The magnesium and calcium contents of sediments,especially pelites,as a function of age and degree of metamorphism

The silicate and carbonate fraction of 98 non-metamorphic shale samples from the Australian platform and of different geological age were analysed for calcium, magnesium, ferrous iron and carbonate. Cainozoic and Mesozoic shales prove to be essentially calcitic, Cambrian and Proterozoic shales are essentially dolomitic and sideritic. A similar trend of high MgO values can be demonstrated for the silicate fraction of the old shales. Extensive literature study confirms these trends for shales and carbonate rocks from all over the world. Slates, hornfelses and schists are Mg rich and Ca poor, whether young or old.Ronov's model of the evolution of the earth's crust ocean and atmosphere, explaining these trends, is critically reviewed but rejected because of impossible storage problems of calcium in the Proterozoic. The increased magnesium content of the old sediments is explained by calcium carbonate sweating out of the sedimentary column, magnesium introduction from altering volcanic rocks within the sedimentary pile and magnesium introduction from connate brines in sandstones. The increasing calcium content of all kinds of sediments with decreasing age is claimed to be related to preferential weathering of extrusive volcanic rocks and sweating out of calcium carbonate from the sedimentary column.     

A field method of analysis of bauxite samples for total aluminium and silicon and for aluminium present in gibbsite

A method is described for a fast and accurate determination of the water content of bauxite samples by measuring thermal neutron scattering.Combination of this technique with an activation analysis for Al and Si with isotopic neutron sources leads to a method for determining the amount of gibbsite in bauxite samples.The results of the activation analysis for Al appeared to depend on the amount of water present in the sample; knowledge of the water concentration allows for the appropriate correction.     

Some geochemical controls on Ni and Co concentrations in marine ferromanganese deposits

The uptake of Ni and Co in the hydrous Mn oxide or the amorphous Fe-oxide phases of ferromanganese deposits in the oceans was studied by electron-microprobe analyses of 17 natural manganese nodules and by experiments on desorption-dissolution of these metals from synthetic Fe oxide or Mn oxides and natural nodule material. Ni was found to occur nearly always in the Mn-oxide phases of natural nodules, while Co occurs both in the Mn-oxide and Fe-oxide phases, with a slight preference for the latter. The solubility of Ni and Co (from coprecipitates of these metals with Fe hydroxides after aging) in seawater was found to depend strongly on the crystallinity of the host phase. The adsorption of Co by the synthetic Mn oxides from seawater was higher than that of Ni. The experimentally determined solubility of Ni and Co in seawater from natural nodule material is extremely low and matches the concentration range of these metals in ocean water.     

Shear in the tethys and the Permian paleomagnetism in the Southern Alps, including new results

To verify paleomagnetic proof for megatectonic translation in the Tethys a large collection of samples from a key area, the Bolzano Quartz Porphyry Plateau in the Southern Alps, was examined. Their natural remanent magnetization was analyzed with thermal, and mainly alternating field demagnetization. The result is a well-established paleomagnetic direction of D: 150° and I: −19.5° (₉₅ = 4.9), obtained from 152 samples from 39 sites distributed over 12 volcanic units. It is argued that the inclination of this result is not significantly different from that which can be extrapolated for the Southern Alps from Early Permian paleomagnetic directions of the stable European shield. Consequently it is concluded that a paleomagnetic indication for megatectonic translation of the Southern Alps is virtually absent. But a large counterclockwise deviation of the declination is evident, and is easily explained by a counterclockwise rotation of 50° of the Southern Alps with respect to stable Europe. Since the paleomagnetic direction of the Early Permian volcanics of the Southern Alps fits in reasonably well with the (poorly known) Early Permian paleomagnetic pattern of Africa, a coherence between both regions is presumed.     

