Use of solid phase characterisation and chemical modelling for assessing the behaviour of arsenic in contaminated soils

A soil, containing waste material from an industrially contaminated site, was found to be heavily contaminated with several heavy metals and As. A risk assessment for As leaching from this material has been carried out in several stages, collation and examination of historical records, solid-phase characterization and chemical modelling. The historical record indicates that the most probable source of As was arsenopyrite. However, the solid phase characterization of the soil, using X-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), and energy-dispersive microanalysis (EDAX), did not yield any direct evidence for pyritic phases, although there was clear evidence of known pyrite-weathering products, such as jarosite. The relative stability of pyrite and arsenopyrite have been modelled for the range of acidity and redox potentials likely to be encountered on the site. For adsorption modelling, a surface complexation model was used to predict arsenate desorption as a function of pH. It was assumed that the principal reactive adsorbent for As was hydrous ferric oxide (HFO) and this assumption was supported by the results of direct and indirect measurements and by the mineral stability calculations. This approach was successful at predicting the increased mobility of As at increasingly alkaline conditions. The modelling predictions were supported by results from batch equilibration experiments. Thus, it was possible to link direct observations of mineralogy, mineral stability calculations and adsorption models in order to predict the mobility of As. The success of this approach was dependent on identifying the reactive phase in this particular soil and having the appropriate data required for the adsorption modelling.     

Investigation of a New Exsolved Cu-Fe-S Phase in“Abnormal Sphalerite”

A new exsolved copper-iron-sulfur phase in sphalerite has been found in the Dajing cassiterite- sulfidecopper-silver-tin deposit, Inner Mongolia, China. After investigating the optical properties, chemical composi-tion, crystal structure and exsolved Characters of the exsolved phase, the authors present important evidencefor its being a new exsolved copper-iron-sulfur phase mineral. Its formation mechenism is discussed in consider-ing heating experiments, phase equilibrium data and the geology of the deposit.     

Global cooling inferred from dropstones in the Cretaceous: fact or wishful thinking?

Traditionally, the Cretaceous has been considered as a long period of global warmth, a 'greenhouse' world. This view has been challenged in recent years by several lines of evidence; palaeobotany, stable isotopes, and palaeoclimatic modelling in particular. However, although these data demonstrate that cooling is likely, the only first-hand evidence which demonstrates the presence of substantial ice build-up in Cretaceous high palaeolatititudes are dropstones. These outsized or exotic clasts set in a fine-grained sediment are often interpreted as a direct result of ice rafting. The reliability of this dropstone evidence and particularly its validity is questioned in demonstrating ice age interludes within the Cretaceous greenhouse.     

Porphyroblast rotation: eppur si muove*?

In a number of recent papers, the theory has been postulated that porphyroblasts as a rule do not rotate with respect to geographical coordinates, and can be used to determine the original orientation of older foliations. Complex inclusion patterns in spiral garnets have even been used to advocate a new model of orogenesis, involving several alternating phases of horizontal shortening and extension. Critical assessment of the assumptions and data used to support the theory of irrotational porphyroblasts reveals numerous flaws. Millipede structures, used as proof for flow partitioning, can also form by other flow geometries. Evidence quoted to support irrotational behaviour of porphyroblasts is unsound. Porphyroblasts do occur in sets with a preferred orientation of the internal foliation trace, but these cannot be shown to represent original orientations. Microstructures which resemble truncation planes in spiral garnets are used as evidence that these structures developed by several phases of deformation and as proof for periodic extension and horizontal shortening in orogenesis. They can, however, also be explained by intermittent growth of a rotating porphyroblast during a single phase of deformation. Finally, porphyroblast sets in which orientation is a function of aspect ratio indicate that porphyroblast rotation with respect to kinematic axes does occur in at least some situations.     

内蒙古额尔古纳虎拉林金矿区金属元素活动态测量法找矿试验

金属元素活动态测量法是在偏提取方法上发展起来的一种利用金属元素的活动态组分来强化深部矿化信息的找矿方法。其中利用提取土壤中金的活动态组分的方法技术，可以用来强化深部金矿化信息，为找矿提供重要依据。通过对虎牡林金矿金矿体上的有效性试验研究，结果表明，该方法能起到强化后生地球化学异常的效果。     

Thermochemical Data on Mineral Phases: The System CaO-MgO-Al2O3-SiO2

Thermochemical data on several phases forming in the systemCaO-MgO-Al₂O₃-SiO₂ have been tested for consistency in reproducingexperimental phase equilibrium relationships. Calorimetric dataon enthalpy, entropy and heat capacity have been adjusted withinexperimental errors and new data on some phases have been estimatedusing phase equilibrium data. The consistency of the data inreproducing phase equilibrium relations in the multicomponent-multiphasesystems has been tested by computing phase diagrams using themethod of minimization of total Gibbs free energy. The recentcalorimetric data on most phases can be used without any significantchange except for phases that show cation disorder. Disordercorrections have been added to the heat capacity data on gehlenite,anorthite, spinel and Ca-Tschermak.     

