Mineral distribution and provenance of heavy mineral sands (zircon,ilmenite, rutile) deposits from the NW Murray Basin,far western NSW,Australia

Abstract

There is significant economic interest in the Murray Basin of southeastern Australia as it is proving to be a major heavy mineral sands (HMS) province that will be one of Australia’s major source for production of rutile, zircon and ilmenite. The distribution and provenance of HMS resources in the Murray Basin is poorly understood because of its huge size, limited exploration and the complex depositional, structural and weathering mechanisms in their development. In this paper, we focus on the Copi North and Magic deposits some 130–180?km south of Broken Hill, NSW. The heavy mineral assemblages of the Copi North and Magic deposits are very similar, with the main economic minerals being ilmenite, leucoxene, pseudorutile, rutile and zircon. Intensive fracturing and brecciation are identified in many samples and are inferred to have been initially caused by multi-stage deformational processes associated with metamorphism and then further developed through alluvial and eolian transportation. Both deposits are classified as ‘medium sands, symmetrical, mesokurtic and moderately well-sorted’. The majority of economic minerals are of low to medium sphericity and subrounded, along with abundant polished eolian quartz grains. The Copi North deposit has coarser and more poorly sorted sediments with higher HMS grades and magnetics content than the Magic deposit, reflecting a higher energy depositional environment. The main source for the HMS for the Copi North and Magic deposits is largely ascribed to the Broken Hill Block. Previous studies have shown that the Broken Hill orebody underwent substantial sub-aerial weathering over hundreds of millions of years. In addition, the complex metamorphic events experienced by the Broken Hill Block were capable of forming the broad series of minerals identified within the Copi North and Magic deposits. The HMS were believed to have been transported through paleovalleys near the Mulculca Fault in a southeast direction representing a feeder system into the NW Murray Basin. Both deposits feature a relatively linear geometry (roughly parallel to the strike of the paleoshoreline), with high HMS grades, modest tonnages, and coarser sediments when compared to WIM-style offshore deposits. Compared to other strandline HMS deposits of the Murray Basin, they are smaller in size although have similar high grades of 3.7–6.9% THM and similar proportions of the HMS assemblage of ilmenite, leucoxene, rutile and zircon. Deposits of similar size and grade are likely to occur throughout the northern part of the Murray Basin.

1. KEY POINTS

2. Both the Copi North and Magic deposits contain similar mineral assemblages with the provenance of the heavy minerals ascribed to the Broken Hill Block.

3. A relatively high energy inshore environment is inferred for the Copi North deposit while a lower energy environment associated with either a foreshore or backshore environment is inferred for the Magic deposit.

4. Deposits of similar mineralogy, grades and size are likely to occur elsewhere throughout the northern Murray Basin.

     

内蒙古羊蹄子山-磨石山钛矿床锐钛矿、金红石和钛铁矿的矿物学特征

羊蹄子山-磨石山钛矿床的钛矿物主要为锐钛矿、金红石和钛铁矿。锐钛矿化学成分的特点是FeO含量明显比金红石要低;主要X光粉晶谱线为3.518(100)、2.377(14)和1.667(11);晶胞参数a()=3.786,c()=9.513;拉曼光谱谱线(cm-1)为516、395、195和143。金红石的主要X光粉晶谱线为3.250(100)、1.688(40)和2.488(29);晶胞参数为a()=4.595,c()=2.962;拉曼光谱谱线(cm-1)为610和446。钛铁矿的成分特点是富锰贫镁,与攀西地区岩浆型钒钛磁铁矿矿床中的钛铁矿正好相反。所有上述钛(铁)氧化物矿物学特征,进一步说明该矿床是在中元古代在海底与基性火山活动有关的热水沉积后经区域变质和局部又遭受后期热液改造而成。     

华南早寒武世黑色岩系镍钼多金属矿床矿物学特征研究

湖南张家界三岔和贵州遵义黄家湾在下寒武统黑色岩系中发育有镍钼多金属矿床,这是华南乃至全球这类矿床的2个典型实例。通过对其进行系统的矿相显微镜、电子探针以及扫描电子显微镜观测分析,分析了成矿岩系的矿物学特征,并进一步根据矿物结构、组成与共生关系,结合地质背景,讨论了矿床成因。结果显示,非矿层中的金属矿物类型较为单一,主要是黄铁矿;而矿层中发现的矿物种类丰富,主要包括＂碳硫钼矿＂、针镍矿、黄铁矿、胶磷矿等,其中＂碳硫钼矿＂和针镍矿分别是钼与镍的主要赋存形式。认为钼主要来自于海水,镍主要来自于热水（液）流体,矿床为海水-热水（液）-生物复合成因。这些研究结果为此类矿床研究提供了新的矿物学基础研究资料,并且有助于加深对矿床成因的认识。     

