Relación entre mineralización de Cu y Bitumen en el prospecto la cuprosa, dorsal de Huincul, Neuquén

La Cuprosa es un depósito de Cu estratiforme hospedado en rocas sedimentarias de la Formación Portezuelo (Grupo Neuquén) tipo Revett o sub-tipo sandstone, ubicado sobre el yacimiento hidrocarburífero Aguada Baguales, Dorsal de Huincul. Su historia diagenética puede subdividirse en: diagénesis, mineralización y telogénesis. Durante la diagénesis temprana se formaron los cementos de hematita y caolinita por la acción de aguas meteóricas. La oxidación temprana de hidrocarburos en subsuelo, el ascenso de CO2 y su mezcla con las aguas meteóricas produjo la precipitación de calcita I. El ingreso de hidrocarburos líquidos y las reacciones redox con la roca provocaron: disolución de clastos y cementos previos, aumento de porosidad, cementos de esmectita ± clorita y micro-cuarzo sintaxial, reducción de Fe3+ a Fe2+ para formar pirita (± clorita), y una posterior precipitación de analcima y calcita barroca II. La circulación de salmueras cuencales ligeramente oxidantes y de pH neutro pudo extraer el Cu de los estratos rojos y rocas ígneas subyacentes, transportarlo en solución, y en contacto con los hidrocarburos precipitar sulfuros de Cu y Fe. Los sulfuros reemplazaron a pirita y generaron removilización parcial del hierro hacia la periferia de la zona mineralizada. La tectónica andina durante el Mioceno produjo los procesos telogenéticos: formación de calcita III y reemplazo de sulfuros de Cu por malaquita> crisocola> azurita> brochantita y de pirita por hematita> goethita. La distribución de la decoloración mapeada a partir de análisis de imágenes satelitales y la zonación de la alteración pueden ser utilizadas para el estudio de migraciones de hidrocarburos y depósitos de Cu estratiformes similares.Relationship between Cu mineralization and bitumen in the La Cuprosa prospect, Huincul Ridge, Neuquén La Cuprosa is a Revett or sandstone sub-type sediment-hosted stratiform Cu deposit of the Portezuelo Formation (Neuquén Group), located over the Aguada Baguales oil field, Huincul Ridge. Its diagenetic story can be subdivided in: diagenesis, mineralization and telogenesis. During early diagenesis hematite and kaolinite precipitated from meteoric waters. Early oxidation of hydrocarbon in depth, rising CO2 and mixing with meteoric waters produced calcite I precipitation. The incoming of liquid hydrocarbons and redox reactions with the rock generated: clasts and previous cements dissolution, porosity increase, smectite ± chlorite and sintaxial micro-quartz cements, reduction of Fe3+ to Fe2+ to form pyrite (± chlorite), and later analcime and baroque calcite II precipitation. Circulation of slightly oxidizing, neutral, Cu-rich basinal brines could extract Cu from subjacent red beds and igneous rocks, transport it in solution, and precipitate Cu-Fe sulfides in contact with hydrocarbons. These sulfides replaced pyrite and generated partial iron remobilization to the periphery of the mineralization zone. Andean tectonic during the Miocene produced the telogenetic processes: calcite III formation, and Cu sulfides replacement by malachite> chrysocolla> azurite> brochantite and pyrite by hematite> goethite. The bleaching distribution mapped by satellite imagery analysis and the zonation of the alteration can be utilized for hydrocarbon migration and similar stratiform Cu deposits studies.Fil: Paz, Marcos Maximiliano. Universidad Nacional de Río Negro. Sede Alto Valle. Instituto de Investigaciones en Paleobiología y Geología; Argentina. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas; ArgentinaFil: Pons, María Josefina. Universidad Nacional de Río Negro. Sede Alto Valle. Instituto de Investigaciones en Paleobiología y Geología; Argentina. Universidad Nacional del Sur; Argentina. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas; ArgentinaFil: Giusiano, Adolfo Eugenio. Gobierno de la Provincia del Neuquen. Ministerio de Energia y Recursos Naturales. Subsecretaria de Energia Mineria E Hidrocarburos.; ArgentinaFil: Cábana, María Cecilia. Universidad Nacional de Río Negro. Sede Alto Valle. Instituto de Investigaciones en Paleobiología y Geología; ArgentinaFil: Franchini, Marta Beatriz. Universidad Nacional del Comahue. Facultad de Ingeniería. Departamento de Geología y Petróleo; Argentina. Universidad Nacional del Comahue; Argentina. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas; ArgentinaFil: González, Esteban. Universidad Nacional del Comahue. Facultad de Ingeniería; ArgentinaFil: Impiccini, Agnes. Universidad Nacional del Comahue. Facultad de Ingeniería. Departamento de Geología y Petróleo; ArgentinaFil: Rainoldi, Ana Laura. Universidad Nacional del Comahue. Facultad de Ingeniería. Departamento de Geología y Petróleo; Argentina. Universidad Nacional del Sur. Departamento de Geología; Argentin

