Australia and Gondwanaland

Along the western margin of the Australian continent there exist four major sedimentary basins, filled with predominantly marine rocks from Cambrian to Tertiary in age, and up to 40,000 feet thick. Seaward these basins continue into depressions recognizable in the continental shelf and even the continental slope. Their very presence, the nature of their sediments and the composition and relationships of their fossil faunas indicate the existence of an open ocean to the west of Australia since early Paleozoic time. Composition of the Australian fossil land vertebrate faunas suggests isolation of the Australian continent since at least Permian time.A condensed version of this paper was presented at the XX International Geological Congress in Mexico, September 1956. Publication authorized by the Director, U. S. Geological Survey.The writer is greatly indebted to B. E.Balme, B. F.Glenister, A. W.Lindner, J. R. H.McWhae, and P. E.Playford for brief summaries of important new stratigraphic and paleontological studies. These were communicated to the writer by B. F.Glenister and are, in their proper places, acknowledged asMcWhae et al., ms. In the meantime this work appeared under the title Stratigraphy of Western Australia in Jour. Geol. Soc. Australia, vol. 4, pt. 2, 1958, p. 1–161, after the present paper had gone to press. For stratigraphical details the reader is referred to this authoritative publication.     

Zur Lagerstättengenetischen Deutung der Isotopenverhältnisse am Blei und Schwefel

Zusammenfassung Es werden einige der Voraussetzungen untersucht, unter denen sich aus den Isotopenverhältnissen von Blei, Schwefel und anderen am Aufbau einer Lagerstätte beteiligten Elementen Aussagen über die Bildungsbedingungen und genetischen Zusammenhänge herleiten lassen.Am Blei interessiert in diesem Zusammenhang in erster Linie die Anomalie gegenüber demHolmes-Houtermanschen Bleimodell, während das Absolutalter nur zur Kontrolle bzw. zum Einhängen in das geologische Zeitschema benötigt wird. Auf die Entstehungsursachen der Anomalien wird im Abschnitt B eingegangen.Bei den leichteren Elementen — wie z. B. H, C, O und S — treten im Verlaufe geochemischer Prozesse Isotopen-Trenn-Effekte auf, und man kann daher aus den Isotopenverhältnissen bspw. auf eine voraufgegangene Teilnahme am exogenen Kreislauf schließen. Derartige Messungen sollen möglichst vollständig in die Untersuchungen einbezogen werden und wurden im vorliegenden Programm bereits für den Schwefel des Bleiglanzes (PbS) durchgeführt (Abschnitt C).Im Abschnitt D wird kurz auf die Meßtechnik eingegangen, und Abschnitt E gibt einen Überblick auf die Meßergebnisse an Lagerstätten des Westharzes (Oberharz, St. Andreasberg, Rammelsberg). Die Auswertung der Blei-Messungen (Abschnitt F) und Schwefel-Messungen (Abschnitt G) bringt für das gewählte Modell-Arbeitsgebiet interessante Ergänzungen der bekannten genetischen Zusammenhänge, so daß die Übertragung der Untersuchungstechnik auf andere Lagerstättengebiete nützlich erscheint.Die Messungen wurden größtenteils im Massenspektrometer-Laboratorium der Bundesanstalt für Bodenforschung, Hannover, durchgeführt. Das Probenmaterial stammt aus eigenen Aufsammlungen sowie aus den Sammlungen der Herren Berging. E.Bock, St. Andreasberg, Dr. E.Kraume, Goslar, und Prof. Dr. H.Rose, Hamburg. Außerdem wurden die ersten Teilergebnisse eines gemeinsam mit Herrn Dr.-Ing. H.Hüttenhain, Clausthal, begonnenen Untersuchungsprogramms verwertet.Ich möchte an dieser Stelle allen im Text genannten Herren für die Überlassung von Untersuchungsmaterial und für fruchtbare Anregungen danken, vor allen Dingen aber auch meinem bisherigen Kollegen, Herrn Dipl.-Phys. H.Lenz, sowie den Damen M.Fassbender, U.Rätsch und U.Römer für die Durchführung der zahlreichen Analysen und Auswertungen.     

