Chemical alteration of the oceanic crust

The alteration of the upper oceanic crust through sea water-basement rock interaction produces different and distinct alteration zones with increasing depth. The zonation generally shows a consistent worldwide pattern.The uppermost basement is influenced by oxidative sea water-basalt alteration at low temperatures and high water/rock ratios. With increasing crustal depth or even in a single pillow the temperatures rise, the water/rock ratios become lower, the redox and pH values normally decrease, and the oxidative zone is followed by a non-oxidative one. Below these zones the basement has suffered high-temperature alteration under reducing and acidic conditions.This results in chemical modifications of the rocks by the addition or leaching of certain elements, and has also consequences for the composition of sea water.From our own data and data presently available in the literature I summarize the mineralogical and geochemical characteristica of sea water alteration processes affecting the oceanic crust.

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Zusammenfassung Die chemische Veränderung der oberen ozeanischen Kruste durch Gestein/Meerwasser-Interaktionen produziert verschiedene und unterscheidbare Alterationszonen die von der Krustentiefe abhängig sind. Diese Zonierung zeigt weltweit vergleichbare Muster.Das oberste Basement wird von einer niedrig temperierten oxidativen Meerwasseralteration beeinflußt. Mit zunehmender Krustentiefe steigen die Reaktionstemperaturen an, die Redox- und pH-Werte werden kleiner, d.h. nichtoxidative Alterationsvorgänge dominieren. Unterhalb dieser Zonen wird die ozeanische Kruste überwiegend von reduzierenden und sauren Hydrothermallösungen alteriert.Im Verlauf der Seewasser/Basalt-Reaktionen werden die Gesteine mineralogisch und chemisch verändert, indem verschiedene Elemente aus den Basalten herausgelöst und wiederum andere aufgenommen werden. Diese Vorgänge haben auch für die Zusammensetzung des Meerwassers drastische Konsequenzen.Mit Hilfe publizierter aber vor allem mit eigenen Daten werden die mineralogischen und geochemischen Charakteristika der unterschiedlichen Alterationsprozesse zusammengefaßt dargestellt.

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Résumé L'altération de la partie supérieure de la croûte océanique sous l'action de l'eau de mer engendre plusieurs zones distinctes qui se succèdent de haut en bas. Ce zonage présente d'ordinaire une extension mondiale.La partie supérieure de la croûte est affectée d'une altération oxydante de basse température du basalte. Vers le bas, parfois même au sein d'un même pillow, la température s'élève, la quantité d'eau décroît, le potentiel redox et le pH diminuent, de sorte que la zone d'oxydation est suivie d'une zone non oxydante. En-dessous de ces deux zones, les roches ont subi une altération de haute température dans des conditions acides et réductrices.Il en résulte des changements de la composition chimique des roches par apport ou par lessivage de certains élements, ainsi qu'une modification de la composition de l'eau de mer.A partir des données de la littérature et surtout de mes propres observations, je présente une synthèse des caractères minéralogiques et géochimiques des divers processus de l'altération sous-marine.

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Uranium abundance of the oceanic crust

Uranium contents of 67 oceanic basalts have been measured by fission track analysis. Average value for ridge and intraplate basalts is ~ 78 ppb, for the Easter Hot Line it is ~1600 ppb. Estimates of mantle concentrations derived from the ridge and intraplate samples are insufficient to account for the observed surface heat flow. The whole-Earth concentration of U is > 8 ppb. and < 33 ppb if all heat generated within the Earth reaches the surface.     

