Thesis (M.S.)--Ohio University, June, 2004. / Title from PDF t.p. Includes bibliographical references (p. 101-108)

Hydrothermal fluid flow is spatially and genetically associated with deformation in the earth�s crust. In the Otago Schist, New Zealand, the circulation of hydrothermal fluids in the Cretaceous formed numerous mesothermal gold-quartz vein deposits. Otago schist rocks are largely L-S tectonites in which the penetrative fabric is the product of more than one deformation phase/transposition cycle. Regional correlation of deformation events allowed mineralised deposits to be related to the structural evolution of the Otago Schist. Compilation of a detailed tectonostratigraphy of New Zealand basement rocks reveals that extensional mineralisation correlates with the onset of localised terrestrial fanglomerate deposition, thermal perturbation and granitic intrusion that mark the beginning of New Zealand rifting from the Antarctic portion of Gondwana. Laminated and breccia textures in mineralised veins suggest that host structures have experienced repeated episodes of incremental slip and hydrothermal fluid flow. However, analysis of vein orientation data in terms of fault reactivation theory (Amontons Law) shows that most deposits contain veins that are unfavourably oriented for frictional reactivation. Repeated movement on unfavourably oriented structures may involve dynamic processes of strain refraction due to competency contrasts, the effect of anisotropy in the schist, or localised stress field rotation. Deposits have been classified on the basis of host structure kinematics at the time of mineralisation into low angle thrust faults, and high angle extensional fault - fracture arrays. Low angle deposits have a mapped internal geometry that is very different from conventional imbricate thrust systems. This study applied ⁴⁰Ar/�⁹Ar geochronology to selected deposits and has identified at least three distinct mineralisation events have occurred within the central axial belt during the Cretaceous. Relationships between radiometric apparent age and inferred crustal depth reveal that after metamorphism, the onset of cooling and rapid exhumation of the schist belt coincides temporally and spatially with the age of mineralisation and structural position of a regional scale low angle shear zone in Otago.

This thesis describes an attempt to develop a pioneering method for the analysis of oxygen isotopes in metamorphic rocks. This technique is then applied to a suite of metapelites from Massachusetts, U.S.A. with the aim of investigating metamorphic history. The study of oxygen isotopes is a rapid and efficient way of deciphering the reaction history of a metamorphic rock, and they are particularly useful for quantifying the role of fluids during metamorphism. Technological advances have given the opportunity to develop a new laser fluorination facility capable of in-situ oxygen isotope analysis on the 100μm scale. The use of UV laser ablation coupled with helium carrier flow and isotope ratio mass spectrometry gives the potential for liberation, transfer and analysis of nanomoles of oxygen. This analytical technique is developed herein, and applied to garnets from high alumina metapelites of the Hoosac Schist of Western Massachusetts. These large garnets contain concentric unconformity textures which are attributed to at least two metamorphic events. Core-rim zoning profiles from three Hoosac garnets has been accomplished. Metamorphic modelling in the complex chemical system Na₂O-CaO-MnO-K₂O-FeO-MgO-Al₂O₃- SiO₂-H₂O has yielded P-T estimates for garnet cores of 520°C and 8.5 kbar, and rims at 590°C and 8-10kbar. Within this framework, a new approach enables calculation of oxygen isotope shifts with reaction progress in the presence of a non-equilibrium fluid. Fitted profiles from the Hoosac garnets imply prograde core growth during inflow of external low-δ¹⁸O fluid, and calculations suggest a minimum time integrated fluid flux for the first garnet growth event of the order of 0.2 cm³/cm², some four to five orders of magnitude less than other New England studies.

