Alteration of a Komatiite Flow from Alexo, Ontario, Canada

To investigate the ability of komatiites to preserve duringalteration a record of the geochemical and isotopic compositionof the Archean mantle, we studied the petrology and geochemistryof a komatiite flow from Alexo, Ontario. Although this flowis relatively well preserved, two main types of alteration arerecognized: (1) hydration of variable intensity throughout thewhole flow; (2) local rodingitization. In samples only slightlyaffected by hydration, the alteration was essentially isochemical;where more intense, hydration was accompanied by the mobilityof TiO₂, Zr and the light rare-earth elements (LREE). The mobilityof these reputedly immobile trace elements is influenced bytexture and secondary mineral assemblages. Rodingitization wasaccompanied by still greater mobility. An Nd isochron with anage of 272698 Ma and Nd_(T) =+ 2.5 is defined by wholerock samples.Because the spread of Sm-Nd ratios is far greater than can beexplained by magmatic processes, the age is interpreted as thatof the main alteration event during or soon after emplacement.Scattered initial Sr isotopic ratios and Nd _(T) (+ 3.6 to +0.7)provide evidence for several younger events. The Nd (T) of magnaticclinopyroxene ( plus;3.8) is higher than that of mafic tofelsicrocks and pyroxenes from the Abibiti belt (Nd _(T) +2.5). Thisresult implies: (1) the komatiites exchanged Nd with surroundingrocks during waterrock interaction; (2) the isotopic compositionof komatiites and their mantle source differed from that ofthe more common basalts of the Abitibi belt. KEY WORDS: alteration; Archean; Komatiite; trace elements; radiogenic and stable islotopes ^*Present address: Ore Genesis Research Group, VIEPS Department of Earth Science, Monash University, Clayton, Vic 3168, Australia. Telephone: (61) 3 9905-3881. Fax: (61) 3 9905–4903. e-mail: ylahaye{at}artemis.earth.monash.edu.au     

The evolution of groundwater in the Tyrrell catchment, south-central Murray Basin, Victoria, Australia

The Tyrell catchment lies on the western margin of the Riverine Province in the south-central Murray Basin, one of Australia’s most important groundwater resources. Groundwater from the shallow, unconfined Pliocene Sands aquifer and the underlying Renmark Group aquifer is saline (total dissolved solids up to 150,000 mg/L) and is Na-Cl-Mg type. There is no systematic change in salinity along hydraulic gradients implying that the aquifers are hydraulically connected and mixing during vertical flow is important. Stable isotopes (¹⁸O+²H) and Cl/Br ratios indicate that groundwater is entirely of meteoric origin and salts in this system have largely been derived by evapotranspiration of rainfall with only minor halite dissolution, rock weathering (mainly feldspar dissolution), and ion exchange between Na and Mg on clays. Similarity in chemistry of all groundwater in the catchment implies relative consistency in processes over time, independent of any climatic variation. Groundwater in both the Pliocene Sands and Renmark Group aquifers yield ages of up to 25 ka. The Tyrrell Catchment is arid to semi-arid and has low topography. This has resulted in relatively low recharge rates and hydraulic gradients that have resulted in long groundwater residence times.     

The landscape-scale relationship between lake sediment geochemistry and catchment bedrock composition from the Temagami and Gowganda areas of Northeastern Ontario,Canada

Lake sediments are integrators of watershed wide environmental information that includes bedrock geology, glacial overburden, vegetation, hydrology and land use. Lake sediments were collected from an area covering approximately 13,600 km² from the Gowganda and Temagami regions to determine the geochemical background conditions representing different bedrock types. For the entire dataset, the median value for arsenic in lake sediment was 2.6 mg/kg, well within the prescribed limits indicating that the Canadian national objective for arsenic in sediments for the protection of aquatic life (17 mg/kg). Overall, the vast majority of lake sediment samples (97.2%) were below the 17 mg/kg Canadian objective for the protection of aquatic life, however, catchments with Nipissing Diabase had the highest background levels for arsenic (10 mg/kg) with some lakes ranging up to 30 mg/kg. The major geological controls influencing changes in lake sediment geochemistry were determined using random forest classification and principal component analysis (PCA). Random forest classification was able to identify which geological province the samples were derived from and the dominant rock types in the sample catchment with respectable accuracy. PCA revealed strong spatial relationships between lake sediment geochemistry and bedrock geology, particularly a strong relationship between Nipissing Diabase in the watershed of the lake and the cobalt-type mineralization indicator elements in the lake sediment including naturally higher levels of arsenic. Within the samples that exceeded regulatory standards, over half the samples that exceeded the regulatory objectives were located in watersheds that contained Nipissing Diabase in their catchment. This study demonstrates that unique geochemical assemblages can be associated with specific geological areas which is of interest to exploration geologists, for target generation and prospecting, and to environmental policy makers, for site-specific restoration targets.     

