Sr isotope diversity of hot spring and volcanic lake waters from Zao volcano,Japan

The ratio of ⁸⁷Sr/⁸⁶Sr was measured from different water samples of thermal/mineral (hot spring as well as crater lake) and meteoric origins, in order to specify the location and to verify the detailed model of a volcano-hydrothermal system beneath Zao volcano. The ratio showed a trimodal distribution for the case of thermal/mineral water: 0.7052–0.7053 (Type A, Zao hot spring), 0.7039–0.7043 (Type B, Okama crater lake and Shin-funkiko hot spring), and 0.7070–0.7073 (Type C, Gaga, Aone, and Togatta hot springs), respectively. However, in comparison, the ratio was found to be higher for meteoric waters (0.7077–0.7079). The water from the central volcanic edifice (Type B) was found to be similar to that of nearby volcanic rocks in their Sr isotopic ratio. This indicates that the Sr in water was derived from shallow volcanic rocks. The ⁸⁷Sr/⁸⁶Sr ratio for water from the Zao hot spring (Type A) was intermediate between those of the pre-Tertiary granitic and the Quaternary volcanic rocks, thus suggesting that the water had reacted with both volcanic and granitic rocks. The location of the vapor–liquid separation was determined as the boundary of the pre-Tertiary granitic and the Quaternary volcanic rocks by comparing the results of this strontium isotopic study with those of Kiyosu and Kurahashi [Kiyosu, Y., Kurahashi, M., 1984. Isotopic geochemistry of acid thermal waters and volcanic gases from Zao volcano in Japan. J. Volcanol. Geotherm. Res. 21, 313–331.].     

Middle to early Late Ordovician hydrothermal veining in the Molong Volcanic Belt,northeastern Lachlan Fold Belt: Sedimentological evidence

Detrital volcanic and vein quartz, accompanied by felsic volcanic debris, occur as minor constituents in the Ordovician subduction‐related mafic volcanics of the Molong Volcanic Belt. In the western province of the Molong Volcanic Belt, detrital quartz is present in the three episodes of the mafic Volcanics. Volcanic quartz occurs in allochthonous limestone blocks in the Bendigonian Hensleigh Siltstone overlying the Mitchell Formation. The second volcanic episode (the Fairbridge Volcanics) commenced after a hiatus of approximately 20 million years and lasted around 10 million years from Darriwilian to Gisbornian time. Locally derived vein quartz, volcanic quartz and felsic detritus are concentrated at the bases of autochthonous Wahringa and Yuranigh Limestone Members of the volcanics and are extensive and abundant in basal beds of the regional Eastonian limestone body that transgressed over an eroded volcanic centre at Cargo. This early Eastonian debris, deposited early in an 8 million‐year volcanic hiatus preceding the final Ordovician Bolindian volcanism, establishes a pre‐Eastonian age for mineralisation at Cargo. It is inferred that the pauses in volcanism were preceded by magmatic fractionation, intrusion and hydrothermal activity and followed by erosion, subsidence and deposition of autochthonous limestones. Minor occurrences of vein and volcanic quartz are found in Bolindian volcanogenic sediments of the third volcanic phase. It is concluded that hydrothermal vein formation (and mineralisation by inference) was associated with pauses in volcanic activity throughout the Middle to early Late Ordovician over a wide area in the western province, culminating in the mineralisation at Cargo and Copper Hill near Molong. Volcanism in the eastern province of the Molong Volcanic Belt was continuous from at least Darriwilian to latest Ordovician time. Here, detrital hydrothermal vein quartz and volcanic quartz and felsic detritus are distributed through late Middle and early Late Ordovician turbidites of the Weemalla Formation. The possible existence of cycles in the source area like those of the Fairbridge Volcanics is masked by the distal nature of these deposits. Vein formation occurred in both provinces from late Middle Ordovician to early Late Ordovician, long before the formation of the world‐class mineral deposit at Cadia associated with the latest Ordovician Cadia Monzonite.     

