Timing of Fracture Formation and Duration of Mineralization at the Hishikari Deposit, Southern Kyushu, Japan

Abstract. The Hishikari epithermal gold deposit consists of the Honko-Sanjin zone and Yamada zone. On the basis of observed crosscutting relationships of veins, vein system in the Hishikari deposit was classified into the early and late veins. They differ from orientation, width, control by unconformity, the amount of displacement and structural features, but have similarity in gold grade and Au/Ag ratios. K-Ar ages are presented for the classified veins to clarify timing of fracturing and duration of mineralization.
Age determination revealed that the early veins in the Honko-Sanjin zone range from 0.86 to 1.11 Ma and that the late veins range from 0.73 to 0. 84 Ma. The economically most important mineralization in the Hishikari deposit occurred around 0.90 Ma in a very short period (about 0.05 million years).
The distribution of mineralization age in the whole Hishikari deposit, occurrences of slickensides and ground water temperatures imply that mineralization lasted longer in the southern part of the deposit. As compared the early veins with late veins, structural changes including width, strike, dip and vein characteristics occurred at around 0.85 Ma.     

Partial melting controls on the northwest Kyushu basalts from Saga-Futagoyama

Abstract   The major element and compatible trace element compositions of the northwest Kyushu basalts (NWKBs) collected from Saga-Futagoyama were analyzed to examine the petrogenesis of these basalts. Although nepheline-normative alkaline basalts are not found in the basalts from Saga-Futagoyama, the Saga-Futagoyama basalts almost cover the major element variations of NWKBs. The basalts can be chemically divided into two groups: an Fe-poor group (IPG) and an Fe-rich group (IRG). The compositional variation of IPG basalts is essentially controlled by the partial melting of the source as suggested by the following: (i) bulk rock MgO, FeO and NiO compositions indicate that some IPG samples were equilibrated with mantle olivine; and (ii) correlations between Al₂O₃, CaO and MgO are consistent with those of experimental partial melts of peridotites. The inconsistent behaviors of the elements compatible with clinopyroxene (Cpx), such as V (Sc and Cu), preclude the significant role of the fractional crystallization of Cpx and spinel in IPG variation. IPG basalts have low Al and high Fe concentrations compared to the products of melting experiments involving peridotites and pyroxenites, suggesting that the IPG source would have a lithology and bulk rock composition different from those of typical peridotites and pyroxenites. IRG basalts have negative correlations between Fe₂O₃* and MgO, and between V and Fe₂O₃*/MgO, indicating that IRG basalts would have fractionated Cpx. However, the anomalously Fe-rich feature of IRG basalts compared with NWKBs collected from other areas suggests that the role of Cpx fractionation in NWKBs is minor. Relatively low melting temperatures would have principally caused the large chemical variation of NWKBs.     

1975年海城7.3级地震在朝鲜半岛的震害及对日本九州地区的影响s

1975年中国海城7.3级地震波及整个朝鲜半岛，乃至日本九州地区. 本文系统收集了该震有关资料，并通过整理分析勾画出其烈度分布，以探讨该震的震害特点. 在半岛的北部， 除局部地区为Ⅵ度之外，大部分地区为Ⅴ度区，其震害情况与相同烈度的典型特征基本相符； 半岛南部大部分地区为Ⅳ度区. 然而，韩国首尔等大城市，除高层建筑强烈振动之外，还有人出现眩晕症状等特别的感觉，个别街区变压器跳闸造成一时停电. 这些可能是大震的长周期波在远场的效应所致.      

Nature of the Ore-Forming Fluid at the Quaternary Noya Gold Deposit in Kyushu,Japan

