Trace element mobility during hydrothermal alteration of oceanic basalts

Trace element analyses have been carried out on hydrothermally altered pillow basalts of greenschist facies dredged from the median valley of the Mid-Atlantic Ridge. Sr is leached from the rock, and its behavior is apparently controlled by the same reactions as Ca. Cu is also leached from the basalt, but often shows local precipitation in veins as sulfides. Fe, B, Li, Ba, Mn, Ni and Co show sufficient variations in concentration and location within the altered basalts to indicate that some mobilisation occurs, but there may be subsequent uptake or precipitation into the secondary mineral assemblages. V, Y, Zr and Cr do not appear to be affected by hydrothermal alteration.The production of a metal-enriched solution by hydrothermal alteration and subsequent precipitation of metal salts to form metalliferous sediments is indicated, as is precipitation of metal sulfides in the basaltic basement.