Albite vein formation during exhumation of high-pressure terranes: a case study from alpine Corsica

The formation of late‐stage veins can yield valuable information about the movement and composition of fluids during uplift and exhumation of high‐pressure terranes. Albite veins are especially suited to this purpose because they are ubiquitously associated with the greenschist facies overprint in high‐pressure rocks. Albite veins in retrogressed metabasic rocks from high‐pressure ophiolitic units of Alpine Corsica (France) are nearly monomineralic, and have distinct alteration haloes composed of actinolite + epidote + chlorite + albite. Estimated P–T conditions of albite vein formation are 478 ± 31 °C and 0.37 ± 0.14 GPa. The P–T estimates and petrographic constraints indicate that the albite veins formed after the regional greenschist facies retrogression, in response to continued decompression and exhumation of the terrane. Stable isotope geochemistry of the albite veins, their associated alteration haloes and unaltered hostrocks indicates that the vein‐forming fluid was derived from the ophiolite units and probably from the metabasalts within each ophiolite slice. That the vein‐forming fluid was locally derived means that a viable source of fluid to form the veins was retained in the rocks during high‐pressure metamorphism, indicating that the rocks did not completely dehydrate. This conclusion is supported by the observation of abundant lawsonite at the highest metamorphic grades. Fluids were liberated during retrogression via decompression dehydration reactions such as those that break down hydrous high‐pressure minerals like lawsonite. Albite precipitation into veins is sensitive to the solubility and speciation of Al, which is more pressure sensitive than other factors which might influence albite vein formation such as silica saturation or Na:K fluid ratios. Hydraulic fracturing in response to fluid generation during decompression was probably the main mechanism of vein formation. The associated pressure decrease with fracturing and fluid decompression may also have been sufficient to change the solubility of Al and drive albite precipitation in fracture systems.     

Calcium,Na, K and Mg Concentrations in Seawater by Inductively Coupled Plasma‐Atomic Emission Spectrometry: Applications to IAPSO Seawater Reference Material,Hydrothermal Fluids and Synthetic Seawater Solutions

We report a measurement procedure to determine simultaneously the major cation concentrations (Na, Ca, K and Mg) of seawater‐derived solutions by inductively coupled plasma‐atomic emission spectrometry. The best results were obtained when the IAPSO (‘standard’) seawater reference material was diluted by thirty times with Milli‐Q^® water. We obtained an average reference value r_K (the ratio of the mass fraction of potassium to that of chlorine, i.e., (g kg^?1)/(g kg^?1)) for IAPSO seawater of 0.0205 ± 0.0006 (2.9% RSD), not significantly different from 0.0206 ± 0.0005 (2.4% RSD) for seawater composition reported in the literature. The measured Na, Ca and Mg concentrations correspond to r_Na, r_Ca and r_Mg values of 0.5406 ± 0.0026 (0.5% RSD), 0.02192 ± 0.00048 (2.2% RSD) and 0.06830 ± 0.00047 (0.7% RSD), respectively, in line with previous values measured by wet‐chemistry and atomic absorption spectrophotometry or wet‐chemical titration. Our measurement procedure was used successfully on synthetic seawater solutions and high‐temperature hydrothermal fluids.     

Computer simulation studies of Crystallization under confinement conditions

Crystallization under confinement conditions is a very important process in geochemistry and geophysics. Computer simulations of fluids in nanometer scale pore spaces can provide a unique microscopic insight into the structure, dynamics and forces arising from the crystallization process. We discuss in this paper molecular dynamics computer simulations of crystallization in pores of nanometer dimensions. The crystallization pressure due to the freezing of a model of Argon in a nanopore is computed using molecular dynamics simulations. We also investigate the influence of pore geometry in determining the dynamics of confined fluids, as well as mass separation in binary mixtures. It turns out that the pore geometry reveals itself as an important variable, leading to 1) new mechanisms for fast diffusion in confined spaces, and 2) accumulation of solute in specific regions inside the pore.     

