Bulk geochemistry, sulfur isotope characteristics of the Yuhuang-1 hydrothermal field on the ultraslow-spreading Southwest Indian Ridge

Liao, Shili; Tao, Chunhui; Li, Huaiming; Barriga, Fernando J.A.S.; Liang, Jin; Yang, Wu-Bin; Yu, Junyu; Zhu, Chen

doi:10.1016/j.oregeorev.2018.04.007

Cited by 53 publications

(30 citation statements)

References 59 publications

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“…Two mineralisation stages were also recognised by previous researchers [26,27]. Similarly, ore samples recovered from the adjacent Duanqiao and Yuhuang hydrothermal fields also include Fe-rich relict sulphide talus or clasts (20V-S32-TVG14 and 21VII-S35-TVG22) consisting mostly of pyrite/marcasite with minor chalcopyrite and sphalerite ( Figure 2D,E), which might be derived from the recent collapse of inactive chimney edifices [24,29,80]. By contrast, the mineralisation style is somewhat unique at the Tianzuo field, which reflects complex ore-forming processes related to ultramafic-hosted hydrothermal environments of the ultraslow-spreading SWIR [86].…”

Section: Figuresupporting

confidence: 68%

“…Currently, although water temperature and turbidity anomalies were not detected at Yuhuang, two sites of metal sulphide accumulations have been confirmed in this study area. Recent oceanographic surveys also suggest that there are probably outcrops of ultramafic rocks, further implying the local development of detachment faults [29]. Besides, another new hydrothermal field (Tianzuo) was found in the ridge section 63 • -64 • E between the Melville FZ and RTJ.…”

Section: Geologic Settingmentioning

confidence: 89%

“…Inset shows regional setting of the ultraslow-spreading SWIR. For more detailed bathymetry and topography data on each of these six hydrothermal fields (marked with red circles), please see the previously published literature [23,24,29,[78][79][80][81][82][83]]. With the aim of exploring the SWIR hydrothermal systems, the Chinese research cruises DY115-19, DY115-20, and DY115-21 have been successfully carried out by China Ocean Mineral Resources Research & Development Association (COMRA) during 2007-2010 [23,24,76].…”

Section: Figurementioning

confidence: 99%

“…In particular, because of their remote locations, ancient and active hydrothermal systems on the ultraslow-spreading Southwest Indian Ridge (SWIR) have been much less extensively explored until recently [19][20][21][22][23][24][25], when compared to those well-investigated vent sites located along the fast-spreading East Pacific Rise (EPR), and the slow-spreading Mid-Atlantic Ridge (MAR) [1][2][3][4]. Although preliminary geochemical analyses of sulphide samples and the sporadic occurrence of gold have been reported in several newly discovered hydrothermal fields near the SWIR 49 • -51 • E region [26][27][28][29][30], there is only little data on the physicochemical properties of local vent fluids which may be distinct from other categories of ocean ridges [31]. Furthermore, what was the source of ore-forming fluids in such a unique geologic setting, and how did the fluids evolve through multiple stages of hydrothermal circulation, remain poorly understood.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…A comparison of variations in sulphur isotopic compositions of different hydrothermal sulphide deposits within a variety of tectonic settings on the modern seafloor (data sources from the published literature[29,[47][48][49][50][51][52]103,104,[106][107][108] and this study).…”

mentioning

confidence: 99%

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He–Ar–S Isotopic Compositions of Polymetallic Sulphides from Hydrothermal Vent Fields along the Ultraslow-Spreading Southwest Indian Ridge and Their Geological Implications

Wang

Sun

et al. 2018

Minerals

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Noble gases have become a powerful tool to constrain the origin and evolution of ore-forming fluids in seafloor hydrothermal systems. The aim of this study was to apply these tracers to understand the genesis of newly discovered polymetallic sulphide deposits along the ultraslow-spreading Southwest Indian Ridge (SWIR). The helium, argon, and sulphur isotope compositions of metal sulphide minerals were measured for a number of active/inactive vent fields in the Indian Ocean. The helium concentrations and isotopic ratios in these ore samples are variable ( 4 He: 0.09-2.42 × 10 −8 cm 3 STP·g −1 ; 3 He: 0.06-3.28 × 10 −13 cm 3 STP·g −1 ; 3 He/ 4 He: 1.12-9.67 R a ) and generally greater than the modern atmosphere, but significantly lower than those in massive sulphides from the fast-spreading East Pacific Rise (EPR), especially for three Cu-Fe-rich samples from the ultramafic-hosted Tianzuo and Kairei vent fields. On the contrary, most of the SWIR sulphide deposits have somewhat higher 40 Ar/ 36 Ar ratios of trapped fluids (ranging from 290.6 to 303.4) when compared to the EPR ore samples. Moreover, the majority of sulphide minerals from the Indian Ocean have much higher δ 34 S values (3.0 -9.8 ,~5.9 on average, n = 49) than other basaltic-hosted active hydrothermal systems on the EPR. Overall, these He-Ar-S results are well within the range of seafloor massive sulphide deposits at global sediment-starved mid-ocean ridges (MORs), lying between those of air-saturated water (ASW) and mid-ocean ridge basalt (MORB) end members. Therefore, our study suggests that the helium was derived mainly from the MORB mantle by degassing during the high-temperature stage of hydrothermal activity, as well as from a mixture of vent fluids with variable amounts of ambient seawater during either earlier or late-stage low-temperature hydrothermal episodes, whereas the argon in ore-forming fluids trapped within sulphide minerals was predominantly derived from deep-sea water. Additionally, relatively high δ 34 S values exhibit a great estimated proportion (up to nearly 40%) of seawater-derived components. In summary, sub-seafloor extensive fluid circulation, pervasive low-temperature alteration, shallow seawater entrainment, and mixing processes, may make a larger contribution to the SWIR hydrothermal ore-forming systems, compared to fast-spreading centres.

