A study of the net flux of nitrates from estuaries of the eThekwini Municipality of Durban, KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa

Estuaries, the interface of interaction of fluvial discharge and marine action serve as temporary repositories of materials (solid and dissolved) before finally exporting them to sea. This interchange of material is dependant on a range of factors such as those due to tidal variation, fluvial flows and estuarine morphodynamics. The efficacy of transfer of materials to the marine environment is important for estuarine health particularly in estuaries located in highly developed areas such as the major coastal metropolitan areas of many countries. This study assesses this efficacy for three estuaries of the eThekwini Municipality (TM) of the city of Durban, South Africa which maintains an open mouth status, ensuring tidal exchange through the year. The net flux of nitrates was measured for these estuaries on a seasonal basis for both spring and neap tides. Results indicate that although there is a net export of nitrates to the nearshore, there were instances, particularly on the spring tide, when a net import of nitrates into the estuary occurred. Data analysis reveal summer and neap tide flux dominance for the Tongati and Mgeni estuaries whilst the Isipingo Estuary exhibited larger flux variance for spring tides and the spring season. The origin of the latter is likely derived from unusually high biotic decomposition at sea and/or the longshore transport of decomposing sewage outfall. This creates an added dimension for consideration in estuarine management plans. Taking all three estuaries studied into consideration, a net export of nitrates for all seasons for the TM was measured with a clear seasonal influence detected where high rainfall seasons led to greater export as a consequence of greater fluvial flows, erosion and leaching of agricultural lands and, longer ebb duration and flows.     

Pravčice Rock Arch (Bohemian Switzerland National Park, Czech Republic) deterioration due to natural and anthropogenic weathering

The dominant factors affecting the development of weathering forms on the Prav?ice Rock Arch (PRA) (Bohemian Switzerland National Park, Czech Republic) are discussed, based on the in situ monitoring of weathering forms, as well as on laboratory studies of materials taken from this site. The in situ monitoring shows the progressive development of distinct weathering forms (delamination of case-hardened rock surfaces, cyclic efflorescence, and granular disintegration of exposed weakly cemented rock mass) in specific portions of the PRA, whose location is controlled by lithology, jointing/local hydrodynamics, and exposure to climatic factors. From the analysis of efflorescence, the dominance of sulphates is evident; particularly of gypsum and alums. However, the synergistic effects of the several salt species (that also include minor nitrates and chlorides) upon the mechanical disintegration of sandstone can be expected.     

Assessment of cement’s dust impact on the soil using principal component analysis and GIS

To evaluate the impact of the cement’s dust emitted by the eastern Moroccan cement factory (Oujda Holcim) and deposited on the soil of the Ain Lahjar commune, 58 samples of soil were collected around the factory on a radius of 3 km approximately. The physicochemical analyses of the upper 3 cm of the soil surface samples correspond to the pH, electrical conductivity, the chlorides and the oxides of Ca, Al, Fe, K, Mn, S and Si which were analyzed by the fluorescence of X-rays. The preliminary results demonstrate that this dust are especially basic and contain a high free lime (43% CaO). The principal component analysis (applied on the 58 samples of soil) allows deducting that the free lime and the sulfur oxide are the tracer elements of this form of pollution. Furthermore, the spatial projection of the factor scores of the principal component analysis using the geographical information system permits to determine the spatial distribution of more polluted areas of soils as well as to estimate their surface (63.3% of the survey zone).     

