Advances in Research of Mineral Chemistry of Magmatic and Hydrothermal Biotites

Biotite is an important hydrated ferromagnesian silicate mineral in igneous rocks and porphyry deposits.The determination of chemical compositions of biotite plays an important role in both igneous petrology and ore forming processes.This paper summarizes research results of magmatic and hydrothermal biotites exemplified by the Lakange porphyry Cu–Mo deposit and the Qulong porphyry Cu deposit in the Gangdese porphyry–skarn metallogenic belt,Tibet.Biotite mineral chemistry can provide critical insights into classification,geothermometer,geothermobarometry,oxygen fugacity,petrogenesis and tectonic setting,evaluating magmatic-hydrothermal process by halogen and halogen fugacity ratios,and distinguishing between barren and mineralized rocks.Biotite provides the latest mineralogical evidence on metallogenic prognosis and prospecting evaluation for porphyry Cu polymetallic deposits or magmatic hydrothermal deposits.

Late Triassic Biotite Monzogranite from the Western Litang Area,Yidun Terrane,SW China: Petrogenesis and Tectonic Implications

The Late Triassic igneous rocks in the Yidun terrane can provide vital insights into the evolution of Plaeo-Tethys in western China. We present new zircon U-Pb, whole-rock geochemistry, and Sr-Nd-Pb-Hf isotopic data for the Litang biotite monzogranites, Yidun terrane. The biotite monzogranites have a zircon U-Pb age of 206.1±1.0 Ma(MSWD=1.9,n=30), which indicates Late Triassic magmatism. The biotite monzogranites display I-type affinity, high Na_2O(3.38-3.60 wt%) contente,medii SiO_2(67.12-69.13 wt%), and low P_2 O_5 contents(0.10～0.12 wt%). They enriched in Rb,and Ba and depleted in Nb and Ta, with negative Eu anomalies(Eu/Eu*=0.74—0.81). They have evolved Sr-Nd-Pb-Hf isotopic composition, i.e.,(^(87) Sr/^(86 )Sr)i=0.714225 to 0.714763, negative ?_(Nd(t)) values of -2.0 to-2.6 with two-stage Nd model ages ranging from 1.01 to 1.05 Ga, negative ?_(Ht)(t)) values o f-3.4 to-4.1 with two-stage Hf model ages of 1.85 to1.88 Ga, suggesting a matured crustal sources. Their low Al_2O_3/TiO_2 ratios and medium Cao/Na_2O ratios, medium Mg~# and SiO_2 contents, low [molar Al_2O_3/(MgO+FeO^T)] values, and high [molar Cao/(MgO+FeO^T)] values indicate that the Litang biotite monzogranite was formed by partial melting of metabasaltic rocks. Based on the previous studies, we propose that the Litang biotite monzogranite derived from the westward subduction and closure of the Ganzi-Litang ocean during the Late Triassic-The mantle wedge-derived mafic melts provided sufficient heat for partial melting of ancient metabasalt protolith within the middle-lower crust.

Extraction of copper from copper-bearing biotite by ultrasonic-assisted leaching

Copper-bearing biotite is a refractory copper mineral found on the surface of the Zambian Copperbelt.Biotite is a copper oxide from which copper is extracted by various methods,especially by leaching.Leaching is the process of extracting a substance from a solid material dissolved in a liquid.To improve the efficiency of the leaching process by a more effective method,a new method called ultrasonic-assisted acid leaching is proposed and applied in this study.Compared with regular acid leaching,the ultrasound method reduced the leaching time from 120 to 40 min,and sulfuric acid concentration reduced from 0.5 to 0.3 mol·L^(-1).Besides,leaching temperature could be reduced from 75 to 45°C at the leaching rate of 78%.The mechanism analysis indicates that an ultrasonic wave can cause the delamination of a copper-bearing biotite and increase its specific surface area from 0.55 to 1.67 m^(2)·g^(-1).The results indicate that copper extraction from copper-bearing biotite by ultrasonic-assisted acid leaching is more effective than regular acid leaching.This study proposes a promising method for recycling valuable metals from phyllosilicate minerals.

