Geochemistry of ore-forming fluids and geological significance of the Kuoerzhenkuola gold field in Xinjiang, China

The Kuoerzhenkuola gold field (including the Kuo- erzhenkuola and the Buerkesidai gold deposits), lo- cated 68 km east of Jimunai County in northern Xing- jiang, China, is an important component of the Sawuer gold belt which is the eastward extending part of the Zarma-Sawur gold-copper belt in Kazakhstan. Some studies are concerned with the geology of the gold ores[1―3], the associated volcanic rocks[4], radiogenic isotope[5―8], and the ore-forming environment[8]. Most researchers inferr…     

Zebra dolomitization as a result of focused fluid flow in the Rocky Mountains Fold and Thrust Belt, Canada

Discordant zebra dolomite bodies occur locally in the Middle Cambrian Cathedral and Eldon Formations of the Main Ranges of the Canadian Rocky Mountains Fold and Thrust Belt. They are characterized by alternating dark grey (a) and white (b) bands, forming an ‘abba’ diagenetic cyclicity. These bands developed parallel to both bedding and cleavage. Dark grey (a) bands consist of fine (< 300 μm) non-planar crystalline impure dolomite. The white (b) bands are composed of coarse (up to several millimetres) milky-white pure saddle dolomites (b1) which are often covered by pore-lining zoned dolomite (b2). The b phases often possess a saddle-shaped morphology. In contrast to the replacement origin of the a dolomite, the zoned b2 dolomite rims are interpreted as a cement formed in open cavities. The b1 dolomite is interpreted as the result of recrystallization with diagenetic leaching of non-carbonate components. All the zebra dolomites studied are (nearly) stoichiometric and are characterized by enriched Na and depleted Sr concentrations. Fe and Mn concentrations in these dolomites differ depending on the sample locality. Fluid inclusion data indicate that the dolomites formed from relatively hot (T_H = 130–200 °C), saline (20–23 wt% CaCl₂ eq.) fluids. A diagenetic high temperature origin is also supported by depleted δ¹⁸O values (−20 to −14‰ VPDB). A contribution of ⁸⁷Sr-enriched fluids is reflected in the ⁸⁷Sr/⁸⁶Sr values (0·7091–0·7123). Zebra dolomite development is explained by focused fluid flow, which exploited areas of structural weaknesses (e.g. basin-platform, rim areas, faults, etc.). Expulsion of hot basinal brines in a tectonically active regime generated overpressures, which explains the development of secondary porosity during zebra dolomitization as well as the intra-zebra fracturing at decimetre to micrometre scale.     

Hydrothermal Quartz Vein Formation, Revealed by Coupled SEM-CL Imaging and Fluid Inclusion Microthermometry: Shuteen Complex, South Gobi, Mongolia

Abstract. Scanning electron microscopy-cathodoluminescence (SEM-CL) imaging of vein quartz in the Cu-mineralised, Shuteen Complex (South Gobi, Mongolia) has revealed a complex history of crystal growth, dissolution and microfracture healing, associated with several hydrothermal events that could not be detected using other observational techniques (e.g. transmitted/reflected light microscopy, back-scattered electron imaging, or secondary electron imaging).
The quartz initially grew as CL-bright/grey crystals in a 345±30C liquid reservoir, as inferred by the analysis of primary liquid fluid inclusions (average Th of 343C; 6.6∼7.7 wt% NaCl_eq). Quartz precipitation occurred at the edge of the crystals as reservoir fluids cooled to 260±25C, as indicated by micron-scale CL-dark/CL-bright quartz growth bands containing abundant fluid inclusions (with an average T_h values of 261C). Pressure fluctuations were the likely cause of dissolution, as SEM-CL imaging reveals the quartz have corroded or rounded crystal edges, and precipitation of later quartz into open space. SEM-CL imaging shows the quartz contains healed microfractures that trapped low salinity fluids (3.9 wt% NaC1_eq) with Th values of 173±15C.
SEM-CL imaging provides a means of deciphering the thermal and chemical evolution of the fossil Shuteen hydrothermal system, and the nature of hydrothermal quartz vein-forming processes, by facilitating the correlation of distinct fluid inclusion populations and their relative chronology, with specific hydrothermal events.     