A S-isotope approach to determine the relative contribution of redox processes to net SO4 export from upland, and wetland-dominated catchments

Reoxidation of S stored in lowlands after summer droughts has been reported to be responsible for the excess SO₄ export observed in many catchments in south central Ontario. Stable S isotopes can be used to identify the source of SO₄ export in stream water, and are particularly well suited to evaluating zones of dissimilatory SO₄ reduction (DSR) and the contribution of oxidation of reduced S species to stream SO₄. The Plastic Lake-1 (PC1) stream drains an upland coniferous forest and then passes through a Sphagnum-dominated swamp before discharging to Plastic Lake. Measurements of SO₄ fluxes and isotope ratios were used to determine the source of net SO₄ export and the contribution of redox processes to S retention and export in the upland and wetland, respectively. Mass balance budgets for the years 1999/00 and 2000/01, which had comparatively wet summers, indicated that the upland part of the catchment consistently exported SO₄ in excess of bulk deposition inputs. In contrast, mass budget calculations for the swamp indicated a net retention of 3 and 2 g S-SO₄/m² of wetland area, in 1999/00 and 2000/01 respectively. Higher δ³⁴SO₄ ratios and lower SO₄ concentrations in the swamp outflow (average +8.6 ± 2.6‰; 1.5 ± 0.6 mg S-SO₄/L) compared to the inflow draining the upland (+5.4 ± 0.7‰; 2.4 ± 0.3 mg S-SO₄/L) indicated that DSR was at least partly responsible for net SO₄ retention in the swamp. Isotope values in upland stream water (+5.7 ± 0.7‰) were only slightly higher than values in bulk deposition (average +5.1 ± 0.6‰) and soil leachate (+4.4 ± 0.4‰) over the 2-year period of study. Similar δ³⁴SO₄ values in upland stream water compared to deposition and soil leachate, despite substantial variations in water table height in the streambed (92 cm), suggest that reoxidation of reduced sulphides is not an important contributor to SO₄ export from the upland. Rather, net SO₄ export from the upland subcatchment is likely due to net release from upland soil, and slight differences in δ³⁴SO₄ between bulk deposition and soil leachate are consistent with SO₄ release from organic S forms.     

The stability of a remediated bed in Hamilton Harbour,Lake Ontario,Canada

ABSTRACT In situ measurements of lakebed sediment erodibility were made on three sites in Hamilton Harbour, Lake Ontario, using the benthic flume Sea Carousel. Three methods of estimating the surface erosion threshold (τ_c(0)) from a Carousel time series were evaluated: the first method fits measures of bed strength to eroded depth (the failure envelope) and evaluates threshold as the surface intercept; the second method regresses mean erosion rate (E_m) with bed shear stress and solves for the floc erosion rate (E_f) to derive the threshold for E_m = E_f = 1 × 10^?5 kg m^?2 s^?1; the third method extrapolates a regression of suspended sediment concentration (S) and fluid transmitted bed shear stress (τ₀) to ambient concentrations. The first field site was undisturbed (C) and acted as a control; the second (W) was disturbed through ploughing and water injection as part of lakebed treatment, whereas the third site (OIP) was disturbed and injected with an oxidant used for remediation of contaminated sediment. The main objectives of this study were: (1) to evaluate the three different methods of deriving erosion threshold; (2) to compare the physical behaviour of lacustrine sediments with their marine estuarine counterparts; and (3) to examine the effects of ploughing and chemical treatment of contaminated sediment on bed stability. Five deployments of Sea Carousel were carried out at the control site. Mean erosion thresholds for the three methods were: τ_c(0) = 0·5 (±0·06), 0·27 (±0·01) and 0·34 (±0·03) Pa respectively. Method 1 overpredicted bed strength as it was insensitive to effects in the surface 1–2 mm, and the fit of the failure envelope was also highly subjective. Method 2 exhibited a wide scatter in the data (low correlation coefficients), and definition of the baseline erosion rate (E_f) is largely arbitrary in the literature. Method 3 yielded stable (high correlation coefficients), reproducible and objective results and is thus recommended for evaluation of the erosion threshold. The results of this method correlated well with sediment bulk density and followed the same trend as marine counterparts from widely varying sites. Mass settling rates, expressed as a decay constant, k, of S(t), were strongly related to the maximum turbidity at the onset of settling (S_max) and were also in continuity with marine counterparts. Thus, it appears that differences in salinity had little effect on mass settling rates in the examples presented, and that biological activity dominated any effects normally attributable to changes in salinity. Bedload transport of eroded aggregates (2–4 mm in diameter) took place by rolling below a mean tangential flow velocity (U_y) of 0·32 ms^?1 and by saltation at higher velocities. Mass transport as bedload was a maximum at U_y = 0·4 ms^?1, although bedload never exceeded 1% of the suspended load. The proportion of material moving as bedload was greatest at the onset of erosion but decreased as flow competence increased. Given the low bulk density and strength of the lakebed sediment, the presence of a bedload component is notable. Bedload transport over eroding cohesive substrates should be greater in estuaries, where both sediment density and strength are usually higher. Significant differences between the ploughed and control sites were apparent in both the erosion rate and the friction coefficient (φ), and suggest that bed recovery after disruption is rapid (< 24 h). τ_c(0) increased linearly with time after ploughing and recovered to the control mean value within 3 days. The friction coefficient was reduced to zero by ploughing (diagnostic of fluidization), but increased linearly with time, regaining control values within 6 days. No long‐term reduction in bed strength due to remediation was apparent.     

