Eruptive dynamics and caldera collapse during the Onano eruption, Vulsini, Italy

The Onano explosive eruption of the Latera Volcanic Complex (Vulsini Volcanoes, Quaternary potassic Roman Comagmatic Region, Italy) provides an interesting example of multiple changes of eruptive style that were concomitant with a late phase of collapse of the polygenetic Latera Caldera. This paper reports a reconstruction of the event based on field analysis, laboratory studies of grain size and density of juvenile clasts, and re-interpretation of available subsurface geology data. The Onano eruption took place in a structurally weak area, corresponding to a carbonate substrate high bordered by the pre-existing Latera caldera and Bolsena volcano-tectonic depression, which controlled the ascent and eruption of a shoshonitic-phonotephritic magma through intersecting rim fault systems. Temporal changes of magma vesiculation, fragmentation and discharge rate, and consequent eruptive dynamics, were strongly controlled by pressure evolution in the magma chamber and changing vent geometry. Initially, pumice-rich pyroclastic flows were emplaced, followed by spatter- and lithic-rich flows and fallout from energetic fire-fountaining. The decline of magma pressure due to the partial evacuation of the magma chamber induced trapdoor collapse of the chamber roof, which involved part of the pre-existing caldera and external volcano slopes and eventually led to the present-day caldera. The widening of the vent system and the emplacement of the main pyroclastic flow and associated co-ignimbrite lag breccia marked the eruption climax. A sudden drop of the confining pressure, which is attributed to a pseudo-rigid behaviour of the magma chamber wall rocks during a phase of rapid magma drainage, led to extensive magma vesiculation and fragmentation. The disruption of the magma chamber roof and waning magma pressure in the late eruption stage favoured the explosive interaction of residual magma with groundwater from the confined carbonate aquifer. Pulsating hydrostatic and magma pressures produced alternating hydromagmatic pyroclastic surges, strombolian fallout and spatter flows.     

Lunar geochemistry as told by lunar meteorites

About 36 lunar meteorites have been found in cold and hot deserts since the first one was found in 1979 in Antarctica. All are random samples ejected from unknown locations on the Moon by meteoroid impacts. Lithologically and compositionally there are three extreme types: (1) brecciated anorthosites with high Al₂O₃ (26–31%), low FeO (3–6%), and low incompatible elements (e.g., <1 μg/g Th), (2) basalts and brecciated basalts with high FeO (18–22%), moderately low Al₂O₃ (8–10%) and incompatible elements (0.4–2.1 μg/g Th), and (3) an impact-melt breccia of noritic composition (16% Al₂O₃, 11% FeO) with very high concentrations of incompatible elements (33 μg/g Th), a lithology that is identified as KREEP on the basis of its similarity to Apollo samples of that designation. Several meteorites are polymict breccias of intermediate composition because they contain both anorthosite and basalt. Despite the large range in compositions, a variety of compositional parameters together distinguish lunar meteorites from terrestrial materials. Compositional and petrographic data for lunar meteorites, when combined with mineralogical and compositional data obtained from orbiting spacecraft in the 1990s, suggest that Apollo samples identified with the magnesian (Mg-rich) suite of nonmare rocks (norite, troctolite, dunite, alkali anorthosite, and KREEP) are all products of a small, geochemically anomalous (noritic, high Th) region of crust known as the Procellarum KREEP Terrane and are not, as generally assumed, indigenous to the vast expanse of typical feldspathic crust known as the Feldspathic Highlands Terrane. Magnesian-suite rocks such as those of the Apollo collection do not occur as clasts in the feldspathic lunar meteorites. The misconception is a consequence of four historical factors: (1) the Moon has long been viewed as simply bimodal in geology, mare or highlands, (2) one of the last, large basin-forming bolides impacted in the Procellarum KREEP Terrane, dispersing Th-rich material, (3) although it was not known at the time, the Apollo missions all landed in or near the anomalous Procellarum KREEP Terrane and collected many Th-rich samples formed therein, and (4) the Apollo samples were interpreted and models for lunar crust formation developed without recognition of the anomaly because global data provided by orbiting missions and lunar meteorites were obtained only years later.     

