Application of Rb-Sr ratios to gem exploration in the granulite belt of Sri Lanka

The geochemical distribution of rubidium and strontium in the central granulite belt of Sri Lanka, where many of the gem deposits are found, was studied. The Rb-Sr ratios, particularly in the stream sediments, were found to be useful in delineating gem-bearing areas from the non gem-bearing or low potential areas. Among the main gem minerals that are mined at present are corundum, spinel, zircon and tourmaline. It was observed that higher Rb-Sr ratios correspond to high gem potential and, even within areas of good potential, barren areas could be delineated using these ratios. During pegmatite formation, Rb is enriched, and there is a marked depletion of Sr yielding a high Rb-Sr ratio. Pegmatites, granites and other magmatic bodies are associated with gem formation under granulite facies conditions and, when used in conjunction with geology, structure, and mineralogy, the Rb-Sr ratio could be used effectively to delineate target areas for further exploration.     

Assessment of soil geochemistry around some selected agricultural sites of Sri Lanka

Farming is the major source of income for the villagers of North-central Sri Lanka. However, chronic kidney disease of unknown etiology is a major health hazard in the area and it is assumed that agricultural contaminants are the major causative agents. This study focuses on the geochemistry of soils in the area to determine possible natural and anthropogenic impacts of the problem. X-ray fluorescence analysis was used to determine the abundance of selected major and trace elements. Results show that geo-enrichment for many elements indicates slight to significant variations between agricultural and non-agricultural soils. Geoaccumulation index (I _geo) shows higher pollution levels of Pb and V (2 < I _geo < 3) and very lower pollution levels of As, Zn, Cu, Fe and Mn (1 < I _geo < 2) in agricultural soils. However, I _geo for non-agricultural soils implies lack of contaminations (I _geo < 1). Positive correlations of As with Pb and Zn and negative correlations with Cu, Ni and Cr suggest that they may have derived from different sources such as sulfide minerals of basement rocks, fertilizers and agrochemicals. The results of this study suggest that there is no significant threat from As and other trace elements to soils. The accumulation of these elements in agricultural fields may have been effectively controlled by seasonal farming practices. However, there is a potential environmental risk from elements such as Pb and V due to their significant enrichment in soils.     

The relationship between soil geochemistry and die back of montane forests in Sri Lanka: a case study

Tropical montane forests of Sri Lanka form a unique ecosystem with more than 50% of endemic plant species. It has been noted that trees, belonging to different size and age classes of these forest, have been dying due to a yet unknown factor. This phenomenon was first observed in the Horton Plains National Park, which is a high plateau, composed of tropical montane forests. Later dying of forests were observed at several areas including Hakgala montane forest. Physical parameters trace nutrients as well as toxic element concentrations in soils, were studied in order to identify the possible geochemical factors behind the forest die back. Systematic soil sampling was carried out covering the entire Horton Plains National Park and random samples were collected from Hakgala montane forest. Samples were analyzed for available Fe, Mn, Zn, Cu, Ni, Cd, Al and Pb using standard colorimetric and atomic absorption spectrometric procedures. Physical parameters such as pH, moisture content, and conductivity of the samples were also measured. Among extractable micro-nutrients Cu and Zn, and Ni show no deficiency or excess levels. However, the recorded available high concentrations of Fe, Mn and Al can be toxic to certain montane plant species. Acidic moist soil of the area may enhance the toxic effects of these elements. Possible source of these elements should be the underground lithology of the area. According to the results obtained, there is a relationship between forest die back and high Pb concentrations. The same phenomenon was also observed in the Hakgala forest. The distribution pattern of Pb in the Horton Plains coincides well with the die back distribution pattern. The observed Pb values at Horton Plains and Hakgala are almost similar to values observed at Pannipitiya and Dombagaskanda locations, which are located close to main roads carrying heavy traffic. It is quite possible therefore, that Pb toxicity may be a significant factor behind the forest die back even though other factors should not be completely ruled out at this juncture. Strong monsoon winds, bringing Pb from the polluted southwestern part of the country, can be the most possible source of soil Pb. Further studies however are indeed necessary to confirm the conclusion.     

