Ar Isotopic Compositions Research Articles

Different proportion of mantle-derived noble gases in the Cu–Fe and Fe skarn deposits: He–Ar isotopic constraint in the Edong district, Eastern China

Cu and Fe skarns are two economically important types of skarn deposit worldwide, but the critical factors controlling the difference in metal associations remain enigmatic. The Edong ore district, China, presents an excellent opportunity to study the differences between Cu–Fe and Fe skarn deposits. We have measured He–Ar isotopes trapped in fluid released by crushing pyrite and chalcopyrite from four well known Cu–Fe and Fe deposits in the Edong district, Eastern China, with the aim of constraining their different fluid source and then discussing the factors controlling their variations between Cu–Fe and Fe skarns.He–Ar isotopic compositions are markedly different between the Cu–Fe and Fe skarn deposits in the Edong district. 3He/4He ratios in the Cu–Fe deposits are 0.75–1.87Ra and 40Ar/36Ar ratios are 300–472. By contrast, He–Ar isotopic compositions in minerals from the Fe deposits have lower 3He/4He and 40Ar/36Ar ratios of 0.08–0.93Ra and 299–361, respectively. These results suggest that noble gas of the Cu–Fe and Fe skarn deposits in the Edong district formed by variable degrees of mixing between a magmatic fluid containing a mantle component, and modified air–saturated water (MASW). Importantly, He–Ar isotope data provide compelling evidence that contrasting fluid sources were involved in the formation of the Cu–Fe and Fe deposits, i.e., mineralizing fluids of the Cu–Fe deposits could have a greater contribution from mantle component, and little involvement of MASW than those of the Fe deposits in the Edong district. This conclusion is consistent with obvious differences in the nature of the intrusions related to mineralization, as well as sulfur isotopic compositions of sulfides in the Cu–Fe and Fe deposits. It is most likely that different proportion of mantle-derived noble gases play an essential role in controlling differences between the Cu–Fe and Fe skarn deposits.

Geochemistry of the mantle source and magma feeding system beneath Turrialba volcano, Costa Rica

Turrialba volcano lies in the southern sector of the Central American Volcanic Front (CAVF) in Costa Rica. The geochemistry of major and trace elements, and Sr and Nd isotopes of a selected suite of volcanic rocks ranging in composition from basaltic andesite to dacite and belonging to the last 10ka of activity of Turrialba volcano is described, together with the He-, Ne-, and Ar-isotope compositions of fluid inclusions hosted in olivine and pyroxene crystals. Most of the variability in the rock chemistry is consistent with typical trends of fractional crystallization, but there is an outlying group of andesites that displays an adakite-like composition (with a consistent depletion in high-field-strength elements and a marked enrichment in Sr) and low 3He/4He ratios (7.0–7.2 Ra). The trace-element composition of these rocks is typical of subduction-related magmas influenced by an OIB-like component at the source associated with the subduction of the Galapagos seamounts. The 87Sr/86Sr (0.703612–0.703678) and 143Nd/144Nd (0.512960–0.512984) ratios of the bulk rocks vary within narrow ranges, and are among the least-radiogenic isotope signatures of the CAVF volcanoes. The 3He/4He ratios measured in fluid inclusions hosted in olivine crystals (up to 8.1 Ra) are among the highest for the CAVF, and indicate that radiogenic 4He from fluids derived from the subducting slab contribute negligibly to the mantle wedge. The difference in He isotopes between most of studied rocks and those showing adakite-like features reasonably reflects two distinct components in the local mantle: (1) a MORB-like component, characterized by the highest He-isotope ratios (7.8–8.1 Ra), and (2) an OIB-like component, characterized by lower He-isotope ratios (7.0–7.2 Ra), coming from the subduction of the Galapagos seamounts. An overview at the regional scale indicates that high He-isotope ratios are peculiar to the two extreme sectors of the CAVF (Costa Rica to the south and Guatemala to the north), whereas in the central sector (Nicaragua) the magma source is probably contaminated by slab fluids.For the past few years Turrialba volcano has been in a volcanic unrest phase that has included a series of explosions, the most recent of which occurred between October 2014 and May 2015. The volcano is subject to an ongoing safety alert due to the possibility of a magmatic eruption. One of the crucial questions to be addressed is the kind of eruption that can be expected, and hence what type of magma is likely to be involved. The high 3He/4He ratios (7.8–8.0 Ra) measured during 2011 at high-temperature fumaroles of Turrialba craters are comparable to those measured in fluid inclusions of basaltic andesites that erupted in 1864–1866, suggesting that the magma currently feeding the shallow plumbing system has similar geochemical characteristics to the most recently erupted magma.

