Mineralogical and Geochemical Characteristics of Al-rich Clays from the Longqi Hydrothermal Field, Southwest Indian Ridge

Abstract

BACKGROUND The mineralogy, chemistry and crystal structure of hydrothermal clay minerals from various geologic settings have been studied to reflect the fluid-rock interaction and physico-chemical evolution of fluids in hydrothermal environments. However, clay minerals in the ultraslow-spreading Southwest Indian Ridge have received less attention. OBJECTIVES To obtain a better understanding of the features of clay minerals and to constrain hydrothermal alteration processes in the SWIR. METHODS A fragment of massive sulfide ore with irregular-shaped breccia was collected from the Longqi hydrothermal field and studied using SEM-EDS, XRD, FT-IR, EPMA and LA-ICP-MS to determine its mineralogical and geochemical characteristics. RESULTS The breccia sample contains disseminated micro-sized TiO2 and is mainly composed of Al-rich dioctahedral smectite (i.e., beidellite) and amorphous opal. The total content of REE (2.43 to 43.45 μg/g) in such Al-rich, Mg-poor and Fe-poor smectite is commonly low and the REE fractionation patterns exhibit no significant Ce anomaly (1.09-1.16) but yield negative δEu values (0.31-0.53). It has been suggested that continuous ore-forming fluids (typical of low-temperature, acidicity and relatively reduced solutions) might be responsible for extensive leaching and remobilization of all elements except Al and Ti, thus promoting the formation of Al-rich smectite at the periphery of the Longqi hydrothermal system. CONCLUSIONS The altered clay mineral and its geochemical characteristics have been studied, reflecting the pervasive development of low-temperature hydrothermal alteration at the Longqi hydrothermal field. This study provides a basis for further discussion of the fluid-rock interaction in the ultraslow-spreading SWIR.

Keywords

• southwest indian ridge
• al-rich smectite
• beidellite
• low-temperature hydrothermal alteration