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Journal Articles

Outlining zircon growth in a granitic pluton using 3D cathodoluminescence patterns, U-Pb age, titanium concentration, and Th/U; Implications for the magma chamber process of Okueyama granite, Kyushu, Japan

Yuguchi, Takashi*; Ito, Daichi*; Yokoyama, Tatsunori; Sakata, Shuhei*; Suzuki, Satoshi*; Ogita, Yasuhiro; Yagi, Koshi*; Imura, Takumi*; Motai, Satoko*; Ono, Takeshi*

Lithos, 440-441, p.107026_1 - 107026_14, 2023/03

 Times Cited Count:0 Percentile:0.02(Geochemistry & Geophysics)

We propose a new method for elucidating zircon growth in granitic plutons, based on variations in three-dimensional 3D cathodoluminescence (CL) patterns, U-Pb ages, titanium concentration, and Th/U ratios. We focused on the zircon growth processes in the Okueyama granite (OKG) in central Kyushu, Japan, to obtain interpretations of magma chamber processes that result in the formation of granitic plutons. The OKG consists of three lithofacies: biotite granite (BG), hornblende granite (HG), and hornblende granodiorite (HGD). To determine the 3D internal structure and growth pattern of a zircon crystal, we performed CL observations for multi-sections of the samples. Simultaneously, we also determined the zircon U-Pb age and titanium concentration of the center sections of the samples. The 3D distribution of the oscillatory zoning can be used to determine the crystal nucleus. The simultaneous determination of zircon U-Pb ages and Ti concentrations of the granite samples indicates the time-temperature (t-T) history of granitic magma before its solidification. The t-T histories of the BG, HG, and HGD represented similar cooling behaviors within the magma chamber: rapid cooling from the zircon crystallization temperature to the closure temperature of the biotite K-Ar system between 16 Ma and 10 Ma. The variations in the Th/U ratios against temperature also demonstrate a different trend at the boundary of approximately 670 $$^{circ}$$C. Fractional crystallization in the magma chamber progressed significantly at temperatures above 670 $$^{circ}$$C; below 670 $$^{circ}$$C, crystallization progressed slowly, indicating only minimal changes in the magma composition. The variations in the Th/U ratio against temperature in the BG, HG, and HGD portrayed common tendencies, indicating the same behavior in the progression of fractional crystallization among the three lithofacies, which in turn, represented the same behavior within the entire magma chamber.

Journal Articles

Simultaneous determination of zircon crystallisation age and temperature; Common thermal evolution of mafic magmatic enclaves and host granites in the Kurobegawa granite, central Japan

Yuguchi, Takashi*; Yamazaki, Hayato*; Ishibashi, Kozue*; Sakata, Shuhei*; Yokoyama, Tatsunori; Suzuki, Satoshi*; Ogita, Yasuhiro; Sando, Kazusa*; Imura, Takumi*; Ono, Takeshi*

Journal of Asian Earth Sciences, 226, p.105075_1 - 105075_9, 2022/04

 Times Cited Count:3 Percentile:52.46(Geosciences, Multidisciplinary)

Simultaneous determination of the U-Pb age of zircon and concentration of titanium in a single analysis spot, using inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry with laser ablation sample introduction, produces paired age and temperature data of zircon crystallisation, potentially revealing time-temperature ($$t-T$$) histories for evolved magma. The Kurobegawa granite, central Japan, contains abundant mafic magmatic enclaves (MMEs). We applied this method to evaluate MMEs and their host (enclosing) granites. Cooling behaviour common to both MMEs and host rocks was found between 1.5 and 0.5 Ma. Rapid cooling from the zircon crystallisation temperature to the closure temperature of biotite K-Ar system was within $$sim$$1 million year. Combining the obtained $$t-T$$ paths of MMEs and host rocks with petrological information can provide insights into magma chamber processes. This suggests that MME flotation, migration, and spread through the magma chamber ceased at 1.5-0.5 Ma, indicating the emplacement age of the Kurobegawa granitic pluton, as no large-scale reheating episodes have occurred since then.