Mixing geochemistry of cold water around non-volcanic thermal springs in high-grade metamorphic terrain,Sri Lanka

A geochemical survey was conducted on thermal water and cold water around non-volcanic geothermal fields at Mahaoya and Marangala in Sri Lanka. One hundred forty-two samples were analyzed for fifteen selected irons to investigate geochemical relationships resulting from water-rock interactions and mixing. Based on measurements using a Na-K-Mg geothermometer, the maximum temperatures of thermal reservoirs were estimated to be 148 °C in Mahaoya and 191 °C in Marangala, which were higher values than those obtained using Na-Li and Li-Mg geothermometers. This suggests that the reservoirs extend from intermediate to deep levels. Hydrogeochemistry of thermal waters is distinct from that of cold water; higher contents of Na, K, Cl, F, SO_4, and TDS in thermal water are most likely due to the dissolution of feldspar, mica, and sulfide minerals in the granitic rocks. Conversely, lower values of Fe, Mg, Cu, Zn, and Pb imply less ferromagnesian minerals in the basement. Classification based on major ions reveals a Na-K-SO₄ type of thermal water for Mahaoya and Marangala. Cold water is dominated by the Na-K-HCO₃ type, which indicates deep groundwater influence by iron exchange. Non-mixing cold water indicates a Ca-HCO₃ type. In general, chemistry of cold water wells (<400 m) close to the thermal water changes significantly due to direct mixing of thermal water and cold water. In comparison, a contrasting action occurs with increasing distance from the geothermal field. Gradual decline of SO₄ with increasing distance from thermal water may indicate a trend of clear oxidation. However, the chemistry of more distant wells demarcates deep circulations through fractures and faults in the basement.     

Monsoon and land use in Sri Lanka

Agricultural land use in Sri Lanka roughly shows a division of the island in two major parts, according to the climatic division into thr Wet and Dry Zones. Therefore, it is the ultimate, most important question for agricultural land use in Sri Lanka whether the seasonal occurrence of a distinct dry season, which is characteristic of the Dry Zone, is also the most delimiting factor for land use or not. It seems true, in fact, that the long SW monsoonal dry season in the Dry zone is the major fact for a large-scale division of Sri Lanka according to the crops under cultivation and the cropping systems. Paddy (rice) and tea are the leading crops in the Dry as well as Wet Zone. They are at the same time the crops with the greatest economic importance for the island: tea for the international market, rice for the national market. Thus, the main attention is drawn on specific climatic effects, in a large- and meso-(local-)scale, upon tea and paddy and their agroclimatic potential of cultivation. Besides this, also some effects of the monsoon climate of Sri Lanka upon animal husbandry, forestry and pests have been studied briefly, added finally by an outlook on the correlation between the monsoon climate and fishery even, as manifested in the phenomenon of migrating fishermen.     