Volatile Phase Separation in Silicic Magmas at Bajo de la Alumbrera Porphyry Cu-Au Deposit, NW Argentina

Abstract. At the Bajo de la Alumbrera porphyry Cu-Au deposit, NW Argentina, several key textural elements preserve evidence for volatile separation. Interconnected miarolitic cavities, while being studied extensively in granites, have now been recognized in intrusions related to porphyry Cu mineralization. Pods of saccharoidal quartz are connected by narrow, anastomosing zones of graphic quartz-alkali feldspar intergrowths and ragged biotite (with lesser apatite and magnetite). Their connectivity can be as much as 15 cm; however, more commonly, the interconnected miarolitic cavities are approximately 1 to 2 mm across and 5 cm or less, long. Features such comb-quartz layered textures and magmatic-hydrothermal veins (P veins), combined with aqueous fluid phase equilibria from fluid inclusions, better constrain physical models of exsolution. We interpret these textures in the context of vapour phase formation, coalescence and accumulation in an evolving silicic magma. Recognition of textures, such as the interconnected miarolitic cavities reported here, may provide a simple exploration tool for porphyry Cu deposits, helping explorers to recognize evidence for a potentially fertile intrusions.     

Abiotic reduction of uranium by Fe(II) in soil

Structural Fe(II) has been shown to reduce several oxidized environmental contaminants, including NO₃, chlorinated solvents, Cr(VI), and U(VI). Studies investigating reduction of U(VI) by soils and sediments, however, suggest that abiotic reduction of U(VI) by Fe(II) is not significant, and that direct enzymatic reduction of U(VI) by metal-reducing bacteria is required for U(VI) immobilization as U(IV). Here evidence is presented for abiotic reduction and immobilization of U(VI) by structural Fe(II) in a redoximorphic soil collected from a hillside spring in Iowa. Oxidation of Fe(II) in the soil after reaction with U(VI) was demonstrated by Mössbauer spectroscopy and reduction of U(VI) by the pasteurized soil using U L_III-edge X-ray absorption spectroscopy (XAS). XAS indicates that both reduced U(IV) and oxidized U(VI) or U(V) are present after U(VI) interaction with the Fe(II) containing soil. The EXAFS data show the presence of a non-uraninite U(IV) phase and evidence of the oxidized U(V) or U(VI) fraction being present as a non-uranyl species. Little U(VI) reduction is observed by soil that has been exposed to air and oxidation of Fe(II) to goethite has occurred. Soil characterization based on chemical extractions, Mössbauer spectroscopy, and Fe K-edge XAS indicate that the majority of Fe(II) in the soil is structural in nature, existing in clay minerals and possibly a green rust-like phase. These data provide compelling evidence for abiotic reduction of U(VI) by structural Fe(II) from soil near Fe-rich oxic–anoxic boundaries in natural environments. The work highlights the potential for abiotic reduction of U(VI) by Fe(II) in reduced, Fe-rich environments.     

Geometry of a convergent zone, Central British Columbia, Canada

The Canadian Cordillera is separable into two major northerly trending tectonic units—the Pacific Orogen and the Columbian Orogen, with the latter further separated into the Omineca Crystalline Belt and the easterly Rocky Mountain Fold and Thrust Belt. Synkinematic metamorphism of Jurassic age within the Omineca Belt is thought to be associated with accretion of westerly terranes of the Pacific Orogen—more specifically the Quesnellia terrane—that was thrust easterly over the Omineca Belt towards the craton. Mylonitic rocks mark the margin between these two belts and this margin is well-exposed near Crooked Lake, central British Columbia.Structural analysis across the zone of convergence between these two terranes indicates that the cratonic basement and the accreted cover sequences have several phases of deformation and metamorphism in common. The initial common phase of deformation, wherein convergence is accomplished, is characterized by easterly verging folds that are superposed by a second common phase having westerly verging folds that deform the zone of convergence and control the present regional map pattern. A final common phase of deformation produced easterly verging folds.Change in vergence direction is interpreted as resulting from change in direction of transport related to subduction process: first obduction of Quesnellia onto the Omineca craton, followed later by easterly subduction of an oceanic Quesnellia below the craton.All evidence of transport direction(s) points to convergence occurring at very high angles to the zone of convergence. There appears to be no evidence of transport parallel with the strike of the zone. If transport has taken place parallel to the strike of the zone, then this transport occurred before convergence or evidence of this motion has been destroyed during the convergence.     

