Multi-scale data joint inversion of minerals and porosity in altered igneous reservoirs—A case study in the South China Sea

There are abundant igneous gas reservoirs in the South China Sea with significant value of research,and lithology classification,mineral analysis and porosity inversion are important links in reservoir evaluation.However,affected by the diverse lithology,complicated mineral and widespread alteration,conventional logging lithology classification and mineral inversion become considerably difficult.At the same time,owing to the limitation of the wireline log response equation,the quantity and accuracy of minerals can hardly meet the exploration requirements of igneous formations.To overcome those issues,this study takes the South China Sea as an example,and combines multi-scale data such as micro rock slices,petrophysical experiments,wireline log and element cutting log to establish a set of joint inversion methods for minerals and porosity of altered igneous rocks.Specifically,we define the lithology and mineral characteristics through core slices and mineral data,and establish an igneous multi-mineral volumetric model.Then we determine element cutting log correction method based on core element data,and combine wireline log and corrected element cutting log to perform the lithology classification and joint inversion of minerals and porosity.However,it is always difficult to determine the elemental eigenvalues of different minerals in inversion.This paper uses multiple linear regression methods to solve this problem.Finally,an integrated inversion technique for altered igneous formations was developed.The results show that the corrected element cutting log are in good agreement with the core element data,and the mineral and porosity results obtained from the joint inversion based on the wireline log and corrected element cutting log are also in good agreement with the core data from X-ray diffraction.The results demonstrate that the inversion technique is applicable and this study provides a new direction for the mineral inversion research of altered igneous formations.

Geochemical Characteristics and Significance of Major Elements, Trace Elements and REE in Mineralized Altered Rocks of Large-Scale Tsagaan Suvarga Cu-Mo Porphyry Deposit in Mongolia

The alteration types of the large-scale Tsagaan Suvarga Cu-Mo porphyry deposit mostly comprise stockwork silicification, argillization, quartz-sericite alteration, K-silicate alteration, and propylitization. The mineralized and altered zones from hydrothermal metallogenic center to the outside successively are Cu-bearing stockwork silicification zone, Cu-beating argillized zone, Cu-Mo-bearing quartz-sericite alteration zone, Cu-Mo-bearing K-silicate alteration zone, and pro- pylitization zone. The K-silicate alteration occurred in the early phase, quartz-sericite alteration in the medium phase, and argillization and carbonatization （calcite） in the later phase. Ore-bearing-altered rocks are significantly controlled by the structure and fissure zones of different scales, and NE- and NW-trending fissure zones could probably be the migration pathways of the porphyry hydrothermal system. Results in this study indicated that the less the concentrations of REE, LREE, and HREE and the more the extensive fractionation between LREE and HREE, the closer it is to the center circulatory hydrothermal ore-forming and the more extensive silicification. The exponential relationship between the fractionation of LREE and HREE and the intensity of silicification and K-silicate alteration was found in the Cu-Mo deposit studied. The negative Eu anomaly, normal Eu, positive Eu anomaly and obviously positive Eu anomaly are coincident with the enhancement of Na2O and K2O concentrations gradually, which indicated that Eu anomaly would be significantly controlled by the alkaline metasomatism of the circulatory hydrothermal ore-forming system. Therefore, such characteristics as the positive Eu anomaly, the obvious fractionation between LREE and HREE and their related special alteration lithofacies are suggested to be metallogenic prognostic and exploration indications for Tsagaan Suvarga-style porphyry Cu-Mo deposits in Mongolia and China.

Mineralogical Zonation of Wall-Rock Alteration in Jiaodong Gold Province, North China

Mineralogical zonation of wall rock alterations in Mesozoic granitoids is summarized from 18 gold deposits in Jiaodong gold province on the Asian mobile continental margin of the west circum Pacific rim. This paper deals with wall rock alterations developed around gold mineralizations of the quartz vein type in granitoids and the wall rock alteration type in granitoid basement contacts along Mesozoic fault zones trending mostly NNE SSW and NE SW. Five alteration zones are distinguished from host rock to ore zone, namely the chloritization and sericitization zone, the hematitization rutilization and microclinization zone, the quartz sericitization zone, the pyrite quartz sericitization zone and the pyrite silicification zone. The former two are outer zones marked by incomplete alteration of first mafic and then felsic minerals of the granitoids, while the later three are inner zones marked by complete alteration of both mafic and felsic minerals of the granitoids leading to retrogressive sericitization and progressive silicification with participation of ore elements. The whole process proceeds under dynamometamorphism with high fugacity of volatiles. Wall rock alteration is the intermediate link between unaltered host rock and ore mineralization both in time and space. Development of the alteration zonation and its mineral composition controls genetic type of mineralization, size and grade of the deposit and location of the ore zones.

