Determination of Molybdenum in Fifty Three Geochemical Reference Materials by Flameless Atomic Absorption Spectrometry

The molybdenum (Mo) contents of fifty three geochemical reference materials issued by ANRT, GIT-IWG, NIST and GSJ, have been determined by atomic absorption spectrometry, using a graphite furnace atomiser, after extraction of Mo dithiol with isoamyl acetate. Detection limits for this method (0.01 μg g⁻¹) are ten times smaller than for most classical methods. The agreement between the present results and published data is satisfactory.     

DETERMINATION OF MERCURY IN ONE HUNDRED AND EIGHTEEN GEOCHEMICAL REFERENCE SAMPLES BY COLD VAPOR ATOMIC ABSORPTION SPECTROMETRY

The mercury content of 118 geochemical reference samples have been determined by combustion followed by cold vapor atomic absorption spectrometry. The negative interference from volatile halogen and sulfur was eliminated by a packing of sodium carbonate in the combustion tube and addition of magnesium oxide to the samples. A comparison with published data show clearly the need for much more data on most reference samples.     

Mineralogical Associations of Arsenic and Antimony in Thirty Five Geochemical Reference Materials by Sequential Extraction with Hydride Generation and Atomic Absorption Spectrometry

A method is described to estimate the chemical forms of arsenic (As) and antimony (Sb) in a variety of geochemical reference materials, combining a sequential extraction scheme with hydride generation and atomic absorption spectrometry (HG-AAS). The fractions dissolved by sequential extraction are empirically defined as the exchangeable, EDTA soluble, oxide, sulfide and residual fractions. The amount of As and Sb in the EDTA soluble fraction have been derived mainly from oxide phases, and partly from carbonate minerals. Most sulfide minerals in common geological samples were considered to be dissolved with the digestion of 0.7 mol l⁻¹ NaOCl, but only small fraction of arsenopyrite and loellingite in ores could be dissolved in this way. Satisfactory agreement was observed between the sum of the As or Sb values from exchangeable to residual fractions and the reported total As or Sb values, with a few exceptions. Analytical results of As and Sb for thirty five geochemical reference materials are tabulated, and geochemical and mineralogical features are discussed.     

Fluorite Deposits at Voznesenka in the Khanka Massif, Russia: Geology and Age of Mineralization

Abstract. A huge fluorite deposit at Voznesenka in the Khanka massif, Far East Russia is concluded to have formed at ca. 450 Ma in Late Ordovician time based on the K‐Ar ages for Li‐micas in the fluorite ore and greisenized leucogranite within the deposit. This conclusion is inconsistent with the current view of Devonian mineralization that stemmed from widely scattered whole‐rock Rb‐Sr isotope data for the heterogeneous leucogranite stocks influenced by strong alteration. The Voznesenka and neighboring fluorite deposits may have formed in Cambrian limestone in relation to the intrusion of the Li‐F‐rich felsic magma which has a similar chemistry to representative Li‐F‐rich felsic rocks including topaz granite and ongonite or topaz rhyolite; these rocks may be classified as a specific group of highly fractionated felsic magmas. Biotite granite plutons exposed in the Voznesenka district are divided in age into two groups based on the CHIME age data for zircon, monazite and xenotime: Ordovician and Permian. The Ordovician plutons seem to be coeval to the fluorite deposits and are characterized by F‐rich chemistry, reduced nature and association of tin mineralization with the deposition of fluorite and tourmaline. The biotite granite magmas of initially enhanced F contents could have been highly fractionated to form Li‐F‐rich leucogranite cupolas that provided fluorite deposits within the host limestone. Future prospecting for similar fluorite deposits is to be focused on areas of intersection between Ordovician Li‐F‐rich granite and Cambrian carbonate sequences. The Permian granite of southeastern margin of the Grodekovo batholith is characterized by lesser F content, oxidized nature and the lack of tin and fluorite mineralization in contrast to the Ordovician granite. The result of Permian age does not support the current view of Silurian age for the batholith and requires overall chronological reinvestigation in connection with the tectonic history of the Khanka massif because the Grodekovo is a representative of Paleozoic batholiths in Primorie.     

