БЪЛГАРСКО ГЕОЛОГИЧЕСКО ДРУЖЕСТВО, Национална конференция с международно участие „ГЕОНАУКИ 2016“

BULGARIAN GEOLOGICAL SOCIETY, National Conference with international participation “GEOSCIENCES 2016”

Field features of magmatic hydrothermal injection breccias from

Bulgarian Antarctic Base area (BAB), Livingston Island, Antarctica
Геоложки особености на магматично-хидротермални инжекционни
брекчи от района на Бългаската Антарктическа База (БАБ),
о-в Ливингстън, Антарктика
Stefan Velev1, Docho Dochev1, Kamen Bonev2
Стефан Велев1, Дочо Дочев1, Камен Бонев2
1
Sofia University, FGG, 1504 Sofia; E-mails: velev@gea.uni-sofia.bg; dochev@gea.uni-sofia.bg
2
Bulgarian Antarctic Institute, 1504 Sofia; E-mail: bonev.kamen@gmail.com

Keywords: Livingston Island, magmatic hydrothermal injection breccias, high sulfidation ore systems.

Introduction related to hydraulic breccias (Willan, 1994) and form

Willan (1994) described hydrothermal veins and brec-
cias exposed on Hurd Peninsula, Livingston island.
Based on field data obtained in Antarctic season 2016
we proposed for the first time morphological and ge-
netic classification of hydrothermal breccias, based on
the classification of Corbett and Leach (1998).
Geological settings of BAB area
The sedimentary sequences exposed on the Hurd
Peninsula composed mainly of terrigenous and aleuro-
pelitic mixed rocks, formed in different depositional
environments are grouped in Myers Bluff Formation
(Campanian–?Paleogene). The formation consists
of five members (as follows from bottom to top):
South Bay Member, Johnson Dock Member, Sally
Rocks Member, Napier Peak Member and Moores
Peak Member. The sedimentary rocks exposed in
BAB area consist of medium- to coarse grained mas-
sive sandstones, alternating with thick mudstones
and fine-grained sandstones are part from South Bay
Member – the host sediments of magmatic hydrother-
mal breccias.
Geologic description and systematic
of magmatic hydrothermal injection
breccias
During our investigation ore-related hydrothermal
breccias around BAB are systematized and described
in details. We distinguish chiefly magmatic hydrother-
mal injection breccias, according to classification of
Corbett and Leach (1998). These kinds of breccias are
by injection of mineralized magmatic fluids, typically
in high sulfidation ore systems.
Magmatic hydrothermal injection beccias in stud-
ied area comprise host rock fragment, mainly sand-
stones and mudstones (Fig. 1a–d) set in a matrix of
minerals deposited by magmatic hydrothermal fluid:
quartz, carbonates and ore minerals (pyrite, chalco-
pyrite, galena and malachite) (Fig. 1a). The observed
injection breccias are with vertical dimensions and
thickness of several cm to 2–3 m (Fig. 1d). In some
cases these braccias form in dilational structural en-
vironments derived by movement on controlling
structures, and so display transitional relationships to
the dilational breccias. Tectonic faulting assists fluid
pressures in fracturing host rocks, and creation of open
space which becomes filled by hydrothermal minerals.
These breccias are classified as rotational (Fig. 1c),
mosaic (jigsaw) (Fig. 1a, b) and fluidized breccias.
Rotational breccias are characterized by substantial
fragment rotation or transport in association with fluid
injection. Mosaic or jigsaw breccias are distinguished
by fragments which are separated, but have not un-
dergone substantial transport. Rock fragments in these
breccias may be joined back together by removal of the
matrix. Fluidized breccias contain milled fragments in
a transported matrix, to form dike-like bodies.
Interpretation
The formation of the magmatic hydrothermal breccias
is an integrated element of the evolution of the mag-
matic hydrothermal system. They are formed by the
explosive release of overpressured magmatic fluids
from the fluid saturated magma.

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 Fig. 1. a, mosaic breccias with secondary copper mineralization
(malachite); b, mosaic breccia; c, fragments of mudstones in ro-
tational breccias; d, mosaic brecciated hydrothermal vein; e, ide-
alized cross section through a magmatic hydrothermal breccias

References Willan, R. C. R. 1994. Structural setting and timing of hydro-

thermal veins and breccias on Hurd Peninsula, Livingston
Corbett, G., T. Leach. 1998. Southwest Pacific Rim Gold- Island, South Shetland Islands: A possible volcanic-epith-
Copper Systems: Structure, Alteration and Mineralization. ermal system in deformed turbidites. – Geol. Mag., 131, 4,
– Soc. Econ. Geol., Spec. Publ. 6, 236 p. 465–483.

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