Cosmogenic nuclides in the Košice meteorite: Experimental investigations and Monte Carlo simulations

AbstractResults of nondestructive gamma‐ray analyses of cosmogenic radionuclides (7Be, 22Na, 26Al, 46Sc, 48V, 54Mn, 56Co, 57Co, 58Co, and 60Co) in 19 fragments of the Košice meteorite are presented and discussed. The activities varied mainly with position of fragments in the meteoroid body, and with fluxes of cosmic‐ray particles in the space affecting radionuclides with different half‐lives. Monte Carlo simulations of the production rates of 60Co and 26Al compared with experimental data indicate that the pre‐atmospheric radius of the meteoroid was 50 ± 5 cm. In two Košice fragments, He, Ne, and Ar concentrations and isotopic compositions were also analyzed. The noble‐gas cosmic‐ray exposure age of the Košice meteorite is 5–7 Myr, consistent with the conspicuous peak (or doublet peak) in the exposure age histogram of H chondrites. One sample likely contains traces of implanted solar wind Ne, suggesting that Košice is a regolith breccia. The agreement between the simulated and observed 26Al activities indicate that the meteoroid was mostly irradiated by a long‐term average flux of galactic cosmic rays of 4.8 particles cm−2 s−1, whereas the short‐lived radionuclide activities are more consistent with a flux of 7.0 protons cm−2 s−1 as a result of the low solar modulation of the galactic cosmic rays during the last few years before the meteorite fall.

A mixture of mantle and crustal derived He–Ar–C–S ore-forming fluids at the Baogutu reduced porphyry Cu deposit, western Junggar

Most large to huge porphyry Cu deposits (PCDs) are oxidized, making the Baogutu reduced porphyry Cu deposit (RPCD) a relative rarity. CH4-bearing ore-forming fluids formed at several hydrothermal stages, however, their source is still unclear. To address this issue, isotopic investigations of sulfide He–Ar–S and calcite C were conducted. Fluid inclusions hosted in sulfides (arsenopyrite, chalcopyrite and pyrite) showed 3He/4He ratios of 0.06–0.30Ra (Ra is the 3He/4He ratio of air=1.39×10−6), 40Ar/36Ar of 311–405, 40Ar∗/4He of 0.06–1.01, and F4He ratios of 902–11,074 (sample BGT-Py 2 yielded a ratio of 100), indicating a predominantly crustal source for the fluids with minor mantle input (less than 5%). The δ13C values of carbonate yielded a value of −7.8‰ (n=3), implying that CO2 was probably sourced from mantle or juvenile lower crust. According to the restricted sulfide δ34S values, the total S isotopic composition of the hydrothermal system was estimated to be 0.0–0.5‰, suggesting that the sulfur was derived from mantle or lower crust magmatic source. According to the published granitoids Nd isotopic compositions at the Baogutu RPCD, fairly young TDM model ages (450–650Ma) suggest that the granitoids were derived from partial melting of a juvenile basaltic lower crust. Thus, we propose that small proportion of mantle-derived fluids (less than 5%), probably rise up and then mix with the fluids of juvenile lower crust under an extensional tectonic setting, forming the mantle-derived Sr–Nd–Pb–S–C but crustal He–Ar isotopic compositions.

PVT parameters of fluid inclusions and the C, O, N, and Ar isotopic composition in a garnet lherzolite xenolith from the Oasis Jetty, East Antarctica

Orthopyroxene, clinopyroxene, and olivine from a metasomatized mantle xenolith of garnet lherzolite in alkaline rocks at the Jetty Oasis, East Antarctica, contain numerous carbon dioxide-dominated composite melt-fluid and fluidized sulfide-silicate (±carbonate) inclusions. Although the maximum pressure under which the inclusions were captured by rock-forming minerals was evaluated at 13 kbar, its actual value should have been much higher, judging by the fact that the inclusions have lost part of their material (decrepitated) when the xenolith was brought to the surface. Two major fluid populations are distinguished. The fluids entrapped during the earlier episode have a more complicated composition. Dominated by CO2, these fluids contain much N2 (0.1–0.2 mole fractions), H2S, and perhaps, also H2O and are hosted by sulfide-silicate (±carbonate) inclusions produced by liquid immiscibility. As these inclusions evolved, they enriched in CO2 and depleted in H2S and N2. Although the concentrations of N2, H2S, and H2O were generally relatively low, these components played an important role in mantle metasomatism, as is reflected in the geochemistry of the derived magmas. The fluids of the younger episode (pressures lower than 7 kbar) are notably richer not only in CO2 but also in H2O (up to the appearance of inclusions with a liquid aqueous phase and the formation of CO2 gas hydrate when cooled in a cryometric stage by liquid N2). The effect of fluids on the mantle source in two discrete episodes is also confirmed by isotopic-geochemical data. Isotopic data on gases obtained immediately from fluid inclusions in minerals by the stepwise crushing technique provide evidence of the evolution of elemental and isotopic ratios of the gases in the course of the metasomatic processes. The high-pressure fluid inclusions of the earlier episode have low C/N2, C/Ar, and N2/Ar ratios, isotopically heavy N2, and somewhat elevated (to 530) 40Ar/36Ar ratios. The younger fluids typically have higher (by two to three orders of magnitude) C/N2 and C/Ar ratios, lower δ13C of CO2, and N2/Ar and 40Ar/36Ar ratios close to the atmospheric values. The nitrogen and argon isotopic compositions and elemental ratios suggest that the younger fluids could have been produced by two-component mixing in the mantle-atmosphere system. Comprehensive analysis of the data and in particular the 40Ar/36Ar ratios, which are atypical of the mantle, and an increase in the H2O concentration, suggests a subduction-related nature of the fluids.

