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Multistage crack seal vein and hydrothermal Ni enrichment in serpentinized ultramafic rocks (Koniambo massif, New Caledonia)

Michel Cathelineau 1 Andrey Myagkiy 1 Benoît Quesnel 2 Marie-Christine Boiron 1 Pierre Gautier 2 Philippe Boulvais 2 Marc Ulrich 3 Laurent Truche 1 Fabrice Golfier 1 Maxime Drouillet 4
1 GeoRessources
2 GR - Géosciences Rennes
3 EOST - Ecole et Observatoire des Sciences de la Terre
4 Service Géologique de Nouvelle Calédonie
Geological Survey of New Caledonia
Abstract : Sets of fractures and breccia sealed by Ni-rich silicates and quartz occur within saprock of the New Caledonian regolith developed over ultramafic rocks. The crystallization sequence in fractures is as follows: (1) serpentine stage: lizardite > polygonal serpentine > white lizardite; (2) Ni stage: Ni-Mg kerolite followed by red-brown microcrystalline quartz; and (3) supergene stages. The red-brown microcrystalline quartz corresponds to the very last stage of the Ni sequence and is inferred to have precipitated within the 50–95 °C temperature range. It constitutes also the main cement of breccia that has all the typical features of hydraulic fracturing. The whole sequence is therefore interpreted as the result of hydrothermal fluid circulation under medium to low temperature and fluctuating fluid pressure. Although frequently described as the result of a single downward redistribution of Ni and Mg leached in the upper part of the regolith under ambient temperature, the Ni silicate veins thus appear as the result of recurrent crack and seal process, corresponding to upward medium temperature fluid convection, hydraulic fracturing and subsequent fluid mixing, and mineral deposition.
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https://hal-insu.archives-ouvertes.fr/insu-01405480
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Submitted on : Wednesday, November 30, 2016 - 9:29:35 AM
Last modification on : Wednesday, March 31, 2021 - 1:30:39 PM

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INSU | CNRS | GR | UNIV-RENNES1 | OSUR | GEORESSOURCES-UL | UNIV-LORRAINE | OTELO-UL | GR-3T | SITE-ALSACE | UNIV-RENNES | RESSOURCES21

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Michel Cathelineau, Andrey Myagkiy, Benoît Quesnel, Marie-Christine Boiron, Pierre Gautier, et al.. Multistage crack seal vein and hydrothermal Ni enrichment in serpentinized ultramafic rocks (Koniambo massif, New Caledonia). Mineralium Deposita, Spinger, 2017, 52 (7), pp.945-960. ⟨10.1007/s00126-016-0695-3⟩. ⟨insu-01405480⟩

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