Crustal fluids and ore deposits

尽管我们在了解地壳流体在形成贱金属和贵金属矿床中的作用方面取得了实质性进展，但不断变化的社会需求和技术发展要求我们扩大我们的调查范围，以包括其他金属和新的成矿模式。这类研究为制定任何成功的矿产勘探战略提供了起点。我研究的主要目的是：1)调查稀有金属矿床的成因，特别是稀土，因为它们被用于电动汽车和混合动力汽车，因此需求量很大；2)检验水蒸气可能是岩浆热液矿床形成中金属运输的重要介质的假设，例如斑岩型铜矿和浅成热液金矿；3)评估液态石油对锌、金、铂族元素和汞等一些金属矿床构成成矿流体的可能性。我的研究将包括实地考察、理论和实验相结合。我和我的学生将使用岩石学/地球化学(野外关系、岩石学、矿物/岩石地球化学和流体/熔体包裹体研究)记录选定矿藏类型的性质。我们还将研究火山环境中的活动热液系统和地热系统。这项实地研究的两个特别重要的目的是获得有关矿液中金属浓度的定量信息，并评估水蒸气和碳氢化合物的金属运输潜力。我们的实验室实验将用于：1)确定可能控制选定金属在水溶液中的溶解度的复杂物种的稳定性；2)评估金属在水蒸气中的溶解度和形态；以及3)测量金属在碳氢化合物流体中的溶解度。拟议的研究有可能极大地促进对各种金属矿藏如何形成的了解，并有助于指导这些矿藏的勘探战略。它还可以在冶金以及解决大气和地下水污染问题方面找到重要的应用。

Although we have made substantial progress in understanding the role of crustal fluids in forming base and precious metal ore deposits, changing societal needs and technological developments require that we expand our enquiry to include other metals and new paradigms of ore genesis. Research of this type provides the starting point for the development of any successful mineral exploration strategy. The main objectives of my research are to: 1) investigate the genesis of deposits of the rare metals, notably the REE, which are in high demand because of their use in electric and hybrid cars; 2) test the hypothesis that aqueous vapour may be an important agent of metal transport in the formation of magmatic hydrothermal ore deposits, e.g., porphyry copper and epithermal gold deposits; and 3) evaluate the possibility that liquid petroleum may constitute an ore fluid for some metallic mineral deposits of zinc, gold, the platinum group elements and mercury. My research will involve a combination of field studies, theory, and experiments. I and my students will document the nature of selected mineral deposit types using petrology/geochemistry (field relationships, petrography, mineral/rock geochemistry, and fluid/melt inclusion studies). We will also investigate active hydrothermal systems in volcanic settings and geothermal systems. Two particularly important aims of this field-based research will be to obtain quantitative information on the concentrations of metals in ore fluids and assess the metal transporting potential of aqueous vapours and hydrocarbons. Our laboratory experiments will be designed to: 1) determine the stability of complex species that may control the solubility of selected metals in aqueous liquids; 2) evaluate metal solubility and speciation in aqueous vapours; and 3) measure the solubility of metals in hydrocarbon fluids. The proposed research has the potential to significantly advance understanding of how a variety of metallic mineral deposits form, and help guide exploration strategies for these deposits. It could also find important applications in metallurgy, and in addressing problems of atmospheric and groundwater pollution.