scholarly journals The formation of (Ni-Co-Sb)-Ag-As ore shoots in hydrothermal galena-sphalerite-fluorite veins

Author(s):  
Manuel Scharrer ◽  
Tatjana Epp ◽  
Benjamin Walter ◽  
Katharina Pfaff ◽  
Torsten Vennemann ◽  
...  

AbstractUnusual hydrothermal native As-sulfide ± native Ag ± arsenide ± antimonide ± sulfosalt ore shoots and their co-genetic sulfide-fluorite-barite-quartz host veins, which are common in the region and in whole Central Europe, were investigated at three localities in the Schwarzwald, SW Germany, to understand the physico-chemical processes governing the change from a normal (= common) hydrothermal to an exceptional ore shoot regime. Based on fluid inclusions, the formation of the gangue minerals is the result of binary mixing between a NaCl-rich brine and a CaCl2-rich brine (both ~ 20 wt% NaCl aq.). This mixing correlation, major and minor fluid composition, formation temperature (~ 150 °C), and δ34S signature are identical (within error) in ore shoots and host veins. Thermodynamic modeling indicates that ore shoot formation must have resulted from a change in redox conditions by a local influx of a volumetrically minor reducing agent, probably hydrocarbons. The elemental content and the mineralogy of each ore shoot locality (Ag-As-rich: Münstertal; Ag–Ni-As-rich: Urberg; Ag–Ni-As-Sb-rich: Wieden) reflect the metal content of the binary mixed fluid, while mineral textures, successions, and assemblages are thermodynamically and, regarding sulfur, kinetically controlled. The formation of vein and ore shoot sulfides requires an addition of sulfide, most probably from the sulfide-bearing host rocks, because thermodynamic and kinetic reasons suggest that the two major vein-forming and metal-bearing fluids are not the source of the sulfur. The final ore shoot textures are influenced by later hydrothermal remobilization processes of As and Ag. This results in a number of sulfosalts, mostly proustite-pyrargyrite. Interestingly, the greater thermodynamic stability of Sb-endmember sulfosalts enables them to form even in As-dominated fluid systems.

Minerals ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 10 (2) ◽  
pp. 140 ◽  
Author(s):  
Marco Tortola ◽  
Ihsan S. Al-Aasm ◽  
Richard Crowe

Core samples from two deep boreholes were analyzed for petrographic, stable and Sr isotopes, fluid inclusion microthermometry and major, minor, trace and rare-earth elements (REE) of different types of dolomite in the Silurian and Devonian carbonates of the eastern side of the Michigan Basin provided useful insights into the nature of dolomitization, and the evolution of diagenetic pore fluids in this part of the basin. Petrographic features show that both age groups are characterized by the presence of a pervasive replacive fine-crystalline (<50 µm) dolomite matrix (RD1) and pervasive and selective replacive medium crystalline (>50–100 µm) dolomite matrix (RD2 and RD3, respectively). In addition to these types, a coarse crystalline (>500 µm) saddle dolomite cement (SD) filling fractures and vugs is observed only in the Silurian rocks. Results from geochemical and fluid inclusion analyses indicate that the diagenesis of Silurian and Devonian formations show variations in terms of the evolution of the diagenetic fluid composition. These fluid systems are: (1) a diagenetic fluid system that affected Silurian carbonates and was altered by salt dissolution post-Silurian time. These carbonates show a negative shift in δ18O values (dolomite δ18O average: −6.72‰ VPDB), Sr isotopic composition slightly more radiogenic than coeval seawater (0.7078–0.7087), high temperatures (RD2 and SD dolomite Th average: 110 °C) and hypersaline signature (RD2 and SD dolomite average salinity: 26.8 wt.% NaCl eq.); and (2) a diagenetic fluid system that affected Devonian carbonates, possibly occurred during the Alleghenian orogeny in Carboniferous time and characterized by a less pronounced negative shift in δ18O values (dolomite δ18O average: −5.74‰ VPDB), Sr isotopic composition in range with the postulated values for coeval seawater (0.7078–0.7080), lower temperatures (RD2 dolomite Th average: 83 °C) and less saline signature (RD2 dolomite average salinity: 20.8 wt.% NaCl eq.).