Magma evolution and the formation of porphyry Cu–Au ore fluids: evidence from silicate and sulfide melt inclusions

Silicate and sulfide melt inclusions from the andesitic Farallón Negro Volcanic Complex in NW Argentina were analyzed by laser ablation ICPMS to track the behavior of Cu and Au during magma evolution, and to identify the processes in the source of fluids responsible for porphyry-Cu-Au mineralization at the 600 Mt Bajo de la Alumbrera deposit. The combination of silicate and sulfide melt inclusion data with previously published geological and geochemical information indicates that the source of ore metals and water was a mantle-derived mafic magma that contained approximately 6 wt.% H₂O and 200 ppm Cu. This magma and a rhyodacitic magma mixed in an upper-crustal magma chamber, feeding the volcanic systems and associated subvolcanic intrusions over 2.6 million years. Generation of the ore fluid from this magma occurred towards the end of this protracted evolution and probably involved six important steps: (1) Generation of a sulfide melt upon magma mixing in some parts of the magma chamber. (2) Partitioning of Cu and Au into the sulfide melt (enrichment factor of 10,000 for Cu) leading to Cu and Au concentrations of several wt.% or ppm, respectively. (3) A change in the tectonic regime from local extension to compression at the end of protracted volcanism. (4) Intrusion of a dacitic magma stock from the upper part of the layered magma chamber. (5) Volatile exsolution and resorption of the sulfide melt from the lower and more mafic parts of the magma chamber, generating a fluid with a Cu/Au ratio equal to that of the precursor sulfide. (6) Focused fluid transport and precipitation of the two metals in the porphyry, yielding an ore body containing Au and Cu in the proportions dictated by the magmatic fluid source. The Cu/S ratio in the sulfide melt inclusions requires that approximately 4,000 ppm sulfur is extracted from the andesitic magma upon mixing. This exceeds the solubility of sulfide or sulfate in either of the silicate melts and implies an additional source for S. The extra sulfur could be added in the form of anhydrite phenocrysts present in the rhyodacitic magma. It appears, thus, that unusually sulfur-rich, not Cu-rich magmas are the key to the formation of porphyry-type ore deposits. Our observations imply that dacitic intrusions hosting the porphyry–Cu–Au mineralization are not representative of the magma from which the ore-fluid exsolved. The source of the ore fluid is the underlying more mafic magma, and unaltered andesitic dikes emplaced immediately after ore formation are more likely to represent the magma from which the fluids were generated. At Alumbrera, these andesitic dikes carry relicts of the sulfide melt as inclusions in amphibole. Sulfide inclusions in similar dykes of other, less explored magmatic complexes may be used to predict the Au/Cu ratio of potential ore-forming fluids and the expected metal ratio in any undiscovered porphyry deposit.Editorial handling: B. Lehmann     

Diamond in metasedimentary crustal rocks from Pohorje,Eastern Alps: a window to deep continental subduction

We report the first finding of diamond and moissanite in metasedimentary crustal rocks of Pohorje Mountains (Slovenia) in the Austroalpine ultrahigh‐pressure (UHP) metamorphic terrane of the Eastern Alps. Microscopic observations and Raman spectroscopy show that diamond occurs in situ as inclusions in garnet, being heterogeneously distributed. Under the optical microscope, diamond‐bearing inclusions are of cuboidal to rounded shape and of pinkish, yellow to brownish colour. The Raman spectra of the investigated diamond show a sharp, first order peak of sp³‐bonded carbon, in most cases centred between 1332 and 1330 cm^?1, with a full width at half maximum between 3 and 5 cm^?1. Several spectra show Raman bands typical for disordered graphitic (sp²‐bonded) carbon. Detailed observations show that diamond occurs either as a monomineralic, single‐crystal inclusion or it is associated with SiC (moissanite), CO₂ and CH₄ in polyphase inclusions_. This rare record of diamond occurring with moissanite as fluid‐inclusion daughter minerals implies the crystallization of diamond and moissanite from a supercritical fluid at reducing conditions. Thermodynamic modelling suggests that diamond‐bearing gneisses attained P–T conditions of ≥3.5 GPa and 800–850 °C, similar to eclogites and garnet peridotites. We argue that diamond formed when carbonaceous sediment underwent UHP metamorphism at mantle depth exceeding 100 km during continental subduction in the Late Cretaceous (c. 95–92 Ma). The finding of diamond confirms UHP metamorphism in the Pohorje Mountains, the most deeply subducted part of Austroalpine units.     

