Fluid Inclusion Study of Epithermal Quartz Veins from the Kyaukmyet Prospect, Monywa Copper-Gold Ore Field, Central Myanmar

The Kyaukmyet prospect is located near the main ore bodies of the Kyisintaung and Sabetaung high-sulfidation Cu-Au deposits, Monywa copper-gold ore field, central Myanmar. Lithologic units in the research area are of mainly rhyolite lava, lapilli tuff and silicified sandstone, mudstone and siltstone units of Magyigon Formation which hosted to be polymetallic mineralization. Our field study recorded that epithermal quartz veins are hosted largely in rhyolite lava and lapilli tuff units. Those quartz veins show crustiform, banded (colloform), lattice bladed texture and comb quartz. The main objectives of the present research in which fluid inclusion studies were considered to conduct the nature, characteristics and hydrothermal fluids evolution from the epithermal quartz veins. In this research, there are three main types of fluid inclusions are classified according to their phase relationship (1) two-phase liquid-rich inclusions, (2) the coexisting liquid-rich and vapor-rich inclusions, and (3) only vapor-rich inclusions. Microthermometric measurements of fluid inclusions yielded homogenization temperatures (Th) of 148–282 °C and final ice-melting temperature (Tm) of -0.2°C to -1.4°C . The value of (Tm) are equal to the salinities reaching up 0.35 to 2.07 wt % NaCl equiv. respectively. Estimation formation temperature of the quartz veins provide 190°C and 210°C and paleo-depth of formation are estimated to be between 130m and 210m. Petrography of fluid inclusion and microthermometric data suggest that fluid boiling as well as mixing processes were likely to be happened during the hydrothermal fluid evolution at the Kyaukmyet prospect. According to the characteristics of many parameters including petrography of fluid inclusion, microthermometric data, paleo-depth, evidence of quartz vein textures and types of hydrothermal alteration from the Kyaukmyet prospect allows to interpret these data to be the low-sulfidation epithermal system.

Characterization of conditions and fluid flow paths in the Buntsandstein Gp. sandstones reservoirs, Upper Rhine Graben

Deeply buried sandstone reservoirs are targeted in the Upper Rhine Graben (URG) for geothermal and hydrocarbon resources. These reservoirs, which are located at the top of the geothermal convective cells, have a complex diagenetic and structural history recorded by paragenesis. Here the focus is made on the characterization of carbonates and barite cementations which trace paleo geothermal circulations within the fracture network affecting the sandstones. These mineralizations are studied with a double approach on geochemistry and structural, faults and associated fracture network, to characterize fluid-flow episodes on different structural positions in the rift basin and its shoulders. Barite sulphur isotopic ratios suggest a common signature and source for all the locations. REE patterns, oxygen isotopic ratios, and fluid inclusion study suggest though two regimes of fluid flow forming barite, depending on their location. On the graben shoulders the barite have a higher content in total REE and contain non-saline fluids inclusions, suggesting that fluid circulations at the graben border faults interact with sulphate rich layers, and precipitate at high temperatures .In -deep-seated sandstones, fluid inclusions in barites show a wide range of salinities, suggesting a higher contribution of sedimentary brines, and precipitation at lower temperatures. These barite mineralizations are associated with carbonates and apatite with a diagenetic origin, according to their REE signature. These data are used to build a model for fluids circulation within the graben: Fast and deep down- and up-flows are taking place along the major border faults, which are leaching evaporitic horizons, and precipitates from geothermal fluid during fault activity. A part of these deep-down meteoric waters is reaching the centre of the basin. In this central part of the basin, fluid circulation is slower and restricted to the bottom of the basin, where fluid-mixing with sedimentary brines occurs. This new understanding of fluid pathways in the targeted reservoir brings new insights on the compartmentalization of geothermal circulations at the basin scale.

