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A special issue of Minerals (ISSN 2075-163X). This special issue belongs to the section "Mineral Geochemistry and Geochronology".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (9 August 2024) | Viewed by 10402

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Prof. Dr. Basem Zoheir

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Institute of Geosciences, University of Kiel, 24118 Kiel, Germany
Interests: mineralogy; economic geology; mineral exploration; remote sensing; structural geology; geochronology
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Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

For decades, we have witnessed the fast-progressing use of in situ microanalytical techniques in geological research that significantly contribute to revealing the details of the mantle and crustal processes. These techniques, including X-ray energy dispersive and wavelength dispersive spectrometry, X-ray fluorescence, electron backscatter diffraction, Raman spectroscopy, secondary ion mass spectroscopy, and laser ablation inductively-coupled mass spectrometry, are common. These highly flexible techniques enable single-point(spot) analysis/ablation for inclusions, line or raster sampling for bulk analysis or imaging, and precise time-depth profiling studies.

This Special Issue intends to publish a wide spectrum of interdisciplinary studies and new findings. Investigations that integrate microscopic and microanalytical data quantitatively and forensically to answer novel scientific questions and studies that attempt to advance understanding of terrestrial and extra-terrestrial igneous, metamorphic, and sedimentary processes, as well as mining and ore petrology, are highly welcomed.

Prof. Dr. Basem Zoheir
Guest Editor

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Keywords

microchemical analysis
mineral deposits
petrogenesis
trace elements
microtextures

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Published Papers (6 papers)

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Research

39 pages, 18863 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Provenance of the He 8 Member of the Upper Paleozoic Shihezi Formation, Ordos Basin, China: Insights from Heavy Minerals, Paleocurrents, Detrital Zircon Chronology, and Hf Isotopes

by Wenqi Pan, Ziwen Jiang, Liyong Fan, Zhengtao Zhang, Zhichao Li, Shangwei Ma, Zhendong Wang, Xiangjun Li and Weiran Zhao

Minerals 2024, 14(11), 1076; https://doi.org/10.3390/min14111076 - 25 Oct 2024

Viewed by 884

Abstract

The Ordos Basin is located in the western part of the North China Craton. The Upper Paleozoic Shihezi Formation, particularly the He 8 Member, is one of the main gas-bearing strata. However, the source areas for the north and south sections have not been clearly distinguished, which has constrained oil and gas exploration to some extent. Therefore, understanding the source rock evolution of He 8 Member in both the south and north basins will provide a favorable theoretical basis for oil and gas exploration. The provenance of the He 8 Member of the Shihezi Formation in the Ordos Basin has not been well defined until now. Seven wellbore sandstone samples and three field outcrop sandstone samples from the He 8 Member in the Ordos Basin were analyzed. Based on zircon U–Pb dating and Lu–Hf isotope analyses, zircon assemblages of 520–386 Ma and 350–268 Ma in the southern Ordos Basin might have originated from the North Qinling Orogenic Belt (NQinOB) and the North Qilian Orogenic Belt (NQiOB); the 350–268 Ma age group of zircons from the NQinOB, and a large number of ~320–260 Ma detrital zircons supplied to the southern Ordos Basin by the NQinOB suggest that NQinOB magmatic and/or metamorphic events may have occurred in the NQinOB during the ~320–260 Ma period. From ~320–260 Ma, the NQinOB might have experienced significant tectonic activity that has not been fully revealed thus far. The zircons from 2600–2300 Ma, 2000–1600 Ma, and 450–300 Ma in the northern Ordos Basin might have been derived from the Trans-North China Orogenic Belt (TNCO), the Khondalite Belt, the Yinshan Belt, and the Alxa Belt. The paleocurrent and heavy mineral analyses determined that there are certain differences between the northern Ordos Basin and southern Ordos Basin, with unstable minerals such as barite and pyrite, as well as moderately stable minerals such as garnet, showing an increasing trend from south to north. There are also differences in the dominant paleocurrent directions between the south and north parts of the basin, and the Hf isotope data in the Ordos Basin show two-stage Hf model ages (T_DM2) ranging from 918 Ma to 3574 Ma. As a result, the He 8 Member deposits in the southern Ordos Basin and northern Ordos Basin had different sources. The southern Ordos Basin might have derived from the NQinOB, the NQiOB, and the TNCO, and the northern Ordos Basin might have derived from the TNCO, the Khondalite Belt, the Yinshan Belt, and the Alxa Belt. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue In-Situ Microanalytical Techniques in Geological and Geochronological Research)

