Experimental study on the effects of temperature cycling on coarsening of plagioclase and olivine in an alkali basalt

We conducted experiments on an alkali basalt at 1-atmosphere in order to investigate the effects of temperature cycling on crystal coarsening. Experiments at 1,150 °C near the Ni–NiO buffer indicate that coarsening of plagioclase and olivine crystals is greatly accentuated by temperature cycling. For a given experiment duration, crystal number density decreases with temperature cycle amplitude and average crystal size increases with increasing amplitude. We observed little correlation between cycle period and crystal number density or average crystal size. We suggest that dissolution and size-proportional crystal growth during repeated heating and cooling decrease crystal number density and increase average crystal size. These experiments indicate that the texture of silicate minerals can be modified by temperature cycling and that phenocrysts may develop quicker in silicate magmas when the magma temperature is cycled.     

The spatial ecology of deer–vehicle collisions

Deer–vehicle collisions (DVCs) are a constant problem in North America that cost millions of dollars of damage and loss of human life. This study investigated the spatial relationship of DVCs for a county in western Indiana using nearest neighbor analysis, chi-square test of independence, and a landscape metric: the percentage of like adjacencies. The study was able to show that DVCs are not randomly located, and that habitat type and structure may play an important role in the location of DVCs.     

Rio Tinto estuary (Spain): 5000 years of pollution

 Mining of massive sulfide deposits in southwestern Spain extending back to the Copper and Bronze Ages has resulted in the pollution of the Rio Tinto fluvial-estuarine complex, the site of Columbus' departure for the New World in 1492. Additional sources of potential pollution include the large industrial complex at Huelva near the lower portion of the estuary. Extensive analysis of surface sediment samples and cores has established that there are no geographic trends in the distribution of the pollutants, which include Cu, Fe, Pb, Zn, Ti, Ba, Cr, V and Co. These data have, however, demonstrated that tidal flux within the estuary carries phosphorus and perhaps other elements from the industrial complex at Huelva to the tidal limit of the system, several kilometers upstream from the discharge site. Radiometric analysis of short cores shows that sedimentation rates over at least the past couple of centuries have been about 0.3 cm/year. These data and that from a single deep core demonstrate that the estuary was polluted from mining activity long before the large-scale operations began in the late nineteenth century. Received: 3 May 1999 · Accepted: 18 October 1999     

Probing the oxidation-reduction properties of terrestrially and microbially derived dissolved organic matter

Dissolved organic matter (DOM) has been shown to be an integral component in biogeochemical electron transfer reactions due to its demonstrated ability to facilitate redox reactions. While the role of DOM as a facilitator of electron transfer processes has been demonstrated, greater knowledge would lead to better understanding of the structural components responsible for redox behavior, such as quinones and nitrogen and sulfur (N/S) functional groups. This investigation uses direct scan voltammetry (DSV) coupled with fluorescence and NMR spectroscopy as well as thermochemolysis gas chromatography mass spectrometry (GC-MS) and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) to elucidate the organic moieties responsible for facilitating electron transfer reactions. We contrast electrochemical properties and structural details of three organic matter isolates from diverse sources; Great Dismal Swamp DOM (terrestrially derived, highly aromatic), Pony Lake DOM (microbially derived, highly aliphatic) and Toolik Lake (terrestrially derived, photochemically and microbially altered) with juglone (a redox-active model quinone). Aromatic and phenolic constituents were detected (by ¹³C NMR) and recovered (by thermochemolysis GC-MS) from all three fulvic acid samples, highlighting the ubiquity of these compounds and suggesting that the quinone-phenol redox couple is not limited to DOM derived from lignin precursors. The range of hydroxy-benzene and benzoic acid derivatives may explain the lack of a single pair of well-defined oxidation and reduction peaks in the DSV scans. The presence of a wide-range of hydroxylated benzoic acid isomers and other redox-active aromatic residues implies that native DOM possesses overlapping redox potentials analogous to their characteristic range of pK_a values.     