Usefulness of adaptive filtering for improved Digital Elevation Model generation

The Digital Elevation Models (DEMs), which represent the variation of elevation in a terrain at spatial level, are an important source of input to a variety of applications for deriving a number of terrain parameters such as relative relief, slope, aspect direction etc. In recent years, Synthetic Aperture Radar Interferometry has been viewed as a powerful approach to derive quality DEMs from a pair of SAR images. Despite the interferometric technique is often limited by several de-correlations several researchers demonstrate its effectiveness in topographic mapping. The DEM accuracy is strongly influenced by the effectiveness of the phase unwrapping technique. In this study an effective adaptive filtering approach has been used to reduce the phase noise due to de-correlation and in improving the accuracy of phase unwrapping. Two well known phase unwrapping approaches such as branch cut and minimum cost flow network have been used. Interferometric data from ASAR sensor onboard ENVISAT satellite have been used. A highly undulated terrain condition near Dehradun city situated in Uttarakhand state of India was selected to investigate the performance of this adaptive filtering approach. The RMS error between the InSAR derived elevations and the map derived elevations was obtained as 7.2 m using adaptive filter. However, elevation map of the study area could not be generated due to high de-correlation effect without the use of adaptive filter. This result clearly demonstrates the effectiveness of adaptive filtering approach for generation of DEM at meter level accuracy, which is sufficient for many engineering applications.     

Geological history of Western Caucasus and adjacent foredeeps based on analysis of the regional balanced section

Using seismic evidence and other geological data, a balanced section has been built for the Tuapse foredeep-Western Caucasus-Western Kuban foredeep tectonic system. This section enabled us to restore the history of the region, from the Callovian time. It was suggested that, in the Callovian-Eocene, the western Caucasian basin existed in the form of a rift. The principal phase of rift inversion occurred in the Oligocene-Miocene, and in the Pliocene-Quaternary, it evolved into the orogeny phase. The extent of the Caucasus compression within the section area was more than 30 km.     

Palynological and sequence stratigraphic analysis of the Napo Group in the Pungarayacu 30 well, Sub-Andean Zone, Ecuador

The study of palynomorphs and calcareous nannofossils from the Albian–Campanian Napo Group in the Pungarayacu 30 well in the Subandean Zone of Ecuador has led to a new biostratigraphic framework revealing the existence of several hiatuses for this area. The palynological and palynofacies data are used together with other fossils and lithological evidence to define a sequence stratigraphic framework. The distribution of palynomorphs and palynofacies indicates a strong terrestrial input for the lower part of the Napo Group (Napo Basal and Lower Napo formations). In the upper part (Middle and Upper Napo formations), terrestrial input is reduced and a restricted marine environment with several dysoxic–anoxic intervals can be inferred. The hydrocarbons present in the well studied have traditionally been regarded as locally sourced. However, several lines of evidence (TAS, Tmax and VR) prove the immature stage of the source rock in this borehole as well as in a larger area.     

Late pleistocene rock-basin lakes in South Wales

Laminated silts and clays recovered by coring and drilling in Swansea Bay are shown to be of lacustrine origin. Similar deposits penetrated by boreholes onshore in the Swansea area have also been ascribed to a lacustrine origin by several authors; a map showing the shape and distribution of five lakes in this area has been produced. Stratigraphic relationships and palynological evidence indicate that the lacustrine conditions probably lasted from about 16,000 to 10,000 years B.P.     

Late Pleistocene rock-basin lakes in South Wales

Laminated silts and clays recovered by coring and drilling in Swansea Bay are shown to be of lacustrine origin. Similar deposits penetrated by boreholes onshore in the Swansea area have also been ascribed to a lacustrine origin by several authors; a map showing the shape and distribution of five lakes in this area has been produced. Stratigraphic relationships and palynological evidence indicate that the lacustrine conditions probably lasted from about 16,000 to 10,000 years B.P.     