1972 values for international geochemical reference samples

Best values for constituents determined in a rock analysis and for trace elements are collected for samples prepared by the Centre de Recherches Petrographiqueset Geochimiques, France, the Canadian Standard Reference Materials Project (formerly SSC), the Geological Survey of Japan, the National Institute for Metallurgy, South Africa, the U.S. Geological Survey and the Zentrales Geologisches Institut, D.D.R.     

Der Schwefelgehalt in Knochen und Zähnen rezenter und fossiler Organismen

The sulfur content of teeth and bones has been determined by a microprobe. Recent samples only contain about 0.05 weight percent of sulfur, independent of a marine or terrestrial origin of the organisms. The total sulfur of these samples is partly related to the organic matter and partly to SO ₄ ^2– -ions replacing PO ₄ ^3– -ions in the crystalline matter of the skeletons. In the living organisms this matter consists of octacalciumphosphatecarbonate (OCPC) (Hayek, 1967), which is transformed only to a small degree into apatite. During diagenesis the process of apatite-crystallisation proceeds, and more sulfate enters the lattice of the phosphate, which leads to an enrichment of sulfur up to about one percent by weight. There is no relation observed between the concentration of sulfur and the age of the organisms. Influences of the environment of diagenesis on different minor compounds entering the phosphates of bones and teeth in different state of composition have been evaluated. As a result the possibility of dating fossils by minor element analysis (F, Mn, SO ₄ ^2– etc.) must be questioned. Differences between freshwater and marine invironment of deposition cannot be observed in the total sulfur of diagenetic phosphates.

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Ich danke Herrn Prof. Dr. K. H. Wedepohl für sein Interesse an der Durchführung dieser Arbeit und für seine aktive Unterstützung. Für die Überlassung von Proben danke ich ganz besonders Herrn Prof. Dr. O. H. Walliser, Herrn Dr. Frank Westphal, Mrs. L. S. StevenSon, Herrn Prof. Dr. H. W. Flügel, Herrn Prof. Dr. W. G. Kühne und Herrn Prof. Dr. K. Krömmelbein; für klärende Diskussionen Herrn Prof. Dr. O. H. Walliser, Herrn Prof. Dr. Dr. h. c. C. W. Correns, Herrn Prof. Dr. K. H. Wedepohl, Herrn Priv.-Doz. Dr. med. Kämmerer und Herrn Priv.-Doz. Dr. M. LieflÄnder; für die Übermittlung von Literatur und Hinweisen Herrn Priv.-Doz. Dr. H. Newesely; und für ihre Unterstützung und Diskussionsbereitschaft allen Mitarbeitern des Geochemischen Institutes der Universität Göttingen.     

A Rubidium-Strontium study of the Twilight Gneiss,West Needle Mountains,Colorado

The Precambrian trondhjemitic Twilight Gneiss (Twilight Granite of Cross and Howe, 1905b) of the West Needle Mountains, southwestern Colorado, and its interlayered amphibolite and metarhyodacite yield a Rb-Sr isochron of 1,805±35 m.y. A low initial Sr⁸⁷/Sr⁸⁶ ratio of 0.7015 implies that metamorphism of these rocks to amphibolite facies took place soon after their emplacement. The mild metamorphism of Uncompahgran age, prior to 1,460 m.y. ago, and Laramide volcanism did not affect the Rb-Sr system in the Twilight. Rb contents of 26.5 to 108 ppm, Sr contents of 114 to 251 ppm, and K₂O percentages of 1.23 to 3.64 in the Twilight Gneiss, in conjunction with high K/Rb ratios and the low initial ratio of Sr⁸⁷/Sr⁸⁶, lend support to geologic data that suggest the Twilight originated as volcanic or hypabyssal igneous rocks in a basaltic volcanic pile.Publication authorized by the Director, U.S. Geological Survey.     

Unverfestigte Sedimente und Erdbaumechanik

Ohne ZusammenfassungVortrag auf der Tagung der Geologischen Vereinigung am 8. Jan. 1938 zu Frankfurt a. M.Die angeführten experimentellen Daten wurden im Institut für Erdbauforschung der eidg. techn. Hochschule in Zürich bestimmt. Dessen Leitern Prof.Meyer-Peter und Prof.Niggli, wie auch P. D. Dr. E.Brandenberger, Ing.Häfeli und Ing.Maag sei hier bestens gedankt.     