河南老湾金矿床上上河矿段矿床地质和成矿流体地球化学

河南桐柏老湾金矿床是桐柏-大别山(北坡)金银成矿带内大型造山带型金矿床之一。文章对该矿床的上上河矿段进行了矿床地质和成矿流体地球化学研究,旨在查明该矿段的流体成矿过程。根据矿脉穿插关系、矿石结构构造、矿物共生组合以及黄铁矿的粒度和晶形,将老湾金矿上上河矿段成矿过程划分为:石英粗粒自形黄铁矿(Ⅰ)、石英细粒半自形-他形黄铁矿(Ⅱ)、石英多金属硫化物(Ⅲ)及石英碳酸盐(Ⅳ)4个阶段。镜下观察显示,矿床中的包裹体类型有含CO_2包裹体(LH_2O+LCO_2+VCO_2)、纯CO_2包裹体(LCO_2+VCO_2)、液相包裹体(LH_2O+VH_2O)及少量含子晶包裹体(LH_2O+VH_2O+S)。第Ⅰ阶段、第Ⅱ阶段和第Ⅲ阶段均可见含CO_2包裹体、纯CO_2包裹体和液相包裹体,有时可见含CO_2包裹体与液相包裹体共存。流体包裹体显微测温结果表明,成矿流体可近似看做中温、低盐度、富CO_2的NaCl-H_2O-CO_2体系,纯CO_2包裹体和液相包裹体所代表的流体可能是由含CO_2包裹体所代表的Na Cl-H_2O-CO_2流体经不混溶形成的,三者在寄主矿物沉淀时,被同时捕获而共存。从第Ⅰ阶段到第Ⅳ阶段,成矿流体温度从303~379℃逐渐降低到138~195℃,盐度w(Na Cleq)从4.07%~9.59%逐渐降低到1.06%~2.74%。在成矿的第Ⅰ阶段成矿流体发生了不混溶作用,而在第Ⅱ阶段和第Ⅲ阶段流体中的CO_2起泡分离再次引发了不混溶作用。从第Ⅰ阶段到第Ⅲ阶段,成矿流体的δ18OH_2O从6.56‰~9.71‰经1.89‰~4.01‰变化到0.08‰,δDH_2O从-78.1‰~-64.2‰经-79.5‰~-76.3‰变化到-72.6‰,表明老湾金矿第Ⅰ阶段成矿流体主要为岩浆热液,第Ⅱ阶段成矿流体中有少量大气降水加入,第Ⅲ阶段成矿流体中大气降水的比例明显加大。     

广西栗木钨锡铌钽矿区流体包裹体及氢氧同位素研究

本文通过对广西栗木矿区金竹源矿床和水溪庙矿床的流体包裹体研究,得出该矿区流体包裹体主要有两相H_2O-NaCl和H_2O-NaCl-CO_2两种类型。显微测温结果表明:两相H_2O-NaCl型流体包裹体均一温度主要集中于181.9~258.8℃,盐度w(Na Cleq)主要集中于4.01%~6.87%,密度0.690~0.988 g/cm3;H_2O-NaCl-CO_2型流体包裹体均一温度为178.5~331.1℃,主要集中在两个温度段,分别为高-中温段(265.3~315.5℃)和中-低温段(202.3~264.1℃),盐度w(NaCleq)主要集中在0.21%~5.05%,密度为0.678~0.886 g/cm3。栗木矿区成矿流体有两个温度集中段,且具有低盐度、低密度的特征。氢氧同位素研究结果表明:金竹源矿床钨锡铌钽矿化花岗岩石英δD值为-73.6‰~-62.8‰,δ~(18)OV-SMOW值为7.5‰~8.9‰,计算得δ~(18)OH2O值为6.00‰~7.40‰;水溪庙矿床钨锡铌钽矿化花岗岩石英δD值为-73.8‰~-58.3‰,δ~(18)OV-SMOW值为11.0‰~13.2‰,计算得δ~(18)OH2O值为9.50‰~11.70‰,水溪庙矿床含钨锡石英脉石英δD值为-75.3‰~-56.6‰,δ~(18)OV-SMOW值为11.8‰~14.1‰,计算得δ~(18)OH2O值为2.20‰~4.50‰。栗木矿区钨锡铌钽矿化花岗岩成矿流体来源于岩浆水,含钨锡石英脉成矿流体来源于岩浆水和大气降水的混合流体。     

