Unveiling Nb-Ta mineralization processes:Insight from quartz textural and chemical characteristics in the Songshugang deposit,Jiangxi Province,South China

The Songshugang deposit is a large Ta-Nb deposit in South China,with Ta-Nb mineralization associated genetically with the granite and pegmatite.A diversity of quartz from topaz-albite granite,quartz-mica pegmatite,quartz-feldspar pegmatite,and quartz-fluorite pegmatite at Songshugang was studied by CL and LA-ICP-MS in order to constrain enrichment mechanisms of Nb and Ta and to find geochemical indicators of quartz for rare metal deposits.Cathodoluminescence image illuminates a canvas of complexity,the quartz from topaz-albite granite,quartz-mica pegmatite,quartz-feldspar pegmatite,and quartz-fluorite pegmatite,exhibits numerous dark CL streaks,patches,and a series of healed fractures.These textures suggest that the rocks were fractured because of deep crustal pressure,and underwent later hydrothermal metasomatism and quartz filling.The quartz from quartz-fluorite pegmatite present limited patches or fractures but distinct growth bands,indicating that the melt fluid composition during the formation of quartz at this stage varies greatly and is less aff ected by mechanical fragmentation.The LA-ICP-MS analysis of quartz shows that there is a positive correlation between Al and Li in the quartz from topaz-albite granite,quartz-mica pegmatite,quartz-feldspar pegmatite,to quartz-fluorite pegmatite,indicating that Al mainly enters the quartz lattice through charge compensation substitution mechanism with Li.However,our data deviate from the theoretical Li:Al mass ratio of~1:3.89 in quartz,indicating that there may be competition between H^(+)and Li in a water-rich magmatic environment.The quartz from topaz-albite granite is enriched in K and Na elements,and the quartz from quartz-fluorite pegmatite is enriched in fluorite with a low Ca content in quartz,further elucidating that these rocks were subjected to hydrothermal metasomatism.From topaz-albitite granite to quartz-fluorite pegmatite,Al,Li and Ge content and Al/Ti,Ge/Ti,Sb/Ti ratios in quartz gradually increased,but Ti content gradually decreased,reflecting the high evolution of magma,which can enrich rare metal elements.Based on the characteristics of quartz CL textures and trace elements in topaz-albite granite,quartz-mica pegmatite,quartz-feldspar pegmatite,and quartz-fluorite pegmatite,combined with the albitization and K-feldspathization of rocks,it is suggested that the Nb-Ta mineralization in Songshugang may be influenced by the combined action of magmatic crystallization differentiation and fluid metasomatism.By comparing the quartz in the Songshugang pluton with the quartz in the granite type and pegmatite type rare metal deposits recognized in the world,the Songshugang pegmatite share similarities with the LCT-type pegmatite.Combined with previous studies,the Ge/Ti>0.1 and Ti<10 ppm,as well as Al,Li,Ge,Sb,K,Na contents and Al/Ti,Sb/Ti ratios in quartz have the potential to be a powerful exploration marker for identifying granite-like pegmatitic Nb-Ta deposits in other places.

Universality class of machine learning for critical phenomena

Herein,percolation phase transitions on a two-dimensional lattice were studied using machine learning techniques.Results reveal that different phase transitions belonging to the same universality class can be identified using the same neural networks(NNs),whereas phase transitions of different universality classes require different NNs.Based on this finding,we proposed the universality class of machine learning for critical phenomena.Furthermore,we investigated and discussed the NNs of different universality classes.Our research contributes to machine learning by relating the NNs with the universality class.

Conditions and processes leading to large-scale gold deposition in the Jiaodong province,eastern China

