A study on the relationships between metamorphic anatexis and petrogenesis and mineralization

Metamorphic processes are closely associated with the formation and evolution of the crust and highly related to petrogenesis and mineralization processes. Dynamic systematic analysis indicates that regional metamorphism-migmatization-metamorphic anatexis process is a temperature-pressure progressive process. Metamorphic anatexis process is a critical part with its unique pressure/temperature and thermodynamic, dynamic and geochemical characteristics. The concept of metamorphic anatexis system (MAS) introduced by the author includes the essential factors of material resources, energy resources, process format, material transportation and concentration, occurring time and location. Based on the essential factors of MAS, metamorphic anatexis process-related granitic rocks and deposit cases are discussed on their petrogenesis and/or mineralizaion mechanisms. The discussion points out that granites in the Ailaoshan and Yunkai metamorphic zones are of metamorphic anatexis origin. The genesis of pegmatite ore deposits in metamorphic zones and shear zone gold deposits in shear zones are highly related to metamorphic anatexis process. The study of metamorphism process involved in ore formation and material transport is a hot subject concerned by the international geological circles. Thorough investigations into the relationships between metamorphic anatexis and petrogenesis-meneralization processes are of great importance not only in geological theory, but also in industrial practice.     

Research on Climate Feedback of Human Water Use and Its Impact on Terrestrial Water Cycles —Advances and Challenges

The terrestrial water cycle is the mutual transformation of surface and near-surface water, which controls the supply of fresh water resources. It is affected by human activities, solar radiation and gravity, as well as climate and environmental conditions. Inter-basin water transfer, irrigation, crop cultivation and harvesting, exploitation of groundwater water and other human activities lead to the change of spatial and temporal distribution of soil moisture, the underground water level, surface albedo, surface evaporation, as well as water and energy exchange between land surface and atmosphere. Human water use generates important feedback on the climate and changes the processes of the terrestrial water cycle significantly. The spatial and temporal distribution of precipitation in China is uneven. In addition, human activities further exacerbate the fragility of water resources and the contradiction between supply and demand, posing a serious challenge to the sustainable development of social economy. Therefore, understanding the laws and mechanisms of terrestrial water cycle change is very important for water resources utilization and human sustainable development. From the perspective of climate change and human activities, this paper summarized the impact of human activities on terrestrial water cycle and the progress of climate feedback research. It is urgent to consider the evolution of terrestrial water cycle and its climate under the dual impact of natural and human activities, and develop the large-scale land surface hydrological models and climate models with human water use, crop planting and irrigation, lateral groundwater flow. From the perspective of a fully coupled system, we need quantitatively to assess the climate feedback of human water use and its impact on the terrestrial water cycle process, and to explore its mechanism. We need to distinguish the contribution of human water activities and global climate change to the evolution of terrestrial water cycle in the context of climate change, and to propose water resources management strategies to address climate change.     

Study on Inclusions in Natural and Synthetic Gems

The characteristics of inclusions in natural and synthetic gems are distinct owing to their different forming mechanisms and can be utilized to distinguish gems from different localities.In addition,intensive studies on inclusion characteristics of natural gems could identify their geographical origins and provide valuable information on gem synthesis,In this paper synthetic gems (synthetic star-spangled sapphire and emerald)and natural gems from various locations including natural sapphire from Thailand and Australia,and natural aquamerine from Mufushan,Hunan Province,and Ailoshan,Yunnan Province,were selected for the comparative study of inclusion.Significant research results have been achieved,thus providing the important basis for distinguishing natural from synthetic gems.     

Minerals in nature and “on Paper”: History of the commissions on new minerals in Russia and IMA and principles of classification and nomenclature of minerals

This paper reviews the history of the foundation of the Commission on New Minerals in Russia (1956) and the same Commission of the International Mineral Association (IMA). The terms mineral species, subspecies, and variety are considered. The nomenclature of mineral groups of lovozerite, eudialyte, and apatite is given as examples of using a root name and its suffixes.     

Kaolinite – alkali interaction and effects on basic properties

The influence of type and amount of clays present in soils on their properties is well understood. The clays exert their influence through large specific surface area and charges on them. Their effect is mostly exhibited through inter particle bonding and subsequent particle associations. The mineralogical influence of soils in water is well documented. However, the change in soil water system because of presence some of the contaminants can greatly influence the soil behaviour. Some of the changes are due to formation of new compounds due to interactions between the soil and pollutant. The paper reports the effect of interaction of kaolinite mineral with alkali on the index properties of soils from which the geotechnical behaviour can be understood. Detailed X-ray diffraction studies have shown that sodium aluminum silicate hydroxide hydrate (NASH) is formed by clay alkali reactions. The type and amount of formation of the compound is influenced by the concentration of alkali solution. While the compound formed is in smaller quantities with 1 N NaOH solution, significantly high quantity is formed with 4 N NaOH solution. Presence of alumina is shown to play a significant role. It was observed that the formation of sodium aluminum silicate hydroxide hydrate is reduced in the presence of alumina. Specific gravity of contaminated clay soil was reduced which confirms the formation of new compounds. Water adsorption and specific surface area of soil are also influenced due to soil alkali interaction. The changes in the free swell and index properties of soil in the presence of alkali have been explained by the changes in soil fabric and the formation of new compound.     