Origin of the ore-forming fluids and metals of the Bangpu porphyry Mo–Cu deposit of Tibet, China: Constraints from He–Ar, H–O, S and Pb isotopes

The Bangpu porphyry Mo–Cu deposit is a representative Mo-dominated deposit besides the Sharang porphyry Mo deposit in the Gangdese metallogenic belt. The Mo–Cu mineralization has a close relationship with the monzogranite porphyry and diorite porphyrite. We identify three stages during the ore formation: a pre-ore stage, a main-ore stage with Mo–Cu deposited dominantly, and a post-ore stage. In this study, He–Ar, H–O, S and Pb isotopic compositions of the Bangpu deposit were determined. Based on these determinations, integrated isotope geochemistry studies were performed to constrain the possible sources of the ore-forming fluids and metals. The 3He/4He and 40Ar/36Ar ratios of fluid inclusions exhibit a range of 0.12209–0.36370Ra and 275.6–346.1, respectively. The 4He and 40Ar concentrations vary from 1.51 to 3.57 (10−7cm3STPg−1) and 0.49 to 9.31 (10−7cm3STPg−1), respectively. He–Ar isotopic compositions suggest dominantly crustal-derived fluid with minor amount of meteoric water in the main ore stage. The δ18Ofluid and δDfluid values vary from −1.3‰ to 3.9‰ and −140.5‰ to −73.7‰, respectively, indicating that magma fluids mixed with meteoric water. The average δ34S value of the sulfides (0.3‰) in the main-ore stage is close to the ore-forming porphyries, indicating a magmatic source. The lead isotopic components of ore sulfides exhibit restricted ranges with 206Pb/204Pb, 207Pb/204Pb, and 208Pb/204Pb ratios of 18.450–18.728, 15.602–5.672, and 38.715–39.211, respectively and μ values in the range of and 9.46–9.58, indicating ore-forming metals of primarily an upper crust source with a small amount of mantle materials. Compared to the Bangpu deposit, the ore metals derived from mantle are even greater in the Jiama and Qulong deposits, which leads to Cu being the dominant mineralization in the Jiama and Qulong deposit.

Stable (H, O, C) and noble-gas (He and Ar) isotopic compositions from calcite and fluorite in the Speewah Dome, Kimberley Region, Western Australia: implications for the conditions of crystallization and evidence for the influence of crustal-mantle fluid mixing

In this study, the C-O-isotopic data from calcite at Yungul and Wilmott (Speewah. Western-Australia) are integrated with microthermometry, H2O-, CO2-content and H-He-Ar-isotopic data from fluid inclusions in genetically related calcite and fluorite to map the origin and crystallization paths of the fluids. In addition to the hydrogen isotopic compositions of fluid inclusions in fluorite, oxygen isotopic compositions were also determined by cavity ring-down spectroscopy. The geochemical data suggest mixing of a CO2-dominated mantle fluid and a H2O-domintated crustal brine. The fluid produced by this mixing is characterized by radiogenic (crustal-like) 3He/4He ratios, crustal-like δD values, relatively high salinity (19 − 24wt.% NaCl eq.), moderate homogenization temperatures (150 − 450 °C) and mantle-like CO2/3He ratios. Moreover, the large isotopic and elemental variations found in calcite indicate that its formation was accompanied by an extensive degassing (open system) leading to a decrease in δD and an increase in the CO2/3He values relative to the starting fluid composition. This degassing is consistent with the fluidal- and breccia-like texture of calcite observed in the field. In contrast, the fluorite which has coarse-grained banded to vughy textures formed in a passive aqueous system. Apparently the fluid that formed the fluorite has the same origin as the calcite, but the higher water content and the more radiogenic 3He/4He ratios reflect a greater involvement of crustal fluids. The historical description of the calcite-fluorite system in the Speewah area as “carbonatite” is now considered inappropriate because there is no evidence that crystallization is dominated by magmatic processes.

