Magnetostratigraphy and palaeoclimate of Red Clay sequences from Chinese Loess Plateau

Two Red Clay profiles near Xi’an and Xifeng were investigated in an attempt to determine magnetostratigraphic and palaeoclimatic records. The results show that aeolian dust accumulation and the related East Asia palaeomonsoon system had begun by 6.5 Ma, and it is deduced that the Tibetan Plateau had reached a significant elevation at that time. The late Tertiary palaeoclimatic history of the Red Clay as reflected by magnetic susceptibility is reconstructed during the period of 6.5–2.5 Ma. Stepwise increase in susceptibility of aeolian dust accumulation appears to have a close correlation to the uplift processes of the Tibetan Plateau. The remarkable increase of aeolian dust accumulation at 3.2 Ma appears to be due to the influence of global ice volume on the East Asia monsoon. Palaeomonsoon variation during the late Tertiary as recorded in the Red Clay sequences from the Chinese Loess Plateau can be regarded as the product of a number of interacting factors, such as uplift of the Tibetan Plateau, solar radiation, global ice volume, etc. Project supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China and the Foundation of Xi’an Laboratory of Loess and Quaternary Geology, Chinese Academy of Sciences.     

Environmental Properties of Minerals and Contaminants Purified by the Mineralogical Method

The investigation of the environmental properties of minerals, i.e., environmental mineralogy, is a branch of science dealing with interactions between natural minerals and spheres of the Earth surface as well as a reflection of global change, prevention of ecological destruction, participation in biomineralogy, and remediation of environmental pollution. Pollutant treatment by natural minerals is based on the natural law and reflects natural self-purification functions in the inorganic world, similar to that of the organic world - a biological treatment. A series of case studies related to natural self-purification, which were mostly completed by our group, are discussed in this paper. In natural cryptomelane there is a larger pseudotetragonal tunnel than that formed by [MnO6] octahedral double chains, with an aperture of 0.462-0.466 nm2, filled with K cations. Cryptomelane might be a real naturally-occurring mineral of the active octahedral molecular sieve (OMS-2). CrⅥ-bearing wastewater can be treate     

Advances in lunar science from the Clementine mission: A decadal perspective

The Clementine spacecraft orbited the Moon and acquired science data for 10 weeks in the Spring of 1994. During this time it collected global 11-band multispectral images and near global altimetry. Select areas of the Moon were imaged at 25 m/pixel in visible light and 60 m/pixel in thermal wavelengths. From these datasets a new paradigm for the evolution of the lunar crust emerged. The Moon is no longer viewed as a two-terrane planet, the Apollo samples were found not to represent the lunar crust as a whole, and the complexity of lunar crustal stratigraphy was further revealed. More than ten years later the Clementine datasets continue to significantly advance lunar science and will continue to do so as new measurements are returned from planned missions such as Chandrayaan, SELENE, and Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter. This paper highlights the scientific research conducted over the last decade using Clementine data and summarizes the influence of Clementine on our understanding of the Moon.     

Geochemical characteristics of mineral air particles emitted inside a clay atomisation plant which introduces waste recycling processes

The objective of this work is to assess the concentrations of three factions of air particles (settable particles, TSP and PM10) and the levels of several toxic elements in a clay atomisation industry through aerosol sampling at several points inside an industrial plant. Mechanical activities, which produce diffuse emissions, are the main process of discharge of particles in both indoor and outdoor workplace environments in the atomisation plant. The levels of As, Cd, Pb, Zn, Ba and Ni increase in the zones with higher concentrations of particles and lower ventilation. The concentrations of As and F are not influenced by the recycling processes. The levels of Cd and Pb do not show great enrichment in air particles collected inside the atomisation plant although the content of both elements is associated with ceramic muck recycling. Finally, the content of B in waste water is mainly transferred in gaseous phase to the atmosphere during the process of drying by atomisation.     

