Shear Zone

The Kabanga Ni sulfide deposit represents one of the most significant Ni sulfide discoveries of the last two decades, with current indicated mineral resources of 23.23 Mt at 2.64% Ni and inferred mineral resources of 28.5 Mt at 2.7% Ni (Nov. 2008). The sulfides are hosted by a suite of ∼1.4 Ga ultramafic–mafic, sill-like, and chonolithic intrusions that form part of the approximately 500 km long Kabanga–Musongati–Kapalagulu igneous belt in Tanzania and Burundi. The igneous bodies are up to about 1 km thick and 4 km long. They crystallized from several compositionally distinct magma pulses emplaced into sulfide-bearing pelitic schists. The first magma was a siliceous high-magnesium basalt (approximately 13.3% MgO) that formed a network of fine-grained acicular-textured gabbronoritic and orthopyroxenitic sills (Mg# opx 78–88, An plag 45–88). The magma was highly enriched in incompatible trace elements (LILE, LREE) and had pronounced negative Nb and Ta anomalies and heavy O isotopic signatures (δ18O +6 to +8). These compositional features are consistent with about 20% contamination of primitive picrite with the sulfidic pelitic schists. Subsequent magma pulses were more magnesian (approximately 14–15% MgO) and less contaminated (e.g., δ18O +5.1 to +6.6). They injected into the earlier sills, resulting in the formation of medium-grained harzburgites, olivine orthopyroxenites and orthopyroxenites (Fo 83–89, Mg# opx 86–89), and magmatic breccias consisting of gabbronorite–orthopyroxenite fragments within an olivine-rich matrix. All intrusions in the Kabanga area contain abundant sulfides (pyrrhotite, pentlandite, and minor chalcopyrite and pyrite). In the lower portions and the immediate footwall of two of the intrusions, namely Kabanga North and Kabanga Main, there occur numerous layers, lenses, and veins of massive Ni sulfides reaching a thickness of several meters. The largest amount of high grade, massive sulfide occurs in the smallest intrusion (Kabanga North). The sulfides have heavy S isotopic signatures (δ34S wr = +10 to +24) that broadly overlap with those of the country rock sulfides, consistent with significant assimilation of external sulfur from the Karagwe–Ankolean sedimentary sequence. However, based partly on the relatively homogenous distribution of disseminated sulfides in many of the intrusive rocks, we propose that the Kabanga magmas reached sulfide saturation prior to final emplacement, in staging chambers or feeder conduits, followed by entrainment of the sulfides during continued magma ascent. Oxygen isotope data indicate that the mode of sulfide assimilation changed with time. The heavy δ18O ratios of the early magmas are consistent with ingestion of the sedimentary country rocks in bulk. The relatively light δ18O ratios of the later magmas indicate less bulk assimilation of the country rocks, but in addition the magmas selectively assimilated additional S, possibly through devolatization of the country rocks or through cannibalization of magmatic sulfides deposited in the conduits by preceding magma surges. The intrusions were tilted at ca. 1.37 Ga, during the Kibaran orogeny and associated synkinematic granite plutonism. This caused solid-state mobilization of ductile sulfides into shear zones, notably along the base of the intrusions where sulfide-hornfels breccias and lenses and layers of massive sulfides may reach a thickness of >10 m and can extend for several 10 s to >100 m away from the intrusions. These horizons represent an important exploration target for additional nickel sulfide deposits.

Punching shear is a conspicuous phenomenon of fracture mechanism in R.C Flat slab. To meet high shear and flexural demand at critical shear zones of column supports or point loads of flats slabs, the design codes proposed to construct Column heads (capital) and Slab drops against punching shear failure. But this may lead to decrease head clearance and increase of construction cost. To optimise the slab geometry at critical sections of punching shear zones, an experimental programme conducted on three full scale R.C flat plate slabs (NSF, WSF1, WSF2) constituted with different shear resistant elements(steel fibres and headed shear studs) used in punching shear zone. The flat slabs configurated by NSF is "Flat slab using conventional shear reinforcement bars, and WSF1 is "Flat slab using steel fibre concrete in shear zone and the rest of slab with conventional reinforcement" and WSF2 is "Flat slab with combination of steel fibre reinforcement and shear studs used in punching shear zone only and the rest of slab with conventional reinforcement. Random oriented hooked steel fibres of 1.5% volume fraction used for implicit strengthening of concrete at critical punching shear zone. The test parameters considered in this study are shear performance, load capacity, stiffness degradation, energy dissipation, and crack pattern. The test results indicated that, use of steel fibres and shear studs in critical punching shear zone of flat slab is significantly improves punching resistance mechanism, and load carrying capacity of flat slab (WSF2). Further the punching shear failure at ultimate load was observed by ductile mode with good energy dissipation.