Fluid Inclusion Study of Epithermal Gold-Base Metal Mineralization System in the Shwebontha Prospect, Monywa Mining District, Central Myanmar Monywa

The Shwebontha Prospect area is one of prominent epithermal Au-Ag prospects in Monywa mining district, central Myanmar, characterized by the appearance of gold-bearing and base metal quartz veins with gold grade is around 3g/t -10.4g/t. The geology of the area consists of the volcanic and volcaniclastic rocks of Upper Oligocene-Middle Miocene Magyigon Formation that served as the host rock of the ore mineralization. This research focused on fluid inclusion study is aimed to know the characteristics of hydrothermal fluids during ore mineralization as well as the possible paleo- depth and temperature of formation of gold-bearing and base metal quartz veins. The mineralization styles are gold-bearing brecciated quartz veins and chalcedonic quartz veins where sulfides are clustered as well as disseminated both in quartz gangue and volcanic host rocks. Those quartz veins include pyrite, sphalerite, galena, chalcopyrite and gold (electrum). Fluid inclusion microthermometry indicates that the ore mineralization is characterized by the values of homogenization temperature range from 158°C to 310°C and salinities range from 0.35 to 2.41wt.% NaCl equiv. This temperature is consistent with the formation temperature of 250°C to 270 °C and also their estimate paleo-depth of formation is between 440m and 640m respectively. Microthermometric data indicates that fluid mixing and dilution were significant processes during ore mineralization and evolution of hydrothermal fluids. Based on the petrography of fluid inclusion, microthermometric measurements and ore minerals assemblage as well as estimation of paleo-depth from the Shwebontha Prospect imply that forming in under shallow level epithermal environment

The Evolution of Diagenetic Fluids and Accumulation Characteristics of Tight Sandstone Reservoir in Upper Paleozoic, Southwestern Ordos Basin

The Upper Paleozoic in the southwestern Ordos Basin has significant potential for natural gas exploration. This study investigated the diagenetic fluid evolution and hydrocarbon accumulation characteristics of He 8 section from Permian Lower Shihezi formation and Shan 1 section from Shanxi formation tight sandstone reservoirs by petrographic observation, scanning electron microscope imaging, fluid inclusion study, and laser Raman spectrum analysis. The results show that He 8 section and Shan 1 section reservoirs are mainly composed of quartz sandstone, subordinate arkose quartz sandstone, and lithic quartz sandstone, with minor lithic sandstone and lithic arkose sandstone. The major pores are intergranular dissolved pores. The main diagenetic minerals include quartz overgrowth, siliceous cement, carbonate cement, illite, montmorillonite, and mixed-layer clay minerals. The overall diagenetic features show strong compaction, multistage siliceous and calcareous cements, and abundant clay minerals, strong dissolution, and well-developed fractures. Two stages of fluid inclusions developed in the He 8 and Shan 1 sections recorded the migration and accumulation of the early-stage and late-stage natural gas, respectively. The reservoir in the study area experienced early and late diagenetic stages, and its formation was simultaneous with or after its densification. The diagenetic environment changed from alkaline to acidic and again into alkaline. There are two stages of fluid activities in the study area, namely, the early diagenetic stage corresponding to hydrocarbon generation and migration and the late diagenetic stage corresponding to hydrocarbon accumulation. This study suggests that Upper Paleozoic natural gas migrated into the reservoir in Weibei Uplift, Yishan Slope, and Tianhuan Depression tectonic units during 220-197 Ma, and the large-scale migration and accumulation occurred in these tectonic units at different times. No natural gas was generated in the west margin of the basin because the temperatures of the hydrocarbon source rocks in the Upper Paleozoic were below the gas window.