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20 pages, 10269 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Neoproterozoic Tectonics of the Arabian-Nubian Shield: Insights from U–Pb Zircon Geochronology, Sr–Nd–Hf Isotopes, and Geochemistry of the Deki Amhare Complex Granitoids, Central Eritrea

by Peng Hu, Guoping Zeng, Zicheng Zhang, Wenshuai Xiang, Junsheng Jiang and Kai Zhao

Minerals 2024, 14(11), 1067; https://doi.org/10.3390/min14111067 - 24 Oct 2024

Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1071

Abstract

The Deki Amhare complex is located in central Eritrea, within the Arabian–Nubian Shield (ANS). It consists of an inner core of monzogranite porphyry and diorite enclaves (MMEs), surrounded outwardly by granodiorite and quartz diorite. The zircon U–Pb ages, whole-rock geochemistry, and Sr–Nd–Hf isotopic compositions of the Deki Amhare complex granitoids were used to discuss the Neoproterozoic tectonics of the ANS. The Late Tonian granodiorite and quartz diorite are metaluminous and calc-alkaline to slightly high-K calc-alkaline I-type plutons, with ages of 811.2 ± 4.8 Ma and 811.6 ± 5.7 Ma, respectively. They exhibit positive ε_Hf(t) (7.6–9.5) and ε_Nd(t) (3.9–4.7) values and relatively low (⁸⁷Sr/⁸⁶Sr)_i ratios (0.70374–0.70463), indicating that they derived from the partial melting of a metasomatized mantle wedge during intra-oceanic subduction. The Ediacaran monzogranite porphyry and MMEs are subalkaline to alkaline A₂-type granitoids with ages of 620.0 ± 4.3 Ma and 614.8 ± 3.9 Ma. These display positive ε_Hf(t) (5.3–8.7) and ε_Nd(t) (4.2–4.7) values, as well as low (⁸⁷Sr/⁸⁶Sr)_i ratios (0.70310–0.70480), implying that they formed through crust–mantle magma mixing related to post-collisional slab break-off. Based on these data, three stages of regional tectonic evolution can be described: (1) from ~1200 Ma to ~875 Ma, the mafic oceanic crust was derived from depleted mantle during the opening of the Mozambique Ocean; (2) from ~875 Ma to ~630 Ma, intra-oceanic subduction and arc formation occurred with the development of I-type batholiths; and (3) from ~630 Ma to ~600 Ma, crustal and lithospheric reworking took place post-collision, leading to the formation of A₂-type granitoids. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue In-Situ Microanalytical Techniques in Geological and Geochronological Research)

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25 pages, 10774 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Recycling of Au during Serpentinization of Ultramafic Rocks: A Case Study from Neoproterozoic Forearc Ophiolites, Egypt

by Basem Zoheir, Astrid Holzheid, Aliaa Diab, Azza Ragab, Fatma Deshesh and Amr Abdelnasser

