Optical spectrum based measurement of flotation slurry contents

Monitoring and control of a flotation circuit is mainly based on the information gained by assaying the process slurry lines. In flotation plants, usually an X-ray fluorescence analyzer is used to obtain the on-line assays. This article introduces the visual and near-infrared reflectance spectroscopic analysis of the process slurries as a supplementary method which complements the on-line assay information available from an X-ray fluorescence analyzer. It is shown that the spectral information can be used to accurately predict the element contents in the slurry in between successive XRF analyses. Since the spectral measurements can be taken with high frequency as opposed to the sparse X-ray fluorescence analysis, a practically continuous on-line estimate of the slurry contents is reached. These estimates can be used in the plant control to improve the overall performance of the circuits and to yield also economical savings. Additionally, the frequent monitoring of the grades can provide means to eliminate rapid disturbances in the circuits, thus improving the stability of the process.     

Geochemical cycling in the Hooghly estuary, India

U–Th decay series isotopes, δ¹⁸O and Si measurements in the river estuarine waters and sediments of the polluted Hooghly estuary as well as the surface waters of the Bay of Bengal, its high salinity end member, are reported. Dissolved Si indicates that there are probably two mixing regimes, dissolved U behaviour is nonconservative and δ¹⁸O behaves conservatively in the overall estuarine region. Isotopes of reactive elements, viz. ²³⁴Th and ²¹⁰Po, are removed from the estuarine waters in <2 days and <1 month, respectively, which is due to high suspended matter (30–301 mg l⁻¹). ²²⁸Ra and ²²⁶Ra are profusely released into the estuarine waters in the low to mid-salinity regions.As expected, the opposite trend is observed in the case of estuarine sediments and suspended matter. Reactive isotopes of Th, ²¹⁰Pb and ²¹⁰Po are enriched, whereas Ra isotopes are depleted with respect to their parent nuclides in the estuarine sediments and suspended matter. ²³²Th/Al ratio appears well suited to study the distribution and mixing of the bed load sediments of the Ganga–Brahmaputra (G–B) and the Hooghly rivers with those from other rivers on the Bay of Bengal floor.     

Inviscid behaviour of fines-rich pyroclastic flows inferred from experiments on gas-particle mixtures

Experiments were carried out on granular flows generated by instantaneous release of gas-fluidised, bidisperse mixtures and propagating into a horizontal channel. The mixture consists of fine (< 100 μm) and coarse (> 100 μm) particles of same density, with corresponding grain size ratios of ∼ 2 to 9. Initial fluidisation of the mixture destroys the interparticle frictional contacts, and the flow behaviour then depends on the initial bed packing and on the timescale required to re-establish strong frictional contacts. At a fines mass fraction (α) below that of optimal packing (∼ 40%), the initial mixtures consist of a continuous network of coarse particles with fines in interstitial voids. Strong frictional contacts between the coarse particles are probably rapidly re-established and the flows steadily decelerate. Some internal friction reduction appears to occur as α and the grain size ratio increases, possibly due to particle rolling and the lower roughness of internal shear surfaces. Segregation only occurs at large grain size ratio due to dynamical sieving with fines concentrated at the flow base. In contrast, at α above that for optimal packing, the initial mixtures consist of coarse particles embedded in a matrix of fines. Flow velocities and run-outs are similar to that of the monodisperse fine end-member, thus showing that the coarse particles are transported passively within the matrix whatever their amount and grain size are. These flows propagate at constant height and velocity as inviscid fluid gravity currents, thus suggesting negligible interparticle friction. We have determined a Froude number of 2.61 ± 0.08 consistent with the dam-break model for fluid flows, and with no significant variation as a function of α, the grain size ratio, and the initial bed expansion. Very little segregation occurs, which suggests low intensity particle interactions during flow propagation and that active fluidisation is not taking place. Strong frictional contacts are only re-established in the final stages of emplacement and stop the flow motion. We infer that fines-rich (i.e. matrix-supported) pyroclastic flows propagate as inviscid fluid gravity currents for most of their emplacement, and this is consistent with some field data.     

Geoarchaeological Investigations in Mesoamerica Move into the 21st Century: A Review

Over the past thirty years, geoarchaeology has moved from the fringe to mainstream status within Mesoamerican archaeological investigations. This review focuses on works published since the year 2000. Five themes are identified as central to recent studies: (1) the correlation of environmental change and cultural history; (2) anthropogenic environmental impacts; (3) ancient land cover, land use, and diet; (4) archaeological prospection; and (5) provenance studies. These themes are often interwoven in the application of complex systems approaches that allow scientists to more accurately model the intricacies of ancient human–environment interactions.     