Journal Articles

Micropores and mass transfer in the formation of myrmekites

Yuguchi, Takashi*; Yuasa, Haruka*; Izumino, Yuya*; Nakashima, Kazuo*; Sasao, Eiji; Nishiyama, Tadao*

American Mineralogist, 107(3), p.476 - 488, 2022/03

 Times Cited Count:1 Percentile:24.42(Geochemistry & Geophysics)

The methodology and interpretations in this study provide new insights into the mechanism of myrmekite formation in a granitic system. The presence of micropores in the myrmekites and this study clarified that the genesis of micropores is related to the formation of myrmekites in the Toki granite. The results led to an increased understanding of (1) an estimate of mass transfer between the reactant and product minerals, and the inflow and outflow of components with consideration of the volume change due to micropore formation, (2) the factor controlling the formation of micropores during myrmekitization, and (3) the sequential variations in the hydrothermal fluid chemistry during sub-solidus conditions. The micropores act as a migration pathway for hydrothermal fluid and thus enhance the mass transfer within a granitic body starting with the myrmekite formation and continuing through the present day and into the future.

Journal Articles

Association of hydrothermal plagioclase alteration with micropores in a granite; Petrographic indicators to evaluate the extent of hydrothermal alteration

Yuguchi, Takashi*; Izumino, Yuya*; Sasao, Eiji

Journal of Mineralogical and Petrological Sciences (Internet), 117(1), p.220415_1 - 220415_12, 2022/00

 Times Cited Count:0 Percentile:0.02(Mineralogy)

This study presents the use of petrographic plagioclase alteration indicators as a new method for quantitatively evaluating the extent of plagioclase alteration within granites, using the Toki granite, central Japan. Alteration indicators and areal fractions of microvoids in the plagioclases were obtained via BSE image analysis. The volume of the micropores in the altered plagioclase was characterized by the areal fraction of microvoids in the grains. The plagioclase alteration indicators were obtained as the ratio between the alteration product area and the original plagioclase area. In our previous study, we focused on biotite chloritization indicators. We found positive correlations between the plagioclase alteration and biotite chloritization indicators in the same sample, indicating that each alteration indicator can be used independently as a representative value for the sample. In the Toki granite, the plagioclase alteration was related to the biotite chloritization.

Journal Articles

Mass transfer associated with chloritization in the hydrothermal alteration process of granitic pluton

Yuguchi, Takashi*; Matsuki, Takanobu*; Izumino, Yuya*; Sasao, Eiji; Nishiyama, Tadao*

American Mineralogist, 106(7), p.1128 - 1142, 2021/07

 Times Cited Count:3 Percentile:43.81(Geochemistry & Geophysics)

This study reveals the hydrothermal alteration processes in a pluton, with a focus on the mass transfer between minerals and hydrothermal fluid. Hydrothermal alteration of the Toki granite in Tono area, central Japan, progressed through the successive processes of chloritization, plagioclase alteration, and precipitation of a carbonate mineral. This paper describes the alteration process of hornblende chloritization, K-feldspar chloritization, and the formation of fracture-filling chlorite through petrography and mineral chemistry. Several types of chloritization reactions (including biotite chloritization) can be characterized by their reaction with the inflow of Al$$^{3+}$$, Fe$$^{2+}$$, Mn$$^{2+}$$, and Mg$$^{2+}$$ and the outflow of H$$_{4}$$SiO$$_{4}$$, Ca$$^{2+}$$, K$$^{+}$$+, and F$$^{-}$$. The reactions of chloritization and plagioclase alteration represent the sequential variations in fluid chemistry at temporal conditions from 68 Ma to 51 Ma as the temperature decreased from 350$$^{circ}$$C to 180$$^{circ}$$C.

Journal Articles

Genesis and development processes of fractures in granite; Petrographic indicators of hydrothermal alteration

Yuguchi, Takashi*; Izumino, Yuya*; Sasao, Eiji

PLOS ONE (Internet), 16(5), p.e0251198_1 - e0251198_17, 2021/05

 Times Cited Count:2 Percentile:27.85(Multidisciplinary Sciences)

This study analyzes the relationships among alteration indicators, areal microvoid fractions in chloritized biotite, and macroscopic fracture frequencies in the Toki granite, central Japan, to establish the genesis and development processes of fractures in granite. Petrographic alteration indicators using biotite chloritization as innovative methods are proposed to evaluate the extent of hydrothermal alteration and fracture frequency within granites. Samples with high macroscopic fracture frequencies correspond to a high number of areal microvoid fractions and large alteration indicators. The alteration indicators contribute to the characterization of present and future distributions of macroscopic fracture frequencies.

