Abstract
The hydrothermal molybdenum–uranium deposits of the Streltsovka ore field are localized in a volcanic caldera of Late Mesozoic age. The paper presents the results of numerical modeling of free thermal convection of fluids in the residual thermal field of the consolidated magma chamber of the Streltsovka caldera, which justifies the idea of thermoconvective mechanism for the formation of the structurally conjugate Streltsovka and Antei deposits. The process of fluid heat and mass transfer in the Antei–Streltsovka oreforming system self-organized into a convection cell with a fluid circulation circuit including a descending convection branch along the ring-fault zone of the caldera, a lateral flow branch from the descending to the ascending convection branch in the caldera’s basement rocks, an ascending convection branch along faults of the Antei deposit, and a lateral return branch from the ascending to the descending convection branch along the caldera’s volcano-sedimentary rock fill, in which the ores of the Streltsovka deposit are localized. At the same time, formation of the total reserves of the Antei–Streltsovka deposit, largest in this ore field, was facilitated by uranium sourced, during the hydrothermal ore-forming process, not only from the uranium-rich rocks of the consolidated magma chamber, but also from the granitic host rocks of the Streltsovka caldera basement.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Aleshin, A.P., Velichkin, V.I., and Krylova, T.L., Genesis and formation conditions of deposits in the unique Strel’tsovka molybdenum–uranium ore field: new mineralogical, geochemical, and physicochemical evidence, Geol. Ore Deposits, 2007, no. 5, pp. 392–412.
Andreeva, O.V. and Golovin, V.A., Metasomatic processes at uranium deposits of Tulukuev Caldera, Eastern Transbaikal Region, Russia, Geol. Ore Deposits, 1998, vol. 40, no. 3, pp. 184–196.
Andreeva, O.V., Vol’fson, I.F., Golovin, V.A., and Rossman, G.I., Uranium behavior during low-temperature alteration of host rocks at the uranium deposits, Geokhimiya, 1990, no. 2, pp. 206–214.
Borisov, M.V., Geokhimicheskie i termodinamicheskie modeli zhil’nogo gidrotermal’nogo rudoobrazovaniya (Geochemical and Thermodynamic Models of Hydrothermal Ore Formation), Moscow: Nauchnyi mir, 2000.
Burov, E.B. and Guillou-Frotiier, L., Thermomechanical behavior of large ash-flow calderas, J. Geophys. Res., 1999, vol. 104, no. B10, pp. 23081–23109.
Cathles, L.M., An analysis of the cooling of intrusives by ground-water convection which includes boiling, Econ. Geol., 1977, vol. 72, pp. 804–826.
Chabiron, A., Alyoshin, A.P., Cuney, M., Deloule, E., Golubev, V.N., Velitchkin, V.I., and Poty, B., Geochemistry of the rhyolitic magmas from the Streltsovska caldera (Transbaikalia, Russia): a melt inclusion study, Chem. Geol., 2001, vol. 175, pp. 273–290.
Chabiron, A., Cuney, M., and Poty, B., Possible uranium sources for the largest uranium district associated with volcanism: the Streltsovka caldera (Transbaikalia, Russia), Mineral. Deposita, 2003, vol. 38, pp. 127–140.
Chernyshev, I.V. and Golubev, V.P., The Strel’tsovskoe Deposit, Eastern Transbaikalia: isotope dating of mineralization in Russia’s largest uranium deposit, Geochem. Int., 1996, vol. 34, no. 10, pp. 834–846.
Faulkner, D.R., Jackson, C.A.L., Lunn R.J., Schlische, R.W., Shipton, Z.K., Wibberley, C.A.J., and Withjack, M.O., A review of recent developments concerning the structure, mechanics and fluid flow properties of fault zones, J. Structural Geol., 2010, vol. 32, pp. 1557–1575.
Guillou-Frottier, L., Burov, E.B., and Milesi, J.-P., Genetic links between ash-flow calderas and associated ore deposits as revealed by large-scale thermo-mechanical modeling, J. Volcanol. Geotherm. Res., 2000, vol. 102, pp. 339–361.
Hayba, D.O. and Ingebritsen, S.E., Multiphase groundwater flow near Coolinh plutons, J. Geophys. Res., 1997, vol. 102, no. B6, pp. 12,235–12,252. Hutton, D.H.W., The “space problem” in the emplacement of granite, Episodes, 1996, vol. 19, no. 4, pp. 114–119.
Ingebritsen, S.E. and Manning, C.E., Permeability of the continental crust: dynamic variations inferred from seismicity and metamorphism, Geofluids, 2010, nos. 1–2, pp. 193–205.
Ingebritsen, S.E. and Appold, S.E., The physical hydrogeology of ore deposits, Econ. Geol., 2012, vol. 107, no. 4, pp. 559–584.