Upper Silurian and Devonian pelagic deep-water radiolarian chert from the Khangai–Khentei belt of Central Mongolia: Evidence for Middle Paleozoic subduction–accretion activity in the Central Asian Orogenic Belt

Recent mapping projects undertaken in Central Mongolia have revealed the widespread occurrence of radiolarian chert within a Paleozoic accretionary complex. We present the results of the first detailed tectonostratigraphic and radiolarian biostratigraphic investigations of the Gorkhi Formation in the Khangai–Khentei belt of the Central Asian Orogenic Belt.The Gorkhi Formation consists of sandstone shale, alternating sandstone and shale of turbidite affinity and chert with small amounts of siliceous shale, basalt, limestone, and clast-bearing mudstone. Radiolarian chert that is completely devoid of terrigenous clastic material is commonly associated with underlying basalt (sedimentary contact) and with conformably overlying siliceous shale and turbidite deposits. The tectonic stacking of basalt–chert and chert–turbidite successions is the most remarkable structural feature of the formation.The recovery of moderately well-preserved radiolarians and conodonts from red chert led to the recognition of four radiolarian assemblages that have a combined age range from the latest Silurian (Pridolian) to the Late Devonian (Frasnian). No age control exists for the siliceous shale, shale, and sandstone, although they are considered to be latest Devonian or slightly younger on the basis of stratigraphic relationships with underlying chert.The Gorkhi Formation has previously been interpreted as a thick sedimentary basin deposit overlying an unexposed Archean–Neoproterozoic basement; however, the stratigraphy within individual tectonic slices clearly corresponds to that of an ocean plate stratigraphy of an accretionary complex generated by the trenchward movement of an oceanic plate. From the lowermost to uppermost units, the stratigraphy comprises ocean floor basalt, pelagic deep-water radiolarian chert, hemipelagic siliceous shale, and terrigenous turbidite deposits. The biostratigraphic data obtained in the present study provide corroborating evidence for the existence of an extensive deep-water ocean that enabled the continuous sedimentation of pelagic chert over a period of nearly 50 million years. These data, together with structural data characterized by tectonic repetition of the stratigraphy, indicate that these rocks formed as an accretionary wedge along an active continental margin, possibly that of the Angara Craton. The mid-oceanic chert was probably deposited in the Northern Hemisphere portion of the Paleo–Pacific Ocean that faced the Angara Craton and the North China–Tarim blocks. Thus, we propose that subduction–accretion processes along the Paleo–Pacific rim played an important role in the accretionary growth of the active continental margin of the Angara Craton, directly influencing the evolution of the Central Asian Orogenic Belt.     

Holocene climate changes in the mid-high-latitude-monsoon margin reflected by the pollen record from Hulun Lake, northeastern Inner Mongolia

Pollen-assemblage data from a sediment core from Hulun Lake in northeastern Inner Mongolia describe the changes in the vegetation and climate of the East Asian monsoon margin during the Holocene. Dry steppe dominated the lake basin from ca. 11,000 to 8000 cal yr BP, suggesting a warm and dry climate. Grasses and birch forests expanded 8000 to 6400 cal yr BP, implying a remarkable increase in the monsoon precipitation. From 6400 to 4400 cal yr BP, the climate became cooler and drier. Chenopodiaceae dominated the interval from 4400 to 3350 cal yr BP, marking extremely dry condition. Artemisia recovered 3350-2050 cal yr BP, denoting an amelioration of climatic conditions. Both temperature and precipitation decreased 2050 to 1000 cal yr BP as indicated by decreased Artemisia and the development of pine forests. During the last 1000 yr, human activities might have had a significant influence on the environment of the lake region. We suggest that the East Asian summer monsoon did not become intensified until 8000 cal yr BP due to the existence of remnant ice sheets in the Northern Hemisphere. Changes in the monsoon precipitation on millennial to centennial scales would be related to ocean-atmosphere interactions in the tropical Pacific.     

