Flotation of calcareous Mussorie phosphate ore

Separation of Mussorie rock phosphate (P₂O₅ = 20%) from Uttar Pradesh, India, containing pyrite, calcite and other carbonaceous impurities by flotation has been successfully attempted to upgrade the phosphate values. Based on Hallimond cell flotation results of single and synthetic mineral mixtures of calcite and apatite using oleic acid and potassium phosphate, conditions were obtained for the separation of calcite from apatite which is considered to be the most difficult step in the beneficiation of calcareous phosphates. Further studies using 250 g of the mineral (?60 +150 and ?150 mesh fractions, deslimed) in laboratory size Fagergren subaeration machine employed a stagewise flotation viz. carbonaceous materials using terpineol, pyrite using potassium-ethyl xanthate and calcite using oleic acid respectively. Separation was, however, found to be unsatisfactory in the absence of a depressant.Among starch, hydrofluosilicic acid and dipotassium hydrogen phosphate, which were tried as depressants for apatite in the final flotation stage, dipotassium hydrogen phosphate proved to be superior to others. However, the tests with the above fractions did not yield the required grade. This was possibly due to insufficient liberation of the phosphate mineral from the ore body and different experimental conditions due to scale up operations. Experiments conducted using ?200 mesh deslimed fractions has yielded an acceptable grade of 27.6% P₂O₅ with a recovery of about 60%. The results have been explained in terms of the specific adsorption characteristics of phosphate ions on apatite and the liberation size of the mineral.     

Geochemical processes controlling the spatial distribution of selenium in soil and water,west central South Dakota,USA

Selenium (Se) is essential in the human diet, but has a low threshold for toxic concentration. It is recommended that nutrients such as Se should be consumed through foods as part of a normal diet. Se concentrations in crops and meat depend on the amount of labile Se in the soil where crops and forage are grown. Therefore, managing agriculture for optimal Se in grain crops and forage requires an understanding of the distribution and mobility of Se. Elevated concentrations of Se occur in waters, soils, and forage 120 km west of Pierre in west central South Dakota, USA. The research site lies in an elevated, dissected plain where soils developed on gently dipping Pierre Shale. Soils were sampled along catena transects and waters collected from soil, ponds, and shallow borings in areas of known elevated forage and crop Se. Soil extracts from saturated-paste extraction and acid (aqua regia and hydrofluoric acid) extraction were analyzed. Selenate was the dominant Se species in both acid and saturated-paste extracts; selenite and organic Se were below detection (<0.2 ppb) in the same soil extracts. On average, 98% of soil Se was not water-soluble. The distribution of total Se shows much less spatial variation than water-soluble Se in the areas sampled. Se shows correlation with organic carbon in soils and waters, suggesting its association with organic carbon. Ca shows some correlation to Se in acid extracts, but not in saturated-paste extracts or in waters. Total Se shows no significant correlation to Na, Mg, and total S in the soils. Se in saturated-paste extracts and water samples shows good correlations with Na, Mg, and SO₄, suggesting that evaporitic Na–Mg–sulfate minerals may temporarily concentrate water-soluble Se in shallow soils. The dissolution and precipitation of these Na–Mg–sulfate salts together with pH and oxidation–reduction conditions apparently control water-soluble Se distribution and mobilization in shallow subsurface environments.     

Friedrichbeckeite, K (□0.5Na0.5)2 (Mg0.8Mn0.1Fe0.1)2 (Be0.6 Mg0.4)3 [Si12O30], a new milarite-type mineral from the Bellerberg volcano, Eifel area, Germany

