Gold Mineralization and Occurrence of Sinter in the Hoshino Area, Fukuoka Prefecture, Japan

Abstract. Several epithermal gold deposits occur in the Hoshino area, which is located in the western end of the late Cenozoic Hohi volcanic zone, north‐central Kyushu, Japan. The area is characterized by intermediate to felsic extrusive rocks of Pliocene age. In the Hoshino area, the shallow manifestation of the hydrothermal activity is exposed on the surface. Several outcrops of sinter are still preserved on the top of hydro thermally altered volcanic rocks, and high‐grade gold‐bearing quartz veins occur on the surface at lower levels. The hydrothermal alteration resulted into well‐developed alteration zones. The zonal alteration pattern, primarily of near‐neutral pH type, is characterized by the outer smectite zone of a lower temperature, and the inner mixed layer minerals zone of a higher temperature. Quartz vein‐related or fracture‐controlled alteration, is represented by the occurrence of interstratified illite/smectite and K‐feldspar, suggesting a potassium‐enriched alteration. The mineralization in the Hoshino area is recognized on the surface by the occurrence of gold‐bearing quartz veins distributed mainly in the mixed layer minerals zone. The fracture system related to the gold mineralization is mainly characterized by NW‐SE trend. The alteration pattern and the mineralogical composition of the veins suggest that the mineralizing fluids had near‐neutral pH and the mineralization is of low‐sulfidation‐type. Fluid inclusion data and textures observed in quartz veins indicate that gold precipitated during boiling. The chemical composition of quartz veins shows that high‐grade gold‐bearing quartz veins are characterized by higher content of Al₂O₃, K₂O and Rb. Several outcrops of silica‐sinters are distributed on the top of the mixed layer minerals zone. Although their structures are not very well preserved, because of later silicification, the Hoshino sinters still show characteristic textures identical to those observed in modern sinters, such as the presence of plant fossil incorporated into the sinters, the strongly developed depositional laminations and the columnar structures perpendicular to the depositional surfaces. Quartz is the only silica mineral constituting the Hoshino sinters presently. The conversion of amorphous silica into quartz was probably governed by higher temperatures resulting from later hydrothermal activity. This later hydrothermal activity is reflected by the intense silicification affecting mainly the lower parts of the sinters and also by the presence of quartz veins cutting the sinters. The distribution of sinters in the Hoshino area is very significant. The presence beneath the sinters of concealed high‐grade gold‐bearing quartz veins should be highly considered and exploration work is strongly suggested.     

内蒙古色尔腾山山前断裂(乌句蒙口-东风村段)的断层活动与古地震事件

通过对色尔腾山山前断裂乌句蒙口 -东风村段的遥感资料解释、野外地质地貌考察 ,并通过对重点地段的古地震探槽开挖 ,获得了该断裂段晚更新世晚期以来的垂直位移速率是 0 88～ 1 83mm a ,全新世中期以来的垂直位移速率是 0 89mm a。通过 2个大型探槽的开挖、古地震事件分析和相关堆积物的断代研究 ,以及用逐次限定方法分析整个断层段上的古地震事件 ,认定该断裂段上全新世以来发生了 5次古地震事件 :事件 1发生在距今 90 0 0± 130 0年 ,事件2发生在距今 6 5 0 0± 5 0 0年 ,事件 3发生在距今 5 5 70年左右 ,事件 4发生在距今 4 2 0 0± 30 0年 ,事件 5发生在距今 32 5 0± 2 5 0年。晚更新世晚期到距今 1万年之间 ,古地震事件很不完整。全新世以来的 5次古地震事件表现出一定的丛集特征。最早的一丛事件发生在距今 890 0年左右 ,第2丛发生在距今 6 5 0 0～ 5 70 0年之间 ,第 3丛事件发生在距今 32 5 0～ 4 2 0 0年之间。第 1丛与第 2丛古地震事件之间间隔为 2 4 0 0年左右 ,而第 2丛与第 3丛古地震事件之间仅间隔 15 70年左右。距今 32 5 0年以来 ,该断裂段上还没有发生过错断地表的地震事件 ,已经超出了古地震丛之间的重复间隔。因此 ,它是色尔腾山前活动断裂带上具备潜在危险的一个活动断裂段。     