大阜山金红石矿床含矿岩体的岩石学特征及其地质意义

大阜山以赋存金红石矿床而闻名,主体为基性变质岩体,以榴闪岩为主。主要矿物石榴子石、角闪石、斜长石、金红石等主要经历了3个发育期次,不同期次具有不同的产状特征。根据野外地质、岩石学、元素地球化学研究分析,结合区域地质背景资料,认为含矿岩体原岩为辉长岩,具正铕异常,低温中高压环境下变质而成。受扬子板块向华北板块俯冲后快速折返的影响,含矿岩体经历了退变质过程,金红石矿床形成。因此,金红石矿床是变质原岩(辉长岩)在区域变质作用下,经构造演化等综合作用的结果。     

Methodology and Application of Hafnium Isotopes in Ilmenite and Rutile by MC‐ICP‐MS

The high abundances of the high field‐strength elements in ilmenite and rutile make these minerals particularly suitable for hafnium isotopic investigations. We present a technique for separating Hf by ion exchange chemistry from high‐TiO₂ (> 40% m/m) minerals to achieve precise Hf isotopic composition analyses by MC (multiple collector)‐ICP‐MS. Following digestion and conversion to chlorides, the first elution column is used to separate iron and the rare earth elements, the second column is designed to separate most of the titanium from Hf, an evaporation step using HClO₄ is then performed to remove any trace of HF in preparation for the third column, which is needed to eliminate any remaining trace of titanium. The modified chemistry helped to improve the yields from < 10 to > 78% as well as the analytical precision of the processed samples (e.g., sample 2033‐A1, ¹⁷⁶Hf/¹⁷⁷Hf = 0.282251 ± 25 before vs. 0.282225 ± 6 after). The technique was tested on a case study in which the Hf isotopic ratios of ilmenite and rutile (analysed prior to the chemistry improvement) were determined and permitted to evaluate that the origin of rutile‐bearing ilmenite deposits is from the same or similar magma than their, respectively, associated Proterozoic anorthosite massifs (Saint‐Urbain and Lac Allard) of the Grenville Province in Québec, Canada.     

Investigation of the Ablation Behaviour of Andradite-Grossular Garnets and Rutile with Implications for U-Pb Geochronology

U-Pb dating of andradite-grossular garnet (grandite) and rutile by LA-ICP-MS can be used to constrain various metamorphic, metasomatic and igneous geological processes. In this study, we examine and compare the impact of different analytical conditions (fluence, pulse width, laser beam size and ablation frequency) on the ablation crater morphology, ablation rates, down-hole fractionation and U-Pb ages of grandite and rutile samples of different compositions. The shapes of grandite ablation craters suggest the mineral ablates by classical evaporation with significant melting that cannot be eliminated even at fluences just above the ablation threshold. Grandite garnets with higher andradite proportions have faster ablation rates. The overall low U contents of grandite require using large laser beam sizes to obtain acceptable precision of U-Pb ages. At such conditions and crater depths < 10 μm, fluences of 2.1 and 3.5 J cm^-2, laser pulse width of 5 ns and 20 ns, and ablation frequencies between 3.5 and 6.5 Hz, obtain similar and reproducible ages when the proportion of grossular is < 35%. Rutile ablation crater morphology shows evidence of melt splashing and thermal stress cracking. They have significant crater bottom features, which increase in relief with lower fluences and a higher number of laser shots, indicating the features are probably energy-related and making higher fluences, such as 5 J cm^-2, necessary for uniform ablation when using 193 nm excimer lasers. The slow ablation rate at low fluences and then steep increase at around 2.0 J cm^-2 suggests a transition in the ablation mechanism from exfoliation to classical vaporisation. Crater bottom features and other ablation behaviour vary between samples, which could be related to their difference in colour. Although the down-hole fractionation patterns of the samples are similar at 5 J cm^-2, the U-Pb ages of some samples vary significantly with different analytical conditions and/or measurement sessions, particularly when using laser beam sizes of 30 μm, suggesting differences in mass bias and more variable ablation behaviour. A laser beam size of at least 60 μm is recommended for reproducible U-Pb dating of rutile.     