FORMATION OF GOLD-BEARING HYDROFRACTURING BRECCIA BODIES IN TECTONIC LENSES： A CASE STUDY ON SHUANGWANG GOLD DEPOSIT, SHAANXI, CHINA

1 Introduction Hydrofracturing is possibly an important fracture behavior within the whole lithospheric crust, many geologists have noticed and carried out study on hydrofracturing in the fluid-rock systems (e.g., Phillips, 1972; Sibson, 1986; Fyfe, 1987; Svyatoslav and Kirill, 1993; Cox, 1995; Nakashima and Toriumi, 1996; James et al., 2000; Agust et al., 2002). Hydrofracturing phenomena are universally existent in the active structural belts, nonlinear tension vein systems in metamorphi…     

广东湛江陨击混杂堆积层的发现及其意义

通过野外地质调查和取样分析,首次在广东湛江地区中更新统早期的北海组地层中发现了一层罕见的陨击混杂堆积层,它是陨击作用下的特殊产物,是北海组含砾砂、粘土质砂在陨击高温作用下烧结、抛射堆积而形成的。陨击混杂堆积层主要分布在湛江坡头的部分地区,有的出露地表,有的为第四系所覆盖,厚度大约为0·1~4m。陨击混杂堆积层中共生玻璃陨石(雷公墨)。陨击混杂堆积层中的击变岩砾石与原岩相比较,Si O2的含量明显减少,Fe2O3的含量明显增加,其他化学成分及含量与原岩近于一致。陨击混杂堆积层的发现可能对澳大利亚—东南亚微玻璃陨石场陨击源坑的寻找和探讨该期玻璃陨石和微玻璃陨石与靶岩之间的关系有重要意义。     

祁雨沟含金角砾岩筒中的冰长石-方解石组合及其矿床地质意义

通过野外地质、岩相学、拉曼光谱和电子探针分析，对祁雨沟2号和4号含金角砾岩筒中冰长石-方解石蚀变矿物组合特征进行了描述。含金角砾岩筒成矿作用分为两期：面状矿化和脉状矿化。面状矿化的蚀变主要有阳起石化、绿色黑云母化、绿泥石化、冰长石化、硅化、绿帘石化、黄铁矿化、碳酸盐化和少量的绢云母化。脉状矿化蚀变为硅化、绢云母化和少量的碳酸盐化。通过对角砾岩筒的蚀变与成矿作用关系研究，认为冰长石-方解石蚀变与含金角砾岩金成矿作用是同期，从而确定祁雨沟含金角砾岩筒是一个典型的低硫型浅成低温热液型金矿床。     

康家湾硅化角砾岩天然热释光特征及对找矿的指导意义

通过对康家湾Ｐｂ、Ｚｎ、Ａｇ矿床的含矿带硅化角砾岩带进行天然热释光分析。发现其热释光特征与成矿有密切的关系,从而划分出了成矿的远景区。     

新疆乌伦布拉克隐爆角烁岩筒型斑岩铜矿成矿地质特征

矿床直接产于一套浅成—超浅成或次火山侵入的花岗质潜火山杂岩中。赋矿岩石为斜长花岗岩、石英闪长岩、闪长岩及英安玢岩质隐爆角砾岩。矿石矿物有孔雀石、兰铜矿、兰辉铜矿、赤铜矿、黄铜矿、斑铜矿、黄铁矿等。矿石结构构造为交代残余结构、包含结构和星点状、细脉状、网脉状、团块状构造。围岩蚀变为硅化、赤铁矿化、碳酸盐化、绢云母化和绿泥石化。成矿温度为１１９℃～１９０℃。成矿时代为海西中晚期。隐爆角砾岩筒中石英—钾长石—黄铜矿脉的石英包裹体氢氧同位素δＤ为－１０１．７‰,δ１８Ｏ为８．４‰,钾长石Ｋ—Ａｒ法年龄为２１１±３Ｍａ。     

