Fluid inclusions as prospecting tools

Fluid inclusions trapped in minerals provide direct information on P-T conditions during minerals growth. The chemical compositions of fluid inclusions can be used to trace origins of fluids in any environment. A new analytical method was recently developed at GFZ that allows precise stable isotope (C-N) analysis of gases trapped as inclusions in minerals. Such analysis can be used to decipher the origin of hydrocarbons in sedimentary systems and to estimate the maturity of parent source rocks. Furthermore, analyses of gas isotopic compositions in fluid inclusions hosted in gangue and ore minerals from ore deposits provide a means to obtain important information on ore-forming processes.