Minerals 2024, 14(9), 916; https://doi.org/10.3390/min14090916 - 6 Sep 2024

Viewed by 1555

Abstract

Gold, along with other highly siderophile elements, is hosted by Fe-Ni sulfide phases within peridotites and mantle melts. In this context, the lithospheric mantle emerges as a principal reservoir, providing materials crucial for the inception, augmentation, conveyance, and genesis of auriferous CO₂-rich mantle fluids. EPMA and laser ablation ICP-MS data, integrated with petrographic and SEM studies, were used to assess the transfer of base and precious metals into the Earth’s crust, discerning between inputs from subduction-related processes and post-formation metasomatism. The study focuses on sulfide minerals in serpentinized peridotites of the Abu Dahr ophiolite in the Eastern Desert of Egypt. Originating in a supra-subduction setting during the Neoproterozoic era, the Abu Dahr peridotites underwent serpentinization and contain discrete sulfide minerals, including pentlandite, nickeloan pyrrhotite, millerite, chalcopyrite, and violarite. The uneven distribution of calcite ± magnesite ± serpentine veins throughout the host ophiolitic rocks reflects the intricate interplay of serpentinization and carbonation, as fO₂ and fCO₂ conditions fluctuated. Geochemical data of the host rocks reveal a progressive geochemical evolution marked by concurrent silicification and carbonate alteration, driven by the interaction of ultramafic rocks with hydrothermal fluids, ultimately leading to the extensive silicification and formation of birbirite. The ICP-MS data show that pentlandite contains up to 6.11 ppm of Au, pyrrhotite up to 0.41 ppm, millerite 0.34 ppm, and violarite 0.12 ppm. The gold concentration in pentlandite is significantly higher than in pyrrhotite, millerite, and violarite, which exhibit lower but detectable levels of Au. Desulfurization reactions of sulfide minerals during progressive serpentinization triggered the release and redistribution of Au as well as base metals and highly siderophile elements. Published thermodynamic modeling at temperatures below 300 °C and pressures of 50 MPa closely replicates the mineral assemblage observed in the Abu Dahr ophiolites, including sulfide assemblages and variations in major elements such as Mg and Fe. This suggests that the serpentinization process, along with associated hydrothermal fluids, played a crucial role in the mobilization and redistribution of gold, particularly affecting its incorporation into secondary sulfides. The mobilization of Au and other highly siderophile elements during serpentinization occurred in an environment marked by strong oxidation, as indicated by the presence of acicular antigorite, magnetite, millerite, and goethite intergrowths. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue In-Situ Microanalytical Techniques in Geological and Geochronological Research)

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22 pages, 5061 KiB

Open AccessFeature PaperArticle

A Protocol for Electron Probe Microanalysis (EPMA) of Monazite for Chemical Th-U-Pb Age Dating

by Bernhard Schulz, Joachim Krause and Wolfgang Dörr

Minerals 2024, 14(8), 817; https://doi.org/10.3390/min14080817 - 12 Aug 2024

Cited by 2 | Viewed by 1686

Abstract

A protocol for the monazite (LREE,Y,Th,U,Si,Ca)PO₄ in situ Th-U-Pb dating by electron probe microanalyser (EPMA) involves a suitable reference monazite. Ages of several potential reference monazites were determined by TIMS-U-Pb isotope analysis. The EPMA protocol is based on calibration with REE-orthophosphates and a homogeneous Th-rich reference monazite at beam conditions of 20 kV, 50 nA, and 5 µm for best possible matrix matches and avoidance of dead time bias. EPMA measurement of samples and repeated analysis of the reference monazite are performed at beam conditions of 20 kV, 100 nA, and 5 µm. Analysis of Pb and U on a PETL crystal requires YLg-on-PbMa and ThMz-on-UMb interference corrections. Offline re-calibration of the Th calibration on the Th-rich reference monazite, to match its nominal age, is an essential part of the protocol. EPMA-Th-U-Pb data are checked in ThO₂*-PbO coordinates for matching isochrones along regressions forced through zero. Error calculations of monazite age populations are performed by weighted average routines. Depending on the number of analyses and spread in ThO₂*-PbO coordinates, minimum errors <10 Ma are possible and realistic for Paleozoic monazite ages. A test of the protocol was performed on two garnet metapelite samples from the Paleozoic metamorphic Zone of Erbendorf-Vohenstrauß (NE-Bavaria, western Bohemian Massif). Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue In-Situ Microanalytical Techniques in Geological and Geochronological Research)

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20 pages, 9384 KiB

Open AccessFeature PaperArticle

Petrogenetic Implications of the Lithium-Rich Tongtianmiao Granite Pluton, South China: Evidence from Geochemistry and Geochronology

by Xinhui Yu, Yongzhang Zhou, Wei Cao, Hanyu Wang, Can Zhang, Lifeng Zhong, Wu Wei, Zhiqiang Wang, Jianying Yao, Zhiqiang Chen and Qinghe Xu