氢气还原处理对天然金红石可见光吸收的影响机制

天然半导体矿物金红石因结构中含有类质同象替代杂质元素V和Fe,具有一定的可见光吸收和光催化活性。为改善金红石的日光光催化性能,在H2还原气氛下,对天然金红石粉末进行500～900℃不同温度的热处理改性研究。紫外-可见漫反射吸收光谱（UV-Vis diffuse reflectance absorption spectra）表明H2还原处理显著改善了金红石在可见光区460～750 nm波段的光吸收,其中900℃处理样品的光吸收提升最为明显。电子顺磁共振（EPR）和X射线光电子能谱（XPS）测试表明,随着还原温度升高,杂质元素V和Fe从高价态（V5＋,Fe3＋）向较低的价态（V4＋,V3＋,Fe2＋）转化,同时金红石表面的化学吸附水含量也有所增加。本文认为H2还原热处理引起的过渡金属元素价态的改变,尤其是较低氧化态V离子（V4＋和V3＋）的形成,可能是导致金红石样品可见光吸收显著增加的主要原因。     

Mineralogy, Chemical Characteristics and Upgrading of Beach Ilmenite of the Top Meter of Black Sand Deposits of the Kafr Al-Sheikh Governorate, Northern Egypt

Egyptian beach ilmenite occurs in a relatively high content in the naturally highly concentrated superficial black sand deposits at specific beach zones in the northern parts of the Nile Delta at Rosetta. Microscopic study shows that the ilmenite occurs as fresh homogeneous black or heterogeneous multicoloured altered grains and exhibits three types (homogeneous, exsolved and altered) of ilmenite varieties. XRD data of ilmenite indicates their association with minor hematite and quartz, whereas leucoxene shows its association with Nb‐rutile, pseudorutile and hematite. Grain size distribution suggests a very fine sand size of >89% and 80% and a fine sand size of 10.5% and 18.3% for fresh and altered ilmenites, respectively. The density of fresh, altered ilmenite and leucoxene concentrates varies from 2.70, 2.50 to 2.40 ton/m³, suggesting a gradual decrease from high grade fresh to leucoxene and consistent with variation in magnetic susceptibility as a consequence of the leaching of iron. Mass magnetic susceptibility reveals 97.6% of ilmenite and 92% of the altered form are obtained at 0.20 and 0.48 ampere. Fresh ilmenite exhibits variable TiO₂ (47.18%) and Fe₂O₃^T (46.10%) with minor MnO, MgO and Cr₂O₃ (1.22, 1.10 and 0.51%). The altered ilmenite is higher in TiO₂ (76.16%) and SiO₂ (4.68%) and lower in Fe₂O₃^T (14.45%), MnO, MgO and Cr₂O₃ (0.39, 0.52 and 0.11%) compared with the fresh form. Three concentrates of ilmenites (G1, G2 and G3) were prepared from crude ore using a Reading cross belt magnetic separator under different conditions, revealing a gradual increase of TiO₂, SiO₂, Al₂O₃ and CaO accompanied by a decrease of Fe₂O₃^T, MgO and Cr₂O₃ with repetition of the separation processes. Several ore dressing techniques were carried out to upgrade the ilmenite concentrate.     

Evaluation and Prediction of the Swelling Characteristics of Nigerian Black Clays

The swelling characteristics of black clays from two major areas of occurrence in Borno State, Nigeria, were investigated in the laboratory. Clay samples derived from lagoonal clay deposits showed high swelling tendencies while those samples derived from Olivine basalts showed medium to high swelling tendencies. Although interparticle swelling was the dominant swelling mechanism, soil samples with higher clay contents exhibited higher swelling tendencies. The developed predictive models show that the free swell percentage as well as the swelling pressure can be predicted from measured values of electrical conductivity, specific gravity, clay content and plasticity index. On the other hand, swell percent can be predicted from measured values of electrical conductivity and specific gravity only.     

中国北部地区沙漠鸣沙对比研究

鸣沙发声机制是一个长期悬而未决的问题。中国北部地质公园内的沙漠鸣沙地质遗迹沿北方沙漠弧形带分布,但较少被报道和研究。本文选取位于内蒙古、甘肃和新疆的沙漠鸣沙及哑沙,对其地貌特征﹑粒度组分和矿物成分进行了对比研究。结果表明鸣沙一般发育在新月型沙丘链或新月型沙丘上,紧邻湖泊或泉水,背风坡和迎风坡上都会发育鸣沙,但主要集中在背风坡,研究结果与马玉明提出的"共鸣箱"理论中的"响沙都发育在背风坡"不符;哑沙粒度明显较鸣沙粗,哑沙的平均粒径分布峰值集中在0.5φ~1φ,鸣沙粒径频率分布峰值集中在2φ~3φ;主要差别在于细砂和粗砂的组分,所有鸣沙中的细砂含量所占比例均高于52.012%,哑沙中的细砂含量低于0.881%;响沙中粗砂的含量均小于1.221%,哑沙中粗砂的含量大于48.091%。鸣沙和哑沙主要矿物成分都以石英和长石为主;鸣沙中含有高岭石,钠长石,微斜长石及方解石等,而哑沙中几乎未含这些次要矿物。本文结果表明,地貌特征和物质组成是区别鸣沙和哑沙的重要特征,对于研究鸣沙的成因具有参考价值。     

