Southern Juan De Fuca Ridge and Escanaba Trough, Gorda Ridge: Comparison of hydrothermal deposits in sediment-free and sediment-covered ridge settings

Conference · Fri Jun 01 00:00:00 EDT 1990 · AAPG Bulletin (American Association of Petroleum Geologists); (USA)

OSTI ID:6317651

Benninger, L M; Randolph, M; Koski, A; Zierenberg, R A ^[1]

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1. Geological Survey, Menlo Park, CA (USA)

Southern Juan De Fuca Ridge (SJDF) is a low-relief, sediment-starved ridge axis that has a total opening rate of 6 cm/year and is characterized by lobate and brecciated sheet flows and pillows of MORB composition. Sulfide deposits form at {approximately}2,200 m water depth and are concentrated within a narrow graben centered within the ridge axial valley. Solitary and coalesced chimneys (0.25 to 12 m high) rise directly from the basalt basement and are composed predominantly of Zn sulfide accompanied by Fe and Cu-Fe sulfide and traces of Pb sulfide. Anhydrite occurs as a minor phase in some chimneys. Sulfide chimneys were formed by rapid-venting of high temperature ({approximately}285{degree}C) fluids. These acidic fluids (pH {approximately}3.5) are enriched in Cl, Na, and Ca and are depleted in Cu and Zn. In contrast to SJDF, Escanaba Trough (ET) is spreading at {approximately}2.3 cm/year and has the high relief and axial graben morphology typical of the slow-spreading Mid-Atlantic Ridge. The floor of the axial valley is buried by up to 500 m of clay and terrigenous silt. Rare basement exposures reveal unbrecciated sheet flows and pillow basalts of MORB composition. Large chimney-topped sulfide mounds up to 20 m high and hundreds of meters in extent occur at {approximately}3,250 m water depth at the base of sediment hills; sulfide veins, small chimneys, and clastic deposits occur on, and within, the sediment between hills. Two distinct sulfide types occur at ET. Pyrrhotite-rich sulfide is enriched in Fe, Cu, and As and is associated with low-velocity venting of warm (<220{degree} C) alkaline (pH {approximately}5.4) fluids that are currently depositing anhydrite and barite sinter deposits on top of the sulfide mounds.

• OSTI ID: 6317651
• Report Number(s): CONF-900702-; CODEN: AABUD
• Journal Information: AAPG Bulletin (American Association of Petroleum Geologists); (USA), Vol. 74:6; Conference: 5. Circum-Pacific energy and mineral resources conference, Honolulu, HI (USA), 29 Jul - 3 Aug 1990; ISSN 0149-1423
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

58 GEOSCIENCES
SEA BED
GEOLOGIC DEPOSITS
ANHYDRITE
ANTIMONY
ARSENIC
BISMUTH
CALCIUM
COPPER
IRON
PH VALUE
PYRRHOTITE
SODIUM
SULFIDE MINERALS
TIN
ZINC
ALKALI METALS
ALKALINE EARTH METAL COMPOUNDS
ALKALINE EARTH METALS
CALCIUM COMPOUNDS
CALCIUM SULFATES
CHALCOGENIDES
ELEMENTS
IRON COMPOUNDS
IRON SULFIDES
METALS
MINERALS
OXYGEN COMPOUNDS
SEMIMETALS
SULFATE MINERALS
SULFATES
SULFIDES
SULFUR COMPOUNDS
TRANSITION ELEMENT COMPOUNDS
TRANSITION ELEMENTS
580000* - Geosciences