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The geology and geochemistry of the El Laco iron oxide deposit (Central Andes, Chile) support a genesis related to the ascent, degassing, and subvolcanic emplacement of an unusual oxidized silica-poor but water-and iron-rich melt that took place during the growth of the host Pliocene-Holocene andesitic volcano. The model proposed in this paper for the evolution of the deposit involves the formation of a shallow telescoped magmatichydrothermal system with complex melt-fluid unmixing in a vertical column of less than 1 km. The dominant mineralization occurs as large stratabound apatite-poor magnetite bodies interfingered with an andesite host and rooted in vertical dikes of magnetite with minor apatite. The stratabound mineralization is crosscut by abundant coeval diatreme-like structures indicative of vigorous degassing. The andesite underlying the mineralization is pervasively replaced by a high-temperature alkali-calcic alteration assemblage (K feldspar-diopside-magnetite-scapolite) that includes coarse-grained diopside-magnetite-anhydrite veins and large subvertical bodies of magmatic-hydrothermal breccias. The host andesite also shows a large strata-bound steam-heated acid alteration that is devoid of any magnetite but has produced the replacement of a significant proportion of the early magnetite by hematite. The El Laco system is rich in anhydrite but poor in sulfides, suggesting that there were persistent oxidizing conditions that inhibited the formation of a sulfide-bearing mineralization. Field evidence, oxygen isotope geothermometry, and thermodynamic constraints suggest that the magnetite mineralization formed close to the surface at temperatures above 800°C. The magnetite textures, similar to those of subaerial low-viscosity basalts, and the presence of melt inclusions in the host andesite recording the presence of immiscible Fe-Mg-Ca-(Si-Ti-P-S) and Si-K-Na-Al melts, suggest that the magnetite ore formed by direct crystallization from an iron-rich melt; its chemistry inhibited the formation of most other magmatic phases except minor apatite, anhydrite, and diopside. The crystallization of the iron-rich melt at shallow depths promoted the separation of large amounts of two immiscible aqueous fluids: a dominant low-density vapor phase and a small volume of hypersaline fluid. Diopside-magnetite-anhydrite veins are interpreted as the product of the crystallization of the residual melts, whereas the interaction of the brine with the host andesite formed the deep alkali-calcic hydrothermal assemblage. The condensation and mixing of the low-density magmatic vapor with meteoric water produced the steam-heated alteration. Isotope data from the host andesite (87Sr/86Sr: 0.7066–0.7074; εNd: −5.5 to −4.1; δ18Owhole rock: 7.2–9.6‰; δ18Omagnetite: 5.1–6.2‰) and an underlying andesite porphyry (87Sr/86Sr: 0.7075–0.7082; εNd: −5.9 to −4.6) reflect the interaction of a primitive mantle melt with Andean crustal rocks. The isotope geochemistry of the magnetite ore (87Sr/86Sr: 0.7083; εNd: −5.4 to −5.1; δ18O 3.5–5.5‰) and the alkali-calcic alteration and related diopside-magnetite-anhydrite veins (87Sr/86Sr: 0.7080–0.7083; εNd: −5.1 to −4.6; δ18Odiopside: 7.2–8.2%c; δ18Omagnetite 4.4–6.3‰) show that the mineralization has a more crustal signature than the host andesite and all the volcanic rocks of the Central Andes. Therefore, ore-forming fluids/melts were not equilibrated with the host volcanic rocks and are interpreted as related to a deep yet undiscovered batch of highly contaminated igneous rocks. Crustal contamination is interpreted as due to major interaction of a juvenile melt with the underlying Late Mesozoic-Tertiary Salta Group, located 1 to 6 km beneath the volcano and which has high 87Sr/86Sr values (0.7140–0.7141).

SignificanceCyanobacteria were responsible for the origin of oxygenic photosynthesis, and have since come to colonize almost every environment on Earth. Here we show that their ecological range is not limited by the presence of sunlight, but also extends down to the deep terrestrial biosphere. We report the presence of microbial communities dominated by cyanobacteria in the continental subsurface using microscopy, metagenomics, and antibody microarrays. These cyanobacteria were related to surface rock-dwelling lineages known for their high tolerance to environmental and nutritional stress. We discuss how these adaptations allow cyanobacteria to thrive in the dark underground, a lifestyle that might trace back to their nonphotosynthetic ancestors.

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Iron-rich melts, magmatic magnetite, and superheated hydrothermal systems: The El Laco deposit, Chile Tornos et al. Appendix DR1. Calculation of volume of fluid needed for a hydrothermal origin for the El Laco magnetite-apatite deposit. The calculation of the amount of fluid needed to form a deposit of magnetite as massive El Laco with 1.5 Gt of magnetite ore has been calculated following the lever rule assuming the complete separation of an aqueous phase at 950°C from a crystallizing andesite originally having 3% wt H 2 O (Stern et al., 1975; Burnham, 1979) and does not include significant amounts of water in hydrous magmatic minerals such as mica or amphibole that may also be present. The initial magmatic fluid is assumed to have a salinity of 7 wt% NaCl eq. (Heinrich et al., 2004) and it exsolves at low pressure in two immiscible high and low density aqueous fluids, respectively. The brine has between 40 and 60 wt% FeCl 2 as measured from Koděra et al. (2014) in brines separating from a diorite melt. Density of the andesite is assumed to be 2.8 g/cm 3 and that of magnetite 5 g/cm 3 .

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El Soplao outcrop, an Early Cretaceous amber deposit recently discovered in northern Spain (Cantabria), has been shown to be the largest site of amber with arthropod inclusions that has been found in Spain so far. Relevant data provided herein for biogeochemistry of the amber, palynology, taphonomy and arthropod bioinclusions complement those previously published. This set of data suggests at least two botanical sources for the amber of El Soplao deposit. The ñrst (type A amber) strongly supports a source related to Cheirolepidiaceae, and the second (type B amber) shows non‐specific conifer biomarkers. Comparison of molecular composition of type A amber with Frenelopsis leaves (Cheirolepidiaceae) strongly suggests a biochemical affinity and a common botanical origin. A preliminary palynologlcal study indicates a regional high taxonomical diversity, mainly of pteridophyte spores and gymnosperm pollen grains. According to the preliminary palynologlcal data, the region was inhabited by conifer forests adapted to a dry season under a subtropical climate. The abundant charcoalified wood associated with the amber in the same beds is evidence of paleofires that most likely promoted both the resin production and an intensive erosion of the litter, and subsequent great accumulation of amber plus plant cuticles. In addition, for the first time in the fossil record, charcoalified plant fibers as bioinclusions in amber are reported. Other relevant taphonomic data are the exceptional presence of serpulids and bryozoans on the surfaces of some amber pieces indicating both a long exposure on marine or brackish‐water and a mixed assemblage of amber. Lastly, new findings of insect bioinclusions, some of them uncommon in the fossil record or showing remarkable adaptations, are reported. In conclusion, a documented scenario for the origin of the El Soplao amber outcrop is provided.