Uranium in saline lakes of Northwestern Mongolia

Analysis of major- and trace-element compositions of water in hypersaline soda closed basin lakes of Northwestern Mongolia and Chuya basin (Gorny Altai) shows high enrichment in ²³⁸U (up to 1 mg/l). Proceeding from new data, uranium accumulation in water has been attributed to (i) location of the lakes and their watersheds in potential provinces of U-bearing rocks and (ii) uranium complexing with carbonate in presence of carbonate (bicarbonate) anions. Among the explored hypersaline soda lakes of the area, the greatest uranium resources are stored in Lake Hyargas Nuur (about 6000 ton).     

Authigenic calcium carbonate flux in groundwater-controlled lakes: Implications for lacustrine paleoclimate records

Groundwater dominated lakes are an important feature of many landscapes. Their sediments are a particularly valuable source of paleoenvironmental information in semiarid regions where perennial lakes may otherwise be scarce. Where groundwater and lake composition are favorable, carbonate mineral precipitation, evaporative concentration of lake water, and microbial processes can combine to strongly deplete dissolved Ca relative to influent groundwaters. The authigenic carbonate flux (ACF) can then become limited by water column cation availability and thereby be coupled to groundwater inflow rates and aquifer recharge. Here we analyze sedimentary records from two marl-producing, groundwater-controlled lakes and demonstrate a link between one-dimensional ACF and the Palmer Drought Severity Index (PDSI), a measure of land surface wetness. In a restricted outflow lake with high-carbonate alkalinity, ACF is enhanced during historically wet climatic periods in response to increased aquifer recharge rates. ACF in this lake declines during droughts. A neighboring dilute lake with a high rate of groundwater outflow shows comparatively weak coupling between ACF and PDSI history. Ionic chemistry, carbonate mineral equilibria, and δ¹³C patterns of dissolved inorganic carbon show that the sensitivity of the ACF signal depends on the degree of evaporative evolution of lake water and the mineral saturation state of the water column under conditions of stratification and ice cover.     

Isotopic tracers of paleohydrologic change in large lakes of the Bolivian Altiplano

We have developed an ⁸⁷Sr/⁸⁶Sr, ²³⁴U/²³⁸U, and δ¹⁸O data set from carbonates associated with late Quaternary paleolake cycles on the southern Bolivian Altiplano as a tool for tracking and understanding the causes of lake-level fluctuations. Distinctive groupings of ⁸⁷Sr/⁸⁶Sr ratios are observed. Ratios are highest for the Ouki lake cycle (120-95 ka) at 0.70932, lowest for Coipasa lake cycle (12.8-11.4 ka) at 0.70853, and intermediate at 0.70881 to 0.70884 for the Salinas (95-80 ka), Inca Huasi (~ 45 ka), Sajsi (24-20.5 ka), and Tauca (18.1-14.1 ka) lake cycles. These Sr ratios reflect variable contributions from the eastern and western Cordilleras. The Laca hydrologic divide exerts a primary influence on modern and paleolake ⁸⁷Sr/⁸⁶Sr ratios; waters show higher ⁸⁷Sr/⁸⁶Sr ratios north of this divide. Most lake cycles were sustained by slightly more rainfall north of this divide but with minimal input from Lake Titicaca. The Coipasa lake cycle appears to have been sustained mainly by rainfall south of this divide. In contrast, the Ouki lake cycle was an expansive lake, deepest in the northern (Poópo) basin, and spilling southward. These results indicate that regional variability in central Andean wet events can be reconstructed using geochemical patterns from this lake system.     

中国西北地区典型盐湖铀富集特征初探

根据对中国西北地区典型盐湖水文地质、铀矿地质和卤水地球化学性质的调查,初步探讨了不同水化学类型盐湖铀的富集规律,以及铀在盐湖固液相中的选择性富集特征。结果表明,盐湖补给区的铀源条件,盐湖卤水（晶间卤水）的盐度（矿化度）是决定盐湖富铀的主要因素,大多数碳酸盐型盐湖中铀在固液相中的分配比远大于硫酸盐型。两类盐湖卤水和补给水中,铀主要以碳酸铀酰形式存在。浅层晶间卤水和盐湖盐类沉积物中的铀含量往往较高。     

Unraveling the atomic structure of biogenic silica: evidence of the structural association of Al and Si in diatom frustules

We used X-ray absorption spectroscopy at the Al K-edge to investigate the atomic structure of biogenic silica and to assess the effect of Al on its crystal chemistry. Our study provides the first direct evidence for a structural association of Al and Si in biogenic silica. In samples of cultured diatoms, Al is present exclusively in fourfold coordination. The location and relative intensity of X-ray absorption near-edge structure (XANES) features suggests the structural insertion of tetrahedral Al inside the silica framework synthesized by the organism. In diatom samples collected in the marine environment, Al is present in mixed six- and fourfold coordination. The relative intensity of XANES structures indicates the coexistence of structural Al with a clay component, which most likely reflects sample contamination by adhering mineral particles. Extended X-ray absorption fine structure spectroscopy has been used to get Al-O distances in biogenic silica of cultured diatoms, confirming a tetrahedral coordination. Because of its effect on solubility and reaction kinetics of biogenic silica, the structural association between Al and biogenic silica at the stage of biosynthesis has consequences for the use of sedimentary biogenic silica as an indicator of past environmental conditions.     

