Exploration and discovery in Yellowstone Lake: results from high-resolution sonar imaging, seismic reflection profiling, and submersible studies

‘No portion of the American continent is perhaps so rich in wonders as the Yellow Stone’ (F.V. Hayden, September 2, 1874)Discoveries from multi-beam sonar mapping and seismic reflection surveys of the northern, central, and West Thumb basins of Yellowstone Lake provide new insight into the extent of post-collapse volcanism and active hydrothermal processes occurring in a large lake environment above a large magma chamber. Yellowstone Lake has an irregular bottom covered with dozens of features directly related to hydrothermal, tectonic, volcanic, and sedimentary processes. Detailed bathymetric, seismic reflection, and magnetic evidence reveals that rhyolitic lava flows underlie much of Yellowstone Lake and exert fundamental control on lake bathymetry and localization of hydrothermal activity. Many previously unknown features have been identified and include over 250 hydrothermal vents, several very large (>500 m diameter) hydrothermal explosion craters, many small hydrothermal vent craters (1–200 m diameter), domed lacustrine sediments related to hydrothermal activity, elongate fissures cutting post-glacial sediments, siliceous hydrothermal spire structures, sublacustrine landslide deposits, submerged former shorelines, and a recently active graben. Sampling and observations with a submersible remotely operated vehicle confirm and extend our understanding of the identified features. Faults, fissures, hydrothermally inflated domal structures, hydrothermal explosion craters, and sublacustrine landslides constitute potentially significant geologic hazards. Toxic elements derived from hydrothermal processes also may significantly affect the Yellowstone ecosystem.     

一种典型的同生沉积型微细浸染型金矿床--桂西北高龙金矿床

桂西北高龙微细浸染型金矿床位于广西田林县高龙乡。含矿硅质岩与热水沉积作用有关，而非首人认为的断裂破碎—热液硅化交代岩。矿床的典型地质特征以及地球化学特征显示该矿床具有典型的同生沉积—准同生成岩的成因特征，矿床属同生沉积型，而不是前人认为的后生热液改造型。矿床的形成与右江沉积盆地演化关系密切，含矿流体为以大气降水为主要补给源的深循环盆地卤水和与沉积物发生了同位素交换的埋藏古海水，流体的运移方式以压实驱动流为主，含矿流体主要以沉积喷流方式成矿。     

Sea-level changes and hydrothermal sedimentary mineralization of large-superlarge ore deposits among Sinian to Triassic in South China

Among the Sinian to Triassic strata in South China, the stratiform, quasi-stratiform and lenticular metallic deposits in association with hydrothermal sedimentation mainly occur in the four periods: (1) the Sinian Datangpo interglacial period, (2) the early period of Early Cambrian, (3) the late period of Middle Devonian to early period of Late Devonian,and (4) the late period of Early Permian. The four mineralization periods all happened around the maximum flooding period in the third-order seal-level cycle during the ascending stage in the first-order sea-level cycle. The deep seawater layer, starved and non-compensatory basin, low sedimentary rate, and low energy and anoxic environment during the maximum flooding period are very suitable for the formation and preservation of large to superlarge hydrothermal sedimentary deposits. The maximum flooding period also coincided with the intensified regional tectonism, extensive deep magmatism and hydrothermal sedimentation, which provide, for the formation of large to superlarge hydrothermal sedimentary deposits through the rapid accumulation of hydrothermal sediments, the needed dynamics, ore-forming materials and favorable passway for hydrothermal fluids to enter the basin.     