Hydrothermal fluid flow is spatially and genetically associated with deformation in the earth�s crust. In the Otago Schist, New Zealand, the circulation of hydrothermal fluids in the Cretaceous formed numerous mesothermal gold-quartz vein deposits. Otago schist rocks are largely L-S tectonites in which the penetrative fabric is the product of more than one deformation phase/transposition cycle. Regional correlation of deformation events allowed mineralised deposits to be related to the structural evolution of the Otago Schist. Compilation of a detailed tectonostratigraphy of New Zealand basement rocks reveals that extensional mineralisation correlates with the onset of localised terrestrial fanglomerate deposition, thermal perturbation and granitic intrusion that mark the beginning of New Zealand rifting from the Antarctic portion of Gondwana. Laminated and breccia textures in mineralised veins suggest that host structures have experienced repeated episodes of incremental slip and hydrothermal fluid flow. However, analysis of vein orientation data in terms of fault reactivation theory (Amontons Law) shows that most deposits contain veins that are unfavourably oriented for frictional reactivation. Repeated movement on unfavourably oriented structures may involve dynamic processes of strain refraction due to competency contrasts, the effect of anisotropy in the schist, or localised stress field rotation. Deposits have been classified on the basis of host structure kinematics at the time of mineralisation into low angle thrust faults, and high angle extensional fault - fracture arrays. Low angle deposits have a mapped internal geometry that is very different from conventional imbricate thrust systems. This study applied ⁴⁰Ar/�⁹Ar geochronology to selected deposits and has identified at least three distinct mineralisation events have occurred within the central axial belt during the Cretaceous. Relationships between radiometric apparent age and inferred crustal depth reveal that after metamorphism, the onset of cooling and rapid exhumation of the schist belt coincides temporally and spatially with the age of mineralisation and structural position of a regional scale low angle shear zone in Otago.

The Areachap Group represents a mid-Proterozoic fossil island arc environment consisting of amphibolite, hornblende gneiss, quartz-feldspathic gneiss, calcsilicates and pelitic schists. Chemical compositions of these highly deformed upper amphibolite/granulite grade metamorphosed rocks indicate protoliths ranging from rhyolite/rhyodacite, calc-alkaline basalt, tholeiite to ultramafic igneous rocks and sediments. The above-mentioned assemblage is typical of an island arc environment. Island arc environments are ideal hosts for volcanic hosted massive sulphide (VHMS) type deposits and may successfully be explored by using the VHMS lithogeochemical alteration model. VHMS deposits not only yield strategic base metals such as zinc (Zn), copper (Cu) and lead (Pb), but significant grades of gold (Au) and silver (Ag) are associated with these deposits. The Areachap Group presents a metallogenic province containing one economic deposit, the Prieska Zn-Cu mine, as well as several sub-economic deposits, including the Areachap mine and other lesser prospects at Boksputs, Kantienpan, Jacomynspan and Rokoptel. The Prieska Zn-Cu mine is the most significant VHMS deposit of the Areachap Group and occurs within the Copperton volcanic centre. This abandoned mine delivered 47 Mt sulphide ore at 1,7 % Cu and 3,8 % Zn with traces of Ag and Au. Four volcanic centres were previously identified in the Areachap Group, namely Upington, Klein Begin, Boksputs and Copperton. Exploration activities were loosely subdivided into the same regions. Regional lithogeochemical sampling campaigns were conducted for the four subproject areas and approximately 5 000 rock samples were analysed for the twelve major oxides and ten trace elements. The region of interest, the Boksputs Subvolcanic area, with a well-established infrastructure, is situated near Groblershoop (50 km east) and Marydale (30 km southeast) in the Northern Cape province and is part of the geological Areachap Group. Several high copper anomalies and the tholeiitic lithological composition of the Boksputs Subproject resulted in this area being selected as the main target region. It was attempted to discriminate between different trace element populations using probability plots, but this was not successful. The complexity of the probability plots was attributed to the large variation in different rock types included in the data set. Corrections were made by determining threshold values for each rock type, but this refinement proved unsuccessful, indicating that the rock classification used was incorrect. Option areas were finally selected, based primarily on absolute Cu values. These areas were mapped in . more detail prior to ground electromagnetic (EM) surveys and drilling. To test the target selection, a proto-lithological map of the area, based on cluster analyses of the lithogeochemical dataset, was drawn. The proto-lithological maps formed the basis of the follow-up work and the application of the VHMS conceptual model. A conductor in the Kantienpan target area was located with a time domain electromagnetic (TDEM) survey and this was drilled. The drilling intersected a massive sulphide body with a tonnage of approximately 5 Mt and an average grade of 4.09 % Zn, 0.49 % Cu and traces of Au and Ag. The orebody was evaluated financially and it was found to be uneconomic as a stand-alone operation. However, if the Kantienpan deposit is considered as an alternative to imported concentrate for the Zincor smelter, this study suggests that the project may be economically feasible. Furthermore, it must be stated that the Areachap Group remains only partly explored and that a world class VHMS deposit may be discovered within the next few years. / Dissertation (MSc)--University of Pretoria, 2008. / Geology / unrestricted