The geochemistry of gem opals as evidence of their origin

Seventy-seven gem opals from ten countries were analyzed by inductively coupled plasma-mass spectrometry (ICP-MS) through a dilution process, in order to establish the nature of the impurities. The results are correlated to the mode of formation and physical properties and are instrumental in establishing the geographical origin of a gem opal. The geochemistry of an opal is shown to be dependant mostly on the host rock, at least for examples from Mexico and Brazil, even if modified by weathering processes. In order of decreasing concentration, the main impurities present are Al, Ca, Fe, K, Na, and Mg (more than 500 ppm). Other noticeable elements in lesser amounts are Ba, followed by Zr, Sr, Rb, U, and Pb. For the first time, geochemistry helps to discriminate some varieties of opals. The Ba content, as well as the chondrite-normalized REE pattern, are the keys to separating sedimentary opals (Ba > 110 ppm, Eu and Ce anomalies) from volcanic opals (Ba < 110 ppm, no Eu or Ce anomaly). The Ca content, and to a lesser extent that of Mg, Al, K and Nb, helps to distinguish gem opals from different volcanic environments. The limited range of concentrations for all elements in precious (play-of-color) compared to common opals, indicates that this variety must have very specific, or more restricted, conditions of formation. We tentatively interpreted the presence of impurities in terms of crystallochemistry, even if opal is a poorly crystallized or amorphous material. The main replacement is the substitution of Si⁴⁺ by Al³⁺ and Fe³⁺. The induced charge imbalance is compensated chiefly by Ca²⁺, Mg²⁺, Mn²⁺, Ba²⁺, K⁺, and Na⁺. In terms of origin of color, greater concentrations of iron induce darker colors (from yellow to “chocolate brown”). This element inhibits luminescence for concentrations above 1000 ppm, whereas already a low content in U (≤ 1 ppm) induces a green luminescence.     

Factors affecting the mechanization of the tillage operation of paddy fields in Sri Lanka: A geographical perspective

In Sri Lanka where the paddy farmers' income is low and tractor hire rates are considerably high, paddy farmers' tendency to use tractors for tillage operation can hardly be explained in rational terms. However, this paper attempts to assess the significance of some selected socio-economic and physical factors which are considered to be effective in generating compelling grounds to use tractors for the tillage operation of paddy fields.Three socio-economic variables relating to shortage of labour, shortage of buffaloes and limited time available for the tillage operation, which were considered to be crucial in determining the farmers propensity to use tractors, were regressed on the degree of tractor utilization; and then the residuals from the regression were mapped. Then, the map of residuals was compared with the map of agro-climatic regions in order to ascertain the impact of agro-climatic conditions on tractor utilization.It was found that the three socio-economic variables collectively explain 51% of the spatial variation of the degree of mechanization. The map of residuals was found to mostly coincide with the map of agro-climatic regions. While all positive residuals were found to be in the dry zone and in the arid zone where the soil is very dry and hard, only negative residuals were found in the wet zone where the soil is wet and soft. Therefore, it seems that the spatial variation of the degree of mechanization which cannot be explained by the selected socio-economic variables may be attributable to the spatially varying soil conditions.It can be concluded that the selected socio-economic factors and the agro-climatic factors pertaining to dryness and hardness of soils collectively encourage or compel Sri Lankan paddy farmers to use tractors for tillage operation.     

African linkage of Precambrian Sri Lanka

New age and isotopic data show that the high-grade basement rocks of Sri Lanka were not linked to the Archaean granulite domain of southern India but experienced their main structural and metamorphic development during the Pan-African event some 950 to 550 Ma ago. This occurred when West Gondwana and East Gondwana collided to form one of the longest collisional structures in the Supercontinent — the Mozambique belt that extends from Mozambique to Ethiopia and Sudan. A major tectonic boundary, interpreted as a thrust zone, divides the Highland/Southwestern Complex in the central part of Sri Lanka from the Vijayan Complex in the E and SE. The former is interpreted to represent the remnant of a once extensive passive margin extending west, in a Gondwana reconstruction, via Madagasgar to Tanzania and Mozambique. The Vijayan Complex may have been part of a separate continental margin plutonic assemblage, and its collision with the Highland/ Southwestern Complex marks the final amalgamation of East and West Gondwana into a supercontinent some 550 Ma ago. The Sri Lankan granulites cannot be correlated with the distinctly older granulites of the Eastern Ghats belt of India, and this suggests that Sri Lanka was situated close to the SE coast of Madagascar in a Gondwana reconstruction.

