With this study, we investigate the mineralogical variations associated with the low-temperature (<100°C) alteration of normal tholeiitic pillow basalts varying in age from 0.8 to 3.5 Ma. Their alteration intensity varies systematically and is related to several factors, including (1) the aging of the igneous crust, (2) the increase of temperatures from the younger to the older sites, measured at the sediment/basement interface, (3) the local and regional variations in lithology and primary porosity, and (4) the degree of pillow fracturing. Fractures represent the most important pathways that allow significant penetration of fluids into the rock and are virtually the only factor controlling the alteration of the glassy rim and the early stages of pillow alteration. Three different alteration stages have been recognized: alteration of glassy margin, oxidizing alteration through fluid circulation in fracture systems, and reducing alteration through diffusion. All the observed mineralogical and chemical variations occurring during the early stages of alteration are interpreted as the result of the rock interaction with "normal," alkaline, and oxidizing seawater, along preferential pathways represented by the concentric and radial crack systems. The chemical composition of the fluid progressively evolves while moving into the basalt, leading to a reducing alteration stage, which is initially responsible for the precipitation of Fe-rich saponite and minor sulfides and subsequently for the widespread formation of carbonates. At the same time, the system evolved from being "water dominated" to being "rock dominated." No alteration effects in pillow basalts were observed that must have occurred at temperatures higher than those measured during Leg 168 at the basement/sediment interface (e.g., between 15° and 64°C).

Chromitite segregations in dunites of the Uktus Uralian-Alaskan-type complex (Central Urals, Russia) display large variation of the chromite composition: Cr/ (Cr+Al)=0.46-0.77, Fe 2+ /(Fe 2+ +Mg)=0.28-0.66, and Fe 3+ /(Fe 3+ +Fe 2+ )=0.23-0.59. Three types of PGM assemblages have been recognized, varying in accordance with chromite composition: type I, dominated by Ru-Os-Ir (sulfides), is associated with magnesiochromite having Fe 3+ /(Fe 3+ +Fe 2+ )<0.30, in the southern dunite body. Type II, containing abundant PtIr (alloys, minor sulfides), is found in magnesiochromite with Fe 3+ /(Fe 3+ +Fe 2+ )=0.40-0.44; type III, consisting of Ir-Rh-Pt-Pd (alloys, sulfarsenides, antimonides) in Fe-rich chromite having Fe 2+ /(Fe 2+ +Mg)=0.66 and Fe 3+ /(Fe 3+ +Fe 2+ )=0.59. Positive anomalies of Ir and Pt, and a negative peak of Ru characterize the PGE patterns of chromitites with type II and III PGM assemblages, whereas a positive Pt anomaly is observed in their dunite host. Intensive fractionation of Pt-Fe alloys in the Uktus chromitites reflects the anomalous behavior of Pt which is decoupled from Rh and Pd. Among other factors, the high iron activity and oxygen fugacity in the parent melt appear to exert a major control on precipitation of Pt-Fe alloys, below sulfur saturation. The strong Pt anomaly in chromitites from Uktus may indicate that Uralian-Alaskan-type magmas were derived from a Pt-rich mantle source.

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This paper describes the occurrence of Th-rich hellandite-(Ce) and britholite-(Ce) within a volcanic ejectum from a pyroclastic formation of the Vico volcanic complex, north of Rome, Italy. The host rock is a saturated alkali-syenite wh ich consists mainly of potassium feldspar and plagioclase, together with fluor-bio tite, plagioclase, titanite, clinopyroxene and magnetite. Hellandite-(Ce) and britholite-(Ce) are associated with this mineral assemblage which contains also several accessory phases including zircon, fluorapatite, allanite, and silico-phosphates of Th, U, REE close in composition to cheralite-brabantite. Hellandite-(Ce) and brithol ite-(Ce) are typically intergrown with hellandite in all case observed rimming britholite. These unusual REE, Th, U minerals are secondary to the formation of the host rock and the compositions of the associated minerals suggest that they originated from fluids rich in F, P, and possibly Sand C. The presence of fractures filled by clays containing dispersed REE-minerals, probably fluorocarbonates, suggests a very late-stage hydrothermal remobilization, transportation and redeposition of the REE. An important implication of such widespread secondary mineralization is that great care should be exerted when using bulk-rock trace-element data from these volcanic sampies for geochemical modelling.

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