Reduction of buried oxidized oceanic crust during subduction

The relationship among subducted oxidized oceanic crust and oxidation state of the subarc mantle, and arc magmas is one of the important aspects to evaluate convergent margin tectonics. However details of the oxidized mass transferred from buried oceanic crust to the overlying subarc mantle wedge remain obscure. Here we investigate the Songduo eclogites from south Tibet formed by the subduction of the paleo-Tethyan oceanic crust, and identify an abrupt decrease in pyrope and increase in almandine contents from the mantle to rim of garnet grains. This is coupled with a decrease in the Fe^3 + content of epidote and Fe^3 +/(Fe^2 ++ Fe^3 +) ratios from garnet core to rim domains, as well as speciation of calcite, a new mineral phase, in the rock matrix. Minor sulfates occur only as inclusions in garnet core domains, whereas sulfides are confined to the matrix as an accessory mineral phase. Aegirine augite occurs as relics or inclusions in garnet and omphacite. These features clearly suggest that oxidized components, Fe^3 + and S^6 +, were reduced as Fe^2 + and S^2 −, respectively, at the subduction zone. Thermodynamic modeling in the P–T-log₁₀f_O2 space using updated Perplex_X programs further revealed that the Songduo eclogites experienced oxygen fugacity variation of up to 8 log₁₀ units, with decreasing pressure. Petrological observations further suggest that the strong redox processes took place, after breaking of garnet, during the initial exhumation of the eclogites. CO₂ and minor sulfur are subsequently transferred from the cold oceanic subduction zone to the overlying mantle wedge, partially released by arc volcanoes to atmosphere. Our study presents a case of C and S recycling between the Earth's exterior and interior.     

Accretion of oceanic crust under conditions of oblique spreading

The accretion of oceanic crust under conditions of oblique spreading is considered. It is shown that deviation of the normal to the strike of mid-ocean ridge from the extension direction results in the formation of echeloned basins and ranges in the rift valley, which are separated by normal and strike-slip faults oriented at an angle to the axis of the mid-ocean ridge. The orientation of spreading ranges is determined by initial breakup and divergence of plates, whereas the within-rift structural elements are local and shallow-seated; they are formed only in the tectonically mobile rift zone. As a rule, the mid-ocean ridges with oblique spreading are not displaced along transform fracture zones, and stresses are relaxed in accommodation zones without rupture of continuity of within-rift structural elements. The structural elements related to oblique spreading can be formed in both rift and megafault zones. At the initial breakup and divergence of continental or oceanic plates with increased crust thickness, the appearance of an extension component along with shear in megafault zones gives rise to the formation of embryonic accretionary structural elements. As opening and extension increase, oblique spreading zones are formed. Various destructive and accretionary structural elements (nearly parallel extension troughs; basin and range systems oriented obliquely relative to the strike of the fault zone and the extension axis; rhomb-shaped extension basins, etc.) can coexist in different segments of the fault zone and replace one another over time. The Andrew Bain Megafault Zone in the South Atlantic started to develop as a strike-slip fault zone that separated the African and Antarctic plates. Under extension in the oceanic domain, this zone was transformed into a system of strike-slip faults divided by accretionary structures. It is suggested that the De Geer Megafault Zone in the North Atlantic, which separated Greenland and Eurasia at the initial stage of extension that followed strike-slip offset, evolved in the same way.     

Hydrous partial melting within the lower oceanic crust

We studied more than 60 oceanic gabbros from the recent oceanic crust and from ophiolites (East Pacific Rise, Mid-Atlantic Ridge, Southwest Indian Ridge, Oman ophiolite) by scanning electron microscopy and found in nearly all samples microstructures suggesting that hydrous partial melting reactions proceeded. The characteristic paragenesis consists of orthopyroxene and pargasite rimming olivine and clinopyroxene primocrysts in intimate contact with neoblastic plagioclase strongly enriched in anorthite. This is in agreement with recent water-saturated melting experiments on a variety of natural gabbros between 900 and 1000 °C. The observed microtextures in the natural gabbros imply the propagation of water-rich fluids on grain boundaries in a ductile regime causing hydrous partial melting. Thus, this type of hydrothermal activity proceeds within the deep oceanic crust at very high temperatures (900–1000 °C) without a crack system, a prerequisite in current models for enabling hydrothermal circulation.     