Kübler Index and K-Ar Ages of Illite in the Yinshan Polymetallic Deposit, Jiangxi Province, South China: Analyses and Implications

Abstract. The Yinshan polymetallic deposit is a hydrothermal vein-type deposit closely related to Late Jurassic felsic-inter-mediate volcanic-subvolcanic activity in Jiangxi Province, South China. Illite is a major alteration mineral observed in the deposit. Our study shows that the Kübler index of the illite has a close relation to ore-forming fluids of different stages of hydrothermal alteration and mineralization. The early Pb-Zn-Ag mineralization dated at 130–136 Ma is characterized by relatively low water/rock ratios and diffusive fluid movement within phyllite, whereas the later Cu-Au-S mineralization at 122 -125 Ma was accompanied by higher water/rock ratios and localized fluid flow through fractures and channels. Illite formed in the early Pb-Zn-Ag mineralization stage contains swelling layers while the illite formed in the later Cu-Au-S mineralization stage has no swelling layers but was associated with intensive chloritization. The last stage of mineralization (at 104 Ma) was minor and did not produce significant amounts of illite.     

川中地区茅口组两期流体叠合控制下的白云石化模式

岩相学特征、地化分析揭示:川中地区下二叠统茅口组白云岩存在三种白云石:①平直晶面细晶白云石(δ13C_PDB=3.06‰,δ18O_PDB=-6.81‰;Fe:1×10-6,Mn:未检出,Sr:150×10-6);②非平直晶面粗晶鞍状白云石(δ13C_PDB=3.22‰,δ18O_PDB=-7.82‰;Fe:149×10-6,Mn:185×10-6,Sr:85×10-6);③非平直晶面细晶白云石(δ13C_PDB=3.49‰,δ18O_PDB=-9.45‰;Th=123℃,S=133~139‰NaCl;Fe:58×10-6,Mn:59×10-6,Sr:76×10-6)。研究结果表明存在两期白云石化流体:①早期压实作用形成的埋藏白云石化流体(T=37.4℃;S=29.8‰NaCl);②晚期受构造控制的热液白云石化流体(Th=114.8℃;S=153~226‰NaCl)。明确了三种白云石的成因:平直晶面细晶白云石是由早期埋藏流体交代泥晶基质形成的;非平直晶面细晶白云石是平直晶面细晶白云石在受到热液流体改造后所形成的;而非平直晶面粗晶鞍状白云石则是由热液流体直接沉淀出的。基于研究结果建立了相应的白云化模式。     

The nature and distribution of fluids during amphibolite facies metamorphism, Naxos (Greece)

On the basis of fluid inclusion evidence, pervasive influx of deep-seated CO₂-rich fluids has been invoked to account for mid- to upper amphibolite facies (M2_B) metamorphism on the island of Naxos (Cyclades, Greece). In this paper, mineral devolatilization and melt equilibria are used to constrain the composition of both syn- and post-peak-M2_B fluids in the deepest exposed levels of the metamorphic complex. The results indicate that peak-M2_B fluids were spatially and compositionally heterogeneous throughout the high-grade core of the complex, whereas post-peak-M2_B fluids were generally water-rich. The observed heterogeneities in syn-M2_B fluid composition are inconsistent with pervasive CO₂-flushing models invoked by previous workers on the basis of fluid inclusion evidence. It is likely that few CO₂-rich fluid inclusions on Naxos preserve fluids trapped under peak metamorphic conditions. It is suggested that many of these inclusions have behaved as chemically open systems during the intense deformation that accompanied the uplift of the metamorphic complex. A similar process may explain the occurrence of some CO₂-rich fluid inclusions in granulite facies rocks.     

