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In this contribution, we report new data on mineralogy, alteration patterns, geochemistry, fluid properties and source of fluids for the deposit Nová Baňa, one of the smaller epithermal deposits in the Middle Miocene Štiavnica andesite stratovolcano (Western Carpathians, Slovakia). Ore veins and the associated rocks were studied in samples from outcrops and old mines, grab samples, and bore holes from the central part of the deposit (ore structures Althandel, Jozef, Jakub, Vavrinec), northern part (Freischurf), SE part (Gupňa) and SW part (Šibeničný vrch). Pervasive hydrothermal alteration transformed the rock-forming minerals into a mixture of adularia and fine-grained quartz, with lesser amount of pyrite, Ti oxides and Fe oxides. This assemblage was further altered to omnipresent interstratified illite/smectite that was used in this study as a geothermometer, corroborating the results from the fluid inclusion work. Ore minerals comprise predominantly pyrite, sphalerite, galena but all sulfides are relatively sparse in the samples studied. Minerals of precious metals are electrum, Ag-tetrahedrite, acanthite, members of the polybasite-pearceite and pyrargyrite-proustite solid solution, and rare miargyrite, Hg-Ag tetrahedrite, and diaphorite. In the central part, we have found also some stibnite. In the SE part of the deposit, acanthite, uytenbogaardtite, and petrovskaite occur and seem to be related to supergene enrichment of the ores. In bulk ore samples, Zn usually dominates over Pb and Cu. The average Ag:Au ratio for the entire deposit is 64:1. The concentrations of precious metals in the grab samples reach maxima of 50 ppm Au and 570 ppm Ag in the SE part and 116 ppm Au and 1110 ppm Ag in the central part of the deposit. Fluid inclusions show signs of trapping of a heterogeneous fluid. In the central, northern and SE parts of the deposit, homogenization temperatures of 190–260 °C and consistently low salinities of <5 wt% NaCl eq were recorded. In the SW part, primary fluid inclusions gave homogenization temperatures of 160–180 °C and similar low salinities. The secondary inclusions, however, show salinities up to 24 wt% NaCl eq., interpreted as fluid boiling almost to dryness. Isotopic composition of quartz and clay minerals is recalculated to fluid composition of −5.6 to −0.6 ‰ δ18Ofluid and −80 to −36 ‰ δDfluid, indicating mixed character of hydrothermal fluids falling between the compositions of magmatic and meteoric waters, with predominance of meteoric waters. Assuming hydrostatic pressure in the fluids, the measured data suggest paleodepths of ore formation of 50–170 m in the SW part of the ore deposit, 130–420 m in the SE and N parts, and a range of 120–470 m for the central part. These observations, comparison with other epithermal deposits in the Central Slovak volcanic field, and additional data from published literature show that Nová Baňa is a low- to intermediate sulfidation epithermal deposit, genetically associated to late rhyolitic volcanic activity in this area. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The mineral and fluid inclusions trapped by gemstones during the metamorphism of carbonate platform successions are precious markers for the understanding of gem genesis. The nature and chemical composition of inclusions highlight the major contribution of evaporites through dissolution or fusion, depending on the temperature of formation from greenschist to granulite facies. The fluids are highly saline NaCl-brines circulating either in an open system in the greenschist facies (Colombian and Afghan emeralds) and with huge fluid-rock metasomatic interactions, or sulphurous fluids (ruby, garnet tsavorite, zoisite tanzanite and lapis-lazuli) or molten salts formed in a closed system with a low fluid mobility (ruby in marble) in the conditions of the amphibolite to granulite facies. These chloride-fluoride-sulphate ± carbonate-rich fluids scavenged the metals essential for gem formation. At high temperature, the anions SO , NO , BO and F are powerful fluxes which lower the temperature of chloride- and fluoride-rich ionic liquids. They provided transport over a very short distance of aluminium and/or silica and transition metals which are necessary for gem growth. In summary, the genetic models proposed for these high-value and ornamental gems underline the importance of the metamorphism of evaporites formed on continental carbonate shelves and emphasise the chemical power accompanying metamorphism at moderate to high temperatures of evaporite-rich and organic matter-rich protoliths to form gem minerals. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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Discusses a study by T.L. Ottaway and colleagues on the mode of formation of Colombian emeralds which implicates the interaction of basinal fluids with evaporites and organic-rich sedimentary horizons. Contrasting points with the conventional granite-greenstone model for pegmatite-associated emeralds and beryls; Composition of emeralds; Discussion of fluid inclusion data.