The palaeomagnetism of outcropping oceanic crust on Macquarie Island

Macquarie Island offers a rare opportunity to investigate outcropping ocean crust. In this study, palaeomagnetic samples were collected from 32 sites. After frequency demagnetization, 15 of these sites were found to be stable. Stable sites were from lavas, dykes, and gabbros, representing different depths of formation in the oceanic crust.

A successful bedding correction, assuming a simple model for the oceanic crust, was applied to the directions of magnetization. The former assumed dykes were injected vertically, lavas laid down horizontally, and gabbros layered horizontally. However, the palaeomagnetic poles from the centre and south of the island were not conformable at their 95 percent confidence levels. To remedy this, a structural correction was then applied to sites from the south of the island, where the average strike of dykes is 55° different from that in the centre of the island, which parallels regional seafloor‐spreading anomalies. This correction involved rotation around a vertical axis, which could not be accounted for in a simple bedding correction. When the average strike of the dykes was brought into parallelism with that of the regional seafloor‐spreading anomalies (and presumably that of the fossil spreading ridge), the result was to bring the palaeomagnetic poles from the centre and the south of the island into conformity.

The final pole for Macquarie Island was found to be consistent with a pole of similar age from the Australian Continent. This is consistent with Macquarie Island being formed as part of the Indian plate.

The magnetic properties of the rocks are consistent with seafloor‐spreading anomalies originating from the lavas, with a possible deeper contribution from the gabbros. The dolerite dykes which are palaeomagnetically stable appear to have natural remanent magnetizations (NRM) which are too low to contribute significantly to seafloor‐spreading anomalies.     

Recycling of oceanic crust and the origin of intraplate volcanism

Source models for intraplate volcanism (IPV) include vertical introduction of material from deep in the mantle (plume model), contamination of the shallow mantle (perisphere and continental mantle delamination models) and derivation by selective partial melting of oceanic crust recycled into the depleted mantle (SUMA/streaky mantle models). The plume hypothesis became the ruling model after a flawed interpretation of helium isotope data in the mid 1980s that led to plumes being imposed on models for crustal recycling into the depleted mantle. This incorporation of otherwise competing concepts, is the cause of unnecessary complexity in modern geodynamic models. The plume model cannot explain all manifestations of IPV and a comprehensive explanation can only be found by invoking the alternative options, combined with their tapping by plate tectonic processes.     

Iranshahr blueschist: subduction of the inner Makran oceanic crust

The Makran accretionary prism in SE Iran and SW Pakistan is one of the most extensive subduction accretions on Earth. It is characterized by intense folding, thrust faulting and dislocation of the Cenozoic units that consist of sedimentary, igneous and metamorphic rocks. Rock units forming the northern Makran ophiolites are amalgamated as a mélange. Metamorphic rocks, including greenschist, amphibolite and blueschist, resulted from metamorphism of mafic rocks and serpentinites. In spite of the geodynamic significance of blueschist in this area, it has been rarely studied. Peak metamorphic phases of the northern Makran mafic blueschist in the Iranshahr area are glaucophane, phengite, quartz±omphacite+epidote. Post peak minerals are chlorite, albite and calcic amphibole. Blueschist facies metasedimentary rocks contain garnet, phengite, albite and epidote in the matrix and as inclusions in glaucophane. The calculated P–T pseudosection for a representative metabasic glaucophane schist yields peak pressure and temperature of 11.5–15 kbar at 400–510 °C. These rocks experienced retrograde metamorphism from blueschist to greenschist facies (350–450 °C and 7–8 kbar) during exhumation. A back arc basin was formed due to northward subduction of Neotethys under Eurasia (Lut block). Exhumation of the high‐pressure metamorphic rocks in northern Makran occurred contemporarily with subduction. Several reverse faults played an important role in exhumation of the ophiolitic and HP‐LT rocks. The presence of serpentinite shows the possible role of a serpentinite diapir for exhumation of the blueschist. A tectonic model is proposed here for metamorphism and exhumation of oceanic crust and accretionary sedimentary rocks of the Makran area. Vast accretion of subducted materials caused southward migration of the shore.     

