Geochemistry of the uranium-thurium-bearing granitic rocks and pegmatites of wadi haleifiya area, southeastern Sinai, Egypt

There are two main granitic rocks cropping out in the study area:1) the syn-orogenic granites are moderately weathered,jointed,exfoliated and characterized by low relief.These rocks are subdivided into tonalite and granodiorite.They are essentially composed of plagioclase,quartz,biotite,hornblende and potash feldspar;and 2) the post-orogenic granites,characterized by high relief terrain and represented by monzogranite,syenogranite and alkali granite.The monzogranites suffered hydrothermal alteration in particular along joints,faults,shear zones and fractures,which recorded the highest values of radioactivity,reflecting the role of post-magmatic alteration processes in the enhancement of radioactivity.The hydrothermal alteration(desilicification and hematitization) resulted in the formation of mineralized(altered) granites.The altered granites are enriched in TiO 2,Al 2 O 3,FeO T,MnO,MgO,Na 2 O,Rb,Sr,Y,Zr,Zn,Ga and Co and depleted in SiO 2,CaO,P 2 O 5,Nb,Pb,Cu,Ni and Cr relative to the fresh monzogranite.The investigated granites contain basic xenoliths as well as pockets of pegmatites.Perthites,quartz,plagioclase and sometimes biotite,represent the essential constituents.Some accessory minerals like zircon are metamicted reflecting their radiogenic nature.The alkali granites are characterized by the presence of aegirine,rebeckite and arfvedsonite.Both syn-and post-orogenic granites show some variations in their bulk chemical compositions.The older granitoids are metaluminous and exhibit characteristics of I-type granites and possess an arc tectonic environment.On the other hand,the younger granites are peraluminous and exhibit the characteristics of post-collisional granites.It is interpreted that radioactivity of the studied rocks is mainly controlled by both magmatic and post-magmatic activities.Frequently,the post-orogenic granites host zoned and unzoned pegmatite pockets.Some of these pockets anomalously attain high radioactivity.The syenogranites and the pegmatites are characterized by high contents of SiO 2 and K 2 O and low CaO and MgO.They have transitional characters from highly fractionated calc-alkaline to alkaline.The alkali granites related to A2-subtype of A-type granites.The post-orogenic granites were originated from magma of dominant crustal source materials and related to post-collisional setting under extensional environment.     

松辽盆地嫩江组油页岩发育控制因素

松辽盆地嫩江组一段和二段发育的油页岩是极其优质烃源岩, 生物标志化合物参数指示油页岩母质生源主要来自于水生生物其繁盛受温湿气候和湖泊富营养化控制.岩石学、元素地球化学、生物标志化合物等参数表明, 高盐和缺氧条件下的稳定水体分层是嫩一段油页岩沉积时期有机质保存的主控因素, 而嫩二段油页岩沉积时期水体盐度分层明显减弱, 此时藻类个体增大和孤立藻数量增多条件下的高生物生产力有利于有机质富集.为揭示嫩江组不同沉积环境下油页岩发育的控制因素, 建立了嫩一段油页岩沉积时期保存条件控制和嫩二段油页岩沉积时期生物生产力控制的两种有机质富集模式, 这对含氧淡水大型陆相湖泊的有机质富集成因探讨具有重要借鉴意义.      

Enhancement of the benthic communities around an isolated island in the Antarctic Ocean

Insular marine biotas are often richer in faunal diversity than those from the open sea in the same geographical region. The existence of particular island effects were tested under polar conditions by comparing infaunal benthic assemblages on Peter I Island with those of similar latitudes in the open ocean at the Bellingshausen Sea and also from the coast of the Antarctic Peninsula. Sampling was carried out aboard the R/V Hespérides during the expedition named BENTART-2003 from 24 January to 3 March 2003. Benthic samples were collected at 18 stations ranging from 90 to 2 044 m depth, using an USNEL-type box corer (BC) dredge. Representatives of 32 higher taxa of invertebrates were found. Univariate and multivariate analyses revealed various patterns in the data. First, significant differences in polychaete abundance were detected between the stations located in the open sea and the remaining sites (island plus mainland sites). Bivalve abundances were also distinct between island and mainland sampling sites. Sediment columns taken from the island seafloor exhibited the highest rate of bioturbation by the infauna. These findings confirm the model that islands develop distinct assemblages characterized by the enhancement of the benthic communities even in cold waters. Several abiotic factors were measured simultaneously at the seafloor and along the water column to investigate faunal distribution patterns. Significant correlations were found between the benthic assemblages and a combination of two environmental variables: "island effect" (measured as a categorical variable) and the redox state of sediments. Richer and more complex benthic assemblages were found in Peter I Island’s sea bottom, whereas the more depauperate bottoms remained in the open sea.     

Significant variations in the productivity of green macroalgae in a mesotidal estuary: implications to the nutrient loading of the system and the adjacent coastal area

A spatially dynamic model for the productivity of spores and adults of green macroalgae (Enteromorpha sp.) was developed for a mesotidal estuary (Mondego estuary, Portugal). Many of the algal processes and parameters included in the model were experimentally obtained. Model predictions were compared to a real time series (1993-1997) of macroalgal biomass variation and the two sets show a good agreement (ANOVA, P<0.001). Results suggest that algal growth is highly sensitive to small changes in depth and exhibits different patterns of variation in different seasons. On a yearly basis, global calculations for the south channel of the estuary (137 ha) suggest that during bloom years, macroalgal biomass may reach about 21,205 ton DW compared to 240 ton DW in regular years. On a seasonal basis, the difference may be even more significant. The consequences of such variations on the nitrogen and phosphorus loading of the system and the adjacent coastal area are discussed.     

Using historical data, expert judgement and multivariate analysis in assessing reference conditions and benthic ecological status, according to the European Water Framework Directive

The European Water Framework Directive (WFD) establishes a framework for the protection and improvement of estuarine and coastal waters, trying to achieve 'good surface water status at the latest 15 years after the date of entry into force of this Directive'. One of the biological elements that should be analysed is the benthos and, as such, the WFD normative definitions describe the aspects of the benthic communities that must be included in the ecological status assessment of a water body. Therefore, it is essential to include, in the assessment, the different metrics that address those parameters identified in the normative definitions for each of the ecological status classes. In this contribution the use of the AMBI, richness and diversity, combined with the use, in a further development, of factor analysis together with discriminant analysis, is presented as an objective tool (named here M-AMBI) in assessing ecological quality status. This assessment requires previous classification of water bodies and typologies, together with the definition of reference conditions; this is undertaken in this contribution using historical data, expert judgement and multivariate analysis. The study has been undertaken by examining changes in benthic communities in the Basque Country, over the last decade, as a case-study, to demonstrate the accuracy and potential of these methodologies.     

A Giant Gold System, Geita Greenstone Belt, Tanzania

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