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Mobility of Au and related metals during metamorphism has been suggested to be the source of metals enriched in orogenic Au deposits. This study investigates the mobility of Au, As, and Sb during metamorphism of the Dalradian metasedimentary rocks of Scotland. The metamorphic processes in the Dalradian of Scotland are extremely well studied, and the terrane is an ideal area to investigate mobility of these metals. Our results show that of the 25 major and trace elements analysed, only Au, As, Sb, S and volatile contents as shown by loss on ignition (LOI) values show systematic variation with the metamorphic grade of the samples. Average Au concentrations decrease from 1.1 +/- 0.55 ppb and 0.72 +/- 0.34 ppb in chlorite and biotite zone rocks down to 0.4 +/- 0.22 ppb and 034 +/- 0.13 ppb in kyanite and sillimanite zone rocks. Average As concentrations decrease from 4.8 ppm (range 0.5 to 17.8 ppm) and 1.96 +/- 1.9 ppm in chlorite and biotite zone rocks down to 0.24 +/- 0.15 ppm and 0.2 +/- 0.12 ppm in kyanite and sillimanite zone rocks. Average Sb concentrations decrease from 0.18 +/- 0.15 ppm and 0.11 +/- 0.10 ppm in chlorite and biotite zone rocks down to 0.04 +/- 0.02 ppm in both kyanite and sillimanite zone rocks. Sulphur and LOI concentrations also show significant decreases. Mass balance calculations indicate that compared to chlorite and biotite zone samples, sillimanite zone samples have an average mass loss of 62 +/- 14%, 94 +/- 4% and 74 +/- 14% for Au, As, and Sb respectively. Every 1 km(3) of chlorite-biotite zone mixed psammitic-pelitic protolith rock that is metamorphosed to sillimanite zone conditions would release 1.5 t Au, 8613 t As, 270 t Sb, and 1.02 Mt S. The mobility of these elements is strongly controlled by the paragenesis of sulphide minerals. Pyrite, sphalerite, galena and cobaltite (as well as gersdorffite) decrease in abundance with increasing metamorphic grade in the Dalradian metasedimentary rocks. A critical aspect of the sulphide paragen

Rocks exposed along the Scottish coast between Fraserburgh and Inzie Head contain information critical to understanding the evolution of the Buchan Block, the type locality for low-P, high-T regional metamorphism, and its relationship with the rest of the Grampian terrane, one of the major tectonostratigraphic components of the Scottish Caledonides. The ~8 km long section traverses a regional network of shear zones and, at the highest grades around Inzie Head, passes into the core of the Buchan Anticline, a large-scale open fold that is commonly regarded as a late structure, post-dating metamorphism. The metasedimentary rocks increase in grade from upper amphibolite to granulite facies and preserve unequivocal evidence for partial melting. The diatexite migmatites around Inzie Head, along with other gneissose units within the Buchan Block, have been regarded as allochthonous Precambrian basement rocks that were thrust into their current position during the Grampian orogenesis. However, field observations show that the onset of in situ partial melting in metapelitic rocks, which was associated with the formation of garnet-bearing aplites and associated pegmatites, occurred around Fraserburgh, where shear fabrics are absent.Thus, the rocks preserve a continuous metamorphic field gradient that straddles the shear zone network. This observation supports an alternative interpretation that anatexis was the result of mid-Ordovician (Grampian) metamorphism, rather than an older tectonothermal event, and that the Inzie Head gneisses are autochthonous. Using an average mid-Dalradian pelite as a plausible representative protolith, phase equilibria modelling satisfactorily reproduces the observed appearance and disappearance of key minerals providing that peritectic garnet produced with the first formed melts (represented by the garnet-bearing aplites) depleted the source rocks in Mn. The modelled metamorphic field gradient records a temperature increase of at least 150 °C (fro

Results from petrographic analyses, chemical analyses and mineral phase diagram calculations show that staurolite minerals grew in selvages adjacent to quartz veins. Previous studies show the same relationships between quartz veins and garnet, as well as kyanite growth. The selvages are formed as metamorphic fluids flow through cracks, altering the bulk composition by mass transfer and triggers the nucleation and growth of new minerals. A pseudosection for a staurolite absent sample has been calculated using THERMOCALC. No stability field correlates to visually observed mineralogy. This indicates that a reaction forming staurolite never was triggered since no fluids was present during metamorphism.