We discuss the nature of the ore-forming hydrothermal fluid in the Noya gold-bearing calcite-quartz-adularia veins of central Kyushu, Japan on the basis of oxygen, carbon, and strontium isotope ratios, and aqueous speciation calculations for the present-day geothermal fluid. The isotopic values of the Noya ore-forming fluid were estimated to be −6.5‰ for δ¹³C and −7.5‰ for δ¹⁸O. The oxygen isotopic equilibrium temperatures for vein calcite are more than 180°C at the bottom of the Noya mineralization zone, and decrease with increasing elevation. As the temperature decreased, the dominant carbon species in the fluid changed from H₂CO₃ to HCO₃^- at about 120°C. The equilibrium temperatures for vein quartz are consistent with the calcite calculations. The carbon and oxygen isotope trends of the Noya vein calcite and the isotope ratios of strontium suggest that the fluids that precipitated the Noya veins were controlled by an andesite-dominated geology. Chondrite-normalized REE patterns for the white-colored veins from wells 51-WT-1 and 51-WT-2 displayed a light REE-rich pattern with positive Eu anomalies, suggesting the existence of a reducing environment for the fluid. The pyrite-rich gray-colored veins and a silicified rock from well 51-WT-2 showed higher REE concentrations than did the white veins. Altered host andesitic rocks have similar REE patterns to that of the silicified rock, and have higher REE contents than the others in the drill cores. Aqueous speciation calculations showed that the fluid in the hydrothermal reservoir is currently in muscovite stability. The fluid at the ore-mineralization stage may have contained more potassium or have had a higher pH, so that adularia precipitated with calcite and quartz, as well as gold. Fluid boiling at depth in the system produced the gold-bearing calcite-quartz-adularia veins.     

Regionality of deep low-frequency earthquakes associated with subduction of the Philippine Sea plate along the Nankai Trough, southwest Japan

The Fukuoka District Meteorological Observatory recently logged three possible deep low-frequency earthquakes (LFEs) beneath eastern Kyushu, Japan, a region in which LFEs and low-frequency tremors have never before been identified. To assess these data, we analyzed band-pass filtered velocity seismograms and relocated LFEs and regular earthquakes using the double-difference method. The results strongly suggest that the three events were authentic LFEs, each at a depth of about 50 km. We also performed relocation analysis on LFEs recorded beneath the Kii Peninsula and found that these LFEs occurred near the northwest-dipping plate interface at depths of approximately 29–38 km. These results indicate that LFEs in southwest Japan occur near the upper surface of the subducting Philippine Sea (PHS) plate. To investigate the origin of regional differences in the occurrence frequency of LFEs in western Shikoku, the Kii Peninsula, and eastern Kyushu, we calculated temperature distributions associated with PHS plate subduction. Then, using the calculated thermal structures and a phase diagram of water dehydration for oceanic basalt, the water dehydration rate (wt.%/km), which was newly defined in this study, was determined to be 0.19, 0.12, and 0.08 in western Shikoku, the Kii Peninsula, and eastern Kyushu, respectively; that is, the region beneath eastern Kyushu has the lowest water dehydration rate value. Considering that the Kyushu–Palau Ridge that is subducting beneath eastern Kyushu is composed of tonalite, which is low in hydrous minerals, this finding suggests that the regionality may be related to the amount of water dehydration associated with subduction of the PHS plate and/or differences in LFE depths. Notable dehydration reactions take place beneath western Shikoku and the Kii Peninsula, where the depth ranges for dehydration estimated by thermal modeling agree well with those for the relocated LFEs. The temperature range in which LFEs occur in these regions is estimated to be 400–500 °C.     

Late Cenozoic evolution of epithermal gold metallogenic provinces in Kyushu, Japan