Provincia del Neuquén

Fil: Zanettini, Juan Carlos M. Ministerio de Planificación Federal, Inversión Pública y Servicios. Secretaría de Minería. Servicio Geológico Minero Argentino (SEGEMAR); Argentina.Fil: Leanza, Héctor A. Ministerio de Planificación Federal, Inversión Pública y Servicios. Secretaría de Minería. Servicio Geológico Minero Argentino (SEGEMAR); Argentina.Fil: Giusiano, Adolfo. Ministerio de Planificación Federal, Inversión Pública y Servicios. Secretaría de Minería. Servicio Geológico Minero Argentino (SEGEMAR); Argentina.Fil: Franchi, Mario. Ministerio de Planificación Federal, Inversión Pública y Servicios. Secretaría de Minería. Servicio Geológico Minero Argentino (SEGEMAR); Argentina.Fil: Santamaría, Graciela R. Ministerio de Planificación Federal, Inversión Pública y Servicios. Secretaría de Minería. Servicio Geológico Minero Argentino (SEGEMAR); Argentina.La Hoja Geológica 3972-II, Loncopué, se encuentra localizada en el centro-oeste de la provincia del Neuquén. Comprende la parte sur de la provincia geológica Cordillera Principal (Cordillera Neuquina), el extremo norte de la Cordillera Patagónica Septentrional y la parte sudoccidental de la Cuenca Neuquina. Las rocas más antiguas aflorantes son metamorfitas de bajo grado, correspondientes a la Ectinita Piedra Santa, cuyo protolito es de probable edad silúrico-devónica. En el Pérmico inferior ellas fueron intruidas por plutones silíceos del Complejo Plutónico del Chachil y éste, a su vez, cubierto en discordancia por las volcanitas del Grupo Choiyoi en el Pérmico superior - Triásico medio. En el Triásico superior ocurrió la intrusión del Granito Moquehue y comenzó la apertura y relleno de la Cuenca Neuquina con la depositación de la Formación Lapa. Durante el tiempo transcurrido entre el Pliensbachiano y Calloviano inferior se acumularon sedimentitas continentales y luego marinas del Grupo Cuyo. Un nuevo proceso de sedimentación marina que finaliza con depositación de evaporitas sucedió en la cuenca en el Calloviano medio-superior y Oxfordiano, representado por el Grupo Lotena. La sedimentación mesozoica en la comarca continuó entre el Kimmeridgiano y el Valanginiano inferior y en ese lapso sobrevino la depositación parcial del Grupo Mendoza. Coetáneamente con esto último se produjo la intrusión de la Tonalita Santa María en el área de arco magmático. En esta misma área, durante el Cretácico inferior al superior, tuvo lugar la intrusión de la Granodiorita Paso de Icalma. Posteriormente, la comarca fue elevada y durante el Cenozoico sucedieron varios acontecimientos eruptivos. En el Paleoceno y Eoceno se originaron episodios intrusivos silícicos y subvolcánicos y efusivos mesosilícicos que se reúnen en los Grupos Campana Mahuida y Ñorquín. En el Mioceno medio ocurrieron procesos volcánicos que provocaron la depositación de piroclastitas de la Formación Invernada Vieja. En el Mioceno superior se derramaron lavas del Basalto Rancahué y se sedimentaron los componentes de la Formación Mitrauquén. Desde fines del Mioceno superior? y hasta el Plioceno superior, los productos volcanogénicos básicos del Basalto Tipilihuque y mesosilícicos a silícicos del Grupo Las Lajas cubrieron una extensa área, culminando la actividad con la efusividad básica, desarrollada en el Pleistoceno inferior, representada por las volcanitas Hueyeltué y Huechahué. En el intermedio entre estas últimas unidades se acumularon los depósitos glacifluviales de la Formación Huarenchenque. En el Pleistoceno superior la comarca fue englazada, lo cual está evidenciado por los depósitos morénicos de la Formación Los Helechos y también por diversas formas de erosión glaciaria. El cuadro estratigráfico del Cuaternario se completa, durante el Holoceno, con volcanitas basálticas y piroclastitas, como también así con depósitos aterrazados, de remoción en masa y aluvios, coluvios y depósitos pedemontanos. Los principales recursos mineros de la región consisten en un depósito tipo cobre porfírico y varios estratoligados y vetiformes de baritina. La explotación de las yacencias plumbíferas y ferríferas se encuentra actualmente inactiva