Abstract: A calcic skarn deposit occurs along the contact zone between Oligo-Miocene Çataldağ Granitoid and Mesozoic limestones in Susurluk, northwestern Turkey. The skarn zone with little or no retrograde stage is represented by fluid inclusions with high homogenization temperatures (up to >600°C) and a wide range of salinity (12 to >70wt.% NaCl). Pluton-derived fluids facilitated occurrence of continuous prograde reactions in the country rocks (particularly in the proximal zone) and oxygen isotopic depletion in calc-silicate and calcite minerals. δ 18O of anhydrous minerals within proximal and distal zones indicate that skarn-forming fluids had a magmatic origin. The δ 18O values are 5.93–9.08‰ (mean 6.8‰) for garnet, 4.08–9.94‰ (mean 6.4‰) for pyroxene, 4.89–7.92‰ (mean 6.4‰) for wollastonite and 6.65–8.28‰ (mean 7.5‰) for vesuvianite. Temperatures estimated by isotopic compositions of mineral pairs are significantly lower than those measured from the fluid inclusions, indicating that isotopic equilibrium is not preserved between the skarn minerals. δ 18O and δ 13C values are systematically depleted from marbles to skarn carbonates. Calc-silicate forming reactions and permeability increase triggered by volatilization and consequent strong infiltration of H2O-rich siliceous fluids into the system promoted fluid–rock interaction causing isotopic resetting and isotopic depletion of silicates (e.g. pyroxene and wollastonite) and skarn calcites. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the Saharan Atlas (NE Algeria), the Triassic evaporitic formation was brought to the surface through the thick Cretaceous and Tertiary sedimentary cover as diapirs due to the effect of Atlasic tectonic events. The diapir piercing began in the Jurassic and has continued through present day. Many outcrops of several square kilometres are distributed in a large area (approximately 80 km wide) that extends northeasterly over 300 km towards Tunisia. The diapiric evaporitic formation is often accompanied by the emplacement of Pb-Zn-Ba-F mineralization. The Mesloula massif is an example of these deposits. Fluid inclusion and sulphur, carbon and oxygen isotope studies were carried out on Pb-Zn-Ba mineralization and associated gangue carbonates. Gypsum of the Triassic formation was also analysed for its sulphur isotope composition to show the role of evaporates in the generation of this typical peridiapiric deposit. Gypsum from the Triassic formation showed a narrow range of δ 34 S VCDT values, ranging from +14.6 to +15.5‰ (n = 8). This range is comparable to that of Triassic seawater sulphates. Sulphide minerals yielded δ 34 S VCDT values between 0 and + 11.7‰ (n = 15), indicating that sulphide sulphur was likely derived from Triassic sulphates through thermochemical sulphate reduction (TSR) because fluid inclusion microthermometric measurements yielded a mean temperature of 150 °C. Residual sulphate in such a system would have been enriched in 34 S; this is reflected in the barite δ 34 S VCDT values, which range from +21.1 to +33.5‰ (n = 5). The δ 13 C VPDB values of calcite minerals, ranging from +2.1 to +6.3‰ (n = 4), indicate an inorganic carbon origin, likely from the host carbonate rocks. δ 18 O VSMOW values were between +21.9 and + 24.9‰, indicating that the most likely source of mineralizing fluids was formation water. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Oxygen isotope microanalyses of authigenic quartz, in combination with temperatures of quartz precipitation constrained by fluid inclusion microthermometry and burial history modelling, are employed to trace the origin and evolution of pore waters in three distinct reservoirs of the Brae Formation in the Miller and Kingfisher Fields (North Sea). Oxygen isotope ratios of quartz cements were measured in situ in nine sandstone thin sections with a Cameca ims-4f ion microprobe. In conjunction with quartz cement paragenesis in the reservoirs, constrained from textural and cathodoluminescence (CL) microscopy studies, pore water evolution was reconstructed from the time of deposition of the sandstones in the Upper Jurassic until the present.CL photomicrographs of quartz overgrowths in the Brae Formation sandstones show three cement zones (A, B and C) which can be related to different oxygen isotope compositions: (1) the earliest, and thinnest, zone A (homogeneous CL pattern with probable δ18O values between +23‰ and +26‰—direct measurements were not possible) precipitated in the sandstones at temperatures <60 °C; (2) the second zone B (complex CL pattern and directly measured δ18O values between +15‰ and +18‰) precipitated in the sandstones most likely between 70 and 90 °C; (3) the third zone C (homogeneous CL pattern and directly measured δ18O values between +16‰ and +22‰) precipitated in the sandstones most likely at temperatures >90 °C. Calculated oxygen isotope compositions of pore waters show that zone A quartz cements, and enclosing concretionary