Tatsuo Nozaki

Seafloor massive sulphide deposits are potential resources for base and precious metals (Cu-Pb-Zn ± Ag ± Au), but difficulties in estimating precise reserves and assessing environmental impacts hinder exploration and commercial mining. Here, we report petrological and geochemical properties of sulphide chimneys less than 2 years old that formed where scientific boreholes vented hydrothermal fluids in the Iheya-North field, Okinawa Trough, in East China Sea. One of these infant chimneys, dominate

A simple, rapid method for the determination of Re and Os concentrations and isotope compositions using isotope dilution multi‐collector inductively coupled plasma‐mass spectrometry (ID‐MC‐ICP‐MS) combined with Carius tube digestion and sparging introduction of Os was developed. For Os measurement, four channeltron ion counters to detect different Os isotopes were used simultaneously, which led to a drastic reduction in the measurement time. Rhenium isotopes were measured by means of eight Farad

The historically productive copper-bearing Besshi-type sulphide deposits in the Japanese accretionary complex were formed as volcanogenic massive sulphide deposits on the deep-sea floor of the Panthalassa Ocean. Here we report that eleven typical Besshi-type deposits yielded Re-Os isochron ages around 150 Ma (148.4 ± 1.4 Ma from the composite isochron) in Late Jurassic time. This date coincides with the lowest marine (87)Sr/(86)Sr ratio and highest atmospheric CO2 concentration of the past 300 m

Abstract Seafloor hydrothermal deposits form when hydrothermal fluid mixes with ambient seawater, and constituent sulfide minerals are usually interpreted to precipitate abiogenically. Recent research drilling at Izena Hole and Iheya North Knoll in the middle Okinawa Trough (East China Sea), combined with secondary ion mass spectrometry determinations of δ34S in pyrite grains, provides compelling evidence that the initial stage of subseafloor sulfide mineralization is closely associated with mic

Abstract. Rare earth, major and trace element geochemistry is reported for the Kunimiyama stratiform ferromanganese deposit in the Northern Chichibu Belt, central Shikoku, Japan. The deposit immediately overlies greenstones of mid-ocean ridge basalt (MORB) origin and underlies red chert. The ferromanganese ores exhibit remarkable enrichments in Fe, Mn, P, V, Co, Ni, Zn, Y and rare earth elements (excepting Ce) relative to continental crustal abundance. These enriched elements/ Fe ratios and Post

We report major element and trace element compositions of ferromanganese crusts (Fe-Mn crusts) on Takuyo Daigo Seamount, northwestern Pacific Ocean. Highly enriched elements in these crusts, such as Co (6500 ppm), Ni (4000 ppm), Mo (520 ppm), Te (39 ppm), W (92 ppm), Pt (0.19 ppm), and rare earth elements (REEs; ∑REE = 1700 ppm), exhibit strong positive correlations with either Fe or Mn concentrations. Chemical analyses of the crusts show that the Fe/Mn ratio decreases toward shallower water and

Seafloor massive sulphide (SMS) deposits, modern analogues of volcanogenic massive sulphide (VMS) deposits on land, represent future resources of base and precious metals. Studies of VMS deposits have proposed two emplacement mechanisms for SMS deposits: exhalative deposition on the seafloor and mineral and void space replacement beneath the seafloor. The details of the latter mechanism are poorly characterised in detail, despite its potentially significant role in global metal cycling throughou

Abstract. An improved alkali fusion method followed by HF-HNO3-HC1O4 treatment is performed for simultaneous determination of 23 trace elements (Sr, Y, Zr, Nb, Ba, Hf, Ta, Th, U, and REE) by ICP-MS in rock reference materials: basaltic rocks (JB-2, JB-3) and granitic rocks (JG-la, JG-2, JG-3). Our improved method offers several advantages including: (1) suppression of whitish precipitates probably composed of insoluble fluorides by addition of HCIO4, (2) simple and reliable preparation procedure

Abstract. Whole-rock chemical compositions of the Besshi basic schist closely associated with the Besshi massive sulfide deposit from the Sanbagawa Belt are reported. Studied samples were collected from four outcrops around the Dozan-goe, central Shikoku. Common metamorphic mineral assemblage of the basic schist is albite + epidote + actinolite + chlorite ± muscovite ± quartz. Major element contents are similar to those of typical tholeiitic basalts. Trace element patterns of the basic schist no

Research Article| November 01, 2014 Re-Os Geochronology of the Hitachi Volcanogenic Massive Sulfide Deposit: The Oldest Ore Deposit in Japan Tatsuo Nozaki; Tatsuo Nozaki † 1Institute for Research on Earth Evolution (IFREE), Japan Agency for Marine-Earth Science and Technology (JAMSTEC), 2-15 Natsushima-cho, Yokosuka, Kanagawa 237-0061, Japan2Submarine Resources Research Project (SRRP), Japan Agency for Marine-Earth Science and Technology (JAMSTEC), 2-15 Natsushima-cho, Yokosuka, Kanagawa 237-006

Meteorite impacts have caused catastrophic perturbations to the global environment and mass extinctions throughout the Earth's history. Here, we present petrographic and geochemical evidence of a possible impact ejecta layer, dating from about 11 Ma, in deep-sea clayey sediment in the Northwest Pacific. This clay layer has high platinum group element (PGE) concentrations and features a conspicuous negative Os isotope anomaly (¹⁸⁷Os/¹⁸⁸Os as low as ~0.2), indicating an influ

Abstract. We report whole-rock chemical data for the greenstones from the Kunimiyama area in the Northern Chichibu Belt and their implications on the tectonic setting of these rocks. The Kunimiyama greenstones are associated with stratiform fer-romanganese deposits or bedded cherts in the northern part of the study area, but are closely associated with a thick limestone block or bedded cherts in the southern part. The constituent minerals of greenstones are albitized plagioclase, clinopy-roxene,

Pelagic cherts preserved in accretionary complexes represent former seafloor sediment that can retain geochemical evidence of paleoceanographic conditions that predate the oldest extant oceanic crust. The ratio of Os isotopes in seawater, in particular, is of wide interest as a source of insight into notable geologic events such as oceanic anoxic events, rapid global warming episodes, and eruption of large igneous provinces, but marine Os isotope records from before 80 Ma are scarce. We present