Metamorphism in Archaean greenstone belts: calculated fluid compositions and implications for gold mineralization

An inescapable consequence of the metamorphism of greenstone belt sequences is the release of a large volume of metamorphic fluid of low salinity with chemical characteristics controlled by the mineral assemblages involved in the devolatilization reactions. For mafic and ultramafic sequences, the composition of fluids released at upper greenschist to lower amphibolite facies conditions for the necessary relatively hot geotherm corresponds to those inferred for greenstone gold deposits (X_CO2= 0.2–0.3). This result follows from the calculation of mineral equilibria in the model system CaO–MgO–FeO–Al₂O₃–SiO₂–H₂O–CO₂, using a new, expanded, internally consistent dataset. Greenstone metamorphism cannot have involved much crustal over-thickening, because very shallow levels of greenstone belts are preserved. Such orogeny can be accounted for if compressive deformation of the crust is accompanied by thinning of the mantle lithosphere. In this case, the observed metamorphism, which was contemporaneous with deformation, is of the low-P high-T type. For this type of metamorphism, the metamorphic peak should have occurred earlier at deeper levels in the crust; i.e. the piezothermal array should be of the ‘deeper-earlier’type. However, at shallow crustal levels, the piezothermal array is likely to have been of ‘deeper-later’type, as a consequence of erosion. Thus, while the lower crust reached maximum temperatures, and partially melted to produce the observed granites, mid-crustal levels were releasing fluids prograde into shallow crustal levels that were already retrograde. We propose that these fluids are responsible for the gold mineralization. Thus, the contemporaneity of igneous activity and gold mineralization is a natural consequence of the thermal evolution, and does not mean that the mineralization has to be a consequence of igneous processes. Upward migration of metamorphic fluid, via appropriate structurally controlled pathways, will bring the fluid into contact with mineral assemblages that have equilibrated with a fluid with significantly lower X_CO2. These assemblages are therefore grossly out of equilibrium with the fluid. In the case of infiltrated metabasic rocks, intense carbonation and sulphidation is predicted. If, as seems reasonable, gold is mobilized by the fluid generated by devolatilization, then the combination of processes proposed, most of which are an inevitable consequence of the metamorphism, leads to the formation of greenstone gold deposits predominantly from metamorphic fluids.     

海洋沉积物中石英单矿物的化学分离

海洋沉积物中的石英作为陆源物质的标志性矿物,是古环境和古气候演化的信息载体,已成为古环境和古气候演化研究的重要替代指标.提供了改进了的化学分离海洋沉积物中石英单矿物的方法流程.在流程中的不同阶段可有效去掉全样中的生物组分、粘土矿物和长石等,取得海洋沉积物全样的总陆源矿物、石英+长石、石英的相对和绝对含量,通过计算可获得各种组分的通量,通过粒度分析可获得粒度数据.同一样品的17次重复实验表明,含量结果的平均相对误差仅为2.36%;显微镜和X射线衍射分析检查所分离出的石英纯度可达98%以上;激光粒度分析表明,化学试剂对石英的溶蚀作用不明显,不影响粒度分析结果.     

地层学的发展推动油气地质理论研究的进步

自上个世纪50年代以来,地层学经历了彻底的变革,逐渐由“相模式”、“沉积体系”、“地震地层学”发展到目前的“层序地层学”,形成高分辨率层序地层学和事件地层学的理论体系和研究方法。文章围绕层序地层学、高分辨率层序地层学基本方法及理论体系,与含油气系统相关关系进行了讨论。     

GPS signal acquisition using the repeatability of successive code phase measurements

This paper introduces a new method for GPS signal acquisition, which is based on the repeatability of successive code phase measurements and the M-of-N search algorithm. The performance of the proposed method in terms of probability of signal detection is similar to that of traditional methods, except that the calculation of the probability of detection does not rely on the noise distribution or the Carrier-to-Noise ratio (C/N₀). The code phase repeatability-based method is presented along with equations for probability of detection and probability of false detection. If the distribution of the noise is known, it also provides an estimate of the C/N₀. The proposed method is illustrated for coherent and non-coherent acquisition and C/N₀ estimation.     

四川义敦地区早中三叠世义敦群岩相古地理

经过对四川义敦地区中下三叠统党思组、列衣纽涉及到的9幅1：5万区调图幅和18条剖面、沉积等厚线的综合分析研究,认为该区主体部分在早中三叠世沉积环境经历了深海盆地海底扇中-外扇相→深海盆地浊流相→下斜坡相→上斜坡相→外陆棚相→外陆棚-上斜坡相的演化。岩相古地理图上的沉积等厚线显示,该区有上麻绒盆地和义敦盆地等2个沉积中心,在拉纳山一带还出出现有拗陷盆地。     