The isotope geochemistry of fracture calcites from the Chalk River area,Ontario, Canada

Calcite is a common fracture inflilling mineral in the Grenville gneisses of the Chalk River area, Ontario, Canada. It exhibits a variety of occurrences and textures which suggests calcite has precipitated under different hydrogeochemical conditions that may be identified through a detailed chemical and isotopic investigation of the calcite and associated infilling minerals.The δ¹⁸O of these calcites range over 20%. but the δ¹³C varies over a narrow range of 5%.. None of the calcites analyzed is in isotopic equilibrium with both the δ¹⁸O and δ¹³C of the present day ground water. The lightest δ¹⁸O calcites (near 0%. SMOW) are present in sealed fractures and are sometimes associated with laumontite. This suggests that these light calcites formed from hydrothermal solutions (at temperatures less than about 300°C) shortly after the period of metamorphism that formed the gneisses. This interpretation is supported by relatively unradiogenic⁸⁷Sr/⁸⁶Sr ratios near 0.709 and δ¹³C values of −5 to −6%..Most of the Chalk River calcites, however, are considerably heavier in¹⁸O and lighter in¹³C than the hydrothermal end member. This may be the result of low temperature recrystallization of the hydrothermal calcites by meteoric waters under variable water/rock ratios. The¹³C contents and⁸⁷Sr/⁸⁶Sr ratios of these younger, low temperature calcites appear to be partially buffered by the isotopic composition of the original hydrothermal calcite.Pyrite is often associated with the fracture calcites. These pyrites display a wide range in δ³⁴S values of about 70%., which suggests that sulphide precipitation occurred under semi-closed conditions. These data indicate that fracture permeability has been a major control on the isotopic composition of fracture minerals since formation of the gneiss.     

Dating of the near-surface layer of a peatland in northwestern Ontario, Canada

The near-surface layer of the dominant microhabitat types on a peatland in the Rainy River area, northwestern Ontario, Canada was dated using a number of previously published methods. No single method was found to be appropriate in all microhabitat types, and discrepancies of up to 15 yr over a time-scale of 80 yr were encountered. The results suggested that the post-depositional mobility of ²¹⁰Pb, and possibly its atmospheric supply, are affected by microhabitat type. ²¹⁰Pb dates consistently underestimated independently derived dates in the uppermost sections of the cores. Ages derived by measuring the length of annual increments on moss stems were in general agreement with the ²¹⁰Pb dates, but were subject to bias where the moss remains were poorly preserved. ¹⁴C analyses on material from the base to the near-surface horizon confirmed the modern (post-AD 1950) origin suggested by the ²¹⁰Pb and moss increment dates. Increased ash content at the base of the near-surface layer was correlated with the dustbowl of the 1930s, but assignment of dates to other stratigraphic markers (charcoal, Ambrosia pollen, and Larix needles) was less certain. The ash peak (55 yr before AD 1990) was used as datum for relative dating methods based on assumptions of a constant rate of peat accumulation (constant bulk density method) and constant rate of pollen accumulation (pollen density method). The constant bulk density method provided quick, inexpensive estimates of maximum age, but could not be extrapolated beyond datum, nor applied to cores showing marked stratigraphic changes. The pollen density method was a valuable but time-consuming alternative for dating peatland depressions, which lack annual moss increments and are subject to ²¹⁰Pb leaching.     