Journal Articles

K-Ar geochronology for hydrothermal K-feldspar within plagioclase in a granitic pluton; Constraints on timing and thermal condition for hydrothermal alteration

Yuguchi, Takashi*; Yagi, Koshi*; Sasao, Eiji; Nishiyama, Tadao*

Heliyon (Internet), 7(4), p.e06750_1 - e06750_9, 2021/04

 Times Cited Count:1 Percentile:11.37(Multidisciplinary Sciences)

Our methodology and interpretations provide new insight for K-Ar geochronology in hydrothermal microcline within altered plagioclase in a granitic pluton. Our methodology employs a two-step separation process consisting of (1) plagioclase extraction from the rock sample and (2) separation of the hydrothermal microcline from the plagioclase, giving precise determination of microcline powders in K-Ar geochronology. This tighter constraint should provide the ability to better unravel thermal and age histories in granite subject to multi-step alteration processes and complex thermal histories.

Journal Articles

Simultaneous determination of zircon U-Pb age and titanium concentration using LA-ICP-MS for crystallization age and temperature

Yuguchi, Takashi*; Ishibashi, Kozue*; Sakata, Shuhei*; Yokoyama, Tatsunori; Ito, Daichi*; Ogita, Yasuhiro; Yagi, Koshi*; Ono, Takeshi*

Lithos, 372-373, p.105682_1 - 105682_9, 2020/11

 Times Cited Count:2 Percentile:14.63(Geochemistry & Geophysics)

Simultaneous determination of zircon U-Pb age and titanium concentration for a single analysis spot gives both the crystallization age and temperature. The crystallization age and temperature pairs in granitic zircons map the time-temperature ($$t-T$$) path of granitic magma before its solidification. In laser ablation inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (LA-ICP-MS) analysis, it is challenging to quantitatively analyse a low level of titanium concentration. This study employed two approaches using a Quadrupole mass spectrometer equipped with a collision/reaction cell (CRC). The methods were applied to zircon samples of the Kurobegawa granite (KRG), the Okueyama granite (OKG), the Toki granite (TKG), and the Tono plutonic complex (TPC) and provided U-Pb ages and titanium concentrations consistent with previous studies. The crystallization ages and temperatures collected from individual analysis spots of zircon samples in the KRG, OKG, TKG, and TPC are plotted in the $$t-T$$ diagrams and enable us to characterize the rapid cooling paths at thermal conditions of zircon crystallization at the sampling sites.

Journal Articles

Analysis of the distribution of microfractures and micropores within granitic rock using simultaneous polarization-fluorescence microscopy

Yuguchi, Takashi*; Usami, Akane*; Ishibashi, Masayuki

Heliyon (Internet), 6(8), p.e04815_1 - e04815_6, 2020/08

 Times Cited Count:1 Percentile:7.33(Multidisciplinary Sciences)

The analysis of the distribution of microfractures and micropores is important to accurately characterise mass transfer within a rock body. In this paper, a new "simultaneous polarization-fluorescence microscopy" method is presented, which can be used to analyse the distribution of microscopic voids, including microfractures and micropores, in granitic rock. In this method, thin sections prepared with fluorescent dye are analysed under a polarizing microscope equipped with a fluorescent reflected light source. Using both the transmitted and the fluorescent light sources, both the distribution of microfractures and micropores, and petrographic characteristics (mineral occurrences) can be determined efficiently and simultaneously. The distribution of microfractures and micropores observed in images of granites obtained using simultaneous polarization-fluorescence microscopy is consistent with the distribution observed in backscattered electron images.

Journal Articles

Crystallization processes of quartz in a granitic magma; Cathodoluminescence zonation pattern controlled by temperature and titanium diffusivity

Yuguchi, Takashi*; Ogita, Yasuhiro; Kato, Takenori*; Yokota, Rintaro*; Sasao, Eiji; Nishiyama, Tadao*

Journal of Asian Earth Sciences, 192, p.104289_1 - 104289_16, 2020/05

 Times Cited Count:5 Percentile:33.2(Geosciences, Multidisciplinary)

Quartz from a granitic pluton is found to have formed through sequential growth events under different mechanisms and crystallization temperatures, which can provide new insights into magmatic processes of granitic magmas that were eventually consolidified into plutons. The events were identified using (1) the description of crystal shape and occurrence, (2) the study of the internal structure with cathodoluminescence (CL), and (3) derivation of the crystallization temperatures based on TitaniQ thermometry. The magmatic quartz crystals from the Toki granite, central Japan, are characterized as having the following internal structures: oscillatory zonation, no-oscillatory zonation with luminescence graduation (gradational zonation), and heterogeneous CL. The quartz crystals with oscillatory zonation were formed in the temperature range of about 800 $$^{circ}$$C to below 700 $$^{circ}$$C, which is referred to as oscillatory zoning temperature (OZT) conditions. The CL zonation pattern was controlled by the temperature conditions and titanium diffusivity in the melt (magma). The crystallization process of quartz within the Toki granite reveals the cooling processes of the granitic pluton; the lithofacies with a high frequency of oscillatory-zoned quartz underwent slower cooling under the OZT conditions than those in other lithofacies.

