Multi-element crush-leach analysis of H2O-CO2 inclusion fluids from a suite of six vein samples from gold-quartz veins in the Brusson district demonstrates that their solute chemistry (c. 5 wt.% NaCl equivalent) is dominated by sodium chloride with lesser amounts of calcium bicarbonate, potassium chloride and sodium bicarbonate. The samples have been analysed both for gas species (CO2, H2O, N2 and H2S) and for Na, K, Li, Rb, Ca, Mg, Sr, Ba, Fe, Mn, Zn, Pb, Cu, Al, As, B, SO42−, F, Cl, Br and I. The fluids contain appreciable H2S (>10−3 molal), which correlates with the contents of As, CO2 and B. Concentrations of many cations remain similar irrespective of wall rock, but there is evidence of leaching of Li, and possibly I, from some wall rocks. Large variations in the K-content of the fluid may result from precipitation of sericite. The bicarbonate concentrations in the fluids, estimated from charge imbalance, are substantially less than their total CO2 content when trapped as single phase fluids, indicating a low pH. Sulphate : sulphide ratios suggest relatively reducing conditions, which is consistent with Fe concentrations significantly greater than Mn.

The gold-quartz veins formed as H2O-CO2 fluids of modest salinity and very uniform composition ascended from depth. Halogen ratios of the fluids are consistent with an ultimate origin for these fluids from deep-penetrating surface or connate waters although such a model requires extremely low fluid : rock ratios, to account for the hydrogen isotope composition of many similar deposits. There is as yet insufficient reference data to use halogen ratios as a rigorous test for the alternative model of an origin for the fluid by metamorphic devolatilisation.

The significance of the potential impacts of microbial activity on the transport properties of host rocks for geological repositories is an area of active research. Most recent work has focused on granitic environments. This paper describes pilot studies investigating changes in transport properties that are produced by microbial activity in sedimentary rock environments in northern Japan. For the first time, these short experiments (39 days maximum) have shown that the denitrifying bacteria, Pseudomonas denitrificans, can survive and thrive when injected into flow-through column experiments containing fractured diatomaceous mudstone and synthetic groundwater under pressurized conditions. Although there were few significant changes in the fluid chemistry, changes in the permeability of the biotic column, which can be explained by the observed biofilm formation, were quantitatively monitored. These same methodologies could also be adapted to obtain information from cores originating from a variety of geological environments including oil reservoirs, aquifers and toxic waste disposal sites to provide an understanding of the impact of microbial activity on the transport of a range of solutes, such as groundwater contaminants and gases (e.g. injected carbon dioxide).