Comparative 210Pb, 137Cs,and pollen geochronologies of sediments from Lakes Ontario and Erie

The distribution of ²¹⁰Pb, ¹³⁷Cs, and Ambrosia (ragweed) pollen in two sediment cores from Lake Ontario and in three cores from Lake Erie provides independent estimates of sediment accumulation rates. Geochronology with ²¹⁰Pb is based on radioactive decay of the isotope following burial in sediments. The method can reveal with precision changes in sedimentation occurring over the past 100 yr or so. Geochronologies with ¹³⁷Cs and Ambrosia are based on the occurrence of a horizon corresponding, respectively, to the onset of nuclear testing 25 yr ago and to regional forest clearance in the middle 1800s. These methods provide estimates of long-term average sediment accumulation rates. In all but one core, the distributions of ¹³⁷Cs and ²¹⁰Pb indicate no physical mixing of near-surface sediments. In two cores, including one from central Lake Erie collected by diver, all three estimates of sedimentation rates are in excellent agreement. In two other cores, rates based on ²¹⁰Pb are significantly higher than those inferred from Ambrosia pollen profiles. Lower average rates appear to result from occasional massive losses of sediments. Such events, apparent in the distribution of ²¹⁰Pb but not in pollen records, correlate with the occurrence of major storm surges on the lakes during this century. In one core from western Lake Erie, exponential distributions of both ²¹⁰Pb and Ambrosia appear to be artifacts which may result from extensive biological or physical reworking of sediments in shallow water (11 m). Previous indications of increased sedimentation in Lake Erie since about 1935 based on Castanea (chestnut) pollen data are not substantiated.     

An ecosystem approach to planning for groundwater: The case of Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada

Sustaining the human-ecological benefits of groundwater requires carefully planned strategies for reducing the cumulative risks posed by diverse human actions. Municipal governments in Ontario, Canada, play a key role in developing solutions to groundwater management and protection. The responsibility to provide drinking water and sewage works, regulate the use of private land, and protect public health provides the mandate and authority to take action. Waterloo Region, in the province of Ontario, contains the single largest population in Canada that uses groundwater as its primary source of drinking water. The region's Water Resources Protection Strategy provides a model of planning for groundwater at a regional scale. The ecosystem approach offers a comprehensive basis for designing community-based groundwater strategies, within a regional context. This approach is defined by the following key components: ecosystem boundaries, objectives, functions, and cumulative effects; and is integrated, adaptable, coordinated, and catalytic. Waterloo's groundwater strategy is distinguished by the degree to which it embodies many elements of the ecosystem approach. Future priorities include embracing a comprehensive vision; enumerating essential ecological functions; integrating a full set of regulatory, voluntary, and economic instruments; and accelerating partnerships with key stakeholders for implementation. Résumé Le fait de tirer des eaux souterraines des bénéfices écologiques pour l'homme exige des stratégies soigneusement préparées pour réduire les risques cumulatifs posés par les diverses actions humaines. Les municipalités de l'Ontario, au Canada, jouent un rôle clé en développant des solutions de gestion et de protection des eaux souterraines. La responsabilité de fournir des réseaux d'eau potable et d'eaux usées, de réguler l'usage des territoires privés et de protéger la santé publique donne le mandat et l'autorité pour agir. La région de Waterloo, dans la province d'Ontario, possède la plus grande communauté qui, au Canada, utilise l'eau souterraine comme unique ressource primaire d'eau potable. La stratégie de protection des ressources en eau de la région fournit un modèle d'organisation pour l'eau souterraine à l'échelle régionale. L'approche de l'écosystème fournit une base d'ensemble pour définir des stratégies basées sur la communauté pour les eaux souterraines, dans un contexte régional. Cette approche est définie par les composantes clés suivantesu: frontières de l'écosystème, objectifs, fonctions, effets cumulatifsu elle est intégrée, adaptable, coordonnée et catalytique. La stratégie de Waterloo pour les eaux souterraines se distingue par le degré par lequel elle rassemble de nombreux éléments de l'approche écosystémique. Les futures priorités prévoient de prendre en compte une vision d'ensemble, de lister les fonctions écologiques essentielles, d'intégrer un ensemble complet d'instruments économiques, spontanés et de régulation, et d'accélérer les partenariats avec les acteurs clés pour la mise en muvre du dispositif. Resumen Para mantener los beneficios ecológicos del agua subterránea se requiere una estrategia para reducir los riesgos asociados a las diversas acciones antrópicas. En la Provincia de Ontario, Canadá, los gobiernos municipales son los encargados de gestionar y proteger las aguas subterráneas. En concreto, estos organismos tienen competencia sobre la gestión del abastecimiento y saneamiento, la regulación de usos del suelo y la protección de la salud pública. La región de Waterloo, en la Provincia de Ontario, contiene la mayor población de Canadá que es abastecida primordialmente por aguas subterráneas. La Water Resources Protection Strategy (Estrategia de Protección de los Recursos de Agua) de la región supone un modelo de planificación de aguas subterráneas a escala regional. La denominada metodología de ecosistema, que ofrece una base global para el diseño de las estrategias a escala de comunidad, engloba las siguientes componentes: contornos del ecosistema, objetivos, funciones, y efectos acumulativos, y es una metodología integrada, adaptable, coordinada y catalítica. La estrategia utilizada en Waterloo se distingue por el grado de aplicación de varios de los elementos correspondientes a esta metodología. Las prioridades futuras incluyen una visión globalizadora, enumerando las funciones ecológicas esenciales, integrando una serie de instrumentos reguladores, voluntarios y económicos, y acelerando la implantación de asociaciones de usuarios.     