Refinement of the synthetic hydroxyapatite cell parameters

High-precision, computer-refined values of the cell parameters of calcium hydroxyapatite, Ca₁₀(PO₄)₆(OH)₂, have been determined with an X-ray diffractometer, internally standardized by means of sodium chloride. The results obtained are as follows: a ₀=9.4192 Å c ₀/a ₀=0.731 c ₀=6.8867 Å volume=529.2 ų The apatite work was supported by a research grant DE-02105 from the United States Department of Health, Education, and Welfare. I am very grateful to Dr. W. R. Liebenberg, Dr. S. A. Hiemstra and Dr. H. V. R. von Rahden of National Institute for Metallurgy, South Africa for their valuable help and interest and Prof. Nelson Fuson and Prof. James R. Lawson for advice and discussion.     

Tektonische Forschungen in den Appalachen

Ohne ZusammenfassungZum Ende habe ich all den amerikanischen Fachgenossen herzlich zu danken, deren reiche Belehrung und Anregung ich wÄhrend eines lÄngeren Aufenthalts in Amerika genossen habe, vor allem meinem verehrten Lehrer und Freund A. W.Grabau, dann den ProfessorenKemp, Berkey, Johnson, dann dem deutsch-amerikanischen PalÄontologenRuedemann und dem Tektoniker der Geol. Survey, Dr.Keith.     

National Seminar on Orissa’s Mineral,Environment and Geosciences Assessment — 2011 (OMEGA-2011) and Golden Jubilee of Geological Survey of India,Orissa — M. Mohanty and K. C. Sahoo (Email: manoranjanmoha@gmail.com)

News and Notes

National Seminar on Orissa’s Mineral, Environment and Geosciences Assessment — 2011 (OMEGA-2011) and Golden Jubilee of Geological Survey of India, Orissa — M. Mohanty and K. C. Sahoo (Email: manoranjanmoha@gmail.com)     

http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1674987112000886

Six national-scale, or near national-scale, geochemical data sets for soils or stream sediments exist for the United States. The earliest of these, here termed the ‘Shacklette’ data set, was generated by a U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) project conducted from 1961 to 1975. This project used soil collected from a depth of about 20 cm as the sampling medium at 1323 sites throughout the conterminous U.S. The National Uranium Resource Evaluation Hydrogeochemical and Stream Sediment Reconnaissance (NURE-HSSR) Program of the U.S. Department of Energy was conducted from 1975 to 1984 and collected either stream sediments, lake sediments, or soils at more than 378,000 sites in both the conterminous U.S. and Alaska. The sampled area represented about 65% of the nation. The Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS), from 1978 to 1982, collected samples from multiple soil horizons at sites within the major crop-growing regions of the conterminous U.S. This data set contains analyses of more than 3000 samples. The National Geochemical Survey, a USGS project conducted from 1997 to 2009, used a subset of the NURE-HSSR archival samples as its starting point and then collected primarily stream sediments, with occasional soils, in the parts of the U.S. not covered by the NURE-HSSR Program. This data set contains chemical analyses for more than 70,000 samples. The USGS, in collaboration with the Mexican Geological Survey and the Geological Survey of Canada, initiated soil sampling for the North American Soil Geochemical Landscapes Project in 2007. Sampling of three horizons or depths at more than 4800 sites in the U.S. was completed in 2010, and chemical analyses are currently ongoing. The NRCS initiated a project in the 1990s to analyze the various soil horizons from selected pedons throughout the U.S. This data set currently contains data from more than 1400 sites. This paper (1) discusses each data set in terms of its purpose, sample collection protocols, and analytical methods; and (2) evaluates each data set in terms of its appropriateness as a national-scale geochemical database and its usefulness for national-scale geochemical mapping.     