一种仿黑皮仔料拼合石的鉴定特征

和田仔料随着市场的追捧,其价格越来越高,仿制品层出不穷。借助宝石显微镜、偏光显微镜、X射线粉末衍射和红外光谱等测试手段,对武汉市徐东古玩珠宝市场上出现的一种仿黑皮仔料材料进行了宝石学、矿物学以及谱学特征鉴定。结果显示,该仿黑皮仔料材料由黑色霞石岩、白色软玉以及有机黑胶三部分拼合而成;其与黑皮仔料的主要鉴定特征在于：前者在横截面上有明显的拼合痕迹以及特征的红外光谱有机官能团区吸收峰。     

黑龙江省松嫩平原南部黑土的元素含量特征

通过对黑龙江省松嫩平原南部开展多目标地球化学调查工作,全面查清了测区8.15万km2内元素分布特征及不同土壤类型中元素含量特征。通过对不同土壤类型中元素含量特征进行分析研究,发现松嫩平原南部的黑土类土壤中主要营养元素含量较丰富,而有毒有害元素含量较低,土壤呈中性,适宜多种农作物生长。按照土壤环境质量标准对测区土壤环境质量进行等级划分,结果显示:重金属元素均未超标的一级土地质量占调查区总面积的96.08%;农业用地的黑土区域均属于没有重金属污染的净土,有利于农业种植。     

黑色岩系型矿床的形成作用及其在我国的产出特征

黑色岩系作为地史上反复出现的时限沉积相,反映了环境的突变及环境事件,构成了许多重要矿床的赋矿岩系。我国共有25种以上的有用元素和组份的聚集成矿与黑色岩系有关,它们呈自然金属、硫化物、氧化物、碳酸盐、硫酸盐、磷酸盐等十余种形式产出。黑色岩系型矿床一般规模较大,我国南方赋存大-超大规模矿床的黑色岩系分布干9个纪级单位的13个含矿层位中,共形成了4个超大型矿床和6个大-中型矿床密集成矿区。根据盆地流体在黑色岩系型矿床成矿演化的阶段性,可以将其矿床的形成划分为：沉积期和成岩期。前者可形成大-超大型锰、磷、重晶石矿床,成岩期可能形成大-超大型金、银、铅锌、锑、锡多金属矿床。     

胶北粉子山群和荆山群三叠纪变质变形记录:金红石U-Pb年代学证据

胶北地块粉子山群和荆山群是华北克拉通的重要组成部分,其变质变形作用过程是全面认识华北克拉通性质与演化的关键。前人对粉子山群和荆山群变质变形年代研究的测试对象主要为锆石,报道的年代学数据多集中于1.8~1.9Ga,认为变质变形作用的时代为古元古代。本文通过对采集自胶北粉子山群和荆山群的2个石榴云母片岩和2个云母片岩样品中独居石及金红石的U-Pb同位素年代测定,揭示了胶北粉子山群和荆山群不仅经历了古元古代(1869±16~1864±14 Ma)变质事件的改造,而且还经历了三叠纪(215.1±4.2~217.8±6.3Ma)变质变形事件的叠加。通过金红石中Zr温度计计算得出215.1±4.2 Ma,217.7±2.7 Ma和217.8±6.3 Ma的U-Pb年龄对应温度分别为:658℃,667℃和680℃。表明胶北地块部分卷入了三叠纪苏鲁-大别超高压变质带的俯冲-碰撞造山过程,并遭受了角闪岩相变质作用叠加。     

陶瓷釉的矿物学特征研究

应用原子吸收光谱（AAS）,X射线衍射（XRD）和 电子自旋共振（ESR）方法对工业及民用陶瓷釉进行了研究。实验表明：陶瓷釉的主要化学 成分为Al2O3、SiO2,少量为K2O、Na2O、MgO、CaO和微量的TiO2、Fe2O3 、S等;矿物相有石英、伊利石、方解石、长石、高岭石和滑石等。生釉经不同温度焙烧后 ,无论是化学成分、矿物相、微量杂质元素的价态及含量均发生了变化。讨论了在不同温度下的化学组分、含量、生成矿物相的种类以及杂质离子在矿物内部的电荷转移状态。这些结果对改进陶瓷釉的配方,探索最佳焙烧温度,生产高质量的陶瓷产品,有着实际的指导意义 。     

