Abstract
Trace elements, including Se, Ge, Ga, Hg, Cd, Ni, Co, As, Sb, Ag and Au have been analyzed in submarine sulfide-rich samples from the East Pacific Rise, Cyprus and the Red Sea’s Atlantis II Deep. In the East Pacific Rise samples, fractionation results from evolution of the fluid composition and temperature as it mixes with seawater. Se, Co, Ni become enriched in high-temperature Cu-dominated samples, while Cd, Ag, Ge, Ga, As and Sb become enriched in Zn-dominated samples. Similar trends are observed in samples from Cyprus except for selenium which was not detected. Differences are observed in the enrichment factors between EPR and Red Sea samples, when compared with mid-ocean ridge basalts, probably reflecting differences in the source-rocks and fluid composition. In the Red Sea samples, gold shows a good correlation (~0.7) with base metal and sulfur as well as with Cd and As except in a zone where episodic boiling has occurred and where Au, Ag, Sb and Cd can be considerably enriched. The Au/Ag ratio is fairly constant (0.02). The trace elements either form rare specific minerals or occur in trace quantities in common minerals.
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Oudin, E. (1987). Trace Element and Precious Metal Concentrations in East Pacific Rise, Cyprus and Red Sea Submarine Sulfide Deposits. In: Teleki, P.G., Dobson, M.R., Moore, J.R., von Stackelberg, U. (eds) Marine Minerals. NATO ASI Series, vol 194. Springer, Dordrecht. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-94-009-3803-8_24
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-94-009-3803-8_24
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