Geochemistry and chemical evolution of saline lakes of Western Mongolia

This paper presents data on the major and trace element composition of saline lakes of western Mongolia. The main geochemical types of lakes distinguished in the study are soda-, chloride-, and sulfaterich lakes. Lake water equilibria with major carbonate, sulfate, chloride, and other rock-forming minerals were calculated. The results show that the major factors controlling the formation of each lake type include evaporation and water-rock interaction processes, and the latter factor plays a critical role in freshwater and soda lakes and only a minor role in chloride lakes. Special attention was given to the soda lakes and the factors controlling lake water chemistry.     

Authigenic mineralogy, depositional environments and evolution of fault-bounded lakes of the Yunnan Plateau, south-western China

The Dianchi, Erhai and Fuxian lakes lie in faulted basins in a subtropical humid region of the Yunnan Plateau, China. Three groups of authigenic minerals have been recognized in their recent sediments - carbonate minerals, Fe-bearing minerals and silica minerals. The main authigenic minerals are goethite, calcite, aragonite, siderite and quartzine. Goethite is chemically precipitated from a colloidal suspension. Calcite is a widespread chemical precipitate that is present in deep parts of the lakes and in shallow areas associated with aquatic macrophytes. Aragonite is mainly biochemical in origin, and commonly associated with shallow benthos. Siderite forms in reducing environments, associated with pore waters with a high P_CO2 that resulted from microbial degradation of organic matter. It forms mainly in deep-water environments. Quartzine, which occurs mainly in delta front and prodeltaic sites, forms from diatom dissolution and dissolved silica introduced by streams. Six authigenic mineral associations are recognized, each of which can be related to depositional setting within the lake and the stage of lake development. The same associations can also be recognized in a 480-m-long core recovered from Dianchi Lake. Strong reducing environments and migrating pore fluids with high P_CO2 have led to the early diagenetic alteration of some of the initial authigenic minerals. Using the mineral associations from the modern lakes, the Pliocene to Recent history of Dianchi Lake has been interpreted, and is in general agreement with palaeoenvironmental reconstructions based upon palaeontological and other evidence.     

Geochemical and isotopic constraints on the interaction between saline lakes and groundwater in southeast Australia

Major ion and stable isotope geochemistry allow groundwater/surface-water interaction associated with saline to hypersaline lakes from the Willaura region of Australia to be understood. Ephemeral lakes lie above the water table and locally contain saline water (total dissolved solids, TDS, contents up to 119,000 mg/L). Saline lakes that lack halite crusts and which have Cl/Br ratios similar to local surface water and groundwater are throughflow lakes with high relative rates of groundwater outflows. Permanent hypersaline lakes contain brines with TDS contents of up to 280,000 mg/L and low Cl/Br ratios due to the formation of halite in evaporite crusts. These lakes are throughflow lakes with relatively low throughflow rates relative to evaporation or terminal discharge lakes. Variations in stable isotope and major ion geochemistry show that the hypersaline lakes undergo seasonal cycles of mineral dissolution and precipitation driven by the influx of surface water and evaporation. Despite the generation of highly saline brines in these lakes, leakage from the adjacent ephemeral lakes or saline throughflow lakes that lack evaporite crusts is mainly responsible for the high salinity of shallow groundwater in this region.     

Factors and mechanisms of chemical composition formation of saline lakes in West Mongolia

正All the lakes are accumulative systems for the various chemical elements.However,the ratios of the elements in different lake types are very different.It is generally accepted that the composition of lake water determined by     

Chemical composition and sulfur forms in saline lakes of Kulunda Plain(Russia)

正1 Introduction On the territory Kulunda Plain,located to the south-west of the Ob’plateau,there are more than 3,000 fresh and salt lakes with water TDS range from 1 to 430 g/L.The interest in these lakes was associated mainly with the study of     

Authigenic Carbonate Formation in the Ocean

Oceanic authigenic carbonates are classified according to the origin of carbonate carbon source using a complex methodology that includes methods of sedimentary petrography, mineralogy, isotope geochemistry, and microbiology. Mg-calcite (proto-dolomite) and aragonite predominate among the authigenic carbonates. All authigenic carbonates are depleted in heavy carbon isotope ¹³ and enriched in heavy oxygen isotope ¹⁸O (in PDB system), indicating biological fractionation of isotopes during the carbonate formation. Results obtained show that authigenic carbonate formation is a biogeochemical (microbial) process, which involves carbon from ancient sedimentary rocks, abiogenic methane, and bicarbonate-ion of hydrothermal fluids into the modern carbon cycle.     

