Thesis (doctoral)--University of Tartu, 2006. / Vita. Includes bibliographical references. Also available on the Internet.

The thesis presents research on recent hydrothermal discharge features in a shallow marine hydrothermal system. It aims to clarify their occurrence, genesis, and preservation potential. A facies model is developed, being based on the processes involved in the formation and the prevailing lithofacies. It describes six major groups: channels, fractures, tubes, cones, bowls, and lineaments. Each of these groups subdivides into numerous facies types according to the cements or mineral precipitates prevailing. To clarify the rather complex formation processes of hydrothermal discharge features, genetic models for each facies are proposed. An integrated evolutionary model is developed considering the temporal evolution of the major types of hydrothermal discharge features in the Panarea system and their preservation potential. Confirming presumptions of former, preliminary data, the first documentation of secure paleo-evidences of such hydrothermal discharge features is presented.:1. Introduction ....11 1.1. Preamble .....11 1.2. Research questions, objectives, and hypotheses ......................................... 12 2. State of research - seafloor hydrothermal systems ................................ 15 2.1. Hydrothermal deposits in general ................................................................. 15 2.2. Deep-sea environments ............................................................................... 16 2.3. Shallow-water systems and their preservation potential ............................... 17 3. Panarea Island - the area of investigation ................................................ 20 3.1. The hydrothermal system of Panarea Island ................................................ 20 3.2. Fluid discharge features in Panarea ............................................................. 30 3.3. Study sites .................................................................................................... 34 4. Materials and methods ............................................................................... 40 4.1. Underwater research .................................................................................... 40 4.2. Field methods ............................................................................................... 41 4.3. Laboratory methods ..................................................................................... 44 5. Results ........................................................................................................ 47 5.1. Prevailing lithologies ..................................................................................... 47 5.1.1. Hardrocks ..................................................................................................... 47 5.1.2. Sedimentary rocks ........................................................................................ 51 5.1.3. Sediments .................................................................................................... 54 5.1.4. Cements ....................................................................................................... 58 5.2. Underwater investigation sites and findings ................................................. 66 HYDROTHERMAL FLUID DISCHARGE FEATURES IN PANAREA, ITALY PAGE 10 | 174 5.2.1. Area 26 ......................................................................................................... 66 5.2.2. Basiluzzo ...................................................................................................... 75 5.2.3. Black Point ................................................................................................... 77 5.2.4. Bottaro North ................................................................................................ 79 5.2.5. Bottaro West ................................................................................................. 81 5.2.6. Cave ............................................................................................................. 84 5.2.7. Fumarolic Field ............................................................................................. 87 5.2.8. Hot Lake ....................................................................................................... 89 5.2.9. La Calcara .................................................................................................... 92 5.2.10. Point 21 ........................................................................................................ 98 5.2.11. Subaerial locations ..................................................................................... 100 5.3. Summarizing tables .................................................................................... 104 6. Interpretation ............................................................................................ 106 6.1. Discharge features and secondary processes ............................................ 106 6.1.1. Complex genesis and development of discharge features and their occurrence throughout the system ............................................................. 119 6.1.1.1. Cones, bowls, and lineament structures ..................................................... 119 6.1.1.2. Tubes ......................................................................................................... 128 6.2. Preservation potential and paleo-record ..................................................... 138 7. Conclusion and Discussion .................................................................... 141 7.1. General context of the formation of hydrothermal discharge features in Panarea ...................................................................................................... 141 7.2. Evolution of hydrothermal discharge features in Panarea .......................... 142 7.3. Comprehensive summary ........................................................................... 145

The Río Blanco–Los Bronces (Chile) is one of the richest endowed porphyry copper-molybdenum districts worldwide, where about 20% of the known mineralization is hosted by tourmaline-cemented hydrothermal breccia. This work seeks: (1) to find a relationship between tourmaline chemical and/or isotopic composition and the degree of mineralization in the breccia, (2) to constrain the source of the mineralizing fluid in the breccia, and (3) to determine of the composition and age of intrusive units in three new exploration projects and correlate them with the known intrusive rocks of the mine areas. Tourmaline from mineralized and barren breccias has similar boron isotopic compositions but differences in Mg/(Mg+Fe) ratios, Al-contents and Al-Fe correlation, which may have exploration value. Boron and sulfur isotopes results are consistent with a magmatic source of hydrothermal fluids. Results of whole rock geochemistry and U-Pb and 40Ar/39Ar geochronology of intrusive units, breccia and late-stage veins are combined with previous U-Pb, Ar/Ar and Re-Os ages to elucidate the magmatic and hydrothermal history of the district.:1 Introduction 1.1 Motivation of the study and statement of research questions 1.2 Scope of the study 2 Porphyry copper deposits (PCDs) 2.1 Introduction 2.1.1 Global copper inventory 2.1.2 Definition and classification of PCDs 2.2 Regional scale characteristics of PCDs 2.2.1 Tectonic setting 2.2.2 Space and time distribution 2.2.3 Porphyry stocks and their pluton and volcanic connections 2.2.4 Wall-rock Influence 2.3 Deposit-scale characteristics 2.3.1 Porphyry stocks and dikes 2.3.2 Hydrothermal breccia 2.3.3 Alteration-mineralization zoning 2.4 Processes of PCD formation 2.4.1 Arc magmatism 2.4.2 Magmatic volatiles 2.4.3 Genetic models 3 Regional setting of the study area 3.1 Tectono-magmatic setting 3.2 Metallogenic belts 4 Río Blanco – Los Bronces mining district 4.1 Mining history 4.2 District geology 4.2.1 Stratified rocks 4.2.2 Plutonic and hypabyssal intrusions 4.2.3 Structures 4.2.4 Alteration and mineralization 4.2.1 Geochronology database 5 Results 5.1 Plutonic units 5.1.1 Petrography 5.1.2 Whole rock (WR) geochemistry 5.1.3 Geochronology 5.2 Mineralization 5.2.1 Petrography 5.2.2 Tourmaline occurrence and composition 5.2.3 Sulfides and sulfates 6 Discussion 6.1 Time-space relationships of intrusion, brecciation and hydrothermal alteration 6.2 Stable isotope constraints on fluid source and evolution 6.2.1 Oxygen, hydrogen and sulfur isotopes 6.2.2 Boron isotopes 6.3 Tourmaline as a redox indicator and significance for exploration 7 Summary and conclusions 8 References Digital supplement Appendix (Methods) 9 Appendix Methods 9.1 Optical microscopy (OM) 9.2 Scanning electron microscope (SEM) and energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDS) 9.3 Whole rock chemical analysis 9.4 Electron microprobe analyses (EMPA) 9.5 Boron isotopes 9.6 Sulfur isotopes 9.7 40Ar/39Ar dating 9.8 Zircon separation and characterization 9.9 U-Pb zircon LA-ICP-MS dating 9.10 U-Pb zircon CA-ID-TIMS dating 9.11 Single zircon evaporation as screening method