Phenocryst He–Ar isotopic and whole-rock geochemical constraints on the origin of crustal components in the mantle source of Cenozoic continental basalt in eastern China

Continental basalts commonly exhibit similar geochemical compositions to oceanic island basalts, but their origin is still enigmatic in chemical geodynamics. This involves a resolution to the nature of crustal components in their mantle sources. For this purpose, we have studied the He and Ar isotopic compositions of mineral phenocrysts from Cenozoic continental basalts in eastern China. The results are combined with existing data for whole-rock geochemistry, yielding two trends between noble gas isotopic and other geochemical indicators. First is high 3He/4He ratios of 6.6 to 7.5RA and low 4He/40Ar* ratios of 0.07 to 1.39 in association with varying (La/Yb)N values from 10.4 to 31.8. Second is low 3He/4He ratios of 0.6 to 2.4RA and variable 4He/40Ar* ratios from 0.68 to 15.47 in association with low (La/Yb)N values of 11.3 to 12.0. Phenocryst 40Ar/36Ar ratios vary from 331.0 to 1677.4, in which the low ratios are associated with the low (La/Yb)N values. In combination with whole-rock Ba/Th and Sr/Y ratios as well as initial Sr and Nd isotopic ratios, we suggest three-component mixing between enriched MORB mantle, altered oceanic basalt and seafloor sediment to generate the mantle sources. The two kinds of crustal components would be incorporated into the mantle sources in the form of felsic melts. One is adakitic melt deriving from the altered oceanic basalt and thus low in Ba/Th ratios but high in Sr/Y, (La/Yb)N and εNd(t) values. The other is sialic melt originating from the seafloor sediment and thus high in Ba/Th ratios but low in Sr/Y, (La/Yb)N and εNd(t) values. The atmospheric Ar and crustal He noble gas components would be carried by the both seawater–hydrothermally altered basalt and seafloor sediment on the oceanic crust. These oceanic crust-derived melts would serve as a metasomatic agent to transfer the supracrustal He and Ar isotopic signatures to the mantle sources. The felsic melts would react with the mantle wedge peridotite during slab–mantle interaction in oceanic subduction channel. Therefore, the noble gas isotopic compositions of mantle sources for intraplate basalts are primarily determined by the budget between the mantle and crustal components during the melt–peridotite in oceanic subduction factory.

Isotope geochemistry and geochronology of the Qiubudong silver deposit, central North China Craton: Implications for ore genesis and lithospheric dynamics

The Qiubudong silver deposit is a breccia-type silver deposit in the Fuping ore cluster region within the Taihang Mountain region of the central North China Craton (NCC). The cylindrical breccia pipe occurs at the conjunction of a NE trending fracture and a NW trending fracture and along the latter a number of quartz porphyry and felsite dikes are emplaced. The breccia clasts include quartz porphyry, leptite, and felsites, cemented mainly by felsic magmatic and hydrothermal components. The ore formation process can be divided into five stages: magnetite–quartz stage (I), biotite–quartz stage (II), quartz–pyrite stage (III), quartz-polymetallic sulfide stage (IV), and quartz–carbonate stage (V). Hydrothermal alteration is characterized by pyritization, sericitization, silicification, carbonatization, potash feldspathization, epidotization and chloritization with a systematic zoning from the ore body to the margin with transitional contact boundaries. We present S, Pb, He, and Ar isotope compositions of the ore minerals and evaluate the source of the ore-forming materials and fluids. The δ34S values of the pyrite range from 0.5‰ to 3.4‰, with an average of 1.6‰, consistent with a mantle input. The Pb isotope compositions from the sulfide minerals range from 15.799 to 16.049 for 206Pb/204Pb, 15.143 to 15.241 for 207Pb/204Pb, and 36.999 to 37.590 for 208Pb/204Pb, suggesting a lower crustal origin. Helium isotopic compositions of the fluid inclusions trapped in pyrite vary from 0.45Ra to 1.65Ra with an average of 0.98Ra (Ra is the 3He/4He ratio of air equal to 1.4×10−6), tending to crustal contribution with calculated mantle helium proportions ranging between 5% and 20% (average at 12%). Six pyrite samples from the silver deposit yield a Rb–Sr isochron age of 102.04±0.61Ma, whereas crystallization of the quartz porphyry dike is dated by zircon U–Pb LA-ICP-MS chronology at 107.95±0.87Ma. These ages suggest a close link between the silver mineralization and magmatism that generated the quartz porphyry. Combined with previous age data, we infer that the magmatism and metallogenesis in the central NCC took place during 140–100Ma with a duration of 40Ma, accompanied by mantle upwelling and lithospheric thinning.

