Ra. Mills et H. Elderfield, RARE-EARTH ELEMENT GEOCHEMISTRY OF HYDROTHERMAL DEPOSITS FROM THE ACTIVE TAG MOUND, 26-DEGREES-N MID-ATLANTIC RIDGE, Geochimica et cosmochimica acta, 59(17), 1995, pp. 3511-3524
The rare earth element (REE) geochemistry of various phases from the a
ctive TAG hydrothermal mound has been examined and related to their mi
neralogy and fluid chemistry. The mound deposits range from black and
white smoker chimneys, massive anhydrite/sulphide mixtures, oxides, an
d ochres. All phases, except black smoker chimney anhydrite, demonstra
te a positive Eu anomaly when normalised to chondrite REE values. REE
substitution into sulphide and sulphate phases appears to be strongly
influenced by crystallographic control for all REE other than Eu. Prec
ipitation of anhydrite within the TAG mound is the major mechanism for
removal of REE during mound circulation and 0.15-0.35 g anhydrite is
inferred to precipitate from every kg of fluid venting from the white
smoker chimneys. Oxides from the mound fall into three different categ
ories with distinct REE patterns: oxide rims on sulphides, atacamite-b
earing oxides, and silica-rich Fe-oxides and ochres. The oxide rim pha
ses contain sulphide and seawater derived REEs whereas the atacamite-b
earing oxides and the ochreous material exhibit no seawater signature
which suggests precipitation from, or alteration by, a modified hydrot
hermal fluid.