Quick Search:    advanced search

GSW Home   GeoRef Home   My GSW Alerts   Contact GSW   About GSW   Journals List   Help

This Article Figures Only Full Text Full Text (PDF) Alert me when this article is cited Alert me if a correction is posted Citation Map Services Email this article to a friend Similar articles in this journal Similar articles in Web of Science Alert me to new issues of the journal Download to citation manager Citing Articles Citing Articles via HighWire Citing Articles via Web of Science (8) Citing Articles via Google Scholar Google Scholar Articles by Landtwing, M. R. Articles by Pettke, T. Search for Related Content GeoRef GeoRef Citation

Relationships between SEM-cathodoluminescence response and trace-element composition of hydrothermal vein quartz

Isotope Geochemistry and Mineral Resources, Swiss Federal Institute of Technology, ETH Zentrum NO, CH-8092 Zürich, Switzerland

Correspondence: ^* E-mail: thomas.pettke{at}erdw.ethz.ch

Laser-ablation ICP-MS data of hydrothermal vein quartz with zonation in scanning electron microscope cathodoluminescence reveal two groups of trace elements, one that co-varies in concentration with luminosity and another that remains uniform throughout. Bright luminosity correlates with a high total abundance of trace elements in early quartz, including Al (up to 410 µg/g), Ti (up to 240 µg/g), K (up to 330 µg/g), Li (up to 8 µg/g), Na (up to 36 µg/g), and Fe (up to 20 µg/g). Up to 20 times lower concentrations of these elements are associated with dark luminosity in late quartz. Concentrations of P (~21 µg/g), Ga (~0.3 µg/g), Ge (~1.3 µg/g), Sn (~1.5 µg/g), Cu (~0.3 µg/g), and Ag (~0.1 µg/g) demonstrate no relationship with luminosity. Charge balance cannot be achieved for bright luminescent quartz unless the presence of up to 6 µg/g H⁺ (not analyzed by LA-ICPMS) or interstitial Al³⁺ is invoked. Interestingly, the inferred ~6 µg/g H⁺ remains constant for quartz containing more than 10 µmol total trace elements and might represent the solubility of H⁺ in hydrothermal quartz at temperatures between 450 and 700 °C.

LA-ICPMS results indicate that the fluid chemistry determines the quartz trace-element pattern, which may serve as a monitor for the chemical environment from which quartz crystallized. Ratios of Na/Al and Ti/Al are uniform, whereas K/Al evolves toward lower values with decreasing luminosity. Combined evidence, including quartz vein textures, silica solubility data, and estimates of the temperature of quartz growth, suggest that early quartz crystallized fast but late quartz grew more slowly at 350 to 425 °C. It is speculated that the higher the quartz growth rate is, the more trace elements are incorporated into quartz, besides the temperature dependence known from the literature. Clearly, growth rate, temperature and fluid chemistry are important parameters affecting luminosity; however, their relative importance may vary from case to case.

This article has been cited by other articles:

				A.-L. Jourdan, T. W. Vennemann, J. Mullis, K. Ramseyer, and C. J. Spiers Evidence of growth and sector zoning in hydrothermal quartz from Alpine veins European Journal of Mineralogy, January 1, 2009; 21(1): 219 - 231. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				B. G. Rusk, H. A. Lowers, and M. H. Reed Trace elements in hydrothermal quartz: Relationships to cathodoluminescent textures and insights into vein formation Geology, July 1, 2008; 36(7): 547 - 550. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				A. C. Simon, M. R. Frank, T. Pettke, P. A. Candela, P. M. Piccoli, C. A. Heinrich, and M. Glascock An evaluation of synthetic fluid inclusions for the purpose of trapping equilibrated, coexisting, immiscible fluid phases at magmatic conditions American Mineralogist, January 1, 2007; 92(1): 124 - 138. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				B. G. Rusk, M. H. Reed, J. H. Dilles, and A. J.R. Kent Intensity of quartz cathodoluminescence and trace-element content in quartz from the porphyry copper deposit at Butte, Montana American Mineralogist, August 1, 2006; 91(8-9): 1300 - 1312. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]