Effects of salinity on egg and fecal pellet production,development and survival,adult sex ratio and total life span in the calanoid copepod, <Emphasis Type="Italic">Acartia tonsa</Emphasis>: a laboratory study

The effects of salinity on the copepod, Acartia tonsa in terms of daily egg production rate (EPR), hatching success, fecal pellet production rate (FPR), naupliar development time and survival, sex ratio, and total life span were determined in laboratory conditions through three experiments. In experiment 1, EPR, hatching success, and FPR of individual females were monitored at salinities of 13, 20, 35 and 45 during short-periods (seven consecutive days). Results show EPR was affected by salinity with the highest outputs recorded at 20 and 35, respectively, which were considerably higher than those at 13 and 45. Mean FPR was also higher in 35 and 20. In experiment 2, the same parameters were evaluated over total life span of females (long-term study). The best EPR and FPR were observed in 35, which was statistically higher than at 13 and 20. In experiment 3, survival rates of early nauplii until adult stage were lowest at a salinity of 13. The development time increased with increasing of salinity. Female percentage clearly decreased with increasing salinity. Higher female percentages (56.7% and 52.2%, respectively) were significantly observed at two salinities of 13 and 20 compared to that at 35 (25%). Total longevity of females was not affected by salinity increment. Based on our results, for mass culture we recommend that a salinity of 35 be adopted due to higher reproductive performances, better feeding, and faster development of A. tonsa.     

Natural speciation of nickel at the micrometer scale in serpentine (ultramafic) topsoils using microfocused X-ray fluorescence,diffraction, and absorption

Serpentine soils and ultramafic laterites develop over ultramafic bedrock and are important geological materials from environmental, geochemical, and industrial standpoints. They have naturally elevated concentrations of trace metals, such as Ni, Cr, and Co, and also high levels of Fe and Mg. Minerals host these trace metals and influence metal mobility. Ni in particular is an important trace metal in these soils, and the objective of this research was to use microscale (µ) techniques to identify naturally occurring minerals that contain Ni and Ni correlations with other trace metals, such as Fe, Mn, and Cr. Synchrotron based µ-XRF, µ-XRD, and µ-XAS were used. Ni was often located in the octahedral layer of serpentine minerals, such as lizardite, and in other layered phyllosilicate minerals with similar octahedral structure, such as chlorite group minerals including clinochlore and chamosite. Ni was also present in goethite, hematite, magnetite, and ferrihydrite. Goethite was present with lizardite and antigorite on the micrometer scale. Lizardite integrated both Ni and Mn simultaneously in its octahedral layer. Enstatite, pargasite, chamosite, phlogopite, and forsterite incorporated various amounts of Ni and Fe over the micrometer spatial scale. Ni content increased six to seven times within the same 500 µm µ-XRD transect on chamosite and phlogopite. Data are shown down to an 8 µm spatial scale. Ni was not associated with chromite or zincochromite particles. Ni often correlated with Fe and Mn, and generally did not correlate with Cr, Zn, Ca, or K in µ-XRF maps. A split shoulder feature in the µ-XAS data at 8400 eV (3.7 Å^?1 in k-space) is highly correlated (94% of averaged LCF results) to Ni located in the octahedral sheet of layered phyllosilicate minerals, such as serpentine and chlorite-group minerals. A comparison of bulk-XAS LCF to averaged µ-XAS LCF results showed good representation of the bulk soil via the µ-XAS technique for two of the three soils. In the locations analyzed by µ-XAS, average Ni speciation was dominated by layered phyllosilicate and serpentine minerals (76%), iron oxides (18%), and manganese oxides (9%). In the locations analyzed by µ-XRD, average Ni speciation was dominated by layered phyllosilicate, serpentine, and ultramafic-related minerals (71%) and iron oxides (17%), illustrating the complementary nature of these two methods.

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Impacts of hydrous manganese oxide on the retention and lability of dissolved organic matter

