ARTICLE:

• NUMERICAL MODELLING OF THREE-DIMENSIONAL STEADY-STATE CONVECTION AND MINERALIZATION IN FLUID-SATURATED ROCKS  download article

Chongbin Zhao
CSIRO Division of Exploration and Mining, P. O. Box 437, Nedlands, WA 6009, Australia

B. E. Hobbs
CSIRO Division of Exploration and Mining, P. O. Box 437, Nedlands, WA 6009, Australia

H. B. Muhlhaus
CSIRO Division of Exploration and Mining, P. O. Box 437, Nedlands, WA 6009, Australia

A. Ord
CSIRO Division of Exploration and Mining, P. O. Box 437, Nedlands, WA 6009, Australia

ABSTRACT

We use the finite element method to model three-dimensional steady-state convective pore-fluid flow and the relevant mineralization patterns in fluid-saturated rocks when they are heated from below. The related numerical results demonstrated that: (1) The progressive asymptotic approach procedure, which was previously developed for the finite element modelling of two-dimensional steady-state convective pore-fluid flow problems, is equally applicable to the finite element modelling of three-dimensional ore body formation and mineralization problems in fluid-saturated rocks; (2) The perturbation of gravity, which reflects a small and instantaneous tremor of the Earth, at different planes has a significant effect on the pattern of three-dimensional convective pore-fluid flow and ore body formation in three-dimensional hydrothermal systems.

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993-1000 pages

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