青海南部熔积岩的发现:对寻找VMS型矿床的重要启示

熔积岩指的是侵入、混合到未固结或弱固结的湿沉积物中的熔浆分解、原位形成的一类特殊岩石。正确地认识该类岩石,有利于增进人们对岩浆-水(沉积物)相互作用过程的理解,恢复古环境。在青海南部沱沱河地区发现了一套角砾为撕片状、锯齿状及浑圆状的安山岩,胶结物为铁硅质组合的特殊熔积岩。研究表明,该熔积岩的角砾为岩浆遇水后快速淬火、裂解的产物,铁硅质组合为海底喷气沉积形成的含铁建造;且安山岩与含铁建造发生混合时,含铁建造尚未固结。该套熔积岩的发现,改变了长期以来对开心岭铁矿为火山热液交代安山岩而形成的认识,对于在矿区寻找VMS型矿床、区域内寻找海底热水喷流沉积型矿床具有重要的启示意义。     

Präparationstechnik für Aufbereitungsprodukte zur quantitativen erzmikroskopischen Untersuchung

Zusammenfassung Mikroskopische Anschliffe feinkörniger Aufbereitungsprodukte können nur dann quantitativ ausgewertet werden, wenn ihre Schliffqualität so hoch ist, daß auch feinste Partien sicher zu bestimmen sind. Daneben muß gewährleistet sein, daß die an der Schliffoberfläche erfaßten Körner die tatsächliche Verteilung der Mineralien der Probe repräsentieren. Diese Forderung kann nur durch zweckentsprechende Präparation, die dem eigentlichen Schleif- und Polierprozeß vorausgeht, erfüllt werden. Als günstigste Lösung erscheint es, das Korngemisch exakt als Einkornschicht zu präparieren und anschließend wie Stückproben anzuschleifen. Die Schliffe können dann nach den gleichen statistischen Gesetzmäßigkeiten ausgewertet werden, wie sie bei praktisch zweidimensionalen Dünnschliffen oder bei Streupräparaten nichtopaker Korngemische vorliegen.

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Quantitative examination of fine-grained ore dressing products depends on good quality of the sections and on whether very small particles and areas of grains can be determined. Besides, it must absolutely be guaranteed that the grains at the section surface represent the actual distribution of the minerals in the sample. This condition can only be realized by suitable grain mounting prior to grinding and polishing. The best method for this purpose appears to be the preparation of a mono-grain layer. The polished sections can then be examined according to the same statistical laws as two-dimensional thin sections or immersion-liquid slides of non-opaque mixtures of grains.

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Mitteilung Nr. 141 aus dem Forschungsinstitut für Aufbereitung der Deutschen Akademie der Wissenschaften zu Berlin, Freiberg (Sachsen). Direktor: Prof. Dr.-Ing. habil. H. Kirchberg.     

Composition-Induced Variations in SIMS Instrumental Mass Fractionation during Boron Isotope Ratio Measurements of Silicate Glasses

An analytical artefact is reported here related to differences in instrumental mass fractionation between NIST SRM glasses and natural geological glasses during SIMS boron isotope determinations. The data presented demonstrated an average 3.4‰ difference between the NIST glasses and natural basaltic to rhyolitic glasses mainly in terms of their sputtering-induced fractionation of boron isotopes. As no matrix effect was found among basaltic to rhyolitic glasses, instrumental mass fractionation of most natural glass samples can be corrected by using appropriate glass reference materials. In order to confirm the existence of the compositionally induced variations in boron SIMS instrumental mass bias, the observed offset in SIMS instrumental mass bias has been independently reproduced in two laboratories and the phenomenon has been found to be stable over a period of more than one year. This study highlights the need for a close match between the chemical composition of the reference material and the samples being investigated.     

Solar irradiance modulation by active regions during 1980

The solar irradiance modulation due to active regions during 1980 has been investigated in detail. Specifically, we estimate the uncertainties caused by ground-based data used as input in the modeling effort, and by our currently incomplete knowledge of the proper parameters that describe the angular variation of sunspot and facular contrasts. We conclude that the most significant uncertainties are due to errors in area measurements and, possibly, varying spot and facular brightness. A standard model for later use is derived by a best-fit technique of the currently available ACRIM irradiance data and the predictions of our models with appropriately varied parameters. Finally, we compute the expected irradiance for the entire year of 1980.NRC Senior Research Associate on leave from the Joint Institute for Laboratory Astrophysics and the Astro-Geophysics Department, University of Colorado at Boulder, Colo., U.S.A.     

The vibrational frequencies of forsterite Mg2SiO4: an all-electron ab initio study with the CRYSTAL code

The vibrational spectrum of Mg₂SiO₄ olivine was calculated at the Γ point by using the periodic ab initio CRYSTAL program. An all electron localized Gaussian-type basis set and the B3LYP Hamiltonian were employed. The full set of frequencies (35 IR active, 36 Raman active, 10 “silent” modes) was computed and compared to experimental data from different sources (four for IR and four for Raman). A generally good agreement is observed with experiment (the mean absolute difference ranging from 7 to 10 cm⁻¹ for the various sets), when some of the experimental frequencies, whose attribution is uncertain or appears to be affected by large errors, are not taken into account. A small number of observed peaks are not consistent with calculated frequencies, and a few theoretical peaks do not correspond to measured values. The implications are discussed in detail. The full set of modes are characterized using different tools, namely isotopic substitution, direct inspection of the eigenvectors and graphical representation, so as to obtain a consistent mode assignment.     