The impact of vegetation on REE fractionation in stream waters of a small forested catchment (the Strengbach case)

Previous studies on waters of a streamlet in the Vosges Mountains (Eastern France) have shown that strontium and rare earth elements (REE) mainly originate from preferential dissolution of apatite during weathering. However, stream water REE patterns normalized to apatite are still depleted in the light REE (LREE, La-Sm) pointing to the presence of an additional LREE depleting process. Vegetation samples are strongly enriched in LREE compared to stream water and their Sr and Nd isotopic compositions are comparable with those of apatite and stream water. Thus, the preferential LREE uptake by vegetation might lead to an additional LREE depletion of surface runoff in the forested catchment. Mass balance calculations indicate, that the yearly LREE uptake by vegetation is comparable with the LREE export by the streamlet and, therefore, might be an important factor controlling LREE depletion in river water. This is underlined by the observation that rivers from arctic and boreal regions with sparse vegetation appear to be less depleted in LREE than rivers from tropical environments or boreal environments with a dense vegetation cover.     

The role of hydrology in annual organic carbon loads and terrestrial organic matter export from a midwestern agricultural watershed

Defining the control that hydrology exerts on organic carbon (OC) export at the watershed scale is important for understanding how the source and quantity of OC in streams and rivers is influenced by climate change or by landscape drainage. To this end, molecular (lignin phenol), stable carbon isotope, and dissolved organic carbon (DOC) data were collected over a range of flow conditions to examine the influence of hydrology on annual OC export from an 850 km² Midwestern United States agricultural watershed located in west central Indiana. In years 2002 and 2003, modeled annual DOC loads were 19.5 and 14.1 kg ha⁻¹yr⁻¹, while 71% and 85%, respectively, of the total annual OC was exported in flow events occurring during less than 20% of that time. These results highlight the importance of short-duration, high-discharge events (common in smaller watersheds) in controlling annual OC export. Based on reported increases in annual stream discharge coupled with current estimates of DOC export, annual DOC loads in this watershed may have increased by up to 40% over the past 50 years. Molecular (lignin phenol) characterization of quantity and relative degradation state of terrestrial OC shows as much temporal variability of lignin parameters (in high molecular weight dissolved organic carbon) in this one watershed as that demonstrated in previously published studies of dissolved organic matter in the Mississippi and Amazon Rivers. These results suggest that hydrologic variability is at least as important in determining the nature and extent of OC export as geographic variability. Moreover, molecular and bulk stable carbon isotope data from high molecular weight dissolved organic carbon and colloidal organic carbon showed that increased stream flow from the study watershed was responsible for increased export of agriculturally derived OC. When considered in the context of results from other studies that show the importance of flood events and in-stream processing of terrestrial organic carbon, our results show how hydrologic variability in smaller watersheds can reflect landscape-scale carbon dynamics in ways that cannot necessarily be measured at the outlets of large rivers due to multiple source signals and attenuated hydrology.     

Magnitude of σ1, σ2, and σ3 at mid-crustal levels in an orogenic belt: Microboudin method applied to an impure metachert from Turkey

We revised an equation for estimating palaeostress magnitude using the microboudin technique by incorporating the influence of time on the fracture strength of minerals. The equation was used to estimate triaxial palaeostresses from a rare sample of metachert from Turkey that contains microboudinaged, columnar tourmaline grains in a wide range of orientations within the foliation plane. The estimated principal palaeostresses are σ₁ = 605 MPa, σ₂ = 598 MPa, and σ₃ = 597 MPa. As the microboudinage is considered to have occurred immediately before the rock encountered the brittle-plastic transition during exhumation, these stress values correspond to conditions at approximately 18 km depth and 300 °C within a Cretaceous orogenic belt.     