西藏拿若铜(金)矿床隐爆角砾岩流体包裹体研究

隐爆角砾岩是西藏拿若矿床的重要组成部分,赋存厚大的铜矿体。笔者将隐爆角砾岩中流体分成两个主要期次,并对这两期流体开展包裹体研究。通过包裹体岩相学和显微测温认为:角砾中的石英(早期)包裹体形状均匀呈椭圆形,大小主要在2~5μm;胶结物中石英(晚期)包裹体形状可见椭圆状、长条状和近方形,大小主要在2~7μm。早期流体的包裹体可分为两个阶段,均一温度分别为早阶段280~368℃和晚阶段208~305℃,盐度分布为(4.65~12.73)%Na Cleq。晚期流体的包裹体同样可分为两个阶段,其均一温度分别为早阶段309~588℃和晚阶段232~335℃,盐度变化为(3.55~12.51)%Na Cleq,两个阶段的流体分别属于高温、中低盐度和中高温、中低盐度流体。L-V型包裹体激光拉曼分析显示:包裹体中气泡成分主要为气态H2O和少量CO2。拿若矿床至少经历两次隐爆作用,由晚期沸腾热液引起,并未成矿。成矿作用发生于隐爆角砾岩形成之后。     

浙江省绍兴市平水金矿体流体包裹体研究 与矿床成因

浙江平水铜矿位于钦杭成矿带北东段浙西北地区,是浙江省最大的铜矿床,前人研究表明其为典型的火山成因块状硫化物矿床（Chen 等, 2015）。平水铜矿体在新元古代形成之后,该地区经历了加里东的变质变形作用,在铜矿体的下盘普遍发育千糜岩带（韧性剪切带）,本项目组在研究过程中认为千糜岩带与铜矿无关,但明确提出本区可能存在造山型金矿,继而老矿山接替资源勘查在平水铜矿布置了10个坑内钻孔,其中9个见矿,成功的在平水深部发现两层金矿体和一层铜矿体。金矿体严格的受韧性剪切带的控制;金矿石有明显的宏观和微观韧性变形结构;矿石矿物主要是自然金和少量的黄铁矿,脉石矿物主要有石英、绢云母、绿泥石、碳酸盐和白云石。本文主要对平水金矿体开展流体包裹体研究,结合矿床地质特征,最终确定金矿体成因类型,为平水地区下一轮深边部找矿勘查提供依据。     

Hydrocarbon alteration in the bituminous salt of the Kłodawa Salt Dome (Central Poland)

The so called bituminous salts occurring in the Kłodawa dome, located in Central Poland, differ from the surrounding salts by their colour change from light to dark brown. This colour is associated with an extremely large amount of hydrocarbon, mainly located in the inclusions. The presence of numerous fluid inclusions has been documented in previous petrologic studies, distinguishing seven main types of fluid inclusion assemblages (FIA) in terms of size, shape as well as the ratio of filling material. However, four types of inclusions were selected in the current investigations according to their unusual optical behaviour. Raman micro-spectroscopy a modern, non-destructive method was used for investigating a single inclusion being a part of FIA. Presented in this paper Raman spectra revealed a unique pattern of bands characterizing the content of the inclusions. The hydrocarbons show a very complex character reflected in the appearance of a strong fluorescence background. A well-marked heterogeneity characterized the inclusions, by diversity in the intensity of the background and in the pattern of the bands characterizing the presence of certain components. One can distinguish the presence of carbonaceous matter showing the different degrees of order. The depth profile and the analysis of the various points of the inclusions indicate that the carbonaceous matter is not evenly distributed in the inclusions but forms a thin, disorganized film on their walls. This film was also found in sites where the inclusions are filled with brine. The certain characteristics associated with the presence of the incipient phase transformation of the organic matter, or slightly transformed organic matter and the lack of light hydrocarbons as well as a number of petrologic features of inclusions indicate that these salt rocks have been subdivided into thermal transformations, accompanied by the recrystallization of the halite and the escape of the more volatile compounds such as methane, ethane, etc.