Preview

PDF 07_SheldonMickl...pdf | Download (338kB) Available under University of Tasmania Standard License.

Abstract

Mineral deposits are commonly hosted by small-displacement structures around jogs in
major faults, but they are rarely hosted by the major fault itself. This relationship may be
explained by time-dependent fracturing and healing in and around major faults and associated
permeability evolution. A damage mechanics formulation is used here to explore the
spatial-temporal evolution of damage in and around a fault following a fault-slip event. We
show that regions of increased damage rate correspond to the location of mineral deposits and
that these areas correspond to areas of aftershocks predicted by stress-transfer modeling. The
fault itself enters a healing regime following the slip event; hence, it is expected to become less
permeable than the fracture network outside the fault. Our results support the hypothesis that
mineralization occurs in a fracture network associated with aftershocks; this may be due to
the higher time-integrated permeability of the fracture network relative to the main fault.

Item Type:	Article
Authors/Creators:	Sheldon, HA and Micklethwaite, S
Keywords:	fault, aftershocks, fluid, mineralization, permeability, damage
Journal or Publication Title:	Geology
ISSN:	0091-7613
DOI / ID Number:	https://doi.org/10.1130/G23860A.1
Additional Information:	© 2007 The Geological Society of America.
Item Statistics:	View statistics for this item

Actions (login required)

Item Control Page