Effects of Deep Fluids on Hydrocarbon Generation and Accumulation in Chinese Petroliferous Basins

Deep fluids in a petroliferous basin generally come from the deep crust or mantle beneath the basin basement, and they transport deep substances（gases and aqueous solutions） as well as heat to sedimentary strata through deep faults. These deep fluids not only lead to large-scale accumulations of CO2, CH4, H2, He and other gases, but also significantly impact hydrocarbon generation and accumulation through organic-inorganic interactions. With the development of deep faults and magmatic-volcanic activities in different periods, most Chinese petroliferous basins have experienced strong impacts associated with deep fluid activity. In the Songliao, Bohai Bay, Northern Jiangsu, Sanshui, Yinggehai and Pearl Mouth Basins in China, a series of CO2 reservoirs have been discovered. The CO2 content is up to 99%, with δ-（13）C（CO2） values ranging from-4.1‰ to-0.37‰ and -3He/-4He ratios of up to 5.5 Ra. The abiogenic hydrocarbon gas reservoirs with commercial reserves, such as the Changde, Wanjinta, Zhaozhou, and Chaoyanggou reservoirs, are mainly distributed in the Xujiaweizi faulted depression of the Songliao Basin. The δ-（13）CCH4 values of the abiogenic alkane gases are generally -30‰ and exhibit an inverse carbon isotope sequence of δ-（13）C（CH4）δ-（13）C（C2H6）δ-（13）C（C3H8）δ-（13）C（C4H10）. According to laboratory experiments, introducing external H2 can improve the rate of hydrocarbon generation by up to 147% through the kerogen hydrogenation process. During the migration from deep to shallow depth, CO2 can significantly alter reservoir rocks. In clastic reservoirs, feldspar is easily altered by CO2-rich fluids, leading to the formation of dawsonite, a typical mineral in high CO2 partial pressure environments, as well as the creation of secondary porosity. In carbonate reservoirs, CO2-rich fluids predominately cause dissolution or precipitation of carbonate minerals. The minerals, e.g., calcite and dolomite, show some typical features, such as higher homogenization temperatures than the burial temperature, relatively high concentrations of Fe and Mn, positive Eu anomalies, depletion of 18 O and enrichment of radiogenic -（87）Sr. Due to CO2-rich fluids, the development of high-quality carbonate reservoirs is extended to deep strata. For example, the Well TS1 in the northern Tarim Basin revealed a high-quality Cambrian dolomite reservoir with a porosity of 9.1% at 8408 m, and the Well ZS1 C in the central Tarim Basin revealed a large petroleum reserve in a Cambrian dolomite reservoir at -6900 m. During the upward migration from deep to shallow basin strata, large volumes of supercritical CO2 may extract petroleum components from hydrocarbon source rocks or deep reservoirs and facilitate their migration to shallow reservoirs, where the petroleum accumulates with the CO2. Many reservoirs containing both supercritical CO2 and petroleum have been discovered in the Songliao, Bohaiwan, Northern Jiangsu, Pearl River Mouth and Yinggehai Basins. The components of the petroleum trapped with CO2 are dominated by low molecular weight saturated hydrocarbons.

The Structure of Ore-controlling Strain and Stress Fields in the Shangzhuang Gold Deposit in Shandong Province,China

The Shangzhuang altered-rock type gold ore deposit is located in the middle segment of and controlled by the Wang＇ershan fault zone in the northwestern part of the Jiaodong gold province, China. The deformation evolution, the structure of strain and stress fields and its ore-controlling effect in the Shangzhuang deposit are discussed in this paper. It is revealed that the deformation evolution has mainly undergone four phases： the early ductile deformation, the second NE-striking horizontal simple shear, the third NE-striking compression-shear and the final NW-striking compression. The mineralization happened during the third stage in which the maximum principal stress gradually transited from NE to NW. The 3-D numerical simulations of the stress field show that, on the condition that the maximum principal stress is NE-striking, the fracture development in the fault zone is favored, while when the maximum principal stress is NW-striking, the fault zone is relatively extensional and it is suitable for the influx and emplacement of ore-forming fluids. The compression-shear strain field during the mineralization is characterized by the λ-type structure, the positive flower structure, etc. Orebodies are mostly equidistantly located in the dilatational spaces, which are distributed in the integral compressional circumstances. And the dilatational spaces are developed where the fault attitude changes or shear joint systems develop. In the overall compression-shear stress field, the strain field bears self-similarity at multiple scales, including the orebody, ore deposit and orefield. The selfsimilarity of the structure comprises the subequidistant distribution of fractures at the same scale and the similar shape of the fractures at various scales. Yet, due to the special geological structure, the orebodies are mostly located in the hanging wall in the Shangzhuang deposit, which is different from most deposits in the Jiaodong gold province. Analyses of the ore-controlling stress and strain fields in the deposit provide an important basis for deposit seeking.