Sandbox Experimental Study on the Influence of Rock Strength and Gravity on Formation of Thrusts

INTRODUCTIONRock deformation is normally explained by tec-tonic stress as rock deformation results fromthe tec-tonic stress field. The classic tools that explainedfracture mechanisms were the Coulomb shear fracturerule and the Anderson mode derived fromit (Zhu,1999) . More and more studies have shown that it isdifficult to explain rock deformation in a large strainrange using only the Coulomb shear fracture rule( Waltham,2002 ; Gutscher et al .,2001 ; Tikoff andWojtal ,1999) . As a ver…     

Recent Advances on Non-Marine Late Paleozoic Strata and Floras： Outcome of the 16th International Congress on the Carboniferous and Permian

The 16th International Congress on the Carboniferous and Permian （ICCP XVI） orga- nized by the Nanjing Institute of Geology and Palaeontology under the Chinese Acad- emy of Sciences, the Institute of Geology under the Chinese Academy of Geological Sciences, the China University of Geo- sciences and the Nanjing University took place in Nanjing, June 21-24, 2007. More than 150 colleagues from over 20 countries attended the quadrennial conference.     

Mutual effects of fluoride and phosphate on their adsorption and desorption in fluoride-contaminated softs

Phosphate is one of the important nutrients for plant growth. In acidic and highly weathered soils, phosphate is ready to adsorb on Al and Fe oxides and transform into sparsely soluble Fe-P and Al-P solid phases, greatly reducing phosphate bioavailability. Aluminum and iron oxides in soils are important sinks for both phosphate and fluoride. In acidic soils, fluoride adsorption can dramatically facilitate dissolution of Al- and Fe-containing phases, which may influence the distribution and migration of both pollutants and nutrients including phosphate. To date, little information is available on mutual effects of fluoride and phosphate in fluoride-contaminated acidic soils. The objective of this study is to evaluate mutual effects of fluoride and phosphate on their adsorption/desorption in red soil, collected fi＇om Yingtan, Jiangxi Province, China, using a batch equilibrium method. The following results and conclusions were obtained. In heavily fluoride-contaminated soils, the adsorption of both fluoride and phosphate decreases with an increase in solution pH. Phosphate adsorption decreases progressively with increasing concentration of fluoride, suggesting that fluoride competes with phosphate for adsorption sites.     

Study on temporal and spatial evolution of China’s oil supply and consumption

To begin with, energy flow chart is used to analyze the status of China’s oil supply and consumption. Moreover, the temporal and spatial evolution of the oil production and oil products consumption in China is studied based on the gravity model. Finally, the decoupling index combined with the log mean Divisia index method is used to explore the contribution of the factors which influence terminal oil product consumption in China over the period 1991–2010. This paper draws the following results: (1) China’s net oil import dependency soared from 7.5 % in 1993 to 58.63 % in 2010. (2) The center of gravity for crude oil production and oil products consumption is an overall movement toward the southwest. (3) The economic activity effect is the critical factor in the growth of oil products consumption in China. However, industrial energy intensity effect plays the dominant role in decreasing oil products consumption. (4) The value of the decoupling index represented a re-coupling effect in 1996–1997 and 2003–2004. The other time interval showed weak decoupling effect.     

Mutual effects of fluoride and phosphate on their adsorption and desorption in fluoride-contaminated soils

Phosphate is one of the important nutrients for plant growth. In acidic and highly weathered soils, phosphate is ready to adsorb on Al and Fe oxides and transform into sparsely soluble Fe-P and Al-P solid phases, greatly reducing phosphate bioavailability…     

Effects of tree species and soil depths on ethylene and methane consumption in tropical and temperate forest soils

To date our knowledge is limited with regard to the responses of ethylene and methane consumption by forest soils to tree species and soil types, and to the effect of presence of ethylene on atmospheric methane consumption. The soils at depths from tropical and temperate forests in China were used to study the responses of ethylene and methane consumption to tree species and soil types. The ethylene and methane consumption by soils beneath each forest floor was measured under the same oxic conditions, along with main properties of forest soils. The accumulation of ethylene was studied in the soil slurry （soil/water, 1/2.5）. In temperate soils under spruce and birch forests, maximal consumption rates of ethylene and methane were observed in the 2.5-5.0 cm and 5.0-7.5 cm soil layers, respectively （P〈0.05）. However, a maximal consumption of both occurred in the 0-2.5 cm soil layer under temperate Korean pine forest （P〈0.05）. Contrary to temperate forest soils, there was a significant lower consumption of ethylene and methane in tropical forest soils at less than 20 cm depths under a seasonal rainforest and secondary rubber forest （P〈0.05）. Hence, the potential of ethylene and methane consumption in the 0-20 cm soil profile was variable with tree species and soil types. According to ethylene formation in the soil slurry, there was greater accumulation of ethylene in the 0-2.5 cm soil under temperate forests than under tropical forests, and its accumulation under spruce and birch forests was more than under Korean pine forest （P〈0.05）. The presence of extrinsic ethylene can significantly inhibit the consumption of atmospheric methane by forest soils.     