Geostatistical mapping of leakance in a regional aquitard, Oak Ridges Moraine area, Ontario, Canada

The Newmarket Till forms a regionally extensive aquitard separating two major aquifer systems in the Greater Toronto area, Canada. The till is incised, and sometimes eroded entirely, by a network of sand- and gravel-filled channels forming productive aquifers and, locally, high-conductivity windows between aquifer systems. Leakage through the till may also be substantial in places. This study investigates the spatial variability of aquitard leakance in order to assess the relative importance of recharge processes to the lower aquifers. With a large database derived from water-well records and containing both hard and soft information, the Sequential Indicator Simulation method is used to generate maps of aquitard thickness and window probability. These can be used for targeting channel aquifers and for identifying potential areas of recharge to the lower aquifers. Conductivities are modeled from sparse data assuming that their correlation range is much smaller than the grid spacing. Block-scale leakances are obtained by upscaling nodal values based on simulated conductivity and thickness fields. Under the "aquifer-flow' assumption, upscaling is performed by arithmetic spatial averaging. Histograms and maps of upscaled leakances show that heterogeneities associated with aquitard windows have the largest effect on regional groundwater flow patterns. Electronic Publication     

Phosphoinnelite, Ba4Na3Ti3Si4O14(PO4,SO4)2(O,F)3, a new mineral species from peralkaline pegmatite of the Kovdor pluton, Kola Peninsula

Phosphoinnelite, an analogue of innelite with P > S, has been found in a peralkaline pegmatite vein crosscutting calcite carbonatite at the phlogopite deposit, Kovdor pluton, Kola Peninsula. Cancrinite (partly replaced with thomsonite-Ca), orthoclase, aegirine-augite, pectolite, magnesioarfvedsonite, golyshevite, and fluorapatite are associated minerals. Phosphoinnelite occurs as lath-shaped crystals up to 0.2 × 1 × 6 mm in size, which are combined typically in bunch-, sheaf-, and rosettelike segregations. The color is yellow-brown, with vitreous luster on crystal faces and greasy luster on broken surfaces. The mineral is transparent. The streak is pale yellowish. Phosphoinnelite is brittle, with perfect cleavage parallel to the {010} and good cleavage parallel to the {100}; the fracture is stepped. The Mohs hardness is 4.5 to 5. Density is 3.82 g/cm³ (meas.) and 3.92 g/cm³ (calc.). Phosphoinnelite is biaxial (+), α = 1.730, β = 1.745, and γ = 1.764, 2V (meas.) is close to 90°. Optical orientation is Z^c ∼ 5°. Chemical composition determined by electron microprobe is as follows (wt %): 6.06 Na₂O, 0.04 K₂O, 0.15 CaO, 0.99 SrO, 41.60 BaO, 0.64 MgO, 1.07 MnO, 1.55 Fe₂O₃, 0.27 Al₂O₃, 17.83 SiO₂, 16.88 TiO₂, 0.74 Nb₂O₅, 5.93 P₂O₅, 5.29 SO₃, 0.14 F, −O=F₂ = −0.06, total is 99.12. The empirical formula calculated on the basis of (Si,Al)₄O₁₄ is (Ba_3.59Sr_0.13K_0.01)_Σ3.73(Na_2.59Mg_0.21Ca_0.04)_Σ3.04(Ti_2.80Fe _0.26 ³⁺ Nb_0.07)_Σ3.13[(Si_3.93Al_0.07)_Σ4O₁₄(P_1.11S_0.87)_Σ1.98O_7.96](O_2.975F_0.10)_Σ3.075. The simplified formula is Ba₄Na₃Ti₃Si₄O₁₄(PO₄,SO₄)₂(O,F)₃. The mineral is triclinic, space group P or P1. The unit cell dimensions are a = 5.38, b = 7.10, c = 14.76 ?; α = 99.00°, β = 94.94°, γ = 90.14°; and V = 555 ?³, Z = 1. The strongest lines of the X-ray powder pattern [d, ? in (I)(hkl)] are: 14.5(100)(001), 3.455(40)(103), 3.382(35)(0 2), 2.921(35)(005), 2.810(40)(1 4), 2.683(90)(200, 01), 2.133(80)( 2), 2.059(40)(204, 1 3, 221), 1.772(30)(0 1, 1 7, 2 2, 2 3). The infrared spectrum is demonstrated. An admixture of P substituting S has been detected in the innelite samples from the Inagli pluton (South Yakutia, Russia). An innelite-phosphoinnelite series with a variable S/P ratio has been discovered. The type material of phosphoinnelite has been deposited at the Fersman Mineralogical Museum, Russian Academy of Sciences, Moscow. Original Russian Text ? I.V. Pekov, N.V. Chukanov, I.M. Kulikova, D.I. Belakovsky, 2006, published in Zapiski Rossiiskogo Mineralogicheskogo Obshchestva, 2006, No. 3, pp. 52–60. Considered and recommended by the Commission on New Minerals and Mineral Names, Russian Mineralogical Society, May 9, 2005. Approved by the Commission on New Minerals and Mineral Names, International Mineralogical Association, July 4, 2005 (proposal 2005-022).     

