Characterization of geothermal activity along the North American–Caribbean Plate boundary in Guatemala: The Joaquina geothermal field

Libbey, R.B.; Williams‐Jones, Anthony E.; Melosh, B. L.; Backeberg, Nils R.

doi:10.1016/j.geothermics.2015.03.002

Cited by 10 publications

(1 citation statement)

References 60 publications

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“…Pyrite is by far the most common sulfide in active geothermal systems including Salton Sea in California (Skinner et al, 1967;McKibben and Elders, 1985;McKibben et al, 1988a,b;Hulen et al, 2004), Rotokawa, Ngawa and Broadlands-Ohaaki in New Zealand (Krupp and Seward, 1987, Cox and Browne, 1995, Simmons and Browne, 2000, Kirishima and Yanaizu-Nishiyama in Japan (Shoji et al, 1989(Shoji et al, , 1999, Baranskiy and Pauzhetka in Russia (Rychagov et al, 2000(Rychagov et al, , 2009, Los Azufres in Mexico (González-Partida, 2001), Mataloko in Indonesia (Koseki and Nakashima, 2006a,b); Joaquina in Guatemala (Libbey et al, 2015), Reykjanes in Iceland (Libbey and Williams-Jones, 2016) and Tolhuaca in Chile (Tardani et al, 2017). Despite its ubiquitous occurrence, geochemical data of pyrite have been reported only for a few geothermal systems (Shoji et al, 1989(Shoji et al, , 1999Nakashima, 2006a,b: Rychagov et al, 2009;Libbey and Williams-Jones, 2016;Tardani et al, 2017).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Geochemical and micro-textural fingerprints of boiling in pyrite

Román

Reich

Leisen

et al. 2019

Geochimica et Cosmochimica Acta

173

100

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The chemical composition, textures and mineral associations of pyrite provide key information that help elucidate the evolution of hydrothermal systems. However, linking the compositional and micro-textural features of pyrite with a specific physico-chemical process, e.g., boiling versus nonboiling, remains elusive and challenging. In this study we examine pyrite geochemical and microtextural features and relate these results to pyrite-forming processes at the active Cerro Pabellón Geothermal System (CPGS) in the Altiplano of the northern Chile. We integrate electron microprobe analysis (EMPA) and laser ablation inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (LA-ICP-MS) data with micro-textural observations of pyrite and associated gangue minerals recovered from a ~500 m long drill core that crosscuts the argillic, sub-propylitic and propylitic alteration zones of the CPGS. Additionally, we carried out a Principal Component Analysis (PCA) in order to inspect and understand the main data structure of the pyrite geochemical dataset. The concentrations of precious metals (Au and Ag), metalloids (As, Sb, Se, Bi and Tl), and base and heavy metals (Cu, Co, Ni and Pb) in pyrite from the CPGS are significant. Among the elements analyzed, As, Cu and Pb are the most abundant with concentrations that vary from a few parts per million (ppm) to wt% levels (up to 4.4 wt% of As, 0.5 wt% of Cu and 0.2 wt% of Pb). Based on contemporaneous gangue mineral associations and textures, the mechanisms of pyrite precipitation in the CPGS were inferred. Pyrite formed during vigorous boiling is characterized by relatively high concentrations of As, Cu, Pb, Ag and Au and lower concentrations of Co and Ni compared to pyrite formed under different conditions. These anhedral to euhedral pyrite grains display zones with a porous texture and abundant mineral micro-to nano-inclusions (mainly galena and chalcopyrite) indicating a formation by rapid crystallization. In contrast, pyrite formed under gentle boiling (more gradual cooling and less abrupt physico-chemical variations than in vigorous boiling) to non-boiling conditions is characterized by a higher concentration of Co and Ni, and relatively low concentrations of As, Cu, Pb, Ag and Au. Texturally, these pyrites form aggregates of euhedral and pristine pyrite crystals with scarce pores and mineral inclusions suggesting formation under steadier physico-chemical conditions. Our results show that pyrite can not only record the chemical evolution of hydrothermal fluids, but can also provide critical information related to physicochemical process such as boiling and phase separation. Since boiling of aqueous fluids is a common phenomenon occurring in a variety of pyrite-forming environments, e.g., active continental and seafloor hydrothermal systems, and porphyry Cu-epithermal Au-Ag deposits, pyrite compositional and textural features are a valuable complement for discriminating and tracking boiling events in modern and fossil hydrothermal systems.

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Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Geochemical and micro-textural fingerprints of boiling in pyrite

Román

Reich

Leisen

et al. 2019

Geochimica et Cosmochimica Acta

173

100

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Sb(III) and Sb(V) removal from water by a hydroxyl-intercalated, mechanochemically synthesized Mg-Fe-LDH

Cao

Guo

Liang

et al. 2020

Applied Clay Science

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Copper–arsenic decoupling in an active geothermal system: A link between pyrite and fluid composition

Tardani

Reich

Deditius

et al. 2017

Geochimica et Cosmochimica Acta

102

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Please cite this article as: Tardani, D., Reich, M., Deditius, A.P., Chryssoulis, S., Sánchez-Alfaro, P., Wrage, J., Roberts, M.P., Copper-arsenic decoupling in an active geothermal system: a link between pyrite and fluid composition, Geochimica et Cosmochimica Acta (2017), doi: http://dx.doi.org/10. 1016/j.gca.2017.01.044 This is a PDF file of an unedited manuscript that has been accepted for publication. As a service to our customers we are providing this early version of the manuscript. The manuscript will undergo copyediting, typesetting, and review of the resulting proof before it is published in its final form. Please note that during the production process errors may be discovered which could affect the content, and all legal disclaimers that apply to the journal pertain. and propylitic (650 to 1000 m) alteration zones of the geothermal system. We show that 43 the concentrations of precious metals (e.g., Au, Ag), metalloids (e.g., As, Sb, Se, Te), 44 and base and heavy metals (e.g., Cu, Co, Ni, Pb) in pyrite at the TGS are significant. Final (revised) version submitted to Geochimica 45Among the elements analyzed, As and Cu are the most abundant with concentrations 46 that vary from sub-ppm levels to a few wt. % (i.e., up to ~5 wt. % As, ~1.5 wt. % Cu). 47Detailed wavelength-dispersive spectrometry (WDS) X-ray maps and SIMS depth vs.

show abstract

Characterization of geothermal activity along the North American–Caribbean Plate boundary in Guatemala: The Joaquina geothermal field

Cited by 10 publications

References 60 publications

Geochemical and micro-textural fingerprints of boiling in pyrite

Geochemical and micro-textural fingerprints of boiling in pyrite

Sb(III) and Sb(V) removal from water by a hydroxyl-intercalated, mechanochemically synthesized Mg-Fe-LDH

Copper–arsenic decoupling in an active geothermal system: A link between pyrite and fluid composition

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