Cu (V-U) mineralization in Huincul Formation, Tordillos prospect, Neuquén Basin

Tordillos es uno de los numerosos depósitos de cobre (V-U) estratiformes de la Cuenca Neuquina y está ubicado en el sector norte de la dorsal de Huincul, al SO del anticlinal Sauzal Bonito. Presenta recursos de 9,5 Mt y una ley media de Cu de 0,42 % con anomalías de U (135-251 ppm) y V (250-980 ppm). La mineralización es epigenética y rellena la porosidad secundaria de las areniscas permeables, alteradas y decoloradas correspondientes a la Formación Huincul. Consiste en calcosina con calcopirita y bornita relícticas y minerales supergénicos de cobre, vanadio y uranio (covellina, brochantita > malaquita, copper wad-tenorita y cuprita, crisocola, vanadatos de Cu y urovanadatos de K y Ba), siempre en contacto con impregnaciones de bitumen. Las evidencias de disolución de los minerales autigénicos (hematita-cuarzo-baritina 1-calcita 1) y de los clastos y el orden cronológico de precipitación de nuevos cementos (arcillas-baritina 2-pirita-calcita 2-sulfuros de Cu-baritina 3) en las areniscas documentan una historia compleja para la formación de este depósito, dada por el ingreso de varios pulsos de fluidos (aguas cuencales saturadas en bario, hidrocarburos y salmueras ricas en cloruros que trasportaron cobre en solución) y su posible mezcla con las aguas intersticiales de la Formación Huincul que contenían sulfatos. La tectónica andina durante el Mioceno debió producir la ruptura de sellos y el ascenso de estos múltiples pulsos de fluidos desde las rocas reservorios hacia las areniscas y conglomerados de la Formación Huincul a través de estructuras preexistentes de la Dorsal de Huincul.Tordillos is one of several stratiform copper deposits (V, U) of the Neuquén Basin, located in the northern sector of the Dorsal Huincul to the SW of anticlinal Sauzal Bonito. The deposit has an estimated total resource of 9.5 Mt and 0.42 % Cu grades with U (135-251 ppm) and V (250-980 ppm) anomalies. The mineralization is epigenetic and fills the secondary porosity of the permeable and bleached sandstones of the Huincul Formation. It consists of chalcocite with relict chalcopyrite and bornite and supergene Cu-V-U minerals (covellite, brochantite > malachite, copper wad-tenorite and cuprite, chrysocolla, Cu-KBa vanadates and urovanadates) always in contact with impregnations of bitumen. The textural evidences of dissolution of authigenic minerals (hematite-quartz-barite 1-calcite 1) and detrital grains and the chronological order of precipitation of new cements (clays-barite 2-pyrite-calcite 2-Cu sulfides-barite 3) in sandstones document a complex history for the formation of this deposit. The influx of several pulses of fluids (basinal waters rich in Ba, hydrocarbons, and brines with Cu chlorides) and their mixing with interstitial waters of the Huincul Formation, that contained sulfates, may have produced the mineralization. The Andean tectonics during the Miocene must have caused the breakdown of seals and the upward flow of these multiple fluids pulses from the reservoir into the sandstones and conglomerates of the Huincul Formation through preexisting structures of the Dorsal de Huincul.Fil: Pons, María Josefina. Universidad Nacional del Comahue. Facultad de Ingeniería. Departamento de Geología y Petróleo; Argentina. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas; ArgentinaFil: Franchini, Marta Beatriz. Universidad Nacional del Comahue. Facultad de Ingeniería. Departamento de Geología y Petróleo; Argentina. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas; ArgentinaFil: Giusiano, Adolfo Eugenio. Provincia de Neuquén. Subsecretaría de Minería e Hidrocarburos; ArgentinaFil: Maydagán, Laura. Universidad Nacional del Comahue. Facultad de Ingeniería. Departamento de Geología y Petróleo; Argentina. Universidad Nacional del Sur; Argentina. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas; ArgentinaFil: Rainoldi, Ana Laura. Universidad Nacional del Comahue. Facultad de Ingeniería. Departamento de Geología y Petróleo; Argentina. Universidad Nacional del Sur; Argentina. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas; Argentin

