Sulfate minerals control dissolved rare earth element flux and Nd isotope signature of buoyant hydrothermal plume (EMSO-Azores, 37°N Mid-Atlantic Ridge)

Type Article
Date 2018-11
Language English
Author(s) Chavagnac Valerie1, Ali Hassan Saleban1, Jeandel Catherine2, Leleu Thomas1, Destrigneville Christine1, Castillo Alain1, Cotte Laura3, 4, Waeles Mathieu3, Cathalot CecileORCID5, Laes AgatheORCID6, Pelleter EwanORCID5, Nonnotte Philippe7, Sarradin Pierre-MarieORCID4, Cannat Mathilde8
Affiliation(s) 1 : Univ Toulouse, CNRS, IRD, GET,UPS, 14 A Edouard Belin, F-31400 Toulouse, France.
2 : Univ Toulouse, CNRS, CNES, LEGOS,IRD,UPS, 14 A Edouard Belin, F-31400 Toulouse, France.
3 : Univ Bretagne Occidentale, IUEM, CNRS, LEMAR,UMR 6539, Pl Copernic, F-29280 Plouzane, France.
4 : IFREMER, EEP, REM, ZI Pointe Diable,LEP, CS 10070, F-29280 Plouzane, France.
5 : IFREMER, GM, REM, ZI Pointe Diable,LCG, CS 10070, F-29280 Plouzane, France.
6 : IFREMER, RDT, LDCM, ZI Pointe Diable, CS 10070, F-29280 Plouzane, France.
7 : Univ Bretagne Occidentale, CNRS, IRD, LGO,IUEM, Pl Copernic, F-29280 Plouzane, France.
8 : Univ Sorbonne Paris Cite, CNRS, Inst Phys Globe Paris, 1 Rue Jussieu, F-75238 Paris 05, France.
Source Chemical Geology (0009-2541) (Elsevier Science Bv), 2018-11 , Vol. 499 , P. 111-125
DOI 10.1016/j.chemgeo.2018.09.021
WOS© Times Cited 16
Keyword(s) Black smokers, Rare earth elements, Neodymium isotopes, Hydrothermal, Sulfate minerals, EMSO-Azores
Abstract

While hydrothermal vents are now thought to be a major source of dissolved iron to the oceans, they have always been considered to be a sink for the dissolved rare-earth elements (DREEs). However, true dissolved REE observations in hydrothermal plumes are still lacking. Here we report for the first time the DREE concentrations and neodymium isotopic compositions (DεNd) of buoyant hydrothermal fluids at Lucky Strike (Mid-Atlantic Ridge). We find that 27 to 62% of total hydrothermal DREEs are rapidly scavenged by anhydrite precipitation at the onset of buoyant plume formation. After this initial loss, all DREEs behave quasi-conservatively within the buoyant plume. Dissolved phase εNd (DεNd) in the evolving plume are identical to black smoker DεNd of +9.0 and contrast radically with DεNd of the local deep water mass at −12.0. Plume DεNd as low as +6.6 may be reconciled by dissolution of newly formed barite in the local environment and carrying seawater DεNd signature. We find, based on the first plume DREE observations, that hydrothermal plumes are in fact a source of DREE to the North Atlantic Deep Water. Precipitation/dissolution processes of hydrothermally-derived minerals, i.e. sulfates in the buoyant plume and Fe oxy-hydroxide in the non-buoyant plume, will likely affect the fate of other trace metals and their isotopic composition.

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Chavagnac Valerie, Ali Hassan Saleban, Jeandel Catherine, Leleu Thomas, Destrigneville Christine, Castillo Alain, Cotte Laura, Waeles Mathieu, Cathalot Cecile, Laes Agathe, Pelleter Ewan, Nonnotte Philippe, Sarradin Pierre-Marie, Cannat Mathilde (2018). Sulfate minerals control dissolved rare earth element flux and Nd isotope signature of buoyant hydrothermal plume (EMSO-Azores, 37°N Mid-Atlantic Ridge). Chemical Geology, 499, 111-125. Publisher's official version : https://doi.org/10.1016/j.chemgeo.2018.09.021 , Open Access version : https://archimer.ifremer.fr/doc/00456/56733/