Geology, geochemistry, and age of volcanites of the Tunguda Volcanic Formation: The problem of the Archean-Proterozoic boundary in North Karelia

The geological, geochemical, and isotopic-geochronological data obtained for Sumian moderate-basic metavolcanites of Shombozero and Lekhta structures of the Panayarvi-Vygozero belt shows that the Tunguda Formation is confined to the Paleoproterozoic structural and material complex. This formation is represented by the complex of weakly differentiated andesitobasalts and andesites of calc-alkaline series with higher contents of MgO and moderate contents of Al₂O₃ and rare earth elements. The rocks of the Tunguda Formation are different from the Late Archean basic rocks of the Hiziyarvi Formation represented mainly by tholeiitic basalts with low REE contents and undifferentiated spectrum of REE distribution. The age of volcanites of the Tunguda Formation was determined to be 2439 ± 21 Ma. The xenogenic zircons from metaandesites of the Tunguda Formation have Neoarchean age according to the ²⁰⁷Pb/²⁰⁶Pb ratio (from 2536 ± 4 to 2825 ± 7 Ma). The Neoarchean zircons, a negative value of ?_Nd (?3.8), and indicative geochemical parameters are evidence that the crustal component took part in formation of the protolith of the studied rocks.     

Geochemistry and origin of the Proterozoic ultrapotassic rocks of the Churchill Province,Canada

Summary Early Proterozoic ultrapotassic dikes, lava flows, and pyroclastic rocks of the Christopher Island Formation (CIF) erupted throughout an area 600 × 300 km within the Churchill Province of the Canadian Shield at 1.84 Ga. The rocks range from mafic lamprophyres (mg # 60; SiO₂ 47–54%, mean K₂O/Na₂O > 4) with phenocrysts of phlogopite + diopside + apatite ± olivine ± magnetite, to phenocryst-poor felsic rocks and sanidine porphyries (SiO₂55–69%). All samples have high incompatible element contents and display large depletions of high field strength elements relative to K, Rb, Sr, Ba, and Th. The CIF has geochemical and petrographic characteristics of both minettes and lamproites, but overall most closely resembles young Mediterranean lamproites. Felsic rocks of the CIF were produced by crystal fractionation and crustal contamination of mafic ultrapotassic magma, and include both high-silica lamproites strongly enriched in Zr, U, and Th, and weakly potassic to sodic rocks of trachytic composition. Flows and feeder dikes have relatively homogeneous _{Nd, 1840 Ma} (–6 to –11) but highly variable ES., 1840 Ma (–40 to + 100); samples classified as lamproites have higher average _Sr. Dike samples have highly variable present-day Pb isotope compositions, ranging from moderately to strongly nonradiogenic. Geochemical and isotopic data are consistent with contributions from depleted Archean lithospheric mantle, and OIB-type convecting mantle, both metasomatized by subduction-related processes during the Early Proterozoic. The lithospheric mantle probably contained Archean enriched domains as well. Proterozoic enrichment may have accompanied shallow underplating of subducted oceanic lithosphere beneath the Churchill Province during amalgamation of the Laurentian supercontinent. There are strong analogies in isotopic composition, and interpreted source region history, between the CIF and lamproites and minettes of the Wyoming Province and western Greenland, which suggest the existence of a Laurentian ultrapotassic superprovince.

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Geochemie und Entstehung der Proterozoischen ultrapotassischen Gesteine der Churchill Provinz, Kanada