Mineralogical characteristics of polymetallic sulfides from the Deyin-1 hydrothermal field near 15°S,southern Mid-Atlantic Ridge

A seafloor hydrothermal field, named Deyin-1 later, near 15°S southern Mid-Atlantic Ridge(SMAR) was newly found during the 22 nd cruise carried out by the China Ocean Mineral Resources Research Development Association(COMRA). Sulfide samples were collected at three stations from the hydrothermal field during the26 th cruise in 2012. In this paper, mineralogical characteristics of the sulfides were analyzed with optical microscope, X-ray diffractometer, scanning electron microscope and electron microprobe to study the crystallization sequence of minerals and the process of hydrothermal mineralization. According to the difference of the ore-forming metal elements, the sulfide samples can be divided into three types:(1) the Ferich sulfide, which contains mainly pyrite and chalcopyrite;(2) the Fe-Cu-rich sulfide consisting predominantly of pyrite, chalcopyrite and isocubanite, with lesser amount of sphalerite, marmatite and pyrrhotine; and(3) the Fe-Zn-rich sulfide dominated by pyrite, sphalerite and marmatite, with variable amounts of chalcopyrite, isocubanite, pyrrhotine, marcasite, galena and gratonite. Mineral precipitations in these sulfides are in the sequence of chalcopyrite(isocubanite and possible coarse pyrite), fine pyrite,sphalerite(marmatite), galena, gratonite and then the minerals out of the dissolution. Two morphologically distinct generations(Py-I and Py-II) of pyrite are identified in each of the samples; inclusions of marmatite tend to exist in the coarse pyrite crystals(Py-I). Sphalerite in the Fe-Zn-rich sulfide is characterized by a"chalcopyrite disease" phenomenon. Mineral paragenetic relationships and a wide range of chemical compositions suggest that the environment of hydrothermal mineralization was largely changing. By comparison, the Fe-rich sulfide was formed in a relatively stable environment with a high temperature, but the conditions for the formation of the Fe-Cu-rich sulfide were variable. The Fe-Zn-rich sulfide was precipitated during the hydrothermal venting at relatively low temperature.     

空心块体水沙动力及泥沙淤积特性研究

空心块体具有良好的阻水和促淤功能,近年来被广泛用于生态修复工程。本文结合水槽试验及Flow-3D数值模拟,分析了开敞型和半封闭型空心块体的阻水效应和泥沙淤积特性。结果表明：空心块体的开孔率对内部水流流速、紊动强度起主导作用,开孔率较小的半开敞型空心块体减速、制紊效果更强;开敞型和半封闭型空心块体近底层悬沙浓度分别增大56%和75%,两者均有利于促进泥沙在块体内部淤积,近底层水流紊动越强,泥沙淤积形态差异越大;空心块体所营造的低流速、泥沙微淤、内外连通的水沙环境是大型底栖生物的生境需求,半封闭型空心块体内部的低紊动水流结构更有利于大型底栖生物的栖息、繁衍。     

南大西洋沉积物中多环芳香化合物的组成特征研究

10 samples of sediments obtained from the South Mid-Atlantic Ridge were measured for the abundances and distributions of polycyclic aromatic compounds(PAHs). The total concentrations of PAHs(∑PAHs) ranged from 2.768 to 9.826 μg/g dry sediment. The ∑PAHs was higher in sample 22V-TVG10 and sample 26V-TVG05 which were close to hydrothermal fields, with the lowest value in sample 22V-TVG14 which was farthest from hydrothermal fields, suggesting a probable hydrothermal origin of ∑PAHs of samples. Approximately nine kinds of PAHs were identified, and low molecular mass tricyclic and tetracyclic aromatic compounds were predominant in the samples. The concentrations of fluoranthene which were typical as hydrothermal alteration compounds were the highest among PAHs with dry weight between 0.913–3.157 μg/g. The phenanthrene homologue was most abundant in the samples, and the ratios between parent phenanthrene and methylphenanthrene which probably reflected the degree of hydrothermal alteration ranged from 0.097 to 1.602. The sample 22V-TVG10 possessing a maximum ratio value showed the intense influence of the hydrothermal alteration on this sample, which might further imply that PAHs in sediments were mainly derived from the hydrothermal alteration.     

Hydrothermal Metalliferous Sediments and Waters Off the Lesser Antilles

Abstract

Considerable metal enrichments have been found in hydrothermal fluids and metalliferous sediments off the central Lesser Antilles Volcanic Arc. The elements variably enriched in the fluids as a result of the hydrothermal activity are Fe, Mn, As, Si, B, Li and in the sediments, Fe, P, Mo, As, Sb, Hg, Cu and Pb. Variations in the concentrations of these elements in both fluids and sediments along the arc result from a number of factors, the most important of which is the stage that each island's volcano has reached in its eruptive cycle. Although hydrothermal mineralization on the sea floor off the islands is only low grade, phase separation in the hydrothermal fluids at depth could be leading to higher grade stockwork mineralization below the vent fields or the discharge of metal rich brines on the lower flanks of the volcanic islands.     