Extensive carbonate algal bioherms in upper Pleistocene saline lakes of the central Altiplano of Bolivia

During the upper Pleistocene the Central Altiplano of Bolivia was repeatedly flooded by deep and extensive saline lakes in response to climatic fluctuations. Development of carbonate algal bioherms took place during at least three major periods of lacustrine highstands, discontinuously covering the 300-km-long and 100-km-wide lacustrine slopes and terraces up to an elevation of 100 m above the surface of the modern halite crust of Uyuni. Distribution, size and shape of the bioherms are diverse due to various factors, e.g. the nature and morphology of the substrate and the hydrodynamic conditions that prevailed during growth. On larger palaeoterraces, the build-ups coalesced to form platform-like carbonate accumulations. Although the morphologies closely resemble those induced by cyanobacteria, they were predominantly constructed by other plant communities, probably dominated by filamentous green algae. Cyanobacterial communities flourished in association with these plants, but they did not contribute significantly to the architecture of the bioherms; they participated to encrust the plant stems and algal bushes or to form thin laminated layers covering the build-ups. A prominent feature of some bioherms is their composite structure due to repeated algal growth during successive lacustrine episodes that were separated by subaerial exposures with moderate erosional effects. The build-ups located between 3660 and 3680 m elevation display up to three major parts: (1) a massive inner core formed during an early Minchin highstand, before 40 ka; (2) a large peripheral envelope deposited at about 40 ka (late Minchin) and (3) a thinner outermost crust formed during a late glacial event. Lake level dropped during interlacustrine stages, sometimes leading to desiccation and deposition of salt layers in the deepest parts of the system, i.e. the present-day salar of Uyuni.     

Ionizing radiation-induced defects in smectite clays

 The interaction of γ-rays with smectites induces paramagnetic defects in the structure of these clay minerals. The EPR spectra of three different smectites detect the creation of structural defects and trapping of organic free radicals in the clay structure upon irradiation. The defects are assigned to positive holes or trapped electrons stabilised by existing local charge imbalances in the mineral lattice. The organic radicals are derived from organic compounds present as impurities in the crystal lattice of the clay minerals. In addition, γ-rays cause migration of small interlayer cations (such as Li⁺) into the layers, as clearly evidenced by EPR and FT-IR reflectance spectroscopies. Received: 20 April 2000 / Accepted: 2 December 2000     

晚第四纪柴达木盆地盐湖成盐期与冰期对比方案的再认识

文章以柴达木盆地察汗斯拉图、昆特依和一里坪盐湖共计6个中更新统—全新统含盐地层剖面为研究对象,通过铀系测年和光释光测年测定其成盐年代,利用X射线衍射分析测定其盐类矿物种类.察汗斯拉图D19剖面芒硝和石盐层的铀系年代为(231.5±19.5)～(239.5±40.4)ka BP,对应于深海氧同位素阶段(MIS)7早期;昆...     

Possible clay structures in frustules of living diatoms

Comparison of X-ray diffraction spectra of marine diatom frustules and suspended clay minerals suggests the presence of a distinctive smectite in diatoms. The frustules contained 1.5% Al₂O₃ and were partly covered with particles of 0.02 μm in diameter. The source of Al and the fate of diatoms in the sediment are briefly discussed.     

Paleolimnological diatom studies of acidification of lakes by acid rain: An application of quaternary science

The methods of Quaternary paleoecology have proven useful for understanding the effects of anthropogenic acid deposition on lakes. The pH history of lakes has been inferred from diatom remains in ²¹⁰Pb dated cores of sediment. In several of these studies, the cores have also been analysed for chrysophyte scales, trace metals (Pb, Zn, V, Cu), soot, and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons. Combined with historical studies of watershed vegetation and disturbance, these approaches have produced important insights relating to the effects on lakes of acid deposition: (1) certain clear water lakes with present pH 4.3–5.0 have rapidly acidified in recent decades; (2) these lakes were acidic (pH 5.0–6.4) prior to the acidification; (3) the most likely cause of the acidification is acid deposition; (4) the acidification began decades after high levels of acid deposition had been reached; and (5) in certain lakes acidification may have caused a marked decrease in humics, reducing the availability of organic ligands for ‘detoxification’ of metal ions (e.g. Al) mobilized by acidification. Diatom analyses have also revealed long term lake acidification in Late-glacial and Holocene time before the Industrial Revolution. This acidification is much slower than the modern acidification. The present pHs in anthropogenically acidified lakes are unprecedentedly low.