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Section: Figuresupporting

confidence: 68%

Section: Geologic Settingmentioning

confidence: 89%

Section: Figurementioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

mentioning

confidence: 99%

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He–Ar–S Isotopic Compositions of Polymetallic Sulphides from Hydrothermal Vent Fields along the Ultraslow-Spreading Southwest Indian Ridge and Their Geological Implications

Wang

Sun

et al. 2018

Minerals

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Self-potential investigation of a deep-sea polymetallic sulfide deposit at the Southwest Indian Ridge (Indian Ocean)

Zhu

Tao

Shen

et al. 2020

Preprint

Self Cite

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Deep-sea polymetallic sulfides formed by hydrothermal activity are considered a potential resource for economically valuable base and precious metals.The Southwest Indian Ridge (SWIR, Indian Ocean) hosts active and inactive hydrothermal systems. Inactive hydrothermal fields are more abundant but difficult to characterize. We report a self-potential investigation to locate inactive ore deposits at the Yuhuang hydrothermal field on the ultraslow-spreading SWIR. A horizontal array of 6 AgCl electrodes were attached to a dual towed transient electromagnetic system to record the electrical field at a height of 40 m above the seafloor. The observed electrical field strength near the known sulfide drills reaches 0.5 mV/m. Negative self-potential anomalies (~ -25 mV, obtained by integrating the electrical field) were observed. High electrical conductivities (up to 12 S/m) of sulfide samples measured in the laboratory and the oxidize sulfides recovered at the outcrop of the deposit suggest that the selfpotential anomalies are due to sulfides mineralization and corrosion of the polymetallic sulfides. Tomography of the self-potential anomalies reveals a localized current source distribution with a thickness of ~65 m. Our field data demonstrate that the self-potential method is a useful exploration method to characterize seafloor sulfides localized in inactive hydrothermal fields at mid-ocean ridges.

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Sulfur sources for ultramafic‐hosted sulfide mineralization in the Tianzuo hydrothermal field, 63.5° E, South‐west Indian Ridge: Insights from sulfur and carbon isotopes

et al. 2022

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To date, discovered ultramafic-hosted seafloor massive sulfide (UM-SMS) deposits are rare, remain poorly understood in terms of their genesis, and typically form along slow-and ultraslow-spreading mid-oceanic ridges. The Tianzuo hydrothermal field (THF) is the only UM-SMS deposit identified so far along the ultraslow-spreading South-west Indian Ridge (SWIR). This study presents new detailed mineralogical and S-C isotopic data for serpentinized peridotite, gabbro, serpentinite, and sulfide ore samples from the THF and to provide new insights into the processes that formed the deposit. Chromium-reduced sulfur (CRS) and sulfate-sulfur (SS) in samples of serpentinized peridotite have positive δ 34 S values (up to 10.22‰ and 20.67‰, respectively). The CRS formed through thermochemical reduction of seawater sulfate during reactions between seawater and ultramafic rocks, whereas the SS most likely occurred as dissolved sulfate phases in seawater occupying the pore space of serpentinized peridotite after exposure at the seafloor. The serpentinite samples contain SS with δ 34 S values of 19.21‰-20.9‰, indicating infiltration by seawater that led to the deposition of seawater sulfate. The sulfide ores have acid-volatile sulfur (AVS), CRS, and SS δ 34 S values of 10.99‰-12.07‰, 2.34‰-10.98‰, and À4.13‰ to 2.76‰, respectively, indicating that the AVS and CRS within the samples are dominated by sulfur reduced from seawater sulfate (e.g., anhydrite) and leached from the surrounding wall rocks, although the re-oxidization of microbial-reduced sulfur most likely generated the sulfate with low and negative δ 34 S values. The total carbon and total organic carbon δ 13 C values of the THF samples are negative and range from À21.99‰ to À0.34‰ and À26.7‰ to À21.02‰, respectively, further suggesting that the samples record microbial activity. Gabbro samples have strongly negative AVS (À10.69‰) and CRS (À7.2‰) δ 34 S values, indicating that microbial-reduced sulfur derived from shallow levels in the crust was incorporated into the hydrothermal system that circulated through the deeper-seated gabbroic units. Our results suggest

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Bulk geochemistry, sulfur isotope characteristics of the Yuhuang-1 hydrothermal field on the ultraslow-spreading Southwest Indian Ridge

Cited by 53 publications

References 59 publications

He–Ar–S Isotopic Compositions of Polymetallic Sulphides from Hydrothermal Vent Fields along the Ultraslow-Spreading Southwest Indian Ridge and Their Geological Implications

He–Ar–S Isotopic Compositions of Polymetallic Sulphides from Hydrothermal Vent Fields along the Ultraslow-Spreading Southwest Indian Ridge and Their Geological Implications

Self-potential investigation of a deep-sea polymetallic sulfide deposit at the Southwest Indian Ridge (Indian Ocean)

Sulfur sources for ultramafic‐hosted sulfide mineralization in the Tianzuo hydrothermal field, 63.5° E, South‐west Indian Ridge: Insights from sulfur and carbon isotopes

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