The gold deposits in the Jiaodong Peninsula constitute the largest gold mineralized province in China.The mineralization shows common characteristics in their tectonic setting,ore-forming fluid and metallogenic system.Sulfidation and fluid immiscibility are two important mechanisms controlling gold precipitation,both of which consume sulfur in the oreforming fluids.The escape of H2S from the main ore-forming fluids and the decrease of total sulfur concentration not only lead to the efficient precipitation of gold,but also result in the crystallization of reducing minerals such as pyrrhotite and oxidizing minerals such as magnetite.Quartz solubility shows strong dependence on temperature,pressure,and CO2 content.The dependence of quartz solubility on pressure is weak at low temperatures,and progressively stronger at higher temperatures.Similarly,the temperature dependence of quartz solubility is relatively low at low pressures,but becomes gradually stronger at high pressures.The results of solubility modeling can constrain the dissolution and reprecipitation behavior of quartz in the oreforming veins and the formation mechanism of different types of quartz veins.The multi-stage mineralization fluid activity resulted in the complex dissolution structure of quartz in the Jiaodong gold veins.Pyrite in the main metallogenic period in the Jiaodong gold deposits shows complex microstructure characteristics at single crystal scale.The trace elements(mainly the coupling of As-and Au-rich belt)and sulfur isotope composition also display a certain regularity.The As-rich fluids might have formed by the initial pulse of ore-forming fluids through As-rich metasedimentary strata,while the As-Au oscillation zone at the margin of pyrite grains is related to the pressure fluctuation caused by fault activity and the local phase separation of fluids.There is a temporal and spatial evolution of gold fineness in the Jiaodong gold deposits.Water/rock reaction(sulfidation)was the main ore-forming mechanism of early gold mineralization,forming relatively high fineness gold,while significant pressure drop in the shallow part accompanied by fluid phase separation promoted the late gold mineralization,forming low fineness gold.Under cratonic destruction setting,dehydration of the amphibolite and granulite facies metamorphic lower-crust resulted in the formation of Au-CO2-rich ore-forming fluids,which rose along the deep fault and secondary structure,and formed the largescale fault-controlled gold deposits in Jiaodong.

Eigen microstates and their evolutions in complex systems

Emergence refers to the existence or formation of collective behaviors in complex systems.Here,we develop a theoretical framework based on the eigen microstate theory to analyze the emerging phenomena and dynamic evolution of complex system.In this framework,the statistical ensemble composed of M microstates of a complex system with N agents is defined by the normalized N×M matrix A,whose columns represent microstates and order of row is consist with the time.The ensemble matrix A can be decomposed as■,where r=min(N,M),eigenvalueσIbehaves as the probability amplitude of the eigen microstate U_I so that■and U_I evolves following V_I.In a disorder complex system,there is no dominant eigenvalue and eigen microstate.When a probability amplitudeσIbecomes finite in the thermodynamic limit,there is a condensation of the eigen microstate UIin analogy to the Bose–Einstein condensation of Bose gases.This indicates the emergence of U_I and a phase transition in complex system.Our framework has been applied successfully to equilibrium threedimensional Ising model,climate system and stock markets.We anticipate that our eigen microstate method can be used to study non-equilibrium complex systems with unknown orderparameters,such as phase transitions of collective motion and tipping points in climate systems and ecosystems.

Study of the shear-rate dependence of granular friction based on community detection

In this study, computer simulations are performed on three-dimensional granular systems under shear conditions. The system comprises granular particles that are confined between two rigid plates. The top plate is subjected to a normal force and driven by a shearing velocity. A positive shear-rate dependence of granular friction, known as velocity-strengthening, exists between the granular and shearing plate. To understand the origin of the dependence of frictional sliding, we treat the granular system as a complex network, where granular particles are nodes and normal contact forces are weighted edges used to obtain insight into the interiors of granular matter. Community structures within granular property networks are detected under different shearing velocities in the steady state. Community parameters, such as the size of the largest cluster and average size of clusters, show significant monotonous trends in shearing velocity associated with the shear-rate dependence of granular friction. Then, we apply an instantaneous change in shearing velocity. A dramatic increase in friction is observed with a change in shearing velocity in the non-steady state. The community structures in the non-steady state are different from those in the steady state. Results indicate that the largest cluster is a key factor affecting the friction between the granular and shearing plate.

Finite-size scaling of correlation functions in finite systems

We propose the finite-size scaling of correlation functions in finite systems near their critical points.At a distance r in a ddimensional finite system of size L,the correlation function can be written as the product of|r|^(-(d-2+η))and a finite-size scaling function of the variables r/L and tL^(1/ν),where t=(T-T_c)/T_c,ηis the critical exponent of correlation function,andνis the critical exponent of correlation length.The correlation function only has a sigificant directional dependence when|r|is compariable to L.We then confirm this finite-size scaling by calculating the correlation functions of the two-dimensional Ising model and the bond percolation in two-dimensional lattices using Monte Carlo simulations.We can use the finite-size scaling of the correlation function to determine the critical point and the critical exponentη.