Application of organic petrology and geochemistry to coal waste studies

Coal wastes produced during mining activities are commonly deposited in nearby dumps. These wastes mostly composed of minerals and variable amounts (usually 20-30%) of organic matter start to weather immediately after deposition. Oxidation of the organic matter can lead to self heating and self combustion as a result of organic and mineral matter transformations. The degree of alteration depends on the properties of the wastes, i.e., the maceral and microlithotype composition of the organic matter and its rank.Alteration of wastes also depends on the heating history, i.e., the rate of heating, final heating temperature, duration of heating, and the degree of air access. Although air is probably necessary to initiate and drive the heating processes, these usually take place under relatively oxygen depleted conditions. With slow heating, color of organic matter particles changes, irregular cracks and oxidation rims develop around edges and cracks, and bitumen is expelled. As a result, massive and detritic isotropic and strongly altered organic matter forms. On the other hand, higher heating rates cause the formation of devolatilization pores, oxidation rims around these pores and along cracks, vitrinite-bands-mantling particles, and bitumen expulsions.Organic compounds generated from the wastes include n-alkanes, iso-alkanes, alkylcyclohexanes, acyclic isoprenoids, mainly pristane, phytane and, in some cases, farnesane, sesquiterpanes, tri- and tetracyclic diterpanes, tri- and pentacyclic triterpanes, and steranes, polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (mostly with two- to five rings, rarely six rings), and phenols. The compounds formed change during the heating history. The fact that phenols are found in dumps where heating has not yet been completed, but are absent in those where heating ceased previously suggests the presence of water washing. The organic compounds formed may migrate within the dumps. However, when they migrate out of the dumps, they become a hazard to environment.This paper is a review on transformations of organic matter (both maceral composition and reflectance and chemical composition) in coal wastes deposited in coal waste dumps. Immediately after deposition the wastes are exposed to weathering conditions and sometimes undergo self heating processes.     

南海北部西沙海槽沉积物管状黄铁矿特征及其形成机理*

南海北部西沙海槽S1站位的岩心柱沉积物中广泛发育自生矿物黄铁矿,其形态以管状为主,且具有内部中空的圈层结构。使用扫描电镜、电子探针、LA-ICP-MS、SIMS等测试方法研究了管状黄铁矿的形态及圈层结构,结果显示: (1)管状黄铁矿发育内部中空的圈层结构,其中内圈层(I_py)由莓球状黄铁矿呈五角十二面体紧密堆积组成,外圈层(O_py)由晶形较好晶粒较大的八面体黄铁矿组成,并混有沉积碎屑及钙质生物壳体;(2)内圈层和外圈层分别呈现出贫S富Fe和富S贫Fe的特征,其成因是甲烷渗漏造成的局部还原环境使得As进入黄铁矿中导致晶格空缺或被扭曲,从而促进Ni、Co、Cu、Zn、Pb等微量元素的掺入;(3)内圈层、外圈层发生了明显的硫同位素分馏现象,内圈层中 δ³⁴S 平均为-37.8‰,外圈层中 δ³⁴S 平均为-29.3‰。研究认为,管状黄铁矿作为曾经甲烷渗漏的通道,其生长机制可分为3个阶段: (1)气水通道形成阶段: 向上运移的甲烷流体在沉积物孔隙中逐渐形成气水通道;(2)外圈层形成阶段: 当向上运移的甲烷与硫酸盐发生甲烷厌氧氧化时,逐渐形成晶体较大、晶形较好的八面体黄铁矿外圈层;(3)内圈层形成阶段: 随着甲烷浓度逐渐降低,在气水通道中的微生物作用下,剩余甲烷与向下运移的硫酸盐继续反应形成莓球状黄铁矿内圈层。因此,南海北部的泥岩中大量发育的管状黄铁矿常常与地层中甲烷水合物的存在有关。     

Tephra stratigraphy on the North Icelandic shelf: extending tephrochronology into marine sediments off North Iceland

