Mapeamento de Paleosuperfícies associadas a identificação de depósitos supérgenos de cobre como ferramenta de exploração mineral na região de Itapeva e Ribeirão Branco- Vale do Ribeira, estado de São Paulo, Brasil

A few examples of supergene ore formation and their interaction with morphogenesis (palaeosurfaces) and weathering mineralogy are discussed. Geomorphological and mineralogical records to characterize palaeosurfaces associate the weathering of primary minerals and their relationship with concentrations of cooper and iron ore deposits in southeastern state of São Paulo, Brazil. We have distinguished two palaeosurfaces generated by several weathering phases and controlled by the geological framework. The first and oldest upper palaeosurfaces (900 - 1000 m a.s.l.), situated in Riberão Branco (Alto do Brancal), were developed on silico-limestones. It is formed by typical iron laterites enriched by secondary products of cooper. The second and younger level palaeosurfaces located in Itapeva (Santa Blandina and Bairro do Sambra). This palaeosurface is formed by copper percolating through the weathered rock (saprolite). Other features can be observed like neo-formed products in laterites. They are classified into two types: clay like silico- cupriferous products (with noticeable amounts of iron) and copper minerals (crysocolla, in their flat slopes). These features allowed the presence of copper ores and their morphogenesis control will help in the exploration and prospecting of supergene ore mineral.

Geologia e Caracterização Tecnológica do Minério de Manganês da Mina Córrego do Cocho, Itapira (SP)

The objects of this study are three manganese ore deposits and one mine derived from lateritic weathering of gondites (spessartine quartzites). These deposits are associated with Mn-rich garnet metasediments of the Itapira Group (Paleoproterozoic) and the reserves were estimated at approximately 2.0 × 10 6 tons with an average grade of 23% MnO 2. The ore minerals are cryptomelane, pyrolusite, lithiophorite, spessartine and psilomelane. Several crystal shapes and textural characteristics were identifi ed in this study, which are related to the degree of liberation, as confi rmed by heavy media separation method. In this study, we determined the main characteristics of the liberation of manganese, which is concentrated in the fi ne grain-size fraction and is lost during ore dressing. Therefore, the low average content of MnO 2 (28%) is due to this loss, whereas at grain size of minus 0.074 mm, contents near 40% MnO 2 were observed. This suggests that the ore can be used for manufacturing manganese sulphate fertilizers. A comparative study with the ore deposits located at Ouro Fino (MG), mainly with the Caneleiras mine, showed that higher degree of liberation occurs in the coarse grain-size fractions (0.84 to 0.074 mm with MnO 2 content of 38%). As a consequence, the ore can be used for manufacturing Fe-Si-Mn alloys.

Biossorção de terras-raras por Sargassum sp: estudos preliminares sobre as interações metal-biomassa e a potencial aplicação do processo para a concentração , recuperação e separação de metais de alto valor agregado em colunas empacotadas

Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior (CAPES)

Geologia da região da Fazenda Salobo, Vazante - MG

Important deposits of Zn-Pb associated with the Vazante Group, and Au in Group Canastra occur in the Vazante-Paracatu region (MG). They are located in the Brasília Fold Belt, which was generated from a convergent tectonic in the Brasiliano cycle, forming a complex system of imbricated nappes and faults. This study aims to characterize stratigraphic, structural and metamorphic aspects of an area, located in the Salobo’s farm region. A geological mapping in 1:20,000 scale was executed in order to identify the outcropping lithotypes and to collect structural measures. Drill holes were described to support the surface data and samples were selected for the preparation of thin and polished sections. In this context, the occurrence of rock types and hydrothermal processes that had not been previously described were found, for example layers of phosphatic quartzite in the Serra do Poço Verde Formation (SPV), hydrothermal hematites from martitization magnetite in contact by detachment of the Serra do Garrote Formation and SPV in the Vazante Group and layers of microbanded iron formations in Paracatu Formation (Canastra Group). In the area, four deformational phases were recognized, occurring progressively, in which two of them are related to convergent tectonic, with the development of thrust faults, one is associated to tectonic escape and/or reactivation of basement faults and the last has a distensive character, representing the post-convergence relaxation. The metamorphism in the area was subgreenschist facies, reaching lower greenschist, with temperatures up to 350°C

Análise estrutural e microtectônica da inflexão do jordino e depósitos de ouro associados no greenstone belt de Pilar de Goiás

The study area is included in the geological context of the Goias Median Massif, a region where there are associations of Archean granite-gneiss complex (Block Moquém) and a Paleoproterozoic metavolcano-sedimentary sequence ( Pilar greenstone belt ). At the south of area, the greenstone sequence is partially overlain by Neopreoterozoic metasediments of the Araxá Group. The lithostratigraphic units of the Pilar greenstone belt define a shift from about N30W direction (north of the deposit) to N60 and 70W in the region south of the Jordino deposit, where are truncated by the Araxá Group rocks. Mineralogical associations described in this paper allow to indicate that the regional metamorphism that affected the rocks of the greenstone belt and Araxá Group, in the mapped area, reached the upper greenschist facies (garnet zone). Data obtained during mapping and by microtectonics analysis allow to indicate the existence of at least four deformational events that acted on the rocks of the Guarinos greenstone belt and Araxá Group, represented by the phases called Dn-1, Dn, Dn + 1 and Dn+2. It was observed that the pattern of sulphide porfitoblasts in mineralized levels is similar to garnet, biotite and muscovite porfiroblasts (tardi to post Dn) that marks the metamorphic peak of the area

A Study and Application of the Process of Supergene Enrichment of Silver Ores.

