• Economic and Environmental Geology
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• v.35 no.3
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• pp.203-210
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• 2002

In order to elucidate the growth mechanism of sulfide chimney formed as a result of seafloor hydrothermal mineralization, we carried out the mineralogical and fluid inclusion studies on the inactive, sulfide- and silica-rich chimney which has been recovered from a hydrothermal field in the Cleft segment of the Juan de Fuca Ridge. According to previous studies, many active and inactive vents are present in the Cleft segment. The sulfide- and silica-rich chimney is composed of amorphous silica, pyrite, sphalerite and wurtzite with minor amounts of chalcopyrite and marcasite. The interior part of the chimney is highly porous and represents a flow channel. Open spaces within chimneys are typically coated with colloform layers of amorphous silica. The FeS content of Zn-sulfides varies widely from 13.9 to 34.3 mole% with Fe-rich core and Fe-poor rims. This variation possibly reflects the change of physicochemical characteristics of hydrothermal fluids. Chemical and mineralogical compositions of the each growth zone are also varied, possibly due to a thermal gradient. Based on the microthermometric measurements of liquid-rich, two-phase inclusions in amorphous silica that was precipitated in the late stage of mineralization, minimum trapping temperatures are estimated to be about 1140 to 145$^{\circ}$C with the salinities between 3.2 and 4.8 wt.% NaCI equiv. Although the actual fluid temperatures of the vent are not available, this study suggests that the lowtemperature conditions were predominant during the mineralization in the hydrothermal field at Cleft segment. Comparing with the previously reported chimney types, the morphology, colloform texture, bulk chemistry, and a characteristic mineral assemblage (pyrite + marcasite + wurtzite + amorphous silica) of this chimney indicate that the chimney have been formed from a relatively low-temperature (<250$^{\circ}$C) hydrothermal fluid that was changed by sluggish fluid flow and conductive cooling.

• Economic and Environmental Geology
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• v.46 no.3
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• pp.207-214
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• 2013

To identify rock-magnetic properties of volcanogenic hydrothermal sulfide deposits, chimneys were obtained from the Tofua Arc in Southwest Pacific, using a remotely operated vehicle (ROV) and Grab with AV cameras (GTVs). Three different types of chimneys used in this study are a high-temperature chimney with venting fluid-temperature of about $200^{\circ}C$ (ROV01), a low-temperature chimney of about $80^{\circ}C$ (GTV01), and an inactive chimney (ROV02). Magnetic properties of ROV01 are dominated by pyrrhotite, except for the outermost that experienced severe oxidation. Concentration and grain-size of ROV01 pyrrhotite are relatively low and fine. For GTV01, both magnetic concentration and grain-size increase from interior to margin. Pyrrhotite, dominant in the core, becomes mixed with hematite in the rim of the chimney due to secondary oxidation. High concentration and large grain-size of magnetic minerals characterize the ROV02. Dominant magnetic phases are pyrrhotite, hematite and goethite. In particular, the outermost rim shows a presence of magnetite produced by magnetotactic bacterial activity. Such distinctive contrast in magnetic concentration, grain-size and mineralogy among three different types of chimney enables the rock-magnetic study to characterize an evolution of hydrothermal deposits.

• Economic and Environmental Geology
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• v.48 no.4
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• pp.273-285
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• 2015

The extensive hydrothermal deposits have been found, for the first time, on the western TA25 seamount caldera in the Tonga arc. The seafloor hydrothermal vents are active and immature, emitting the transparent fluids of which temperatures range from $150^{\circ}C$ to $242^{\circ}C$ (average=$203^{\circ}C$). The recovered hydrothermal sulfides are mainly composed of sphalerite, pyrite, marcasite, galena, chalcopyrite, covellite, tennantite, enargite and sulfates such as barite, gypsum/anhydrite. Predominant sphalerite categorize it into Zn-rich hydrothermal ore body. Zn-rich sulfide ores have minor enargite, indicating that mineralization occurred in high sulfidation environment. The proportion and FeS content of sphalerite increase from outside to inside of the hydrothermal ores, respectively. In particular, sphalerite has a great silver content (up to ~10 wt.%). Chalcopyrite is more frequently observed in mound than in the chimney, implying mineralization temperature in the mound is higher than in the chimney. Homogenization temperatures and salinities from fluid inclusions in barite at the mound range from $148^{\circ}C$ to $341^{\circ}C$ (average=$213^{\circ}C$) and 0.4 to 3.6 equiv. wt.% NaCl, respectively. Homogenization temperatures suggest that sulfides in the mound mineralized at a higher temperature (${\geq}200^{\circ}C$) than in the chimney.