Scientific background: Fluids are important in numerous crustal processes including magmatism, metamorphism, sedimentation and associated mineral deposits like metal deposits, hydrocarbons or geothermal energy. To study the physical and chemical parameters of fluids involved in the various processes is one key to improve our knowledge of the systems, which is of general and economic interest.
Our strength and some analytical challenges
- Microthermometry of difficult multi-component fluid systems
- Crush leach analysis (major and trace elements) of highly saline brines
- Fluidpetrographic studies (transmitted light microscopy and CL-microscopy)
Analytical possibilities
Current research topics and projects
- Chemical evolution of continental basement brines - constraints using fluid inclusion analyses
- Multi-aquifer fluid mixing processes as first order processes for ore precipitation
- Kinetics of ore formation
- The genesis of unconformity-related hydrothermal vein-type deposits with base metal mineralization
- Fluid variations in sedimentary platforms
- The role of oilfield brines in the evolution of an oil reservoir
Selected publications
- Walter, B.F., Kortenbruck, P., Scharrer, M., Zeitvogel, C. Wälle, M., Mertz-Kraus, R. and Markl, G. (2019): Chemical evolution of ore-forming brines - Basement leaching, metal provenance, and the redox link between barren and ore-bearing hydrothermal veins. A case study from the Schwarzwald mining district in SW-Germany. Chemical Geology 506, 126-148.
- Walter, B.F., Burisch, M., Fusswinkel, T., Marks, M.A.W., Steele-MacInnis, M., Wälle, M., Apukhtina, O. and Markl, G. (2018): Multi-reservoir fluid mixing processes in rift-related hydrothermal veins, Schwarzwald, SW-Germany. Journal of Geochemical Exploration 186, 158-186.
- Walter, B.F., Steele-MacInnis, M. and Markl, G. (2017): Sulfate brines in fluid inclusions of hydrothermal veins: Compositional determinations in the system H2O-Na-Ca-Cl-SO4. Geochimica et Cosmocimica Acta, 209, 184-203.
- Walter, B.F., Burisch, M., Marks, M.A.W. and Markl, G. (2017): Major element composition of fluid inclusions from hydrothermal vein-type deposits record eroded sedimentary Units in the Schwarzwald district, SW Germany. Mineralium Deposita 52(8), 1191-1204.
- Burisch, M., Walter, B.F., Wälle, M. and Markl, G. (2016): Tracing fluid migration pathways in root zone below unconformity-related hydrothermal veins: Insights from trace element systematics of individual fluid inclusions. Chemical Geology 429, 44-50.
- Kolchugin, A., Immenhauser, A., Walter, B. and Morozov, V.P. (2016): Diagenesis of the palaeo-oil-water transition zone in a Lower Pennsylvanian carbonate reservoir: Constraints from cathodoluminescence microscopy, microthermometry, and isotope geochemistry. Marine and Petroleum Geology 72, 45-61.