Study of Al-substituted hematites, prepared from thermal treatment of lepidocrocite

A study of the characteristics of the Morin transition in aluminous hematites, α-(Fe_1?xAl_x)₂O₃, produced from thermally transformed lepidocrocites, is reported. Six compositions with Al contents between 0.2 and 10 at% have been considered. It is argued that these samples present the advantage that they contain smaller amounts of hydroxyl and water as compared to hematites obtained by other preparation methods. The samples were characterised by a variety of conventional techniques, including thermal analyses, X-ray diffraction, FTIR, TEM/EDX, BET surface-area measurements and diffuse reflectance spectroscopy. All results indicate that the Al is structurally incorporated in the hematite lattices. Transmission Mössbauer spectra were recorded at various temperatures between 80?K and room temperature in order to precisely determine the Morin-transition region and the spin structure in both the low-temperature antiferromagnetic and weakly ferromagnetic states. It was found that the Morin-transition temperatures are markedly higher as compared to similar hematites made from aluminous goethites and that a transition phenomenon persists to an Al substitution of up to at least 10 at%. This different behaviour is ascribed to lower concentrations of structural hydroxyl groups in these lepidocrocite-based hematites.     

Constraining the colouration mechanisms of Cretaceous Oceanic Red Beds using diffuse reflectance spectroscopy

We have used diffuse reflectance spectroscopy to investigate the colouration mechanisms of hematite in Cretaceous Oceanic Red Beds (CORBs). Data for samples of CORBs from the Chuangde section in Tibet, Vispi Quarry section in Italy, and Core 12X of Ocean Drilling Program Hole 1049C in the North Atlantic were compared with calibration datasets obtained for hematite in different crystalline forms (kidney and specular hematite) and calcite matrix. Spectra for hematite in either pure form or in calibration datasets show that the centre of the reflection peak shifts to a longer wavelength and depth (D) decreases as the crystallinity of the hematite increases. Compared with specular hematite, the presence of just 0.5% of kidney hematite can cause a much deeper absorption peak and greater redness value, which indicates that kidney hematite has a higher colouration capacity than specular hematite. However, both kidney and specular hematite exhibit a good correlation between the redness value for each calibration dataset and the absorption peak depth. In all three studied sections, hematite is the main iron oxide mineral responsible for colouration. Spectral features such as absorption peak depth and peak centre reveal that hematite crystallinity gradually decreases from red shale to limestone to marl. Based on a spectral comparison of red shale in the Chuangde section before and after citrate–bicarbonate–dithionite (CBD) treatment, we found that two forms of hematite are present: a fine-grained and dispersed form, and a detrital form. The former is relatively poorly crystalline hematite, which has a much stronger colouration capacity than the detrital form. In the Vispi Quarry section and Core 12X of ODP Hole 1049C, a good correlation between the absorption peak depth of hematite and redness value indicates that the red colouration is caused by hematite of similar crystallinity in each section.     

基于剩磁各向异性方法对华北下三叠统红层磁倾角浅化效应的研究

本文报道利用岩石剩磁组构对华北下三叠统红层进行磁倾角浅化效应的进一步识别与校正研究结果.首先,采用45°等温剩磁各向异性方法,即通过沿与样品原始水平面(即层面)呈45°夹角方向施加磁化场获得等温剩磁,并进行逐步热退磁,获得平行于层面和垂直于层面的等温剩磁分量随外加磁场和热退磁温度的变化趋势,计算获得浅化因子f=0.70...     