Journal Articles

Role of micropores, mass transfer, and reaction rate in the hydrothermal alteration process of plagioclase in a granitic pluton

Yuguchi, Takashi*; Shobuzawa, Kaho*; Ogita, Yasuhiro*; Yagi, Koshi*; Ishibashi, Masayuki; Sasao, Eiji; Nishiyama, Tadao*

American Mineralogist, 104(4), p.536 - 556, 2019/04

 Times Cited Count:15 Percentile:73.64(Geochemistry & Geophysics)

This study describes the plagioclase alteration process with a focus on the role of micropores, mass transfer and reaction rate in the Toki granitic pluton, central Japan. The plagioclase alteration process involves albitization, K-feldspathization, and the formation of illite, calcite, fluorite and epidote. Such secondary minerals of hydrothermal origin in plagioclase within granitic rocks record the chemical characteristics of the hydrothermal fluid. Our results highlight (1) the nature of micropores such as distribution and volume in plagioclase, (2) the reaction nature of plagioclase alteration inferred by petrography and chemistry, (3) the physical conditions including alteration age and temperature, (4) the sequential variations of the fluid chemistry and (5) the mass transfer rate and reaction rate in the plagioclase alteration.

Journal Articles

Position-by-position cooling paths within the Toki granite, central Japan; Constraints and the relation with fracture population in a pluton

Yuguchi, Takashi*; Sueoka, Shigeru; Iwano, Hideki*; Izumino, Yuya*; Ishibashi, Masayuki; Danhara, Toru*; Sasao, Eiji; Hirata, Takafumi*; Nishiyama, Tadao*

Journal of Asian Earth Sciences, 169, p.47 - 66, 2019/01

AA2018-0254.pdf:5.48MB

 Times Cited Count:14 Percentile:61.94(Geosciences, Multidisciplinary)

This study presents position-by-position $$t-T$$ paths within a granitic pluton based on thermochronological data, and describes their constraints and their relationship with fracture frequency, as an example from the Toki granite, central Japan. The cooling paths have position-specific characteristics; a single $$t-T$$ path does not represent the cooling behavior of the entire pluton. Such position-specific $$t-T$$ paths enable us to evaluate three-dimensional thermal evolution within the granitic pluton, and thus can clarify the detailed formation history of the entire pluton after the incipient intrusion of the granitic magma into the shallow crust. This study reveals the relationship between position-specific $$t-T$$ paths and fracture frequency, and thus provides a criterion for evaluating the fracture population in terms of thermal stress.

Journal Articles

Spatial distribution of the apatite fission-track ages in the Toki granite, central Japan; Exhumation rate of a Cretaceous pluton emplaced in the East Asian continental margin

Yuguchi, Takashi*; Sueoka, Shigeru; Iwano, Hideki*; Danhara, Toru*; Ishibashi, Masayuki; Sasao, Eiji; Nishiyama, Tadao*

Island Arc, 26(6), p.e12219_1 - e12219_15, 2017/11

 Times Cited Count:11 Percentile:39.83(Geosciences, Multidisciplinary)

The spatial distribution of AFT age in the granitic body is a favorable key to reveal a cooling behavior of the whole pluton. The cooling behavior is attributable to the regional exhumation of the Toki granite related to the regional denudation of the Tono district. Combination of the AERs and AFT inverse model applying to the granite is a powerful procedure for evaluating the cooling and exhumation history of the granitic pluton and thus denudation history of the tectonic region that surrounded the rock body.