Minerals ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 10 (6) ◽  
pp. 495
Author(s):  
Shang Liu ◽  
Lin Ding ◽  
Hong-Rui Fan

Hydrothermal processes have played a significant role in rare earth element (REE) precipitation in the Bayan Obo REE-Nb-Fe deposit. The poor preservation of primary fluid inclusions and superposition or modification by multiphase hydrothermal activities have made identification of physico-chemical conditions of ore-forming fluids extremely difficult. Fortunately, with more and more reliable thermodynamic properties of aqueous REE species and REE minerals reported in recent years, a series of thermodynamic calculations are conducted in this study to provide constraints on REE precipitation in hydrothermal solutions, and provide an explanation of typical paragenesis of REE and gangue minerals at Bayan Obo. During the competition between fluocerite and monazite for LREE in the modelled solution (0.1 M HCl, 0.1 M HF and 0.1 M trichloride of light rare earth elements (LREE) from La to Sm), all LREE would eventually be hosted by monazite at a temperature over 300 °C, with continuous introduction of H3PO4. Additionally, monazite of heavier LREE would precipitate earlier, indicating that the Ce- and La-enriched monazite at Bayan Obo was crystallized from Ce and La pre-enriched hydrothermal fluids. The fractionation among LREE occurred before the ore-forming fluids infiltrating ore-hosting dolomite. When CO2 (aq) was introduced to the aqueous system (model 1), bastnaesite would eventually and completely replace monazite-(Ce). Cooling of hot hydrothermal fluids (>400 °C) would significantly promote this replacement, with only about one third the cost of CO2 for the entire replacement when temperature dropped from 430 °C to 400 °C. Sole dolomite addition (model 2) would make bastnaesite replace monazite and then be replaced by parisite. The monazite-(Ce) replaced by associated bastnaesite and apatite is an indicator of very hot hydrothermal fluids (>400 °C) and specific dolomite/fluid ratios (e.g., initial dolomite at 1 kbar: 0.049–0.068 M and 0.083–0.105 M at 400 °C and 430 °C). In hot solution (>430 °C) that continuously interacts with dolomite, apatite precipitates predating the bastnaesite, but it behaves oppositely at <400 °C. The former paragenesis is in accord with petrography observed in this study. Some mineral pairs, such as monazite-(Ce)-fluorite and monazite-(Ce)-parisite would never co-precipitate at any calculated temperature or pressure. Therefore, their association implies multiphase hydrothermal activities. Pressure variation would have rather limited influence on the paragenesis of REE minerals. However, temperature and fluid composition variation (e.g., CO2 (aq), dolomite, H3PO4) would cause significantly different associations between REE and gangue minerals.


2000 ◽  
Vol 37 (4) ◽  
pp. 535-547 ◽  
Author(s):  
David I Schofield ◽  
Richard S D'Lemos

Silurian to Devonian granites within the Gander Zone of the Appalachian Central Mobile Belt in northeastern Newfoundland formed adjacent to the former Gondwanan continental margin following terminal closure of the Iapetus Ocean. Comparison of geochemical and isotopic characteristics of the granites with their host migmatites and metasediments, amphibolite, and orthogneiss constrain their potential source. Nd and Sr isotopic compositions indicate that no single source or binary mixing product could have produced the granites. Instead, we show that they result from multicomponent mixing involving a contribution from unexposed crystalline basement, mantle or underplate, and variable contamination by supracrustal host rocks. The timing and composition of granite magmatism do not exhibit collisional orogenic, subduction-related, or continental rifting characteristics. Hence, we relate magmatism to lithospheric melting following delamination of an orogenic keel. This process provides the influx of mantle-derived magma into fertile crust and hence promotes lower crustal melting and primary magma mixing.