Die autometamorphe retrograde Umwandlung von Biotiten in Chlorite und Muskowite in sauren Tiefengesteinen

The autometamorphic transformation of iron-rich biotite to chlorite and muscovite with the by-products hematite, ilmenite, sphene, and rutile has been studied in thin-sections of about 50 granitic rocks of Austria and Bavaria.From 19 granitic rock samples the magmatic biotites, their secondary chlorites, and muscovites were separated, purified by hand-picking, and investigated by optical, x-ray, and chemical methods. The silicatic products of biotite transformation were found to be iron-rich chlorites and iron-poor muscovites.The essentiall process of biotite alteration to chlorite is based in the emigration of 9,5–12, 2 Eq.wt.% Si and nearly the complete alcali. This leak is only compensated by the importation of 23,3–27,6 Eq.wt.% H₂O⁺.The chemical changes of biotite alteration to muscovite are characterized by the emigration of 15–20 Eq.wt.% Fe, Mg, Ti and the importation of 9,3–14,2 Al, 4,6–7,1 Si, and 1,3–4,3 Eq.wt% H₂O⁺.Owing to the transformation of biotite unit cell dimensions considerable changes. As a result of biotite replacement by chlorite c ₀·sin increases about 40%. a ₀ and b ₀ only extends for 0,8%.In comparison with these facts of chloritisation biotite transformation to muscovite was found to reduce a ₀ and b ₀ (–2,6%) much stronger than c ₀·sin (–0,7%).Modal analysis data of retrograde alterations of biotite and feldspar in the granites were connected with the observed and calculated values of main element changing. In the granitic samples about 50% of iron and titanium have been converted from silicatic into oxidic minerals like hematite, ilmenite, sphene, and rutile during the biotite transformation.59–92% of H₂O⁺ in these rocks fall to the share of secondary sheet silicate forming during the latest phases of granite crystallisation.The balance account of the various chemical reactions shows for the closed system a deficit of H₂O and Al, and a surplus of Fe, Ti, and F. The deficit or surplus of Si, Mg, Mn, Ca, Na, K, and Li in the samples is very different and dependent on the values of biotite chloritisation, feldspar sericitisation, and so forth.At the present time quantitative control of the complete chemical exchanges during the automorphism of these granites is not possible, because the quartz-feldspar-reactions have not yet been investigated.

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Für Anregungen, Diskussionen, sachliche Hilfen und förderndes Interesse bin ich den Herren Prof. Dr. C. W. Correns, Göttingen; Dr. H. Fesser, Hannover; Prof. Dr. H. R. v. Gaertner, Hannover; Dr. H. Gundlach, Hannover; Dipl.-Min. U. Haack, Göttingen; Dr. W. Harre, Hannover; Prof. Dr. F. Karl, Kiel; Prof. Dr. R. Mannkopff, Göttingen; Dr. C. Savelli, Göttingen; Prof. Dr. W. Schreyer, Kiel; Dr. F. Seifert; Kiel; Dipl.-Phys. W. Stahl, Hannover; Prof. Dr. K. H. Wedepohl, Göttingen, und Prof. Dr. H. G. F. Winkler, Göttingen, zu großem Dank verpflichtet.

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Folgende Institutionen haben meine Arbeit durch die Erlaubnis der Benutzung von wissenschaftlichen Geräten und durch sachliche und finanzielle Mittel in dankenswerter Weise unterstützt: Bundesanstalt für Bodenforschung, Hannover, Deutsehe Forschungsgemeinschaft, Bad Godesberg, Geochemisches Institut der Universität, Göttingen, und das Mineralogisch-Petrographische Institut der Universität, Kiel.

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Meinen Assistentinnen Frl. G. Klaetsch, Frl. B. Köhler und Frau H. Grapp bin ich für ihre große Geduld und ihren ausdauernden Fleiß bei der jahrelangen mühsamen Trennung und Reinigung der Mineralphasen von Herzen dankbar.     

The National Geodetic Survey project “POLARIS”

The National Geodetic Survey (N.G.S.) of the National Ocean Survey has undertaken a new project called POLar-motion Analysis by Radio Interferometric Surveying (POLA-RIS). The premier goal of the project is to establish a fully operational polar motion monitoring network, with a spatial resolution and accuracy of 10 cm and a temporal resolution of 24 hours. The new network will utilize radio interferometric techniques. The fixed POLARIS observatories may also serve as base stations to be used in conjunction with small-aperture, 3–10-m, mobile units for positional surveys for geodetic and geo-dynamic applications. The N.G.S. plans to cooperate fully with other governmental organizations having related responsibilities and interest in polar motion, earth rotation and geodynamics [e.g., National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA), United States Geological Survey (U.S.G.S.), United States Naval Observatory (U.S.N.O.)] as well as academic and private researchers.     