Zusammenfassung Altproterozoische, ultrapotassische Gänge, Lavaströme und pyroklastische Gesteine der Christopher Island Formation (CIF), eruptierten in einem Gebiet von 600 × 300 km in der Churchill Provinz des Kanadischen Schildes vor 1.84 Ga. Die Zusammensetzung dieser Gesteine variiert von mafischen Lamprophyren (mg > 60; SiO₂ = 47–54%, durchschnittliches K₂O/Na₂O > 4) mit Phänokristallent von Phlogopit + Diopsid + Apatit + Olivin + Magnetit, bis zu phänokristallarmen felsischen Gesteinen und Sanidinporphyren (SiO₂ = 55–69%). Alle Proben zeigen hohe Gehalte an inkompatiblen Elementen und zeigen beträchtliche Verarmung an high field strength Elementen relativ zu K, Rb, Sr, Ba und Th. Die CIF hat geochemische und petrographische Eigenschaften sowohl von Minetten wie von Lamproiten, aber im allgemeinen ähnelt sie am stärksten jungen mediterranen Lamproiten. Felsische Gesteine der CIF wurden durch Fraktionierung und Krustenkontamination aus mafischen ultrapotassischen Magmen gebildet. Letztere umfassen sowohl siliziumreiche Lamproite, die deutlich an Zr, U und Th angereichert sind und schwach potassische bis sodische Gesteine von trachytischer Zusammensetzung. Lavenergüsse und zufuhrgänge zeigent ein relativ homogenes _{Nd, 1840 Ma} (–6 bis –11) aber ein sehr variables _{Sr, 1840 Ma} (-40 bis + 100); Proben die als Lamproite klassifiziert wurden, zeigent höhere durchschnittliche _Sr-Werte. Proben von Gängen haben sehr variable Bleiisotopen-Zusammensetzungen, die von mäßig bis stark nichtradiogen variieren. Geochemische und Isotopendaten weisen auf Beiträge aus verarmtem archaischen lithosphärischen Mantel und aus konvektierendem OIB-Typ Mantel hin, die beide während des Alproterozoikums durch Subduktions-Vorgänge metasomatisiert wurden. Der lithosphärische Mantel enthielt wahrscheinlich auch angereicherte archaische Domänen. Proterozoische Anreicherungsvorgänge dürften seichtes Underplating subduzierter ozeanischer Lithosphäre unter der Churchill Provinz während der Amalgamation des laurentischen Superkontinentes begleitet haben. Es gibt starke Analogien in der Isotopenzusammensetzung und in der interpretierten Geschichte der Ursprungsregion, zwischen den CIF und Lamproiten und Minetten der Wyoming Provinz, und des westlichen Grönland. Diese weisen auf die Existenz einer laurentischen ultrapotassischen Superprovinz hin.

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With 7 Figures     

Fluid inclusion and cathodoluminescence studies on fluorite from the Kerio valley, Kenya

The Kerio valley lies between the Elgeyo escarpment and the Tugen hills which mark the western margin of the Kenya rift valley. The main fluorite deposits are located in the southern part of the valley at Kimwarer, Choff and Kamnaon.Three types of inclusion fillings were identified: Liquid+Vapour, Liquid+Daughter Minerals and Liquid. The L+V type is dominant. Inclusions occur as clusters, trails along the crystal growth zones and as isolated ones. Low salinities, apparently lower than the 5% wt. NaCl equivalent, were established. Homogenization temperatures suggest that fluorite mineralization took place at different stages and at temperatures between 120 and 180 °C. Isolated readings above 180°C may be referring to the original inclusions in limestone. These measurements and the absence of CO₂ in the inclusions, as well as the occurrence of vugs and crustifications with fluorite, suggest that mineralization took place at relatively shallow depths.Emission spectrum lines representing Eu²⁺, Dy³⁺, Tb³⁺ and Sm³⁺ in fluorite were identified. Sm³⁺ was detected only in the pinkish luminescence of veined fluorite, whereas the pinkish zone in banded fluorite contains Tb³⁺. Eu²⁺ which gives the strongest emission lines in the blue part of the visible spectrum, apparently is responsible for the strong blue cathodoluminescence (CL) in fluorite. The dominance of Eu²⁺ peaks further points to the fact that fluorite mineralization in the Kerio valley took place in an environment that was enriched in Lanthanide Rare Earth Elements (LREE). The presence of rare earths and radioactive elements in fluorite points towards their enrichment in the environment of fluorite mineralization. A juvenile origin of mineral forming solutions is proposed.Two generations of fluorite were established: allotriomorphic fluorite, forming the matrix, and the idiomorphic variety, occurring either in barite or in druzes in early fluorite. Barite in turn forms idiomorphic crystals in allotriomorphic fluorite. Relics of calcite occur in both K-feldspars and in early fluorite. Oxides and hydroxides of Fe, Mn, Ti and Al commonly occur in open spaces in fluorite. Of significance is the presence of gold in fluorite. Fluorite mineralization is of hydrothermal origin in the post-Miocene era and was formed as a result of metasomatic replacement of marble and open space fillings.