Vanadium mineralization at Los Chihuidos sediment-hosted Cu-V deposit, Neuquén Basin, Argentina: An approach to vanadium ore forming processes

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Large-Scale Bleaching of Red Beds Related To Upward Migration of Hydrocarbons: Los Chihuidos High, Neuquén Basin, Argentina

The striking arrangement of colorful facies in the sandstones outcrops of the Los Chihuidos high, Argentina, has been attributed to the surface expression of hydrocarbon-induced alteration. The Huincul Formation (late Cenomanian–early Turonian) is part of the thick continental red-bed-dominated Neuquén Group, which consists of meandering fluvial deposits developed in a foreland basin. Visual distinctions reveal four diagenetic facies: red, white, gray, and minor brown sandstones. Differences in the diagenetic mineralogy among sandstones facies are interpreted to depend on the degree of interaction with hydrocarbon-bearing solutions and the relative position of the redox roll front developed during this process. The red facies represents the original oxidized sandstone, with hematite, kaolinite, quartz and albite overgrowths, and calcite cement precipitated under oxidizing conditions during the regional burial diagenesis. The white facies formed during the interaction of red beds with reduced fluids (in presence of hydrocarbons or organic acids), where clasts and cement were partially dissolved, and iron was reduced to Fe2+ due to redox reactions and removed, resulting in the sandstone decoloration and in a marked development of the secondary porosity. Minor montmorillonite replaced kaolinite and detrital feldspars, and a poikilotopic calcite precipitated, filling the pores. The gray and the brown sandstone bound the redox front, which is characterized by the presence of abundant clay minerals and oxide minerals enriched in vanadium and copper. Montmorillonite and secondary hematite are dominant in the more oxidized gray sandstones whereas interstratified chlorite–montmorillonite is more abundant in the more reduced brown sandstones. The coexistence of these minerals indicates metastable reducing–oxidizing conditions at the redox front. Based on diagenetic characteristics, tectonic framework, maturation timing of source rocks, and petroleum-emplacement history, hydrocarbons could have migrated into the Huincul Formation during the Tertiary uplift, but later erosion could have released the hydrocarbons and exhumed the reservoir. This multi-scale investigation of diagenetic features related to burial history and to structure-controlled upflow of hydrocarbons in a succession of siliciclastic rocks enhances modeling of a regional-scale redox system worldwide. Our study offers new insight into the application of authigenic minerals to trace hydrocarbon pathways along red beds and to evaluate the reservoir quality, in the understanding the importance of fluid compositions, mixing, and fluid–rock interaction along a major redox system.Fil: Rainoldi, Ana Laura. Universidad Nacional del Comahue. Facultad de Ingeniería. Departamento de Geología y Petróleo; Argentina. Universidad Nacional del Sur; Argentina. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Patagonia Norte; ArgentinaFil: Franchini, Marta Beatriz. Universidad Nacional del Comahue. Facultad de Ingeniería. Departamento de Geología y Petróleo; Argentina. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Patagonia Norte; ArgentinaFil: Beaufort, Daniel. Université de Poitiers; FranciaFil: Patrier, Patricia. Université de Poitiers; FranciaFil: Giusiano, Adolfo Eugenio. Provincia de Neuquén. Subsecretaria de Minería e Hidrocarburos; ArgentinaFil: Impiccini, Agnes. Universidad Nacional del Comahue. Facultad de Ingeniería. Departamento de Geología y Petróleo; Argentina. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Patagonia Norte; ArgentinaFil: Pons, María Josefina. Universidad Nacional del Comahue. Facultad de Ingeniería. Departamento de Geología y Petróleo; Argentina. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Patagonia Norte; Argentin