滇东南官房钨矿床矽卡岩矿物学特征及其地质意义

官房钨矿床位于滇东南薄竹山W多金属矿集区,是近年来新发现的大型白钨矿床。矽卡岩多产于层间破碎带,呈似层状、透镜状和脉状,一般不与花岗岩体接触而形成远端矽卡岩（深部揭露有少量产于接触带）,矽卡岩矿物发育。为进一步查明矽卡岩矿物学和矿物化学特征,揭示矽卡岩形成环境,探讨矽卡岩与矿化类型之间的关系,笔者采集了KT3近端矽卡岩与KT5远端矽卡岩进行对比,通过开展系统的矿物学镜下观察,利用EMPA进行石榴子石成分分析,LA-ICP-MS对典型的矽卡岩矿物进行了单矿物分析。研究表明,官房钨矿床矽卡岩属典型钙质矽卡岩,矽卡岩矿物主要有石榴子石、辉石、符山石等,其中石榴子石为钙铝榴石-钙铁榴石系列,辉石为透辉石-钙铁辉石系列,符山石属普通符山石。由近端矽卡岩向远端矽卡岩,石榴子石主要成分由钙铝榴石向钙铁榴石转化;辉石几乎全部为透辉石向透辉石、钙铁辉石的组合转化,石榴子石与辉石的特征表明矿床的矽卡岩由还原型矽卡岩转为氧化型矽卡岩;KT5形成条件较KT3氧逸度更高,两者流体交代方式以扩散交代为主。石榴子石、辉石端员组分及Mn/Fe、Mg/Fe比值稍高的特征,综合指示其矿化类型属于铁铜锌等多金属矿化类型;符山石中较低的w（W）可作为钨矿找矿标志。     

长江流域河水和悬浮物的锂同位素地球化学研究

深入理解流域侵蚀过程中的锂同位素分馏对于运用锂同位素来示踪化学循环和气候变化是十分必要的。研究集中在长江干流和主要支流的水体和悬浮物的锂及锂同位素组成。长江流域水体的锂及锂同位素组成（δ⁷Li）分别为150~4 570 nmol/L和+7.6‰~+28.1‰,两者沿上游至下游的变化趋势相反。悬浮物锂同位素组成（δ⁷Li）变化比较稳定,分别为41~92 μg/g和-4.7‰~+0.7‰,而且总是低于相应水体的锂同位素组成。悬浮物和流体之间的锂同位素分馏系数在0.977和0.992之间,与悬浮物的量及组成存在明显相关性,反映了粘土矿物的吸附和化学风化的程度。锂含量与锂同位素组成之间良好的负相关性表明流域水体的锂来自2个端元混合：其一可能是蒸发盐岩,并伴有深部热泉水;其二可能是硅酸岩。     

Provenance of freshwater pulses in the Gulf of Mexico during the last deglaciation

During the last deglaciation, the decaying Laurentide Ice Sheet (LIS) delivered huge volumes of meltwater toward the Gulf of Mexico. The present investigation of clay mineralogy and grain-size characteristics of terrigenous sediments deposited in the Orca Basin (Gulf of Mexico) offers a unique opportunity to link the marine record of these meltwater floods with the reconstructed continental glacial history and the modeled drainage patterns. Five peculiar sedimentary levels, characterized by high smectite content and low CaCO₃ content, were identified and occurred simultaneously with major meltwater floods. According to recently published clay mineral distribution maps for North America, these results help to pinpoint the southwestern margin of the LIS as a main contributor to most of the meltwater discharges. In addition, the peculiar mineralogical composition (illite and chlorite-rich) of the sediments characterizing the meltwater episode associated with Heinrich event 1 suggests a provenance from the Great Lakes area, supporting the interpretation of destabilization of the LIS southeastern margin during this event. Decreased terrigenous contribution associated with changing provenance of sediments after 12.9 cal ka BP suggests strong modifications of the continental hydrography in relation to Lake Agassiz history and changes in the morphology of Mississippi delta due to rising sea level.     

A new locality of palygorskite-rich clay from the southeastern Yucatán: a potential material source for environmental applications

A palygorskite unit was discovered in a road cut of undifferentiated Tertiary limestone between the villages of El Pariso and San Roman (18°49.309N, 88°37.861W) in the southeastern Yucatán Peninsula, Mexico. This is the southern most locality of a clay-rich sedimentary unit reported in the literature for the Tertiary carbonates of the Yucatán Peninsula. This occurrence indicates a much wider range of palygorskite-rich clay deposition than previously recognized. The lithology is 99% clay and 1% sand to silt size diagenetic quartz grains. The clay consists of approximately 85% palygorskite, 15% montmorillonite and trace amounts of titanium oxides. EDS analyses on palygorskite are largely consistent with sedimentary palygorskites from other coastal marine settings, however palygorskite has a low total Fe content (average = 0.40 wt% expressed as Fe₂O₃) compared to many other sedimentary palygorskites. Montmorillonite chemical compositions are typical and compared to the palygorskite have substantially higher Fe₂O₃ concentrations (average = 3.90 wt%). The low percentage of coarse grains in the lithology combined with a high proportion of palygorskite and lack of detrimental trace minerals suggest the deposit is of industrial grade; however, it has limited reserves (6,000 m³). The unit could be potentially used in a wide array of environmental applications which are needed in the region including liners for landfills and constructed wetlands. The unit is in a geographic location which would serve the expanding economy of the region. This resource has the potential to have great impact on the quality of the local environment and the economy of a region under great environmental threat.