Two New Hydrothermal Fields at the Mid-Atlantic Ridge

Two new major hydrothermal fields have been discovered in the rift valley of the MAR at 13°N (Ashadze) and l6°38′N (Krasnov). The Ashadze field consists of a cluster of active hydrothermal sites associated with ultramafic rocks and located at the greatest depth in the ocean (4,200 m). By contrast, the Krasnov field consists of inactive sulfide mounds hosted in basalts. The Krasnov is the largest hydrothermal deposit on the MAR (17.4 Mt) so far discovered with iron sulfide as the principal mineral type. By contrast, Cu-Zn sulfides are the major minerals in the Ashadze deposits, which are also enriched in gold and several other metals.     

西沙海槽沉积模式

晚中新世琼东南盆地快速构造沉降,沉积欠补偿形成了西沙海槽。西沙海槽上部高陡带为悬浮沉积体系,下部低缓带为浊流滑塌沉积体系,槽底平缓带为河流沉积体系。不同于浊流沉积小而散,深海河流沉积为稳定的贯穿整个海槽的大储层。由于深海河流沉积体系稳、远、大的特点,其注定成为世界深水油气勘探的主要目标。     

构造-岩浆作用对热液活动的控制机理: 马努斯海盆为例

综述了马努斯海盆热液区构造特征、基底差异, 结合马努斯海盆热液区热液活动与构造-岩浆特征, 探讨了二者的耦合关系, 以及构造-岩浆作用对热液活动的影响和控制。马努斯海盆位于西南太平洋俾斯麦海的东北部, 是世界上扩张速度最快的海盆之一。马努斯海盆西部(马努斯扩张中心, Manus Spreading Center, MSC)主要由海盆扩张成熟期产生的大洋中脊玄武岩组成, 属于成熟弧后扩张中心,发育Vienna Woods热液区; 海盆东部(东南裂谷, Southeast Rift, SER)则是一个拉张裂谷, 处于扩张的早期阶段, 属于不成熟弧后扩张中心, 发育PACMANUS、DESMOS、SuSu Knolls三大热液区。MSC与大洋中脊的热液活动相似, 而SER因受到火山、俯冲作用影响更为显著, 其热液流体具有岩浆流体和俯冲流体的特征。与Vienna Woods热液压相比, PACMANUS、DESMOS以及SuSu Knolls三个热液区的水深相对较浅(1 150～1 740 m), 是地球内部热物质由内向外迁移的结果, 其下部岩浆作用强烈。此外,岩浆脱气作用和数值模拟结果表明, PACMANUS热液系统中具有岩浆流体的输入。与Vienna Woods热液区相比, PACMANUS、DESMOS、SuSu Knolls热液区的热液活动强度及流体组成主要受控于岩浆作用。     

海底热液硫化物矿体内部流体混合过程的数值模拟:以大西洋TAG热液活动区为例

大型海底热液硫化物矿体的形成机制是涉及多种控制因素的复杂地质过程,其中热液流体同海水的混合扮演着重要角色。大洋钻探计划(ODP)资料表明在大西洋TAG区热液硫化物矿体内部,热液流体同经过改造的海水之间发生着广泛的混合作用,这个过程在很大程度上控制着海底热液硫化物矿体的内部结构和化学组成。以TAG热液硫化物矿体为例,利用数值模拟方法模拟了热液流体与经过不同程度改造的海水的混合过程,试图探讨海水与热液流体混合在热液硫化物矿体形成中的作用。模拟计算结果表明:(1)来自矿体深部的热液流体与经围岩加热的下渗海水的混合是造成TAG热液活动区硬石膏大量沉淀的重要原因;(2)在热液流体与海水的混合过程中,混合流体的化学性质和矿物沉淀情况在330~310℃上下发生了较大变化,330~310℃是一个特殊的温度区域;(3)利用数值计算结果探讨了TAG热液活动区不同区块(TAG-1,TAG-2和TAG-5等)的流体混合作用和热液活动过程。