Production and recycling of oceanic crust in the early Earth

Because of the strongly different conditions in the mantle of the early Earth regarding temperature and viscosity, present-day geodynamics cannot simply be extrapolated back to the early history of the Earth. We use numerical thermochemical convection models including partial melting and a simple mechanism for melt segregation and oceanic crust production to investigate an alternative suite of dynamics which may have been in operation in the early Earth. Our modelling results show three processes that may have played an important role in the production and recycling of oceanic crust: (1) Small-scale (x×100 km) convection involving the lower crust and shallow upper mantle. Partial melting and thus crustal production takes place in the upwelling limb and delamination of the eclogitic lower crust in the downwelling limb. (2) Large-scale resurfacing events in which (nearly) the complete crust sinks into the (eventually lower) mantle, thereby forming a stable reservoir enriched in incompatible elements in the deep mantle. New crust is simultaneously formed at the surface from segregating melt. (3) Intrusion of lower mantle diapirs with a high excess temperature (about 250 K) into the upper mantle, causing massive melting and crustal growth. This allows for plumes in the Archean upper mantle with a much higher excess temperature than previously expected from theoretical considerations.     

俯冲洋壳的折返及其相关问题讨论

大洋俯冲带中高压(HP)和超高压(UHP)岩石的折返机制一直以来都是俯冲工厂中最不为人知的问题之一.本文根据搜集全球折返到地表的洋壳榴辉岩基础数据(包括岩石学特征、峰期温压条件和折返P-T轨迹),初步探讨了洋壳榴辉岩的折返机制.根据峰期矿物组合、温压条件和对应的地温梯度,典型大洋俯冲带中的榴辉岩可以分为三类:含柯石英的UHP硬柱石榴辉岩(2.7～ 3.2GPa,470 ～ 610℃,5～7℃/km)、HP硬柱石榴辉岩(1.7～2.6GPa,360～ 620℃,5～8℃/km)和HP绿帘石榴辉岩(1.5 ～2.3 GPa,540 ～ 630℃,7～12℃/km).与大陆俯冲碰撞造山带中的HP-UHP榴辉岩相比,洋壳榴辉岩具有较低的峰期温压条件和较高的低密度含水矿物的含量,但是普遍缺失高密度的蓝晶石.已有的俯冲洋壳的折返模式都基于一个假设:洋壳榴辉岩密度比周围地幔大.因此,洋壳榴辉岩的折返必须借助于低密度的蛇纹岩或者变沉积岩.MORB体系的热力学模拟研究表明,俯冲洋壳的矿物组合、矿物含量和密度主要受低密度含水矿物(如硬柱石、绿泥石、蓝闪石和滑石等)的稳定性控制,并且在同等深度条件下,冷俯冲洋壳的密度低于热俯冲洋壳的密度.经历冷俯冲(～6℃/km)洋壳的密度在＜ 110～ 120km(P ＜3.3 ～ 3.6GPa)的深度仍小于周围地幔,但是经历热俯冲(～ 1O℃/km)洋壳的密度在＞60km(P＞1.8GPa)的深度就已经超过周围地幔.结合高温高压实验资料和地球物理观察数据,我们认为在＞120km的深度,俯冲基性洋壳本身密度大于周围地幔,不存在低密度的地幔楔蛇纹岩(蛇纹石已发生分解),并且大洋板块的俯冲角度突然增大可能阻碍了更深部的低密度变沉积岩的折返.以上这三个方面的原因可能导致现今折返到地表的洋壳榴辉岩和变沉积岩的形成深度普遍小于120km.折返过程中硬柱石脱水分解会导致洋壳密度增大,退变形成的蓝晶石榴辉岩的密度大于周围地幔,无法折返,这可能是全球洋壳榴辉岩中普遍缺失蓝晶石的主要原因.     