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Zusammenfassung Neue Isotopen- und Altersdaten aus dem metamorphen Grundgebirge von Sri Lanka zeigen, daß dieses Gebiet nicht, wie vielfach vermutet, Teil des archaischen Granulitkomplexes von Südindien war, sondern seine strukturelle und metamorphe Entwicklung während der panafrikanischen Orogenèse zwischen ca. 950 Ma und ca. 550 Ma hatte. Diese Orogenèse ist das Resultat der Kollision zwischen West-Gondwana (Afrika und Südamerika) und Ost-Gondwana (Südindien, Australien und Antarktis) und führte zur Bildung eines der längsten Kollisionsgürtel des Superkontinentes, dem Mosambik-Gürtel, der sich von Mosambik bis nach Äthiopien und in den Sudan erstreckt. Der West- und Zentralteil Sri Lankas mit den Wanni und Highland/Southwestern Komplexen wird vom Vijayan Komplex im Osten und Südosten durch eine Überschiebungszone getrennt, die möglicherweise eine Sutur darstellt. Die Gesteine im Westen und in den Highlands werden als der Rest eines ehemals weiträumigen passiven Kontinentalrandes interpretiert, zu dem wohl auch die lithologisch ähnlichen Abfolgen der hochmetamorphen Gebiete in Mosambik, Tansania und Madagaskar gehörten. Der Vijayan Komplex war wohl Teil der separaten plutonischen Suite eines aktiven Kontinentalrandes, und seine Kollision mit dem Highland/ Southwestern Komplex markiert das endgültige Verschweißen von West- und Ost-Gondwana zu einem Superkontinent vor ca. 550 Ma. Die Granulite Sri Lankas können nicht mit den deutlich älteren Granuliten des Gürtels der Eastern Ghats in Südost Indien korreliert werden sondern ähneln eher den hochgradigen Gesteinen in Südost Madagaskar. Damit ist die Lage Sri Lankas nahe Madagaskar in einer Gondwana Rekonstruktion wahrscheinlicher als nahe der Südostküste Indiens.

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Résumé De nouvelles données isotopiques et géochronologiques montrent que les roches métamorphiques du socle du Sri Lanka ne constituent pas, comme on l'a souvent cru, une partie du complexe granulitique archéen de l'Inde méridionale, mais qu'elles ont vécu leur propre histoire tectono-métamorphique au cours de l'orogenèse panafricaine, entre 950 et 550 Ma. Cette orogenèse est le résultat de la collision entre le Gondwana occidental (Afrique et Amérique du Sud) et le Gondwana oriental (Inde du sud, Australie et Antarctique) et constitue une des plus grandes chaînes de collision du Supercontinent: la chaîne du Mozambique, qui s'étend du Mozambique jusqu'au Soudan et en Ethiopie. Un contact tectonique majeur, interprété comme un charriage, sépare le »Highland/South-western Complex« (partie centrale du Sri Lanka) du »Vijayan Complex« (partie est et sud-est). Le premier de ces complexes est interprété comme un reste d'une ancienne marge passive de grande étendue, à laquelle appartenaient aussi les séries lithologiquement analogues du domaine très métamorphique du Mozambique, de Tanzanie et de Madagascar. Le «Vijagan Complex« a pu être une partie d'un ensemble plutonique séparé de marge active; sa collision avec le »Highland/Southwestern Complex« marque la réunion finale en un super-continent il y a quelque 550 Ma, des Gondwanas oriental et occidental. Les granulites du Sri Lanka ne peuvent pas être corrélées avec celles de la chaîne des Eastern Ghats (Inde du sud-est) qui sont nettement plus anciennes; elles se rapprochent plutôt des roches très métamorphiques du sud-est de Madagascar. On en déduit que la position du Sri Lanka, dans une reconstruction du Gondwana, devait être plus proche de Madagascar que de la côte sud de l'Inde.

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Precambrian structure and chronology in the Highland Series of Sri Lanka

Field studies in the Kandy district and elsewhere in the Highland Series demonstrate that these granulite facies rocks have been repeatedly deformed. The major folds (D3) postdate one and possibly two phases of isoclinal folding (D1 and D2) during which the main L-S fabric was formed. The main metamorphic peak probably occurred during these early phases, around 2200 Ma ago. The D3 episode appears to have predated the formation of the Vijayan gneisses at 1200 Ma. Hornblende-bearing gneisses mainly restricted to synformal basins are regarded as the result of local partial melting and mobilization during D3.     