吉尔嘎朗图凹陷宝饶洼槽下白垩统层序地层与沉积体系

运用高分辨率层序地层学原理和方法,通过对钻井和地震资料的综合分析,在二连盆地吉尔嘎朗图凹陷下白垩统中识别出1个超长期基准面旋回(二级层序)SSC1和5个长期基准面旋回(三级层序):LSC1,LSC2,LSC3,LSC4,LSC5,分析了各旋回的发育特征。识别出五种类型的沉积体系:滨浅湖近岸水下扇、较深水湖浊积扇、滨浅湖扇三角洲、滨浅湖辫状河三角洲和河流沉积体系,并在等时地层格架内分析了各基准面旋回的沉积体系构成和储层砂体的发育情况。综合分析生、诸、盖条件后认为,在垂向上,LSC3旋回为本区最有利的储集层段,在平面上,本区的油气勘探应主要寻找宝饶构造带辫状河三角洲前缘砂体,主要储层砂体类型为前缘分流水道砂和前缘席状砂。     

Calculated Phase Relations in the System Na2O-CaO-K2O-FeO-MgO-Al2O3-SiO2-H2O with Applications to UHP Eclogites and Whiteschists

Pressure–temperature grids in the system Na₂O–CaO–K₂O–FeO–MgO–Al₂O₃–SiO₂–H₂O and its subsystems have been calculatedin the range 15–45 kbar and 550–900°C, usingan internally consistent thermodynamic dataset and new thermodynamicmodels for amphibole, white mica, and clinopyroxene, with thesoftware THERMOCALC. Minerals considered for the grids includegarnet, omphacite, diopside, jadeite, hornblende, actinolite,glaucophane, zoisite, lawsonite, kyanite, coesite, quartz, talc,muscovite, paragonite, biotite, chlorite, and plagioclase. Compatibilitydiagrams are used to illustrate the phase relationships in thegrids. Coesite-bearing eclogites and a whiteschist from Chinaare used to demonstrate the ability of pseudosections to modelphase relationships in natural ultrahigh-pressure metamorphicrocks. Under water-saturated conditions, chlorite-bearing assemblagesin Mg- and Al-rich eclogites are stable at lower temperaturesthan in Fe-rich eclogites. The relative temperature stabilityof the three amphiboles is hornblende > actinolite > glaucophane(amphibole names used sensu lato). Talc-bearing assemblagesare stable only at low temperature and high pressure in Mg-and Al-rich eclogites. For most eclogite compositions, talccoexists with lawsonite, but not zoisite, in the stability fieldof coesite. Water content contouring of pressure–temperaturepseudosections, along with appropriate geotherms, provides newconstraints concerning dehydration of such rocks in subductingslabs. Chlorite and lawsonite are two important H₂O-carriersin subducting slabs. Depending on bulk composition and pressure–temperaturepath, amphibole may or may not be a major H₂O-carrier to depth.In most cases, dehydration to make ultrahigh-pressure eclogitestakes place gradually, with H₂O content controlled by divariantor higher variance assemblages. Therefore, fluid fluxes in subductionzones are likely to be continuous, with the rate of dehydrationchanging with changing pressure and temperature. Further, eclogitesof different bulk compositions dehydrate differently. Dehydrationof Fe-rich eclogite is nearly complete at relatively shallowdepth, whereas Mg- and Al-rich eclogites dehydrate continuouslydown to greater depth. KEY WORDS: dehydration; eclogites; phase relations; THERMOCALC; UHP metamorphism; whiteschists     

An automated strategy for calculation of phase diagram sections and retrieval of rock properties as a function of physical conditions

We formulate an algorithm for the calculation of stable phase relations of a system with constrained bulk composition as a function of its environmental variables. The basis of this algorithm is the approximate representation of the free energy composition surfaces of solution phases by inscribed polyhedra. This representation leads to discretization of high variance phase fields into a continuous mesh of smaller polygonal fields within which the composition and physical properties of the phases are uniquely determined. The resulting phase diagram sections are useful for understanding the phase relations of complex metamorphic systems and for applications in which it is necessary to establish the variations in rock properties such as density, seismic velocities and volatile‐content through a metamorphic cycle. The algorithm has been implemented within a computer program that is general with respect to both the choice of variables and the number of components and phases possible in a system, and is independent of the structure of the equations of state used to describe the phases of the system.     

Structure sismique du socle paléozoı̈que du bassin des Doukkala,Môle côtier,Maroc occidental. Indication en faveur de l'existence d'une phase éo-varisqueSeismic structure of the Doukkala basin,Palaeozoic basement,western Morocco: a hint for an Eovariscan fold-and-thrust belt

Seismic profiles and well data from the Doukkala basin unravel the structure of the Palaeozoic basement and suggest that this coastal zone of western Morocco was affected by a compressive phase during the Frasnian. This resulted in the formation of upright, plurikilometric folds associated with reverse faults (North Doukkala), and of asymmetrical folds associated with mostly west verging ramps (South Doukkala). Folding involved all pre-Upper Frasnian formations and caused partial or total hiatus of Upper Frasnian–Strunian strata. This event can be correlated with the orogenic phase reported from more internal domains of the Morocco Hercynian belt, where it is referred to as the ‘Bretonne’ or ‘Eovariscan’ phase. To cite this article: H. Echarfaoui et al., C. R. Geoscience 334 (2002) 13–20