Friedrichbeckeite is a new milarite-type mineral. It was found in a single silicate-rich xenolith from a quarry at the Bellerberg volcano near Ettringen, eastern Eifel volcanic area, Germany. It forms thin tabular crystals flattened on {0001}, with a maximum diameter of 0.6 mm and a maximum thickness of 0.1 mm. It is associated with quartz, tridymite, augite, sanidine, magnesiohornblende, enstatite, pyrope, fluorapatite, hematite, braunite and roedderite. Friedrichbeckeite is light yellow, with white to light cream streak and vitreous lustre. It is brittle with irregular fracture and no cleavage, Mohs hardness of 6, calculated density is 2.686 gcm^?3. Optically, it is uniaxial positive with n_ω = 1.552(2) and n_ε = 1.561(2) at 589.3 nm and a distinct pleochroism from yellow (//ω) to light blue (//ε). Electron microprobe analyses yielded (wt.%): Na₂O 2.73, K₂O 4.16, BeO 4.67, MgO 11.24, MnO 2.05, FeO 1.76, Al₂O₃ 0.15, SiO₂ 73.51, (Σ CaO, TiO₂ = 0.06) sum 100.33 (BeO determined by LA-ICP-MS). The empirical formula based on Si = 12 is K_0.87 Na_0.86 (Mg_1.57Mn_0.28Fe_0.24)_Σ2.09 (Be_1.83?Mg_1.17)_Σ3.00 [Si₁₂O₃₀], and the simplified formula can be given as K (□_0.5Na_0.5)₂ (Mg_0.8Mn_0.1Fe_0.1)₂ (Be_0.6?Mg_0.4)₃ [Si₁₂O₃₀]. Friedrichbeckeite is hexagonal, space-group P6/mcc, with a = 9.970(1), c = 14.130(3) Å, V = 1216.4(3) ų, and Z = 2. The strongest lines in the X-ray powder diffraction pattern are (d in Å / I _obs / hkl): 3.180 / 100 / 121, 2.885 / 70 / 114, 4.993 / 30 / 110, 4.081 / 30 / 112, 3.690 / 30 / 022. A single-crystal structure refinement (R1 = 3.62 %) confirmed that the structure is isotypic with milarite and related ^[12] C ^[9] B ₂ ^[6] A ₂ ^[4] T2₃ [^[4] T1₁₂O₃₀] compounds. The C-site is dominated by potassium, the B-site is almost half occupied by sodium, and the A-site is dominated by Mg. The site-scattering at the T2-site can be refined to a Be/(Be?+?Mg) value close to 0.61; the T1-site is occupied by Si. Micro-Raman spectroscopy reveals an increasing splitting of scattering bands around 550 cm^?1 for friedrichbeckeite. The mineral can be classified as an unbranched ring silicate or as a beryllo-magnesiosilicate. With respect to the end-member formula K (□0.5Na0.5)₂ Mg₂ Be₃ [Si₁₂O₃₀] friedrichbeckeite represents the Mg-dominant analogue of almarudite, milarite or oftedalite. The mineral and its paragenesis were formed during pyrometamorphic modifications of the silicate-rich xenoliths enclosed in Quaternary leucite-tephritic lava of the Bellerberg volcano. Holotype material of friedrichbeckeite has been deposited at the mineral collection of the Naturhistorisches Museum Wien, Austria. The mineral is named friedrichbeckeite in honour of the Austrian mineralogist and petrographer Friedrich Johann Karl Becke (1855–1931).     

Rare-earth elements as source indicators of Pan-African granites from Obudu Plateau,Southeastern Nigeria

The rare-earth element （REE） concentrations of representative granite samples from the southeast of the Obudu Plateau, Nigeria, were analyzed with an attempt to determine the signatures of their source, evolutionary history and tectonic setting. Results indicated that the granites have high absolute REE concentrations （190×10^-6-1191×10^-6; av.=549×10^-6） with the chondrite-normalized REE patterns characterized by steep negative slopes and prominent to slight or no negative Eu anomalies. All the samples are also characterized by high and variable concentrations of the LREE （151×10^-6-1169×10^-6; av.= 466×10^-6）, while the HREE show low abundance （4×10^-6-107×10^-6; av.=28×10^-6）. These are consistent with the variable levels of REE fractionation, and differentiation of the granites. This is further supported by the range of REE contents, the chondrite-normalized patterns and the ratios of LaN/YbN （2.30-343.37）, CeN/YbN （5.94-716.87）, LaN/SmN （3.14-11.68） and TbN/YbN （0.58-1.65）. The general parallelism of the REE patterns, suggest that all the granites were comagmatic in origin, while the high Eu/Eu＊ ratios （0.085-2.807; av.=0.9398） indicate high fo2 at the source. Similarly, irregular variations in LaN/YbN, CeN/YbN and Eu/Eu＊ ratios and REE abundances among the samples suggest behaviors that are related to mantle and crustal sources.     