On a global scale, most passive margins are located within crustal segments which were stressed by compressive tectonics and crustal thickening in their previous geological past. These margin types can be referred as "orogen - passive continental margin systems". There older orogenic structural anisotropies were reactivated during the later passive margin formation. Even so, inherited structures seem to have a dominant control on continental break-up kinematics, the coherence between orogen related structures and the post-orogenic thermo-tectonic evolution during continental break-up is insufficiently studied and documented. Here, we focus on the metamorphic basement of northern Mozambique which represents the remnant of a deeply eroded orogen [Viola et al., 2008]. Today, its mid-crustal roots are exposed to surface conditions displaying metamorphic basement rocks with well defined structural anisotropies like ductile high strain zones or major shear zones (e.g., the Lurio...

Gold mineralisation at the Wallaby gold deposit is hosted by a 1,200 m thick mafic conglomerate. The conglomerate is intruded by an apparently comagmatic alkaline dyke suite displaying increasing fractionation through mafic-monzonite, monzonite, syenite, syenite porphyry to late-stage carbonatite. In the mine area, a pipe-shaped zone of actinolite-magnetite-epidote-calcite (AMEC) alteration overprints the conglomerate. Gold mineralisation, associated with dolomite-albite-quartz-pyrite alteration, is hosted in a series of sub-horizontal, structurally controlled zones that are largely confined within the magnetite-rich pipe. The deposit has a current ore reserve of 2.0 Moz Au, and a total resource of 7.1 Moz Au. TIMS U−Pb analysis of magmatic titanite and SHRIMP U−Pb analysis of gold-related phosphate minerals are used to constrain the timing of magmatism and gold mineralisation at Wallaby. Monzogranite and carbonatite dykes of the Wallaby syenite intruded at 2,664±3 Ma, at least 5 m.y. and probably 14 m.y. before gold mineralisation at 2,650±6 Ma. The significant hiatus between proximal magmatism and gold mineralisation suggests that gold-bearing fluids were not derived from magmas associated with the Wallaby syenite, particularly since intrusive events are unlikely to drive hydrothermal systems for more than 1 m.y. Analysis of the C and O isotopic compositions of carbonates from regional pre-syenite alteration and AMEC alteration at the Wallaby gold deposit suggests that AMEC alteration formed via interaction between magmatic fluids and the pre-syenite wallrock carbonate. The C and O isotopic composition of gold-bearing fluids, as inferred from ore-carbonate, are isotopically distinct from proximal magmatic fluids, as inferred from magmatic carbonate in carbonatite dykes. Thus, detailed isotopic and geochronological studies negate any direct genetic link between proximal magmatic activity related to the Wallaby syenite and gold mineralisation at Wallaby. The gold endowment of the Wallaby gold deposit, combined with the relatively low solubility of gold as thiosulfide complexes in low-salinity ore fluids at temperatures of about 300°C, implicates the influx of very large volumes of auriferous hydrothermal fluids. No large-scale shear-zones nor faults through which such large fluid-volumes could pass have been identified within the immediate ore environment, so fluid influx most probably occurred largely in a unit-confined, brittle-ductile fracture system. This was the ~500-m diameter AMEC alteration pipe, which was a brittle, iron-enriched zone in an otherwise massive conglomerate. During compressional deformation, the competency contrast between unaltered and AMEC-altered conglomerate created a zone of increased fracture permeability, and geochemically favourable conditions (high Fe/Fe+Mg ratio), for gold mineralisation from a distal source.

The late Paleozoic collision between Gondwana and Laurussia resulted in the polyphase deformation and magmatism that characterizes the Iberian Massif of the Variscan orogen. In the Central Iberian Zone, initial continental thickening (D 1 ; folding and thrusting) was followed by extensional orogenic collapse (D 2) responsible for the exhumation of high-grade rocks coeval to the emplacement of granitoids. This study presents a tectonometamorphic analysis of the Trancoso-Pinhel region (Central Iberian Zone) to explain the processes in place during the transition from an extension-dominated state (D 2) to a compression-dominated one (D 3). We reveal the existence of low-dipping D 2 extensional structures later affected by several pulses of subhorizontal shortening, each of them typified by upright folds and strike-slip shearing (D 3 , D 4 and D 5 , as identified by superimposition of structures). The D 2 Pinhel extensional shear zone separates a low-grade domain from an underlying high-grade domain, and it contributed to the thermal reequilibration of the orogen by facilitating heat advection from lower parts of the crust, crustal thinning, decompression melting, and magma intrusion. Progressive lessening of the gravitational disequilibrium carried out by this D 2 shear zone led to a switch from subhorizontal extension to compression and the eventual cessation and capture of the Pinhel shear zone by strike-slip tectonics during renewed crustal shortening. High-grade domains of the Pinhel shear zone were folded together with low-grade domains to define the current upright folded structure of the Trancoso-Pinhel region , the D 3 Tamames-Marofa-Sátão synform. New dating of syn-orogenic granitoids (SHRIMP U\ \Pb zircon dating) intruding the Pinhel shear zone, together with the already published ages of early extensional fabrics constrain the functioning of this shear zone to ca. 331–311 Ma, with maximum tectonomagmatic activity at ca. 321–317 Ma. The capture and apparent cessation of movement of the Pinhel shear zone occurred at ca. 317– 311 Ma.