Enrichment characteristics of radioelements in various types of rock from Sambalpur district,Orissa, India

Over the years a large number of rock samples were collected by the explorationists of Atomic Minerals Directorate for Exploration and Research (AMD), Department of Atomic Energy from Sambalpur district, Orissa, India. The variation of uranium enrichment with various types of rock in these samples was studied with an aim to help quick reviewing of toposheets in case of newly taken up areas, for uranium exploration. The radioelements U, Th and K determined for these samples are plotted in ternary diagrams for classifying them as being uraniferous or thoriferous with respect to various type of rocks, keeping the total natural content of radioelements (expressed by eUP₃O₈) as a parameter. In this study it is seen that samples of quartzofeldspathic breccia type are enriched in uranium irrespective of their further sub classification and eU₃O₈ content. Granites are enriched in thorium when eU₃O₈ < 100 ppm and are enriched in uranium when eU₃O₈ > 100 ppm. A database prepared for this purpose may be useful for reviewing toposheets in future     

隐爆角砾岩型金矿床成矿特征浅析--以山西堡子湾、河南祁雨沟金矿床为例

中酸性岩浆侵入体隐蔽爆破作用形成角砾岩体(筒)的同时于其中形成隐爆角砾岩型金矿床.侵入岩体规模一般较小,岩性主要为闪长岩类、石英(二长)斑岩类或正长岩类的中酸性岩石.角砾岩体在平面上呈近圆形或椭圆形,面积相对较小,在剖面上呈垂直地表的筒状,深部一般与中酸性侵入岩体相连.角砾的成分在浅部多为围岩角砾,往深部逐渐变为以花岗质角砾为主,胶结物主要是细岩屑和蚀变矿物.中酸性侵入体是矿床的成矿母岩,隐爆作用的发生及形成的隐爆角砾岩体(筒)是容矿构造,角砾岩体中的次级断裂是控矿构造,各因素对于此类型金矿床的形成起着重要的作用.     

Qiyugou auriferous breccia pipes:A low-sulphidation epithermal system linked with transition of tectonic regime from collisional compression to extension,Xiong'ershan,Henan,China

The Xiong’ershan area,as a part of a metallogenic province in cetral China,contains substantial Leimengou porphyry molybdenite deposit,Qiyugou breccia gold deposits and vein gold deposit occurred in fault zone,as well as previously refer to as orogenic gold deposit.Around or nearby the Mesozoic porphyry granite,the typical porphyry deposit,much more breccia pipes and breccia gold deposit are developed in the area.In this paper we focus on reporting preliminary results obtained from field,petrographic work on the Leimengou porphyry molybdenite and the Qiyugou breccia gold deposit,as well as laser Raman microspectroscopy and microprobe analyses carried out on samples from the Au-bearing Qiyugou breccia pipes.An adularia-calcite assemblage is reported in these breccia gold deposits.Two stages of hydrothermal alteration,pervasive and vein,are identified.The first stage consists of the alteration of the breccia clasts and rock flour by actinolite,green biotite,epidote,chlorite and minor sericite.This hydrothermal activity is likely to relate to the molybdenite mineralisation episode.The second stage is characterised by quartz veining and adularia and calcite filling open-spaces.Vein ores associated with quartz,sericite,and minor calcite alteration occur in NE-trending fault that cut the first stage of alteration.The adularia-calcite alteration is genetically associated with gold mineralization.The adularia-calcite assemblage in the area suggest that the Qiyugou pipes are of low-sulphidation epithermal in nature.The Qiyugou breccia pipes are coeval and spatially associated with the nearby Leimengou porphyry Mo deposit,which together conform to an alkalic mineralising system.We propose a model for the development and evolution of the breccia pipes in conjunction with a model that describes the genesis of the porphyry Mo and auriferous breccia pipes as a unified magmatic-hydrothermal system,which is linked with transition from collisional compressional to extensional geodynamic regime.