The role of hematite–ilmenite solid solution in the production of magnetic anomalies in ground- and satellite-based data

Remanent magnetization (RM) of rocks with hematite–ilmenite solid solution (HISS) minerals, at all crustal levels, may be an important contribution to magnetic anomalies measured by ground and satellite altitude surveys. The possibility that lower thermal gradient relatively deep in the crust can result in exsolution of HISS compositions with strong remanent magnetizations (RM) was studied for two bulk compositions within the HISS system. Samples from granulite-terrane around Wilson Lake, Labrador, Canada contains titanohematite with exsolved ferrian ilmenite lamellae. Other samples from the anorthosite-terrane of Allard Lake, Quebec, Canada contain ferrian ilmenite with exsolved titanohematite lamellae. In both cases, the final exsolved titanohematite has similar Ti content and carries dominant magnetic remanence with REM (=NRM/SIRM, where NRM is the natural remanent magnetization and SIRM is the saturation isothermal remanent magnetization) that is comparable to the Ti-free end member. The RM was acquired prior to exsolution and the ilmeno-hematite-rich rock possesses thermal remanent magnetization (TRM), whereas rocks with hemo-ilmenite possess chemical remanent magnetization (CRM). In both cases, we found fairly large homogeneous grains with low demagnetizing energy that acquired intense RM. The magnetism of the ilmeno-hematite solid solution phases is not significantly perturbed by the continuous reaction: ilmeno-hematitetitanohematite solid solution. Hence, the occurrence of HISS in rocks that cooled slowly in a low intensity magnetic field will have an intense magnetic signature characterized by a large REM.     

Thermodynamics and crystal chemistry of the hematite–corundum solid solution and the FeAlO3 phase

High-temperature oxide-melt calorimetry and Rietveld refinement of powder X-ray diffraction patterns were used to investigate the energetics and structure of the hematite–corundum solid solution and ternary phase FeAlO₃ (with FeGaO₃ structure). The mixing enthalpies in the solid solution can be described by a polynomial ΔH_mix=WX _hem(1?X _hem) with W=116 ± 10 kJ mol^?1. The excess mixing enthalpies are too positive to reproduce the experimental phase diagram, and excess entropies in the solid solution should be considered. The hematite–corundum solvus can be approximately reproduced by a symmetric, regular-like solution model with ΔG _excess=(W _H ?TW _S )X _hem X _cor, where W _H= 116 ± 10 kJ mol^?1 and W _S =32 ± 4 J mol^?1 K^?1. In this model, short-range order (SRO) of Fe/Al is neglected because SRO probably becomes important only at intermediate compositions close to Fe:Al=1:1 but these compositions cannot be synthesized. The volume of mixing is positive for Al-hematite but almost ideal for Fe-corundum. Moreover, the degree of deviation from Vegard's law for Al-hematite depends on the history of the samples. Introduction of Al into the hematite structure causes varying distortion of the hexagonal network of oxygen ions while the position of the metal ions remains intact. Distortion of the hexagonal network of oxygen ions attains a minimum at the composition (Fe_0.95Al_0.05)₂O₃. The enthalpy of formation of FeAlO₃ from oxides at 298 K is 27.9 ± 1.8 kJ mol^?1. Its estimated standard entropy (including configurational entropy due to disorder of Fe/Al) is 98.9 J mol^?1 K^?1, giving the standard free energy of formation at 298 K from oxides and elements as +19.1 ± 1.8 and ?1144.2 ± 2.0 kJ mol^?1, respectively. The heat capacity of FeAlO₃ is approximated as C _p (T in K)= 175.8 ? 0.002472T ? (1.958 × 10⁶)/T ²? 917.3/T ^0.5+(7.546 × 10^?6) T ² between 298 and 1550 K, based on differential scanning calorimetric measurements. No ferrous iron was detected in FeAlO₃ by Mössbauer spectroscopy. The ternary phase is entropy stabilized and is predicted to be stable above about 1730 ± 70 K, in good agreement with the experiment. Static lattice calculations show that the LiNbO₃-, FeGaO₃-, FeTiO₃-, and disordered corundum-like FeAlO₃ structures are less stable (in the order in which they are listed) than a mechanical mixture of corundum and hematite. At high temperatures, the FeGaO₃-like structure is favored by its entropy, and its stability field appears on the phase diagram.     