Locational specificities of fertility transition in Sri Lanka

Sri Lanka has one of the lowest fertility rates among poor countries of the world. The fertility decline which began in the 1950s has held steady during the last four decades, despite low levels of economic development. Widespread use of contraception is the primary cause of the fertility decline. However, there is no one single homogenous body of people that can be characterized as a ‘modern’ contracepting population through which new methods of family planning have spatially diffused. There is evidence that the overall fertility decline began even before the establishment of the modern family planning program in Sri Lanka. Our analysis showed four broad regional regimes of fertility transition with considerable social and place-to-place differences in method-specific rates of contraception among them. Non-modern ‘traditional techniques’ of contraception which are widely used are an important part of fertility regulation. Sterilization is the most common method of modern contraception in all regions. Less than a tenth of the protected couples use methods such as the pill and the IUD; moreover, these methods are often discontinued after initial use. Traditional methods are an important part of the contraceptive mix in Sri Lanka, and it would be inadvisable to discourage the use of such practices. This revised version was published online in August 2006 with corrections to the Cover Date.     

Arrested charnockite formation in southern India and Sri Lanka

Arrested prograde charnockite formation in quartzofeldspathic gneisses is widespread in the high-grade terrains of southern India and Sri Lanka. Two major kinds of orthopyroxene-producing reactions are recognized. Breakdown of calcic amphibole by reaction with biotite and quartz in tonalitic/granitic gray gneiss produced the regional orthopyroxene isograd, manifest in charnockitic mottling and veining of mixed-facies exposures, as at Kabbal, Karnataka, and in the Kurunegala District of the Sri Lanka Central Highlands. Chemical and modal analyses of carefully chosen immediately-adjacent amphibole gneiss and charnockite pairs show that the orthopyroxene is produced by an open system reaction involving slight losses of CaO, MgO and FeO and gains of SiO₂ and Na₂O. Rb and Y are depleted in the charnockite. Another kind of charnockitization is found in paragneisses throughout the southern high-grade area, and involves the reaction of biotite and quartz±garnet to produce orthopyroxene and K-feldspar. Although charnockite formation along shears and other deformation zones at such localities as Ponmudi, Kerala is highly reminiscent of Kabbal, close pair analyses are not as suggestive of open-system behavior. This type of charnockite formation is found in granulite facies areas where no prograde amphibole-bearing gneisses exist and connotes a higher-grade reaction than that of the orthopyroxene isograd. Metamorphic conditions of both Kabbaltype and Ponmudi-type localities were 700°–800° C and 5–6 kbar. Lower P(H₂O) in the Ponmudi-type metamorphism was probably the definitive factor.CO₂-rich fluid inclusions in quartz from the Kabbaltype localities support the concept that this type of charnockite formation was driven by influx of CO₂ from some deep-seated source. The open-system behavior and high oxidation states of the metamorphism are in accord with the CO₂-streaming hypothesis. CO₂-rich inclusions in graphitebearing charnockites of the Ponmudi type, however, commonly have low densities and compositions not predictable by vapor-mineral equilibrium calculations. These inclusions may have suffered post-metamorphic H₂ leakage or some systematic contamination.Neither the close-pair analyses nor the fluid inclusions strongly suggest an influx of CO₂ drove charnockite formation of the Ponmudi type. The possibility remains that orthopyroxene and CO₂-rich fluids were produced by reaction of biotite with graphite without intervention of fluids of external origin. Further evidence, such as oxygen isotopes, is necessary to test the CO₂-streaming hypothesis for the Ponmudi-type localities.     

