IGGOS as a potential partner in IGOS

This short note reviews our thinking on how IGGOS can best achieve a high status within the set of global monitoring programmes. If such a high status can be obtained, then the importance of geodetic networks and services will be recognized more widely, and their activities will consequently be better resourced in the long term. One particular aspect concerns how IGGOS can complement the roles of the various IGOS partners within global monitoring. The different ways in which IGGOS can contribute to IGOS are outlined.     

Fluid inclusion studies of the Abawso gold prospect,near the Ashanti Belt,Ghana

The major Ghanaian lode gold deposits are preferentially aligned along the western and eastern contacts of the Kumasi Basin with the Ashanti and Sefwi Belts, respectively. The investigated area of the Abawso small-scale concession, covering the workings of the old Ettadom mine, is situated 3 km west of the lithological contact of the Birimian metavolcanic rocks of the Akropong Belt in the east with the Birimian metasedimentary rocks of the Kumasi Basin in the west. The rocks of the Abawso concession represent a steeply NW-dipping limb of a SE-verging anticline with an axis plunging to the SW. Quartz veining occurs predominantly in the form of en échelon dilatational veins along NNE–SSW-striking shear zones of a few metres width and shows evidence of brittle and ductile deformation. Also stockwork-style quartz veining occurs in the vicinity of the main shaft of the old Ettadom mine. Hydrothermal alteration includes sericitisation, sulphidation and locally carbonatisation. The auriferous quartz veins mainly follow the trend of brittle to ductile deformed quartz veins; however, some occur in stockwork. Fluid inclusion studies reveal a large number of H₂O inclusions along intragranular trails in auriferous quartz vein samples, as well as an overall dominance of H₂O and H₂O-CO₂ inclusions over CO₂ inclusions. Textural observations and physico-chemical fluid inclusion properties indicate post-entrapment modifications for all quartz vein samples due to grain boundary migration recrystallisation. This process is interpreted to be responsible for the generation of the CO₂ inclusions from a H₂O-CO₂ parent fluid. In comparison with mineralisation at the Ashanti and Prestea deposits, which are characterised by CO₂±N₂ inclusions, the observed inclusion assemblage may be due to a shallower crustal level of mineralisation, or different degrees and styles of recrystallisation, or a less pronounced development of laminated quartz veins due to comparably restricted pressure fluctuations. Furthermore, the microthermometric observations allow the reconstruction of a possible retrograde P-T path, depicting near-isothermal decompression in the P-T range of the brittle/ductile transition.Editorial handling: E. Frimmel     

Platinum-group element distribution in base-metal sulfides of the Merensky Reef from the eastern and western Bushveld Complex, South Africa

Base-metal sulfides in magmatic Ni-Cu-PGE deposits are important carriers of platinum-group elements (PGE). The distribution and concentrations of PGE in pentlandite, pyrrhotite, chalcopyrite, and pyrite were determined in samples from the mineralized portion of four Merensky Reef intersections from the eastern and western Bushveld Complex. Electron microprobe analysis was used for major elements, and in situ laser ablation inductively-coupled plasma mass spectrometry (LA-ICP-MS) for trace elements (PGE, Ag, and Au). Whole rock trace element analyses were performed on representative samples to obtain mineralogical balances. In Merensky Reef samples from the western Bushveld, both Pt and Pd are mainly concentrated in the upper chromitite stringer and its immediate vicinity. Samples from the eastern Bushveld reveal more complex distribution patterns. In situ LA-ICP-MS analyses of PGE in sulfides reveal that pentlandite carries distinctly elevated PGE contents, whereas pyrrhotite and chalcopyrite only contain very low PGE concentrations. Pentlandite is the principal host of Pd and Rh in the ores. Palladium and Rh concentrations in pentlandite reach up to 700 and 130 ppm, respectively, in the samples from the eastern Bushveld, and up to 1,750 ppm Pd and up to 1,000 ppm Rh in samples from the western Bushveld. Only traces of Pt are present in the base-metal sulfides (BMS). Pyrrhotite contains significant though generally low amounts of Ru, Os, and Ir, but hardly any Pd or Rh. Chalcopyrite contains most of the Ag but carries only extremely low PGE concentrations. Mass balance calculations performed on the Merensky Reef samples reveal that in general, pentlandite in the feldspathic pyroxenite and the pegmatoidal feldspathic pyroxenite hosts up to 100 % of the Pd and Rh and smaller amounts (10–40 %) of the Os, Ir, and Ru. Chalcopyrite and pyrrhotite usually contain less than 10 % of the whole rock PGE. The remaining PGE concentrations, and especially most of the Pt (up to 100 %), are present in the form of discrete platinum-group minerals such as cooperite/braggite, sperrylite, moncheite, and isoferroplatinum. Distribution patterns of whole rock Cu, Ni, and S versus whole rock Pd and Pt show commonly distinct offsets. The general sequence of “offset patterns” of PGE and BMS maxima, in the order from bottom to top, is Pd in pentlandite?→?Pd in whole rock?→?(Cu, Ni, and S). The relationship is not that straightforward in general; some of the reef sequences studied only partially show similar trends or are more complex. In general, however, the highest Pd concentrations in pentlandite appear to be related to the earliest, volumetrically rather small sulfide liquids at the base of the Merensky Reef sequence. A possible explanation for the offset patterns may be Rayleigh fractionation.     