Infrared photometry,extinctions andR values for some Northern Milky Way stars

Infrared wideband photometry for 21 early-type stars in the Northern Milky Way is used to determine extinction values by the colour-difference method. The mean extinction curve is similar to the van de Hulst theoretical curve No. 15, and there is no significant difference in the results for stars lying towards and away from nebulosity. None of the stars exhibit infrared excesses at 3.5 . A mean value ofR=3.15±0.15 is deduced for the ratio of total to selective extinction.R is found to be normal towards the open cluster IC 1805 for which high values have been suggested; a distance of 2.0±0.2 kpc is deduced for this cluster.Visiting astronomer, Kitt Peak National Observatory, which is operated by the Association of Universities for Research in Astronomy, Inc., under contract with the National Science Foundation.     

Inferred phase relations in part of the system Au–Ag–Te: an integrated analytical study of gold ore from the Golden Mile, Kalgoorlie, Australia

Summary Integrated X-ray powder diffraction, scanning electron microscopy, electron probe, and transmission electron microscopy studies have identified the rare contact assemblage calaverite–sylvanite–hessite in a sample of gold ore from the Golden Mile deposit, Kalgoorlie, Australia. The presence of coexisting calaverite–hessite at Kalgoorlie is a non-equilibrium assemblage whereby the stable hessite-bearing assemblage is hessite–sylvanite, which formed from the breakdown of the -phase or -phase below 120°C, stützite+-phase, or sylvanite+stützite+-phase, as predicted by Cabri (1965).     

Oxidation of fugitive methane in ground water linked to bacterial sulfate reduction

When fugitive methane migrates upward along boreholes of oil and gas wells, it may migrate into shallow ground water or pass through overlying soil to the atmosphere. Prior to this study, there was little information on the fate of fugitive methane that migrates into ground water. In a field study near Lloydminster, Alberta, Canada, we found hydrogeochemical evidence that fugitive methane from an oil well migrated into a shallow aquifer but has been attenuated by dissimilatory bacterial sulfate reduction at low temperature ( approximately 5 degrees C) under anaerobic conditions. Evidence includes spatial and temporal trends in concentrations of methane and sulfate in ground water and associated trends in concentrations of bicarbonate and sulfide. Within 10 m of the oil well, sulfate concentrations were low, and sulfate was enriched in both 34S and 18O. Sulfate concentrations had a strong positive correlation with delta13C values of bicarbonate, and sulfide was depleted in 34S compared to sulfate. These data indicate that bacterial sulfate reduction occurred near the production well. Near the oil well, elevated concentrations of bicarbonate were observed, and the bicarbonate was depleted in 13C. Modeling indicates that the main source of this excess 13C-depleted bicarbonate is oxidized methane. In concert with the sulfate concentration and isotope data, these results support an interpretation that in situ bacterial oxidation of methane has occurred, linked to bacterial sulfate reduction. Bacterial sulfate reduction may play a major role in bioattenuation of fugitive natural gas in ground water in western Canada.     

Short-term bacterial reactivity of nitrogen-enriched seawater of a eutrophic lagoon

We carried out, in September, a 24 h experiment to determine the potential reactivity of bacterial communities found in the sea water in Arcachon Basin (France). To create eutrophic systems, batches of seawater were enriched with 30 mgl^?1 of either ammonium chloride or amino acids. Samples were taken every 3 h. Quantitative measurements were made of direct counts (AODC), biomass and ATP content. The heterotrophic bacterial communities were defined in terms of their catabolic potentialities and ‘specific’ diversity. Bacterial heterotrophic activity was established by measuring heterotrophic uptake and the mineralization percentage of labelled glucose or amino acids. From these data, ratios of AMP/ATP and P/B were calculated where P is the uptake of labelled substrate and B is the biomass.After the nitrogen enrichment an increase of the respiration was seen at first. After 6 h, a biomass peak appeared associated with a continuous increase in the number of cells. Bacterial growth was concurrent with a qualitative modification of the community: UAI increased, and diversity dropped. A less diversified community resulted suggesting an immature ecological state (zymogenous bacterial). Low values of respiration percentage (20%) characterized high growth yields.