ALBERT

Notes: Abstract The Costelloe Murvey Granite is a chemically evolved, high heat production, leucocratic component of the 400 Ma old Galway Granite batholith and is host to hydrothermal fluorite-quartz-calcite veins. A previously reported clinopyroxene 40Ar-39Ar age of 231±4 Ma obtained from a pre-mineralization dolerite dyke is reinterpreted as dating this mineralization. The hydrothermal fluid extensively altered its granite wallrocks, leading to lower Sm and Nd and higher Rb concentrations in altered granite, disturbing both its Rb-Sr and Sm-Nd isotopic systems. The 87Sr/86Sr ratio of the hydrothermal fluid from which fluorite and calcite precipitated ranged from 0.7101 to 0.7139. These ratios are very much lower than in the Costelloe Murvey Granite at the time of mineralization, precluding the granite as a source for more than 2% of the hydrothermal Sr. The initial 143Nd/144Nd ratio varies between fluorite in different veins due to Nd derivation from local wallrocks, and between fluorite of petrographically distinct growth phases within a single hand specimen, highlighting the difficulty of Sm-Nd isochron dating of fluorite in cases where there are multiple sources of hydrothermal Nd. It is proposed that fluorite and calcite precipitated where hot, dilute fluids rising through the granite mixed with cooler, more saline fluids of basinal origin migrating through Lower Carboniferous limestone which then overlay the granite.

Notes: Abstract Scheelite-mineralized microtonalite sheets occur on the SE margin of the end-Caledonian Leinster Granite in SE Ireland. Scheelite, polymetallic sulphides and minor cassiterite occur in veins in the microtonalites, disseminated throughout the greisened microtonalite sheets and in the adjacent wallrocks. Two major mineralized vein types occur in the microtonalite sheets: (1) Scheelite ± arsenopyrite ± pyrrhotite occur in quartz-fluorite veins, generally without a muscovite selvage; (2) Sphalerite ± chalcopyrite ± pyrite ± galena ± cassiterite ± stannite occur in quartz + fluorite veins with a coarse muscovite selvage and are often intergrown with the muscovite. Quartz-hosted fluid inclusions were examined from representative samples of both vein types using petrographic, microthermometric and laser Raman spectroscopic techniques. Three distinct types of fluid inclusions have been recognized. Primary, vapour rich Type 1 inclusions in quartz from the scheelite-mineralized veins are of H2O-CO2-CH4-N2 ± H2S ± NaCl composition and formed between 360–530 °C. Primary and secondary, liquid-rich Type 2 fluid inclusions in the base metal sulphide-mineralized veins are of H2O-CH4-N2 ± H2S-NaCl composition and formed between 340–480 °C. They also occur as pseudosecondary and secondary inclusions in scheelite-mineralized veins. Late dilute, low temperature H2O-NaCl + KCl fluid inclusions may be related to late-Caledonian convection of meteoric waters around the cooling Leinster Granite batholith.

Notes: [Auszug] O'Reilly et al. reply - Eschenbach questions the validity of our climate record and our proposed link between climate and lake ecosystem change. Here we address the three main issues: our meteorological data, the timing of limnological changes, and the warming of Lake Tanganyika. ...