Minerals 2024, 14(7), 637; https://doi.org/10.3390/min14070637 - 21 Jun 2024

Viewed by 1385

Abstract

The South China Block, a region renowned for its extensive granite distribution and rich metal deposits, serves as a natural laboratory for the study of granite-related mineralization. This research focuses on the Tongtianmiao granite pluton, which is located at the intersection of the Qin-Hang and Nanling metallogenic belts and has been confirmed as a significant lithium mineral resource. Despite its discovery and ongoing development, the lithium-rich Tongtianmiao pluton has been understudied, particularly concerning its petrogenesis, which has only recently come to the forefront of scientific inquiry. By integrating an array of petrogeochemical data with geochronological studies derived from zircon and monazite dating, this study provides insights into the magmatic processes related to lithium enrichment in the Tongtianmiao granites. The Tongtianmiao granites are classified as A-type granites characterized by high SiO₂ contents (69.18–78.20 wt.%, average = 74.08 wt.%), K₂O + Na₂O contents (4.59–8.34 wt.%, average = 6.86 wt.%), A/CNK > 1.2, and low concentrations of Ca, Mg, and Fe. These granites are enriched in alkali metals such as Li, Rb, and Cs but are significantly depleted in Ba, Sr, and Eu. They show no significant fractionation of light or heavy rare-earth elements but present characteristic tetrad effects. A finding of this study is the identification of multiple ages from in situ zircon U–Pb dating, which implies a prolonged history of magmatic activity. However, given the high uranium content in zircons, which could render U–Pb ages unreliable, emphasis is placed on the monazite U–Pb ages. These ages cluster at approximately 172.1 ± 1.1 Ma and 167.9 ± 1.6 Ma, indicating a Middle Jurassic period of granite formation. This timing correlates with the retreat of the Pacific subduction plate and the associated NE-trending extensional fault activity, which likely provided favorable conditions for lithium enrichment. The study concluded that the Tongtianmiao granites were formed through partial melting of crustal materials and subsequent underplating by mantle-derived materials, and were contaminated by strata materials. This process resulted in the formation of highly differentiated granite through magmatic differentiation and external forces. These findings have significant implications for understanding the petrogenesis of lithium-rich granites and are expected to inform future exploration endeavors in the Tongtianmiao pluton. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue In-Situ Microanalytical Techniques in Geological and Geochronological Research)

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28 pages, 6429 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Polymetallic Sulfide–Quartz Vein System in the Koudiat Aïcha Massive Sulfide Deposit, Jebilet Massif, Morocco: Microanalytical and Fluid Inclusion Approaches

by Samira Essarraj, Basem Zoheir, Matthew Steele-MacInnis, Matthias Frische, Abdelali Khalifa and Abdelmalek Ouadjou

Minerals 2022, 12(11), 1396; https://doi.org/10.3390/min12111396 - 31 Oct 2022

Cited by 1 | Viewed by 2791

Abstract

The Koudiat Aïcha Zn-Cu-Pb deposit (3–Mt ore @ 3 wt.% Zn, 1 wt.% Pb, 0.6 wt.% Cu) in the Jebilet massif (Morocco) comprises stratabound lenticular orebodies and crosscutting sulfide-bearing quartz ± carbonate veins in the lower Carboniferous Sarhlef volcano sedimentary succession. The veins are characterized by abundant pyrrhotite, sphalerite, subordinate chalcopyrite and galena and rare Ag and Au minerals. The stratabound massive sulfide ores are attributed to a “VMS” type, whereas the origin of the sulfide–quartz ± carbonate veins remains poorly understood. New mineralogical and microanalytical data (SEM, EPMA and LA-ICP-MS) combined with fluid inclusion results point to two-stage vein formation. The early stage involved C–H–O–N Variscan metamorphic fluids which percolated through fractures and shear zones and deposited pyrite at >400 °C, followed by the formation of pyrrhotite and sphalerite (300 ± 20 °C) in quartz veins and in banded and breccia ores. The pyrrhotite–sphalerite mineralization was overprinted by aqueous brines (34 to 38 wt% eq. NaCl + CaCl₂) that precipitated carbonate and Cu-Pb sulfides (±Ag-Au) at ~180–210 °C through mixing with low-salinity fluids during tectonic reworking of early-formed structures and in late extension fractures. The latter ore fluids were similar to widspread post-Variscan evaporitic brines that circulated in the Central Jebilet. Overlapping or successive pulses of different ore fluids, i.e., metamorphic fluids and basinal brines, led to metal enrichment in the quartz–carbonate veins compared to the massive sulfide ores. These results underscore that even a single deposit may record several distinct mineralizing styles, such that the ultimate metal endowment may be cumulative over multiple stages. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue In-Situ Microanalytical Techniques in Geological and Geochronological Research)

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