黑色页岩与土壤重金属污染

本文利用ICP—MS等技术分析了湘中地区黑色页岩及其相应土壤的重金属含量,在对分析结果进行统计分析的基础上,探讨了黑色页岩与土壤重金属污染的关系。研究表明,黑色页岩是富集多种重金属元素的特殊岩石。以黑色页岩岩系为母岩的土壤,不仅明显富集Cu、Cd、Cr、Co、Pb、Zn、Mo、Ni、V、U、Sn、Sb、T1、Th等多种重金属元素,而且受到Mo、Sb、Cd、U、Tl、Cu、V、Sn、Th等重金属的污染,其中以Mo、Cd、Sb、U、Tl等的污染尤为严重。黑色页岩土壤重金属污染在一些地方已产生明显的负面环境效应,值得关注。     

世界范围内代表性碧玉的矿物特征和成因研究

由于碧玉的样品来源、测试技术单一,有关碧玉的成因及其与大理岩型软玉之间的成因差别都不明确。本文采集了我国青海、俄罗斯、加拿大、新西兰、巴基斯坦等全球代表性碧玉样品,采用显微镜观察、X射线粉晶衍射、电子探针、电感耦合等离子体质谱和稳定同位素质谱等技术进行岩相学、矿物组成、微量和主量元素、氢氧同位素测试,对碧玉的成因进行综合分析,同时和澳大利亚大理岩型软玉进行对比性研究,以明确两种类型的软玉之间的成因差别。碧玉样品测试结果表明:(1)碧玉的主要组成是透闪石,次要矿物有石英、滑石、黑云母、铬铁矿、石墨、石榴石等;(2)氢氧同位素组成(δD值-69. 763‰～-29. 251‰,δ~(18)O值4. 7‰～13. 4‰)显示由明显的变质水组成;(3)全岩Fe~(2+)/(Mg+Fe~(2+))值为0. 11～0. 32,Cr含量约22. 9～3400μg/g,Ni含量为700～1800μg/g,表明了明显的幔源物质参与成矿的特征。通过对比发现,碧玉与大理岩型软玉的地球化学性质有明显不同,这种差别与两者的产出环境有关:大理岩型软玉的矿物组成和地球化学特征受控于花岗岩和镁质大理岩,而碧玉的地球化学特征与幔源物质组成和变质流体相关。     

不同自然环境和城市功能区的土壤黑碳特征及来源研究综述

黑碳是由生物质和化石燃料等燃烧产生的一系列含碳物质,长期广泛分布于土壤、大气等多种载体中,且表现出不同的环境效应。土壤作为一种不可再生的自然资源,是人类生存与发展不可缺少的物质基础,也是支撑城市发展的空间和生态基础。土壤中的黑碳构成土壤有机碳库的重要组分,且影响着土壤肥力、结构、有机污染物等多方面。目前,对黑碳的研究集中在其对环境的影响,我国在这方面的研究开始较晚,特别是对土壤中黑碳的研究还处于起步阶段。本文详细分析了土壤黑碳的可能来源（自然火灾、人类农业活动、化石燃料燃烧以及汽车尾气排放等）,概括了常见的土壤黑碳来源辨析方法（黑碳形态特征分析、黑碳/有机碳比值分析、黑碳碳同位素分析）,总结了国内外对不同自然环境、不同城市功能区的土壤黑碳研究现状。最后,提出了全球黑碳研究亟待关注和解决的关键问题,以期为将来合理制定控制黑碳排放的相关政策,减缓黑碳对环境质量和人体健康的影响,提供重要的理论依据。     

北秦岭庙湾组黑色岩系稀土元素地球化学特征及成因意义

笔者采用等离子质谱仪(ICP-MS)方法对北秦岭大荆区奥陶纪-志留纪庙湾组黑色岩系岩石的稀土元素及V、Ni、Cr、U、Th等微量元素含量进行了测定.结果显示岩石轻稀土元素相对重稀土元素富集,Eu异常值δEu为0.63~10.61(绝多数大于1.54)多呈正异常,Ce异常值δCe为0.65~1.02(平均为0.893)异常微弱且有正负差异;U/Th值为0.38~4.07,w(V)/w(V+Ni)值为0.38~0.93以及w(Ce)/w(La)值为1.27~2.17.将这.些特征值与前人研究成果对比,并利用La/Yb-Ce/La和La/Yb-REE判别图解判别后,认为北秦岭区庙湾组黑色岩系形成于活动陆缘一种干燥缺氧较深浅海环境,黑色岩系形成过程中有热液作用参与.