^(40)Ar/^(39)Ar ISOTOPIC DATING THE BIOTITES FROM THE IGNEOUS AND METAMORPHIC ROCKS OF THE ZHONGSHAN STATION AREA

The Zhongshan Station of China is located in the Larsemann Hills, East Antarctica. Low pressure granulite facies gneisses together with late granites are outcroped in the region. Three biotite samples from a garnet segregation, a syenogranite and a granite-pegmetite were measured with 40Ar/39Ar incremental heating technique. Biotites from the garnet segregation give an 40Ar/39Ar plateau age of 504±1Ma. Biotites from the syenogranite yield an 40Ar/39Ar plateau age of 494 ±1 Ma. Biotites from the granite-pegmatite give an 40 Ar/39 Ar plateay age of 486±1Ma. They verify 500 Ma thermal event called 'Pan African event' by previous K-Ar and Rb-Sr data. They are cooling ages of the biotites when the paleogeotherm of the area droped to the K-Ar closure temperature for biotite.

Hematite, Biotite and Cinnabar on the Face of the Turin Shroud: Microscopy and SEM-EDX Analysis

The Turin Shroud, recently accessible for hands-on scientific research, is now extensively investigated. Its pinkish red blood stains that seem anomalous ones are studied by modern techniques (notably by resolute optical microscopy and scanning electron microscopy coupled with energy dispersive X-ray). Exploration by these techniques of a blood stain located on the face permits us to discover some red-colour particles (hematite, biotite and cinnabar) of exogenous material in this stain. We finally characterize these red-colour particles and try to explain their presences in the blood stain. Globally, all these red-colour particles cannot explain all of the reddish appearance of the area under study.

Experimental Investigation on Low-Degree Dehydration Partial Melting of Biotite Gneiss and Phengite-Bearing Eclogite at 2 GPa

The ultrahigh-pressure（UHP） eclogite and gneiss from the Dabie（大别）-Sulu（苏鲁） oro-gen experienced variable degrees of partial melting during exhumation.We report here dehydration partial melting experiments of biotite gneiss and phengite-bearing eclogite at 2 GPa and 800-950 ℃.Our results show that the partial melting of gneiss is associated with the breakdown of biotite into almandine-rich garnet starting at 900 ℃.About 10% granitic melt can be produced at 950 ℃.In con-trast,the partial melting of phengite-bearing eclogite exists at slightly lower temperatures（800-850 ℃）.The melt fraction is in general more in biotite gneiss than in phengite-bearing eclogite under similar pressure and temperature conditions.Both melts are rich in silica and alkali,but poor in FeO,MgO and CaO.These results suggest that low-degree partial melting of gneiss and eclogite is often associated with dehydration of hydrous mineral,such as micas.The dehydration temperature and melt composi-tion can place important constraints on the partial melting phenomena（granitic leucosome and multi-phase mineral inclusions） recorded in UHP rocks.

Argon diffusion from biotite at high temperature and pressure

t The experiments of argon diffusion dynamics for biotite were carried out at 700 -1000℃ and 0.5 - 2,0 GPa and the diffusion coefficient and activation energy using different models have been calculated. The results indicate that the pressure does affect the argon diffusion and its effect is opposite to that of temperature. When p increases, the activation energy increases and diffusion coefficient decreases. The relation between pressure, closure temperature and cooling rate has been obtained. It is postulated that in low T and high p conditions, the argon diffusion from the environment to the system could occur and incur the appearance of the external argon in minerals.