Dans de nombreux gisements métalliques, notamment en contexte sédimentaire et en particulier dans le cas des shales noirs, des relations spatiales voire génétiques sont décrites entre la matière organique et les métaux. Une série de shales/schistes noirs affectés par des conditions thermo barométriques croissantes a été sélectionnée afin d'étudier le comportement et le devenir de l'uranium de la sédimentation au métamorphisme. Dans les Alum Shales cambro ordoviciens (Suède) faiblement enfouis, l'uranium reste dispersé et n'apparaît sous aucune forme minéralogique identifiable. Le passage des Alum Shales dans la fenêtre pétrolière et la génération d'hydrocarbures n'a pas provoqué de remobilisation identifiable de la concentration primaire, les hydrocarbures migrés ne transportant pas l'uranium. En revanche, le métamorphisme de faciès schiste vert associé à l'orogénèse calédonienne a entraîné une réexpression de la minéralisation uranifère sous la forme d'uraninite, d'urano titanates et/ou de phospho silicates à U, Ti, Zr, Y. Dans le cas des schistes noirs paléoprotérozoïques de Talvivaara (Finlande), le métamorphisme de faciès amphibolite a provoqué la remobilisation de l'uranium synsédimentaire et la cristallisation synmétamorphique, pendant l'orogénèse svécofennienne à 1880 1870 Ma, de cristaux d'uraninite fréquemment inclus dans des nodules carbonés. Cette étude montre que l'uranium, préconcentré au moment de la sédimentation, reste immobile pendant les premiers stades d'enfouissement mais est remobilisé dans les conditions P T croissantes et cristallise sous forme d'oxydes d'uranium pouvant évoluer vers des (phospho-)silicates d'uranium / In many metallic deposits, especially in sedimentary context and particularly in black shales, spatial or genetic relationships are described between organic matter and metals. Several black shales/schists affected by increasing thermo barometric conditions were selected to study the behavior and fate of uranium from sedimentation to high grade metamorphism. In shallow buried cambro ordovician Alum Shales (Sweden), uranium is dispersed and is not detectable as a particular mineralogical expression. Thermal maturation of the Alum Shales and hydrocarbon generation did not cause any identifiable remobilization of primary concentration, since migrated hydrocarbons did not carry uranium. In contrast, greenschist facies metamorphism associated with the Caledonian orogeny resulted in a re expression of uranium mineralization as uraninite or urano titanate crystals, which may evolve into U Ti Zr Y phospho silicates. In the case of Talvivaara, amphibolite facies metamorphism caused remobilization of synsedimentary uranium and synmetamorphic crystallization, during Svecofennian orogeny at 1880 1870 Ma, of uraninite crystals that are frequently included in carbonaceous nodules. This study shows that uranium, which is preconcentrated during sedimentation, remains immobile in the early stages of burial but is remobilized with increasing PT conditions and crystallizes as uranium oxides and/or uranium (phospho-)silicates

