Origin of Fe-Ti Oxide Ores in Mafic Intrusions: Evidence from the Panzhihua Intrusion, SW China

Economic concentrations of Fe–Ti oxides occur as massive,conformable lenses or layers in the lower part of the Panzhihuaintrusion, Emeishan Large Igneous Province, SW China. Mineralchemistry, textures and QUILF equilibria indicate that oxidesin rocks of the intrusion were subjected to extensive subsolidusre-equilibration and exsolution. The primary oxide, reconstructedfrom compositions of titanomagnetite in the ores and associatedintergrowths, is an aluminous titanomagnetite (Usp₄₀) with 40wt % FeO, 34 wt % Fe₂O₃, 16·5 wt % TiO₂, 5·3 wt% Al₂O₃, 3·5 wt % MgO and 0·5 wt % MnO. This compositionis similar to the bulk composition of the oxide ore, as inferredfrom whole-rock data. This similarity strongly suggests thatthe ores formed from accumulation of titanomagnetite crystals,not from immiscible oxide melt as proposed in earlier studies.The occurrence of oxide ores in the lower parts of the Panzhihuaintrusion is best explained by settling and sorting of densetitanomagnetite in the ferrogabbroic parental magma. This magmamust have crystallized Fe–Ti oxides relatively early andabundantly, and is likely to have been enriched in Fe and Tibut poor in SiO₂. These features are consistent with fractionationof mantle-derived melts under relatively high pressures (10kbar), followed by emplacement of the residual magma at 5 kbar.This study provides definitive field and geochemical evidencethat Fe–Ti oxide ores can form by accumulation in ferrogabbro.We suggest that many other massive Fe–Ti oxide depositsmay have formed in a similar fashion and that high concentrationsof phosphorus or carbon, or periodic fluctuation of fO₂ in themagma, are of secondary importance in ore formation. KEY WORDS: ELIP; Fe–Ti oxide ore; layered intrusion; Panzhihua; QUILF     

Composition and Assemblage Characteristics of Magnetic Minerals in Layer S_(5-1) of Xifeng and Duanjiapo Sections

Magneticmineralsintheloess paleosolseriesaccountforabout 1 % -2 %ofthetotal (LiuTungshengandZhangZhonghu ,1 962 ) .Duetotheiraerolianorigin ,themagneticmineralsarecomplicatedincomposition ,largeingrainsizerange ,andsignificantlydifferentincrystallinity .Asaresult,researchonthesemagneticmineralswouldbesetwithalotofdifficulties.Previousre searchersemployedopticalmicroscopic ,X raydiffractionandM ssbauerspectrometrictechniquestostudythemagneticmineralsintheloess paleosolseries,andchieflyontheb…     

攀西地区铁钛氧化物矿物的显微结构

本文用矿石显微镜及单晶X射线分析方法,研究了攀枝花—西昌地区铁钛氧化物矿物的显微结构共生组合特点、各出溶相间的关系和分布方位以及不同岩石和矿石显微结构共生组合上的差异。业已查明它们受岩浆旋回和岩石类型所控制。本文指出了磁铁矿-钛铁晶石固溶体显微出溶结构可能是拐点分解经调制结构后的终期产物。     

西天山昭苏北部石炭纪火山岩的岩石地球化学特征、成因及形成环境

西天山昭苏北部早石炭纪大哈拉军山组火山岩由碱性橄榄玄武岩和少量的拉斑玄武岩组成。火山岩TiO2（1．10～1．99％）和P2O5（0．22～0．70％）含量较高，富集大离子亲石元素（Rb，Ba，K）并强烈亏损高场强元素（Nb，Ta，Ti）（（Nb／La）N=0．20～0．36），轻重稀土分异，其地球化学特征总体上与美国盆岭地区新生代（中新世中期之前）火山岩以及中美洲和南美洲的弧后“过渡型”基性火山岩相似，但与典型火山弧岩浆岩有些不同。大量元古代继承锆石的出现以及主量、微量元素和Nd同位素地球化学特征均表明火山岩经历了相当程度的结晶分异和陆壳混染（AFC）。与碱性玄武岩相比，拉斑玄武岩的SiO2含量和K2O／Na2O比值较高，而εNd（t），MgO和Mg^#值较低，可能由碱性玄武岩浆经AFC演化形成。碱性橄榄玄武岩中含富Fe，Ti贫Si的火山岩夹层（Fe-Ti玄武岩），是碱性玄武质岩浆依Fenner趋势发生较高程度结晶分异的产物。火山岩的元素地球化学特征指示岩浆源区可能为俯冲流体交代富集的岩石圈地幔，然而，Fe-Ti玄武岩的出现以及地球化学特征随时间的规律性变化均指示它们形成于拉张的构造环境。我们提出，昭苏北部大哈拉军山组火山岩可能形成于具有元古代陆壳基底的活动大陆边缘弧后拉张环境。这一认识与前人提出的大哈拉军山组火山岩为地幔柱活动影响的大陆裂谷岩浆岩的认识有所不同。     