Minerals constitute a primary ecosystem control on organic C decomposition in soils, and therefore on greenhouse gas fluxes to the atmosphere. Secondary minerals, in particular, Fe and Al (oxyhydr)oxides—collectively referred to as “oxides” hereafter—are prominent protectors of organic C against microbial decomposition through sorption and complexation reactions. However, the impacts of Mn oxides on organic C retention and lability in soils are poorly understood. Here we show that hydrous Mn oxide (HMO), a poorly crystalline δ-MnO₂, has a greater maximum sorption capacity for dissolved organic matter (DOM) derived from a deciduous forest composite O_i, O_e, and O_a horizon leachate (“O horizon leachate” hereafter) than does goethite under acidic (pH 5) conditions. Nonetheless, goethite has a stronger sorption capacity for DOM at low initial C:(Mn or Fe) molar ratios compared to HMO, probably due to ligand exchange with carboxylate groups as revealed by attenuated total reflectance-Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy. X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy and scanning transmission X-ray microscopy–near-edge X-ray absorption fine structure spectroscopy coupled with Mn mass balance calculations reveal that DOM sorption onto HMO induces partial Mn reductive dissolution and Mn reduction of the residual HMO. X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy further shows increasing Mn(II) concentrations are correlated with increasing oxidized C (C=O) content (r = 0.78, P < 0.0006) on the DOM–HMO complexes. We posit that DOM is the more probable reductant of HMO, as Mn(II)-induced HMO dissolution does not alter the Mn speciation of the residual HMO at pH 5. At a lower C loading (2 × 10² μg C m^?2), DOM desorption—assessed by 0.1 M NaH₂PO₄ extraction—is lower for HMO than for goethite, whereas the extent of desorption is the same at a higher C loading (4 × 10² μg C m^?2). No significant differences are observed in the impacts of HMO and goethite on the biodegradability of the DOM remaining in solution after DOM sorption reaches steady state. Overall, HMO shows a relatively strong capacity to sorb DOM and resist phosphate-induced desorption, but DOM–HMO complexes may be more vulnerable to reductive dissolution than DOM–goethite complexes.     

The synergistic effect of calcium on organic carbon sequestration to ferrihydrite

Sequestration of organic carbon (OC) in environmental systems is critical to mitigating climate change. Organo-mineral associations, especially those with iron (Fe) oxides, drive the chemistry of OC sequestration and stability in soils. Short-range-ordered Fe oxides, such as ferrihydrite, demonstrate a high affinity for OC in binary systems. Calcium commonly co-associates with OC and Fe oxides in soils, though the bonding mechanism (e.g., cation bridging) and implications of the co-association for OC sequestration remain unresolved. We explored the effect of calcium (Ca²⁺) on the sorption of dissolved OC to 2-line ferrihydrite. Sorption experiments were conducted between leaf litter-extractable OC and ferrihydrite at pH 4 to 9 with different initial C/Fe molar ratios and Ca²⁺ concentrations. The extent of OC sorption to ferrihydrite in the presence of Ca²⁺ increased across all tested pH values, especially at pH ≥ 7. Sorbed OC concentration at pH 9 increased from 8.72 ± 0.16 to 13.3 ± 0.20 mmol OC g^?1 ferrihydrite between treatments of no added Ca²⁺ and 30 mM Ca²⁺ addition. Batch experiments were paired with spectroscopic studies to probe the speciation of sorbed OC and elucidate the sorption mechanism. ATR-FTIR spectroscopy analysis revealed that carboxylic functional moieties were the primary sorbed OC species that were preferentially bound to ferrihydrite and suggested an increase in Fe-carboxylate ligand exchange in the presence of Ca at pH 9. Results from batch to spectroscopic experiments provide significant evidence for the enhancement of dissolved OC sequestration to 2-line ferrihydrite and suggest the formation of Fe–Ca-OC ternary complexes. Findings of this research will inform modeling of environmental C cycling and have the potential to influence strategies for managing land to minimize OM stabilization.     

Bifurcation of volcanic plumes in a crosswind

Bent-over buoyant jets distorted by a crosscurrent develop a vortex pair structure and can bifurcate to produce two distinct lobes which diverge from one another downwind. The region downwind of the source between the lobes has relatively low proportions of discharged fluid. Factors invoked by previous workers to cause or enhance bifurcation include buoyancy, release of latent heat at the plume edge by evaporating water droplets, geometry and orientation of the source, and the encounter with a density interface on the rising path of the plume. We suggest that the pressure distribution around the vortex pair of a rising plume may initially trigger bifurcation. We also report new experimental observations confirming that bifurcation becomes stronger for stronger bent-over plumes, identifying that bifurcation can also occur for straight-edged plumes but gradually disappears for stronger plumes which form a gravity current at their final level and spread for a significant distance against the current. Observations from satellites and the ground are reviewed and confirm that volcanic plumes can show bifurcation and a large range of bifurcation angles. Many of the bifurcating plumes spread out at the tropopause level and suggest the tropopause may act on the plumes as a density interface enhancing bifurcation. Even for quite moderate bifurcation angles, the two plume lobes become rapidly separated downwind by distances of tens of kilometers. Such bifurcating plumes drifting apart can only result in bilobate tephra fall deposits. The tephra fall deposit from the 16 km elevation, SE spreading, bifurcating volcanic plume erupted on 15 May 1981 from Mt Pagan was sampled by previous workers and clearly displayed bilobate characteristics. Examples of bilobate tephra fall deposits are reviewed and their origin briefly discussed. Bilobate deposits are common and may result from many causes. Plume bifurcation should be considered one of the possible mechanisms which can account for come examples of bilobate tephra fall deposits.