Application of Chlorite Geothermometry to Hydrothermal Alteration in Toyoha Geothermal System, Southwestern Hokkaido, Japan

Abstract

AbstractIn this study, we applied chemical geothermometers to the estimation of formation temperatures of chlorites from various types of hydrothermally altered rocks in the Toyoha geothermal field, using core samples from six drill holes (TH‐2 to TH‐7) together with wasted ore samples from Toyoha vein‐type ore deposit. Based on the preliminary examination of mineral assemblages by X‐ray powder diffraction and optical microscopy, hydrothermal alteration observed through the drill holes was classified into four types of alteration zones: propylitic, mixed‐layer minerals, kaolin minerals, and ore mineralized zones. The mineral assemblage of the ore mineralized zone observed through TH‐2, TH‐4, and TH‐6 is similar to those of Toyoha ore veins reported previously. The Fe3+/ΣFe ratios of chlorites were determined by X‐ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), in addition to the usual microprobe analyses. The ratios ranged from 0.20–0.26 for chlorites from the propylitic alteration zone and from 0.13 to 0.17 for those from the ore mineralized zone associated with sulfide minerals. After correcting the Fe3+ contents in the octahedral sites of chlorite structures, we obtained acceptable temperatures of the chlorite formation by application of geothermometers, for instance, a similar range of 150–300°C for chlorites from either the propylitic zone or the ore mineralized zone developed through TH‐2, TH‐4, and TH‐6. Chlorites from the ore mineralized zone proximal to the Toyoha deposit are characterized by high Fe and Mn contents compared to the propylitic chlorites, which is similar to the Toyoha vein‐filling chlorites; the formation temperatures were close to both the homogenization temperatures of fluid inclusions and the present subsurface temperatures measured through drill holes. Chlorites from the Toyoha ore veins, however, gave slightly higher formation temperatures (180–350°C) than those of chlorites from the ore mineralized zone in the drill cores. This suggests that several types of hydrothermal alteration occurred at different stages in the Toyoha geothermal field and the composition of product chlorite was controlled not only by the temperature but also the composition of fluid related to the formation. Reliable estimation of temperature for the chlorite formation provides basic information on evaluating correctly other physicochemical conditions prevalent at the formation.