Kyushu Island, Japan, is located at the junction of the Southwest Japan arc and the Ryukyu arc. There are two major late Cenozoic epithermal gold-silver provinces in Kyushu, which are termed the Northern and Southern provinces. The provinces are characterized by: 1) Pliocene volcanism dominated by calc-alkaline andesite, followed by Quaternary volcanism including extrusion of both calc-alkaline and tholeiitic magmas; 2) formation of extensional grabens; 3) Pliocene to Pleistocene mineralization, which was dominated by abundant low sulfidation (LS) epithermal deposits with a few high sulfidation (HS) examples. The two epithermal gold-silver provinces have evolved differently since about 5 Ma; the Northern province has exhibited diminished hydrothermal activity from the Pliocene to Pleistocene, whereas the Southern province has witnessed increased hydrothermal activity mainly in easterly and northerly directions. Changes of tectonic setting from the Pliocene to Pleistocene account for the variable trends in epithermal gold deposit formation. Westward oblique subduction of the Philippine Sea plate beneath the Southwest Japan arc caused development of the Hohi graben and arc-related volcanism at about 6 Ma. This was associated with widespread LS mineralization in and surrounding the Hohi graben, as is represented by the Bajo and Taio deposits. The subduction of the relatively buoyant Kyushu-Palau ridge during the early Pliocene strengthened the coupling between the slab and overriding Ryukyu arc, leading to polygenetic andesite volcanism with associated HS (Kasuga, Iwato, and Akeshi) and LS (Kushikino) mineral deposits forming in the Southern province. A change of the subduction direction of the Philippine Sea plate, from west to north-northwest in the early Pliocene, increased the orthogonal convergence rate between the Southwest Japan arc and the Philippine Sea plate, resulting in a decrease of volcanic and hydrothermal activity in the Hohi graben of the Northern province. The more northerly subduction of the Philippine Sea plate shifted the locus of the Kyushu-Palau ridge subduction northward, resulting in underplating of the older (85–60 Ma), negatively buoyant Amami basin oceanic slab in the Southern province, rather than continued subduction of the young (27–15 Ma), buoyant Shikoku basin slab. This replacement caused steepening of the slab angle and slab-rollback in the Southern province, which was associated with regional extension, an eastward shift of the Ryukyu volcanic front, and development of the Kagoshima and Shimabara grabens, as well as the Okinawa trough. Rhyolite and basalt volcanism, in addition to andesite volcanism, have occurred since 2 Ma in the area of the Ryukyu back arc; coincident LS mineralization at Hishikari and Ohkuchi was affiliated with the rhyolite volcanism. Another change of the subduction direction of the Philippine Sea plate to the northwest occurred at 2–1 Ma. The forearc sliver of the Southwest Japan arc shifted westward, in association with right-lateral strike-slip faulting along the Median tectonic line, due to the increase of the westward convergence rate. This shift resulted in shortening and cessation of graben development in the Hohi area, restricting the subsequent volcanism and related hydrothermal activity to the central part of the graben.     

Paleogene and Plio-Pleistocene basin formation around northwestern Kyushu, Japan

Cenozoic basin-forming processes in northwestern Kyushu were studied on the basis of geological and geophysical data. Gravity anomaly analysis delineated four sedimentary basins in the study area: Goto-nada, Nishisonogi, Amakusa-nada, and Shimabara. Borehole stratigraphy and reflection seismic interpretation suggest that the Goto-nada Basin was subdivided into the Paleogene and Plio-Pleistocene depocenters (Goto-nada 1 and 2). In the Paleogene, Amakusa-nada Basin was rapidly subsiding together with the Shimabara Basin as part of a large graben. Goto-nada 1 and Nishisonogi basins belonged to another depositional area. After stagnant subsidence stage in the early Miocene, the study area became a site of basaltic activity (since 10 Ma) and vigorous subsidence in the Plio-Pleistocene. Goto-nada 2 Basin is accompanied with numerous east–west active faults, and separated from the Amakusa-nada Basin by a northeast– southwest basement high, Nomo Ridge. Plio-Pleistocene subsidence of the Amakusa-nada Basin is related with low-angle normal faulting on the eastern flank of the Nomo Ridge. Shimabara Basin is a composite volcano-tectonic depression which is studded by east–west faults. Focal mechanism on active faults suggests transtensional stress regime in the study area.     

Petrogenetic implications and geochronology of middle Miocene Tannayama igneous rocks,Goto Islands,Japan Sea southern margin,northwestern Kyushu,Japan