金伯利岩中“熔离小球”的特征及其成因

在金伯利岩人工重砂中发现的“熔离小球”,直径多数<1 mm,除个别出现微晶外,均为非晶质,属于熔体淬火冷却产物。提供了29个小球的主元素分析和3件微量元素分析结果。“熔离小球”按成分可分为3种类型:(1)高铁钛小球;(2)硫铁镍小球;(3)浅色硅铝质小球。其中高铁小球w(FeO)高达99.39%,高钛小球w(TiO2)达45.90%,它们含MnO也偏高,最高达23.75%。Fe、Mn、Ti都属于高负电性元素,在熔体中与氧结合的键强度大,容易发生熔离。硫铁镍小球的w(SO3)变化于38.27%~51.95%,w(FeO)为0.31%~23.10%,w(NiO)为25.24%~61.05%。浅色小球w(SiO2)变化范围为24.01%~52.64%,Al2O3、CaO含量高但变化范围大,总体成分接近基性—超基性硅酸盐熔浆。主元素、微量元素特征以及硫铁镍小球中发现了高镁(Fo=0.95)橄榄石捕虏晶表明,小球形成于金伯利岩岩浆的介质环境。此外高铁及硅铝质两种成分呈交生结构的两相小球的发现,暗示二者为熔离作用成因。小球的熔离作用可以应用SiO2-FeS-FeO的液态不混溶相图做出解释。认为小球形成于岩浆结晶的晚期阶段,相对富含CO2、SO3、FeO、MnO、TiO,在岩浆快速上升、快速降温、降压、熔体中出现了多种局部有序区的条件下发生的。     

Was the Panzhihua Large Fe-Ti Oxide Deposit,SW China,Formed by Silicate Immiscibility?

The Panzhihua mafic intrusion, which hosts a world-class Fe-Ti-V ore deposit, is in the western Emeishan region, SW China. The formation age(～260 Ma), and Sr and Nd isotopes indicate that the Panzhihua intrusion is part of the Emeishan large igneous province and has little crustal contamination. To assess ore genesis of the Panzhihua Fe-Ti-V ore deposit, two different models have been provided to explain the formation, namely silicate immiscibility and normal fractional crystallization. Silicate...     

Composition and assemblage characteristics of magnetic minerals in layer S<Subscript>5-1</Subscript> of Xifeng and Duanjiapo sections

Relatively strongly magnetic fine components (< 30μm, XS-4J and DS-4J) which are most environmentally sensitive were separated from layer S_5-1 in the Xifeng and Duanjiapo loess sections and analyzed by MPV-3 for their morphometric characteristics and reflectance, SEM-ESD for their element contents and XRD for their mineral phases, respectively. The results showed that minerals in both samples are dominated by detrial Fe-Ti oxides of aeolian origin. In sample XS-4J the reflectance and iron contents of magnetic minerals are usually high. In addition to magnetite (Fe₃O₄), maghemite (γFe₂O₃) and hematite (Fe₂O₃), some Fe-high oxide (72.25 wt%–86.67 wt%), ilmenite (FeTiO₃), and magnetite-ulvöspinel [Fe(FeCr)O₄, Fe (FeNi)O₄] were also detected. In sample DS-4J obvious negative linear correlations were found between Ti and Fe, and the contents of Mn, Si, Al and Ca are usually high and the minerals are dominated by magnetite (maghemite), goethite (FeOOH) and limonite (containing Si and OH). In addition, the signs of corrosion of magnetic minerals and newly crystallized magnetite (maghemite) were recognized. Differences in the composition and assemblage characteristics of magnetite minerals between XS and DS reflect significant differences in source rocks and preserving conditions.     

Petrogenesis of the Piqiang mafic-ultramafic layered intrusion and associated Fe-Ti-V oxide deposit in Tarim Large Igneous Province,NW China

ABSTRACT

The Piqiang intrusion is one of the two important ma?c-ultrama?c layered intrusions that host giant Fe-Ti-V oxide deposits in the Permian Tarim Large Igneous Province, NW China. The intrusion mainly consists of gabbro, anorthosite and minor plagioclase-bearing clinopyroxenite in the marginal zone. Disseminated to massive Fe-Ti oxide ores occur as layers and lenses within the gabbro. SHRIMP zircon U-Pb results from both a gabbro from the Piqiang intrusion and a granite from the surrounding granitic dyke yield ages of ~270 Ma. Geochemically, the Piqiang silicate rocks are enriched in light rare earth elements (LREE) and large ion lithophile elements (LILE), moderately depleted in high ?eld strength elements (HFSE), and have a limited range of Sr-Nd-Hf isotopic compositions. The similar mineralogy, mineral compositions, and trace element characteristics of the layered units suggest that all the rocks are co-magmatic. The parental magma is Fe-Ti-rich and is akin to the most primitive diabasic dyke which is associated with the Piqiang intrusion. Partial melting of the Tarim mantle plume with involvement of a subduction-metasomatized lithospheric mantle source best explains the geochemistry and petrogenesis of the parental magmas of the Piqiang intrusion. We propose that the lithospheric mantle source may have been metasomatized by subduction-related materials and the metasomatic enrichment of this source region which may be correlated with oceanic sediment recycling during southward subduction of the South Tianshan oceanic slab during the Early-Middle Paleozoic. Crystal settling and mechanical sorting is the predominant process responsible for the formation of the massive Fe-Ti oxide ores in the Piqiang intrusion. Central to ore formation is a combination of the protracted differentiation history of a Fe-Ti-enriched parental magma and the later addition of external H₂O from the country rocks to the slowly cooling magma chamber.     