Mineral Chemistry of Biotite and Its Petrogenesis Implications in ca.2.5 Ga Wangjiazhuang Granitic Pluton,North China Craton

The Wangjiazhuang granitic pluton is located in the central Zanhuang Domain,the central part of the North China Craton,which is mainly composed of biotite monzogranite with few mafic microgranular enclaves.Biotite is an important ferromagnesian mineral in most of the intermediatefelsic igneous rocks,and its mineral chemistry can record the properties of magma and the petrogenetic physicochemical conditions.In this study,we carried out a detailed petrographic study by electric probe microanalysis on biotite for the biotite monzogranite and mafic microgranular enclaves,to discuss the source,physicochemical conditions,and the magma mingling/mixing processes of the Wangjiazhuang granite.The results show significantly different chemical compositions from the biotite monzogranite and mafic microgranular enclaves.The crystallization of these biotite grains from the biotite monzogranite and mafic microgranular enclaves all occurred in low oxygen fugacity.The biotite grains in biotite monzogranite are rich in Fe,poor in Mg,which belong to siderophyllite.The ratios of[(Fe^(3+)+Fe^(2+))/(Fe^(3+)+Fe^(2+)+Mg2+)]are between 0.78 and 0.86.The average of FeOT(total FeO)/MgO of biotite grains in biotite monzogranite is 9.02.The MF values[2×Mg/(Fe^(2+)+Mg+Mn)]of biotite monzogranite are between 0.31 and 0.47,suggesting biotite monzogranite derived from crustal source rocks(metasedimentary rocks).The formation of granitic rocks including the Wangjiazhuang granite was related to the subduction event at ca.2.5 Ga which resulted in the melting event,and then induced the early partial melting of TTGs and metasedimentary rocks.The biotite in mafic microgranular enclaves varies from siderophyllite to ferrobiotite,and MF values range from 0.63 to 1.06,suggesting that magma of mafic microgranular enclaves had experienced magma mixing/mingling in various degrees.Biotite monzogranite and parts of mafic microgranular enclaves have a similar crystallized condition,while other mafic microgranular enclaves are different from biotite monzogranite.The differences between biotite monzogranite and mafic microgranular enclaves may be a consequence of continuous interaction between granitic and mafic magmas.

Geochronological and geochemical constraints on the granitic gneiss in the Huozhou Complex: implications for the tectonic evolution of the Trans-North China Orogen

The Trans-North China Orogen is a major Neoarchean Paleoproterozoic collisional orogenic belt above the North China Craton, formed due to prolonged and complex processes. Even though many NeoarcheanPaleoproterozoic magmatic and metamorphic activities have been reported, due to the Huozhou Complex’s small outcropping range, little attention has been paid to the origin of various igneous rocks of the Huozhou Complex in the center of the Trans-North China Orogen. The Huozhou Complex, located south of the Luè liang, Wutai, and Hengshan complexes, is an important window into the Early Precambrian structure and evolution of the North China Craton. Its magma and metamorphism are crucial to understanding the development of the structural evolution of the Trans-North China Orogen. The Huozhou metamorphic complex area exposes a range of Precambrian metamorphic rocks, among which the most extensively dispersed is felsic biotite plagioclase gneiss. In this study comprehensive geological field survey, micropetrology,chronology, geochemistry, and Hf isotope analysis were carried out for the Qinggangping and Anziping gneiss in the north of the Huozhou Complex. The results show that the magmatic zircon age of the Qinggangping gneiss is2196 ± 14 Ma, and its protolith is I-type granite, formed by partial melting of igneous rocks in the absence of weathering. Its source is mainly the juvenile crust from depleted mantle dating 2431–2719 Ma, with a small amount of mantle-derived material. The Anziping gneiss has a metamorphic zircon age of 1931 ± 13 Ma with an S-type granite protolith belonging to peraluminous granite.The Anziping gneiss is formed by recycling pre-existing crustal components at 2613–2848 Ma. A minor quantity of mantle-derived magma is also introduced to the crust simultaneously. The samples of Qinggangping gneiss and Anziping gneiss show the characteristics of obvious negative Nb, Ti, and P elements in the spider diagram of primitive mantle standardization. This implies that the rocks have the characteristics of magmatic rocks in an island arc or subduction environment, which could have formed in the tectonic environment of the continental margin arc.