Flow Characteristics of Cemented Paste Backfill

Cemented paste backfill (CPB) is primarily used for backfilling underground voids at George Fisher Mine (Mount Isa, Australia). The objective of this paper is to summarise the geotechnical characterisation of the tailings and the rheological properties of the CPB as determined from a laboratory testing program undertaken at James Cook University. Two binders were examined [a General Purpose cement and a slag blend cement] over a range of dosages from 0 to 6% and CPB mix solids content in the range of 72–78%. The slump tests were carried out using the standard cone (ASTM C 143) used for concrete and a cylinder with 110 mm (diameter) × 110 mm (height), whereas the yield stress was measured using a shear vane (Brookfield vane spindle V-73). The index characteristics of the tailings including the grain size distribution, liquid limit, plastic limit, specific gravity were determined as per ASTM standards. This paper will then discuss the interrelationships among the solid content, slump, saturated density and the yield stress of the CPB. It is shown that there is strong correlation between the two different slump test devices used in this study. The smaller cylindrical device appears to have good potential for slurries like mine tailings or dredged mud that have high water content for slump test. There is also strong inter-relationship among solid content, slump, yield stress, and bulk density. Increasing the solid content increases the bulk density and yield stress, but reduces the slump. While there is hardly any difference between the two binder types used in this study in terms of flow parameters, namely the yield stress and slump, the binder dosage has an effect. At any specific solid content, higher binder dosages lead to a drop in the slump and increase in the yield stress. The difference is more pronounced in dense slurries. It is also strongly believed that the trends and relationships developed in this study may be valuable for the other mining operations using CPB.     

A geochemical investigation of hydrologically derived threats to rare biota: the Drummond Nature Reserve, Western Australia

The Drummond Nature Reserve (DNR), a high-value conservation area 100?km northeast of Perth, Western Australia, contains two rare freshwater claypans and a diverse range of rare and threatened vascular plants. Groundwater/surface-water interactions were investigated via isotopic (??¹⁸O and ??D) and major ion analysis. The groundwater chemical and isotope analyses combined with nutrient data allowed for the assessment of potential hydrologically derived threats to the claypans and their associated conservation values. Groundwater composition is typically Na?CCl to Na?CMg?CCl; whereas the claypan??s ephemeral fresh surface water is Na?CCl?CHCO₃. Distinct ??¹⁸O and ??D isotopic signatures for the claypan surface waters and adjoining groundwaters indicate that there currently is minimal connection between these two hydrological systems. Hence the current threat to the freshwater claypans and associated biota from rising saline and acidic groundwater is minimal. Elevated nutrient (N) levels identified in groundwaters along the reserve??s western boundary may be linked to fertiliser regimes employed in adjoining agricultural lands. The ecosystem associated with the southwest claypan is particularly vulnerable to N and P inputs via surface-water flows, which could cause algal blooms, vegetation degradation and weed infestation.     

Estimating the settling velocity of bioclastic sediment using common grain‐size analysis techniques

Most techniques for estimating settling velocities of natural particles have been developed for siliciclastic sediments. Therefore, to understand how these techniques apply to bioclastic environments, measured settling velocities of bioclastic sedimentary deposits sampled from a nearshore fringing reef in Western Australia were compared with settling velocities calculated using results from several common grain‐size analysis techniques (sieve, laser diffraction and image analysis) and established models. The effects of sediment density and shape were also examined using a range of density values and three different models of settling velocity. Sediment density was found to have a significant effect on calculated settling velocity, causing a range in normalized root‐mean‐square error of up to 28%, depending upon settling velocity model and grain‐size method. Accounting for particle shape reduced errors in predicted settling velocity by 3% to 6% and removed any velocity‐dependent bias, which is particularly important for the fastest settling fractions. When shape was accounted for and measured density was used, normalized root‐mean‐square errors were 4%, 10% and 18% for laser diffraction, sieve and image analysis, respectively. The results of this study show that established models of settling velocity that account for particle shape can be used to estimate settling velocity of irregularly shaped, sand‐sized bioclastic sediments from sieve, laser diffraction, or image analysis‐derived measures of grain size with a limited amount of error. Collectively, these findings will allow for grain‐size data measured with different methods to be accurately converted to settling velocity for comparison. This will facilitate greater understanding of the hydraulic properties of bioclastic sediment which can help to increase our general knowledge of sediment dynamics in these environments.     