http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1674987113000595

Magmatic oxide deposits in the～260 Ma Emeishan Large Igneous Province(ELIP),SW China and northern Vietnam,are important sources of Fe,Ti and V.Some giant magmatic Fe-Ti-V oxide deposits, such as the Panzhihua,Hongge,and Baima deposits,are well described in the literature and are hosted in layered mafic-ultramafic intrusions in the Panxi region,the central ELIP.The same type of ELIP- related deposits also occur far to the south and include the Anyi deposit,about 130 km south of Panzhihua,and the Mianhuadi deposit in the Red River fault zone.The Anyi deposit is relatively small but is similarly hosted in a layered mafic intrusion.The Mianhuadi deposit has a zircon U-Pb age of～260 Ma and is thus contemporaneous with the ELIP.This deposit was variably metamorphosed during the Indosinian orogeny and Red River faulting.Compositionally,magnetite of the Mianhuadi deposit contains smaller amounts of Ti and V than that of the other deposits,possibly attributable to the later metamorphism.The distribution of the oxide ore deposits is not related to the domal structure of the ELIP.One major feature of all the oxide deposits in the ELIP is the spatial association of oxide-bearing gabbroic intrusions,syenitic plutons and high-Ti flood basalts.Thus,we propose that magmas from a mantle plume were emplaced into a shallow magma chamber where they were evolved into a field of liquid immiscibility to form two silicate liquids,one with an extremely Fe-Ti-rich gabbroic composition and the other syenitic.An immiscible Fe-Ti-(P) oxide melt may then separate from the mafic magmas to form oxide deposits.The parental magmas from which these deposits formed were likely Fe-Ti-rich picritic in composition and were derived from enriched asthenospheric mantle at a greater depth than the magmas that produced sulfide-bearing intrusions of the ELIP.     

Hydration vs. oxidation: Modelling implications for Fe–Ti oxide crystallisation in mafic intrusions, with specific reference to the Panzhihua intrusion, SW China

Recent work on the Panzhihua intrusion has produced two separate models for the crystallisation of the intrusion:（1） low-Ti,high CaO and low H₂O（0.5 wt.%） parent magma（equivalent to Emeishan low-Ti basalt） at FMQ;and（2） high-Ti,low CaO and higher H₂O（>1.5 wt.%） parent magma（equivalent to Emeishan high-Ti basalt） at FMQ + 1.5.Modelling of these parent magma compositions produces significantly different results. We present here detailed f（O₂） and H₂O modelling for average compositions of both Emeishan high-Ti and low-Ti ferrobasalts in order to constrain the effects on crystallisation sequences for Emeishan ultra-mafic -mafic layered intrusions.Modelling is consistent with numerous experimental studies on ferro-basaltic magmas from other localities（e.g.Skaergaard intrusion）.Modelling is compared with the geology of the Panzhihua intrusion in order to constrain the crystallisation of the gabbroic rocks and the Fe-Ti oxides ore layers.We suggest that the gabbroic rocks at the Panzhihua intrusion can be best explained by crystallisation from a parent magma similar to that of the high-Ti Emeishan basalt at moderate H₂O contents（0.5-1 wt.%） but at the lower end of TiO₂ content for typical high-Ti basalts（2.5 wt.%TiO₂）. Distinct silicate disequilibrium textures in the Fe-Ti oxide ore layers suggest that an influx of H₂O may be responsible for changing the crystallisation path.An increase in H₂O during crystallisation of gabbroic rocks will result in the depression of silicate liquidus temperatures and resultant disequilibrium with the liquid.Continued cooling of the magma with high H₂O then results in precipitation of Mt-Uv alone. The H₂O content of parent magmas for mafic layered intrusions associated with the ELIP is an important variable.H₂O alters the crystallisation sequence of the basaltic magmas so that at high H₂O and f（O₂） Mt -Uv crystallises earlier than plagioclase and clinopyroxene.Furthermore,the addition of H₂O to an anhydrous magma can explain silicate disequilibrium texture observed in the Fe-Ti oxide ore layers.