Textural and compositional variation of mica from the Dexing porphyry Cu deposit:constraints on the behavior of halogens in porphyry systems

The Dexing porphyry deposit is the largest porphyry Cu–Mo–Au deposit in South China.Biotite composition can record the physicochemical conditions and evolution history of magmatic-hydrothermal system.Biotite from the Dexing porphyry deposit could be divided to three types:primary magmatic biotite(Bi-M),hydrothermal altered magmatic biotite(Bi-A)and hydrothermal biotite(Bi-H).The temperature of Bi-M and Bi-H range from 719 to 767℃ and 690 to 727℃,respectively.Both magmatic and hydrothermal biotite have high Fe^(3+)/Fe^(2+)ratios(from 0.18 to 0.24)and XMgvalues(from 0.57 to 0.66),indicating a high oxygen fugacity.BiM has F lower than Bi-A and Bi-H(up to 0.26 wt%),but has Cl(Cl=0.18–0.30 wt%)similar to Bi-A and Bi-H(Cl=0.21–0.35 wt%),suggesting that high Cl/F ratios of early hydrothermal fluid may result from the exsolution from high Cl magma.From potassic alteration zone to phyllic and propylitic alteration zones,Cl decreases with increasing Cu,whereas F increases roughly.Therefore,Cl mostly originate from magma,but enrichment of F possibly results from reaction of fluids and Neoproterozoic strata.Negative correlation between Cl and Cu indicates that Cl might act as an important catalyst during Cu mineralization process.Biotite from Dexing has similar halogen compositions to other porphyry Cu-/Mo deposits in the world.Chlorine contents of hydrothermal fluid may be critical for Cu transportation and enrichment,while consumption of Cl would promote Cu deposition.

U-Pb Zircon Dating of the Yeniutan Granitic Intrusion in the Western Sector of the North Qilian Mountains

Zircons from granodiorite and biotite granite in the Yeniutan granitic intrusion in the western North Qilian Mountains yielded a weighted mean 206Pb/238U apparent age of 460±3 Ma, suggesting that the intrusion originated during the late stage of plate subduction. Its related Ta'ergou and Xiaoliugou deposits are two of the few large tungsten deposits formed in the plate subduction environment in the world. The U-Pb dating of the zircons from the biotite granite gave a discordant lower intercept age of 183±4 Ma, which implies that the Yanshanian event was probably superimposed on the North Qilian region.

Origin of the Mushroom Stone Forest at the southeastern foot of the Little Sangpu Mountain in eastern Guangdong,China: A palaeo-sea-level indicator or not?

The Mushroom Stone Forest, which consists of granite boulders looking like mushrooms with flared sidewalls, is located in eastern Guangdong China, and is a famous scenic spot that draws many tourists each year. The Mushroom Stone Forest has been traditionally recognized as a collection of wave erosion landforms and used for the reconstruction of palaeo-sea-level changes along the coastal areas of eastern Guangdong in previous coastal researches. By combining in situ measurements of the aspect,vertical profile and height of boulder sidewalls,palaeo-coastal wave direction estimation, rock density determination, major elemental analysis, and petrographic thin section analysis, this paper presents an alternative origin for the Mushroom Stone Forest.Our results suggest that wave or wind erosion cannot offer a satisfactory explanation for the formation of the Mushroom Stone Forest; The boulders that make up the Mushroom Stone Forest originated from the corestones in the granite weathering crusts of the Little Sangpu Mountain; When the debris of the weathering crust was removed, the corestones are perched on rocky outcrops or half-buried by weathering debris beneath the natural land surface;The flared sidewall (concave vertical profile) of the boulders is a particular form developed in the foot zone of a half-buried boulder through increased chemical weathering beneath the land surface. A recent exposed half-buried boulder found in the study area provides convincing evidence to support this argument. Sea water reached the foot of the Sangpu Mountain during the Holocene transgression, but it merely provided a mechanism to erode the weathering debris from the bottom of the mushroom rocks and enhanced salt weathering that created tafoni on the boulders. These findings demonstrate that the boulders of the Mushroom Stone Forest are not sea stacks and cannot be served as a palaeo-sea-level indicator.