Results from petrographic analyses, chemical analyses and mineral phase diagram calculations show that staurolite minerals grew in selvages adjacent to quartz veins. Previous studies show the same relationships between quartz veins and garnet, as well as kyanite growth. The selvages are formed as metamorphic fluids flow through cracks, altering the bulk composition by mass transfer and triggers the nucleation and growth of new minerals. A pseudosection for a staurolite absent sample has been calculated using THERMOCALC. No stability field correlates to visually observed mineralogy. This indicates that a reaction forming staurolite never was triggered since no fluids was present during metamorphism.

Orogenic gold deposits occur within metamorphic belts throughout the world and have through time represented the source for over 25% of the world’s gold production. Although orogenic gold deposits are of great economic importance, controversies exist on the subject of fluid and metal sources and there have been few studies of gold´s distribution and mobility outside of large economic deposits. Research made by Pitcairn et al. (2006), on the Mesozoic Otago and Alpine schists of New Zealand, observed systematic depletion of Au and a suite of 6 associated elements with increasing metamorphic grade. This depletion was identical to the suite of elements enriched in the Otago gold deposits and provided strong evidence that orogenic gold deposits form due to metamorphic processes. The mobilization of metals was attributed to the recrystallization of sulfide minerals during prograde metamorphism causing dehydration and release of metal-rich metamorphic fluids. This thesis is part of a larger project aimed at testing the “Otago model” in a classic metamorphic terrain: The Dalradian metamorphic belt of Scotland. Rocks in the study are from the southern higlands group and the Appin and Argyll group which range in metamorphic grade from chlorite zone greenschist facies to sillimanite zone amphibolite facies. Three main aspects, which supplement earlier research, are addressed in this study: 1) Investigation of the sulfide paragenesis at Loch Lomond and Stonehaven was carried out to map the evolution of sulfides with metamorphic grade and the possible relations to the distribution of gold. Using SEM scanning to quantify the abundance of different sulfide minerals together with previous data on the Glen Esk region, a complex sulfide evolution pattern for the Dalradian Supergroup is identified. The sulfide evolution describes the same changes in texture and chemistry as observed in the Otago Schists but is made complex by the difference in geological evolution for the different r

Provenance studies involving U / Pb analysis of detrital zircons have become increasingly popular through the application of microanalytical techniques. Adopted one-dimensional methods for the presentation of detrital zircon data, such as probability density distribution plots, generally require various degrees of filtering of discordant analyses. However, a uniform approach for filtering does not exist, making comparison of data from different samples and sedimentary units, as well as different studies of detrital populations, extremely difficult. The problem is further complicated by the need to switch from 207Pb / 206Pb based ages to 206Pb / 238U ages when zircon populations within a sample show a range of ages from Archean to Proterozoic or even Phanerozoic. Ion probe analysis of multiple spots within a single zircon crystal and calculation of an internal isochron can potentially eliminate problems associated with discordance, but this is a time consuming approach. Comparison of internal isochron ages for zircons generated by multiple ion probe intra-grain zircon analyses from a sample of psammite within the Dalradian Supergroup of Scotland with a data set from the same sample based on single grain ion probe analysis using various filtering methods suggests good agreement between the two approaches particularly when filtering is based on the probability of concordance. However, when precise information is required, such as the age of the youngest zircon grains so as to accurately constrain the maximum depositional age of the strata, then multiple analyses of individual zircon grains may be required.

lerland is geologisch gezien voor het grootste gedeelte opgebouwd uit gesteenten die werden gevormd tijdens het PaleozoTcum. Deze gesteenteformaties zijn echter op grote schaal bedekt door een laag glaciale en fluvioglaciale sedimenten (respectievelijk door ijs en smeltwater neergelegd), die dateren uit een der jongste tijdvakken van de geologische geschiedenis: het Pleistoceen. De vormen van de oppervlakte, van het landschap van lerland zijn in hoge mate bepaald door de gebeurtenissen tijdens de IJstijd. De vaste gesteenten van lerland zijn voor het allergrootste gedeelte van vrij hoge ouderdom. Vrijwel alle kusten zijn uitgehouwen in PaleozoTsche gesteenten: de beroemde steile kustkliffen van Moher in West-lerland bestaan uit vlakliggende zandstenen en leien die stammen uit het Namurien (Boven-Carboon). De kust van de Burren bestaat uit kalksteen van het Onder-Carboon en die van Donegal uit gesteenten die dateren uit nog veel oudere perioden van de aardgeschiedenis. Zie Tabel I .