The drainage of Lake Ojibway in glaciolacustrine sediments of northern Ontario and Quebec,Canada

Physical evidence for the drainage of glacial lakes remains relatively rare in depositional records, giving rise to much debate on the location of outlets and discharge pathways, as well as on the climate impact of the attendant meltwater forcing. Lake Ojibway developed following the withdrawal of the Laurentide Ice Sheet in northern Ontario and Quebec, Canada. The late‐stage evolution of this large ice‐dammed lake was influenced by the complex dynamics of the retreating ice margin, which highly complicates the identification of the termination of Lake Ojibway in glaciolacustrine sediment records. Here, we document the composition of sections of rhythmites that contain in their upper part an anomalously thick and whitish bed (10–15 cm) that is in turn overlain by ～1 m of faintly bedded rhythmites. Grain‐size analyses showed that the thick whitish bed consists primarily of fine to coarse silt (2–63 μm), contrasting with the lower and upper rhythmites that are largely dominated by clay (<2 μm). The detrital carbonate content of the thick silt bed is characterized by consistently high values (2.5 to 2.8%), whereas the bounding rhythmites show lower and highly variable values. Oxygen isotope measurements further show a marked change going from typical glacial meltwater values (～ ?29.6 to ?27.7‰; VSMOW) for the lower rhythmites and the silt bed to modern‐like meteoric values (?18.4 to ?14.6‰) for the uppermost rhythmites. These data suggest that this marker bed may be associated with a major drawdown event that possibly corresponds to the final drainage of Lake Ojibway. AMS radiocarbon dating of ostracods extracted from the drainage bed also documents an important hardwater effect within the Ojibway basin.     

Paleoenvironmental records of water level and climatic changes from the middle to late Holocene at a Lake Erie coastal wetland, Ontario, Canada

Pollen and diatom assemblages, and peat stratigraphies, from a coastal wetland on the northern shore of Lake Erie were used to analyze water level and climatic changes since the middle Holocene and their effects on wetland plant communities. Peat deposition began 4700 cal yr B.P. during the Nipissing II transgression, which was driven by isostatic rebound. At that time, a diatom-rich wild rice marsh existed at the site. Water level dropped at the end of the Nipissing rise at least 2 m within 200 yr, leading to the development of shallower-water plant communities and an environment too dry for most diatoms to persist. The sharp decline in water level was probably driven primarily by outlet incision, but climate likely played some role. The paleoecological records provide evidence for post-Nipissing century-scale transgressions occurring around 2300, 1160, 700 and 450 cal yr B.P. The chronology for these transgressions correlates with other studies from the region and implies climatic forcing. Peat inception in shallow sloughs across part of the study area around 700 cal yr B.P. coincides with the Little Ice Age. These records, considered alongside others from the region, suggest that the Little Ice Age may have resulted in a wetter climate across the eastern Great Lakes region.     

Soil and plant composition in the Noun river catchment basin,Western Cameroon: a contribution to the development of a biogeochemical baseline

Soils and selected edible plants of the Noun river catchment basin of western Cameroon were sampled to investigate the distribution of trace elements, based on the preliminary idea of unusual anomalies. Analytical techniques for trace elements included ICP-AES, GF-AAS, and ICP-MS. Further soil analyses comprised the mineralogy and contents of the biogenic elements carbon, nitrogen and sulphur (CNS). The trace element concentrations in the soils reflect those of the lithogeochemical background of the pluto-volcanic rocks of the region. This is consistent with the results from the mineralogical analyses and physicochemical parameters such as pH, taken in the field, which also do not suggest any geochemical anomaly. Most trace elements analyzed in the plants showed concentrations that reflect those of the soils (Al, Fe, Ti, and Rb). However, some trace elements were enriched in the plants as compared to the soils, such as Zn, Cu, Cd, Mo (excluding yam), Ni (peanut), Ba (peanut), Sr (peanut, bean), and B. Trace elements such as As, Cr, V, and Se were not bioavailable for all the analyzed plants. Besides, trace elements such as Cu, Zn, Mo, Fe, Al, Ni, B, Ti, Rb, Cs, and Ba were in the range of phytotoxicity and reached or exceeded human food tolerance level (Cu). The plants with seeds showed a higher absorption of trace elements compared to plants with tubercles.     

