Mineralogical and geochemical zoning of sediments at the Semenov cluster of hydrothermal fields, 13°31′-13°30′ N, Mid-Atlantic Ridge

• Published in: Geochemistry international Vol. 51; no. 8; pp. 646 - 669
• Main Authors: Rusakov, V. Yu, Shilov, V. V., Ryzhenko, B. N., Gablina, I. F., Roshchina, I. A., Kuz’mina, T. G., Kononkova, N. N., Dobretsova, I. G.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Boston Springer US 01-08-2013; Springer Nature B.V
• Subjects: Earth and Environmental Science; Earth Sciences; Geochemistry; Mineralogy; Minerals; Paleontology; Sedimentation & deposition; Sediments; Sulfides; Zoning; United States > US; Atlantic Ocean; Semenov hydrothermal cluster; atacamite; upper Pleistocene-Holocene; ore-bearing and metalliferous sediments; Mid-Atlantic Ridge
• ISSN: 0016-7029; 1556-1968
• DOI: 10.1134/S0016702913050066

New material from eight columns recovered during Cruise 32 of the R/V
Professor Logachev
in 2009 was used to explore the lithological facies, biostratigraphy, mineralogy, and geochemistry of sediments from the northwestern (active) and eastern (inactive) hydrothermal vent fields of the Semenov cluster. Mineral types of sediments were distinguished, and a general scheme was proposed for the vertical structure of the hydrothermal-sedimentary sequence overlying massive sulfide ores. It was found that the ore-bearing sediments exhibit a vertical zoning in the distribution of mineral assemblages, which are controlled by oxygen activity. The mechanisms of the formation of atacamite, CuCl
2
· 3Cu(OH)
2
, which is a widespread mineral in red iron-oxide bodies replacing sulfides (gossans), were evaluated.