The origin of the pink granites of Sri Lanka — another view

Pink granites are common throughout the Precambrian metasedimentary terrain of Sri Lanka and play a significant role in reconstructing the geologic evolution of this country. Essentially microcline-bearing rocks, they form conformable layers with the associated metasedimentary rocks and are always interlayered and associated with rocks possessing amphibolite-facies mineral assemblages. This association is seen throughout the terrain at all scales. Further, they always tend to fold around the major structures of the terrain and contain conformable layers and enclaves of rare metasediments, and have a gneissic appearance in places. Their field relations, associations, mineralogy, petrography, petrofabrics, chemistry, and also age, suggest that they are metasediments, probably arkoses, which have undergone the same set of metamorphic and deformational events as other Precambrian metamorphic rocks of Sri Lanka. Their present ‘granite-like’ character does not necessarily imply that they are the products of crystallization of magmatic or anatectic melts, or that they have had a replacement origin. Rather, chemical composition has determined their present ‘granite-like’ character, due to granitization by simple isochemical recrystallization — “Treptomorphism” — during highgrade metamorphism, at a P_H2O which was sufficient to retard their grade to amphibolite facies under granulite facies metamorphic conditions, at which the other metasediments of Sri Lanka have metamorphosed.     

Environmental geochemistry and health of fluorine in Chinese coals

Fluorine is one of the potential hazardous trace elements in coal. Fluorine may be released into atmosphere mostly during coal combustion process. When the coal is burning indoors without any controlling methods (chimney), the fluorine will pollute the room and is absorbed by food fired (dried) over stoves. Now many people have suffered from fluorosis due to coal burning indoors in Southwest China. In this paper, the concentration, distribution, mode of occurrences and impact factors of fluorine in Chinese coals are analyzed. The environmental impacts and typical features of fluorosis are studied. It is concluded that the value of fluorine in Chinese coals ranges from 20 to 300 mg/kg, and with average value of 122 mg/kg from 5,603 coal samples. It is higher than the average value of the world coals (80 mg/kg). In provincial coalfields of the SW China, the content of F is highest and many people have been affected due to coal combustion indoors.     

Cross-twinning in a natural spinel from Sri Lanka

A modified cross-twinning growth mechanism is put forward to explain the anomalous morphology of a spinel multiple-twin from Sri Lanka, flattened crosswise the twin planes. Cross-twinning in spinel was found also in other specimens from Pegu (Myanmar), and the results were published in a previous paper. This particular type of twinning is derived from the combination of cyclic twinning with lamellar twinning, so that these samples may be thought of as partial fivelings (cubic cyclic {111} twins with five components sharing a common <110> pseudo-fivefold axis). In the present paper, the sample from Sri Lanka has been suitably cut with the aim of focusing the study on the cross-twinning region. The transformation matrices that link the orientation states of each couple of twin components have been determined by means of White Beam Synchrotron Radiation Topography. They showed that the specimen is made up of four twin components (A, B, C and D), with three twin planes: and They also showed that the cross-twinned individuals (B and D) actually are not twinned to each other, and that a simple crystallographic relationship holds between them. X-ray diffraction topography by conventional source allowed to image the crossing-region and to determine that the cross-twinned individuals are in contact through a semi-coherent boundary, with twinning dislocations contributing to relieve the coherency strains. Electron probe microanalyses with wave dispersive spectroscopy showed that the chemical composition is almost homogeneous, at least within the spatial resolution limit of this technique. The similar growth features observed in the spinel sample from Sri Lanka and in those from Myanmar are interpreted as growth marks, indicators of a similar origin: in both cases they are found in impure dolomitic marbles. In particular, the specimen from Sri Lanka results from the interaction of thermal and metasomatic effects due to contact metamorphism. An unusual stepped morphology of the face close to the twin boundary, possibly due to corrosion and re-growth processes acted preferentially at a re-entrant corner by metasomatic fluids, is interpreted as indicator of a metasomatic event that succeeded to the crystal growth, the latter occurred by thermal effect.