Behaviours of REE and Other Trace Elements During Pedological Weathering-Evidence from Chemical Leaching of Loess and Palaeosol from the Luochuan Section in Central China

The chemical leaching method is used for a systematic analysis of distribution characteristics of acid-soluble and acid-insoluble REE and other trace elements from the Luochuan loess deposits. The study shows that the acid-insoluble phase in loess and palaeosol is a stable component of old aeolian dusts and is characteristic of the provenance; the acid-soluble phase is the unstable component in the weathering pedogenic process and reflects rock-forming features after accumulation of aeolian dusts. The acid-insoluble REE and acid-soluble Sr and Pb can be used as geochemical indicators respectively to trace the provenance characteristics and the weathering pedogenic process.     

Geochemical Features and Metallogenic Prediction of the Caixiashan‐Weiquan Area in the East Tianshan Region

The Caixiashan-Weiquan area is an important ore concentration area in the eastern Tianshan metallogenic belt. Firstly, this paper studies geochemical features of 1564 samples of 1:200000 stream sediments of the Matoutan mapsheet, where the Caixiashan and Weiquan deposits are located. Processing, analysis and explanation of exploration geochemical data play an important role in the procedure of finding the ore, which are related to whether the measured elements content of geochemical samples can effectively guide the work of mineral exploration. As a highly nonlinear dynamical system, the neural network is more analogous to the human brains in terms of principles and features compared with conventional geochemical approaches. It can adapt itself to the environment, sum up laws, complete pattern recognition. Secondly, the authors used the Kohonen neural network to classify all samples based on 10 mineralization elements of stream sediment samples in order to determine possible mineral ores, reduce the scope of ore targets and study indicator elements of the ninth group of samples, which is the mostly closest to the deposit. The results show that the neural network can delineate metallogenic prospective areas and is effective in the discovery of deep geochemical information.     

The Effects of Applying the Association of Al, K, and Sn in Stream Sediments for Gold Exploration in Different Landscapes

Geochemical data of altered wall rocks are important for the metallogenic prognosis of hydrothermal gold deposits. Indicator elements of altered wall rocks such as K, Al, As, Sb, and Hg have been successfully used to assess gold anomalies in lithogeochemical survey. However, such researches have rarely been done in stream sediment survey for the exploration of gold from various landscapes. On the basis of the geochemical analysis of altered wall rocks of gold deposits in the cold desert areas of Gansu (甘肃) Province in Northwest China, it is found that the combination of Al, K, and Sn could serve as an important indicator of hydrothermal gold deposits and can be used to evaluate the metallogenic prospective of gold anomalies in stream sediments. More studies performed in the cold grassland areas and the moderate-low relief mountainous areas showed that, both weak and strong geochemical anomalies can be extracted, if strictly abiding by the ways of calculation and addition of the binary values of the indicator elements with equal weight, and this provides the sound delineation of metallogenic perspective areas.     

Chemical characterization of aquifers with the same geological origin

In the coastal aquifers of Kaluvelly （Bengal coast, India）, the over exploitation of the main aquifer （the Vanur sandstone） has created a piezometric depression. Water flows from the sea towards inland. A salinization problem is questioned. The geochemical study was dedicated to major, minor and trace elements as well as isotope ratios （δ^18O, δD, δ^37Cl and ^87Sr/^86Sr）. The catchment comprises a crystalline bedrock hinterland （chamockites） overlaid by sediment. The Vanur and Cuddalore sandstones, the two main layers, are issued from the decay of chamockites upland. The geochemical feature of a water body is linked both to the composition of the hosted rock and the interaction time between water and rock. In the deeper parts of the Vanur aquifer, a mixture with long-residence time groundwaters has been evidenced. These waters can originate from a pocket of water entrapped in the Vanur or from the charnockites downward. No seawater intrusion could be assessed. Piezometric data suggest a possible hydraulic connection between the Cuddalore and the Vanur aquifers. Major, minor element data and isotope ratios do not allow to distinguish between old waters from the different aquifers. Data evidence the heterogeneity of the charnokite formation which is characterized by high Ba contents. On the whole, the two sandstones are depleted compared to charnockites in alkaline and earth-alkaline elements, and enriched in less soluble element such as Th or Zr. Trace elements in groundwaters waters from the chamockite aquifer exhibit a high concentration of Ba as compared to Vanur and Cuddalore waters. As Ba is a soluble element, the concentration of Ba in waters is related to the concentration in the hosted rocks. The Li concentration, slightly higher in Vanur rocks, allows to distinguish waters from the deeper parts of the Vanur aquifer. For insoluble elements such as Ti, the hosted rock signature cannot be seen. The Ti concentration in water samples seems to rely on the reaction progress rather than on the available amount. Trace element data show that waters recovered from chamockites and sandstone aquifers present different geochemical features. The host rock signature can be seen in the chamockite and Vanur aquifers for some alkaline and alkaline-earth elements （mainly Ba and Li）.     