Origin of ore fluids in the Muruntau gold system: Constraints from noble gas, carbon isotope and halogen data

Hydrothermal vein minerals directly associated with native gold mineralization in the Muruntau vein system (Uzbekistan) have been studied for noble gas, carbon isotope and halogen chemistry of the trapped ore-related fluids. Helium trapped in early arsenopyrite 1, which has preserved the original fluid signature better than associated scheelite and quartz, indicates a small input from a mantle source (?5% of total He). However, the overwhelming majority of the He in the fluid (∼95%) is from crustal sources. The noble gases Ne, Kr and Xe in the sample fluids are dominated by gases of atmospheric origin. The carbon isotope (δ¹³C: −2.1‰ to −5.3‰) and halogen characteristics of the fluids (log Br/Cl: −2.64 to −3.23) lend further support for the activity of juvenile fluids during the main ore stage. The high proportion of crustal components in the ore-forming fluids may be explained by intense fluid-rock interaction and is also supported by previous Nd and Sr isotope studies. The involvement of a juvenile fluid component during the main stage of hydrothermal activity at Muruntau (∼275 Ma) can be linked to the emplacement of lamprophyric dikes at Muruntau, due to apparently overlapping ages for high-temperature alteration, related ore vein formation and intrusion of the dikes. The input of mantle-derived fluids, possibly related to the Hercynian collisional event in the western Tien Shan, stimulated intense fluid-rock interaction in the crust. In this context, the mantle-derived fluid should be considered as one possible carrier of metals. Significant amounts of external meteoric fluids circulating in fracture systems are interpreted to have modified the noble gas signature of fluid in quartz, mostly during late, low temperature fluid circulation.     

P-T evolution and fluid inclusion characteristics of retrograded eclogites,Münchberg Gneiss Complex,Germany

Kyanite eclogites occur as part of the Münchberger nappe pile in NE-Bavaria, West Germany. Eclogites are overprinted by subsequent amphibolite facies metamorphism. The preservation of primary eclogitic textures as well as symplectitic textures are indicative of rapid decompression. Eclogite formation is estimated to have occurred under conditions of high H₂O-activities at pressures between 20 and 26 kbar and temperatures ranging between 590 and 660° C, as is shown by the coexistence of omphacite (Jd 50), kyanite, zoisite and quartz. Minimum pressure estimates, independent of the water activity, range between 9 and 16 kbar at the relevant temperatures. Detailed studies of fluid inclusion reveal two predominant groups of aqueous-brine inclusions: high salinity (14–17 wt% NaCl equiv.) and low salinity (0–8 wt% NaCl equiv.) inclusions. Fluid compositions of both groups of inclusions yield isochores passing close to the estimated amphibolite facies PT-field. The compositions of these fluids are in good agreement with fluid compositions considered from mineral equilibria. None of the fluid inclusions has densities appropriate for eclogite facies metamorphism, but probably reflect later amphibolite facies metamorphism.     

The rare alkalies in hydrothermal alteration at Wairakei and Broadlands,geothermal fields,N.Z.

