Emplacement age and thermal footprint of the diamondiferous Ellendale E9 lamproite pipe, Western Australia

The diamondiferous Ellendale 9 (E9) pipe is a funnel-shaped maar-diatreme volcano consisting of inward-dipping tuff sequences intruded by lamproite plugs and dykes. The host rocks for the E9 pipe are Permian sandstones. The multiple lithological contacts exposed within the mined maar volcano provide a natural laboratory in which to study the effect of volcanic processes on U–Th–Pb–He systematics. Zircon from the regional sandstone and E9 lamproite display a bimodal distribution of ages on (U–Th)/He–U/Pb plots. The zircon U/Pb ages for the E9 pipe (n?=?52) range from 440 to 2,725 Ma, while the cluster of (U–Th)/He ages for the lamproite dyke zircon indicate that dyke emplacement occurred at 20.6?±?2.8 Ma, concordant with a maximum emplacement age of about ≤22 Ma from phlogopite ⁴⁰Ar/³⁹Ar. These ages indicate a xenocrystic origin for the zircon entrained in the E9 dyke. The U/Pb ages of detrital zircon from the regional sandstone host (373–3,248 Ma; n?=?41) are indistinguishable from those of the lamproite zircon xenocrysts, whereas the detrital zircon in the host sandstone yield (U–Th)/He ages from 260 to 1,500 Ma. A thermochronology traverse across the E9 lamproite dyke reveals that the zircon (U–Th)/He ages in the host sandstone have not been significantly thermally reset during dyke emplacement, even at the contact. The capability of the zircon (U–Th)/He method to distinguish deep, mantle source lithologies from upper crustal source lithologies could be used in geochemical exploration for diamonds. Pre-screening of detrital samples using etching and helium assay methods will improve the efficiency and decrease the cost of greenfields exploration.     

New data on mineralogy and metallogeny of scarns in the Pitkyaranta ore region

A wide application of modern precision research techniques to the studies of Pitkyaranta ores allowed us to find increased contents of indium (to 0.33%), silver (447 g/t), gold (0.2–0.4 g/t), and palladium (0.2 g/t). A series of rare minerals previously not found here was also discovered. Among ore minerals, these are roquesite, zavartskite, electrum, stutzite, altaite, bismite, glaucodot, cervelleite, hedleyite, pavonite, cannonite, plantnerite, lindkvistite, ashoverite, etc. The discovery of roquesite and electrum is the most important in terms of metallogeny. Roquesite (indium sulfide) is found in Karelia for the first time. The highest indium contents in direct correlation to those of zinc are characteristic for polymetallic ores of the Pitkyaranta ore fields with sphalerite as the concentrating mineral (to 0.5% of In). The predicted zinc resources are evaluated to ∼2.5 million t for the Pitkyaranta group of ore deposits, and to 400 000 t for the Hopunvaara region. Respectively, the resources of indium amount to ∼2400 t (total) and 600 t for the Hopunvaara region.     

The effect of anatase, rutile and sodium titanate on the dissolution of boehmite and gibbsite at 90 °C

Industrial plants that refine bauxite to alumina using the high temperature process have always held the belief that anatase was detrimental to the extraction of boehmite while rutile was not. This study shows that this effect is real and that it is observable at temperatures as low as 90 °C. The extraction of gibbsite is shown to be unaffected which leads us to believe that the kinetics of both the Ti-bearing mineral and the Al-bearing mineral is important in this phenomenon. In addition, it is shown that not only is the presence of anatase an issue in boehmite extraction but so too is the presence of sodium titanate. Rutile was found to have the least impact of the three mineral phases.     

Electron microscopy studies of akermanites (Ca1−xSrx)2CoSi2O7 with modulated structure

Single crystals of akermanite (Ca_1–x Sr _x )₂Co-Si₂O₇ solid solution were grown in nitrogen by the floating zone method using a lamp-image furnace. The grown crystals were 6 mm in diameter by 50 mm in length. Microprobe analyses indicate uniform strontium content x except in the initially crystallized part. Synthetic crystals with x from 0.0 to 0.3 give, at room temperature, satellite reflections and circular diffuse scatterings in the electron diffraction pattern, which are related to an incommensurate phase and microdomains, respectively. With increasing Sr content the wavelength of a modulation increases and the intensity of satellites decreases, but the intensity of circular diffuse scattering increases up to x=0.15 and then decreases until eventually the satellites and the circular diffuse scatterings disappear at x = 0.3. The circular diffuse scattering is explained by the cluster model for the transition state, proposed by De Ridder et al. (1976).     

Mesozoic age of granitoids from the Beket complex (Gonzha block within the Argun terrane of the Central-Asian Fold Belt)

U-Pb geochronological results confirm the Mesozoic age (124 ± 1 Ma) of the Beket granitoid complex, previously interpreted as being one of the markers amongst the Early Proterozoic magmatic complexes within the Amur superterrane (microcontinent) of the Central Asian Fold Belt. This implies that the structural and metamorphic amphibolite facies overprints documented either in the Beket granitoids or Gonzha host rocks are evidently Mesozoic rather than Early Proterozoic in age.     

