Platinum-group element (PGE) geochemistry may be used to constrain the timing of sulfide saturation in magmas, which influences the Cu and Au fertility of evolving magmatic systems. We report new geochronological and geochemical data, with emphasis on PGE geochemistry, for a suite of regional porphyritic hornblende–diorite intrusions and ore-bearing porphyries from the super-giant Escondida and smaller Zaldivar Cu deposits of Northern Chile. The regional dioritic intrusions have zircon U–Pb ages between 39·6 to 37·1 Ma, which overlap with the ages of the ore-bearing Escondida and Zaldivar porphyries (38·1 to 35·0 Ma). Whole-rock major and trace element, and Sr–Nd–Pb and zircon O–Hf isotope geochemistry indicate that the regional diorites and ore-bearing porphyries are co-magmatic and originated from the same mantle-derived magma by fractional crystallization, with minor contamination by Paleozoic crust (∼10%). The low concentrations of PGE in the regional diorites show that they reached sulfide saturation before the MgO content of the melt fell to 4·7 wt %, the MgO content of the most primitive sample analysed. The fraction of sulfide melt which separated from the melts that formed the regional diorites is estimated to be ∼0·12 wt %; this resulted in the partitioning of highly chalcophile elements (Au and PGE) into a sulfide phase that was retained in cumulus rocks at depth. However, the fraction of sulfide melt was too low to have a significant effect on the Cu content of the fractionating melt. As a consequence, when the evolving melt eventually reached volatile saturation, it contained enough Cu (40 ± 10 ppm) to form a super-giant Cu deposit. In contrast, Au was largely stripped from the melt by sulfide precipitation, with the result that the mineralization at Escondida is Cu dominant, with only minor Au. The Zaldivar deposit, on the other hand, contains even less Au, which is attributed to a longer fractionation interval between sulfide and volatile saturation. This study provides evidence to support previously proposed models which suggest that the timing of sulfide saturation, the amount of sulfide melt produced, the water content and oxidation state of the melt, and the magma volume are critical factors in determining the potential to form a porphyry Cu deposit. Plots of Pd/MgO against Y can be used as empirical indicators of magma fertility for porphyry mineralization, and to discriminate between Cu–Au and Cu-dominated systems, but cannot predict the size of the deposit. The super-giant status of the Escondida deposit is attributed to it being underlain by a large batholith with a calculated minimum mass of 1012 tonnes (∼400 km3).
Abstract C-type asteroids 1 are considered to be primitive small Solar System bodies enriched in water and organics, providing clues to the origin and evolution of the Solar System and the building blocks of life. C-type asteroid 162173 Ryugu has been characterized by remote sensing 2–7 and on-asteroid measurements 8,9 with Hayabusa2 (ref. 10 ). However, the ground truth provided by laboratory analysis of returned samples is invaluable to determine the fine properties of asteroids and other planetary bodies. We report preliminary results of analyses on returned samples from Ryugu of the particle size distribution, density and porosity, spectral properties and textural properties, and the results of a search for Ca–Al-rich inclusions (CAIs) and chondrules. The bulk sample mainly consists of rugged and smooth particles of millimetre to submillimetre size, confirming that the physical and chemical properties were not altered during the return from the asteroid. The power index of its size distribution is shallower than that of the surface boulder observed on Ryugu 11 , indicating differences in the returned Ryugu samples. The average of the estimated bulk densities of Ryugu sample particles is 1,282 ± 231 kg m −3 , which is lower than that of meteorites 12 , suggesting a high microporosity down to the millimetre scale, extending centimetre-scale estimates from thermal measurements 5,9 . The extremely dark optical to near-infrared reflectance and spectral profile with weak absorptions at 2.7 and 3.4 μm imply a carbonaceous composition with indigenous aqueous alteration, matching the global average of Ryugu 3,4 and confirming that the sample is representative of the asteroid. Together with the absence of submillimetre CAIs and chondrules, these features indicate that Ryugu is most similar to CI chondrites but has lower albedo, higher porosity and more fragile characteristics.
A new preconcentration technique of Zr, Nb, Mo, Hf, Ta and W has been invented employing coprecipiation with Ti compounds. Silicate samples were digested by HF with addition of Ti. Subsequent drying with HClO4 resulting in complete elimination of fluorine produces Ti compounds (oxide/hydroxides). The sample was then dissolved with dilute nitric acid and centrifuged, and the residual Ti compounds were collected. The Ti compounds forming from 2 mg of Ti without matrix elements concentrate 84-98% of Zr, Nb, Mo, Hf, Ta and W. In 20 mg basaltic and 50 mg peridotitic matrices, the addition of 1 mg of Ti was appropriate and gave yields of 46-69 and 54-79%, respectively, for Zr, Nb, Mo, Hf, Ta and W. Exploiting this preconcentration, sequential separation protocols of Hf, Pb, Sr, Lu, Nd and Sm for isotope analysis are developed with total blanks of 16, 11, 60, 2.4, 3 and 0.4 pg, respectively. The method is suitable for Lu-Hf system studies with capability of simultaneous separation of Pb, Sr, Nd and Sm from the same sample digest as well as isotopic anomaly studies of Zr, Mo and W. As application examples, accurate Lu-Hf data and Pb isotope ratios were obtained for basalt (JB-3) and peridotite (JP-1) by MC-ICP-MS.
Journal Article Corrected proof 2024 Noto Peninsula Earthquake—elderly evacuees and mental health challenges Get access Y Kaneda, Y Kaneda Conceptualization, Writing - original draft School of Medicine, Hokkaido University, Hokkaido, Japan Address correspondence to Y. Kaneda, School of Medicine, Hokkaido University, Kita15, Nishi7, Kita-ku, Sapporo, Hokkaido 0608638, Japan. email: nature271828@gmail.com https://orcid.org/0000-0001-8302-9439 Search for other works by this author on: Oxford Academic PubMed Google Scholar A Ozaki, A Ozaki Writing - review & editing Department of Breast and Thyroid Surgery, Jyoban Hospital of Tokiwa Foundation, Fukushima, Japan https://orcid.org/0000-0003-4415-9657 Search for other works by this author on: Oxford Academic PubMed Google Scholar M Endo, M Endo Writing - review & editing Department of public health, Medical Governance Research Institute, Tokyo, Japan Search for other works by this author on: Oxford Academic PubMed Google Scholar E Nakamura, E Nakamura Writing - review & editing Home-Visit Nursing Station Minagi, Kowakai, Japan Search for other works by this author on: Oxford Academic PubMed Google Scholar H Beniya H Beniya Writing - review & editing Orange Home-Care Clinic, Fukui City, Japan Search for other works by this author on: Oxford Academic PubMed Google Scholar QJM: An International Journal of Medicine, hcae062, https://doi.org/10.1093/qjmed/hcae062 Published: 03 April 2024 Article history Published: 03 April 2024 Corrected and typeset: 12 April 2024
