Characterization of Stratified Iron-Oxide-Apatite Ores

磁铁矿、磷灰石和赤铁矿是世界上许多地区重要的铁矿。此外，这些矿床中的许多都与铜、金、银、铀和稀土元素的经济集中有关。这些矿床中的大多数似乎是由成分极端的富铁和磷的液体(岩浆或流体)形成的，这些液体要么侵入深处，喷发到地表，要么被热液交代了主岩。其中许多矿床含有横向广泛的、层状的氧化铁和富含磷灰石的单元。这些层状氧化铁-磷灰石矿石似乎并不是在所有地方都是由相同的机制形成的。该项目的目的是研究不同地区的层状氧化铁-磷灰石矿石的矿场关系、结构特征和成分，以确定哪些特征可以最好地用于区分已提出的各种成因机制。实地研究将对智利班德拉山脉的层状氧化铁-磷灰石矿石进行详细采样和绘制地图。智利El Laco、瑞典基律纳、密苏里州Pilot Knob和宾夕法尼亚州康沃尔的层状氧化铁-磷灰石矿石的样品已经收集完毕。实验研究将检验氧化铁液体和流体在一定温度、压力和挥发成分范围内的稳定性。该项目将是纽约州立大学宾厄姆顿分校、智利圣地亚哥大学和瑞典自然历史博物馆之间的合作研究。

9814761NaslundDeposits of magnetite, apatite, and hematite are important ores of iron in many parts of the world. In addition, many of these deposits are associated with economic concentrations of Cu, Au, Ag, U, and rare earth elements. Most of these deposits appear to have formed from iron- and phosphorous-rich liquids (magmas or fluids) of extreme compositions which have either intruded at depth, erupted onto the surface, or hydrothermally replaced host rocks. Many of these deposits contain laterally-extensive, stratified, iron oxide- and apatite-rich units. These stratified iron oxide-apatite ores do not appear to have formed by the same mechanism in all localities. The purpose of this project is to examine the field relationships, textural characteristics, and compositions of stratified iron oxide-apatite ores from a variety of localities, to determine what characteristics can best be used to discriminate between the various mechanisms that have been proposed for their origin. Field studies will sample and map in detail stratified iron oxide-apatite ores from Sierra Bandera, Chile. Samples from stratified iron oxide-apatite ores at El Laco, Chile; Kiruna, Sweden; Pilot Knob, Missouri; and Cornwall, Pennsylvania have already been collected. Experimental studies will examine the stability of iron-oxide liquids and fluids over a range of temperatures, pressures, and volatile compositions. This project will be a cooperative study between the State University of New York at Binghamton, the Universidad de Santiago, Chile, and the Swedish Museum of Natural History.