The rare earth element (REE) geochemistry of hydrothermal vent systems has been investigated intensively, but few studies have been carried out on marine shallow-water hydrothermal systems like that at Kueishantao. Here we present novel data sets of REE in hydrothermal fluids from Kueishantao, off northeastern Taiwan. The total REE (ΣREE) concentrations of yellowish fluids are similar to those of whitish fluids, 813–1212 ng/L, and are significantly higher than that of ambient seawater. The yellowish fluids have chondrite-normalized REE (REEN) distribution patterns with slight convex-downward curvatures at Eu; and the REE patterns of the whitish fluids are smooth at Eu, which is related to the lower temperature and more oxidizing conditions. The Kueishantao hydrothermal fluids are slightly enriched in light REE (La-Nd) relative to the heavy REE (Gd-Lu). The behaviors of REE in both yellowish and whitish fluids are affected by the short time of water-rock interaction. The REE distributions in the yellowish fluids are also affected by very low pH (2.81 and 2.29), boiling of the fluid and precipitation of native sulfur. In the whitish fluids, adsorption by small particles and formation of REE-chloride complexes has played a role in the distribution of REE.

Strontium (Sr), hydrogen (H) and oxygen (O) in vent fluids are important for understanding the water–rock interaction and hydrothermal flux in hydrothermal systems. We have analyzed the Sr, H and O isotopic compositions of seawater, vent fluid and hydrothermal plume samples in the Kueishantao hydrothermal field, as well as their calcium (Ca), total sulfur (S), Sr, arsenic (As), stibium (Sb), chlorine (Cl) and manganese (Mn) concentrations for understanding the origin and processes of fluids. The results suggest that most As, Sb and Mn are leached from andesitic rocks into the fluids, and most Ca and Cl remained in the deep reaction zone during the fluid–andesitic rock interaction. The ranges of ⁸⁷Sr/⁸⁶Sr, δD_V-SMOW and δ¹⁸O_V-SMOW values in the yellow spring, white spring and plumes are small. The ⁸⁷Sr/⁸⁶Sr, δD_V-SMOW and δ¹⁸O_V-SMOW values of fluids and plumes are like those of ambient seawater, indicating that the Sr, H and O of vent fluids and hydrothermal plumes are derived primarily from seawater. This suggests that the interaction of andesite and subseafloor fluid is of short duration and results in the majority of As, Sb and Mn being released into fluids, while most Ca and Cl remained in the deep reaction zone. In addition, there was no significant variation of Sr, H and O isotopic compositions in the upwelling fluid, keeping the similar isotopic compositions of seawater. There are obvious correlations among the pH values, As and Sb concentrations, and H isotopic compositions of the vent fluids and hydrothermal plumes, implying that the As and Sb concentrations and H isotopic compositions can trace the dispersion of plumes in the ambient seawater. According to the Sr concentrations and ⁸⁷Sr/⁸⁶Sr values, the water/rock ratios are 3076~8124, which is consistent with the idea that the interaction between fluid and andesite at the subseafloor is of short duration. The hydrothermal flux of Sr discharged from the yellow spring into the seawater is between 2.06 × 10⁴ and 2.26 × 10⁴ mol/yr, and the white spring discharges 1.18 × 10⁴~1.26 × 10⁴ mol/yr Sr if just andesites appear in the reaction zone.