Orogenic gold mineralisation in schist terranes with few or no contemporaneous igneous intrusions is poorly understood. It is proposed in this thesis that the structural evolution of such terranes controls the generation of hydrothermal fluid pathways and thus the location of orogenic mineral deposits. Gold mineralisation in the Otago Schist, New Zealand and the Klondike Schist, Canada occurred in the latter phases of greenschist facies metamorphism as well as after metamorphism during Paleozoic-Mesozoic exhumation. In Otago, gold mineralisation occurred at a number of different times and structural levels as the schist belt was exhumed and rocks were brought up through the brittle-ductile transition. In Klondike Schist, gold mineralisation occurred in relatively brittle rocks after a period of regional compression and crustal shortening caused by the stacking of thrust sheets. Gold mineralisation in both schist belts is not associated with any coeval igneous activity. The earliest stage of gold mineralisation in the Otago Schist occurred in the Jurassic when mineralising fluids were progressively focussed into late metamorphic ductile shear zones such as the Hyde-Macraes Shear Zone (HMSZ), east Otago and Rise and Shine Shear Zone (RSSZ), central Otago. Both of these gold-bearing mineralised zones occur along mappable structural discontinuities or boundaries that separate structurally, metamorphically and lithologically distinct blocks. The HMSZ occurs in the hangingwall of an underlying low angle normal fault that juxtaposes mineralised lower greenschist facies rocks on to unmineralised upper greenschist facies rock. The RSSZ occurs in the footwall of an overlying low angle normal fault that juxtaposes unmineralised lower greenschist facies rocks on to mineralised upper greenschist facies rock. The two shear zones did not form as part of a single homogeneous structure. There are several other prospective late metamorphic boundaries that are different from later brittle faults that disrupt the schist. Late metamorphic gold mineralisation is characterised by both ductile and brittle structures, foliation-parallel shears, disseminated gold with sulphides in deformed schist and minor steeply dipping extensional veins. This style of mineralisation is the most prospective but can be subtle in areas without quartz veins. Hydrothermally altered rocks are enriched in gold, arsenic, tungsten and sulphur with minor enrichment of bismuth, antimony, mercury and molybdenum. Disseminated mineralisation in the HMSZ is associated with hydrothermal graphite however there is no hydrothermal graphite in the RSSZ. The next stage of gold mineralisation occurred in the Cretaceous during post-metamorphic exhumation of the schist belt and is characterised by steeply dipping, fault-controlled quartz veins, silicified breccias and negligible wall rock alteration. Most post-metamorphic veins strike northwest such as the ~25 km long Taieri river gold vein swarm, but there are other stibnite and gold mineralised structures that strike northeast (e.g., Manuherikia Fault system) and east-west (e.g., Old Man Range vein systems). The latest recognised stage of gold mineralisation is controlled by structures related to the initiation of the Alpine Fault in the Miocene and is characterised by steeply dipping quartz veins with abundant ankeritic carbonate in veins and ankeritic carbonate with gold in altered rocks. Hydrothermally altered rocks are enriched in arsenic, carbon dioxide and sulphur with minor enrichment of antimony. Gold-bearing veins at Bullendale, central Otago are of this type and are associated with a broad alteration zone. Gold-silver and gold-silver-mercury alloys occur in both Caples and Torlesse Terranes of the Otago Schist. Almost all mercury-bearing gold occurs in east Otago vein systems and mercury-free gold occurs in central and northwest Otago veins, irrespective of host terrane. There is no relationship between depth of vein emplacement and mercury content of gold. The Klondike Schist was emplaced as a series of stacked thrust slices in the Jurassic and thrust-related fabrics are preserved in all thrust slices. Strongly deformed carbonaceous schist horizons are spatially associated with thrust faults and graphite within these units is concentrated along spaced cleavage surfaces. Kink folding is best developed in the uppermost slices of Klondike Schist and overprints thrust-related fabrics. Gold-bearing veins formed in extension fractures controlled principally by pre-existing weaknesses such as kink fold axial surfaces. Normal faults correlated with a period of Late Cretaceous regional extension crosscut kink folds and offset gold mineralised veins. The main stage of mineralisation occurred after major regional compression and thrust stacking and before Cretaceous normal faulting. Gold-bearing veins are widely dispersed throughout the uppermost slices of Klondike Schist and are considered to be a sufficient source for Klondike gold placer deposits. Disseminated gold with pyrite is associated with gold-bearing veins in some Klondike Schist and this disseminated mineralisation expands the exploration target for these veins. Disseminated gold with pyrite, without quartz veins, occurs in some schist lithologies and is associated with chlorite alteration and weak silicification. The arsenic content of gold-mineralised Klondike Schist is much lower than mineralised Otago Schist and background concentrations of arsenic are much lower in Klondike Schist as well. No shear-related mineralisation has been discovered in Klondike Schist but due to its relatively poor exposure, this belt remains prospective for this style of mineralisation.

Unconformity-type uranium deposits from the Athabasca Basin are considered to be the result of mixing between oxidized basinal brines and basement-derived reduced fluids/gases, and/or reduced basement rocks. Graphite and/or its breakdown products are suggested to be responsible for uranium mineralization by acting as a reductant that could trigger deposition of uranium. Also, graphite is considered to be indicative of basement structures; being often concentrated along structures which can be identified as electromagnetic (EM) conductors. Thus, exploration for uranium deposits is often focused on the search for EM conductors. Underlying the sedimentary rocks of the basin in the Dufferin Lake zone are variably graphitic pelitic schists (VGPS); altered to chlorite and hematite (Red/Green Zone: RGZ), and locally bleached equivalents near the unconformity during paleoweathering or later fluid interactions. These altered zones are texturally similar rocks within “graphite-depleted zones” as the unconformity is approached. Both zones are characterized by a lower concentration of carbon and sulfur, with the bleached zone showing higher concentrations of uranium and boron, the latter corresponding to high dravite content. The major element composition of the graphite-bearing pelitic schists and altered equivalents (RGZ) are similar. Raman analyses indicate that well-ordered carbon species (graphite to semi-graphite) are present in the pelitic schists, with both types more common within shear zones. In contrast, only rare low-ordered carbon species (carbonaceous matter) were detected in the graphite-depleted samples within the RGZ. This variation is interpreted to be the result of graphite consumption by oxidizing fluids migrating downward from the Athabasca Group. This graphite consumption may have resulted in the production of a mobile reductant (gas or fluid), which may have played a subsequent role in the deposition of uranium mineralization. Secondary fluid inclusions (FI) examined in different quartz vein generations using microthermometry and Raman analysis, provide an indication of the fluids that have interacted with these rocks. Monophase vapor are the dominant type of fluid inclusions in the VGPS, whereas aqueous two-phase (L+V) and three-phase (L+V+Halite) FI occur in the RGZ. CH4-dominant and N2-dominant FI identified using Raman could be the result of fluid(s) interaction with the graphitic lithologies. This would have generated the breakdown of graphite to CH4 and associated feldspars/micas to NH4/N2. CH4, N2 and H2 (resulting from the decomposition of NH4+) represent possible reductants of uranium-bearing brines. Two brines in the RGZ: a regional basinal fluid and an evolved fluid possibly related to U mineralization; similar to other nearby deposits, are observed. These suggest that the basinal brines have circulated in the basement rocks and have been able to evolve by interaction with the basement rocks to possibly be related to uranium mineralization.