Analysis on the sources of mercury in soils in the Chengdu Basin, China

Mercury is a pollutant of concern due to its toxic and bioaccumulative properties. Studies on the distribution and hazard of mercury in the environment are mainly focused on its forms, toxicity and the environment standard, and progresses and results have been achieved. But these studies in the past were concentrated on the scales of laboratory or smaller districts merely, such as a small unit of mineral area, vegetable base, paddy field, lake, etc. Multi-target regional geochemical survey carried out by China Geological Survey from the 1990s to now is a fundamental and commonweal geological survey, large-scale and systematical inquisition and research were conducted in 19 provinces （or municipalities directly under the Central Government） in the eastern overlay region of China, and the purpose is to provide the basic geochemical data for national economic construction, adjustment of industrial and agricultural structures and sustainable social development. Geochemical studies aim at investigating soils in these regions and 52 elements have been tested, producing a great amount of data at the same time. Methods： based on the data from 3061 samples of surface soil and 832 samples of deep soil from the project of multi-purpose geochemical survey in the Chengdu Basin, Sichuan, China, this paper describes the correlation relationship between Hg and other 48 elements and their spatial distribution in surface and deep soils of these areas by applying the method of linear regression and factor analysis.     

Geological characteristics of the Sizhuang gold deposit in the region of Jiaodong, Shandong Province——A study on tectono-geochemical ore prospecting of ore deposits

Tectono-geochemical samples were systematically collected from 5 drillcores along the No. 304 explora-tion line and at the -310 m level under the pit in the mining area, totalling 705 samples from the metamorphic rocks, granites, altered rocks and orebodies, and were determined for their contents of 20 kinds of elements including Au, Ag, As, Sb, Hg, Cu,,Pb, Zn, Sn, Bi, Mo, Co, Ni, Mn, Cr, V, Ti, Ba, Rb, Sr, etc. By using the Surfer software the geochemical exploration line profile maps for the 20 kinds of elements and the curves for the element geochemical contents of individual ore vein groups were established. In conbination with the geochemical map analytical method and Gregorian’s zoning index calculation method, the vertical, longitudinal and lateral zonation sequences of the elements were ascertained and the geochemical three-dimentional zonation model of the primary halos was estab-lished on the basis of the analysis of metallogenic structures and alteration zonation. Coupled with the results of analysis of the geology and geochemistry data, it may be concluded that the process of alteration of granites in the mining area is also accompanied with the process of gold enrichment and mineralization. With the intensification of alteration of granites from granite →potash feldspathization granite →sericite-quartz alteration granite, seric-ite-quartz rocks →beresitized granite, pyrite sericite-quartz rock, silicified granite →gold ore, the contents of thio-phile ore-forming elements such as Au, Ag, As, Cu, Bi, Mo, Pb, Sb, Hg, and Sn tended to increase. Factor analysis of trace elements indicated: factor F2 (Au, Ag, Cu, Sn, As) represents the element association brought in at the main stage of hydrothermal metallogenesis; factor F4 (Bi, Sb) and factor F5 (Pb, Zn) represent the ore-forming element association supperposed during the late stage of Au-bearing sulfides. By using the Gregorian’s zoning index and map analysis method we have ascertained the primary halo axial zonation sequence (form frontal halo →tail halo): Pb, Zn, Mn, Ba, Sr, Rb, As, Sb, Ag, Cu, Sn, Mo, Au, Bi, Hg, Ti, Cr, V, Ni, and Co. The geochemical anomalies in the mining area display a tendency of lateral plunging to WS, which is consistent with the lateral plunging of orebodies and mineralization alteration zone. Comprehensive analysis of the results of investigations on ore-controlling structures, mineralization-alteration zonation and geochemical zonation of the primary halos indicates that the gold orebodies in this area are still of greater extension.     

