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Cu-rich and As-rich growth zones in pyrite provide new insights into the composition of late-stage magmatic fluids and their host hydrothermal ore deposits. The pyrite is from the Pueblo Viejo (Dominican Republic) and Yanacocha (Peru) high-sulfidation gold-silver deposits, which are thought to form from hydrothermal systems that interacted with magmatic vapor plumes. Electron microprobe analysis, secondary ion mass spectrometry, and elemental maps show that pyrite, the most common sulfide mineral in both deposits, contains three different types of growth zones: (1) As-rich zones that are enriched in Au, Ag, Sb, Te, and Pb, (2) Cu-rich zones with significantly lower concentrations of these elements, and (3) barren pyrite zones with no other elements. These zones are interpreted to result from mixing between the pyrite-forming fluid and vapors that invaded the main hydrothermal system episodically. Comparison to experimental studies of elemental partitioning and analyses of fumaroles and fluid inclusions from magmatic-hydrothermal systems suggests that the As-rich vapor formed at high and possibly magmatic temperatures, whereas the Cu-rich vapor formed at lower temperatures, possibly during migration of the original magmatic vapor. The presence of finely spaced multiple growth zones in pyrite suggests that the composition of at least high-sulfidation hydrothermal systems can be affected intermittently and repetitively by vapors, probably from underlying magmas. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: This paper presents the results of a biostratigraphic analysis of pyritized diatom assemblages in the Saint-Josse core (CC82) located in the northern part of the Paris basin (coordinates: X=555 000, Y=307 324 and Z=56.9 m). During the Paleocene-Eocene this locality was situated in a small bight of the North Sea Basin. The results are obtained from sediments of the Thanet and Mont-Bernon group equivalents belonging to the Paleocene-Eocene interval. Thirteen samples were studied and eleven contain pyritized diatoms. By epigenesis, the siliceous frustule of the diatom is changed into a pyritized skeleton with all the ornamentation very well preserved such as the velum, the areolae, the labiate processes, etc. Dispersive X-Ray analyses show this complete replacement of silica by pyrite. Another form of pyritization is crystallization of pyrite (in cubes, pyritohedrons, octahedrons, framboids) in internal cavities of the diatoms to produce internal moulds, also called steinkerns, which preserve the external morphology of the diatoms and some details such as the girdle. Despite pyritization, diatoms can often be recognized at the species level; brackish and marine species were observed but no fresh water specimens were encountered. Pyrite is easily altered into iron oxides. In outcrops, pyritized diatoms can be obscured or destroyed by oxidation. We have chosen borehole samples for this study to avoid the affects of weathering. Deposits from the Sorrus Unit (of the Thanet Group) have low abundances of pyritized diatoms (3 to 25 specimens per sample). This unit contains allochtonous diatom assemblages comprising Actinoptychus senarius, Coscinodiscus morsianus var. morsianus, and Coscinodiscus morsianus var. moelleri. Sample 34.31-34.45 from this unit is particularly interesting. It contains three specimens of Paralia siberica var. laevis, which is typical of an estuarine or littoral paleoenvironment, and corresponds to the more continental deposit of the Sorrus Unit. Seven samples, taken in the Argile de Saint-Aubin Unit (from the Mont-Bernon Group), contain more than 200 pyritized diatoms and between 9 to 16 different species per sample. A brackish assemblage (Actinoptychus senarius, Coscinodiscus commutatus and Stellarima microtrias) and a marine assemblage (C. morsianus var. morsianus, Coscinodiscus var. moelleri, Fenestrella antiqua, Odontella heibergii, Rhizosolenia sp. 1 and Trinacria regina) are observed. The brackish assemblage expands in the upper part of the Saint-Aubin Unit indicating more widespread brackish paleoenvironmental conditions. Pyritized diatoms are important fossil markers in the Paris basin mainly when siliceous fossils (silicoflagellates or radiolarians) and others microfossils (foraminifers and dinoflagellates) are very poor or absent. Two diatom assemblages have been identified in the Saint-Josse borehole. The first assemblage D1, comprising C. morsianus var. moelleri (high occurrence), C. morsianus (a few) and T. regina (rare), is recorded