The Oklo natural reactor: Cumulative fission yields and retentivity of the symmetric mass region fission products

Solid source mass spectrometry has been used to determine the relative cumulative fission yields of five elements in three samples of uranium ore from reactor zones in the Oklo mine site. Eighteen fission chains covering the mass range from105 ≤ A ≤ 130 have been measured for Pd, Ag, Cd, Sn and Te. These measurements have enabled a number of nuclear parameters to be calculated including the relative proportions of²³⁵U,²³⁸U and²³⁹Pu involved in the fission process.The concentration of the five elements in the Oklo samples have also been measured using the stable isotope dilution technique. These values have then been compared to the estimates of the amount of these elements produced by fission under the conditions that are appropriate to the three samples. This procedure enables the retentivity of the elements in the reactor zones to be evaluated. Our work confirms the fact that Pd and Te are retained almost in their entirety in the samples, whereas the other three elements have been partially lost from the reactor site. Almost all the Cd fission products have been lost, and more than 50% of the Ag and Sn fission-produced material has been removed.     

Partition of trace elements in co-existing biotite,muscovite and potassium feldspar of granitic rocks,northern Portugal

Chemical analyses are given for Na, K, and trace elements of muscovite and potassium feldspar of granitic rocks. The distribution of trace elements in co-existing minerals suggests that equilibrium was attained and that muscovite is a primary mineral. These observations and the comparison of the trace-element chemistry of megacrysts and groundmass potassium feldspars of porphyritic rock types lead to the conclusion that the megacrysts are in face phenocrysts which crystallized in equilibrium with the other minerals of the rock.The ranges of values of the distribution coefficients K_D(Rb/K) and K_D(Cs/K) in mineral pairs confirm other observations on the equilibrium among various minerals. However, application of experimental data on the temperature effect on K_D leads to results conflicting with the petrologic observations. The possible influence of other factors on K_D is analyzed and among these factors the composition of the feldspar and the solidus-liquidus temperature interval may play a dominant role.     

Organic geochemistry of Walvis Bay diatomaceous ooze—I. Occurrence and significance of the fatty acids

Diatomaceous ooze of the shelf off Walvis Bay (S.W. Africa) was analysed for lipid material. The lipids from the sediment consist of a mixture of hydrocarbons, alcohols, ketones, fatty acids, sterols, carotenoid pigments and chlorophylls. The total fatty acid mixture has been analysed by capillary gas chromatography mass spectrometry and shown to consist of straight chain, iso-, anteiso- and isoprenoid acids. The environmental setting of the S.W. African shelf (Walvis Bay) makes it possible to discuss these fatty acids as markers for the fate of organic matter. The acids in the sediment point to a generation during passage of algal lipids through levels of microbial activity either on or slightly above the burial surface.     

Rare-earth data on monzonoritic rocks related to anorthosites and their bearing on the nature of the parental magma of the anorthositic series

Major and trace elements have been determined in monzonoritic rocks (hypersthene-monzodiorite or jotunite) from two intrusions belonging to the South Rogaland anorthositic complex (Norway). The rare-earth abundance pattern reveals no Eu anomaly, or only a very small one. This fact together with field observations suggest that these rocks represent the parental magma of the anorthositic suite. High Ti and P abundances, low Si content, high Fe/Mg and K₂O/SiO₂ ratios are characteristics of the major element geochemistry. Absolute amounts of some trace elements abundances vary distinctly between the two intrusions. K/Rb ratios as high as 1700 are observed. Partial fusion of upper mantle kaersutite is proposed as a possible mechanism of magma generation. Partition coefficients between plagioclase phenocrysts and liquid are determined.     

Island-arc and underthrust-plate geometry

Geophysical data describing the geometry of underthrust crustal plates at the island arcs are fitted to the relation for strain-free buckling of a thin spherical shell as given by Frank (1968). Agreement of this relation with the data is notable for extensive arcs of large radius. The geometry associated with arcs of smaller radius is less strongly constrained and the dip of descending plates at arcs of small radius is greater than that predicted by the buckling relation. The data have implications concerning the growth of island arcs and the direction in which they may develop.     

High hafnium members of the zircon-hafnon series from the granite pegmatites of Zambézia,Mozambique

A mineralogical nomenclature applicable to the natural binary isomorphous series ZrSiO₄-HfSiO₄ is proposed. It is suggested that (Hf, Zr)SiO₄ with more than 90 mol.-% hafnium component be called hafnon. Zoned crystals ranging in composition from hafnian zircon to hafnon were found in the heavy mineral concentrates from the tantalum pegmatites of the Morrua area, Conco, Moneia and Muiane mines in the district of Zambézia, Mozambique. The density (Berman balance), Hf/Zr ratio (XRF analysis) and unit-cell parameters (X-ray powder pattern) of the samples are determined and discussed. Two microprobe analyses of hafnon from Muiane are presented.     

The abundance of cadmium and zinc in meteorites

A stable isotope dilution technique using solid source mass spectrometry has been used to accurately determine Cd and Zn in a wide range of materials. The abundance of Cd has been determined in 19 iron, 28 stone and 1 stony-iron meteorites, together with a number of other samples. The abundance of Zn has also been determined for most of these samples. This has enabled the relationship between Cd and Zn to be examined in iron and stone meteorites. The abundance pattern of Zn in iron meteorites supports the existence of chemical groups.