Propagation of Love wave in fiber‐reinforced medium lying over an initially stressed orthotropic half‐space

In this paper, the propagation of Love waves in a fiber‐reinforced layered medium lying over an elastic orthotropic half‐space under initial stress has been investigated. We have obtained the velocity equations for Love wave in this media. It is observed that propagation of Love wave is influenced by reinforced parameters and initial stressed parameter. The velocity of Love wave has been computed for three different cases. Our computed equation of Love wave coincides with the standard equation of Love wave for the case of homogeneous layer and homogeneous half‐space (AEH Love, 1911). To study the effect of reinforced and initial stressed parameters, we have computed the numerical values for phase velocity and plotted in several figures. It is observed that the phase velocity decreases with the increases of reinforced parameters and initial stressed parameter. Using MATLAB software, GUI has been developed to generalize the effect of various parameters. Copyright © 2014 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Thrust faulting in the northern flinders range,South Australia

The geology of the Northern Flinders Range has been reinterpreted.

Three clastic units, mapped previously (1, 2), were supposed to have been evidence of three late Proterozoic transgressions over the Archaean basement. Tectonic movements resulted in east‐west folds and major fractures zones.

Recent structural and petrographic observations in the western part of the Mt Painter block lead to a reinterpretation of this region. Three tectonic phases may be observed in the Proterozoic rocks: the first phase is characterized by isoclinal folds with axial‐plane cleavage. Three thrust slices of quartzite, carbonate, and schist can be delineated. These thrust slices are separated by shear zones marked by mica schists which could be either basement or strongly deformed Adelaidean rocks. The second phase shows east‐west concentric upright folds with secondary cleavage in their hinges; this phase refolds the first‐phase structures and affects the underlying basement. The third phase created large strike‐slip faults which are superimposed on the first and second deformation.     

Thoughts on the initial adaptation of Hominids to European glacial climates

The African continent has afforded a wealth of evidence bearing on the early evolution of Hominidae and the development of capacities for culture. However, until recently there has been scant documentation of the time of dispersal of hominids from tropical into north temperate latitudes. Human populations were certainly well established in Europe by Mindel Glacial times, rather less than 0.7 my ago, to judge from known occupation places in France and Hungary. Recently several localities in southern France and southern Spain have afforded artifactual evidence to suggest the presence of human populations in the preceding Cromerian interglacial, and even very probably in the preceding glacial stage, the “Gunz” (of authors). The identity of these first Europeans still remains unknown.     

微晶萘共沉淀富集－石墨炉原子吸收法测定痕量银金钯

基于贵金属同２－巯基苯并噻唑（ＭＢＴ）定量反应时的温度差异，在常温下采用ＭＢＴ为Ａｇ、Ａｕ和Ｐｄ的沉淀剂并藉微晶素共沉淀法富集痕量Ａｇ、Ａｕ和Ｐｄ，使之与Ｐｔ、Ｒｈ及贱金属分离。固相富集物溶解于Ｎ，Ｎ－二甲基甲酰胺后，直接用原子吸收法测定。试验了定量共沉淀的最佳条件，方法用标样分析验证，结果吻合较好。     

Co-seismic ruptures and deformations recorded by speleothems in the epicentral zone of the Basel earthquake

The study of growth anomalies of speleothems in a karstic environment can provide potential evidence for palaeoearthquakes. These data are used to study the recurrence times of major earthquakes in areas where evidence for historic seismicity is lacking. A study has been carried out in the epicentral area of the 1356 Basel earthquake (epicentral intensity = VII–VIII, macroseismic magnitude = 6.2). The Bättlerloch and Dieboldslöchli caves, situated in the area of greatest damage, show growth anomalies of speleothems possibly related to a seismic event (several breaks of speleothems and offsets of the axis of the regrowths). The first U/Th disequilibrum measurements by alpha spectrometry show recent ages (less than several tens of thousands of years and probably historic). ¹⁴C dating by AMS of carbonate laminations taken on both sides of the anomalies confirm the evidence of a seismic event around 1300 AD. More accurate darings by U/Th TIMS are carried out in order to compare the information provided by the two different dating methods.     

Tobler's oyster and the age of the Tabir Formation,Jambi Province,central Sumatra

For over 85 years, the stratigraphic determination of the Tabir Formation of Sumatra has been confused by a single fossil identification. Professor Fritz Frech recognized a specimen collected at the Batoe Kidjing locality by August Tobler to be an indeterminate, diminutive, ribbed oyster. Subsequently, this formation has been considered Upper Jurassic, perhaps Kimmeridgian, by several authors on the basis of this scant and inconclusive evidence; indeed, at least one author referred this sample to the genus Ostrea. However, these specimens are neither ribbed nor can they be demonstrated to be oysters; rather, this rock fragment contains a number of indeterminate mouldic fragments of fossils, too poorly preserved for confident identification. Modern determinations of the Tabir Formation as of Late Permian age are not contested by the evidence of this specimen. Copyright © 2008 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.