Drillcores and waters from Wairakei and Broadlands geothermal areas New Zealand have been analyzed for Li, Rb, Cs, Na, K, Mg, Ca, Al, Ti, Mn, and Be. The drillcores were altered to various degrees at temperatures below 300°C in slightly alkaline chloride water, probably derived from rock-water interaction in untapped horizons at higher temperature. It changes its composition as it leaches Ca and Na from the rock and adds K, Rb, Cs and Li. Evaluation of these changes in relation to the dimensions of the altered zone under observation suggests that a high mass ratio of water to rock (e.g., 100) and a period of up to 1 million years are responsible for the present stage of alteration.Increase of K and Rb in the altered rocks is a result of the formation of abundant adularia in addition to illite. The $\text{K}\text{Rb}$ ratio of the rock decreases during alteration but remains higher than that of the fluid. Only clay materials and zeolites that preferentially absorb Rb give slightly lower $\text{K}\text{Rb}$ ratios than the fluid.The mineral phases responsible for the uptake of lithium during alteration are chlorite (300 ppm Li) and quartz (up to 430 ppm Li). Li uptake in quartz is considered to be the mechanism by which Al-rich quartz crystallises from alumino-silicates. $\text{Li}\text{Al}$ atomic ratios of 0.3–0.57 and Al concentrations up to 3000 ppm have been observed.Relatively small concentrations of Cs are found in potassic minerals (e.g. 10 ppm Cs in adularia, 44 ppm Cs in illite). However, 240 ppm Cs are found in wairakite from Wairakei equilibrated at 235°C. Lower equilibration temperatures may lead to higher cesium concentrations. This effect, in conjunction with a more concentrated hydrothermal fluid, could explain a content of 4500 ppm Cs in wairakite extracted from a drillcore taken in the El-Tatio geothermal field in Chile.     

Determination of the distribution of size of irregularly shaped particles from laser diffractometer measurements

The formal stereological transformation equation for particle sieve size distribution from measurements in lower dimensional spaces is applied to laser diffractometer measurements. The transformation function for iron ore particles is measured experimentally, and modeled. The solution is tested against the measured transformation function data as well as synthetic composite distributions of the original sample. The natural size distribution of a sample taken from a grinding circuit stream was measured by a combination of standard sieving and cyclosizer, and the result is compared to the transformed size distribution calculated from laser diffractometer measurements. The stereological transformation technique performed well in all cases.     

Trace-element mobilization during Ca-metasomatism along a major fluid conduit: Eclogitization of blueschist as a consequence of fluid-rock interaction

In the subduction complex of the Tianshan mountains, western China, massive blueschist is cross-cut by an eclogite-facies major fluid conduit surrounded by a reaction zone which is mainly composed of omphacite and garnet. Petrological as well as geochemical evidence suggest that formation of the vein and the eclogitic selvage around the vein was caused by fluid infiltration under peak metamorphic conditions of 21 ± 1.5 kbar and 510 ± 30 °C. The combination of whole-rock with mineral trace-element data as well as mass-balance calculations indicate that substantial differences exist between the unaltered host rock and the part of the system which was altered by fluid-rock interaction. These differences include: (1) depletion of mainly large-ion lithophile elements (LILE) and Li of up to 60% relative to their concentrations in the unaltered host rock; (2) an extreme enrichment of CaO (∼115%), Sr and Pb (>300%) in the altered parts of the vein-wall-rock system; (3) redistribution of heavy rare earth elements (HREE) from partly replaced rutile and recrystallized titanite in the blueschist-eclogite transition zone into newly grown garnet rims in the eclogitic selvage around the vein; (4) transformation of high Nb/Ta rutile into low Nb/Ta titanite which is associated with preferred mobilization of Nb over Ta; and (5) decoupling of Zr and Hf from Nb and Ta; the latter are depleted by ∼30% relative to the unaltered blueschist host rock whereas the former are depleted by only ∼10%. The prerequisite for the transformation of Ca-poor blueschist (6-7 wt.% CaO) into Ca-rich eclogite (up to 13 wt.% CaO) was the infiltration of a Ca-rich fluid. The release of trace elements can be attributed to partitioning of these elements into the passing fluid phase during dissolution-reprecipitation processes in the course of eclogitization. The reactivity of the precursor mineral assemblage and the chemical gradients between the reacting and passing fluid of the conduit are mainly responsible for trace-element mobilization in the studied samples. The suite of trace elements released upon fluid-induced eclogitization of the reactive wall-rock resembles that in island arc magmas showing strong enrichment of LIL elements, strong depletions in HFS elements and intermediate concentrations of REE.