The genesis of refractory melts in the formation of oceanic crust

Refractory, primary liquids arising in various oceanic plate tectonic settings are characterized by high MgO, SiO₂, Ca/Na, low TiO₂ and generally low incompatible element abundances relative to primary liquids parental to MORB. We propose that the former melts segregate from upper mantle peridotite which has earlier been depleted by extraction of picritic melts which were parental to MORB. A compositional range in the second-stage melts is expected, depending on the extent of previous depletion of the peridotite, the temperature and pressure of melt segregation, and the possible influence of volatile phases (C-H-O) present during melting.An example of a second stage melt is of magnesian quartz tholeiite composition, identified from among the Upper Pillow Lavas, Troodos ophiolite, Cyprus. Experimental studies determine that this composition has appropriate liquidus phases to have segregated from depleted upper mantle peridotite at about 25 km, 1360° C leaving a harzburgite residue. The experimental studies are applied to interpretation of cooling histories and water contents of specific Upper Pillow Lavas. Magma batches are estimated to have contained 0.5–1.0% H₂O. Picritic lavas quenched from olivine +liquid at <5 kb. Magnesian, pyroxene-phyric lavas exhibit intratelluric crystallization at 5 kb, 1270° C (Mg₈₈ pigeonite and Mg₈₉ orthopyroxene).These and other second-stage melts will crystallize extremely refractory minerals identical to many found in cumulate sequences in ophiolites, in plutonic rocks dredged and drilled from ocean basins, and occurring as xenocrysts in ocean floor basalts. Multistage melting of upper mantle peridotite, with and without presence of water, reconciles some of the present difficulties in relating ophiolite and ocean floor basalt compositions, and is an important process in ocean crust formation in a variety of different oceanic settings (mid-ocean ridges, marginal basins, and island arcs).     

The fate of subducted oceanic crust: a mineral segregation model

Plate subduction and mantle plumes are two of the most important material transport processes of the silicate Earth. Currently, a debate exists over whether the subducted oceanic crust is recycled back to the Earth's surface through mantle plumes, and can explain their derivation and major characteristics. It is also puzzling as to why plume heads have huge melting capacities and differ dramatically from plume tails both in size and chemical composition. We present data showing that both ocean island basalt and mid-ocean ridge basalt have identical supra-primitive mantle mean Nb/U values of ～46.7, significantly larger than that of the primitive mantle value. From a mass balance calculation based on Nb/U?we have determined that nearly the whole mantle has evolved by plate subduction-induced crustal recycling during formation of the continental crust. This mixing back of subducted oceanic crust, however, is not straightforward, because it generally would be denser than the surrounding mantle, both in solid and liquid states. A mineral segregation model is proposed here to reconcile different lines of observation. First of all, subducted oceanic crustal sections are denser than the surrounding mantle, such that they can stay in the lower mantle, for billions of years as implied by isotopic data. Parts of subducted oceanic crust may eventually lose a large proportion of their heavy minerals, magnesian-silicate-perovskite and calcium-silicate-perovskite, through density segregation in ultra-low-velocity zones as well as in very-low-velocity provinces at the core-mantle boundary due to low viscosity. The remaining minerals would thus become lighter than the surrounding mantle, and could rise, trapping mantle materials, and forming mantle plumes. Mineral segregation progressively increases the SiO₂ content of the ascending oceanic crust, which enhances flux melting, and results in giant Si-enriched plume heads followed by dramatically abridged plume tails. Therefore, ancient mineral-segregated subducted oceanic crust is likely to be a major trigger and driving force for the formation of mantle plumes.     