Ishchukova, I.P., Igoshin, Yu.A., Avdeev, B.V., Gubkin, G.N., Filipchenko, Yu.A., Popova, A.I., Rogova, V.P., Makushin, M.F., Khomentovskii, B.N., and Spirin, E.K., Geologiya Urulyunguevskogo rudnogo raiona i molibdenuranovykh mestorozhdenii Strel’tsovskogo rudnogo polya (Geology of the Urulyunguev Ore District and Molybdenum–Uranium Deposits of the Streltsovka Ore Field), Moscow: Geoinformmark, 1998.
Ishchukova, L.P., Uranovye mestorozhdeniya Strel’tsovskogo rudnogo polya v Zabaikal’e (Uranium Deposits of the Streltsovka Ore Field in Transbaikalia), Naumov, S.S, Eds., Irkutsk: Geolrazvedka, 2007.
Ishchukova, L.P., Ashikhmin, A.A., Konstantinov, A.K., Kostikov, A.T. Modnikov, I.S., Sychev, I.V., Tolkachev, A.E., Chesnokov, D.V., and Shumilin, M.V., Uranovye mestorozhdeniya v vulkano-tektonicheskikh strukturakh (Uranium Deposits in Volcanotectonic Strucures), Mashkovtsev, G.A, Naumov, S.S, Shumilin, M.V, Eds., Moscow: VIMS, 2005.
Ishchukova, L.P., Modnikov, I.S., and Sychev, I.V., Uranium ore-forming systems in the areas of continental volcanism, Geol. Rud. Mestorozhd., 1991, no. 3, pp. 16–25.
Krylova, T.L., Aleshin, F.P., Lomm, T, Velichkin, V.I., and Kyune, M., Evidence for magmatogenic origin of ore-forming fluids at the Mo-U mdeposits of the Streltsovka ore district, Eastertn Transbaikalia, Russia, Mater. XIII Mezhdunar. konf. po termobarogeokhimii i IV simpoziuma (Proc. 13th International Conference on Thermo barogeochemistry and 4th Symposium) APIFIS, 2008, vol. 2, pp. 64–67.
Laverov, N.P. and Chernyshev, I.V., Temporal relation of the uranium deposits with continental volcanism, Geokhronologiya i problemy rudoobrazovaniya (Geochronology and Problems of Ore Formation), Moscow: Nauka, 1977, pp. 5–18.
Laverov, N.P., Velichkin, V.I., Vlasov, B.P., Aleshin, A.P., and Petrov, V.A., Uranovye i molibden-uranovye mestorozhdeniya v oblastyakh razvitiya kontinental’nogo vnutrikorovogo magmatizma: geologiya, geodinamicheskie i fiziko-khimicheskie usloviya formirovaniya (Uranium and Molybdenum–Uranium Deposits in the Regions of Continental Within-Plate Magmatism: Geology, Geodynamic, and Physicochemical Conditions of Formation), Moscow: IFZ RAN, IGEM RAN, 2012.
Lipman, P.W., Subsidence of ash-flow calderas: relation to caldera size and magma-chamber geometry, Bull. Volcanol., 1997. Vol. 59, no. 3, pp. 1998–205.
Malkovsky, V.I. and Pek, A.A., Conditions for the onset of thermal convection of a homogenous fluid in a vertical fault, Petrology, 1997, no. 5 (no. 4, pp. 381–387.
Malkovsky, V.I. and Pek, A.A., Vliyanie razryvnykh narushenii na protsessy flyuidnogo teplomassoperenosa v zemnoi kore (Influence of Faults on the Fluid Transfer in the Earth crust), M.: IFZ RAN, IGEM RAN, 2014.
Malkovsky, V.I., Pek, A.A., Aleshin, A.P., and Velichkin, V.I., Model of heat and mass transfer by fluid during formation of Mo–U deposits in the Strel’tsovka ore field, Eastern Transbaikal region: forced convection of solutions generated by a deep source, Geol. Ore Deposits, 2010, vol. 52, no. 1, pp. 14–31.
Malkovsky, V.I., Pek, A.A., Aleshin, A.P., and Velichkin, V.I., Estimation of the time of magma chamber solidification beneath the Strel’tsovka Caldera and its effect on the nonstationary temperature distribution in the upper crust, the Eastern Transbaikal region, Russia, Geol. Ore Deposits, 2008, vol. 50, no. 3, pp. 192–198.
Marsily, G., de. Quantitative Hydrogeology: Groundwater Hydrology for Engineers, Orlando: Academic Press, 1986.