The use of modern statistical theories in the assessment of earthquake hazard, with application to quiet regions of eastern North America

It is generally accepted that both deterministic and statistical approaches are useful for the characterization of earthquake hazard. Although the most reliable estimates of seismic hazard can only be based on an improved understanding of the earthquake mechanism, efficient utilization of the appropriate methods provided by recent statistical theories is also important in seismic risk analysis. This is especially true in regions where the connection between seismicity and geologic structure is tenuous at best. We are particularly interested in developing better statistical treatments of data for regions with little known seismic activity. To this end, we have applied three statistical methods to the historical record of seismicity in relatively quiet regions of eastern North America. These are: (1) the threshold method for tail inference, a new theory for modeling earthquakes with sizes above a given threshold, (2) the ‘bootstrap’ technique in which the characteristics of an unknown population are simulated by replacing the true population by an estimated one, and (3) a technique to estimate the number of earthquakes below a given size, in order to compensate for the under-reporting of small earthquakes in most catalogs. A combination of these techniques has been used to estimate the probabilities of future large earthquakes for the regions studied. Because of limitations imposed by existing catalogs, the size estimate used has been maximum intensity.     

Genesis of chlorine and sulphur in fumarolic emissions at Vulcano Island (Italy): assessment of pH and redox conditions in the hydrothermal system

Chlorine- and sulphur-bearing compounds in fumarole discharges of the La Fossa crater at Vulcano Island (Italy) can be modelled by a mixing process between magmatic gases and vapour from a boiling hydrothermal system. This allows estimating the compounds in both endmembers. Magma degassing cannot explain the time variation of sulphur and HCl concentrations in the deep endmember, which are more probably linked to reactions of solid phases at depth, before mixing with the hydrothermal vapours. Based on the P–T conditions and speciation of the boiling hydrothermal system below La Fossa, the HCl and S_tot contents in the hydrothermal vapours were used to compute the redox conditions and pH of the aqueous solution. The results suggest that the haematite–magnetite buffer controls the hydrothermal fO₂ values, while the pH has increased since the end of the 1970s. The main processes affecting pH values may be linked to Na–Ca exchanges between evolved seawater, feeding the boiling hydrothermal system, and local rocks. While Na is removed from water, calcium enters the solution, undergoes hydrolysis and produces HCl, lowering the pH of the water. The increasing water–rock ratio within the hydrothermal system lowers the Ca availability, so the aqueous solution becomes less acidic. Seawater flowing towards the boiling hydrothermal brine dissolves a large quantity of pyrite along its path. In the boiling hydrothermal system, dissolved sulphur precipitates as pyrite and anhydrite, and becomes partitioned in vapour phase as H₂S and SO₂. These results are in agreement with the paragenesis of hydrothermal alteration minerals recovered in drilled wells at Vulcano and are also in agreement with the isotopic composition of sulphur emitted by the crater fumaroles.     

ELF propagation parameters for uniform models of the Earth–ionosphere waveguide

Uniform models for the Earth–ionosphere cavity are considered with particular attention to the physical properties of the ionosphere for the extremely low frequency (ELF) range. Two consistent features have long been recognized for the range: the presence of two distinct altitude layers of maximum energy dissipation within the lower ionosphere, and a “knee”-like change in the vertical conductivity profile representing a transition in dominance from ion-dominated to electron-dominated conductivity. A simplified two-exponential version of the Greifinger and Greifinger (1978) technique widely used in ELF work identifies two slopes in the conductivity profile and, providing accurate results in the ELF communication band (45–75 Hz), simulates too flat a frequency dependence of the quality factor within the Schumann resonance frequency range (5–40 Hz). The problem is traced to the upward migration, with frequency increasing, of the lower dissipation layer through the “knee” region resulting in a pronounced decrease of the effective scale height for conductivity. To overcome this shortcoming of the two-exponential approximation and still retain valuable model analyticity, a more general approach (but still based on the Greifinger and Greifinger formalism) is presented in the form of a “knee” model whose predictions for the modal frequencies, the wave phase velocities and the quality factors reasonably represent observations in the Schumann resonance frequency range.     