calcite, precipitated from a meteoric-type fluid (∼−7‰) during shallow burial (<1.5 km). Zone B quartz cements precipitated from fluids which evolved in composition from a meteoric-type fluid (δ18O −7‰) to a more 18O-enriched fluid (δ18O −4‰) as burial continued to ∼3.0 km. Data from zone C quartz cements are consistent with further fluid evolution from δ18O −4‰ to basinal-type fluids with δ18O similar to the present-day formation water oxygen isotope composition (+0.6‰ at 4.0 km burial). A similar pore water evolution can be derived for all three reservoirs studied, indicating that hydrogeologic evolution was similar across sandstones of the whole Brae Formation.The quartz cement zones observed in the Brae Formation sandstones, and the pore water history derived for the area studied, is analogous to published petrographic and pore water evolution data from the nearby Brent Group reservoirs and from reservoirs located in the Haltenbanken area on the Atlantic margin offshore Norway. Considering quartz cement is a major porosity-occluding phase in many reservoir sandstones, and because pore waters both dissolve quartz and carry the dissolved silica to cementation sites, the data presented are valuable for improving the understanding and prediction of reservoir quality development in sandstones globally. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

• Bacaba and Castanha deposits represent different portions of an IOCG system. • Bacaba deposit records an evolution related to 2.7 and 2.06 Ga hydrothermal events. • Bacaba ore precipitated due to mixing of metalliferous magmatic and non-magmatic fluids. • Castanha was closer to its source of hot overpressured magmatic fluids than Bacaba. • Fluid-rock interaction triggered metal-complex destabilization at Castanha. The evolution of the Bacaba and Castanha iron oxide-copper-gold deposits, located in the Carajás Mineral Province, Brazil, is discussed based on petrography, scanning electron microscopy, stable isotopes, and fluid inclusion analyses. The Castanha deposit is mainly hosted by ca. 2.75 Ga subvolcanic and volcanic rhyodacitic rocks, and gabbros. Early sodic (albite, scapolite) alteration was followed by high-temperature calcic-iron (actinolite-magnetite), potassic (biotite), and minor chlorite and sericite alteration. Calcite, REE carbonate, and epidote represent a late and proximal alteration to ore bodies. Ore breccias with Durchbewegung structure comprise chalcopyrite + pyrrhotite + pyrite ± cobaltpentlandite ± sphalerite ± marcasite and are notable due to their nickel-(zinc) enrichment. The Bacaba Deposit is hosted by the ca. 3.00 Ga Bacaba Tonalite, 2.85 Ga Serra Dourada Granite, and gabbro bodies. Early (ca. 2.70 Ga) alteration at Bacaba includes sodic (albite, scapolite), iron (magnetite), and potassic-iron (K feldspar-magnetite, biotite) associations. Well-developed late chlorite, albite, sericite, calcite-hematite-(musketovite) alteration formed during a Paleoproterozoic overprinting (ca. 2.06 Ga). The Bacaba ore is composed of (I) chalcopyrite ± magnetite ± bornite, and (II) chalcopyrite ± pyrite ± hematite/musketovite, related to early potassic-iron and late alteration, respectively. The Castanha deposit was formed from magmatic fluid (δ18O H2O = 9.5 ± 0.5‰ to 5.2 ± 1.0‰, at 500 to 400 °C) and sulfur (δ34S = 0.1–3‰) sources, with a limited contribution of externally-derived fluids during its evolution. Ore precipitation progressed under considerably low f S 2 and f O 2 conditions, at relatively high temperatures (>370 ± 50 °C). Fluid inclusion analyses indicate greater proximity of the Castanha deposit to the source of a hot overpressured magmatic fluid, suggesting its formation in a high-temperature hydrothermal center. Fluid-rock interaction coupled with increasing pH might have been the critical factors in destabilizing the metal-chloride complex in the Castanha deposit. The Bacaba deposit evolved from a fluid-mixing between hot (>450 °C) hypersaline CaCl 2 -NaCl-bearing magmatic brine (>30 mass % equivalent) and a less saline, colder, and 18O-depleted and D-enriched fluid (e.g., seawater or low-latitude meteoric water). Mixing resulted in an oxidizing environment, dilution (salinities between 35 and 4 mass % equivalent), and temperature drop (160–190 °C), triggering the ore precipitation. At Bacaba, the slightly higher δ34S values (1.3–5.4‰) may reflect an additional contribution of externally-derived sulfur through the thermochemical reduction of oxidized sulfur species. In the Southern Copper Belt, the regional spatial distribution of the sulfur isotope compositions shows the highest δ34S sulfide values close to the Paleoproterozoic Sossego Orebody and the Alvo 118 deposit. This might suggest significant involvement of externally-derived components (e.g., diluted fluids and sulfur) during late stages of a protracted hydrothermal evolution in the Carajás IOCG deposits. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]