Basinal Brines at the Origin of the Imiter Ag-Hg Deposit (Anti-Atlas, Morocco): Evidence from LA-ICP-MS Data on Fluid Inclusions, Halogen Signatures, and Stable Isotopes (H, C, O)
Samira EssarrajMarie‐Christine BoironMichel CathelineauΑlexandre TarantolaMathieu LeisenPhilippe BoulvaisLhou Maacha
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Abstract:
The Imiter Ag-Hg deposit is located in the Precambrian volcano-sedimentary formations of the Saghro inlier (eastern part of the Anti-Atlas Mountains, Morocco). The orebodies consist of northeast-southwest to east-west veins and lenses hosted by Cryogenian black shales and gray-wackes and Neoproterozoic conglomerates, and are controlled by an east-west fault network, the so-called Imiter fault. Mineralogical and paleo-fluid geochemistry investigations (microthermometry, Raman spectroscopy, LA-ICP-MS on individual inclusions, bulk crush-leach analyses, and stable isotope data (O, H)) show that the main Ag ore stage is related to circulation of deep-basinal sedimentary brines (Na-K-(Mg) (salinity = 16.7 to ≥26 wt % NaCl equiv, molar Cl/Br = 330, δ 18 O = 2.15–2.35‰ SMOW , and δ D = −53.8 to −65.5‰ SMOW ), at temperatures of about 180° to 220°C and hydrostatic pressures. The main driving mechanism for silver ore deposition is the dilution of ore-bearing brines by a low-salinity meteoric fluid containing a low-density volatile component (N 2 > CH 4 > CO 2 ), T h = 180° to 220°C, δ 18 O = −1.4‰ SMOW , and δ D of about −28.2‰ SMOW . Silver content of the brines ranges from 2 to 30 mmol/kg solution (up to 3,200 ppm Ag, avg Ag concentration about 900 ppm), whereas the maximum Ag content found in dilute waters is about 0.4 mmol/kg solution (40 ppm). The ore-forming model proposed for the Imiter deposit is (1) Ag extraction from the basement by the penetration of deep-basinal brines, and (2) deposition in a structural trap through fluid mixing with recharge fluids. This model is comparable to that described worldwide for the origin of Pb-Zn, F, Ba, and U deposits near unconformities between basement and sedimentary basins. Similarities among the major Ag deposits from the Anti-Atlas (Imiter, Zgounder, Bou Azzer) strongly suggest that they resulted from a unique event, likely related to the opening of the Atlantic Ocean. The silver ores are superimposed on the same lineament as a preexisting uneconomic Pan-African Co-Ni-As system linked to magmatic intrusions, but Ag ores have no genetic relationship with them.It has researched geological and geochemical characteristics of the barite rocks in Guangxi hydrothermal sedimentary deposit based on lithology and geochemistry.In Al/(Al+Fe+Mn) and Al-Fe-Mn diagrams,the barite rocks' coordinates lie in the area of hydrothermal sediment,which means the rocks were formed by hydrothermal deposition.The As,Sb content of this area is close to that of hydrothermal sediment which presents the characteristics of hydrothermal deposition.The REE pattern of the barite rocks is a typical hydrothermal sedimentary distribution pattern with LREE enriched,weak negative Ce anomalies and stong positive Eu anomalies.
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Quartz from sandstone‐type uranium deposits in the east part of the Ordos Basin contains abundant secondary fluid inclusions hosted along sealed fractures or in overgrowths. These inclusions consist mainly of water with NaCl, KCl, CO2 (135–913 ppm) and trace amounts of CO (0.22–16.8 ppm), CH4 (0.10–1.38 ppm) and [SO4]2− (0.35–111 ppm). Homogenization temperatures of the studied fluid inclusions range from 90 to 210°C, with salinities varying from 0.35 to 12.6 wt‐% (converted to NaCl wt%), implying multiple stages of thermal alteration. Although high U is associated with a high homogenization temperature in one case, overall U mineralization is not correlated with homogenization temperature nor with salinity. The H and O isotopic compositions of fluid inclusions show typical characteristics of formation water, with δ18O ranging from 9.8 to 12.3‰ and δD from 26.9 to −48.6‰, indicating that these fluid inclusions are mixtures of magmatic and meteoric waters. The oxygen isotope ratios of carbonates in cement are systematically higher than those of the fluid inclusions. Limited fluid inclusion‐cement pairs show that the oxygen closely approaches equilibrium between water and aragonite at 150°C. Highly varied and overall negative δ13C in calcite from cement implies different degrees of biogenetic carbon involvement. Correlations between U in bulk rocks and trace components in fluid inclusions are lacking; however, high U contents are typically coupled with high [SO4]2−, implying pre‐enrichment of oxidized materials in the U mineralization layer. All these relationships can be plausibly interpreted to indicate that U (IV), [SO4]2− as well as Na, K were washed out from the overlying thick sandstone by oxidizing meteoric water, and then were reduced by reducing agents, such as CH4 and petroleum, likely from underlying coal and petroleum deposits, and possibly also in situ microbes at low temperatures.