甘青地区中晚全新世植被变化与人类活动

史前时期人类对环境的影响是近几年来国际研究的热点。在甘青地区，全新世的孢粉资料比较多。但在中晚全新世，该区人类对环境的影响作用及其程度仍不清楚，许多孢粉分析资料中并没有充分考虑人类活动的影响。本文选取孢粉分辨率较高、代表性较好的青海湖、兰州、秦安大地湾三地的资料，着重研究了其中乔木成分的变化。分析发现，孢粉组合中乔木成分的变化与气候变化的趋势并不一致。通过对考古及历史资料的分析，笔者认为，该区的植被很早就受到人类活动的影响。自全新世中期，本区植被中的乔木成分波动下降。5000－3000a BP期间，史前农业对植被的影响较大。3000－2000a BP期间，植被略有恢复。2000a BP以后，人为影响加剧，植被中乔木成分迅速下降。研究者认为，依赖孢粉资料重建中晚全新世的气候变化历史应当慎重。     

晚更新世以来青海北部的人类活动与湖泊演变

作为高海拔生态环境的青海北部是青藏高原的重要组成部分。晚更新世晚期以来 ,青海北部气候环境一直处于冷暖、干湿波动过程之中 ,湖泊水域也发生了相应的扩张和收缩 ,成为高原人类迁移和发展的自然背景。约 3 0kaB .P .,在晚期智人出现和迁徙的关键时期 ,青海北部开始有了最早的人类活动 ;更新世末—全新世初 ,气候转暖 ,古人类再次来到青海北部 ;进入全新世中期 ,气候暖湿 ,湖水位回升 ,细石器技术变得十分普通 ,青海北部的人类活动渐趋频繁。     

蒙甘新相邻(北山)地区金铜矿床时空分布特征及成矿作用

文章首次对蒙甘新相邻(北山)地区各类金、铜和铜—镍矿床(点)地质特征、成因类型和空间分布特点进行了系统总结，论证了金、铜和铜—镍成矿作用与古生代岩浆活动的关系，对区域地壳演化过程中金、铜和铜—镍成矿的动力学机制进行了深入讨论。研究结果表明，该区的金矿床(点)大体可划分为变质岩型、火山岩型、斑岩型和深成侵入岩型；铜矿床(点)有斑岩型、夕卡岩型和铜—镍硫化物型。金和铜矿床(点)大都沿古板块汇聚带分布，与海西期火成岩具密切的时空分布关系，它们是古板块对接碰撞期和碰撞期后大规模构造—岩浆活动的产物。     

锡铁山铅锌矿地质特征、矿床成因及找矿标志

通过找矿工作的实践，认为锡铁山铅锌矿床是由火山喷流沉积—后期热液叠加改造富集的块状硫化物多金属矿床。区域上NW—SE向早古生代形成的裂谷带，三级盆地内沉积的晚奥陶世滩间山群的大理岩与绿片岩系是表区找矿的最佳区段。而绢云绿泥斜长片岩、含碳质绢云绿泥片岩、白色大理岩、条带状大理岩是铅锌矿的最重要的找矿标志。     

青海锡铁山热水沉积型铅锌矿床的地球化学特征

通过对锡铁山铅锌矿床的围岩(矿石)化学成分、稀土及微量元素特征的研究，发现矿区地层普遍具有铈负异常(δCe=0．47～0．90)，为海相沉积岩，近矿围岩中Ag、Hg、As、Sb、Ba等热水沉积指示元素偏高，显示成矿流体性质为热卤水，矿区火山岩不发育，矿床类型可以划为Sedex型。