Multistage development of a hydrothermal tungsten deposit during the Variscan late-orogenic evolution: the Puy-les-Vignes W breccia pipe (Massif Central, France)

The Puy-les-Vignes W deposit, located in the northwestern French Massif Central (FMC), is a rare occurrence worldwide of a wolframite-mineralized hydrothermal breccia pipe hosted in high-grade metamorphic gneisses. We present here an integrated study of this deposit aiming to characterize the ore-forming hydrothermal system in link with the Variscan late-orogenic evolution of the FMC. Based on a set of representative samples from the host rocks and mineralization, we describe a detailed paragenetic sequence and we provide the major and trace element geochemistry of the host rocks and W-Nb-Ta-Sn-Ti oxide minerals, in situ U-Pb and 40Ar/39Ar geochronology, and a fluid inclusion study in quartz and wolframite. We demonstrate that the formation of this W-mineralized breccia pipe results from a multistage development between ca. 325 and 300 Ma related to four major episodes during the late Carboniferous. The first episode corresponds to the emplacement of an unexposed peraluminous granite at ca. 325 Ma, which generated microgranite dykes exposed at the present-day surface. The second episode is the formation of the quartz-supported breccia pipe and wolframite mineralization at ca. 318 Ma at a paleodepth of 7 km. The mineralizing fluids have a H2O-NaCl-CO2-CH4-N2 composition, a moderate-salinity (<9 wt.% NaCl eq) and were trapped at high-temperatures (400-450°C) during lithostatic to hydrostatic pressure variations caused by intense hydraulic fracturing of the host rocks. Wolframite deposition is interpreted to result from the mixing between a W-rich intermediate-density magmatic fluid exsolved from an evolved leucogranite and low-salinity volatile-rich metamorphic fluids of distal origin. The third episode corresponds to a magmatic-hydrothermal Nb-Ta mineralization overprinting the W-mineralized system and related to the intrusion at ca. 314 Ma of a rare-metal granite, which is part of a regional peraluminous rare-metal magmatism during the 315-310 Ma period. Finally, the last episode corresponds to the formation of a disseminated Bi±Au-Ag mineralization at ca. 300 Ma, which shares similar textural and mineral features with orogenic gold deposits in the FMC. The Puy-les-Vignes W deposit records, therefore, a multistage and long-lived development that extends over a timespan of 25 million years in a regional setting dominated by protracted peraluminous magmatism and HT-LP metamorphism. Although the local environment of ore deposition is atypical, our results show that the mineral assemblages, alteration styles, and fluid characteristics of the Puy-les-Vignes breccia pipe are similar to those of other peri-granitic W deposits in the FMC.

Ore fluid characteristics at Gadag Gold Field, Dharwar Craton, southern India: Evidences from tourmaline chemistry and fluid inclusion study

&lt;p&gt;Dharwar Craton in southern India hosts several gold bearing greenstone belts including the well-known Kolar and Hutti. Among them, the Gadag greenstone belt in the western part of Dharwar Craton contains many potential gold mines. It has three different lode systems named western, central and eastern lodes. These lodes are spatially distributed as linear groups along the shear zone with distinct lithological assemblages. Tourmaline is one of the most common hydrothermal minerals present in the alteration zones apart from chlorite, muscovite and sericite. These tourmalines show two textural association (i) occur as isolated, euhedral grains along the mylonitic foliation defined by chlorite, muscovite, sericite, quartz and carbonates (ii) occurrences of anhedral bizarre shaped tourmaline grains along with carbonate and quartz. Though texturally different, compositionally both the tourmalines are similar. They are dravite in nature with high Al&lt;sub&gt;tot&lt;/sub&gt; (6.02 to 6.56 apfu), low Na (0.42 to 0.88 apfu) and medium X-vacancies (0.08 to 0.57 apfu). The predominance of Fe&lt;sup&gt;2+&lt;/sup&gt; (high Fe&lt;sup&gt;2+&lt;/sup&gt;/Fe&lt;sup&gt;3+&lt;/sup&gt;) and low Na in the tourmaline crystal structure indicates low saline, reduced ore fluid of metamorphic origin that is responsible for gold mineralization in Gadag.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Microthermometric study of aqueous, carbonic and aqueous-carbonic inclusions from the auriferous lodes at Gadag reveal low to medium saline (0.04 to 9.59 NaCl equiv.)&amp;#160; H&lt;sub&gt;2&lt;/sub&gt;O-NaCl-CO&lt;sub&gt;2&lt;/sub&gt;&amp;#177;CH&lt;sub&gt;4&lt;/sub&gt; ore forming fluid. Presence of trace amount of methane content within the carbonic inclusion indicates mineralization occurred at reducing environment. Thus, fluid inclusion results consistent with the tourmaline chemistry and strongly supports the metamorphic origin of ore fluids that responsible for gold mineralization at Gadag.&lt;/p&gt;