Experimental Study on the Mechanism for the Formation of Sn- bearing Granite in Northern Guangxi

Experimental results have proved that the Xuefengian Sn-bearing biotite granites were formed by remelting and recrystallization of the Proterozoic metamorphic rocks of the Sibao Group at 500× 105-2000× 105 Pa and 750-570℃ and further testified that the F- and B-bear-ing aqueous solution played an important part in decreasing the formation temperature of the rocks. The results tally with the reality of the field geology. The authors have thus brought to light the mechanism for the formation of the Sn-bearing biotite granites and expounded the significance of their formation in the crust dynamics of South China.

Early Cretaceous deformation in the southern Tashkorgan region: Implications for the tectonic evolution of the northeastern Pamir

The Pamir Plateau comprises a series of crustal fragments that successively accreted to the Eurasian margin preceded the India-Asia collision,is an ideal place to study the Mesozoic tectonics.The authors investigate the southern Tashkorgan area,northeastern Pamir Plateau,where Mesozoic metamorphic and igneous rocks are exposed.New structural and biotite ^(40)Ar-^(39)Ar age data are presented.Two stages of intense deformation in the metamorphic rocks are identified,which are unconformably covered by the Early Cretaceous sediment.Two high-grade metamorphic rocks yielding 128.4±0.8 Ma and 144.5±0.9 Ma ^(40)Ar-^(39)Ar ages indicate that the samples experienced an Early Cretaceous cooling event.Combined with previous studies,it is proposed that the Early Cretaceous tectonic records in the southern Tashkorgan region are associated with Andean-style orogenesis.They are the results of the flat/low-angle subduction of the Neotethyan oceanic lithosphere.

Mantle contributions to granitoids associated with Sn mineralization:Geochemical and isotopic evidence from the giant Dachang deposit,South China

Major Sn deposits are commonly linked to crust-derived and highly evolved granites,with magma generation aided by mantle heating.However,whether and how the mantle components contribute to Sn polymetallic mineralization remains unclear.In this study,in combination with a compilation of equivalent data in the region,we provide new constraints on this issue based on detailed investigations on the petrogenesis and metallogenic significance of granitoids including the causative batholith and later granodiorite porphyry dike in the giant Dachang Sn deposit from South China.The former has zircon U-Pb ages of 93-91 Ma and belongs to highly evolved S-type biotite granite,which experienced fractionation of massive feldspar.The latter shows zircon U-Pb ages of 90 Ma and displays I-type granite features.The batholith was mainly derived from the dehydration melting of biotite in the metasedimentary sources,as revealed by the relatively low whole-rock Pb contents(<30 ppm)and high Ba/Pb ratios(2.71-17.1)and initial T(ti-zr)of 790℃.Compared with the adjacent crust-derived S-type granites(-24.8--5.1)and I-type granites(-11.0 to-5.2),the Dachang S-type biotite granites present higher zirconεHf(t)values(-9.1 to-2.1).Furthermore,the low magmatic zirconδ18O values(6.2‰)and higher apatite LREE(3277-4114 ppm)and Sr(1137-1357 ppm)contents than of arc-type basic rocks were discerned.These characteristics jointly hint the contributions of mantle components.The higher initial T(ti-zr)(>850℃),whole-rock Mg#(52 to 58),apatiteεNd(t)(-9.2 to-6.5)and zirconεHf(t)(-7.6 to 2.5)values but lower zirconδ18O values(6.33 to 8.30‰)of the later granodiorite porphyry dike than those of the batholith also suggest that mantle material was involved in the generation of the dikes,which is evident by the variational features of zircon and apatite trace elements.In addition,at the zircon Hf<12000 ppm and Eu/Eu*>0.05,the higher zirconΔFMQ values(mostly from-1.8 to 2.0)and H2O contents(100-1100 ppm)of the Dachang granitoids than the pure crust-derived S-type granites(ΔFMQ=mostly from-3.7 to-1.5;H2O<100 ppm)imply that mantle materials involved are relatively rich in water and oxidized.These suggest that the addition of mantle components is conducive to the extraction of Sn from metasedimentary sources,and moderately facilitates the increase of oxygen fugacity which still maintains the incompatibility of Sn in magmas withΔFMQ<2.Also,the involvement of mantle components upgrades the H2O contents in S-type magmas,favoring the migration of ore-forming elements from magmas to hydrothermal fluids.The sediment-derived causative granites displayed higherεHf(t)andεNd(t)values with greater Sn tonnages of their associated world-class Sn polymetallic deposits,supporting the opinion that the contributions of mantle components play an important role in the generation of giant Sn deposits.

