The role of bitumen in strata-bound copper deposit formation in the Copiapo area, Northern Chile     

M. Eugenia Cisternas  Juan Hermosilla 《Mineralium Deposita》2006,41(4):339-355

In northern Chile, between 27 and 33°S, there are numerous deposits where residual petroleum is associated with Cu-(Ag) mineralisation (the most famous being El Soldado). All of these deposits are hosted by Lower Cretaceous volcanic or volcanoclastic facies along the axis of a former backarc basin. This close relationship suggests that the generation, migration and emplacement of hydrocarbons in the Cretaceous volcanic units is a regional process, associated with the evolution of the Cretaceous backarc basin and points to the importance of pyrobitumen as an exploration tool for similar Cu–(Ag) deposits. The present work analyses four small strata-bound copper deposits located along a north–south belt approximately 10 km east of Copiapó in northern Chile. These deposits are typically hosted by pyrobitumen-rich andesitic volcanic to volcanoclastic rocks intercalated with the marine carbonate Pabellón Formation, the youngest formation within the Chañarcillo Group. The strong genetic and spatial relationships between the pyrobitumen-rich lavas and the mineral deposits allow us to define this volcanic belt as the Ocoita-Pabellón Metallotect. Two hydrothermal events can be distinguished based on the mineralogical, textural, fluid inclusion and isotope data of ore and gangue and on the optical properties of residual petroleum. During the early event, petroleum was mobilised from the source rocks into the primary and secondary porosity of the lavas by Fe-rich hydrothermal fluids, which precipitated pyrite as an early sulphide phase. The second event is characterised by Cu-rich hydrothermal fluids, which induced three successive sub-stages of Cu-sulphide precipitation. The hydrothermal fluids chemically and thermally altered the first-stage bitumen, transforming it into pyrobitumen. The present work documents similarities between the Ocoita-Pabellón Metallotect and the El Soldado ore deposit and emphasises important differences. In the El Soldado host rocks, a petroleum reservoir existed prior to the arrival of the mineralising hydrothermal fluids, the framboidal pyrite was formed by assistance of bacteria, the S of the Cu sulphides was inherited from the pyrite, and the fluid source was basin connate-metamorphic brine. In the Ocoita-Pabellón Metallotect, the hydrocarbons were mobilised into the host rocks by hydrothermal fluids; the pyrite is epigenetic, the δ³⁴S values of pyrite and copper sulphides are very different, with distinctive light δ³⁴S signature of Cu sulphides (δ³⁴S between −44.7 and −17.9‰), and the calculated δ¹⁸O of hydrothermal fluids indicates the participation of meteoric water in the late phases of the hydrothermal system.

Juan HermosillaEmail:

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Mass data processing of time series Landsat imagery: pixels to data products for forest monitoring     

Txomin Hermosilla  Michael A. Wulder  Joanne C. White  Nicholas C. Coops  Geordie W. Hobart  Lorraine B. Campbell 《International Journal of Digital Earth》2016,9(11):1035-1054

Free and open access to the Landsat archive has enabled the implementation of national and global terrestrial monitoring projects. Herein, we summarize a project characterizing the change history of Canada’s forested ecosystems with a time series of data representing 1984–2012. Using the Composite2Change approach, we applied spectral trend analysis to annual best-available-pixel (BAP) surface reflectance image composites produced from Landsat TM and ETM+ imagery. A total of 73,544 images were used to produce 29 annual image composites, generating ～400 TB of interim data products and resulting in ～25 TB of annual gap-free reflectance composites and change products. On average, 10% of pixels in the annual BAP composites were missing data, with 86% of pixels having data gaps in two consecutive years or fewer. Change detection overall accuracy was 89%. Change attribution overall accuracy was 92%, with higher accuracy for stand-replacing wildfire and harvest. Changes were assigned to the correct year with an accuracy of 89%. Outcomes of this project provide baseline information and nationally consistent data source to quantify and characterize changes in forested ecosystems. The methods applied and lessons learned build confidence in the products generated and empower others to develop or refine similar satellite-based monitoring projects.  相似文献