Common problems and pitfalls in fluid inclusion study: A review and discussion

Abstract

The study of fluid inclusions is important for understanding various geologic processes involving geofluids. However, there are a number of problems that are frequently encountered in the study of fluid inclusions, especially by beginners, and many of these problems are critical for the validity of the fluid inclusion data and their interpretations. This paper discusses some of the most common problems and/or pitfalls, including those related to fluid inclusion petrography, metastability, fluid phase relationships, fluid temperature and pressure calculation and interpretation, bulk fluid inclusion analysis, and data presentation. A total of 16 problems, many of which have been discussed in the literature, are described and analyzed systematically. The causes of the problems, their potential impact on data quality and interpretation, as well as possible remediation or alleviation, are discussed.