Oxidation and metal-insertion in molybdenite surfaces: evaluation of charge-transfer mechanisms and dynamics

Molybdenum disulfide (MoS₂), a layered transition-metal dichalcogenide, has been of special importance to the research community of geochemistry, materials and environmental chemistry, and geotechnical engineering. Understanding the oxidation behavior and charge-transfer mechanisms in MoS₂ is important to gain better insight into the degradation of this mineral in the environment. In addition, understanding the insertion of metals into molybdenite and evaluation of charge-transfer mechanism and dynamics is important to utilize these minerals in technological applications. Furthermore, a detailed investigation of thermal oxidation behavior and metal-insertion will provide a basis to further explore and model the mechanism of adsorption of metal ions onto geomedia.     

我国油气成藏机理与油气资源评价研究迈上新台阶——第四届油气成藏机理与油气资源评价国际学术研讨会在北京召开

由中国石油学会石油地质专业委员会、中国地质学会石油地质专业委员会、北京石油学会、国家自然科学基金委地学部、国土资源部油气资源战略研究中心和中国石油大学共同主办的“第四届油气成藏机理与油气资源评价国际学术研讨会”,于2006年10月14日-16日在中国北京顺利召开。共有260余位代表参加了这次大会,他们分别来自俄罗斯、加拿大、澳大利亚、英国、挪威、德国、韩国以及国内的18个科研院所和34个油田公司。这次大会提交的会议论文和摘要116篇,其中大会主题报告28篇,分会交流34篇。[第一段]     

High-frequency climatic oscillations during the last deglaciation as revealed by oxygen-isotope records of benthic organisms (Ammersee,southern Germany)

High-resolution oxygen-isotope records of benthic ostracods and molluscs from Ammersee, southern Germany, show high-frequency climatic changes during the last deglaciation and parallel in great detail published faunal and floral variations reconstructed from Norwegian Sea sediments and isotope variations in Greenland ice cores. The marine and the terrestrial records give evidence of a synchronous late glacial climatic development in Greenland, NW- and Mid-Europe. However,¹⁴C-ages of the supraregional climatic events and of two tephra layers in the marine sediments of the northeastern Atlantic Ocean are significantly older than the¹⁴C-ages of the corresponding horizons on land. These differences strongly suggest that major short-term events have affected the exchangeable carbon on earth during the dramatic environmental changes related to the deglaciation and in particular have affected the CO₂-distribution within the ocean and between ocean and atmosphere. Dating methods independent of climatic variations and of the global carbon budget should be given priority to refine the timescales of the marine and atmospheric processes during the last deglaciation.This is the fourth paper in a series of papers published in this issue on high-resolution paleolimnology. These papers were presented at the Sixth International Palaeolimnology Symposium held 19–21 April, 1993 at the Australian National University, Canberra, Australia. Dr. A. F. Lotter and Dr. M. Sturm served as guest editors for these papers.     

Mineralogical evidence for the derivation of metaluminous,potassic rocks from peralkaline precursors: The Cordon Syenite Complex (Philippines)

Summary Rocks from the Cordon Syenite Complex, located in the Philippine island arc, correspond to miaskitic (metaluminous) potassic lavas from the Roman Region and the Indonesian arc in terms of bulk rock chemistry. However, the mineral chemistry indicates a complex history of multiple equilibrations with liquids of different nature. T-site (Si + Al) occupancy in some clinopyroxenes and Ca contents of alkali feldspar phenocrysts indicate that these phases crystallized under the temperature-pressure subvolcanic regime from host liquids with progressively decreasing (Na + K)/Al ratio. In contrast to current views on the genesis of potassic rocks, it is suggested that differentiated leucite tephrite suites may be derived from peralkaline liquids by alkali loss. Magmas with affinities to lamproites may occur in the Philippine island arc, but a direct genetic relationship between subduction and alkaline/peralkaline magmatism remains questionable.

