Controls on fluid flow and metal deposition in sediment-hosted hydrothermal ore deposits

沉积物热液矿床中流体流动和金属沉积的控制

• 批准号: RGPIN-2022-04416
• 负责人: Barker, Shaun
• 金额: $ 2.62万
• 依托单位: University of British Columbia
• 依托单位国家: 加拿大
• 项目类别: Discovery Grants Program - Individual
• 财政年份: 2022
• 资助国家: 加拿大
• 起止时间: 2022-01-01 至 2023-12-31
• 项目状态: 已结题
• 来源: https://www.nserc-crsng.gc.ca/ase-oro/Details-Detailles_eng.asp?id=751289
• 关键词: Controls; fluid; flow; metal; deposition

Sediment-hosted hydrothermal ore deposits represent globally significant sources for many metals including copper, cobalt, lead, zinc, uranium, arsenic and germanium. Sediment-hosted deposits are difficult to discover because they have "cryptic" mineral alteration (i.e. alteration invisible to the eye). In addition, processes responsible for forming high-grade ore deposits are uncertain. This means that new geochemical tools are required that will enable recognition and mapping of the key processes and alteration footprints for these deposits. During the flow of hydrothermal fluid through rock, a series of reaction fronts will be established. These reaction fronts will manifest as changes in ore metal abundances, mineralogical alteration, stable isotope ratios and temperature. Accurate mapping of temperature variations is difficult, with index alteration minerals (e.g. illite, biotite) providing insufficient temperature precision, and fluid inclusions often not well preserved in sediment-hosted hydrothermal deposits. This research program will develop new methods for providing precise temperature measurements from carbonate minerals formed at up to 350 oC  utilizing clumped carbon and oxygen isotopes. The program will develop new methods and datasets for quantifying alteration mineralogy and variations in primary and secondary textures across scales (from the thin section to deposit scale) within sediment-hosted ore deposits in order to create new ore deposit models. Finally, we will seek to test and develop new exploration tools for sediment-hosted copper deposits focussing on recognizing unique textures and chemistry of resistate indicator minerals such as apatite, rutile and monazite. Collectively, this research program will both develop fundamental new knowledge on the genesis and alteration of sediment-hosted ore deposits, develop new exploration tools and methods suitable for discovering new deposits, and train the highly qualified personnel who will be needed to deliver the mineral resources required for the low-carbon energy transition.

沉积物托管的水热矿石沉积物代表了许多金属的全球重要来源，包括铜，钴，铅，锌，铀，砷和锗。沉积物托管沉积物很难发现，因为它们具有“神秘的”矿物质改变（即眼睛看不见的改变）。此外，不确定负责形成高级矿床的过程。这意味着需要新的地球化学工具，以便对这些存款的关键过程和更改足迹进行识别和映射。在水热流体通过岩石的流动过程中，将建立一系列的反应前沿。这些反应方面将表现为矿石金属丰度，矿物学改变，稳定同位素比和温度的变化。难以准确的温度变化映射，索引改变矿物质（例如伊利特，生物岩）提供了不足的温度精度，并且流体夹杂物通常在沉积物托管的水热沉积中保存得不得很好。该研究计划将开发新的方法，以利用簇碳和氧同位素从350 oC形成的碳酸盐矿物质提供精确的温度测量方法。该计划将开发新的方法和数据集，以量化跨量表（从薄层到沉积量表）中的矿物质和次要纹理的变化矿物学的变化，以创建新的矿石沉积模型。最后，我们将寻求测试和开发新的勘探工具，以用于沉积物托管的铜矿矿床，旨在识别抗抗磷灰石，金黄色磷灰石和独居石的独特纹理和化学性质。总的来说，该研究计划将开发有关沉积物托管矿床的起源和改变的基本新知识，开发适合发现新存款的新勘探工具和方法，并培训需要提供高素质的人员，以提供低碳能量过渡所需的矿产资源。