Os isotopic composition and Os and Re distribution in the active mound of the TAG hydrothermal system, Mid–Atlantic Ridge

Abstract

Drilling during ODP Leg 158 took place on the active mound of the TAG hydrothermal field on the Mid-Atlantic Ridge. The dominant mineral precipitating from the hydrothermal fluid is pyrite. Its Re and Os concentration and the Os isotopic composition provide constraints on the nature of the hydrothermal fluid circulating in the TAG mound.The 187 Os/ 186 Os ratios of massive pyrite samples vary from 4.9 to 8.9. The highest ratios have been observed in the upper part of the sulfide mountain (<20 mbsf) and the lowest in the stockwork zone at ~80 mbsf. This range of Os isotopic compositions is likely the result of mixing of seawater with hydrothermal fluid. The Os concentrations are very low, ranging from 0.04 to 4.2 ppt, and the massive pyrite zone at the top of the mound is enriched in Os relative to the interior of the hydrothermal system. A hyperbolic relationship between Os isotopic composition and Os concentration reflects the systematic addition of seawater-derived Os to the hydrothermal Os component at stratigraphically shallower levels. From this relationship it is estimated that pyrite precipitating from the hydrothermal fluid contains 0.02 to 0.04 ppt Os provided the 187 Os/ 186 Os value of the fluid ranges from about 1.3 to 4.7. Because of the great mobility of Os in the high-temperature hydrothermal system, it is assumed that its partition coefficient between pyrite and hydrothermal fluid is <1. This implies that the hydrothermal fluid contains more than 0.02 ppt Os.The occurrence of anhydrite-rich lithologies at ~30-40 mbsf corroborates that seawater is penetrating the hydrothermal system and contaminating the hydrothermal fluid circulating in the upper part of the mound. This partly explains why the Os of sulfides that precipitated above this level has a strong seawater-like isotopic signature. In addition, the massive pyrite zone of the upper part of the TAG mound formed by accumulation of sulfides derived from chimneys and the fall-out material of the hydrothermal plume above the TAG field. Both sulfide components formed during mixing of seawater and hydrothermal fluid and their Os should also have a distinct seawater component.These processes, especially the entrainment of seawater, appear to control the distribution of Os and Re within the hydrothermal system. The Os enrichment in the upper part of the mound can be explained if the element is co-precipitated with sulfides or adsorbed on mineral surface during the accumulation of sulfides on the TAG mound. As a significant amount of Os can be dissolved in the hydrothermal fluid, remobilization of Os within the hydrothermal system could lead to further Os enrichment at the top of the mound but to very low Os concentrations in the stockwork zone.The Re concentrations indicate a distribution opposite to that of Os: the highest concentrations of about 60 ppb have been observed more than 15 mbsf, but the concentrations decrease from 50 to 2 ppb in samples from the top of the sulfide mound (<15 mbsf). The behavior of Re appears to be controlled by...

Rhenium–osmium abundance and isotopic compositions of massive sulfides from modern deep-sea hydrothermal systems: Implications for vent associated ore forming processes

“…302 sample EPR05-TVG2-1-1 and EPR05-TVG2-1-6). The rather constant 187 Os/ 188 Os 303 values in most samples with very different Re/Os ratios also show insignificant 187 Os 304 ingrowth (Brügmann et al, 1998; Table 2). For example, for the most Re enriched 305 sample (42GTV-3, 73.6 ppb Re) only 1.8 ppq 187 Os would be generated in ~2 ka.…”

“…3d), although 187 Os ingrowth could change the 187 Os/ 188 Os ratios of the 299 sulfide samples during a relatively short interval of time (Brügmann et al, 1998), the 300 young age (e.g. 1,900-2,100 yr, sulfides of the EPR near 13°N; Lalou et al, 1985) of 301 sulfides precludes any notable 187 Os ingrowth despite the large 187 Re/ 188 Os ratios (e.g.…”

“…Roy-Barman and Allègre, 1994). Therefore, the Os isotopic compositions of 340 massive sulfides can be used as evidence for the source of osmium and by inference 341 the associated metals (Fe, Cu, Zn) as well as the physicochemical processes involved 342 during metal mobilization (Brügmann et al, 1998). 343…”

“…sample MAR05-TVG1-10-2 and 395 MAR05-TVG1-21) indicate that Os derived from alteration of the oceanic crust isreleased to hydrothermal fluid in association with mixing process between seawater 397 and fluid (Brügmann et al, 1998;Ravizza et al, 1996), which can be taken place both 398 at vent site and in the sub-seafloor where seawater commonly is entrained within 399 pre-existing sulfide deposit (e.g. hydrothermal mounds, layers, lenses, feeder zones, 400 etc.)…”

Os isotopic compositions of MORBs from the ultra-slow spreading Southwest Indian Ridge: Constraints on the assimilation and fractional crystallization (AFC) processes

“…Os ratios (up to~1.0, Brügmann et al, 1998;Ravizza et al, 1996). Therefore, due to more fusible nature of sulfides, ascending magmas would selectively assimilate such materials, leading to more radiogenic compositions of MORB magmas.…”