SWIMAR

About the project

SWIMAR brings together researchers in Mainland China, Macao and Europe to investigate the role of ultramafic-hosted hydrothermal systems in the formation of massive sulphide deposits. The project combines samples from ultramafic fields on the Mid-Atlantic Ridge (MAR), collected by European partners, with samples from the Southwest Indian Ridge (SWIR), collected by Chinese partners, in a comparative approach.

Introduction

The discovery of hydrothermal fields on the seafloor was one of the greatest scientific discoveries of the last century. Despite remarkable progress, comparatively little is still known about how mineral deposits associated with hydrothermal systems form on the seafloor. This gap is even more pronounced for ultramafic-hosted systems, which are likely to hold more significant mineral deposits than basalt-hosted systems.

SWIMAR aims to (1) improve understanding of geochemical and mineralogical changes within hydrothermal systems; (2) clarify the role of serpentinization in mineral-deposit formation; and (3) provide new insights into seafloor massive sulphide formation, highlighting differences between mafic and ultramafic hydrothermal systems. By characterizing chemical processes in ultramafic settings, the project also supports development of geochemical survey methods for detecting ultramafic-hosted fields.

摘要

海底熱泉的發現被視為上世紀科學界的一項重大發現。儘管在過去數十年中有著驚人的進展，但對於海床成礦機制與熱液系統間相互作用的瞭解仍然匱乏，尤其是超基性岩系熱液系統。

本研究旨在推進：(1) 熱液系統內地球化學與礦物學的改變；(2) 成礦機制中蛇紋岩化作用的角色；(3) 海床塊狀硫化礦床形成機制，特別是基性與超基性熱液系統間的差別，並發展地球化學觀測方法以探索超基性岩系熱液系統。

Research team

Ágata Alveirinho Dias

Principal Investigator

Chunhui Tao

Collaborator · SIO–SOA, Hangzhou

Fernando Barriga

Team member · FCUL, Portugal

Qiu Wenhong (Johnson) · 邱文洪

Team member · SWIMAR Postdoc (PhD)

Yafei Wu

Team member · FDCT Postdoc (PhD)

Pedro Costa

PhD Student and Research Assistant (MSc)

Ricardo Borges

Research Assistant (MSc)

Ding Teng · 丁腾

Collaborator · Hohai University, Nanjing (PhD)

Shili Liao · 廖时理

Collaborator · KLSG SIO–SOA, Hangzhou (PhD)

Lucia Ivorra Gonzalez

Former Research Assistant / PhD student

Dicky Wong Tik Man · 黃迪雯

Former Research Assistant

Publications & communications

Yang W., Tao C., Liao S., Liang J., Li W., Ding T., Dias Á. A., Wang X., Wang L. (in press). Record of hydrothermal activity in the Yuhuang hydrothermal field… Acta Oceanologica Sinica. PDF

Ding T., Wang J., Tao C., Dias Á. A., Liang J., Wang Y., Chen J., Wu B., Huang H. (2022). Trace-element compositions of sulfides from inactive Tianzuo hydrothermal field, Southwest Indian Ridge… Ore Geology Reviews, 104421. PDF · doi

Yu J., Tao C., Liao S., Dias Á. A., Liang J., Yang W., Zhu C. (2021). Resource estimation of the sulfide-rich deposits of the Yuhuang-1 hydrothermal field… Ore Geology Reviews, 104169. PDF · doi

Ding T., Tao C., Dias Á. A., Liang J., et al. (2020). Sulfur isotopic compositions of sulfides along the Southwest Indian Ridge… Mineralium Deposita. PDF · doi

Milinovic J., Dias Á. A., Janeiro A., Pereira M., Martins S., Petersen S., Barriga F. J. A. S. (2020). XRD identification of ore minerals during cruises… Minerals, 10(2), 160. PDF · doi

Liao S., Tao C., Dias Á. A., Su X., et al. (2019). Surface sediment composition… Duanqiao-1 hydrothermal field, SWIR. Marine Geology, 416, 105975. PDF · doi

Dias Á. A., Qiu W., Barriga F. J. A. S., Tao C. (2020). Sub-Seafloor Sulfide Mineralization in the Saldanha Hydrothermal Field… Goldschmidt 2020.

Qiu W., Dias Á. A., Costa I. M. A., Barriga F. (2020). Ore-Forming Process of the Menez Gwen Hydrothermal Field… Goldschmidt 2020.

Costa P., Dias Á. (2020). Oxyhydroxide Hydrothermal Crusts from Saldanha… Goldschmidt 2020.

Dias Á. A., Costa P., Marques A. F., et al. (2019). Geochemistry of Fe-Si-(Mn) Chimneys from Luso Vent Field, MAR. Goldschmidt 2019, Barcelona.

Costa P., Dias Á. A. (2019). Hydrothermal Fe-Mn deposits… InterRidge Workshop, Hangzhou.

Qiu W., Dias Á. A., Barriga F., Tao C. (2019). Sulfide mineralization of the Saldanha hydrothermal field… InterRidge Workshop, Hangzhou.

Qiu W., Dias Á. A., Costa P. (2019). Hydrothermal Field at Mid-Atlantic Ridge, near Azores… Hangzhou conference.