爆裂法作为快速测定流体包裹体中二氧化碳（和其它气体）含量的手段及其在勘探中的使用：以中国山东和河北省金矿为例

The acoustic decrepitation method heats a small monomineralic sample and counts pressure impulses as the inclusions burst when they develop high internal pressures. For aqueous fluids, the decrepitation temperature is correlated with the homogenisation temperature, but gas rich fluids give a distinct and characteristic low temperature decrepitation peak which can be used to recognize gas rich fluid inclusions. This information is useful in exploration for Au deposits, which are frequently associated with CO2 rich and sometimes CH4 rich fluids. This distinctive decrepitation occurs because the CO2 rich inclusion fluids expand according to the gas law and develop internal pressures high enough to burst the host mineral grain at temperatures well below their homogenisation temperatures. In contrast, aqueous fluids condense to a liquid and vapour phase during post-entrapment cooling. Upon subsequent heating their internal pressures do not increase significantly until after homogenisation to a single phase occurs and hence they do not decrepitate ＂prematurely＂ as gas rich inclusions do. This behaviour is usually regarded as an annoyance in conventional microthermometric homogenisation studies, but can readily be used as an exploration aid to find mineralisation deposited from such gas rich fluids. Decrepitation results on samples from Cowra Ck, NSW, Australia, which have also been microthermometrically measured for CO2 content, show that amounts of less than 5 mole % CO2 are easily distinguished by decrepitation and amounts as low as 1 mole % CO2 may be determinable. Examples of the use of acoustic decrepitation in the study of 6 gold mines in the Shandong and Hebei provinces of China are discussed.     

右江盆地含油气成矿流体性质及其成藏-成矿作用

右江盆地含油气成矿流体是一种多组分、多相态的不混溶体系,成藏流体具低温(多为90～160℃)和低盐度(多小于6wt%NaCl)的特征,其主要组分是有机质、CO2和H2O;金矿成矿流体以中低温(多集中于150～250℃)和低盐度(0.4～6.7wt%NaCl)为特征,其主要组分为H2O和CO2,次为烃类有机组分。盆地内古油藏与金矿床在空间上密切共存,在成藏和成矿流体活动时限上基本一致,在成因上一脉相承,表明两者均为盆地有机成矿流体演化的产物。加里东晚期至印支中期,"盆-台相间"的沉积构造格局为成矿和成藏奠定了物质基础,盆地有机成矿流体的活动使油气和金属分别聚集形成油气藏和金属矿床。印支晚期至燕山早期,伴随褶皱造山作用的盆地流体活动使油气的原始分布格局发生改变,并造成了油气和金属矿床的空间分带。燕山中晚期强烈的构造抬升剥蚀,使油气藏和金属矿床遭受强烈的破坏与改造。     

幔源CO_2释出机理、脱气模式及成藏机制研究进展

针对幔源CO2如何从地幔岩浆中脱出并进入沉积地层中形成CO2气藏聚集这一关键问题,总结了国内外研究进展和前缘方向。研究表明,地幔深部的碱性玄武岩浆和碱性岩浆才是深部流体和CO2等挥发份大量赋存、渗滤和释出的场所。浅成侵入岩、次火山岩和火山通道等是CO2释放和聚集的有利位置,岩浆期后和岩浆衰弱期的热液活动阶段是CO2大量释放和聚集的有利时期。幔源CO2进入沉积盆地中具有3种脱气模式,即沿岩石圈断裂直接脱气模式、热流底辟体脱气模式和壳内岩浆房-基底断裂组合脱气模式。CO2的固有物化性质决定其运移相态多样,具有运移和聚集过程同步的特征。只有在满足大量的化学消耗及地层水或原油的溶解和耗散之后才能形成CO2有效聚集。幔源CO2成藏和分布主要受岩浆气源体和气源断裂体系的控制。今后,在超临界CO2及其对油气运移聚集的作用、CO2与深大断裂及火山岩的关系、CO2脱气运移机制、CO与常规烃类油气的耦合差异成藏机制等方面仍需要进一步的研究和探索。     

高盐度,高温和高成矿金属的岩浆成矿流体—以格拉斯伯格Cu—Au矿为例

印度尼西北格拉斯伯格Ｃｕ－Ａｕ矿是与斑状的石英二长岩体有关的斑岩矿床,石英二长岩遭受了钾化为主的们随有绢云图和磁铁矿化的蚀变,Ｃｕ－Ａｕ矿化可分为网脉型和浸染型,以前者为主,含金的黄铜矿石英脉切穿了岩体和钾化蚀变带。本次研究见到四类包裹体,即岩民裹体、含子矿物包裹体、所体包裹体和液体包裹体,与矿化有关的是含子矿物包裹体和气体裹体,这两类包裹体的均一温度从４００℃到〉７００℃,含子包裹体和液体包裹体