6 Pb 2 38U表面年龄统计权重平均值为 (496 .3± 6 .2 )Ma ,代表了该岩体的结晶年龄 ,从而间接地否定了本区滩间山群的时代为晚奥陶世 -志留纪的认识。辉长岩与滩间山群是柴北缘活动大陆边缘火山岛弧的组成部分。此类岩体同位素地质年龄的确定对柴北缘榴辉岩、滩间山群时代及大地构造性质的重新认识具有重要意义