中甸东炉房金矿床地质新知

中甸县东炉房金矿位于盐源－丽江金矿成矿带，为沿碳酸岩裂隙充填的赤铁矿中的金矿。该矿床找矿标志明显，对贫困高寒山区的找金工作具有借鉴意义。     

Fractal characterization of hematite aggregates by X-ray microscopy

X-ray microscopy supplies the actual morphology of hematite aggregates in an aqueous dispersion medium. The fractal dimension of hematite aggregates has been determined below and above the critical coagulation concentration. The box-counting method has been used as a morphometric tool. The values obtained are not in accordance with the values produced by numerical approaches.     

Effects of mechanical activation on the reduction behavior of hematite concentrate

The effect of mechanical activation on the reduction behavior of a hematite concentrate has been examined using a combination of simultaneous thermal analysis (STA), X-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscope (SEM) analysis, and laser diffraction. The samples were activated in vibratory and planetary mills.     

Compositional classification of “kimberlitic” and “non-kimberlitic” ilmenite

Ilmenite is one of the common kimberlitic indicator minerals recovered during diamond exploration, and its distinction from non-kimberlitic rock types is important. This is particularly true for regions where these minerals are present in relatively low abundance, and they are the dominant kimberlitic indicator mineral recovered. Difficulty in visually differentiating kimberlitic from non-kimberlitic ilmenite in exploration concentrates is also an issue, and distinguishing kimberlitic ilmenite from those derive from other similar rocks, such as ultramafic lamprophyres, is practically impossible. Ilmenite is also the indicator mineral whose compositional variety has the most potential to resolve provenance issues related to mineral dispersions with contributions from multiple kimberlite sources.

Various published data sets from selected kimberlitic (including kimberlites, lamproites, and various ultramafic lamprophyres) and non-kimberlitic rock types have been compiled and evaluated in terms of their major element compositions. Compositional fields and bounding reference lines for ilmenites derived from kimberlites (sensu stricto), ultramafic lamprophyres, and other non-kimberlitic rock types have been defined primarily on MgO–TiO₂ graphs as well as MgO–Cr₂O₃ relationships.     

Glide systems of hematite single crystals in deformation experiments

The critical resolved shear stresses (CRSSs) of hematite crystals were determined in compression tests for r-twinning, c-twinning and {a}<m>-slip in the temperature range 25 °C to 400 °C, at 400 MPa confining pressure, and a strain rate of 10^− 5 s^− 1 by Hennig-Michaeli, Ch., Siemes, H., 1982. Experimental deformation of hematile crstals betwen 25 °C and 400 °C at 400 MPa confining pressure. In: Schreyer, W. (Ed.) High Pressure Research in Geoscience, Schweizerbart'sche Verlagsbuchhandlung, Stuttgart, p. 133–150. In the present contribution newly performed experiments on hematite single crystals at temperatures up to 800 °C at strain rates of 10^− 5 s^− 1 and 300 MPa confining pressure extends the knowledge about the CRSS of twin and slip modes. Optical observations, neutron diffraction goniometry, SEM forescatter electron images and electron backscatter diffraction are applied in order to identify the glide modes. Both twinning systems and {a}<m>-slip were confirmed by these methods. Besides the known glide systems the existence of the (c)<a>-slip system could be stated. Mechanical data establish that the CRSS of r-twinning decreases from 140 MPa at 25 °C to  5 MPa at 800 °C and for {a}<m>-slip from > 560 MPa at 25 °C to  40 MPa at 700 °C. At room temperature the CRSS for c-twinning is around 90 MPa and at 600 °C  60 MPa. The data indicate that the CRSSs above 200 °C seem to be between the values for r-twinning and {a}<m>-slip. For (c)<a>-slip only the CRSS at 600 °C could be evaluated to  60 MPa. Exact values are difficult to determine because other glide systems are always simultaneously activated.