A mineral equilibria study of the hydrothermal alteration in mafic greenschist facies rocks at Kalgoorlie, Western Australia

The influx of a H₂O–CO₂‐dominated fluid into actinolite‐bearing metabasic rocks during greenschist facies metamorphism in the Kalgoorlie area of Western Australia resulted in a zoned alteration halo around inferred fluid conduits that contain gold mineralisation. The alteration halo is divided into two outer zones, the chlorite zone and the carbonate zone, and an inner pyrite zone adjacent to the inferred fluid conduits. Reaction between the fluid and the protolith resulted in the breakdown of actinolite and the development of chlorite, dolomite, calcite and siderite. In addition, rocks in the pyrite zone developed muscovite‐bearing assemblages as a consequence of the introduction of potassium by the fluid. Mineral equilibria calculations undertaken using the computer software thermocalc in the model system Na₂O–CaO–K₂O–FeO–MgO–Al₂O₃–SiO₂–H₂O–CO₂ show that mineral assemblages in the outer zones of the alteration halo are consistent with equilibrium of the protoliths with a fluid of composition X_CO2 = CO₂/(CO₂ + H₂O) = 0.1–0.25 for temperatures of 315–320 °C. The inner zone of the alteration halo reflect equilibrium with a fluid of composition X_CO2≈ 0.25. Fluid‐rock buffering calculations show that the alteration halo is consistent with interaction with a single fluid composition and that the zoned structure of the halo reflects the volume of this fluid with which the rocks reacted. This fluid is likely to have also been the one responsible for the gold mineralisation at Kalgoorlie.     

Magnetotelluric Investigation of the Hydrothermal System and Heat Source in the Muine-Toyoha Geothermal Area, Hokkaido, Japan

Abstract. Magnetotelluric (MT) surveys were carried out around the Muine volcano, Hokkaido, Japan, where it is expected that the heat and metal source forming the polymetallic Ag-Pb-Zn-Cu-In Toyoha deposit is present at depth. Measurements were performed at 20 sites, 18 of which were located along a WSW-ENE profile traversing the north ridge of Mt. Muine. A resistivity model obtained from 2D inversion of the MT data shows subsurface specific conductive and resistive features. Conductive layers are present at the surface of Mt. Muine. The low resistivity is probably due to the clay-rich rocks associated with the hydrothermal alteration. A high resistivity layer, which corresponds to the pre-Tertiary Usubetsu Formation, crops out east of Mt. Muine and dips westward. At the west foot of Mt. Muine, relatively high resistive layers are widely exposed. The resistivity increases with depth and exceeds 1000 ohm-m. This fact indicates that this region is not influenced by the recent hydrothermal activity. An extremely conductive zone about 3–6 km wide and 6–9 km thick exists at a depth of 2 km below Mt. Muine. This zone mostly corresponds to an elastic wave attenuation zone detected by a seismic survey. It is interpreted as a large hydrothermal reservoir or melted magma, which is a heat source of the hydrothermal system in this area.     

Chemical, Isotopic, and Fluid Inclusion Evidence for the Hydrothermal Alteration of the Footwall Rocks of the BIF-Hosted Iron Ore Deposits in the Hamersley District, Western Australia

Abstract. The petrography, chemical, fluid inclusion and isotope analyses (O, Rb-Sr) were conducted for the shale samples of the Mount McRae Shale collected from the Tom Price, Newman, and Paraburdoo mines in the Hamersley Basin, Western Australia. The Mount McRae Shale at these mines occurs as a footwall unit of the secondary, hematite-rich iron ores derived from the Brockman Iron Formation, one of the largest banded iron formations (BIFs) in the world. Unusually low contents of Na, Ca, and Sr in the shales suggest that these elements were leached away from the shale after deposition. The δ¹⁸O (SMOW) values fall in the range of + 15.0 to +17.9 per mil and show the positive correlation with calculated quartz/sericite ratios of the shale samples. This suggests that the oxygen isotopic compositions of shale samples were homogenized and equilibrated by postdepositional event. The pyrite nodules hosted by shales are often rimmed by thin layers of silica of varying crystallinity. Fluid inclusions in quartz crystals rimming a pyrite nodule show homogenization temperatures ranging from 100 to 240C for 47 inclusions and salinities ranging from 0.4 to 12.3 wt% NaCl equivalent for 18 inclusions. These fluid inclusion data give direct evidence for the hydrothermal activity and are comparable to those of the vein quartz collected from the BIF-derived secondary iron ores (Taylor et al, 2001). The Rb-Sr age for the Mount McRae Shale is 1,952 ± 289 Ma and at least 200 million years younger than the depositional age of the Brockman Iron Formation of ∼ 2.5 Ga in age. All the data obtained in this study are consistent with the suggestion that high temperature hydrothermal fluids were responsible for both the secondary iron ore formation and the alteration of the Mount McRae Shale.     