Mashkovtsev, G.A., Konstantinov, A.K., Miguta, A.K., Shumilin, M.V., and Shchetochkin, V.N., Uran rossiiskikh nedr (Uranium of the Russian Interior), Moscow: VIMS, 2010.
McCaffrey, K.J.W. and Petford, N., Are granitic intrusions scale invariant? J. Geol. Soc. London, 1997, vol. 154, pp. 1–4.
Mitchell, T.M. and Faulkner, D.R., Experimental measurements of permeability evolution during triaxial compression of initially intact crystalline rocks and implications for fluid flow in fault zones, J. Geophys. Res. Solid Earth, 2008, vol. 113, B11412. doi 10.1029/2008JB005588
Modnikov, T.S. and Sychev, I.V., Conditions of formation of the uranium mineralization in volcanic sagging depressions, Geol. Rud. Mestorozhd., 1984, no. 1, pp. 31–41.
Naumov, V.B., Rhyolitic melts in Eastern Transbaikalia and the north Caucasus: chemical composition, volatiles, and admixture elements (from data of study of melt inclusions in minerals), Russ. Geol. Geophys., 2011, no. 11, pp. 1368–1377.
Petford, N., Cruden, A.R., McCfffrey, K.J.W., and Vigneresse, J.-L., Granite magma formation, transport and emplacement in the earth’s crust, Nature, 2000, vol. 408, pp. 669–673.
Petrov, V.A., Andreeva, O.V., Poluektov, V.V., and Kovalenko, D.V., Tectono-magmatic cycles and geodynamic settings of ore-bearing system formation in the southern Cis-Argun Region, Geol. Ore Deposits, 2017, vol. 59, no. 6, pp. 431–452.
Petrov, V.A., Rebetskii, Yu.A., Poluektov, V.V., and Burmistrov, A.A., Tectonophysics of hydrothermal ore formation: an example of the Antei Mo–U deposit, Transbaikalia, Geol. Ore Deposits, 2015, vol. 57, no. 4, pp. 292–312.
Richard, A., Rozsypal, C., Mercadier, J., Banks, D.A., Cuney, M., Boiron, M.C., and Cathelineau, M., Giant uranium deposits formed from exceptionally uranium-rich acidic brines, Nature Geosci., 2012, vol. 5, pp. 142–146.
Roache, P.J., Computational Fluid Dynamics, Albuquerque, N.M.: Hemrosa Publishers, 1976.
Rybalov, B.L. and Omel’yanenko, B.I., Istochniki rudnogo veshchestva endogennykh uranovykh mestorozhdenii (Ore Sources of Endogenous Uranium Deposits), Moscow: Nauka, 1989.
Shatkov, G.A., Krasnokamenst type of uranium deposits as an important reserve of economic uranium mineralization of the Streltsovka ore cluster, Regional. Geol. Metallogen., 2017, vol. 69, pp. 88–95.
Shatkov, G.A., Berezhnaya, N.G., Lepekhina, E.N., Rodionov, N.V., Paderin, I.P., and Sergeev, S.A., U–Pb (SIMS SHRIMP–II) age of volcanic rocks from the Tulukuev Caldera (Streltsov uranium-ore cluster, Eastern Transbaikalia), Dokl. Earth Sci., 2010, vol. 432, pp. 587–592.
Sheldon, H.A. and Ord, A., Evolution of porosity, permeability and fluid pressure in dilatant faults post-failure: implications for fluid flow and mineralization, Geofluids, 2005, vol. 5, no. 4, pp. 272–288.
Shmariovich, E.M. and Modnikov, I.S., On problem of uranium source during ore formation, Geol. Rud. Mestorozhd., 1988, no. 5, pp. 5–16.
Shmonov, V.M., Vitovtova, V.M., and Zharikov A.V., Flyuidnaya pronitsaemost' porod zemnoi kory (Fluid Permeability of Crustal Rocks), Moscow: Nauchnyi mir, 2002.
Wohletz, K. and Heiken, G., Volcanology and Geothermal Energy, Berkeley: University of California Press, 1992.
Zienkiewicz, O.C. and Morgan, K., Finite Elements and Approximation, New York: Wiley, 1983.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Corresponding author
Additional information
Original Russian Text © A.A. Pek, V.I. Malkovsky, V.A. Petrov, 2018, published in Geologiya Rudnykh Mestorozhdenii, 2018, Vol. 60, No. 6, pp. 558–574.
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Pek, A.A., Malkovsky, V.I. & Petrov, V.A. Thermal Convection of Fluids as a Possible Mechanism for the Formation of the Unique Streltsovka and Antei Uranium Deposits (Eastern Transbaikalia). Geol. Ore Deposits 60, 497–512 (2018). https://doi.org/10.1134/S1075701518060041
Received:
Published:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1134/S1075701518060041