Hydrothermal properties of complex aqueous solutions, and applications to ore-forming systems

复杂水溶液的水热性质及其在成矿系统中的应用

• 批准号: RGPIN-2018-04370
• 负责人: SteeleMacInnis, Matthew
• 金额: $ 3.5万
• 依托单位: University of Alberta
• 依托单位国家: 加拿大
• 项目类别: Discovery Grants Program - Individual
• 财政年份: 2022
• 资助国家: 加拿大
• 起止时间: 2022-01-01 至 2023-12-31
• 项目状态: 已结题
• 来源: https://www.nserc-crsng.gc.ca/ase-oro/Details-Detailles_eng.asp?id=750912
• 关键词: Hydrothermal; properties; complex; aqueous; solutions

Geologic fluids control numerous processes within the Earth driving chemical reactions, transporting heat and material, and promoting melting and magmatism. Modern analytical methods reveal that these fluids are commonly complex brines with high concentrations of diverse solutes. In ore-forming settings in particular, complex brines dissolve and transport elements to form mineral deposits. However, geochemical processes involving complex, saline fluids are mostly interpreted qualitatively owing to the lack of quantitative models for the properties of such fluids. Thus, there is a critical need to develop models to predict and model quantitatively the physical and chemical properties of complex brines.The objective of this work is firstly to develop new thermodynamic models to characterize the compositions and mineral solubilities of complex, geologic brines based on data obtained from fluid inclusions in minerals tiny droplets of fluids trapped within minerals as they grow and secondly to apply these methods to analyze fluids from two major ore-forming settings. This work will involve new thermodynamic models for brines which will be built into computer programs. This work will also involve field- and laboratory-based studies of fluids degassed from magmas in the deep roots of porphyry systems, and of saline brines derived from seawater evaporation in the context of base-metal deposits.This work will provide researchers with the tools to explore the compositions of geologic fluids in diverse settings, and to relate fluid composition to hydrothermal alteration and mineral precipitation. The field-based portions of the study will address two major questions: How fluids evolve during the waning stages of magma crystallization, and how variations of seawater composition through time affect compositions and ore-forming potentials of evaporite-derived brines.The work described here is novel because at present, fluid properties are still mostly interpreted using approximations based on H2O-NaCl. This work will represent a major step forward in allowing robust characterization of fluids. Computer programs implementing these models will facilitate applications of these new methods to illuminating the properties of real fluids in many settings. The applications of these new approaches to characterizing magmatic and basinal fluids will provide new insights into the physical and chemical processes at work in these settings. These outcomes will be beneficial to Canada because hydrothermal fluids are crucial to the formation of economic mineral deposits. This research will provide new insights into the nature of these fluids and how they react with rocks to form mineral deposits. Thus, broadly, this research will improve our understanding of the fundamental controls on ore formation.

地质流体控制着地球内部的许多过程，驱动着化学反应，输送热量和物质，促进熔融和岩浆作用。现代分析方法表明，这些流体通常是复杂的盐水，具有高浓度的各种溶质。特别是在成矿环境中，复杂的卤水溶解和运输元素形成矿床。然而，地球化学过程涉及复杂的，含盐流体大多是定性解释，由于缺乏定量模型的性质，这些流体。因此，迫切需要建立复杂卤水的物理化学性质的定量预测模型，本论文的目标是：首先建立新的热力学模型来表征复杂卤水的组成和矿物溶解度，地质盐水的基础上获得的数据，从流体包裹体在矿物中的微小液滴，因为他们的成长，并应用这些方法分析两个主要成矿环境的流体。这项工作将涉及新的热力学模型的盐水，这将被内置到计算机程序。这项工作还将涉及对斑岩系统深层岩浆脱气后的流体以及贱金属矿床中海水蒸发产生的盐水进行实地和实验室研究，这项工作将为研究人员提供工具，以探索不同环境下地质流体的组成，并将流体组成与热液蚀变和矿物沉淀联系起来。该研究的实地部分将解决两个主要问题：岩浆结晶减弱阶段流体如何演变，以及海水成分随时间的变化如何影响蒸发岩衍生盐水的成分和成矿潜力。这里描述的工作是新颖的，因为目前，流体性质仍然主要使用基于H2O-NaCl的近似来解释。这项工作将代表在允许流体的鲁棒表征方面向前迈出的重要一步。实现这些模型的计算机程序将促进这些新方法的应用，以阐明真实的流体在许多环境中的性质。这些新的方法来表征岩浆和盆地流体的应用将提供新的见解，在这些环境中工作的物理和化学过程。这些成果将有利于加拿大，因为热液流体对经济矿藏的形成至关重要。这项研究将为这些流体的性质以及它们如何与岩石反应形成矿床提供新的见解。因此，广泛地说，这项研究将提高我们对成矿的基本控制的理解。