内蒙古达里湖全新世有机碳氮同位素记录与环境演变

内蒙古中东部的达里湖为一水文封闭型湖泊,位于现今东亚夏季风的北部边缘区,对区域环境变化十分敏感.本文对达里湖沉积中心提取的岩芯(DL04沉积岩芯)顶部8.5m沉积物进行了有机地球化学分析.15个全岩样品有机质的放射性碳测年结果表明:岩芯顶部8.5m涵盖了过去大约11500年.按约50年分辨率分析的225个总有机碳(TOC)、总氮(TN)含量、总有机碳/总氮(C/N)原子比值数据以及221个有机碳和有机氮稳定同位素(δ13C和δ13C)数据,详细揭示了全新世东亚夏季风边缘区的水文和生态变化历史.在距今11500 ～ 9800日历年(ca1.aB.P.)期间,所有地球化学指标均呈逐渐增大趋势,指示入湖河流逐渐增强,达里湖开始扩张,水生植物生产率逐渐升高;在9800 ～ 7700cal.aB.P.期间,TOC和TN含量以及C/N比值维持稳定高值,δ13C和δ15N值较小,指示湖泊维持高湖面状态,陆源输入和浮游植物生产率较高;在7700～ 5900cal.aB.P.期间,C/N比值和δ15N维持低值,TOC和TN含量呈现更高值,并且波动变化,δ13C值逐渐增大,表明湖面维持高水平,湖水显著变暖,浮游植物生产率显著升高,流域植被大幅度扩张;在5900 ～ 4850cal.aB.P.期间,TOC和TN含量,C/N比值以及δ13C值显著减小,δ15N值显著增大,暗示地表径流显著减弱,达里湖湖面显著下降,湖泊生产率快速下降;从4850cal.a B.P.开始,TOC和TN含量以及C/N比值呈逐渐减小趋势,δ13C和δ15N值呈逐渐增大趋势,表明湖面逐渐下降,湖水盐度、碱度升高,湖水可能变冷,湖泊生产率逐渐下降,流域植被收缩.全新世东亚夏季风边缘区水文和生态环境的变化可能直接或间接受北半球夏季太阳辐射量和区域季风降水强度的共同控制.     

Estimation of suspended sediment sources using 137Cs and 210Pbex in unmanaged Japanese cypress plantation watersheds in southern Japan

To analyse suspended sediment sources in unmanaged Japanese cypress plantation watersheds, field measurements and fingerprinting of the suspended sediment was conducted in the Shimanto River basin in southern Japan. For sediment fingerprinting, ¹³⁷Cs and ²¹⁰Pb_ex were detected by means of gamma‐ray spectrometry in the surface soil of the forest floor, stream bank and truck trail and mobilized sediment by interrill erosion. The ¹³⁷Cs and ²¹⁰Pb_ex activities associated with the forest floor materials were considerably higher than those of the stream bank and truck trail. The ¹³⁷Cs and ²¹⁰Pb_ex activities associated with the suspended sediment were found to vary with the sampling period. Evidently, the suspended sediment can comprise materials generated from the forest floor by interrill erosion and those from the truck trail and/or stream bank. The multivariate sediment‐mixing model using ¹³⁷Cs and ²¹⁰Pb_ex showed that the contribution of the forest floor varied periodically, ranging from 23–56% in the Hinoki 156 subwatershed and from 18–85% in the Hinoki 155 subwatershed. The difference in the average contribution of the forest floor between Hinoki 156 (46%) and Hinoki 155 (69%) may relate to the presence of truck trail networks in the watershed. The truck trail network can play roles of sediment source and pathway for sediment from forest floor to stream channel due to the concentrated overland flow on the truck trail during heavy rainfall events. These results indicate that the forest floor should be recognized as a major source of suspended sediment in unmanaged Japanese cypress plantation watersheds. Copyright © 2008 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Deposition of hydrogenetic and hydrothermal manganese minerals in the Ogasawara (Bonin) Arc Area,Northwest Pacific

A widespread distribution of hydrothermal and hydrogenetic manganese deposits is described in the results of the Hakurei‐Maru cruises conducted in the Bonin Arc areas of the West Pacific from 1984 to 1989. Manganese deposits occur in the active volcano chains, back‐arc basins, remnant back‐arc ridges, and oceanic seamounts.

The hydrogenetic iron‐manganese deposits commonly form earthly black crusts and nodules on the topographic highs of inactive ridges and old seamounts, sometimes as thick as 10 cm. They are always composed of the iron‐manganese mineral vernadite. Co and Ni contents are relatively high in the crusts from the seamounts in the open Pacific Ocean (up to 1.1% Co and 1.0% Ni). Two generations of distinct chemistry and texture are typical of these crusts, which can be compared to reported thick crusts from the Central Pacific seamounts.

The hydrothermal deposits, characterized by dense, submetallic, and gray appearance, are dominant in the recent and also in past submarine volcanoes of the island‐arc systems. Evidence of past hydrothermal activity was ascertained as fossil hydrothermal manganese deposits inside the hydrogenetic nodules or beneath the hydrogenetic crusts over the Tertiary island arc. Their component minerals are considered to be todorokite and bimessite (stable and contractible upon dehydration), having almost negligible amounts of Fe, Si, Al, Ni, Co, Zn, Pb, Cu, etc. In the small model site, the Kaikata Seamount hydrothermal area, the presumably recent hydrothermal activity has yielded thin slabs of pure manganate deposits growing downward within volcanic and sand layers.

Early diagenetic influence is negligible on nodules of this area.