Tephra stratigraphical and tephrochronological studies of marine core MD99‐2275 on the North Icelandic shelf have revealed 58 new tephra horizons within the last 7050 cal. a BP, bringing the total number of identified tephra layers to 76. So far, over 100 tephra layers have been identified in the entire core spanning the last 15 000 years. The majority of the newly identified tephra layers are basaltic in composition and originate from the most active volcanic systems in Iceland, namely Grímsvötn, Veidivötn‐Bárdarbunga and Katla. A total of 40 tephra layer land–sea correlations have been made within this time period, of which 16 represent absolutely dated tephra markers. In addition, two tephra marker series are revealed in the marine sediments and in the terrestrial tephra stratigraphy, located between c. 2300–2600 and between 5700–5900 years. For the last 15 000 years, 21 tephra markers have been recognized. The marine tephra layer frequency (TLF) reveals two peaks, within the last 2000 years, and between 5000 and 7000 years ago. It shows the same general characteristics as the terrestrial TLF curve in Iceland, which indicates that marine sediments can yield important information about volcanism in Iceland. This is useful in time segments in which terrestrial records are poor or non‐existent. The study contributes to a high‐resolution tephrochronological framework on the North Icelandic shelf, with core MD99‐2275 representing a potential stratotype section in the area, and for the northern North Atlantic–Nordic Seas region, as well as being an important contribution to the Lateglacial–early Holocene volcanic history of Iceland.     

全球前寒武纪基底构造格局与古大陆再造问题

全球前寒武纪基底构造格架与构造单元的划分是古大陆再造和泛大陆拼合的重要基础.本文整理了基底构造单元的级别体系, 以晋宁期和印支期为准, 提出了一级构造域、二级陆台及地区和三级陆核、地块等3级划分.分出了5个一级、14个二级和若干个三级单元, 并予以系统编号, 以便查询和增修.认为超大陆是泛大陆的组成部分, 现在重点研究的罗迪尼亚超大陆已经涉及全球, 进入了泛大陆-850的研究范围.论证了中国3个陆台和华夏地区在新元古代晋宁期的位置关系, 认为它们相距不远, 并部分相互碰撞, 构成亚洲中轴(大华夏)构造域.讨论了罗迪尼亚的流行模式及SWEAT连接问题.指出新元古代Chuaria Tawuia宏观藻组合在东亚和北美西部的分布, 认为大华夏构造域应作为一个松散的整体与劳伦古大陆相邻, 并概略讨论了泛大陆-850的再造格局特征.提出了经过改进的泛大陆-250在中二叠世(280257 Ma)的再造模式, 讨论了古植物和海生动物生物地理分区在古大陆再造中的意义.      

Discovery of Pyrrhotite-Chalcopyrite-Bearing Amphibole Megacrysts in Tongling Area, Anhui Province

Some pyrrhotite-chalcopyrite-bearing amphibole megacrysts (including pyroxene megacrysts) were discovered in Mesozoic augite diorite-porphyrite at Caoshan in Tongling area, Anhui Province. The amphibole megacrysts, belonging mainly to pargasite and magnesiohastingsite, are characteristic of the amphibole composition derived from mantle and crystallized in lower crust. In general, the aggregates of pyrrhotite-chalcopyrite take the shapes of cylinder and sphere. Three occurrences have been recognized in the amphibole megacrysts: parallel linear, bunchy and scattered. The unique cylinder-like shape of the aggregates and remarkable Ni-poor sulfides in Caoshan are distinctively different from the spherical Ni-rich sulfides in pyroxene megacrysts and any other kinds of megacrysts. In terms of composition, the amphibole megacrysts and their sulfides in Caoshan are similar to those in the pyroxenite xenoliths in Qilin, Guangdong Province. In terms of origin, the pyrrhotite-chalcopyrites as exsolution products resulted from the subsolidus re-equilibration of sulfide solid solution within amphibole megacrysts.amphibole megacrysts were first discovered inside and outside China. This discovery is important for the study of regional magma evolution and its associated mineralizations and ore sources as well.     

Geochemical characterization of Archaean amphibolites from the eastern part of Anshan–Benxi iron producing area,northeastern China: implication for tectonic setting of BIFs

The Anshan–Benxi iron producing area, which is located at the northeastern margin of the North China Craton, is the main distribution area of Archaean BIFs in China. In their eastern part, including the Gongchangling and Waitoushan deposits, BIFs mainly are hosted in the Archaean middle Anshan Group. Amphibolites are widely distributed in the iron‐bearing rock series, reflecting the tectonic setting of BIFs. Amphibolites not only have MORB‐like compositional characteristics, but also have island arc‐like ones, and they are consistent with back‐arc basin basalts (BABB). In the study area, the protolith of amphibolites belongs to Okinawa‐type BABB; it indicates that tectonic setting of BIFs is the intra‐continental back‐arc basin. In the study area, the formation of sedimentary basins for BIFs had been associated with oceanic plate subduction. Amphibolites from Gongchangling deposit are characterized by relative enrichments in LILE and LREE, and depletions in HFSE. This indicates that they had a relatively large influence of subduction in their formation. Amphibolites from Waitoushan deposit are characterized by relative enrichments in LILE without conspicuous depletions in HFSE, indicating relatively low subduction rates. Copyright © 2015 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