Implications of Analcime Hydrothermally Formed from Na-alumino-borosilicate Glasses Containing Cs and Sr for the Stability of High-level Radioactive Waste Form

Abstract. In order to know the behaviors of radioactive elements such as cesium and strontium during a hydrothermal alteration of borosilicate glass of radioactive waste, some alumino-borosilicate glasses belonging to the systems Na₂O-Al₂O₃-B₂O₃-SiO₂-SrO, Na₂O-Al₂O₃-B₂O₃-SiO₂-Cs₂O and Na₂O-Al₂-O₃-B₂O₃-SiO₂-SrO-Cs₂O have been treated hydrothermally at 200C under a vapor pressure of 1.54 MPa. The result shows that all glasses are changed into crystalline phases with running time up to 60 days, and that analcime-type zeolite is formed as a major product. The formed zeolite is shown to contain cesium and/or strontium. Considering the fact that natural zeolite occurs in wide physicochemical conditions including hydrothermal one, the analcime-type zeolite is expected to fix stably the radioactive elements in the disposal site. Since aluminum is necessary for the formation of the analcime-type zeolite, the waste glass should have aluminum as one of major components.     

金伯利岩中新发现的两种Zr-Ti、REE-Ti氧化物矿物──上地幔含大阳离子Cr、Ti、Fe氧化物矿物研究之四

在研究沂蒙矿、蒙山矿等地幔矿物时，新发现了两种Zr－Ti、REE－Ti氧化物矿物。Zr－Ti氧化物新相6个样品点的探针成分分析（wt％）：TIO227.756～46.811，ZrO231.724～58.092，TFeo2.75～5．82，CrO31．728～4．765，Nb2O51．353～4．357，Ta2O50．155～2.814，SiO20．894～13．749，主次元素的成分变化幅度均较大，但以氧为4计算的阳离子总数均为2，因此分子式可简写为（Ti，Zr，Si，Fe）2O4或（Ti，Zr）2O4，与人工化合物ZrTiO4相似。REE－Ti氧化物矿物新相的成分也较复杂，主要元素为REE（Ce，Nd，La，Sm，Pr…）及Ti，次要元素有Nb，根据五个样点的探针分析结果，简化的分子式（Ce…）2（Ti…）3O9，与人工化合物Ce2Ti3O8.7类似，属等轴晶系。两个新矿物相均产于蒙山矿中的微裂隙和熔融交代海绵边中，呈斑点状、蠕虫状、微脉状，组成元素复杂，不同颗粒分析点成分有差异，且在同一微脉中成分也有变化，反映了这两种新矿物相是非平衡的交代一结晶产物。从矿物的产出关系和成分的特征来看，它们的形成与地幔流体交代作用有关。     

冀西北东坪金矿床成矿流体的来源研究

冀西北东坪金矿床成矿流体的来源研究＊莫测辉王秀璋程景平梁华英（华南农业大学资源环境学院，广州５１０６４２）（中国科学院广州地球化学研究所，广州５１０６４０）关键词金矿床成矿流体来源岩浆热液大气降水热液侵入岩体中的金矿床乃至岩体接触带或附近地层中的金矿...     

中国北方超大型热水沉积硫化物矿床成矿模式

中国北方超大型热水沉积硫化物矿床成矿模式李英祁思敬（西安地质学院，西安７１００５４）关键词超大型矿床热水沉积作用大陆边缘盆地热旋回中国北方超大型热水沉积硫化物矿床（ＳＥＤＥＸ）集中产出于华北地台北缘西段与扬子地台北缘西段，即秦岭与狼山两区。可确定的矿...