Journal Articles

Development of new method for evaluating the mineral distribution and mode; Quantitative image analysis using the elemental maps obtained by the scanning X-ray analytical microscope

Ishibashi, Masayuki; Yuguchi, Takashi*

Oyo Chishitsu, 58(2), p.80 - 93, 2017/06

Mode of granitic rocks is important information for evaluating their formation process, characterizing fracture distribution and understanding mass transfer in the rock matrix. However, previous methods to evaluate the mode of granitic rocks have several issues. Thus, this study provides the new image analysis method (MJPD method) using scanning X-ray analytical microscope for evaluation of mineral distribution and mode including the secondary minerals. The MJPD method can deal with the heterogeneity of elemental distribution in each mineral. For evaluating the applicability of MJPD method, the method was applied to elemental maps of thin sections. As a result, it was found out that the mineral distribution and mode are easily evaluated by MJPD method using the elemental maps measured in approximately 10,000 seconds. In addition, the MJPD method can be potentially applied to the elemental maps obtained by other analytical instrumentation such as EPMA and SEM-EDS.

Journal Articles

Long term behavior of hydrogeological structures associated with faulting; An Example from the deep crystalline rock in the Mizunami URL, Central Japan

Ishibashi, Masayuki; Yoshida, Hidekazu*; Sasao, Eiji; Yuguchi, Takashi*

Engineering Geology, 208, p.114 - 127, 2016/06

 Times Cited Count:27 Percentile:76.2(Engineering, Geological)

Damage zone (DS) formed by faulting in crystalline rocks can act as significant transport pathway. Therefore, this paper describes the features of WCFs and their long-term behavior associated with faulting based on the results of investigations at the GL -300m and -500m in the MIU. The results of detailed investigations in and around DZ indicate that there are three stages in the development of hydrogeological structures: 1st stage) the formation of background fractures; 2nd stage) the formation of a DZ and corresponding increase in the hydraulic permeability as a result of formation of small fractures; and 3rd stage) the formation of fracture fillings and the hydraulic permeability of the DZ decrease. In the late 3rd stage, unconsolidated clayey fillings formed associated with faulting resulting in decreased permeability of fractures in the DZ. These results underline the importance of understanding the development stages for evaluating the effect of faulting in orogenic belt plutons.

Journal Articles

Zircon growth in a granitic pluton with specific mechanisms, crystallization temperatures and U-Pb ages; Implication to the "spatiotemporal" formation process of the Toki granite, central Japan

Yuguchi, Takashi*; Iwano, Hideki*; Kato, Takenori*; Sakata, Shuhei*; Hattori, Kentaro*; Hirata, Takafumi*; Sueoka, Shigeru; Danhara, Toru*; Ishibashi, Masayuki; Sasao, Eiji; et al.

Journal of Mineralogical and Petrological Sciences, 111(1), p.9 - 34, 2016/02

 Times Cited Count:17 Percentile:54.86(Mineralogy)

Zircon growth collected from a granitic pluton shows four (1st - 4th) events with specific mechanisms, crystallization temperatures and U-Pb ages, revealing the sequential formation process from intrusion through emplacement to crystallization / solidification. The events are recognized by: (1) internal structure of zircon based on the cathodoluminescence observation, (2) crystallization temperatures by the Ti-in-zircon thermometer in the internal structure and (3) U-Pb ages in the internal structure.

Journal Articles

Formative mechanism of inhomogeneous distribution of fractures, an example of the Toki Granite, Central Japan

Sasao, Eiji; Yuguchi, Takashi*; Ito, Yasuto*; Inoue, Takashi*; Ishibashi, Masayuki

Proceedings of 10th Asian Regional Conference of International Association for Engineering Geology and the Environment (IAEG ARS 2015) (USB Flash Drive), 6 Pages, 2015/09

Understanding of the fracture network is important for disposal of high-level radioactive waste. We present our hypothesis on the formative mechanism of inhomogeneous distribution of fracture in the Toki Granite. In the Toki Granite, low- and high-angle fractures are abundant at the shallower part, while less at the deeper part where high-angle fracture is dominant. Distribution of the high-angle fracture is inhomogeneous. Thermochronological study revealed that the rapid cooling occurred at the early stage of granite formation. Paleomagnetic directions of the intact granite were dispersed. This suggests granite was plastically deformed during rapid cooling period. The rapid cooling might cause inhomogeneous distribution of cooling strain. When the granite reached to brittle deformation field, inhomogeneous fracture distribution was formed by the inhomogeneous strain. If so, recognition of the cooling history is essential to understand the distribution of the fracture network.