The Taparko gold deposit, located in the eastern branch of the Proterozoic Birimian Bouroum-Yalogo greenstone belt (Burkina Faso) consists of a network of quartz veins developed in a N 170° trending shear zone (250 m wide, 4 km long) superimposed on the regional Birimian structural pattern. The quartz vein network is composed of: (a) a dominant array of quartz veins (type 1), parallel to the shear zone and comprising strongly deformed dark quartz exhibiting foliation, layering, ribbon, tension gashes, etc.; (b) oblique and subparallel related veins (type 2) of gray to white weakly deformed quartz crosscutting the dominant quartz veins resulting in breccia structures; and (c) shallow dipping veins (type 3), cross-cutting veins types 1 and 2 and filled by undeformed white buck structure quartz. Cross-cutting relationships and different quartz types in different veins and within individual veins imply a concomitant filling of the veins during the progressive deformation. Initial sinistral transcurrent shearing evolved with time to sinistral reverse shearing. Metallic minerals occur only in type 1 and 2 veins and were deposited in two stages, with native gold being related to second stage sulfides. Gold (and chalcopyrite) precipitated preferentially upon the surfaces of fractured pyrite grains in low-pressure sites (pressure shadow zones) around and/or within the sulfide grains (along subsequently annealed fractures). The formation of the South Taparko deposit can be divided into a succession of events: (a) during the first event, N 170°-directed sinistral transcurrent shearing resulted in a N 20° mylonitic foliation and fractured rock which allowed H2O-, CO2- and SiO2-rich fluids to circulate and deposit quartz with buck texture; (b) during the second event, type 1 quartz was strongly deformed and type 2 veins formed with sigmoidal shapes as viewed on a horizontal plane; and (c) during the third event, the sinistral transcurrent shearing evolved to sinistral reverse shearing and the deformation style evolved correspondingly from ductile to brittle-ductile. During the last phase of deformation gold nucleated and deposited in low-pressure zones.

The Sossego iron oxide–copper–gold deposit (245 Mt @ 1.1% Cu, 0.28 g/t Au) in the Carajás Mineral Province of Brazil consists of two major groups of orebodies (Pista–Sequeirinho–Baiano and Sossego–Curral) with distinct alteration assemblages that are separated from each other by a major high angle fault. The deposit is located along a regional WNW–ESE-striking shear zone that defines the contact between metavolcano–sedimentary units of the ∼2.76 Ga Itacaiúnas Supergroup and tonalitic to trondhjemitic gneisses and migmatites of the ∼2.8 Ga Xingu Complex. The deposit is hosted by granite, granophyric granite, gabbro, and felsic metavolcanic rocks. The Pista–Sequeirinho–Baiano orebodies have undergone regional sodic (albite–hematite) alteration and later sodic–calcic (actinolite-rich) alteration associated with the formation of massive magnetite–(apatite) bodies. Both these alteration assemblages display ductile to ductile–brittle fabrics. They are cut by spatially restricted zones of potassic (biotite and potassium feldspar) alteration that grades outward to chlorite-rich assemblages. The Sossego–Curral orebodies contain weakly developed early albitic alteration and very poorly developed subsequent calcic–sodic alteration. These orebodies contain well-developed potassic alteration assemblages that were formed during brittle deformation that resulted in the formation of breccia bodies. Breccia matrix commonly displays coarse mineral infill suggestive of growth into open space. Sulfides in both groups of deposits were precipitated first with potassic alteration and more importantly with a later assemblage of calcite–quartz–epidote–chlorite. In the Sequeirinho orebodies, sulfides range from undeformed to deformed; sulfides in the Sossego–Curral orebodies are undeformed. Very late, weakly mineralized hydrolytic alteration is present in the Sossego/Currral orebodies. The sulfide assemblage is dominated by chalcopyrite with subsidiary siegenite, and millerite. Pyrrhotite and pyrite are minor constituents of ore in the Sequerinho orebodies while pyrite is relatively abundant in the Sossego–Curral bodies. Oxygen isotope partitioning between mineral pairs constrains temperatures in the deposit spatially and through time. In the Sequeirinho orebody, the early sodic–calcic alteration stage was characterized by temperatures exceeding 500°C and $ \delta ^{{{\text{18}}}} {\text{O}}_{{{\text{H}}_{{\text{2}}} {\text{O}}}} $ values for the alteration fluid of 6.9 ± 0.9‰. Temperature declines outward and upward from the zone of most intense alteration. Paragenetically later copper–gold mineralization displays markedly lower temperatures (<300°C) and was characterized by the introduction of 18O-depleted hydrothermal fluids −1.8 ± 3.4‰. The calculated δDH2O and $ \delta ^{{{\text{18}}}} {\text{O}}_{{{\text{H}}_{{\text{2}}} {\text{O}}}} $ values suggest that the fluids that formed the early calcic–sodic alteration assemblage were of formational/metamorphic or magmatic origin. The decrease of $ \delta ^{{{\text{18}}}} {\text{O}}_{{{\text{H}}_{{\text{2}}} {\text{O}}}} $ values through time may reflect influx of surficially derived waters during later alteration and mineralization events. Influx of such fluids could be related to episodic fluid overpressure, resulting in dilution and cooling of the metalliferous fluid, causing deposition of metals transported as metal chloride complexes.