Origin of the ore-forming fluids of the Tongchang porphyry Cu–Mo deposit in the Jinshajiang–Red River alkaline igneous belt, SW China: Constraints from He, Ar and S isotopes

The Jinshajiang–Red River alkaline igneous belt with abundant Cu–Mo–Au mineralization, in the eastern Indian–Asian collision zone, is an important Cenozoic magmatic belt formed under an intra-continental strike-slip system in southwestern (SW) China. The Tongchang deposit is a representative porphyry Cu–Mo deposit in southern segment of the Jinshajiang–Red River alkaline igneous belt, with 8621t Cu @ 1.24wt.% and 17,060t Mo @ 0.218wt.%. In this study, He, Ar and S isotopic compositions of the Tongchang deposit were determined. He and Ar isotopic compositions suggest that the ore-forming fluids, with 3He/4He ratios varying from 0.17 to 1.50Ra and 40Ar/36Ar ratios from 299.1 to 347.3 for the deposit, are a mixture between a crust-derived fluid (MASW) with near atmospheric Ar and crustal He, and a mantle-derived fluid. However, the δ34S values of the hydrothermal pyrite samples ranging from 1.0‰ to 1.5‰ with an average of 1.2‰, indicate that the sulfur in the ore-forming fluids of the Tongchang deposit was primarily derived from the magma or indirectly mantle-derived without assimilation of crustal sulfur. In combination with previously published He and Ar isotopic data of the Yulong and Machangqing deposits in northern and central segments of the Jinshajiang–Red River alkaline igneous belt, respectively, the ore-forming fluids of the Yulong and Machangqing deposits are obviously richer in 3He and 40Ar, and poorer in 36Ar in comparison with the Tongchang deposit, implying that more mantle-derived fluids were involved in the ore-forming fluids of the Yulong and Machangqing deposits than those for the Tongchang deposit. This might be one of the most important factors producing larger scales of mineralization in the Yulong and Machangqing deposits than the Tongchang deposit.

Heterogeneous upper mantle Ne, Ar and Xe isotopic compositions and a possible Dupal noble gas signature recorded in basalts from the Southwest Indian Ridge

Variations in heavy noble gas (Ne, Ar, Xe) isotopic compositions provide unique insights into the nature of heterogeneities in the mantle. However, few precise constraints on mantle source heavy noble gas isotopic compositions are available due to ubiquitous shallow-level atmospheric contamination. As a result, the extent of heterogeneity in mid-ocean ridge basalt (MORB) mantle source Ne, Ar and Xe isotopic compositions is unknown. Basalts from the ultra-slow spreading Southwest Indian Ridge (SWIR) between 7°E and 25°E exhibit remarkable variability in He isotopic composition: SWIR 4He/3He spans half the total range observed in all mantle-derived basalts. Therefore, basalts from the SWIR provide a unique window into upper mantle heterogeneity and present an ideal opportunity to characterize variations in upper mantle heavy noble gas isotopic composition. Here we present new high-precision Ne, Ar and Xe isotopic compositions as well as He, CO2, Ne, Ar and Xe abundances measured in basalt glasses from the SWIR. After correcting the measured values for shallow-level atmospheric contamination, significant and systematic variations in mantle source Ne, Ar and Xe compositions are observed. We note that large variations in source 40Ar/36Ar and 129Xe/130Xe are observed in basalts removed from the influence of known hotspots, indicating a heterogeneous mid-ocean ridge basalt source. Thus, SWIR heavy noble gas data reveal a greater degree of source heterogeneity than is evident in the 4He/3He systematics alone. The observed heavy noble gas isotopic heterogeneities imply that the average MORB source 40Ar/36Ar and 129Xe/130Xe ratios are not yet well-determined.Variation in MORB source 40Ar/36Ar and 129Xe/130Xe at a given 4He/3He and 21Ne/22Ne may reflect heterogeneous recycling of atmospheric Ar and Xe. In particular, we find low mantle source 40Ar/36Ar and 129Xe/130Xe ratios in the eastern region of the study area, which may reflect the noble gas signature of the Dupal mantle domain. Our observations require that the sampled mantle domain either is very ancient (>4.45Ga) or has been metasomatized by subduction zone fluids carrying recycled atmospheric Ar and Xe. However, our Xe isotopic measurements indicate that differences between MORB and ocean island basalt (OIB) source noble gas compositions cannot be explained by recycling of atmospheric noble gases alone. Instead, a relatively undegassed mantle reservoir is required to account for OIB noble gases. The SWIR data demonstrate that the reservoir supplying primordial noble gases to mantle plumes differentiated from the MORB source early in Earth history, and the two reservoirs have not been homogenized over 4.45Ga of mantle convection.

The heavy noble gas composition of the depleted MORB mantle (DMM) and its implications for the preservation of heterogeneities in the mantle