in the Sorrus, La Calotterie, Bois Gorguette, Le Goulet and lower Saint-Aubin Units. The second assemblage D2, characterized by great abundance of F. antiqua and decreasing numbers of C. morsianus species, is found in the upper part of the Saint-Aubin Unit. These diatom assemblages can be correlated with other biozonations established in the North Sea basin and based on nannoplankton and diatoms (King, 1983), diatoms (Mitlehner, 1996) and calcareous nannoplankton (Martini, 1971). F. antiqua and C. morsianus var. moelleri are the more important diatom species encountered. F. antiqua (previously named Coscinodiscus sp. 1, King, 1983) is the fossil marker used by King to define his NSP4 biozone. The base of NSP4 corresponds to the lowest occurrence of F. antiqua and the top is marked by the highest occurrence of this species. The Sorrus, La Calotterie, Bois Gorguette, Le Goulet and Saint-Aubin (“Sparnacian” stage) Units, the last one comprising F. antiqua (increasing to acme), correspond to the NSP4 zone of King (1983). The Mont-Hulin and Château de la Bruyère Units correspond probably to the NSP5 zone of King (1983). F. antiqua and C. morsianus var. moelleri were also used by Mitlehner (1996) to differentiate the NSP4a zone (low abundance of F. antiqua and abundance of C. morsianus var. moelleri) from the NSP4b zone (great abundance and acme of F. antiqua). The abundance of C. morsianus var. moelleri is recorded in the lower part of Saint-Aubin Unit and the abundance of F. antiqua (high peak at 46% in the sample 17.87) is found in the upper part of Saint-Aubin Unit. Therefore, Sorrus, La Calotterie, Bois Gorguette, Le Goulet and the lower part of Saint-Aubin Units are correlated with the NSP4a zone and the upper part of Saint-Aubin Unit with the NSP4b zone. By correlating the calcareous nannoplankton biozonation (NP) of Martini (1971) with the biozonation of King (1983), adapted by Mitlehner (1996), the boundary between the NP9 and NP10 zones could be located in the 18.75-17.87 interval and the NP10-NP11 boundary at the top of Saint-Aubin Unit. Lithostratigraphic correlations between the units of the Saint-Josse borehole (Paris basin) and the formations of the North Sea basin can be established. The great abundance of C. morsianus var. moelleri and the great abundance (including acme) of F. antiqua are respectively recorded in the Sele and Balder Formations. Therefore, the interval Sorrus/lower Saint-Aubin Units is correlated with the Sele Formation and upper part of Saint-Aubin Unit with the Balder Formation. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

In this study, the results of the leaching of metal sulphide concentrate using organic wastes as culture media for Acidithiobacillus ferrooxidans are summarized. These results indicate that the liquid fraction of municipal sewage sludge, paper mill sludge and pig manure, containing 10 % (w v-1) pulp density of a pyritic mine waste concentrate can support the growth of the leaching bacteria and allow metal solubilization. The inhibition by dissolved organic carbon (DOC) appeared when the concentration in pig manure liquid fraction and sewage sludge filtrate is higher than 180 mg 1-1 and 500 mg l-1, respectively. However, increase in organic concentration up to 650 mg l-1 using paper mill sludge supernatant had no inhibitory effect on the bacterial growth. An important decrease of the DOC has been measured during all bioleaching tests. The organic matter was probably consumed by heterotrophic microorganisms activity. The growth rate of the iron-oxidizing bacteria varied from 0.05 to 0.07 h-1. The dissolution of pyrite (FeS2) in organic waste media led to a yield of Fe solubilization of about 35 %. Copper and zinc were also solubilized during the bioleaching tests. The yields of Cu and Zn solubilization ranged from 12 to 24 %. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

New data on isotopic composition of sulphur and oxygen in dissolved sulphates are used to determine the origin of sulphate ions (SO42−) in the water of the Infra-Molassic Sands Eocene aquifer. Two very distinct origins appear: one is the gypsum dissolution, from the molasse, and the second is the pyrite oxidation, present at the bottom of and within the aquifer. These isotopic analyses helped, in agreement with hydrogeology, to identify geochemical basins whose properties modify the chemical water composition. They also highlight the existence of bioreduction areas. To cite this article: L. Andre´ et al., C. R. Geoscience 334 (2002) 749–756. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]