Effects of aspects on soil environment and plant growth on the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau北大核心CSCD

The different aspects lead to great differences in the processes of water,heat,and energy balance,which further affect the soil environment and the growth of alpine plants. Based on an experimental study with eight aspects（abbreviated as octagonal platform）of Huashixia frozen soil observation base on the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau,the influence of aspects on soil environments and alpine vegetation growth was studied. The results showed that：（1）After 6 years,the soil temperature of each slope near the surface（10 cm and 30 cm depth）from high to low was as follows：south > southeast > southwest > west > east > northwest > northeast > north,that is,the relatively sunny slope（east,southeast,south and southwest）was higher than the relatively shady slope（west,northwest,north and northeast）. However,there was no significant difference in soil water con⁃ tent between the sunny slope and the shady slope at the depth of 0~30 cm. （2）The growth trend of aboveground vegetation（including plant height,coverage and aboveground biomass）on sunny slope was better than that on shady slope. The growth trend of underground vegetation（including root depth and underground biomass）on sunny slope was worse than that on shady slope. （3）In the depth of 0~10 cm,the content of soil organic carbon and total nitrogen on sunny slope was higher than that on shady slope. However,the content of total phosphorus on sunny slope was lower than that on shady slope. There was no significant difference in total potassium and available nutrients among different slopes（P>0. 05）. In general,the effect of temperature on vegetation growth and nutrient distribution is significant in alpine regions,and these findings provides an important reference for vegetation restoration and energy balance research in different aspects. © 2023 The Author(s).     

Natural and experimental constraints on formation of the continental crust based on niobium–tantalum fractionation

Fractionation between Nb and Ta, elements generally regarded as geochemical ‘identical twins’, is a key to deciphering the formation of the continental crust (CC). Here we show that Nb/Ta of rutile grains in eclogitic rocks from the Chinese Continental Scientific Drilling (CCSD) project are remarkably heterogeneous but overall subchondritic at core depths of 100–700 m, and are less variable and mainly suprachondritic at core depths of 700–3025 m, indicating clear Nb/Ta fractionation across a subducted slab. To understand the potential mechanism of Nb/Ta fractionation within the subducted plate, we analysed by laser ablation ICPMS a thermal migration experiment in which a wet andesite was placed in a large thermal gradient (300°C/cm with ends ranging from 950–350°C) at 0.5Gpa. Results show that Nb, Ta and Ti, driven by the thermal gradient, preferentially migrate by diffusion through supercritical fluids into the cooler end of the experiment (at 650–350°C). Due to contrasting Nb and Ta thermal migration patterns, dramatic fractionation between Nb, Ta, and Ti took place in the cooler end. Experimental results are consistent with the measured Nb, Ta in rutile from CCSD drillhole samples. We consider that major fractionation between Nb, Ta must occur before rutile appears, most likely during the prograde blueschist to amphibole–eclogite transformation, when Ti is also mobile. Before rutile appears, partitioning between Ti‐rich dominant minerals such as amphiboles and fluids in the hotter region where dehydration preferentially occurs, produces Nb–Ta–Ti‐rich fluids with subchondritic Nb/Ta, and dehydration residues with suprachondritic Nb/Ta. Meanwhile, owing to evolution of the thermal gradient within the subducting slab, thermal migration of Nb, Ta, and Ti in aqueous fluids result in Nb, Ta, and Ti enrichment in the cooler region and depletion in the hotter region. As a result of high‐pressure metamorphism, hydrous rutile‐rich eclogites with overall subchondritic Nb/Ta form in the cooler region, whereas relatively anhydrous rutile‐poor eclogites with suprachondritic Nb/Ta form in the hotter region. Subsequently, partial melting of hydrous rutile‐rich eclogites with initial subchondritic Nb/Ta at deeper levels transfers overall subchondritic Nb/Ta coupled with Nb, Ta, and Ti depletion characteristics to the CC, leaving dry rutile‐poor eclogites with suprachondritic Nb/Ta and rutile‐rich residual eclogites with overall, heterogeneous subchondritic Nb/Ta as a complementary reservoir to the CC.     

Organic matter on clay minerals and marine sediments — effect on adsorption of dissolved copper,phosphate, and lipids from saline solutions

Adsorption of dissolved copper and phosphate by natural and peroxide-treated marine sediments was compared. A three-fold increase in copper adsorption and a six-fold increase in phosphate adsorption was caused by the peroxide treatment. Indigenous organic matter evidently interferes with adsorption.Clay minerals coated with heptadecanoic acid adsorbed somewhat less copper, phosphate, and hexadecane than uncoated clays, but slightly more nonadecanoic acid and anthracene.