Earth Science Frontiers ›› 2020, Vol. 27 ›› Issue (3): 14-28.DOI: 10.13745/j.esf.sf.2020.4.43

Previous Articles     Next Articles

Experimental and theoretical understanding of boron isotope fractionation and advances in ore deposit geochemistry study

LI Yinchuan1(), DONG Ge1, LEI Fang2, WEI Haizhen1,*()   

  1. 1. School of Earth Sciences and Engineering, Nanjing University; State Key Laboratory for Mineral Deposits Research, Nanjing 210023, China
    2. School of Geography and Ocean Science, Nanjing University, Nanjing 210023, China
  • Received:2019-07-01 Revised:2020-04-21 Online:2020-05-20 Published:2020-05-20
  • Contact: WEI Haizhen

Abstract:

Boron is a moderately volatile element with two stable isotopes 11B and 10B. As much as 10% relative mass difference between the two isotopes leads to significant variation in boron isotopic composition from -70‰ to +75‰ in nature. Boron is always bound to oxygen forming tetrahedral (BO4) and trigonal (BO3) coordination structures. The isotope fractionation between10B and 11B is mainly controlled by their partition between the two structures. In this study, we gave a comprehensive review on the advances in equilibrium fractionation of boron isotopes in various processes. In solution, the boron isotope fractionation factor between B(OH)3 and ${B(OH)^{-}_{4}}$ (α3-4) is controlled by pH and thermodynamic p-T conditions. At ambient conditions, the α3-4 values ranged from 1.0194 to 1.0333 by experimental and theoretical approaches. In addition to p-T-pH controls, boron isotope fractionation, caused by mineral surface adsorption between minerals (carbonates, clay minerals (montmorillonite and illite), goethite, hydromanganese, borate, etc.) and solution, is significant at low temperature. In medium and high temperature processes, boron isotope fractionation during illitization of smectite, tourmaline and muscovite minerals and in hydrothermal fluids or silicate melts and fluids are controlled by boron coordination, chemical composition, and physicochemical conditions. With further understanding of boron isotope fractionation mechanisms in individual process and isotopic distribution in various geological reservoirs, boron isotopes may be considered as sensitive indices for tracing ore-forming material sources, exploring ore-forming processes and genesis models, as well as reconstructing physicochemical conditions during ore formation. To better constrain geological concerns using boron isotopes in ore deposit geochemistry, the remaining challenges are to achieve fine characterizations of boron coordination and isotopic compositions in different host phases, such as fluids, minerals and melts.

Key words: boron isotopes, quantum mechanics calculation, equilibrium/kinetic isotopic fractionation, tourmaline-mica, ore deposits

CLC Number: