Laboratory chalcopyrite oxidation by Acidithiobacillus ferrooxidans: Oxygen and sulfur isotope fractionation

Laboratory experiments were conducted to simulate chalcopyrite oxidation under anaerobic and aerobic conditions in the absence or presence of the bacterium Acidithiobacillus ferrooxidans. Experiments were carried out with 3 different oxygen isotope values of water (δ¹⁸O_H2O) so that approach to equilibrium or steady-state isotope fractionation for different starting conditions could be evaluated. The contribution of dissolved O₂ and water-derived oxygen to dissolved sulfate formed by chalcopyrite oxidation was unambiguously resolved during the aerobic experiments. Aerobic oxidation of chalcopyrite showed 93 ± 1% incorporation of water oxygen into the resulting sulfate during the biological experiments. Anaerobic experiments showed similar percentages of water oxygen incorporation into sulfate, but were more variable. The experiments also allowed determination of sulfate–water oxygen isotope fractionation, ε¹⁸O_SO4–H2O, of ~ 3.8‰ for the anaerobic experiments. Aerobic oxidation produced apparent ε_SO4–H2O values (6.4‰) higher than the anaerobic experiments, possibly due to additional incorporation of dissolved O₂ into sulfate. δ³⁴S_SO4 values are ~ 4‰ lower than the parent sulfide mineral during anaerobic oxidation of chalcopyrite, with no significant difference between abiotic and biological processes. For the aerobic experiments, a small depletion in δ³⁴S_SO4 of ~? 1.5 ± 0.2‰ was observed for the biological experiments. Fewer solids precipitated during oxidation under aerobic conditions than under anaerobic conditions, which may account for the observed differences in sulfur isotope fractionation under these contrasting conditions.     

Erosion of rocky shore platforms by block detachment from layered stratigraphy

The majority of shore platforms form in rocks that are characterised by layered stratigraphy and pervasive jointing. Plucking of weathered, joint and bed bounded blocks is an important erosion process that existing models of platform development do not represent. Globally, measuring platform erosion rates have focused on microscale (< 1 mm) surface lowering rather than mesoscale (0.1-1 m) block detachment, yet the latter appears to dominate the morphological development of discontinuity rich platforms. Given the sporadic nature of block detachment on platforms, observations of erosion from storm event to multi-decadal timescales (and beyond) are required to quantify shore platform erosion rates. To this end, we collected aerial photography using an unmanned aerial vehicle to produce structure-from-motion-derived digital elevation models and orthophotos. These were combined with historical aerial photographs to characterise and quantify the erosion of two actively eroding stratigraphic layers on a shore platform in Glamorgan, south Wales, UK, over 78-years. We find that volumetric erosion rates vary over two orders of magnitude (0.1-10 m³ yr^-1) and do not scale with the length of the record. Average rates over the full 78-year record are 2-5 m³ yr^-1. These rates are equivalent to 1.2-5.3 mm yr^-1 surface lowering rates, an order of magnitude faster than previously published, both at our site and around the world in similar rock types. We show that meso-scale platform erosion via block detachment processes is a dominant erosion process on shore platforms across seasonal to multi-decadal timescales that have been hitherto under-investigated. © 2019 The Authors. Earth Surface Processes and Landforms published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd     

Experimental investigations into the influence of biofilms and environmental factors on short-term microtopographic fluctuations of supratidal sandstone

In this study laboratory experiments were used to explore the role of biofilms, formed by lithobiontic microorganism communities, in causing hourly surface changes of supratidal sandstone and the potential linkage to long-term rock decay. To isolate the influence of individual environmental factors (temperature and humidity) on rock surface changes (expansion and contraction), a colonized (biofilm-covered) and a non-colonized sandstone block (biofilm-free) underwent the same univariate microclimatic simulations closely controlled by an environmental chamber. Simulations were run under three different light conditions, with a natural light lamp on, on and off at 20-min intervals and off, to investigate the impact of light on rock surface dynamics. Measured with a traversing micro-erosion meter (TMEM), two-hourly microtopographic fluctuations of these two sandstone blocks were compared in the same environment. Induced by microclimatic variations, surface movements of significantly higher magnitude (12–120% under varying tempeature and 121–154% under varying humidity) and different change patterns were observed on the colonized block, indicating the primary role of biofilm in driving microtopographic fluctuations of supratidal sandstone. However, thermally driven changes of similar magnitude and pattern were observed on both surfaces, suggesting other mechanisms also operating on the non-colonized rock surface in this process. Due to the sensitivity of biofilm microorganism communities to light, the magnitude and pattern of surface changes was impacted by light condition. Because biofilms increased the magnitude and number of cycles of expansion and contraction of the experimental rock surface, we propose that lithobiontic biofilms facilitate the detachment of grains and granular disintegration on the rock surface, consequently contributing to rock decay and accelerating the rate of breakdown of supratidal rock. This short-term episode therefore needs to be superimposed on longer term studies to fully understand the role of biofilms in rock surface change. © 2019 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Rates and patterns of erosion on inter-tidal shore platforms,Kaikoura Peninsula,South Island,New Zealand

This paper presents measured rates of erosion on shore platforms at Kaikoura Peninsula, South Island, New Zealand. Surface lowering rates were measured with a micro-erosion meter and traversing micro-erosion meter. The mean lowering rate for all shore platforms was 1·130 mm a⁻¹. Differences in lowering rates were found between different platform types and lithologies. The rate of surface lowering on Type A (sloping) mudstone platforms was 1·983 mm a⁻¹, and 0·733 mm a⁻¹ on Type B mudstone platforms (subhorizontal). On limestone platforms the lowering rate was 0·875 mm a⁻¹. A previously reported cross-shore pattern of surface lowering rates from Kaikoura was not found. Rates were generally higher on the landward margins and decreased in a seaward direction. Season is shown statistically to influence erosion rates, with higher rates during summer than winter. The interpretation given to this is that the erosive process is subaerial weathering in the form of wetting and drying and salt weathering. This is contrary to views of shore platform development that have favoured marine processes over subaerial weathering. Copyright © 1998 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

High-precision geochronology of Mesozoic magmatism in Macao,Southeast China:Evidence for multistage granite emplacement

Six new high precision U-Pb zircon ID-TIMS ages plus thirteen in situ high spatial resolution U-Pb zircon LA-MC-ICPMS ages are reported from Jurassic plutonic(metaluminous to weakly peraluminous biotite granites)and Jurassic to Cretaceous hypabyssal(dacites)rocks from Macao.Despite its relatively small area(~30 km^2),the new ages tightly constrain the Macao granitic magmatism to two periods ranging from 164.5±0.6 Ma to 162.9±0.7 Ma and 156.6±0.2 Ma to 155.5±0.8 Ma,separated by ca.6 Ma.Inherited zircons point to the existence of a basement with ages up to Paleo-Proterozoic and late Archean in the region.In addition,younger dacitic rocks were dated at 150.6±0.6 Ma and<120 Ma.U-Pb zircon ages and whole-rock REE data of Macao granites indicate that the first pulse is also represented in Hong Kong and Southeast(SE)China,while magmatism with the chemical characteristics of the second pulse seems to not be represented outside Macao.The two granitic magmatic pulses have distinct mineralogical and geochemical features that support their discrete nature rather than a continuum of comagmatic activity and suggest that the Macao granitic suite was incrementally assembled during a period of ca.9 Ma,a hypothesis also extendable to the neighboring Hong Kong region for a time lapse of ca.24 Ma.In Macao,the transition from granitic magmatism(Middle to Upper Jurassic)to the younger dacite dykes(Upper Jurassic to Lower Cretaceous)most likely corresponds to a change in the regional tectonic setting,from an extensional regime related with foundering of the subducting paleoPacific plate during the Early Yanshanian period to the reestablishment of a normal subduction system in SE China during the Late Yanshanian period.