Common Problems and Pitfalls in Fluid Inclusion Study: A Review and Discussion

The study of fluid inclusions is important for understanding various geologic processes involving geofluids. However, there are a number of problems that are frequently encountered in the study of fluid inclusions, especially by beginners, and many of these problems are critical for the validity of the fluid inclusion data and their interpretations. This paper discusses some of the most common problems and/or pitfalls, including those related to fluid inclusion petrography, metastability, fluid phase relationships, fluid temperature and pressure calculation and interpretation, bulk fluid inclusion analysis, and data presentation. A total of 16 problems, many of which have been discussed in the literature, are described and analyzed systematically. The causes of the problems, their potential impact on data quality and interpretation, as well as possible remediation or alleviation, are discussed.

Geochemical Data and Fluid Inclusion Study of the Middle Miocene Halite from Deep Borehole Huwniki-1, Situated in the Inner Zone of the Carpathian Foredeep in Poland

The geochemical data and the study of fluid inclusions in primary halite are invaluable sources of saline basin information. Most of the previous analyses of salt from the Carpathian area have been obtained by studying the halite samples collected from depths not exceeding 1000 m (i.e., from salt mine outcrops or boreholes). In this article, for the first time, we present the results of samples obtained from a deep well where salt occurs below the frontal orogenic wedge at a depth of ~5000 m. The salt core’s petrological studies showed, quite unexpectedly, the presence of the chevron relics, typical for primary halite. Their geochemical data and fluid inclusion study can be used to reconstruct the environment of the salt sedimentation. The bromine, strontium, and rubidium content values indicated that primary brines were of marine origin, and salts may have undergone partial dissolution and redeposition under lower salinity water inflows. The main ions’ (K, Mg, SO4) ratios in the fluid inclusions were typical for those of the Badenian brines collected from the Carpathian Foredeep’s eastern part. Compared with modern seawater’s chemical composition, this brine contained a slightly lower content of sulfate ions. This was associated with evolutionary changes occurring in the contents of sulfate ions during the Cenozoic.

Fluid Evolution of the Čukaru Peki Cu-Au Porphyry System (East Serbia) inferred from a fluid inclusion study

Čukaru Peki is a recently discovered copper-gold deposit in the Bor metallogenic zone in east Serbia. Three types of mineralization can be distinguished in this ore deposit: porphyry, high-sulphidation, and transitional epithermal type. This research was focused on fluid inclusion analysis of genetically different veins from the porphyry and the transitional zones of Čukaru Peki with an aim of better understanding the fluid evolution and mineralization processes in this system. Seven types of veins were identified in the porphyry zone of Čukaru Peki and four of these veins contained transparent minerals which were suitable for fluid inclusion analysis. Eight types of inclusion assemblages were distinguished in these veins: type 1 – primary inclusions with homogenization temperatures above 550°C and high salinity, type 2a- scattered polyphase inclusions two salt crystals, type 2b-polyphase inclusions with two salt crystals in crystal growth zones, type 3- brine inclusions with one salt crystal in crystal growth zones, type 4- vapour-rich inclusions, type 5- primary inclusions in anhydrite, and types 6 and 7- secondary low-temperature inclusions This research suggests that saline fluids (30-40% wt.% NaCl eq.) were the most important ones for the formation of porphyry-type mineralization and that the mineralization was formed at temperatures between 350 and 450°C and pressures between 100 and 500 bars. The epithermal stage was characterized by cooler low-salinity fluids with temperatures between 150-350°C, and salinity between 0 and 7 wt.% NaCl eq.