Abstract
An occurrence of vein-hosted bitumen in Carboniferous rocks, central Scotland, exhibits unusual enrichments in titanium, zirconium and chromium, detected by electron microprobe. These elements occur as mineral inclusions of titanium and titanium-iron oxides. A close association between titanium-rich tuffs and a quartz dolerite sill suggests that metals were leached from igneous rocks by a hydrocarbon-rich fluid generated by the heat of the intrusion into organic-rich shales. This occurrence supports other evidence for widespread titanium mobility under low-temperature conditions. Inclusions of nickel arsenide may reflect regionally important mineralization, including former ore deposits, related to sills and dykes. As sills are extensively intruded into petroleum-prospective basins offshore, they may have a significant influence upon sediment geochemistry. (C) 2003 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.
Original language | English |
---|---|
Pages (from-to) | 155-167 |
Number of pages | 12 |
Journal | Ore Geology Reviews |
Volume | 24 |
Issue number | 1-2 |
DOIs | |
Publication status | Published - 2004 |
Keywords
- titanium
- Scotland
- hydrocarbon fluids
- NORTH-SEA
- SANDSTONES
- MINERALS
- OXIDES
- CALIFORNIA
- INCLUSIONS
- BITUMENS
- DEPOSITS
- HISTORY
- ROCKS