To characterize the heavy noble gas composition of MORBs we present new He, Ne, Ar, and Xe abundances and isotopic compositions from the equatorial Mid-Atlantic Ridge. Both depleted MORBs nominally devoid of plume influence and more enriched MORBs thought to represent the influence of a HIMU mantle plume are present in close geographical proximity in this region. Ne–Ar–Xe isotopic compositions in individual step-crushes are correlated, which, along with significant radiogenic excesses, allows correction for shallow-level air contamination. Based on the relationship between the noble gases and the lithophile isotopes (Sr, Nd and Pb), the depleted MORB mantle has a 21Ne/22Ne between 0.0617 and 0.0646, 40Ar/36Ar ratio of 41,500±9000 and 129Xe/130Xe ratio of 7.77±0.06. On the other hand, the HIMU-type MORBs are characterized by far less radiogenic Ne, Ar and Xe isotopic compositions with mantle source 21Ne/22Ne between 0.0544 and 0.0610, and 40Ar/36Ar and 129Xe/130Xe ratios of 18,100±600 and 7.21±0.06, respectively. The observation of less nucleogenic 21Ne/22Ne in HIMU-type MORBs is similar to observations from HIMU ocean islands and requires the HIMU plume to be comprised of both recycled and primitive material. Within the depleted MORBs we observe He and Ne to be negatively correlated. The observation suggests that along the equatorial Atlantic the most depleted MORBs are related to normal MORBs through the addition of a small proportion of a HIMU plume component.Our new Xe isotopic measurements demonstrate distinct 129Xe/136Xe ratios in the mantle sources of depleted MORBs, HIMU-type MORBs and the Iceland plume. While substantial injection of atmospheric Xe into these mantle sources is implied, the differences in Xe isotopic composition cannot result solely from recycling of air. Rather, they require that mantle plumes sample a reservoir less degassed than the depleted MORB mantle. This conclusion is consistent with a higher proportion of Pu- to U-derived fission Xe in Iceland and HIMU-type MORBs compared to the depleted MORBs. Overall, the Xe isotopic compositions imply that mantle plumes tap a reservoir that separated from the MORB source within the first 100 million years of Earth's history and that the two reservoirs have had limited direct mixing since then.

Hydrothermal fluids, argon isotopes and mineralization ages of the Fankou Pb–Zn deposit in south China: Insights from sphalerite 40Ar/39Ar progressive crushing

Hydrothermal fluid geochemistry and mineralization timing are two important factors in the genesis of a hydrothermal deposit. 40Ar/39Ar analyses of fluid inclusions not only provide time constraints for the mineralization but also help to clarify the K–Ca–Cl–Ar characteristics for the ore-forming fluids. In this study, six sphalerite samples collected from the Fankou lead–zinc sulfide deposit are investigated by 40Ar/39Ar in vacuo crushing. Gases liberated from the early and late crushing steps exhibit distinct Ar isotopic compositions and 40Ar/39Ar apparent ages. Argon released in the early steps has much higher 40Ar and 38ArCl and lower 37ArCa contents than those in the late steps. The significant excess Ar (40ArE) extracted in the early crushing steps shows a strong correlation with 38ArCl with very high 40ArE/38ArCl ratios. In contrast, those of the late steps mainly consist of atmospheric Ar and K-correlated radiogenic Ar with a constant 40ArR/39ArK ratio and the atmospheric initial 40Ar/36Ar ratio. As a result, all samples yield similar declining age spectra: the fore segments with anomalously old apparent ages decline quickly in the early crushing steps and the rear ones are flat with concordant apparent ages in the late crushing steps. The data points of the early steps define linear correlations in plots of 40ArNA/39ArK vs. 38ArCl/39ArK and 38ArCl/40ArNA vs. 39ArK/40ArNA (NA for non-atmospheric) and most yield ages of 240–230Ma. On the other hand, the data of the late steps always construct well-defined isochrons in the plots of 36ArA/40ArNA vs. 39ArK/40ArNA with consistent ages of ∼300Ma. We interpret that gases released in the early steps were from the secondary fluid inclusions (SFIs) due to their distribution characteristics along cracks leading to be easily extracted, and those released in the later steps represented the contribution of the primary fluid inclusions (PFIs). The initial 40Ar/36Ar ratios of SFIs, much higher than the modern atmospheric ratio, suggest that their fluids were most likely from deep sources. However, these ratios of PFIs, close to the modern atmospheric ratio, might imply that the ore-forming fluids were mainly meteoric. Accordingly, our results show that a major lead–zinc mineralization occurred at about 300Ma and a subsequent hydrothermal interruption at 240–230Ma. The sphalerite 40Ar/39Ar crushing results suggest that the ore-forming fluid might strongly interact with the sedimentary rocks resulting in the enrichment of ore deposit.

Mantle-derived noble gases in ore-forming fluids of the granite-related Yaogangxian tungsten deposit, Southeastern China

More than 90% of the tungsten resources of China are in the Nanling region of South China, and the Yaogangxian vein deposit is the largest tungsten deposit in this region. The tungsten deposits have ages of 150–160 Ma, and are spatially, temporally and genetically related to granites which were previously believed to be produced by crustal anatexis. This paper provides He and Ar isotope data of fluid inclusions in pyrite and arsenopyrite from the Yaogangxian W veins. 3He/4He ratios range from 0.41 to 3.03 Ra (where Ra is the 3He/4He ratio of air = 1.39 × 10−6), and 40Ar/36Ar ratios from 328 to 1,191. Moreover, there are excellent correlations between He and Ar isotopic compositions. The results suggest that the ore-forming fluids are a mixture between a crustal fluid containing atmospheric Ar and crustal 4He and a fluid containing mantle components. It is likely that the former is a low temperature meteoric fluid, and the later is a fluid exsolved from the W-associated granitic magma, which formed by crustal melting induced by intrusion of a mantle-derived magma.