Alteration halos in the Tordillos sediment-hosted copper deposit of the Neuquen Basin, Argentina

The Tordillos sediment-hosted Cu deposit is located in the north-central sector of the Huincul High structure, in the Neuquen Basin, Argentina. It is hosted in sedimentary rocks of the Huincul Formation, an Upper Cretaceous redbed sequence deposited in a fluvial environment. Field mapping, petrography, and chemical analysis of the authigenic clay, sulfate, carbonate, and sulfide minerals at Tordillos have identified systematic variation in alteration and paragenesis with time and with respect to the main feeder zones. The alteration associated with Cu mineralization provides evidence of a multistage infiltration of fluids spatially associated with paleo-hydrocarbon migration driven by Tertiary tectonism. Early diagenesis formed hematite, kaolinite, and calcitel that have been preserved in the reddish brown mud stones. Later influx of hydrocarbons and warm, reduced formation waters from deeper reservoir rocks is associated with dissolution of early cements and clasts and precipitation of new minerals. In the thickest paleo-channels of the Huincul Formation, dissolution of early cements (hematite, kaolinite, calcitel and baritel) and clasts locally increased the porosity of sandstones up to 24% and destroyed hematite that changed sandstones and conglomerates from red to yellowish-grey. Bitumen impregnations are abundant along with calcite2, 3, and 4, pyrite, minor montmorillonite, quartz overgrowth, and coarse baritel crystals with primary organic fluid inclusions at the contact with hydrocarbon tubes. The MnO enrichment of calcite in stages 3 and 4 reflects their precipitation under reduced conditions. Grey and greenish-grey sandstones with montmorillonite, V-hematite, smectite-chlorite group minerals and pyrite, respectively are exposed between the reddish-brown mud stones and the yellowish-grey sandstones and conglomerates. The grey and greenish-grey horizons are representative of abrupt changes in Eh-pH conditions, between regional early oxidizing solutions responsible for the formation of early diagenetic redbeds and later infiltration of reducing fluids responsible for alteration of sedimentary rocks. Copper mineralization is located inside the altered sandstones and conglomerates zones, forming halos surrounding vertical tubes containing bitumen. These tubes are interpreted as the conduits through which migrated hydrocarbons, formation waters, and subsequent chloride and metal-rich fluids. In these places, pyrite, calcite, and barite cements of the altered rocks, have been dissolved and replaced by copper -rich sulfides and then by late supergene Cu minerals. Interconnection among stacked permeable paleo-channels in the mid-section of the Huincul Formation facilitated the migration of several generations of fluids during early diagenesis, hydrocarbon up flow, and exhumation of the Neuquen Group, resulting in the development of alteration halos and Cu mineralization that can be used, both in outcrop and drill core, during exploration for sediment-hosted Cu mineralization

Stable isotope and fluid inclusion study of sediment-hosted stratiform copper deposits from the Neuquén Basin, Argentina

