Mineralogical changes during thermal demagnetization of natural continental sandstones

We study the mineralogical changes suffered by specimens of natural miocene red and green continental sandstones (from Pozuelos Formation and Tiomayo Formation) cropping out in the Argentine Puna that increase their bulk magnetic susceptibility and change color when thermally treated. We hypothesize that on heating siderite, which is present in small quantities as cement in the studied sandstones, would oxidize and decompose into maghemite and/or magnetite. Subsequent heating to higher temperatures sometimes would bring about the conversion of maghemite and/or magnetite to hematite. Mössbauer spectroscopy proved to be a very valuable tool for the determination of the presence of siderite in small amounts in the studied samples. The present results show that further work is needed in order to fully understand the mineralogical changes suffered by continental sandstones during heating. The characterization of such changes occurred during laboratory routines is relevant, since they can help to better understand natural processes.     

Negative Ce Anomaly in the Indian Banded Iron Formations: Evidence for the Emergence of Oxygenated Deep-Sea at 2.9-2.7 Ga

Abstract: Major and rare earth element contents are reported for Late Archean banded iron formations (BIFs) in the Bababudan Group of the Dharwar Craton, South India. The BIFs are mostly composed of SiO₂ (average1ρ = 54.88.1 wt%) and Fe₂O₃* (44.38.2 wt%). The Al₂O₃ and TiO₂ contents are remarkably low, suggesting that detrital components were starved during the BIF deposition. The BIFs have a LREE-enriched pattern with a relatively high (La/Yb)_N (6.644.07). Total REE concentrations (RE) vary from 5.2 to 65.3 ppm. The REE patterns are characterized by the presence of a very large negative Ce anomaly (Ce/Ce*: 0.13-0.83) and a positive Eu anomaly (Eu/Eu*: 0.96-2.45). The Eu/Eu* decreases and (La/Yb)_N increases with a increase of RE. These correlations of REE indices are similar to those of modern hydrothermal iron-rich sediments near a mid-ocean ridge (MOR). Greenstones associated with the BIFs have MORB-like geochemical features. These geochemical and geological lines of evidence indicate that the depositional site of the BIFs was remote from a continent and/or island arc and that the BIFs were in situ hydrothermal sediments near a MOR. A striking negative Ce anomaly in the BIFs indicates that oxygenated deep-sea environments emerged at 2.9-2.7 Ga. The existence of contemporaneous Mn deposits in the Dharwar Craton supports this assertion. Our scenario of oxygen in the Earth's surface of the Late Archean is different from long-held notion that the atmosphere and ocean were persistently anoxic throughout the Archean.     

Cobalt‐Bearing Grunerite in the Metamorphosed Banded Iron Formation in Orissa,India

Banded iron formation (BIF) comprising high grade iron ore are exposed in Gorumahisani‐Sulaipat‐Badampahar belt in the east of North Orissa Craton, India. The ores are multiply deformed and metamorphosed to amphibolite facies. The mineral assemblage in the BIF comprises grunerite, magnetite/martite/goethite and quartz. Relict carbonate phases are sometimes noticed within thick iron mesobands. Grunerite crystals exhibit needles to fibrous lamellae and platy form or often sheaf‐like aggregates in linear and radial arrangement. Accicular grunerite also occur within intergranular space of magnetite/martite. Grunerite needles/accicules show higher reflectivity in chert mesoband and matching reflectance with that of adjacent magnetite/martite in iron mesoband. Some grunerite lamellae sinter into micron size magnetite platelets. This grunerite has high ferrous oxide and cobalt oxide content but is low in Mg‐ and Mn‐oxide compared to the ones, reported from BIFs, of Western Australia, Nigeria, France, USA and Quebec. The protolith of this BIF is considered to be carbonate containing sediments, with high concentrations of Fe and Si but lower contents of cobalt and chromium ± Mg, Mn and Ni. During submarine weathering quartz, sheet silicate (greenalite) and Fe‐Co‐Cr (Mg‐Mn‐Ni)‐carbonate solid solution were formed. At the outset of the regional metamorphic episode grunerite, euhedral magnetite and recrystalized quartz were developed. Magnetite was grown at the expense of carbonate and later martitized under post‐metamorphic conditions. With the increasing grade of metamorphism greenalite transformed to grunerite.     

磁铁矿与黄铁矿双向交代研究及意义

在华北盆地南缘早古生代碳酸盐岩中,发现了包括交代假象和交代残余枯内的一系列足以支持磁铁矿与的矿之间发生双向交代作用的确凿矿物学证据,甚至在同一个磁性矿物颗粒内,还辨认出方向完全相反而且是先后发生的２种交代现象。磁铁矿（铁磁性矿物）和黄铁矿（顺磁性矿物）之间有双向交代会直接干扰古地磁数据,并影响以此为基础而开展的地块运动分析和古地理的重建。     

胶东西北部重熔型磁铁矿花岗岩与金矿

胶东西北部是我国最主要的金矿集中区,金矿的同源岩为滦家河花岗岩,属中深侵入体。根据它富含磁铁矿及副矿物组合,高铁低镁的黑云母,岩石化学成分,锶、氧、硫同位素组成,认为属磁铁矿花岗岩,相当于Ⅰ型花岗岩。用K、Rb、Sr、岩石化学成分,稀土元素和硫同位素判别,确认其为壳源(相当于胶东群变质岩的成分)重熔型。我国脉状金矿的容矿围岩时代老,成矿时代新,空间受构造—岩浆带制约,成矿过程脉岩活动频繁,对其原因,本文提出了一种解释。     