2009 ◽  
Vol 12 (05) ◽  
pp. 793-802 ◽  
Author(s):  
P. David Ting ◽  
Birol Dindoruk ◽  
John Ratulowski

Summary Fluid properties descriptions are required for the design and implementation of petroleum production processes. Increasing numbers of deep water and subsea production systems and high-temperature/high-pressure (HTHP) reservoir fluids have elevated the importance of fluid properties in which well-count and initial rate estimates are quite crucial for development decisions. Similar to rock properties, fluid properties can vary significantly both aerially and vertically even within well-connected reservoirs. In this paper, we have studied the effects of gravitational fluid segregation using experimental data available for five live-oil and condensate systems (at pressures between 6,000 and 9,000 psi and temperatures from 68 to 200°F) considering the impact of fluid composition and phase behavior. Under isothermal conditions and in the absence of recharge, gravitational segregation will dominate. However, gravitational effects are not always significant for practical purposes. Since the predictive modeling of gravitational grading is sensitive to characterization methodology (i.e., how component properties are assigned and adjusted to match the available data and component grouping) for some reservoir-fluid systems, experimental data from a specially designed centrifuge system and analysis of such data are essential for calibration and quantification of these forces. Generally, we expect a higher degree of gravitational grading for volatile and/or near-saturated reservoir-fluid systems. Numerical studies were performed using a calibrated equation-of-state (EOS) description on the basis of fluid samples taken at selected points from each reservoir. Comparisons of measured data and calibrated model show that the EOS model qualitatively and, in many cases, quantitatively described the observed equilibrium fluid grading behavior of the fluids tested. First, equipment was calibrated using synthetic fluid systems as shown in Ratulowski et al. (2003). Then real reservoir fluids were used ranging from black oils to condensates [properties ranging from 27°API and 1,000 scf/stb gas/oil ratio (GOR) to 57°API and 27,000 scf/stb GOR]. Diagnostic plots on the basis of bulk fluid properties for reservoir fluid equilibrium grading tendencies have been constructed on the basis of interpreted results, and sensitivities to model parameters estimated. The use of centrifuge data was investigated as an additional fluid characterization tool (in addition to composition and bulk phase behavior properties) to construct more realistic reservoir fluid models for graded reservoirs (or reservoirs with high grading potential) have also been investigated.


2014 ◽  
Vol 6 (4) ◽  
Author(s):  
M. Dora ◽  
H. Singh ◽  
A. Kundu ◽  
M. Shareef ◽  
K. Randive ◽  
...  

AbstractThis paper reports the occurrence of Tsumoite (a bismuth telluride) in the Heti Cu-Ni-PGM prospect, Gondpipri mafic-ultramafic complex, Central India. The Gondpipri complex consists of several tectonically dismembered gabbronorite-gabbro-anorthositic gabbro — olivine gabbro -websterite disposed in ∼10 km long tonalite-trondhjemitegranodiorite (TTG) and charnockite-enderbite suite of rocks. The mineralization occurs in the sulphide zone hosted by gabbro variants. The host rocks have been deformed and metamorphosed to granulite grade and subjected to various degrees of hydrothermal alteration. The mineralization comprises chalcopyrite, pentlandite, pyrrhotite, cubanite, millerite, and pyrite. In addition to these, occur (1) tsumoite (2) PGM in the form of moncheite, merenskyite, Pd-mellonite, and Pt-Pd-Te-Bi-Fe-S alloy.The present study indicates that the mineralization occurs in two stages related to: (i) magmatic and (ii) hydrothermal remobilization and transport of Cu-rich sulphides, tsumoite and PGM, and their re-deposition in hydrosilicate alteration zones. It is possible that the mineralization at Heti formed at different stages of bismuth activity under variable fS2, T, and fTe2 conditions due to change in total concentration of Te and S and /or cooling. Since the role of S is limited, Te and cooling are important factor influencing mineralogy and composition of tsumoite and associated mineralization. Mineralization occurs in two different modes of occurrences. The early mineralisation occur as blebs, specks and dissemination of sulphides, viz. pyrrhotite, chalcopyrite, pentlandite and minor pyrite ± PGM, whereas later mineralisation occur as stringers, minor veins of sulphides viz. pyrite, millerite, cubanite, sijenite, tsumoite and ± PGM.Mineral assemblages and textural relationships at Heti has indicated precipitation of tsumoite and associated PGM along fractures and secondary silicates, which confirms their hydrothermal origin.


