Transport of metals in vapours and brines: new insights into the formation of the Earth's mineral deposits

热液矿床形成的传统模型假定含水流体搬运金属。这一观点受到了新的观察结果的挑战，新的观察结果表明，在某些矿床中，金和铜优先富集在与含盐含水流体共存的蒸气中。该项目使用最先进的技术，开发新的仪器，在天然矿床的典型温度（350- 550 ℃，饱和蒸汽的压力变化到1千巴）下，对金属在固体、流体和蒸汽之间的分配进行实验测量。通过提高我们对地壳内金属运输的理解，这些数据将导致改进勘探和加工贱金属和贵金属的模型和技术。

Traditional models for the formation of hydrothermal ore deposits assume that aqueous fluids transported the metals. This view is challenged by new observations showing that gold and copper are preferentially enriched in vapours coexisting with salty aqueous fluids in some deposits. This project uses state-of-the-art techniques and develops new instruments to measure experimentally the partitioning of metals between solid, fluid and vapour at temperatures typical for natural ore deposits (350-550C, pressures varying for vapour saturated to 1 kb). By improving our understanding of metal transport within the Earth's crust, these data will lead to improved models and technologies for exploring and processing base and precious metals.