西澳大利亚卡尔古丽金矿区成矿地质特征

卡尔古丽金矿区（KalgoorlieGoldFiled）是西澳大利亚最大的金矿产区,在大地构造上属于西澳伊尔岗（Yil．garn）克拉通东部卡尔古丽绿岩带内。矿区主要出露太古代地层,包括镁铁质一超镁铁质熔岩序列、长英质火山碎屑岩序列,以及一系列侵入的基性一超基性岩脉。区域内的主构造为北北西向,包括一对结构不对称的水平褶皱——卡尔古丽背斜和向斜,以及与向斜西翼平行的GoldenMile断层,主构造被后期走滑断层影响形成的破碎剪切带,是赋存金矿的主要构造。根据控矿构造、矿质来源和沉积时间,可以将金矿脉分为三种类型,分别是Fimiston型、Oroya型和Charlotte型。研究认为,在该地区找矿主要应从围岩、构造、地球物理、地球化学几个方面着手。通过对本区成矿地质特征的分析和研究,新发现了Eureka小型金矿,希望能对中国企业在该地区的勘探投资有所帮助。     

Stromatolites in the Late Ordovician Eureka Quartzite: implications for microbial growth and preservation in siliciclastic settings

Well-preserved siliciclastic domal stromatolites, up to 2 m wide and 1·5 m high, are found in a 10 to 15 m thick interval within the Late Ordovician Eureka Quartzite of Southern Nevada and Eastern California, USA. These stromatolites appear as either isolated features or patchy clusters that contain more than 70% by volume quartz grains; their association with planar, trough and herringbone cross-bedding suggests that they were formed in an upper shoreface environment with high hydraulic energy. In this environment, sand bars or dunes may have provided localized shelter for initial microbial mat colonization. Biostabilization and early lithification of microbial mats effectively prevented erosion during tidal flushing and storm surges, and the prevalence of translucent quartz sand grains permitted light penetration into the sediment, leading to thick microbial mat accretion and the formation of domal stromatolites. Decimetre-scale to metre-scale stromatolite domes may have served as localized shelter and nucleation sites for further microbial mat colonization, forming patchy stromatolite clusters. Enrichment of iron minerals, including pyrite and hematite, within dark internal laminae of the stromatolites indicates anaerobic mineralization of microbial mats. The occurrence of stromatolites in the Eureka Quartzite provides an example of microbial growth in highly stressed, siliciclastic sedimentary environments, in which microbial communities may have been able to create microenvironments promoting early cementation/lithification essential for the growth and preservation of siliciclastic stromatolites.