Journal Articles

Hydrothermal chloritization processes from biotite in the Toki granite, Central Japan; Temporal variations of the compositions of hydrothermal fluids associated with chloritization

Yuguchi, Takashi; Sasao, Eiji; Ishibashi, Masayuki; Nishiyama, Tadao*

American Mineralogist, 100(5-6), p.1134 - 1152, 2015/05

 Times Cited Count:27 Percentile:73.3(Geochemistry & Geophysics)

This paper describes the biotite chloritization process with a focus on mass transfer in the Toki granitic pluton, Central Japan, and also depicts the temporal variations in chemical characteristics of hydrothermal fluid associated with chloritization during the sub-solidus cooling of the pluton. Singular value decomposition (SVD) analysis results in chloritization reaction equations for eight mineral assemblages, leading to the quantitative assessment of mass transfer between the reactant and product minerals, and inflow and outflow of components through the hydrothermal fluid. The matrices for SVD analysis consist of arbitrary combinations of molar volume and closure component in the reactant and product minerals. The eight reactions represent the temporal variations of chemical characteristics of the hydrothermal fluid associated with chloritization: the progress of chloritization results in gradual increase of silicon, potassium and chlorine and gradual decrease of calcium and sodium in the hydrothermal fluid with temperature decrease. The biotite chloritization involves two essential formation processes: Formation Process 1, small volume decrease from biotite to chlorite and large inflow of metallic ions from the hydrothermal fluid, and Formation Process 2, large volume decrease and large outflow of metallic ions into hydrothermal fluid. Chlorite produced during Formation Process 1 dominates over that of Formation Process 2, resulting in the gradual decrease of metallic components in the hydrothermal fluid with chloritization progress. The combination of continuous reactions based on compositional variations in chlorite together with corresponding continuous Al$$^{IV}$$ variations gives an indication of the temporal variations in rates of decreasing and increasing concentration of chemical components in the hydrothermal fluid associated with chloritization.

JAEA Reports

Mizunami Underground Research Laboratory Project, Annual report for fiscal year 2013

Hama, Katsuhiro; Mikake, Shinichiro; Nishio, Kazuhisa; Kawamoto, Koji; Yamada, Nobuto; Ishibashi, Masayuki; Murakami, Hiroaki; Matsuoka, Toshiyuki; Sasao, Eiji; Sanada, Hiroyuki; et al.

JAEA-Review 2014-038, 137 Pages, 2014/12

JAEA-Review-2014-038.pdf:162.61MB

Japan Atomic Energy Agency (JAEA) at Tono Geoscience Center (TGC) is pursuing a geoscientific research and development project namely the Mizunami Underground Research Laboratory (MIU) Project in crystalline rock environment in order to construct scientific and technological basis for geological disposal of High-level Radioactive Waste (HLW). The MIU Project has three overlapping phases: Surface-based Investigation phase (Phase I), Construction phase (Phase II), and Operation phase (Phase III). The MIU Project has been ongoing the Phase II and the Phase III in fiscal year 2013. This report presents the results of the investigations, construction and collaboration studies in fiscal year 2013, as a part of the Phase II and Phase III based on the MIU Master Plan updated in 2010.

Journal Articles

Characterization of water conducting fracture and their long-term behavior in deep crystalline rock; A Case study of the Toki granite

Ishibashi, Masayuki; Ando, Tomomi*; Sasao, Eiji; Yuguchi, Takashi; Nishimoto, Shoji*; Yoshida, Hidekazu*

Oyo Chishitsu, 55(4), p.156 - 165, 2014/10

Understanding of long-term history of water-conducting features such as flow-path fractures is key issue to evaluate deep geological environment for geological disposal of high-level radioactive waste (HLW). Thus, we conducted study on the geological features and the long-term behavior of flow-path fractures based on the data obtained at -300m levels in the Mizunami Underground research laboratory (MIU), central Japan. Total 1670 fractures were mapped in underground gallery at the -300m levels. Flow-path fractures occupy about 11% of all fractures. The flow-path fractures are divided into grout filling fractures and low inflow-rate fractures. All of the grout filling fractures is filled with calcite as fracture filling minerals without conspicuous host rock alteration around fractures. The low inflow-rate fractures possessed similar geological character with the sealed fractures which are not acted as flow-path. The geological character of fracture filling and host tock alteration around fractures indicates the history of the formation at the time of intrusion and emplacement of host granite (Stage I), then filling at hydrothermal event (Stage II), and finally opening and elongation during exhumation stage (Stage III). In conclusion, the present flow-path fractures were formed by opening and/or elongation of pre-existed fractures, which were filled at the hydrothermal event, at the time of exhumation.

93 (Records 1-20 displayed on this page)