1974 ◽  
Vol 14 (05) ◽  
pp. 471-481 ◽  
Author(s):  
R.E. Cook ◽  
R.H. Jacoby ◽  
A.B. Ramesh

Abstract This paper presents the formulation and applications of a two-dimensional two-phase beta-type numerical model for simulating oil and gas reservoir performance where fluid compositional effects are significant. The model utilizes PVT data as functions of pressure and a compositional parameter to reflect changes in fluid composition parameter to reflect changes in fluid composition resulting from dry gas injection. The model differs from previous beta-type simulators for approximating compositional effects in that it accounts for the reduced tendency of oil to vaporize as light ends are removed by continued contact with dry gas. A simple linear compositional model is used to compute the changing fluid properties in each cell as injection gas mixes with in-place fluid during a series of constant pressure displacements. The simple-model data are correlated against the cumulative pore volumes of injected gas contacting each cell at various points in time for each pressure level. By tracking this parameter for each cell in the two-dimensional beta-type model the spatial and time variations of fluid properties with pressure and injection gas throughput are computed in the model from the correlations. Special provisions are included for gas condensate systems above their dew-point pressure and for reservoir oil systems above their bubble-point pressure. A comparison is made with results from a previously published fully compositional simulator. It is shown that, in addition to yielding quite similar computed compositional effects, the beta-type simulator attains an advantage in computing speed of at least 3 to 1 over a July compositional simulator. Example applications are presented for gas injection in an oil reservoir and for retrograde liquid recovery by dry gas sweep at a Pressure considerably below the dew point of a gas-condensate reservoir. Introduction Conventional beta-type numerical simulators have been used for many years to simulate the performance of so-called "black oil" reservoirs. The term "black oil" denotes oil of medium to heavy gravity at moderate temperature and pressure. Such oils can be reasonably approximated as binary fluid systems where the amount of gas dissolved in the oil is merely a function of reservoir pressure and temperature. For these systems the reservoir gas phase is assumed to contain no recoverable liquids phase is assumed to contain no recoverable liquids when flashed through surface separates. Moreover, the further assumption is made that injected gas combines with reservoir oil exactly as does in-place reservoir gas, disregarding compositional differences between the gas phases. For oils of higher gravity, existing at higher temperatures and pressures, the preceding assumptions become no longer valid. Not only does the reservoir gas phase contain a significant amount of vaporized stock-tank liquid, but injected gas can have a significant effect on the phase behavior of the reservoir hydrocarbon system. At the far end of the compositional spectrum, gas - condensate reservoirs contain the total stock-tank liquid in the vapor phase. Moreover, injected gas has a diluting effect on the liquid content as it mixes with reservoir gas. To account for the collects of mass transfer between the vapor and liquid phases, and the composition changes resulting from gas injection, several recent authors have developed fully compositional reservoir simulators. These simulators actually track individual components of a hydrocarbon fluid system, using equilibrium constants representative of the fluid compositions being studied. These fully compositional simulators are applicable to a much broader range of reservoir fluid systems than the conventional beta-type reservoir simulator. However, since the computing requirements are generally directly proportional to the number of hydrocarbon components used in the fluid system, they can be quite expensive to employ as a general purpose simulator. purpose simulator. SPEJ P. 471


2020 ◽  
Vol 42 (4) ◽  
pp. 60-68
Author(s):  
Ya.O. MALKOVA ◽  
V.M. BOBKOV ◽  
V.V. DOLIN

The article deals with the peculiarities of the chemical composition formation of brines in the Dombrovsky quarry, primarily due to the dissolution of potash ore minerals and host rocks in water coming from the pebble horizon and atmospheric precipitation. The solubility of the ore body minerals has been studied, and it ranges from 333 to 502 g∙dm–3. The boundary conditions for the formation of a saturated salt solution were determined. The estimated concentration of saturated potash ore solution under normal conditions is 426 g∙dm–3. The mechanism of dissolution is considered from the standpoint of D.I. Mendeleev's chemical theory of solutions. The temporary dynamics of minerals dissolution of the ore body is studied experimentally. The parameters of kinetic-diffusion process are calculated. The rate of the dissolution process, which occurs in the kinetic region, significantly exceeds the rate of concentration diffusion of hydrated ions: from 5 to 400 times depending on the mineral composition of salts. Theoretically from the point of view of multistage process kinetics and experimentally in laboratory conditions it is proved that the process that determines the formation of the chemical composition of brines (the slowest stage) is the concentration diffusion of hydrated ions Na+, K+, Cl–. They enter the liquid phase due to the minerals dissolution of the ore body and host rocks of soil and sides of the quarry, in the direction of overcoming the concentration difference - from the lower layers of the brine to its surface. This conclusion is confirmed by the ratio of weight coefficients а1 and а2. The contribution of the process of the main minerals dissolution of the ore body to the chemical composition formation of the solution is significantly less than the concentration diffusion process.