Notes: Abstract Fluid inclusions in granite quartz and three generations of veins indicate that three fluids have affected the Caledonian Galway Granite. These fluids were examined by petrography, microthermometry, chlorite thermometry, fluid chemistry and stable isotope studies. The earliest fluid was a H2O-CO2-NaCl fluid of moderate salinity (4–10 wt% NaCl eq.) that deposited late-magmatic molybdenite mineralised quartz veins (V1) and formed the earliest secondary inclusions in granite quartz. This fluid is more abundant in the west of the batholith, corresponding to a decrease in emplacement depth. Within veins, and to the east, this fluid was trapped homogeneously, but in granite quartz in the west it unmixed at 305–390 °C and 0.7–1.8 kbar. Homogeneous quartz δ18O across the batholith (9.5 ± 0.4‰n = 12) suggests V1 precipitation at high temperatures (perhaps 600 °C) and pressures (1–3 kbar) from magmatic fluids. Microthermometric data for V1 indicate lower temperatures, suggesting inclusion volumes re-equilibrated during cooling. The second fluid was a H2O-NaCl-KCl, low-moderate salinity (0–10 wt% NaCl eq.), moderate temperature (270–340 °C), high δD (−18 ± 2‰), low δ18O (0.5–2.0‰) fluid of meteoric origin. This fluid penetrated the batholith via quartz veins (V2) which infill faults active during post-consolidation uplift of the batholith. It forms the most common inclusion type in granite quartz throughout the batholith and is responsible for widespread retrograde alteration involving chloritization of biotite and hornblende, sericitization and saussuritization of plagioclase, and reddening of K-feldspar. The salinity was generated by fluid-rock interactions within the granite. Within granite quartz this fluid was trapped at 0.5–2.3 kbar, having become overpressured. This fluid probably infiltrated the Granite in a meteoric-convection system during cooling after intrusion, but a later age cannot be ruled out. The final fluid to enter the Granite and its host rocks was a H2O-NaCl-CaCl2-KCl fluid with variable salinity (8–28 wt% NaCl eq.), temperature (125–205 °C), δD (−17 to −45‰), δ18O (−3 to + 1.2‰), δ13CCO2 (−19 to 0‰) and δ34Ssulphate (13–23‰) that deposited veins containing quartz, fluorite, calcite, barite, galena, chalcopyrite sphalerite and pyrite (V3). Correlations of salinity, temperature, δD and δ18O are interpreted as the result of mixing of two fluid end-members, one a high-δD (−17 to −8‰), moderate-δ18O (1.2–2.5‰), high-δ13CCO2 (〉 −4‰), low-δ34Ssulphate (13‰), high-temperature (205–230 °C), moderate-salinity (8–12 wt% NaCl eq.) fluid, the other a low-δD (−61 to −45‰), low-δ18O (−5.4 to −3‰), low-δ13C (〈−10‰), high-δ34Ssulphate (20–23‰) low-temperature (80–125 °C), high-salinity (21–28 wt% NaCl eq.) fluid. Geochronological evidence suggests V3 veins are late Triassic; the high-δD end-member is interpreted as a contemporaneous surface fluid, probably mixed meteoric water and evaporated seawater and/or dissolved evaporites, whereas the low-δD end-member is interpreted as a basinal brine derived from the adjacent Carboniferous sequence. This study demonstrates that the Galway Granite was a locus for repeated fluid events for a variety of reasons; from expulsion of magmatic fluids during the final stages of crystallisation, through a meteoric convection system, probably driven by waning magmatic heat, to much later mineralisation, concentrated in its vicinity due to thermal, tectonic and compositional properties of granite batholiths which encourage mineralisation long after magmatic heat has abated.

Notes: Abstract The relationship between physiological status and theability to withstand the stresses of lifting, coldstoring and planting was evaluated from 1992–1995 inSitka spruce (Picea sitchensis (Bong.) Carr.)2 + 1 transplants of Washington/northern Oregon originsgrowing in Ireland. Needle primordium initiationcontinued until later and cold hardiness developedmore slowly in the mild lifting season of 1994/95. The seasonal decline in shoot mitotic activity wasgenerally similar each year, with apices becominginactive in December. Cell divisions in roots ceasedin November or December. Shoots began to deharden inearly February each year, but the rates of dehardeningwere slow until March. Cell divisions in root apicesresumed in February each year, compared with March forshoot apices. The vitality of the seedlings followingcold storage was high for most lift dates except theOctober and April dates. The period of highest stressresistance (as indicated by cold hardiness levels) forlifting for immediate planting was from about lateNovember/early December to early March; shoots werecold hardy to about −20 °C (LT50) at thistime. Seedlings could be lifted and cold stored (1–2 °C)until May/June when shoots were cold hardyto about −30 °C or lower, which coincided withthe period from mid- to late December until March.

Notes: Abstract The effect of warm storage (15 °C)for up to 21 days on the vitality of Douglas-fir (Pseudotsuga menziesii (Mirb.) Franco) seedlings lifted on four occasions from October to January wasassessed using fine root electrolyte leakage (REL). After 0, 7 and 21 days warm storage, additionalseedlings were potted and placed in a controlledgreenhouse environment to determine root growthpotential (RGP) after 4 weeks and survival after 8weeks. REL was a poor indicator of survival potential;REL increased after 7 days storage, despite the factthat RGP and survival were unaffected. REL increased further during the remainder of the 21-days storage period, but values were often not greatly different from those following 7days storage. Storage for up to 21 days greatlydecreased RGP and survival. Seedlings lifted inOctober and November were most affected by storagetreatments, but differences among lifting dates wererelatively small.