A microscopic study of synthetic PbS-Rich homologues nPbS-mBi2S3

The PbS-Bi₂S₃ join was studied up to 25 mole percent Bi₂S₃ by electron microscopy and diffraction. It was found that Bi₂S₃ can be incorporated into the PbS matrix by tropochemical twinning, forming isolated {113}_PbS microtwins, or after clustering of these defects, lamellar twinned regions. Only two known mineral members of the homologous series (lillianite Pb₃Bi₂S₆ and heyrowskyite Pb₆Bi₂S₉) were found to be stable in this part of the PbS-Bi₂S₃ join, while irregularly spaced twin bands within these two structures were observed where deviations in the PbS/Bi₂S₃ ratio from 6/1 and 3/1, respectively, took place. No ordered intergrowth members were found between heyrowskyite and lillianite. The difference between the PbS-Bi₂S₃ join and the analogous MnS-Y₂S₃ one was attributed to the lone pair of nonbonded electrons from the Bi³⁺ ions, which tends to concentrate these ions in the vicinity of the twin planes.     

Authigenic zeolites in the sedimentary mantle of the world ocean

The paper deals with results of general and systematic analysis of data from deep-sea drilling (360 stations) and a personal study carried out by the authors on the distribution and facies location of authigenic zeolites in the sedimentary mantle of the World Ocean.The scheme of zeolite distribution, compiled for the Holocene—Pleistocene, Miocene, Eocene and Cretaceous periods confirmed the previously established global stratification of zeolites. It showed that the main mass of phillipsite was formed during the Pleistocene—Holocene, while clinoptilolite was a predominant mineral in Eocene and Cretaceous rocks. Both zeolites were wide-spread in the Oligocene and Miocene. Facies location and paragenesis of associated minerals as well as the original material of their formation are different for phillipsite and clinoptilolite.The most probable reasons for vertical stratification of oceanic zeolites of global significance are changes of the character of volcanism in time and general evolution of sedimentation in the World Ocean.     

Estimating the longevity of limestone drains in treating acid mine drainage containing high concentrations of iron

Limestone drains are often implemented in the treatment of acid mine drainage (AMD), but when the AMD contains high levels of dissolved Fe their lifetime is dependent on the rate of precipitation of Fe hydroxide on the limestone surface. This study used a small-scale laboratory experiment to define the longevity of a limestone drain by determining the thickness of the Fe coating encapsulating the limestone particles when the system lost its maximum neutralising potential. Synthetic AMD (100 mg/L Fe, pH 4–4.8) was pumped through a column containing limestone particles for 1110 h, when the effluent pH had dropped from a maximum of 6.45–4.9. The decline in neutralisation during the experiment was due to the formation of Fe hydroxide coatings on the limestone grains. These coatings are composed of lepidocrocite/goethite in three distinct layers: an initial thick porous orange layer, overlain by a dense dark brown crust, succeeded by a layer of loosely-bound, porous orange globules. After 744 h, a marked increase in the rate of pH decline occurred, and the system was regarded as having effectively failed. At this time the Fe hydroxide crust effectively encapsulated the limestone grains, forming a diffusion barrier that slowed down limestone dissolution. Between the coating and the limestone substrate was a 60 μm wide void, so that agitation of the limestone sample would readily remove the coating from the limestone surface.     

Stability of a stationary Rossby wave embedded in barotropic monsoon zonal flow

Barotropic stability of a stationary Rossby wave of wavelength 30° longitude superposed on the uniform monsoon zonal flow has been examined. The wave is unstable to perturbations and the growth rate depends on the meridional scale. These perturbations grow by drawing on the kinetic energy of the stationary Rossby wave.     

Composition, sources, and mechanism of continental crust growth in the Lake zone of the Central Asian Caledonides: I. Geological and geochronological data

Data on the composition, inner structure, and age of volcanic and siliceous-terrigenous complexes and granitoids occurring in association with them in the Caledonian Lake zone in Central Asia are discussed in the context of major relations and trends in the growth of the Caledonian continental crust in the Central Asian Foldbelt (CAFB). The folded structures of the Lake zone host basalt, basalt-andesite, and andesite complexes of volcanic rocks that were formed in distinct geodynamic environments. The volcanic rocks of the basalt complex are noted for high concentrations of TiO₂ and alkalis, occur in association with fine-grained siliceous siltstone and siliceous-carbonate rocks, are thus close to oceanic-island complexes, and were likely formed in relation to a mantle hotspot activity far away from erosion regions supplying terrigenous material. The rocks of the basalt-andesite and andesite complexes have lower TiO₂ concentrations and moderate concentrations of alkalis and contain rock-forming amphibole. These rocks are accompanied by rudaceous terrigenous sediments, which suggests their origin in island-arc environments, including arcs with a significantly dissected topography. These complexes are accompanied by siliceous-terrigenous sedimentary sequences whose inner structure is close to those of sediments in accretionary wedges. The folded Caledonides of the Lake zone passed through the following evolutionary phases. The island arcs started to develop at 570 Ma, their evolution was associated with the emplacement of layered gabbroids and tonalitetrondhjemite massifs, and continued until the onset of accretion at 515–480 Ma. The accretion was accompanied by the emplacement of large massifs of the tonalite-granodiorite-plagiogranite series. The postaccretionary evolutionary phase at 470–440 Ma of the Caledonides was marked by intrusive subalkaline and alkaline magmatism. The Caledonides are characterized by within-plate magmatic activity throughout their whole evolutionary history, a fact explained by the accretion of Vendian-Cambrian oceanic structures (island arcs, oceanic islands, and back-arc basins) above a mantle hotspot. Indicators of within-plate magmatic activity are subalkaline high-Ti basalts, alkaline-ultrabasic complexes with carbonatites and massifs of subalkaline and alkaline gabbroids, nepheline syenites, alkaline granites, subalkaline granites, and granosyenites. The mantle hotspot likely continued to affect the character of the lithospheric magmatism even after the Caledonian folded terrane was formed.