Volume 56, Nº 3 (2018)

This paper reports chemical, geochronological, and Hf–Nd–Sr isotopic-geochemical data on granite, leucogabbro, and microgabbro porphyrite vein bodies in the gabbro of the Volkovsky massif. It was proved that the vein granite and leucogabbro are genetically related to the leucogabbro–anorthosite–plagiogranite (anorthosite–granite) series of the Urals Platinum Belt. The granite was dated by U-Pb laser ablation inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometric method at 409.0 ± 2.3 Ma. The rock has ⁸⁷Sr/⁸⁶Sr_{(409 Ма)} = 0.70358, high ε_{Nd(409 Ма)} = 6.4–6.5, and ε_{Hf(409 Ма)} ≥ 10.8. Similar values of ⁸⁷Sr/⁸⁶Sr_{(409 Ма)} = 0.70370 and ε_{Nd(409 Ма)} = 5.9 were obtained for the vein leucogabbro. The isotopic-geochemical data are consistent with existing concept of the formation of the leucogabbro–anorthosite–plagiogranite (anorthosite–granite) series through partial melting of the olivine gabbro. The measured ¹⁴³Nd/¹⁴⁴Nd = 0.512939 value obtained for the microgabbro porphyrite reflects their more radiogenic composition and likely a mantle source. The granite, associated leucogabbro, and microgabbro porphyrite were emplaced at the final magmatic stage in the massif evolution. This event marks the upper age boundary of the Au–Pd mineralization related to the gabbroic rocks. The vein rocks lack any signs of the mineralization. However, it is highly probable that they were sources of energy and fluid for reworking of the earlier olivine gabbro and redeposition of ore components in this rock.

The paper presents data on the average analyzed concentrations of volatile components (CO₂, CH₄ and other hydrocarbons, N₂, and H₂S) in natural fluids producing hydrothermal Au, Sn, W, Mo, Cu, Pb, and Zn mineral deposits. Characteristics of the gas regime at these deposits are determined. Thermodynamic simulations are carried out to model how compounds with volatile components are formed when water interacts with silicic and mafic rocks within wide P–T ranges. The speciation of volatile components determined by direct analysis is in good agreement with numerical simulations of water–rock systems (for silicic and mafic rocks). More reduced species with volatile components are formed in mafic rocks.

The solubility of gold was measured in dry NaCl salt melt at 860°С in closed systems with SiO₂ (silica glass). The reactions do not occur in a closed system without oxidizer. Reaction of SiO₂ with salt in the presence of an oxidizer (KClO₄) results in the formation of water-soluble sodium silicates (a mixture of meta-, ortho-, and pyrosilicates). Gold mobilization by a salt melt is limited by the diffusion of Na in SiO₂. In a closed system with the addition of a strong oxidizer (dry KClO₄ salt), the solubility of gold increase with increasing amount of KClO₄ and the saturation level is estimated to be ~3 wt % Au. For ampoule configurations used in our experiments, 5.5 g of gold dissolved per 1 g of KClO₄. Only cheap, non-toxic reagents were used in our model experiments on gold dissolution in a salt melt, which did not require elevated pressures. The solubility of 30 g Au per 1 kg NaCl will eliminate geochemical problems associated with the compact leaching of gold ores using cyanide.

The paper presents data on sapropels from ten lacustrine systems at the Barabinsk and Kulunda plains in Novosibirsk region. The sapropels are classified according to the type of the biological contribution to their origin and the content of organic matter. The sapropel of lakes Kachkulnya and Barchin, which are rich in organic matter and differ by the type of their origin (macrophytogenic and planktonogenic), were studied in much detail with the application of the following techniques: X-ray diffraction (XRD), atomic absorption spectroscopy (AAS), and elemental (CHNSO) analysis. Groups of organic compounds contained in the organic matter were determined by successive extraction, and the monosaccharide composition was studied by high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC). The organic matter of sapropel with different type of boilogical contribution was discovered to differ in elemental (CHNSO) composition, group of organics, and the monosaccharide compositions. Our results led us to conclude that the genesis of sapropel significnalty imprints the composition of its organic matter.

The paper considerations of the possibility of the low-temperature (1000°C) and high-temperature (>1500°C) thermal decomposition of solid samples of suspensions and the selective fractional evaporation–condensation of elements in specialized electrothermal crucible and rod atomizers for the purposes of direct atomic-absorption analysis. The approach is applied to analyze samples of riverine and marine suspensions for Ag, Cd, and Tl.