The Geochemical Features and Evolution of Laterite in the Karst Areas of Guizhou Province

Guizhou is one of the dominating karst regions,where laterite is widespread,in China.Seventy-two laterite samples were taken from twelve laterite sections in the karst areas of Guizhou Province,which are possessed of typical subtropical karst geomphological and ecological environmental features and have evolved completely from dolostones and limestones.In terms of the major,trace and REE deta for thd samples this paper discusses the geochemical characteristics of laterite in the karst areas with an attempt to disclose the geochemical process and evolutionary rule of laterite formation.There have been involved three important pedogenetic geochemical precesses in the formation of laterite in the karst areas:(1)enrichment of silicon and aluminum and depletion of calcium and magnesium;(2)enrichment of iron and manganese;and(3) enrichment of aluminum and depletion of silicon.During the formation and evolution of laterite,obvious enrichment and differentiation of trace elements such as Cu,Pb,Zn,Ni,Co,Cr,Pb,F,Cl,and As can be observed,but for the rare-earth elements,their enrichment is remarkable against a weak differentiation.The REE distribution patterns in the laterite are similar to those of its parental carbonate rocks.     

Geochemical Characteristics of Oilfield Waters from the Turpan Depression,Xinjiang and Their Petroleum Geological Significance

This paper,based on the fundamental inorganic chemical and organic geochemical characteristics of oilfield waters from the Turpan Depression,presents the contents of organic matter,the distribution of low-carbon fatty acids and the contents of aromatic hydrocarbons as well as their principal ultraviolet absorption spectral and fluorescence spectral characteristics in oilfield waters from different oil/gas-bearing areas.The oil/gas reservoirs in this depression are classified in terms of their conserving conditions.In additon,the paper also discusses the chemical characteristics of oilfield waters from different types of oil/gas reservoirs with an emphasis on the characteristics of their localization in the γNa/γCa-γN a/γCl correction diagram.On this basis it is attempted to expound the fundamental geochemical characteristics of oilfield waters from the Turpan Depression and their geological significance.     

Sedimentary-volcanic tufts formed during the early Middle Triassic volcanic event in Guizhou Province and their stratigraphic significance

The sedimentary-volcanic tuff （locally called ＂green-bean rock＂） formed during the early Middle Triassic volcanic event in Guizhou Province is characterized as being thin, stable, widespread, short in forming time and predominantly green in color. The green-bean rock is a perfect indicator for stratigraphic division. Its petrographic and geochemical features are unique, and it is composed mainly of glassy fragments and subordinately of crystal fragments and volcanic ash balls. Analysis of the major and trace elements and rare-earth elements （ REE）, as well as the related diagrams, permits us to believe that the green-bean rock is acidic volcanic material of the calc-alkaline series formed in the Indosinian orogenic belt on the Sino-Vietnam border, which was atmospherically transported to the tectonically stable areas and then deposited as sedimentary-volcanic rocks there. According to the age of green-bean rock, it is deduced that the boundary age of the Middle-Lower Triassic overlain by the sedimentary-volcanic tuff is about 247 Ma.     