Deep gold mineralization features of Jiaojia metallogenic belt,Jiaodong gold Province:Based on the breakthrough of 3000 m exploration drilling

Recently,continuous breakthroughs have been made about deep gold prospecting in the Jiaodong gold province area of China.Approximately 5000 t of cumulative gold resources have been explored in Jiaodong,which has thus become an internationally noteworthy gold ore cluster.The gold exploration depth has been increased to about 2000 m from the previous<1000 m.To further explore the mineralization potential of the Jiaodong area at a depth of about 3000 m,the Shandong Institute of Geological Sciences has drilled an exploratory drillhole named“Deep drillhole ZK01”to a depth of 3266 m.Hence,as reported herein,the mineralization characteristics of the Jiaojia metallogenic belt have been successfully documented.ZK01 is,to date,the deepest borehole with an gold intersect in China,and constitutes a significant advance in deep gold prospecting in China.The findings of this study further indicate that the depth interval of 2000 m to 4000 m below the ground surface in the Wuyi Village area incorporates 912 t of inferred gold resources,while the depth interval of 2000 m to 4000 m below the surface across the Jiaodong area possesses about 4000 t of inferred gold resources.The Jiaojia Fault Belt tends to gently dip downward,having dip angles of about 25°and about 20°at vertical depths of 2000 m and 2850 m,respectively.The deep part of the Jiaojia metallogenic belt differs from the shallow and moderately deep parts about fracturing,alteration,mineralization,and tectonic type.The deep zones can generally be categorized from inside outward as cataclastic granite,granitic cataclasite,weakly beresitized granitic cataclasite,beresitized cataclasite,and gouge.These zones exhibit a gradual transitional relation or occur alternately and repeatedly.The mineralization degree of the pyritized cataclastic granite-type ore in the deep part of the Jiaojia metallogenic belt is closely related to the degree of pyrite vein development;that is,the higher the pyrite content,the wider the veins and the higher the gold grade.Compared to the shallow gold ores,the deep-seated gold ores have higher fineness and contain joseite,tetradymite,and native bismuth,suggesting that the deep gold mineralization temperature is higher and that mantle-sourced material may have contributed to this mineralization.ZK01 has also revealed that the deep-seated ore bodies in the Jiaojia metallogenic belt are principally situated above the main fracture plane(gouge)and hosted within the Linglong Granite,contradicting previous findings indicating that the moderately shallow gold ore bodies are usually hosted in the contact zone between the Linglong Granite and Jiaodong Group or meta-gabbro.These new discoveries are particularly significant because they can help correct mineralization prospecting models,determine favorable positions for deep prospecting,and improve metallogenic prediction and resource potential evaluation.

Relationship between Landslides, Geologic Structures, and Hydrothermal Alteration Zones in the Ohekisawa-Shikerebembetsugawa Landslide Area, Hokkaido, Japan

This paper elucidates the relationship between landslides, geologic structures, and hydrothermal alteration zones based primarily on X-ray powder diffraction and uniaxial compressive strength tests on weakly weathered and hydrothermally altered rocks from the Ohekisawa-Shikerebembetsugawa landslide area in Teshikaga Town, Hokkaido, Japan. The OHS （Ohekisawa slide） occurred on a dip slope of sedimentary rocks from the Upper Miocene Shikerepe Formation within a homocline, and also on weathered and hydrothermally altered rocks within the boundary area between the hydrothermal smectite zone and smectite-bearing mordenite zone. The SHS （Shikerebembetsugawa slide） occurred on a dip slope of sedimentary rocks from the Upper Miocene Hanakushibe Formation within wavy folds and was also controlled by a cap rock of Teshikaga Volcano Somma Lava. The SHS occurred also on weathered and hydrothermally altered rocks within the boundary area between the hydrothermal smectite zone and smectite-bearing laumontite zone. The mechanical properties of smectite, smectite-bearing mordenite, and smectite-bearing laumontite zone weakly weathered rocks indicate that they are very weak, soft rocks. These landslides are regarded as HAZLs （hydrothermal alteration zone landslides）. The hydrothermal alteration yielding smectite is thus closely related to these two ancient landslides, suggesting that the potential for HAZLs within a hydrothermal area can be assessed based on the swelling clay mineral-beating hydrothermal alteration types, dip slope, and cap rock.