Preparation and Measurement of Cassiterite for Sn Isotope Analysis

Increased interest in the fractionation of Sn isotopes has led to the development of several techniques for preparing cassiterite (SnO₂, the primary ore of Sn) for isotopic analysis. Two distinct methods have been applied in recent isotopic studies of cassiterite: (a) reduction to tin metal with potassium cyanide (KCN) at high temperature (800 °C), with subsequent dissolution in HCl, and (b) reduction to a Sn solution with hydriodic acid (HI) at low temperature (100 °C). This study compares the effectiveness and accuracy of these two methods and contributes additional methodological details. The KCN method consistently yielded more Sn (> 70% in comparison with < 5%), does not appear to fractionate Sn isotopes at high temperatures over a 2‐hour period and produced consistent Sn isotope values at flux mass ratios of ≥ 4:1 (flux to mineral) with a minimum reduction time of 40 min. By means of a distillation experiment, it was demonstrated that HI could volatilise Sn, explaining the consistently low yields by this method. Furthermore, the distillation generated Sn vapour, which is up to 0.38‰ per mass unit different from the starting material, the largest induced Sn fractionation reported to date. Accordingly, the HI method is not recommended for cassiterite preparation for Sn isotopic analysis.     

西秦岭温泉钼矿床成矿作用时限及其对斑岩型钼矿床系统分类制约

斑岩系统是一个涉及岩浆和热液作用的复杂系统,建立精细的斑岩系统成因模型对于寻找更为丰富的金属矿产尤为重要,成矿作用时限是建立成因模型和指导矿产勘查的关键。温泉钼矿床是西秦岭造山带内与晚三叠世花岗岩有关的斑岩型钼矿床,其在西秦岭造山带的独特发育蕴含印支期斑岩成矿作用、大陆地壳演化及矿产勘查关键科学问题。钼矿体主要赋存于温泉复式岩体Ⅱ单元和Ⅲ单元的黑云母二长花岗斑岩和似斑状二长花岗岩中,钼以细脉和浸染状矿化形式产出。赋矿岩石单元锆石U-Pb年龄为224.6±2.5Ma到216.2±1.7Ma,Ⅱ和Ⅲ单元分别侵位于~223Ma和~217Ma,持续约8Myr。辉钼矿Re-Os年龄为212.7±2.6Ma到215.1±2.6Ma,暗示晚三叠世钼成矿作用与花岗质岩浆作用密切时空关系,且成矿年龄稍晚,反映钼矿化主要发生在岩浆作用晚期阶段。成岩、成矿作用发生于华北板块与华南板块全面对接后秦岭造山带构造体制由碰撞到后碰撞的转折阶段,响应南秦岭变质变形、勉-略洋盆闭合及大别-苏鲁超高压岩石板片折返统一地质事件。黑云母K-Ar年龄为207~226Ma,可能反映~223Ma和~208Ma的岩体冷却事件和~216Ma的岩浆-热液成矿作用。锆石U-Pb、辉钼矿Re-Os和黑云母K-Ar多元同位素定年系统准确刻画岩体侵位、热液成矿与冷却事件上有所重叠,岩浆-热液分异演化充分,且具有较高的冷却速率,精确厘定温泉斑岩系统岩浆活动的"多期性"(复式岩体)、成矿事件的"瞬时性"(~214Ma)和成矿作用的"持续性"(~8Myr)。同时,系统对比全球典型斑岩钼(铜)矿床成矿动力学背景,细化分类方案,即产于挤压背景的大洋俯冲和大陆碰撞环境矿床及产于伸展背景的后碰撞、陆缘弧后和板内裂谷环境矿床。明确在大洋俯冲→大陆碰撞→后碰撞→板内裂谷旋回的四个阶段均可以产生规模的斑岩型钼(铜)矿床,且挤压向伸展过渡的构造体制转换尤其是大型矿床形成的有利环境。