Geochemical fingerprinting of oceanic basalts with applications to ophiolite classification and the search for Archean oceanic crust

Two geochemical proxies are particularly important for the identification and classification of oceanic basalts: the Th–Nb proxy for crustal input and hence for demonstrating an oceanic, non-subduction setting; and the Ti–Yb proxy for melting depth and hence for indicating mantle temperature and thickness of the conductive lithosphere. For the Th–Nb proxy, a Th/Yb–Nb/Yb projection demonstrates that almost all oceanic basalts lie within a diagonal MORB–OIB array with a principal axis of dispersion along the array. However, basalts erupted at continental margins and in subduction zones are commonly displaced above the MORB–OIB array and/or belong to suites with principal dispersion axes which are oblique to the array. Modelling of magma–crust interaction quantifies the sensitivity of the Th–Nb proxy to process and to magma and crustal compositions. For the Ti–Yb proxy, the equivalent Ti/Yb–Nb/Yb projection features a discriminant boundary between low Ti/Yb MORB and high Ti/Yb OIB that runs almost parallel to the Nb/Yb axis, reflecting the fact that OIB originate by melting beneath thicker lithosphere and hence by less melting and with residual garnet. In the case of volcanic-rifted margins and oceanic plume–ridge interactions (PRI), where hot mantle flows toward progressively thinner lithosphere (often becoming more depleted in the process), basalts follow diagonal trends from the OIB to the MORB field. Modelling of mantle melting quantifies the sensitivity of the Ti–Nb proxy to mantle potential temperature and lithospheric thickness and hence defines the petrogenetic basis by which magmas plot in the OIB or MORB fields. Oceanic plateau basalts lie mostly in the centre of the MORB part of that field, reflecting a high degree of melting of fertile mantle. Application of the proxies to some examples of MORB ophiolites helps them to be further classified as C (contaminated)-MORB, N (normal)-MORB, E (enriched)-MORB and P (plume)-MORB ophiolites, which may add a useful dimension to ophiolite classification. In the Archean, the hotter magmas, higher crustal geotherms and higher Th contents of contaminants all result in widespread crustal input that is easy to detect geochemically with the Th–Nb proxy. Application of this proxy to Archean greenstones demonstrates that almost all exhibit a crustal component even when reputedly oceanic. This indicates, either that some interpretations need to be re-examined or that intra-oceanic crustal input is important in the Archean making the proxy less effective in distinguishing oceanic from continental settings. The Ti–Yb proxy is not effective for fingerprinting Archean settings because higher mantle potential temperatures mean that lithospheric thickness is no longer the critical variable in determining the presence or absence of residual garnet.     

Poisson's ratio in the oceanic crust — a review

Laboratory samples from the upper oceanic crust (tholeiitic basalt flows) that have not been significantly weathered, hydrothermally altered or fractured have a typical Poisson's ratio of 0.30 ( ) and a compressional velocity of 6.0 km s⁻¹; from the middle crust (dolerite sheeted dykes) a ratio of 0.28 ( ) and a velocity of 6.7 km s⁻¹; from the lower crust (gabbro) a ratio of 0.31 ( ) and a velocity of 7.1 km s⁻¹; and from the uppermost mantle a ratio of 0.24 ( ) and a velocity of 8.4 km s⁻¹. These sample values are representative of the large scale insitu values for the middle and lower crust and for the upper mantle. The upper crust is modified by several processes that decrease the velocity and generally increase Poisson's ratio: (1) the formation of an irregular layer of low temperature weathering generally less than 50 m thick; (2) large scale porosity in the form of drained pillows and lava tubes, of talus and rubble and of large open fractures; (3) where there was a high sedimentation rate over the ridge that formed the crust, hydrothermal alteration and intercalation of basalt and sediments. The Poisson's ratios of both high velocity sediments and of crystalline continental crustal rocks generally are significantly lower than the ratios of oceanic crustal rocks of similar compressional wave velocity. Thus, the use of shear wave velocities should permit the separation of these different formations which frequently cannot be distinguished on the basis of compressional wave seismic refraction data alone.     

Thermal aspects of sea-floor spreading and the nature of the oceanic crust

By means of a plate-tectonics model we have computed radial temperature profiles for various spreading velocities for the region bounded by the bottom of oceanic layer two, the top of the lowvelocity zone, the centre of the ridge, and a vertical plane at 1000 km away from the ridge centre. The model we have used differs from previous models in that certain petrological aspects of basalt formation, partial melting, and latent heat effects have been taken into account. Oceanic heat flow was calculated from the ridge crest to 1000 km away. The thermal relationships in this region seem to rule out a gabbroic or amphibolitic third layer in the oceanic crust.     