The Los Chihuidos and El Porvenir deposits of the Neuquén Basin are examples of sediment-hosted stratiform Cu deposits generated by interaction of hydrocarbons and formation water with host red beds and metal-charged basinal brines. During early diagenesis of red beds precipitated hematite, kaolinite at 60 °C from meteoric water followed by calcite 1 (δ13C − 8 to − 3.3‰) and barite (δ34S + 4.1‰) with increasing temperature (75–85 °C) from an evolved surface fluid (δ18Ofluids + 0.9 to + 2.7‰). During the Tertiary Andean orogeny, hydrocarbons and formation water migrated and reacted with the red beds resulting in bleaching of the sandstone. Smectite (fluid δ18O − 2.2‰ and δD − 73.7‰), chlorite-smectite mixed-layer minerals (fluid δ18O − 6.9‰ and δD − 84‰), pyrite (δ34S + 10.2‰), and calcite 2 (δ13C − 12.9 to − 6.8‰) formed as by-product of the redox reactions. Calcite 2 formed from low-salinity fluids (0.4 to 5.9 wt% NaCl equiv.) at slightly higher temperatures (125–145 °C) at El Porvenir and at Los Chihuidos deposit (80–105 °C). During subsequent uplift, metal-charged basinal brines flowed into the bleached sandstone and precipitated chalcopyrite-bornite (δ34S + 12.3‰) followed by chalcocite-spionkopite (δ34S − 64 to + 4.1‰). Calcites 3a (δ13C − 19 to − 10.1‰) and 3b (δ13C − 31.4 to − 9.5‰) that accompanied Fe-Cu and Cu sulfides, respectively, formed from saline fluids (up to 21.3 wt% NaCl equiv.) at temperatures of 159–70 °C. The δ18O values (+ 5.6 to + 11.4‰) of fluids in equilibrium with calcite 3a are similar to oilfield and basinal brines. Fluids in equilibrium with calcite 3 in Los Chihuidos and calcite 3b in El Porvenir show much lighter δ18O values (− 7.3 to − 4.6‰ and − 0.6 to + 2.3‰, respectively), which suggests the involvement of methane as the main reductant and possibly meteoric water interaction

Mineralogical signature of hydrocarbon circulation in Cretaceous red beds of the Barda Gonzalez area, Neuquen Basin, Argentina

International audienceThe Portezuelo Formation is part of a red bed sequence in the Neuquen Basin assigned to the Neuquen Group (lower Cenomanian middle Campanian). In outcrops of the Portezuelo Formation in the Barda Gonzalez region, iron oxide and hydroxide cements are only preserved in the less permeable claystone layers. Paleomigration of hydrocarbons and formation waters along the most permeable layers bleached the rocks due to partial to total dissolution of cements and grains and formation of several authigenic minerals: (1) montmorillonite and pyrite in the medium- to fine-grained sandstones and mudstones, and (2) multistage calcite and pyrite in the coarse-grained sandstones and conglomerates. The delta(ScDT)-Sc-34 (Canyon Diablo troilite) of -24.4 to 60%0 values in pyrite point to microbial reduction of a sulfate precursor. The oxidation of hydrocarbons and fluctuations in pH and carbon dioxide pressure caused by organic acids resulted in multiple stages of dissolution and precipitation of calcite. Calcite crystals host hydrocarbon-bearing fluid inclusions (+/- pyrite) with variable fluorescence color, indicating that hydrocarbon composition changed with time. The intermediate delta(CpDB)-Cp-13 (Peedee belemnite) (-8.11%0 to 8.52700) and delta(18)opDB(9.76 to 9.83700) isotope composition of calcites may have resulted from mixtures of C-13-rich CO2 after the dissolution of local calcrete with C-13-poor CO2 from oxidizing hydrocarbons. This contribution provides for the first time key information to predict the distribution of authigenic minerals in reservoir rocks in the basin and improves understanding of the diagenetic history of the Portezuelo Formation

Base metal mobility linked to brine and hydrocarbon migration at the Huincul High in the Neuquén Basin, Argentina: Implications for the formation of sediment-hosted base metal deposits