Mémoire (M.Sc.T.)--Université du Québec à Chicoutimi, 1991. / Document électronique également accessible en format PDF. CaQCU

The study area comprises the Archaean Manica Greenstone Belt and the Vumba Granite Gneiss, the Proterozoic Messica Granite Gneiss of the Zimbabwe Craton, the possibly allochthonous metasedimentary sequence of the Frontier Formation, the granitoids of the Mozambique Metamorphic Province, which are subdivided into Vanduzi Migmatite Gneiss, the Chimoio Granodiorite Gneiss, the Nhansipfe Granitic Orthogneiss and the Pan-African Tchinhadzandze Granodiorite Gneiss. The rock sequences in the two provinces are cut by mafic intrusions. The greenstone belt comprises mafic to ultramafic and pelitic schists and serpentinites of the Macequece Formation and metasediments ofthe M'BezaNengo Formation. The mafic to ultramafic schists and the serpentinites have chemical signatures of komatiites. The Vumba Granite Gneiss comprises the northern and southern Vumba granitoids dated at 3885±255 Ma, and 2527±632 Ma respectively. They vary from metaluminous to peraluminous, have normative QAP compositions of granodiorites and monzogranites and chemical signatures of mantle fractionates and volcanic-arc granitoids. The Early Proterozoic Messica Granite Gneiss is 2348±267 Ma old, is metaluminous and has QAP compositions of monzogranites and chemical signatures suggesting a crustal source and a volcanic-arc environment. The Frontier Formation comprises quartzite and pelitic schists. The Vanduzi Migmatite Gneiss comprises stromatic and stictolithic types. Two mineral assemblages are distinguished as they contain either garnet or hornblende. The Mid-Proterozoic Chimoio Granodioritic Gneiss is 1236±201 Ma old. It is granodioritic and metaluminous with a chemical signature of volcanic-arc granitoids. The Late Proterozoic Nhansipfe Granitic Orthogneiss is dated at 981 ±83 Ma and varies from metaluminous to peraluminous. The Rb, Nb and Y contents are typical of within-plate granitoids, whereas Ga, Zr, AI, Ce andY are typical of A-type granitoids. The age of the mafic intrusions falls between ~500 and ~11 00 Ma. The rocks typically contain plagioclase, hornblende and clinopyroxene with or without garnet and orthopyroxene. The chemistry of the rocks is typical of sub-alkaline tholeiites. The Tchinhadzandze Granodiorite Gneiss may be part of a Pan African event which lasted till ~450-~500 Ma. The normative feldspar compositions and Rb, Ba and Sr contents are typical of granodiorites. It is metaluminous and has Rb, Y and Nb contents typical of volcanic arc granitoids. The planar fabrics in the Archaean granite-greenstone belt are characterized by E-W to SW-NE strikes and steep dips to N and S and to NW and SE. The mineral lineations and fold axes plunge 60° and 30° respectively towards the E. Within the Mozambique belt, around the central part and in the extreme east of the study area, the planar fabrics have essentially N-S strikes and steep dips to E and Win contrast with complex deformation observed in the migmatites and megacrystic granitoids. The study area can be subdivided into three metamorphic blocks, namely, one of low-grade greenschist facies, one of medium-grade amphibolite facies and a third block of high-grade metamorphism. / Dissertation (MSc)--University of Pretoria, 2012. / Geology / unrestricted