2011 ◽  
Vol 75 (1) ◽  
pp. 159-167 ◽  
Author(s):  
J. Majka ◽  
J. Pršek ◽  
B. Budzyń ◽  
P. Bačík ◽  
A. K. Barker ◽  
...  

AbstractThe pre-Caledonian NYF Skoddefjellet pegmatite in Wedel Jarlsberg Land, Svalbard, contains xenotime-(Y) that is partly replaced by fluorapatite-hingganite-(Y) reaction coronas. Hingganite-(Y) contains up to 2.0 wt.% of Gd2O3, 4.7 wt.% of Dy2O3, 3.3 wt.% of Er2O3 and 5.5 wt.% of Yb2O3. Such unusual, previously undescribed, xenotime-(Y) breakdown was caused by Ca- and F-bearing fluids interacting with the pegmatite. The occurrence of hinnganite-(Y) as a breakdown product of xenotime-(Y) implies that a Be-bearing phase (beryl in this case) was also involved in the reaction. There are few Ca-bearing primary phases in the pegmatite, indicating that the source of fluid was probably located in the generally Ca-richer host rocks (metasediments), though the fluid composition was modified during metasomatism of the pegmatite (i.e. beryl dissolution).


1992 ◽  
Vol 56 (385) ◽  
pp. 545-560 ◽  
Author(s):  
R. J. Bowell

AbstractAt the Ashanti concession, Ghana, gold-bearing quartz veins and disseminated sulphide lodes occur in narrow (1-3 m) shear zones with altered argillites and metatholeiite host rocks. The mineralisation is concealed by up to 10 m of kaolinite-mica forest ochrosol soils, beneath which is a saprolitic zone of leached rock extending down 60-70 m to the hypogene ore zone. In the unweathered hypogene orebody, gold occurs as free grains in quartz, as sub-microscopic inclusions in the disseminated arsenopyrite, as gold tellurides and as aurostibite. The gold is released from the hypogene orebody by physical dissaggregation and chemical dissolution, the latter involving hydroxyl, thiosulphate, cyanide, and fulvate complexing. Dissolution and reprecipitation of the gold appears to have taken place largely in situ with little evidence of supergene enrichment. Consequently, the gold mineralogy of the soils is complex with residual and secondary gold grains exhibiting widely different textural and compositional characteristics. Residually enriched grains display pitted, rounded surfaces and have silver-depleted rims, while supergene gold grains are compositionally homogenous and have unpitted surfaces. The supergene grains display platelet, dendritic, irregular and octahedral habit. A fine grained spongy form of gold has also been observed from weathered telluride-bearing quartz veins. Much of the secondary gold is intergrown with iron oxides and hydroxides. The gold mineralogy of the Ashanti soils appears to be controlled by physico-chemical processes active during the lateritic pedogenesis producing residual and supergene enrichment of gold.


2012 ◽  
Vol 76 (8) ◽  
pp. 3365-3371 ◽  
Author(s):  
G. Towler ◽  
A. E. Bond ◽  
S. Watson ◽  
S. Norris ◽  
P. Suckling ◽  
...  

AbstractUnderstanding the behaviour of gas in a geological disposal facility (GDF) is an essential component of analysing the facility evolution and long-term (post-closure) safety performance. This includes the impacts of gas on the physico-chemical evolution of the GDF, and the release and migration of radionuclides in water and gas.The Nuclear Decommissioning Authority Radioactive Waste Management Directorate is participating in the EC FORGE (fate of repository gases) project (www.forgeproject.org) and conducting independent research. Key research themes are modelling the impacts of different host rocks on facility evolution including coupled processes, and upscaling the effects of small scale features that can significantly influence the evolution of the whole facility.Recent code developments have enabled coupled processes to be represented more realistically in models. This has significantly advanced understanding of facility evolution, as discussed in this paper, and will improve future assessment models. There is potential to further improve approaches to upscaling the effects of small scale features on strongly coupled processes, within the context of the EC FORGE project.


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