Evaluating the Provenance of Metasedimentary Rocks of the Jiangxian Group from the Zhongtiao Mountain Using Whole-Rock Geochemistry and Detrital Zircon Hf Isotope

Abstract：In this study, whole-rock geochemical and Nd isotopic data, as well as detrital zircon Hf isotopes of Palaeoproterozoic metasedimentary rocks from the Jiangxian Group are presented to evaluate the characteristics of their provenance and the tectonic history. The major and trace element compositions are comparable to Post-Archean upper continental crust (PA-UCC), but have slight enrichment in the LILE, with the exception of Cs and Sr, and a slight depletion in ferromagnesian elements, HFS elements, such as Nb and Ta, and some major elements, such as CaO and Na2O. The geochemical data reveal that the collected metasedimentary rocks have experienced intermediate source weathering with chemical index of alteration values ranging from 72 to 78, varying degrees of K-metasomatism, and post-depositional loss of Na, as well as negligible sorting, and are derived from the weathering of mostly felsic and non-mafic rocks. The selected Lu–Hf isotopic analysis on detrital zircon points to both the Trans-North China Orogen and Eastern Block of the north China craton as the most likely sources for the metasedimentary rocks of the Jiangxian Group. However, a contribution of detritus from the Western Block of the north China craton can be ruled out. The sediments were probably deposited in a back-arc basin within an active continental margin setting.     

Tectonic Setting and Nature of the Provenance of Sedimentary Rocks in Lanping Mesozoic- Cenozoic Basin： Evidence from Geochemistry of Sandstones

The geochemical composition of sandstones in the sedimentary basin is controlled mainly by the tectonic setting of the provenance, and it is therefore possible to reveal the tectonic setting of the provenance and the nature of source rocks in terms of the geochemical composition of sandstones. The major elements, rare-earth dements and trace elements of the Mesozoic-Cenozoic sandstones in the Lanping Basin are studied in this paper, revealing that the tectonic settings of the provenance for Mesozoic-Cenozoic sedimentary rocks in the Lanping Basin belong to a passive continental margin and a continental island arc. Combined with the data on sedimentary facies and palaeogeography, it is referred that the eastern part of the basin is located mainly at the tectonic setting of the passive continental margin before Mesozoic, whereas the western part may be represented by a continental island arc. This is compatible with the regional geology data. The protoliths of sedimentary rocks should be derived from the upper continental crust, and are composed mainly of felsic rocks, mixed with some andesitic rocks and old sediment components. Therefore, the Lanping Mesozoic-Cenozoic Basin is a typical continental-type basin. This provides strong geochemical evidence for the evolution of the paleo-Tethys and theb asin-range transition.     

我国某地区岩浆岩化学成分与区域地球化学特征

Based on a review of the available petrological and petrochemical data on magmarie rocks in a certain district in China, the average chemical composition of magmarie rocks has been calculated, and the frequenee distribution of elements in rocks,mineralization of rock bodies and regional geochemical characteristics have been discussed. In response to the temporal and. spatiai variations during the evolutionary process of magmatie activity, a systematic variation is obvious from this study in the chemical compositions of magmatie rocks, the frequence distribution patterns of elements, the concentration levels of various elements, the calc-alkaline index of the rocks as well as in the average atomic weight and average atomie valence. Particularly,different geochemical indicators have been observed for mineralized and barren rock bodies respectively. Crystallization-differentiation and postmagmatic metasomatism constitute the most important mechanisms controlling mineralization.     

An Effective Method for Free Vibration of Plate on Elastic Half Space

The vibration analysis of a plate on an elastic foundation is an important problem in engineering. It is the interaction of a plate with the three-dimensional half space and the plate is usually loaded from both the upper and lower surfaces. The contact pressure from the soil can not be predefined. According to Lambs solution for a single oscillating force acting on a point on the surface of an elastic half space, and the relevant approximation formulae, a relation between the local pressure and the deflection of the plate has been proposed. Based on this analysis, the reaction of the soil can be represented as the deformation of the plate. Therefore, the plate can be separated from the soil and only needs to be divided by a number of elements in the analysis. The following procedure is the same as the standard finite element method. This is a semi-analytical and semi-numerical method. It has been applied to the dynamic analysis of circular or rectangular plates on the elastic half space, at low or high frequency vibration, and on rigid, soft or flexible foundations. The results show that this method is versatile and highly accurate.     