^(40)Ar-^(39)Ar thermochronology of two ductile shear zones from Yiwulüshan,West Liaoning Region: Age constraints on the Mesozoic tectonic events

Two ductile shear zones trending EW and NNE respectively not only controlled the tectonic framework of the northern North China, but also constrained the geody-namic background for gold mineralization in this region. Field observations and microstructural analyses reveal that the EW trending ductile shear zones are mainly contributed to dextral compressional deformation resulting from top-to-the-southeast oblique thrust shearing, whereas the NNE trending ones are genetically related to sinistral strike-slip and extensional faulting. One sample from the former yielded an 40Ar-39Ar plateau age of (219±4) Ma (Bi) and two samples from the latter gave 40Ar-39Ar plateau ages of (116± 2) Ma (Bi) and (127±3) Ma (Bi). These ages provide constraints on the top-to-the-southeast oblique thrusting event occurring in Late Triassic and the sinistral extensional and strike-slip faulting event which occurred in Early Cretaceous.

Electron Probe Microanalysis of Monazite and Its Applications to U-Th-Pb Dating of Geological Samples

Electron probe microanalysis(EPMA) dating of monazite has been developed over decades. However, limited by the detectability and analytical sensitivity of dating-related elements(Th, Pb, U and Y), the EPMA dating has been restricted to geological research. In this study, various probe currents, beam diameters and counting times have been utilized on a JEOL JXA-8230 electron microprobe to determine the optimal experimental conditions for measuring Th, Pb, U and Y in monazite. The optimal conditions are:(1) accelerating voltage is 15 k V;(2) probe current is 100 n A;(3) beam diameter is 1 μm;(4) the peak and background counting time of U and Pb are 200 and 100 s;and(5) the peak and background counting time of Th and Y are 100 and 50 s. We apply this method to monazite from garnet-bearing biotite gneiss in the Zanhuang area of the Central Orogenic Belt of the North China Craton. The Pb O-Th O2* isochron age calculated by EPMA data is 1 812±17 Ma(MSWD=2.06), which is similar to the weighted mean 207 Pb/206 Pb age(1 805±12 Ma, MSWD=1.07) obtained by LA-ICP-MS. This study suggests that EPMA dating of monazite as a powerful dating technique can be widely used in geochronological study.

Experimental study of the metamorphic reaction involving melt under high temperature and high pressure

High P_T experiment with natural massive rock sample of garnet biotite plagioclase gneiss indicates that the metamorphic reaction involving melt (reaction between relic mineral phase and melt) is the most important reaction in granulite_facies metamorphism and accompanies anatexis process.