Book reviews

Book review in this article
Antarctic Cenozoic History from the MSSTS-1 Drill Hole McMurdo Sound, ed. by P. J. Barrett
Experimental Fluvial Geomorphology, by Stanley A. Schumm, M. Paul Mosley and William E. Weaver
Diagenetic Bedding: A Model for Marl-Limestone Alterations, by W. Ricken
Cretaceous and Cenozoic Sedimentary Basins of the West Coast Region, South Island, New Zealand. New Zealand Geological Survey Basin Studies1, by S. Nathan, H. J. Anderson, R. A. Cook, R. H. Herzer, R. H. Hoskins, J. I. Raine and D. Smale
The Marine Environment of the U.S. Atlantic Continental Slope and Rise, ed. by J. D. Milliman & W. R. Wright
Shelf Sands and Sandstones, ed. by R. John Knight and J. Ross McLean.
Foreland Basins, ed. by P. A. Allen and P. Homewood.
Proterozoic Geology: Selected Papers from an International Proterozoic Symposium, ed. L. G. Medaris, Jr., C. W. Byers, D. M. Mickelson & W. C. Shanks
Géologie de la Préhistoire, Méthodes, Techniques, Applications, ed. by J. C. Miskovsky
Aeolian Geomorphology (Proceedings of the 17th Annual Binghamton Geomorphology Symposium, September 1986.), ed. by William G. Nickling
Aeolian Dust and Dust Deposits, by K. Pye
Biological Markers in the Sedimentary Record, ed. by R. B. Johns
Stable Isotope Geochemistry, by J. Hoefs
Reef Diagenesis, ed. by J. H. Schroeder and B. H. Purser     

Le massif ultrabasique des Beni Bouchera (Rif Interne,Maroc): Etude des péridotites de haute température et de haute pression,et des pyroxénolites, à grenat ou sans grenat,qui leur sont associées

The ultrabasic rocks which form the Beni Bouchera massif are schistose and folded isoclinally. They outcrop at the center of a late formed anticline under a series of granulite facies precambrian or lower paleozoic rocks. The ultrabasic rocks appear to have been in situ during the major structural development of the series and were emplaced at the time of metamorphism. The massif itself is essentially a peridotite, apparently layered, which contains pyroxenite bands (about 3% of the total volume of the massif). The peridotites are olivinerich containing two aluminous pyroxenes and spinel. The pyroxenites are however quite varied. They are frequently banded themselves and in several centimeters thickness can vary from enstatite rocks at the exterior of the layers to garnet clinopyroxenites at the center with websterite and garnet websterite as intermediate rock type. They are also present as monofacies bands of enstatite or garnet clinopyroxenite rock. Occasionally the minerals in these bands show exsolution features.Thirty six new rock and mineral chemical analyses are presented here. An attempt is made to use these data correlated with abundant bibliographic material in order to evaluate the conditions of formation of the rock types. The temperature range is estimated to be 1100–1200° C, pressures between 15 and 20 kbs in the latest facies and 1400°C and 25 kbs for a primary phase represented by the pyroxenites showing marked exsolution features. Various arguments lead to the conclusion that the pyroxenite bands crystallized from a liquid which was in equilibrium with the solid lherzolite.One sees in the Beni Bouchera the results of anatectic melting of an aluminous peridotite which originated in the upper mantle. This partial fusion was caused by the adiabatic upward movement of the mantle material toward the lower crust where tangential tectonic movements emplaced it as a solidified mass in an orogenic root zone under granulite facies conditions.