Regional Geochemical Division—A Tool for Delineating Geochemical Block

INTRODUCTIONGeochemists need to study the spatial distribution of theassociations of the geochemical elements(AGE) to delineatethe geochemical blocks or recognize geochemical anomalies inregional geochemical exploration.Regional geochemical divi-sion (RGD) is a mapping technique for the division of thestudy area into slices where the natural AGEs are relativelysimple and uniform.A practical approach to RGD is to digital-ly devide the collected geochemical samples into groups bymeans o…     

The assessment of heavy metal stream in the air basin of Yerevan

Yerevan-the capital city of Armenia used to be a highly developed industrial center whose enterprises were integrated into the former USSR＇s industrial network. For this, the USSR disintegration entailed stagnation of most plants. Lately, some of them resumed operating, new enterprises were created, conditioning qualitative and structural changes in the city＇s industrial complex. Naturally,first of all, such changes manifest themselves in the extent of the impact of operating plants upon the environment and the air basin. This atmo-geochemical research was performed through studying natural depositing medium - snow cover, as the composition of its insoluble fraction is identical to that of solid constituent of air pollutants. The solid phase was analyzed through the method of quantitative spectral analysis for a wide set of heavy metals. Based on the data on heavy metal contents in separate samples, specialized geochemical maps of the city＇s territory were produced applying GIS ArcView 3.2 a. These initial data allow to calculate in-day dust load per square kilometer -38.3 kg/sq, km＊day, respectively, for the whole of the city＇s territory （225 sq. km） -8.6 tons. Data on element contents in dust allow to calculate the load of separate elements throughout the city landscape; so in-day load of Zn is 2.3 kg, Cu 1.1 kg. The determined contents of heavy metals are standardized by the element background and the following ranked geochemical series of heavy metal contents in ambient dust throughout the city was made up： Mo-Ag-Sn-Zn-Ni-Cu-Cr-Pb. The maps clearly reflect the morphology and extent of pollution zones and the structure of pollution. To characterize complex pollution, we have calculated a Summary Index of Pollution （SIP） that represents the sum of heavy metal contents in samples standardized by the background.     

The geochemical multi-fractal characteristics and mineralization of the Dehelongwa copper-gold deposit

The spatial distribution of ore-forming elements is the result of interaction and influence among multiple factors in the process of mineralization, and is the specific embodiment of non-linearity and coupling of mineralization. The fractal theory has such functions as to characterize non-lineariry and coupling, and can find out the deterministic law from the complicated coupling process. The primary geochemical fractal distribution of metallogenic elements such as Cu and Au possesses the characteristics of multi-fractal distribution in the Dehelongwa copper-gold deposit. Copper follows 2-d fractal distribution, and Au follows 3- or 4-d fractal distribution. The primary geo- chemical fractal distribution has a certain similarity on the same prospecting line, and this similarity is not obvious among different prospecting lines. The secondary geochemical fractal distribution of Cu and Au is higher in similar- ity, and simpler than the primary geochemical fractal distribution. These results show that the mineralization of Cu and Au is out of sync and also is inconsistent in this deposit, and the mineralization of Cu mainly experienced two mineralization stages, while the mineralization of Au experienced three to four mineralization stages. Besides the mineralization of Cu and Au shows a certain direction and along the strike of vertical orebodies it is relatively bal- anced. While along the strike of the ore bodies the mineralization of Cu and Au shows a significant difference. The hypergenic geologic process has a certain effect on the balance of spatial distribution of Cu and Au. From these it can be seen that the mineralization process of this deposit is well characterized by the geochemical fractal distribu- tion of Cu and Au.     