A rational method for development of limit state for liquefaction evaluation based on shear wave velocity measurements

This papers presents a new approach for developing a limit state for liquefaction evaluation based on field performance data. As an example to illustrate the new approach, a database that consists of, among many other features, in situ shear wave velocity measurements and field observations of liquefaction/non‐liquefaction in historic earthquakes is analysed. This database is first used to train a neural network to classify liquefaction/non‐liquefaction based on soil resistance parameters and load parameters. The successfully trained and tested neural network is then used to establish a limit state, a multiple dimension boundary that separates ‘zone’ of liquefaction from ‘zone’ of non‐liquefaction. The limit state yields cyclic resistance ratio for a given set of soil resistance parameters. Examination of all cases in the database show that the developed limit state has a high degree of accuracy in predicting the occurrence of liquefaction/non‐liquefaction. The developed neural network model can accurately predict the cyclic resistance ratio of soils. Copyright © 2000 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Indications of an extreme event deposits along the west coast of India: evidences from GPR investigations

The ground-penetrating radar (GPR) was used to trace the subsurface details in the Palshet coastal zone (Maharashtra) as it exhibits an interesting array of geomorphological features. Furthermore, our main goal was to identify and locate features that might have formed during a reported extreme event and its effects on the flow of the nearby Sundri River. Two profiles (8 and 4 m depth) were collected across the beach and along the backshore, respectively. While the 8-m depth profile (west to east; across the beach) indicates a series of coastline regression in this area, the 4-m depth profile along the coastline (north to south) in the backshore zone reveals two significant incidents viz., (1) stages of development of the paleo-channels that indicate the migration of the Sundri River towards south and (2) huge sediment deposits up to 2.5-m thick in the backshore area. The erosional relict surface (~2.5 m depth) was traced along with various spells of sediments that perhaps occurred due to an extreme event. Sand samples were collected from two trial pits along the GPR profiles to understand the sedimentology and mineralogy in the backshore area. These data together with beach profiles and geomorphological maps suggest that the sands were deposited by an extreme event perhaps during the 1854 cyclonic storm. The sands were trapped in suitable geomorphological sites along the Palshet coast and these sand deposits of about 2.5 m thickness forced the River Sundri to shift its course towards the south. This new revelation facilitates a further study that could focus on the nearby coastal areas to document such extreme event deposits and their influence on the geomorphic set-up.     

Nitrogen and carbon isotopic composition of bone collagen from marine and terrestrial animals

The stable nitrogen and carbon isotope ratios of bone collagen prepared from more than 100 animals representing 66 species of birds, fish, and mammals are presented. The δ¹⁵N values of bone collagen from animals that fed exclusively in the marine environment are, on average, 9%. more positive than those from animals that fed exclusively in the terrestrial environment; ranges for the two groups overlap by less than 1%. Bone collagen δ¹⁵N values also serve to separate marine fish from the small number of freshwater fish we analyzed. The bone collagen δ¹⁵N values of birds and fish that spent part of their life cycles feeding in the marine environment and part in the freshwater environment are intermediate between those of animals that fed exclusively in one or the other system. Further, animals that fed at successive trophic levels in the marine and terrestrial environment are separated, on average, by a 3%. difference in the δ¹⁵N values of their bone collagen. Specifically, carnivorous and herbivorous terrestrial animals have mean δ¹⁵N values for bone collagen of + 8.0 and + 5.3%., respectively. Among marine animals, those that fed on fish have a mean δ¹⁵N value for bone collagen of + 16.5%., whereas those that fed on invertebrates have a mean δ¹⁵N value of + 13.3%. These results support previous suggestions of a 3%. enrichment in δ¹⁵N values at each successively higher trophic level. In contrast to the results for δ¹⁵N values, the ranges of bone collagen δ¹³C values from marine and terrestrial feeders overlap to a great extent. Additionally, bone collagen δ¹³C values do not reflect the trophic levels at which the animals fed. These results indicate that bone collagen δ¹⁵N values will be useful in determining relative dependence on marine and terrestrial food sources and in investigating trophic level relationships among different animal species within an ecosystem. This approach should be applicable to animals represented by prehistoric or fossilized bone in which collagen is preserved.     

A numerical investigation of the thermal state of the earth's mantle

An idealized convecting mantle with internal heat generation and viscosity dependent on temperature and pressure is examined with numerical calculations. Temperature and viscosity are coupled and self-regulating in the quasi-steady solutions. The lack of any tendency for upwelling flow to constrict itself to narrow channels argues against the existence of plumes. Unsteadiness is an essential feature of mantle convection, not only for mixing at large Rayleigh numbers, but also to prevent the flow from being impeded by continuous rigid regions.