New high-precision measurements of the isotopic composition of atmospheric argon

Earth’s atmosphere is used as a standard reference gas for mass spectrometric determinations of argon (Ar) isotopes used principally in geochronology. There are three published independent determinations of the Ar isotope composition of modern atmosphere that differ subtly. We have made new high-precision measurements of Ar isotope ratios of five different sources of air using a high-sensitivity multi-collector noble gas mass spectrometer in order to distinguish between them. The isotope ratios, corrected only for backgrounds, reside on a inverse square-root mass law fractionation line that passes through the air value proposed by Lee et al. [Lee J. Y., Marti K., Severinghaus J. P., Kawamura K., Yoo H. S., Lee J. B. and Kim J. S. (2006) A redetermination of the isotopic abundances of atmospheric Ar. Geochim. Cosmochim. Acta 70, 4507–4512]. They are distinct from both the other proposed compositions and provide the first independent confirmation of the atmospheric Ar isotope composition. We suggest that the revised values should now be in routine employment.

Neoproterozoic Alkaline Igneous Rocks, Carbonatites and Gold Deposits of the Yenisei Ridge, Central Siberia: Evidence of Mantle Plume Activity and Late Collision Shear Tectonics Associated with Orogenic Gold Mineralization

AbstractThis paper discusses the plausible genetic relationship between disseminated Au‐sulfide mineralization and mantle plume‐related magmatism in the context of the tectonic evolution of the Yenisei ridge in central Siberia. The relationship is inferred based on structural and geochemical studies of the Blagodat Au deposit, and the Transangara alkaline syenite and Penchenga fenite‐carbonatite complexes. Analyses of Nd, Sr and Ar isotopic compositions of samples from these geological features show their possible close temporal relationships but different sources. Nevertheless, the present data sets suggest that thermal effects of mantle plume activity likely controlled hydrothermal fluid mobilization in metamorphic suites and further enrichment of gold. The structural setting of the Blagodat Au deposit demonstrates the typical example of Au‐sulfide mineralization controlled by late collisional shear deformations. The present example of Au deposit associated temporally and spatially with carbonatites and alkaline rock complexes is an exclusive case in the Earth's history supporting a plausible genetic relationship between mantle plume‐related magmatism and orogenic‐Au mineralization.

Constraints on the origin of the HIMU reservoir from He–Ne–Ar isotope systematics

We present a new set of He–Ne–Ar isotopic compositions for HIMU and EM1 lavas from the Cook–Austral Islands in the south Pacific. 3He/ 4He of the HIMU lavas are lower than MORB values, as previously demonstrated, but a coherent variation in 3He/ 4He with Pb isotopes indicates two-component mixing to form the lavas. One component is the HIMU reservoir with 3He/ 4He of 6 Ra or lower, and the other is the local lithosphere, which is commonly involved in EM1 lavas. Relative abundances of radiogenic and nucleogenic 4He, 21Ne and 40Ar show systematic variations. In 4He/ 40Ar*– 4He/ 21Ne* space, the HIMU lavas define a trend that is parallel to, but offset from the trend previously observed for other OIBs. Using 4He/ 21Ne* as a monitor of elemental fractionation of noble gasses, fractionation-corrected 4He/ 40Ar* is higher than the 4He/ 40Ar* production ratio in the mantle, reflecting a HIMU reservoir with a lower K/U (approximately 3000) than canonical mantle value (13000). Radiogenic 3He/ 4He and the low K/U are best explained by a model where the HIMU reservoir was formed by direct accumulation of, or deep mantle metasomatism with, ancient subducted oceanic crust modified by hydrothermal alteration and dehydration during its subduction. If the subducted oceanic crust with fractionated K/U forms a large isolated reservoir in the mantle, previous estimates of K/U and K concentrations for the bulk silicate Earth, that did not take this reservoir into consideration, will be too high. Moreover, the mass balance calculation indicates that the subducted oceanic crust may make a significant contribution to the U mantle budget, requiring there to be less in the primitive mantle. However, a contribution from the primitive mantle is not ruled out entirely, unless the subducted oceanic crust had a relatively high U concentration and low K/U over geologic time and was totally preserved in a convecting mantle.