This contribution discusses the discovery of Pb[sbnd]Zn mineralization in hydrocarbon exploration drill holes hosted in siliciclastic Jurassic rocks below the Cretaceous sediment hosted Cu mineralization located north of the Huincul High. In the Early Cretaceous, hydrocarbon and basinal water expulsion took place from the oil source rocks (Los Molles Formation) into the reservoir rocks Lajas Formation (Middle Jurassic), after the formation of diagenetic quartz overgrowths. Marcasite, pyrite and illite + illite-smectite mixed layer minerals then formed together with hydrocarbons. Marcasite (δ34S −3.5 and −2.2‰) and pyrite (δ34S −11.6 to 18.1‰) precipitated via bacterial sulfate reduction from fluids showing temperatures 100 °C close to the feeder zones at the expense of barite as a local sulfur source. Chalcocite group minerals (δ34S −21.3‰ to −7.3‰) precipitated outwards in pore spaces of the sandstones at lower temperatures (<100 °C) through BSR of sulfate in the mineralizing brines. Final exhumation of the Neuquén Group (Upper Miocene-Pliocene) promoted the infiltration of the meteoric water, the oxidation of the sulfides and formation of supergene Fe[sbnd]Cu, V and U minerals. Isotope geochemistry and fluid inclusion results combined with alteration and ore mineralogy document the processes controlling the distribution of base metals in the Huincul High region that can be applied to evaluate the metal potential in other areas of the Neuquén Basin and further extrapolated to similar geological systems elsewhere.Fil: Pons, María Josefina. Universidad Nacional de Río Negro. Sede Alto Valle. Instituto de Investigaciones en Paleobiología y Geología; Argentina. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Patagonia Confluencia; ArgentinaFil: Franchini, Marta Beatriz. Universidad Nacional del Comahue. Facultad de Ingeniería. Departamento de Geología y Petróleo; Argentina. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Patagonia Confluencia; ArgentinaFil: Rainoldi, Ana Laura. Universidad Nacional del Sur. Departamento de Geología; Argentina. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Patagonia Confluencia; ArgentinaFil: Giusiano, Adolfo Eugenio. Consultor Geólogo; ArgentinaFil: Cesaretti, Nora Noemi. Universidad Nacional del Sur. Departamento de Geología; Argentina. Comisión de Investigaciones Científicas de la Provincia de Buenos Aires. Centro de Geología Aplicada, Agua y Medio Ambiente; ArgentinaFil: Montagna, Aldo Omar. YPF - Tecnología; Argentina. Universidad Nacional de Río Negro; ArgentinaFil: Herrington, Richard. Natural History Museum; Reino Unid

Mineral reactions associated with hydrocarbon paleomigration in the Huincul High, Neuquen Basin, Argentina

International audienceBleaching of red beds by the migration of reducing pore fluids is a widespread phenomenon, with most previous work on the topic focused on detailed studies in the southwestern United States, and to a lesser extent Germany. Herein, we report on wide-spread bleaching of Cretaceous red beds in the Neuquen Basin and the relationship of this bleaching to hydrocarbon migration. In the Cerro Granito area of the Huincul High, Neuquen Basin, the basal deposits of the Neuquen Group (Candeleros and Huincul Formations) are bleached. This alteration was apparently controlled by fluid and host-rock composition as well as by the intensity and span of the fluid-rock interaction. Red, fine-grained sandstones and mudstones of the Candeleros Formation were deposited in fluvial and swamp environments and contain authigenic hematite, Na-rich corrensite, micro-and mesoquartz, calcite, and analcite. Coarse-grained sandstones and mudstones of the Huincul Formation, which overlie the Candeleros Formation, were deposited in a braided fluvial system, under more humid and acidic conditions than the Candeleros Formation. Sandstones are similar in composition and texture to the Candeleros sandstones, except they contain less basic volcanic detritus-and lack corrensite. Bleached facies in both formations contain bitumen and clusters of calcite + bitumen concretions, and partially dissolved detrital clasts and most cements, including early Fe-oxides, which resulted in an increase in secondary porosity and bleaching of the red beds. Alteration of the Candeleros Formation is confined to medium-to coarse-grained sandstone in which corrensite is partially dissolved and its interlayer charge is satisfied by Ca instead of Na, as in corrensite from the red sandstones. Extensive dissolution occurred in the Huincul Formation, which favored the precipitation of new authigenic minerals such as smectite, mixed-layer chloritesmectite, and pyrite. Bleaching and associated alteration most likely resulted from interaction of hydrocarbons with the red beds. Hydrocarbon paleomigration in the Cerro Granito area occurred in higher-permeability portions of the Candeleros and Huincul Formations. The seal provided by the Lisandro Formation was breached during uplift driven by Tertiary tectonism, resulting in the exhumation of the Huincul and Candeleros Formations. This study highlights the importance of a variety of alterations, including complex clay mineral paragenesis, contemporaneous with bleaching of the red beds. Such alterations can potentially be used to provide evidence for the passage of chemically reducing fluids associated with hydrocarbons in other regions, including cases where the original red color has been completely removed