The subduction of “hot” Shikoku Basin and the mantle upwelling related to the Japan Sea opening have induced extensive magmatism during the middle Miocene on both the back-arc and island-arc sides of southwest Japan. The Goto Islands are located on the back-arc side of northwestern Kyushu, and middle Miocene granitic rocks and associated volcanic, hypabyssal, and gabbroic rocks are exposed. The igneous rocks at Tannayama on Nakadori-jima in the Goto Islands consist of gabbronorite, granite, granite porphyry, diorite porphyry, andesite, and rhyolite. We performed detailed geological mapping at a 1:10 000 scale, as well as petrographical and geochemical analyses. We also determined the zircon U–Pb age dating of the igneous rocks from Tannayama together with a granitic rock in Yagatamesaki. The zircon U–Pb ages of the Tannayama igneous rocks show the crystallization ages of 14.7 Ma ± 0.3 Ma (gabbronorite), 15.9 Ma ± 0.5 Ma (granite), 15.4 Ma ± 0.9 Ma (granite porphyry), and 15.1 Ma ± 2.1 Ma (rhyolite). Zircons from the Yagatamesaki granitic rock yield 14.5 Ma ± 0.7 Ma. Considering field relationships, new zircon data indicate that the Tannayama granite formed at ~16–15 Ma, and the gabbronorite, granite porphyry, diorite porphyry, andesite, and subsequently rhyolite formed at 15–14 Ma, which overlaps a plutonic activity of the Yagatamesaki. The geochemical characteristics of the Tannayama igneous rocks are similar to those of the tholeiitic basalts and dacites of Hirado, and the granitic rocks of Tsushima in northwestern Kyushu. This suggests that the Tannayama igneous rocks can be correlated petrogenetically with the igneous rocks in those areas, with all of them generated by the upwelling of hot mantle diapirs during crustal thinning in an extensional environment during the middle Miocene.     

Field-based description of near-surface crustal deformation in a high-strain shear zone: A case study in southern Kyushu,Japan

This study investigated geological evidence for near-surface crustal deformation in a high-strain shear zone that has been geodetically identified but which is not associated with obvious tectonic landforms. Fieldwork was conducted in the east–west-trending southern Kyushu high-strain shear zone (SKHZ), Japan, focusing mainly on occurrences of fracture zones, which are defined by a visible fracture density of >1 per 10 cm² and are commonly associated with cataclasite, fault breccia, and gouge. The area in which east–west-trending fracture zones are dominant is restricted to the east–west-trending, ~2-km-wide aftershock area of the 1997 Northwestern Kagoshima Earthquakes. Analysis of slip data from minor faults using the multiple inverse method, irrespective of whether the faults are in fracture zones, reveals that the area where the calculated main stress field is consistent with the current stress field estimated from focal-mechanism solutions of microearthquakes is restricted to the east–west-trending aftershock area. This finding for the SKHZ contrasts with the case of the Niigata–Kobe Tectonic Zone, which is a major strain-concentration zone with many exposed active faults in central Japan and for which the stress field estimated using fault-slip data is considered to be uniform and coincides with the current stress field. The cumulative amount of displacement estimated from the areal density of fracture zones in the SKHZ study area is smaller than that estimated from geodetically measured strain rates. Investigations based on slip data from minor faults and fracture-zone occurrence could help to identify concealed faults that are too small to generate tectonic landforms but which are sufficiently large to trigger major earthquakes.     

Eocene extensional tectonics in the Amakusa region,northern Ryukyu arc

Paleogene surface tectonics in Japan is not well understood because of the paucity of onshore Paleogene stratigraphic records except for those from accretionary complexes. Paralic Paleogene formations remaining in SW Japan are usually so thin that it is difficult to decipher the tectonics from them. However, the Eocene paralic sedimentary package with a thickness of kilometers indicates syn-depositional tectonic subsidence by a few kilometers in the Amakusa archipelago, west of Kyushu Island. Thus, we made a detailed geological map of the Eocene formations in an area of ~50 square kilometers in the northwestern part of the archipelago. We identified NE-SW and NW-SE trending normal faults, most of which were recognized by previous researchers, and also discovered low-angle faults. NW-SE trending ones are known to be of the Miocene. NE-SW trending and low-angle normal faults are the oldest map-scale structures in the Eocene ones. It is not obvious within the above-mentioned area whether those normal faults are accompanied by growth strata. However, the significant southeastward thickening of the Eocene formations across the Amakusa archipelago suggests that they filled a large half graben with the basin margin fault along the eastern side of the archipelago. This basin model is consistent with the N-S to NW-SE transport directions of the low-angle and NE-SW trending normal faults. Since many NE-SW to EW trending Eocene grabens were formed in the offshore regions west of Kyushu Island and in the East China Sea, the Amakusa region was probably a northeastern branch of the rift system. The geologic structures and depositional ages of the Eocene formations indicate that the Eocene extensional tectonics removed the overlying strata to some extent for the high-P/T Takahama Metamorphic Rocks which crops out to the south of our study area.