81Kr‐Kr age and multiple cosmic‐ray exposure history of the Vaca Muerta mesosiderite

Abstract– Noble gas isotopic compositions were measured for a eucritic pebble and bulk material of a silicate–metal mixture from the Vaca Muerta mesosiderite as well as pyroxene and plagioclase separated from the eucritic pebble by total melting and stepwise heating methods. Trapped noble gases were degassed completely by a high‐temperature thermal event, probably at the formation of the Vaca Muerta parent body (VMPB). The presence of fissiogenic Xe isotopes from extinct 244Pu in the bulk samples might be a result of rapid cooling from an early high‐temperature metamorphism. High concentrations of cosmogenic noble gases enabled us to determine precise isotopic ratios of cosmogenic Kr and Xe. Spallogenic Ne from Na and unique Ar isotopic compositions were observed. The 81Kr‐Kr exposure age of 168 ± 8 Myr for the silicate pebble is distinctly longer than the age of 139 ± 8 Myr for the bulk samples. The precursor of the pebble had been irradiated on the surface of the VMPB for more than 60 Myr (first stage irradiation), with subsequent incorporation into bulk materials approximately 4 Gyr ago. The Vaca Muerta meteorite was excavated from the VMPB 140 Myr ago (second stage irradiation). Relative diffusion rates among the cosmogenic Ar, Kr, and Xe based on data obtained by stepwise heating indicate that Kr and Xe can be partially retained in pyroxene and plagioclase under the condition that resets the K‐Ar system. This result supports the presence of fission Xe and of excess concentration of cosmogenic Kr, which could have survived the thermal event approximately 3.8 Gyr ago.

He and Ar isotopic compositions and genetic implications for the giant Shizhuyuan W–Sn–Bi–Mo deposit, Hunan Province, South China

The Shizhuyuan ore deposit in southern Hunan Province is a world-class W–Sn–Bi–Mo occurrence hosted by Devonian limestone in the thermal aureole of the Qianlishan granite. Mineralization coincided with intrusion of the granite pluton during Mesozoic crustal extension in South China. We present new He and Ar isotope data for volatiles released from pyrite in the Shizhuyuan deposit. Concentrations of 40Ar range from 0.21 to 2.38 × 10−6 cm3 STP 40Ar/g, and 4He concentrations range from 0.8 to 65.1 × 10−6 cm3 STP 4He/g. 3He/4He ratios vary from 0.06 to 1.66 Ra (where Ra is the 3He/4He ratio of air = 1.39 × 10−6) and 40Ar/36Ar ratios range from 293 to 1072. The isotopic compositions of He and Ar indicate that the ore-forming fluids were mantle-derived, modified by air-saturated crustal fluids. Shallow-level boiling increased 3He concentrations, whereas crustal contamination decreased 3He/4He ratios in the magmatic fluids. The occurrence of mantle-derived components in the magmatic fluid indicates that the associated Qianlishan granite is not a typical S-type pluton that formed entirely by crustal melting. We propose that the mineralization was related to mantle upwelling and Mesozoic lithosphere extension of the South China Block.

Distribution of Mantle and Atmospheric Argon in Mantle Xenoliths from the Western Arabian Peninsula: Constraints on Timing and Composition of Metasomatizing Agents in the Lithospheric Mantle

To investigate the geochemical behaviour of argon isotopes during mantle metasomatism and to obtain chronological information on the age of metasomatic events under the Arabian Shield, we analyzed mantle xenoliths and hornblende megacrysts from Saudi Arabian volcanic fields (Uwayrid, Al Birk) applying the 40Ar-39Ar dating technique. Two hornblende megacrysts yield plateau ages indicating formation or total resetting of the K/Ar system 1-2 Myr ago. The ultramafic xenoliths trapped mantle-derived and atmospheric argon in different proportions, resulting in variable isotopic compositions: 40Ar/36Ar ratios range from 296 (i.e. atmospheric) to 10 500, reflecting interactions with isotopically and genetically different fluids and/or melts during recent mantle metasomatism. One such episode of metasomatism led to the formation of Ba-rich phlogopite, which yielded a saddle-shaped age spectrum with a maximum age estimate of 18 Ma. Another episode, inducing formation of secondary pargasite in the lithospheric mantle, was dated to 4 Ma. In the mantle xenoliths the concentration of mantle argon is clearly related to the intensity of metasomatism. Argon extraction by high-resolution stepwise heating allowed us to deconvolve various argon components distributed heterogeneously within single xenoliths and ascribe them to specific carrier phases. Pyroxenes generally preserve much higher 40Ar/36Ar ratios than olivine, as they contain up to 100 times higher concentrations of mantle argon, which also correlates with a higher fluid inclusion content in pyroxenes. Hydrous phases (phlogopite/amphibole) have more variable 40Ar/36Ar ratios. K and Cl concentrations and the argon isotope compositions of the Uwayrid xenoliths indicate distinct metasomatic agents, causing elemental and isotopic disequilibrium on a local scale. On the basis of correlations between Ar isotope composition and K and Cl concentration in the samples most strongly affected by the late metasomatic fluids, we suggest that metasomatic processes in the local mantle occurring simultaneously with the opening of the Red Sea were accompanied by the introduction of saline-water saturated fluids into deep lithospheric zones.