Multi-parametric geochemical survey on evaluation of hydrocarbon potential of trap structure in a desert area: A case of TD-2 structure in the Tarim Basin,China

TD-2 structure is located in the eastern part of the Central Uplift zone of the Tarim Basin, China. It is a basement-uplift anticline-type structure confirmed by seismic and gravity prospecting, and it is expected to have good potential for oil and gas according to the analysis of regional geological evolution history. But further exploration such as drilling is suspended because of lacking direct geochemical information. Therefore, multi-parametric geochemical surveys, such as free hydrocarbons (C1-C5), acid hydrocarbons (C1-C5) and ?C, Hg of soil, were conducted. It is concluded in this paper that free hydrocarbons are obviously better than other geochemical parameters and could be used for evaluation of oil and gas potential of TD-2 structure in the desert area. Shapes of near-surface geochemical anomalies and geochemical characteristic parameters suggested that TD-2 structure was a dry gas-bearing structure at the early-middle dissipation stage. So TD-2 structure should have some promising potential for oil-gas. Multi-parametric geochemical survey provided important information for further drilling exploration.     

Determination of potential hazardous elements in Can coals （Canakkale- Turkey）-I

It is known that the increasing use of coal as an energy source led to the growing environmental and health problems. But comprehensive knowledge of coal quality parameters may help to reduce some of these problems. The Canakkale-Can coalfield is located in the western part of Turkey, whose reserves are estimated at 69.3 billion tons, mainly used in the industry in the neighboring areas, specifically for the Can Thermal Power Plant. The aim of this study is to determine the coal quality parameters and examine the origin and distributions of potentially toxic trace elements in lignite which may produce environmental and health hazards in the area. The coal samples were collected from different parts of the coalfield in Can. Proximate and ultimate analyses, sulfur form analyses, X-ray powder diffraction （XRD）, inductively coupled plasma-mass spectrometry （ICP-MS）, and scanning electron microscopy （SEM） were performed on those samples to determine the geochemical profile of hazardous elements.     

Geochemistry of sedimentary rocks and its relation to crustal evolution and mineralization in Southwest Yangtze Massif, China

Through a systematic study on trace elements and REE geochemistry of mudstone deposited in the basin and lower slope environments during Upper Proterozoic to Triassic in the Southwest Yangtze Mssif,three geochemical abnormal horizons of which the geochemical characteristics are quite different from those of other horizons have been established for the first time.They are the Lower Cambrian,the Upper Devonian and the Upper Permian,As compared with the crustal evolution in this area.these three geochemical abnormal horizons are corresponding to the pulling-apart periods of geotectonic cycles.which illustrates that uncommon depositional sources puring into the basin from the earth‘s interior may be one of the most important causes to originate the geochemical anomalies in these lhrizons.Thus it can be realized that the geochemistry of post-Archean sedimentary rocks has a great deal to do with the crustal evolution and it can be used as a tracer to analyze the crustal evolution.The elements in this area are mainly concentrated in these geochemical abnormal horizons,and the degree of enrichment and deficiency of trace elements in other horizons is very limited.A series of research on mineralization indicates that the main strata-bound ore deposits discovered in the Southwest Yangtze Massif occur in the Cambrian,Devonian and Permian-Trassic strata.The results of isotope tracer resarch have also proved that most of the metallogenic elements in these ore deposits came from the host strata.which illustrates that the geochemical abnormal horizons may have made great contributions to these ore-forming processes.Thus it can be concluded that it is only the particular horizons corresponding to the particular periode of earth‘s evolution that can they be the significant source beds because only in these uncommon horizons there can be highly enriched metallogeinc elements.which may be one of the most important reasons for explaining the time-bound nature of mineralization.     

The Constraints on the Differential Enrichment of Au and As During Hydrothermal Mineralization,Southwest Guizhou,China

The differential enrichment of gold and arsenic observed in As-bearing hydrothermal gold deposits in Southwest Gizhou is induced by vapor-liquid separation in response to changing physico-chemical conditions during the hydrothermal evolution and is a reflection of the geochemical behavior of the two elements.