大地电磁测深法在深部矿产资源调查中的应用

在临汾磁铁矿资源调查中,应用大地电磁测深法,结合已知钻孔标定、控矿环境分析以及反演断面电性等值线特征和目标层位的错动,圈定了1 400 m深度磁铁矿体的顶、底板界面和控矿断裂构造的位置。验证结果表明推断的顶、底板深度与实际深度误差分别为3.8%和0.5%,是频域电磁法在深部矿产资源勘查中应用于直接找矿比较成功的实例。表明探测深度大、对高导层(体)反映敏感的大地电磁测深法在深部及隐伏矿勘查中也是行之有效的。     

东天山黑峰山、双峰山及沙泉子(铜)铁矿床的矿物微量和稀土元素地球化学特征

东天山黑峰山铁矿床、双峰山铁矿床以及沙泉子铜铁矿床位于新疆哈密盆地以南,是东天山阿齐山-雅满苏构造带的重要矿床。文章利用磁铁矿、黄铁矿和方解石的微量元素及稀土元素组成示踪了这些矿床的成矿流体来源和性质,初步探讨了矿床的成因类型。激光剥蚀（LA）-ICP-MS磁铁矿微量元素分析表明,三个矿床的磁铁矿具有非常低的w（V）、w（Cr）和w（Ti）（平均分别为68×10^-6、13×10^-6和237×10^-6）,指示磁铁矿形成于热液过程而不是岩浆分异。黄铁矿中较高的Cu含量可能反映了含Cu矿物微颗粒的存在。黄铁矿中较低的Pb、Zn含量可能反映了成矿流体中较低的Pb²⁺和Zn²⁺浓度。黄铁矿中的Co/Ni比值表明这些矿床均为火山-热液成因。三个矿床黄铁矿的稀土元素总量都很低（ΣREE为0.58×10^-6~3.02×10^-6）,黑峰山铁矿中的黄铁矿轻、重稀土元素分馏不明显,双峰山铁矿和沙泉子铜铁矿中的黄铁矿均为轻稀土元素富集型,（La/Yb）_N分别为3.51~13.4和2.76~17.2。三个矿床略有差别的方解石稀土元素配分模式,反映了其流体组成和形成机制的差别。黑峰山铁矿中的重稀土元素富集型的方解石稀土元素配分模式为方解石Sm-Nd定年提供了依据。三个矿床的黄铁矿和方解石均无Ce异常,黑峰山铁矿中的黄铁矿和方解石表现为负Eu异常,而双峰山铁矿和沙泉子铜铁矿中的黄铁矿和方解石表现为正Eu异常,反映了三个矿床均形成于较高的温度,前者成矿流体可能为碱性,后两者成矿流体为酸性、还原性。结合前人研究成果认为,黑峰山铁矿、双峰山铁矿及沙泉子铜铁矿均为火山热液-充填（交代）矿床。     

西藏多不杂斑岩铜(金)矿床磁铁矿元素地球化学特征及其对成矿过程的指示

多不杂铜(金)矿床是西藏多龙矿集区重要的斑岩型铜矿床之一。详细的岩心编录和岩相学研究显示,多不杂铜(金)矿床发育4类磁铁矿:磁铁矿-1(Mt₁)反射色呈灰白色,它形粒状,部分颗粒包含在黑云母内部;磁铁矿-2(Mt₂)反射色呈粉棕色,半自形-它形粒状,边缘被赤铁矿交代,颗粒内部见少量黄铜矿;磁铁矿-3(Mt₃)反射色呈粉棕色,自形-半自形,粒度小,表面平整,主要产于角岩化蚀变内;磁铁矿-4(Mt₄)反射色呈深灰色,颗粒间隙被黄铁矿、黄铜矿交代。Mt₁、Mt₂属岩浆磁铁矿或岩浆-热液磁铁矿的过渡类型;Mt₃、Mt₄属岩浆-热液磁铁矿的过渡类型。Mt₁、Mt₂、Mt₄磁铁矿形成温度大致在300～500℃,Mt₃形成温度明显低于其他三类磁铁矿,大致在200～500℃。4类磁铁矿具有明显的地球化学差异,其中Mt₁具...     

Origin of the Neoproterozoic Baijianshan Banded Iron Formation at the Southeastern Margin of the Tarim Block in NW China: Implication for an Extremely Reducing Ocean

The Neoproterozoic banded iron formations(BIFs)were closely associated with the“Snowball Earth”during the breakup of the Rodinia,thus they played an important role in our understanding of the atmospheric and oceanic oxygen levels during this period.In this contribution,the Neoproterozoic(ca.737 Ma)Baijianshan BIF at Southeast Tarim,northwestern China was identified.Magnetite is the dominated iron-species,which occurs as the lamina interbedded with chert.The BIF contains low concentrations of trace elements,and is depleted in light rare earth elements(LREEs)based on comparison with the Post-Archean Australian Shale(PAAS).In addition,the BIF exhibits slightly positive La-Eu anomalies,negligible Ce anomalies,insignificant Y anomalies,chondritic Y/Ho ratios(23-32),and slightly chondritic initial ε_Nd(t=737 Ma)values(?0.45 to 1.46,averaging 0.37).All these features indicate that the precipitation of Baijianshan BIF was closely related to the submarine low-T hydrothermal fluids with little detrital contribution.Moreover,the Baijianshan BIF is characterized by the significant enrichment of heavy Fe isotopes,with δ⁵⁷Fe_IRMM-014 values ranging from 1.78‰ to 3.05‰,revealing the partial oxidation of Fe²⁺ into Fe³⁺ during the precipitation of this BIF.Our data suggest that the formation of Baijianshan BIF was closely associated with a significantly reducing ocean,which most likely was isolated from the oxidized atmosphere by a local ice sheet.This Neoproterozoic Baijianshan ocean has the initial oxygen levels as low as,or even lower than that of Archean and Paleoproterozoic oceans.