Geology文章认为金成矿是洋中脊与地幔柱相互作用的结果

最新一期Geology（2012年10月18日）发表了有关金成矿机理的研究论文（Golden plumes：Substantialgold enrichment of oceanic crust during ridge-plume interaction）。文章指出,地幔柱活动可以揭示地壳中金的富集过程。研究提出了＂金地幔柱＂的概念,并首次对大洋玄武岩金的富集程度进行了系统研究。研究显示,位于洋中脊的冰岛地幔柱作用正日益使该区域洋壳富集金成分,其金的富集程度为正常水平的13倍,     

Numerical modelling of dyke interaction and its influence on oceanic crust formation

Dykes are an essential element in building oceanic crust, most prominent in sheeted dyke complexes in the upper crust. Since dykes alter the magnitude and orientation of the local stress field, they cannot be treated as passive infillings of extensional fractures.We use a quasi-static, iterative 2-D boundary element method allowing for a wholesale movement of fluid-filled fractures. Effects of stress and pressure gradients, buoyancy and enclosed fluid mass are considered. The implications of the dyke-induced stress field are analysed combining the simulation of fracture propagation with computation of dyke interaction. Dyke interaction occurs by the adaptation of ascending dykes to the stress field caused by previous fractures arrested in the crust and leads to focussing and crossing of dykes. Examples for applications are introduced, concerning e.g. the generation of a magma chamber and the formation of the sheeted dyke complex. Our main results are that the interaction between dykes can be considerable and that the most important controlling factor is stress. The interaction is small when the horizontal tensional stress is large compared to the pressure in the dyke head. Otherwise, dykes tend to attract each other and to form centres of high dyke density or sill layers.     

大洋富钴结壳资源调查与研究进展

富钴结壳是继多金属结核资源之后被发现的又一深海沉积固体矿产资源,在太平洋、大西洋和印度洋的海底均有分布。据估算,全球三大洋海山富钴结壳干结壳资源量为(1081.1661~2162.3322)×108t。世界各国对富钴结壳的调查始于20世纪80年代初,截至目前,已有日本、中国、俄罗斯和巴西等4个国家与国际海底管理局签订了富钴结壳勘探合同,而韩国的矿区申请也于2016年获得核准。富钴结壳按形态可分为板状结壳,砾状结壳和钴结核3种类型。富钴结壳内部结构构造在宏观上通常表现为三层构造,即底部亮煤层、中部疏松层和顶部较致密层;在微观下主要表现为柱状构造、叠层构造、斑块状构造、纹层状构造等多种类型。富钴结壳的矿物成分主要为自生的铁锰矿物,包括水羟锰矿、钡镁锰矿、羟铁矿、四方纤铁矿、六方纤铁矿、针铁矿等。富钴结壳富含Mn、Fe、Co、Ni、Cu、Pb、Zn等金属元素以及稀土元素和铂族元素,其中Co含量尤为显著。三大洋中,以太平洋富钴结壳的Co平均含量最高。富钴结壳的生长过程极其缓慢,平均仅几毫米每百万年。研究表明,西太平洋富钴结壳最早于始新世-早中新世开始生长。目前通常认为富钴结壳为水成成因,即Co、Fe、Mn等金属元素来源于海水。此外,有研究表明微生物在富钴结壳的形成过程中也起着非常重要的作用。富钴结壳的分布及特征受地形、水深、基岩类型、海水水文化学特征、经纬度等多种因素的影响,其主要分布于碳酸盐补偿深度以上、最低含氧带以下、水深800~2500 m的海山、岛屿斜坡和海底高地上,西、中太平洋海山区被认为是全球富钴结壳的最主要产出区。