Fumarolic Minerals: An Overview of Active European Volcanoes

Abstract

The fumarolic mineralogy of the Icelandic active volcanoes, the Tyrrhenian volcanic belt (Italy) and the Aegean active arc (Greece) is investigated, and literature data surveyed in order to define the characteristics of the European fumarolic systems. They show broad diversity of mineral associations, with Vesuvius and Vulcano being also among the world localities richest in mineral species. Volcanic systems, which show recession over a longer period, show fumarolic development from the high-temperature alkaline halide/sulphate, calcic sulphate or sulphidic parageneses, synchronous with or immediately following the eruptions, through medium-temperature ammonium minerals, metal chlorides, or fluoride associations to the late low-temperature paragenesis dominated by sulphur, gypsum, alunogen, and other hydrous sulphates. The situation can be different in the systems that are not recessing but show fluctuations in activity, illustrated by the example of Vulcano where the high-temperature association appears intermittently. A full survey of the mineral groups and species is given in respect to their importance and appearance in fumarolic associations

Copper in Natural Oxide Spinels: The New Mineral Thermaerogenite CuAl2O4, Cuprospinel and Cu-Enriched Varieties of Other Spinel-Group Members from Fumaroles of the Tolbachik Volcano, Kamchatka, Russia

“…The Mg-Al-Fe oxide spinels, namely magnesioferrite, magnetite and spinel were previously reported from fumaroles of several active volcanoes [9][10][11][12][13]. However, no information on Cu contents in these minerals was published.…”

Mineralogy and Origin of Aerosol From an Arc Basaltic Eruption: Case Study of Tolbachik Volcano, Kamchatka

“…The list of phases with heavy elements includes molybdenum oxide MoO 3 (Figure d), zirconium hydroxide oxide (Zr,Hf)O (OH) 2 (Figure e), thallium iodide TlI (Figure f), tantalum oxide Ta 2 O 5 (Figure g), indium oxide In 2 O 3 (Figure h), rhenium disulfide ReS 2 (Figure k), barium sulfate BaSO 4 (barite), silver chloride and silver sulfide, lead chloride PbCl 2 , lead sulfates PbSO 4 and K 2 Pb(SO 4 ) 2 , and numerous micron and submicron gold particles (Table ). Many of these phases were previously described within fumarolic incrustations at Tolbachik (e.g., Vergasova & Filatov, ) as well as on other volcanoes (Balić‐Žunić et al, ). Other phases such as Ta 2 O 5 has not been observed in the fumarolic environment, or, in the case of In 2 O 3 and ZrO (OH) 2 , do not correspond to the list of known minerals.…”

Impact of hydrothermal alteration processes on element mobility and potential environmental implications at the Sousaki solfataric field (Corinthia - Greece)

“…Moreover, as Georgopoulos et al (2018) highlighted, the degassing processes taking place in the area along with the acidic environment resulted in increased mobility of trace elements deriving from the ophiolite rock and the alluvial sediments. The presence of encrustations and efflorescences (Kyriakopoulos et al, 1990;Balić-Žunić et al, 2016) and secondary clays such as Cr -halloysite and Cr -smecite ) support this statement.…”

“…Geothermal activity, still recognizable by a series of low temperature gas manifestations, is responsible for the widespread alteration of the outcropping rocks in the area. The main manifestations are hosted within caves, whose walls are covered by alteration products present in the form of crusts and efflorescences (Kyriakopoulos et al, 1990;Balić-Žunić et al, 2016). The caves provide a sheltered, more or less stable environment, in which alteration processes can take place and where their products can persist.…”