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Mineralogische Hinweise auf die Entstehung subalkalischer, K-reicher gesteine aus, peralkalischen Vorläufern: Der Syenit Komplex von Cordon (Philippinen)

Zusammenfassung Die Magmatite des im philippinischen Inselbogen gelegenen Syenitkomplexes von Cordon entsprechen in ihrem Gesamtgesteinschemismus den miaskitischen, K-reichen Vul kaniten der Romanischen Provinz und des indonesischen Inselbogens. Die chemische Zusammensetzung einzelner Mineralphasen deutet auf eine komplexere Genese unter Beteiligung von Magmen unterschiedlicher Alkalinität hin. Die Variation in der Besetzung der T-Position (Si + Al) in Klinopyroxenen und der Ca-Gehalte in Alkalifeldspäten wird dahingehend interpretiert, daß diese Phasen unter subvulkanischen Bedingungen aus Schmelzen mit abnehmenden (Na + K)/Al-Verhältnissen kristallisierten. Im Gegensatz zu gängigen Auffassungen wird daher angenommen, daß differenzierte Leucit-Tephrite aus mild-peralkalischen Magman hervorgehen können. Obwohl die K-reichen Magmatite des Syenitkomplexes von Cordon in einem Inselbogen gebildet wurden, ist ein direkter Zusammenhang mit Anreicherungsvorgängen im Bereich der Subduktionszone fraglich.

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Paper presented at the General Assembly of the International Association of Volcanology and Chemistry of the Earth Interior, Santa Fe, New Mexico, 1989.

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With 6 Figures     

The tropospheric distribution of formaldehyde during TROPOZ II

A series of 149 measurements of the HCHO mixing ratio were made between 0 and 10 km altitude and 70° N to 60° S latitude during TROPOZ II. The data show a vertical decrease of the HCHO mixing ratio with altitude at all latitudes and a broad latitudinal maximum in the HCHO mixing ratio between 30° N and 30° S at all altitudes. The measured mixing ratios of HCHO are considerably higher than those expected from CH₄ oxidation alone, but agree broadly with the average latitude by altitude distribution of HCHO derived by a 2D model including emissions of C₁–C₇ hydrocarbons. A number of the regional scale deviations of the measured HCHO distribution from the average modelled one can be explained in terms of the local wind field.     

Investigation of seasonal droughts and related large-scale atmospheric dynamics over the Potwar Plateau of Pakistan

As a result of climate change and unsustainable land use management in the recent past, droughts have become one of the most devastating climatic hazards whose impacts may prolong from months to years. This study presents analysis of droughts for two major cropping seasons, i.e., Kharif (May–September) and Rabi (October–April), over the Potwar Plateau of Pakistan. The analysis is performed using various datasets viz. observational, reanalysis, and Regional Climate Models (RCMs), for the past (1981–2010) and future (2011–2100) time periods. The following two methods for the identification of dry and wet years, also referred to as drought and wetness, are applied: (1) the percentile rank approach and (2) the drought indices, Standardized Precipitation Index (SPI) and Reconnaissance Drought Index (RDI). Future projections of droughts are investigated using RCM (RegCM4.4 and RCA4) outputs from CORDEX South Asia domain under two Representative Concentration Pathway (RCP) scenarios, RCP4.5 and RCP8.5. Generally, the indices show non-significant decreasing trends of drought severity in the recent past for all cases; however, significant increasing trends are observed for annual (0.006) and Kharif (0.007) cases under RCP4.5 scenario. The analysis of large-scale atmospheric dynamics suggests the significant role of low-level geopotential height anomalies over Tibetan Plateau (northwest of Pakistan) during Kharif (Rabi) season in controlling drought occurrence by transporting moisture from the Bay of Bengal (Arabian Sea). Moreover, composites of vertically integrated moisture transport, moisture flux convergence/divergence, and precipitable water anomalies show their marked contribution in maintaining the drought/wetness conditions over the Potwar region.