Basement-controlled faulting of Paleozoic strata in southern Ontario, Canada: new evidence from geophysical lineament mapping

Basement fault reactivation is now recognized as an important control on sedimentation and fault propagation in intracratonic basins. In southern Ontario, the basement consists of complexly structured mid-Proterozoic (ca. 1.2 Ga) crystalline rocks and metasedimentary rocks that are overlain by up to 1500 m of Paleozoic sedimentary strata. Reactivation of basement structures is suspected to control the location of Paleozoic fault and fracture systems, but evaluation has been hindered by a limited understanding of the regional structural characteristics of the buried basement. New aeromagnetic- and gravimetric-lineament mapping presented in this paper better resolves the location of basement discontinuities and provides further evidence for basement controls on the distribution of Paleozoic fault and fracture systems. Lineament mapping was facilitated by reprocessing and digital image enhancement (micro-levelling, regional residual separation, derivative filtering) of existing regional gravity and aeromagnetic datasets. Reprocessed images identify new details of the structural fabric of the basement below southern Ontario and delineate several previously unrecognized aeromagnetic and gravity lineaments and linear zones. Linear zones parallel the projected trends of mid-Proterozoic terrane boundaries identified by field mapping on the exposed shield to the north of the study area, and are interpreted as zones of shearing and basement faulting. Mapped aeromagnetic and gravity lineaments show similar trends to Paleozoic faults and fracture networks and broad zones of seismicity in southern Ontario. These new data support an ‘inheritance model’ for Paleozoic faulting, involving repeated reactivation and upward propagation of basement faults and fractures into overlying cover strata.     

Nature and origin of nodular textures in anorthositic cumulates from the East Bull Lake Intrusion,Ontario, Canada

Summary Nodular anorthosite, containing rounded aggregates (nodules) of plagioclase set in a gabbroic to pyroxenitic matrix, is developed in constrictions (< 500 m wide) within the central and eastern parts of the Early Proterozoic East Bull Lake Intrusion, central Ontario, Canada. The nodules typically occur as spherical to ovoidal aggregates ranging from 1 cm to 14 cm in diameter. Larger nodules are physical agglomerations of smaller nodules that formed in isolation. Plagioclase core compositions for the nodules display little variation in anorthite content (An_68–75), indicating a homogeneous and nonfractionating parent magma during the initial stages of nodule development.The restricted occurrence of the nodular anorthosite is consistent with a model in which the nodules formed in response to elevated degrees of undercooling within dike-like constrictions in the proto-chamber. Undercooling resulted in the rapid nucleation and growth of plagioclase upon pre-existing plagioclase phenocrysts (disequilibrium crystallization). The resultant primary nodules then aggregated together forming secondary nodules, possibly through an agglomeration process involving a Mg-Fe-rich residual liquid. Migration of some of this relatively dense liquid out of the nodular anorthosite unit during the final stages of consolidation resulted in compaction and promoted the formation of large tertiary nodules.

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Zusammensetzung und Entstehung nodularer Texturen in anorthositischen Kumulaten von der East Bull Lake Intrusion, Ontario, Canada

Zusammenfassung Nodulare Anorthosite, die gerundete Aggregate (nodules) von Plagioklas in einer gabbroischen pyroxenitischen Matrix enthalten, kommen in beschränkten Bereichen (weniger als 500 m breit) in zentralen und östlichen Teilen der frühproterozoischen East Bull Lake Intrusion im zentralen Ontario, Canada, vor. Die Nodules liegen vorwiegend als kugelförmige bis ovoidale Aggregate vor, deren Durchmesser von 1 bis 14 cm schwankt. Größere Nodules sind aus Gruppen von aneinander gelagerten kleineren Nodules entstanden. Die Zusammensetzung von Plagioklaskernen in den Nodules zeigen geringe Variationen im Anorthit-Gehalt (An_68–78), und dies weist auf ein homogenes und nicht fraktioniertes Ursprungsmagma während der ersten Stadien der Nodule-Entwicklung hin.Das beschränkte Vorkommen des nodularen Anorthosits läßt sich durch ein Modell erklären, in dem die Nodules als Reaktion auf Unterkühlung innerhalb gangartiger Bereiche in der Proto-Magmenkammer entstehen. Unterkühlung resultierte in rascher Nukleation und im Wachstum von Plagioklas auf präexistierenden Plagioklaskristallen (Ungleichgewichts-Kristallisation). Die resultierenden primären Nodules verbinden sich dann und bilden sekundäre Nodules, möglicherweise durch einen Prozeß, der eine Mg-Fe-reiche Restschmelze involviert. Migration von einem Teil dieser relativ dichten Schmelze aus der nodularen Anorthosit-Einheit während der Endstadien der Verfestigung führte zur Kompaktion und erleichterte die Bildung von großen tertiären Nodules.

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With 4 Figures