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Equipe de recherches associée au C.N.R.S.: Pétrogenèse des roches éruptives et métamorphiques

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Plusieurs missions sur le terrain ont été effectuées avec le concours du Service Géologique du Maroc et grâce, particulièrement, à G. Choubert, M. Diouri, Y. Ennadifi et A. FaureMuret. Les études pétrographiques ont été poursuivies à la Sorbonne sous la direction de J. Jung et de J. Ravier. Une aide inestimable m'a été apportée par M. J. O'Hara pour la rédaction de ce mémoire. A divers titres j'ai largement bénéficié des conseils et critiques de B. Azambre, F. Conquere, M. Durand-Delga, M. Fonteilles, J. R. Kienast, B. Velde, D. Velde et J. C. Vilminot     

Sedimentpetrographische und geochemische Untersuchungen an Karbonatgesteinen des Zechsteins

Introduction and methods applied: some new DTA-methods (quantitative determination of gypsum, determination of grain-size of carbonates, analysis of small amounts of iron in the dolomite lattice and of magnesium in calcite) and improved DTA-data on some minerals (clay minerals, Fe- and Al-hydroxides, pyrite, quartz, fluorite), occuring in the residue of carbonate rocks and not admitting solution by acids, are given.

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Meinem verehrten Lehrer, Herrn Prof. Dr. Dr. h. c. C. W. Correns, danke ich sehr für die Überlassung des Themas. Für viele Hinweise und Diskussionen bin ich weiterhin Frau Dr. P. Schneiderhöhn, Herrn Prof. Dr. K. H. Wedepohl und Herrn Dr. H. E. Usdowski zu Dank verpflichtet.     

Lead and strontium isotopes in rocks of the Absaroka volcanic field,Wyoming

The Absaroka volcanic field is comprised of predominant andesitic volcaniclastic rocks and less abundant potassium-rich mafic lavas (shoshonites and absarokites). Strontium and lead isotopic variations preclude a simple derivation from an isotopically uniform source: Sr⁸⁷/Sr⁸⁶, 0.7042 to 0.7090; Pb²⁰⁶/Pb²⁰⁴, 16.31 to 17.30; Pb²⁰⁸/Pb²⁰⁴, 36.82 to 37.64. We postulate that these rocks were derived from a lower crust or upper mantle which underwent a preferential loss of uranium relative to lead approximately 2800±200 m.y. ago. Variations in lead and strontium isotopic compositions are thought to reflect small inhomogeneities in U/Pb and Rb/Sr ratios in the source.Publication authorized by the Director, U.S. Geological Survey.     

Bestimmung sehr kleiner Verteilungskoeffizienten von Cs,Na und Ba zwischen Lösung und KCl-Einkristallen mit Hilfe radioaktiver Isotope

Distribution of Cs, Na, and Ba between great monocrystals of KCl and water solution was investigated. Impurity was either labelled by long-lived radioactive isotopes or was activated after growth of the crystals by neutrons in a nuclear reactor. No influence on partition coefficients was caused by using radioactive tracers, e.g. due to raised inclusion of mother liquor. Between impurity concentrations from 3·10^–4 to 10^–1 in the solution the partition coefficients were nearly constant and about 10^–3 for Na, about 10^–4 for Cs, and <5·10^–5 for Ba in KCl at temperatures of 40° C. If different impurity ions were built in simultaneously, the partition coefficients were independent of composition of solution. In case of Cs in KCl capture of Cs increased with increasing temperature.

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Meinem hoehverehrten Lehrer, Herrn Prof. Dr. W. von Engelhart, danke ieh für die freundliehe Überlassung des interessanten Themas. Für die stete Förderung und die zahlreichen fruehtbaren Diskussionen und Anregungen bin ich ihm und Herrn Dr. H. Puchelt zu großem Dank verpflichtet.Dem Bundesnlinisterium für wissensehaftliehe Forsehung danke ieh ffir die großzügige Unterstützung der Arbeit.Herrn Prof. Dr. W. Seelmann-Eggebert und Herrn Dr. V. Schneider vom Kernforsehungszentrum Karlsruhe und Herrn Dr. Bartel von der Kernforsehungsanlage Jülich danke ich für die Unterstützung bei der Neutronenaktivierung und Herrn Dr. J. Ottemann vom Mineralogischen Instigut der Universität Heidelberg für die Untersuchung mit der Elektronenmikrosonde.