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Abstract. Primary fluid inclusions in quartz and carbonates from the Kanggur gold deposit are dominated by aqueous inclusions, with subsidiary CO 2 ‐H 2 O inclusions that have a constant range in CO 2 content (10–20 vol %). Microthermometric results indicate that total homogenization temperatures have a wide but similar range for both aqueous inclusions (120d̀ to 310d̀C) and CO 2 ‐H 2 O inclusions (140d̀ to 340d̀C). Estimates of fluid salinity for CO 2 ‐H 2 O inclusions are quite restricted (5.9∼10.3 equiv. wt% NaCl), whereas aqueous inclusions show much wider salinity ranging from 2.2 to 15.6 equivalent wt %NaCl. The 6D values of fluid inclusions in carbonates vary from ‐45 to ‐61 %, in well accord with the published δD values of fluid inclusions in quartz (‐46 to ‐66 %). Most of the δ 18 O and δD values of the ore‐forming fluids can be achieved by exchanged meteoric water after isotopic equilibration with wall rock by fluid/rock interaction at a low water/rock ratio. However, the exchanged meteoric water alone cannot explain the full range of δ 18 O and δD values, magmatic and/or meta‐morphic water should also be involved. The wide salinity in aqueous inclusions may also result from mixing of meteoric water and magmatic and/or metamorphic water.
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Fluid inclusions in quartz from the mineralized quartz veins from the Mosabani and Rakha copper deposits were investigated. On the basis of petrography, two distinct types of primary inclusions were identified. These are low saline aqueous biphase inclusions and high saline halite-bearing polyphase inclusions. The halite-bearing inclusions mostly homogenized by halite dissolution, barring instances where homogenization was manifest by disappearance of the vapour bubble. Minimum entrapment pressure values were estimated by intersection of the halite liquid with the corresponding inclusion isochores. The ranges in P-T at the temperatures of halite dissolution are: 2.6 kb / 370°C - 0.8 kb / 263°C for Mosabani and 2.1 kb / 270°C - 0.65kb / 217°C for Rakha. Temperature-salinity plots for both the deposits is suggestive of restricted mixing (and simple cooling) of a hot saline magmatic fluid with cooler low saline meteoric water that caused precipitation of sulphide minerals. Stable isotope data ( δ 18 O and δD) from Changkakoti et al. (1987) are re-interpreted in the present study, leading to the conclusion that the main fluid component for Mosabani mineralization was either of magmatic/ metasomatic parentage or an evolved meteoric water at a low water/rock ratio, after its interaction with a granitic pluton. The observed high saline nature of fluids in both the deposits compels us to choose an initial magmatic/metasomatic fluid that evolved by restricted mixing and simple cooling.
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Abstract: The origin of mineralizing fluids responsible for the Hishikari vein‐type epithermal Au deposits was studied on the basis of the hydrogen isotopic ratio (δD) of the inclusion fluid from vein quartz and adularia. The origin of hydrothermal fluids was estimated by combination of the present δ values and the oxygen isotopic ratios (δ 18 O) previously reported by Shikazono and Nagayama (1993). The water in the fluid inclusions was extracted by means of decrepitation of quartz at 500°C. Hydrogen was obtained by reduction of the collected water with Zn shot at 450°C. The δD values were determined by mass spectrometer. The δD values of inclusion fluid obtained from quartz range from –61 to –114%. These are significantly lower than the δD value of the thermal water presently venting from the Hishikari deposits and that of local meteoric water. Hydrogen isotopic fractionation between water and amorphous silica, which might have initially precipitated from the hydrothermal fluids at least partly, is not a probable cause of this isotopic depletion, while some water might have been released from the initial hydrous amorphous silica during recrystallization to quartz observed presently. Thus, a part of ore fluids for the Hishikari deposits is supposed to have been originated from the water having anomalous δD values of lower than –100%. Such D depletion cannot be caused by simple oxygen‐shift of meteoric water or by contribution of magmatic volatiles. The δD values of water released from the shale samples of the Shimanto–Supergroup, a major host to the Hishikari veins range from –132 to –148%. Therefore, the anomalous δD values of inclusion fluids from some vein quartz and adularia suggest that the water released from hydrous minerals of the sedimentary basement rocks by dehydration or the groundwater isotopically exchanged with sedimentary rocks at elevated temperatures during circulation, partly contributed to the hydrothermal fluids responsible for the Hishikari deposits.
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Detachment faults are sites of intensive fluid–rock interactions. Here, we report fluid inclusion and oxygen isotope data for quartz veins in the Ramba Dome in the North Himalayan Gneiss Domes, with an aim to constrain the origin and circulation of crustal fluids associated with the South Tibetan Detachment System (STDS). Microthermometric data for fluid inclusions in quartz indicate that the fluids were aqueous and CO 2 − H 2 O ± CH 4 ± N 2 ‐bearing with low to moderate salinities (0.60–11.80 wt% eq. NaCl). The entrapment conditions are 295–410°C and 98–135 Mpa, indicating a forming‐depth of 8–10 km. Oxygen isotopic compositions (δ 18 O) of quartz measured in situ by secondary ion mass spectrometry and bulk by the BrF 5 method show limited variations in individual quartz veins, but δ 18 O quartz values vary from 12.07 to 18.16‰ (V‐SMOW) among veins. The corresponding δ 18 O fluid values range from 7.71 to 13.80‰, based on equilibrium temperatures obtained from fluid inclusions. From the footwall to the detachment zone, δ 18 O fluid values exhibit a broadly decreasing trend and indicate that the STDS dominated the fluid flux pathway in the crust, with more contributions of meteoric water in the detachment zone. We further quantified the contribution of meteoric fluids to 8–27% using a binary end‐member mixing model. These data imply that the fluids were predominantly metamorphic/magmatic in origin, and were mixed with infiltrating, isotopically light, meteoric water during extensional detachment shearing of the STDS. The meteoric water can infiltrate from the surface to 8–10 km depth.
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