FLUIDOGENOUS MINERALIZATION OF THE MUD VOLCANO OF ZENBIL (DUVANNYI) ISLAND IN THE CASPIAN SEA

Abstract

The work is devoted to the mineralogy of the lance breccia of the Zenbil mud volcano, located in the nearwater part of the southwestern wing of the asymmetric structure of Duvany deniz (Baku archipelago of the Caspian Sea). This active volcano as a whole is typical of the entire archipelago, as a result of which its study is of considerable interest. A mineralogical study of the fractions of the sample was carried out using a binocular and a scanning microscope with an integrated electron probe analysis system based on energy and wave dispersion spectrometers. Hollow microspherules of wustite, hematite, pyrite and apatite were identified. Native iron, silver gold, alloys of tin, lead, zinc, nickel and others were found. Sulfides of zinc, copper, iron and many other minerals were observed, in particular, previously little known iron phosphate. Spherules are usually almost perfect rounded, often with points of attachment of balls to some larger objects. The dimension of spherules is constant — 120—250 microns. The discovery of an apatite ball is of interest. This type of formation was rarely found in other mud volcanoes of Azerbaijan. It is interesting that in the Zenbil volcano and in other volcanoes of Azerbaijan, apatite, which composes the spherule, is characterized by a high F content (up to 10.13 %). This fact, in our opinion, directly indicates the participation of fluids in its genesis. As you can see, spherules, numerous fluidogenic minerals are a documentary trace of the invasion of deep fluid masses, which causes the actual mud volcanic process. The whole complex of new findings suggests the origin of the mud volcano as a product of deep fluids.

Keywords

• mud volcano
• mud volcanic breccia
• deep fluids
• spherules
• native minerals
• sulfides
• oxides
• mineralization of deep origin