Paleoliquefaction study of the Clarendon–Linden fault system, western New York State

The lack of earthquake-induced liquefaction features in Late Wisconsin and Holocene sediments in Genesee, Wyoming, and Allegany Counties suggests that the Clarendon–Linden fault system (CLF) did not generate large, moment magnitude, M≥6 earthquakes during the past 12,000 years. Given that it was the likely source of the 1929 M 4.9 Attica earthquake, however, the Clarenden–Linden fault system probably is capable of producing future M5 events. During this study, we reviewed newspaper accounts of the 1929 Attica earthquake, searched for earthquake-induced liquefaction features in sand and gravel pits and along tens of kilometers of river cutbanks, evaluated numerous soft-sediment deformation structures, compiled geotechnical data and performed liquefaction potential analysis of saturated sandy sediments. We found that the 1929 M 4.9 Attica earthquake probably did not induce liquefaction in its epicentral area and may have been generated by the western branch of the Clarendon–Linden fault system. Most soft-sediment deformation structures found during reconnaissance did not resemble earthquake-induced liquefaction features, and even the few that did could be attributed to non-seismic processes. Our analysis suggests that the magnitude threshold for liquefaction is between M 5.2 and 6, that a large (M≥6) earthquake would liquefy sediments at many sites in the area, and that a moderate earthquake (M 5–5.9) would liquefy sediments at some sites but perhaps not at enough sites to have been found during reconnaissance. We conclude that the Clarendon–Linden fault system could have produced small and moderate earthquakes, but probably not large events, during the Late Wisconsin and Holocene.     

Epithermal environments and styles of mineralization: Variations and their causes, and guidelines for exploration

Epithermal precious- and base-metal deposits are diverse, reflecting the different tectonic, igneous and structural settings in which they occur, the complexities of their local setting, and the many processes involved in their formation. Most epithermal deposits form at shallow crustal levels where abrupt changes in physical and chemical conditions result in metal deposition and attendant hydrothermal alteration. The principal factors that influence the conditions prevailing in the epithermal environment, and which ultimately determine the sites and character of mineralization, include: geology (structure, stratigraphy, intrusions and rock type, which affect the style and degree of permeability and the reactivity of the host); pressure and temperature (which in the epithermal environment are related on the boiling point with depth curve); hydrology (the relationship between permeability and topography which governs fluid flow, and discharge/recharge characteristics, as well as access of steam-heated waters); chemistry of the mineralizing fluid (which determines the metal-carrying capacity, as well as the associated vein and alteration assemblage); and syn-hydrothermal development of permeability and/or changes in hydraulic gradients.Many attempts have been made to classify epithermal deposits based on mineralogy and alteration, the host rocks, deposit form, genetic models, and standard deposits. All have their strengths and weaknesses. We prefer a simple approach using the fundamental fluid chemistry (high or low sulfidation, reflecting relatively oxidized or reduced conditions, respectively) as readily inferred from vein and alteration mineralogy and zoning, together with the form of the deposit, and using comparative examples to clarify the character of the deposit.Guidelines for exploration vary according to the scale at which work is conducted, and are commonly constrained by a variety of local conditions. On a regional scale the tectonic, igneous and structural settings can be used, together with assessment of the depth of erosion, to select areas for project area scale exploration. At project area scale, direct (i.e. geochemical) or indirect guidelines may be used. Indirect methods involve locating and interpreting hydrothermal alteration as a guide to ore, with the topographic and hydrologic reconstruction of the system being of high priority. These pursuits may involve mineralogic, structural, geophysical or remote sensing methods. On a prospect scale, both direct and indirect methods may be used; however, they can only be effective in the framework of a sound conceptual understanding of the processes that occur in the epithermal environment, and the signatures they leave.     

Cyclic sedimentation and climatically caused sea-level changes in the Late Palaeozoic of Central Europe

Significant short-term fluctuations are characteristic of geological history since Precambrian times. Only the younger Quaternary climatic fluctuations are known in more detail as a result of a high grade time resolution. Climatic change can also be postulated with respect to older, cold periods during which polar inland ice sheets developed. From a discussion of endogene and exogene interpretations it is shown that global climatic changes, and the sea-level changes induced by them, as well as changes in the position and extent of climatic zones throughout the world provide a control mechanism for sedimentation which is consistent with cyclic sedimentation in Late Palaeozoic times, and also if the basin subsides non-cyclically. The model allows an explanation of the development of the Permo-Carboniferous sedimentary cycles without numerous short-term vertical oscillations of the earth's crust. In reality, exogene and endogene controls on sedimentation act together in great variety of combinations.     

Fitting variogram models by weighted least squares

The method of weighted least squares is shown to be an appropriate way of fitting variogram models. The weighting scheme automatically gives most weight to early lags and down-weights those lags with a small number of pairs. Although weights are derived assuming the data are Gaussian (normal), they are shown to be still appropriate in the setting where data are a (smooth) transform of the Gaussian case. The method of (iterated) generalized least squares, which takes into account correlation between variogram estimators at different lags, offer more statistical efficiency at the price of more complexity. Weighted least squares for the robust estimator, based on square root differences, is less of a compromise.