In many deposits of silver ores the grade of the ore de­creases considerably a few hundred feet below the surface. It is believed that in many cases the better ores owe their richness in part to the process of sulphide enrichment. It is recognized, however, that many rich silver ores are hypogene deposits that have been affected very little, if any, by processes of enrichment.

Reactive mass transport modelling of a three-dimensional vertical fault zone with a finger-like convective flow regime

For a three-dimensional vertically-oriented fault zone, we consider the coupled effects of fluid flow, heat transfer and reactive mass transport, to investigate the patterns of fluid flow, temperature distribution, mineral alteration and chemically induced porosity changes. We show, analytically and numerically, that finger-like convection patterns can arise in a vertically-oriented fault zone. The onset and patterns of convective fluid flow are controlled by the Rayleigh number which is a function of the thermal properties of the fluid and the rock, the vertical temperature gradient, and the height and the permeability of the fault zone. Vigorous fluid flow causes low temperature gradients over a large region of the fault zone. In such a case, flow across lithological interfaces becomes the most important mechanism for the formation of sharp chemical reaction fronts. The degree of rock buffering, the extent and intensity of alteration, the alteration mineralogy and in some cases the formation of ore deposits are controlled by the magnitude of the flow velocity across these compositional interfaces in the rock. This indicates that alteration patterns along compositional boundaries in the rock may provide some insights into the convection pattern. The advective mass and heat exchanges between the fault zone and the wallrock depend on the permeability contrast between the fault zone and the wallrock. A high permeability contrast promotes focussed convective flow within the fault zone and diffusive exchange of heat and chemical reactants between the fault zone and the wallrock. However, a more gradual permeability change may lead to a regional-scale convective flow system where the flow pattern in the fault affects large-scale fluid flow, mass transport and chemical alteration in the wallrocks

Major and trace element compositions of the Buendnerschiefer samples

The Bündnerschiefer of the Swiss-Italian Alps is a large sedimentary complex deposited on the Piemonte-Liguria and Valais oceans and associated continental margins from the upper Jurassic to Eocene. It is made of a large variety of sequences associated or not with an ophiolitic basement. The Bündnerschiefer makes an accretionary prism that developed syn-tectonically from the onset of alpine subduction, and it records orogenic metamorphism following episodes of HP metamorphism. The Bündnerschiefer shares important similarities with the Otago schists of New Zealand and with the Wepawaug schists of Connecticut, both of which form accretionary prisms and have an orogenic metamorphic imprint. With the aim of testing the hypothesis of mobility of chemical components as a function of metamorphic grade, in this work I present fifty-five bulk chemical analyses of various lithological facies of the Bündnerschiefer collected along the well-studied field gradient of the Lepontine dome of Central Switzerland, in the Prättigau half window of East Switzerland, and in the Tsaté Nappe of Valle d'Aosta (Italy). The dataset includes the concentration of major components, large ion lithophile elements (Rb, Sr, Ba, Cs), high field strength elements (Zr, Ti, Nb, Th, U, Ta, Hf), fluid-mobile light elements (B, Li), volatiles (CO2, S), REEs, and Y, V, Cr, Co, Sn, Pb, Cu, Zn, Tl, Sb, Be, and Au. These data are compared against the compositions of the global marine sediment reservoir, typical crustal reservoirs, and against the previously measured compositions of Otago and Wepawaug schists. Results reveal that, irrespective of their metamorphic evolution, the bulk chemical compositions of orogenic metasediments are characterized by mostly constant compositional ratios (e.g., K2O/Al2O3, Ba/Al2O3, Sr/CaO, etc.), whose values in most cases are undistinguishable from those of actual marine sediments and other crustal reservoirs. For these rocks, only volatile concentrations decrease dramatically as a function of metamorphic temperature, and significant deviations from the reservoir signatures are evident for SiO2, B, and Li. These results are interpreted as an indication of residual enrichment in the sediments, a process taking place during syn-metamorphic dehydration from the onset of metamorphism in a regime of chemical immobility. Residual enrichment increased the absolute concentrations of the chemical components of these rocks, but did not modify significantly their fundamental ratios. This poor compositional modification of the sediments indicates that orogenic metamorphism in general does not promote significant mass transfer from accretionary prisms. In contrast, mass transfer calculations carried out in a shear zone crosscutting the Bündnerschiefer shows that significant mass transfer occurs within these narrow zones, resulting in gains of H2O, SiO2, Al2O3, K2O, Ba, Y, Rb, Cu, V, Tl, Mo, and Ce during deformation and loss of Na2O, CO2, S, Ni, B, U, and Pb from the rock. These components were presumably transported by an aquo-carbonic fluid along the shear zone. These distinct attitudes to mobilize chemical elements from orogenic sediments may have implications for a potentially large number of geochemical processes in active continental margins, from the recycling of chemical components at plate margins to the genesis of hydrothermal ore deposits.