Organic Matter Diagenesis in Acidic Mine Lakes

The significance of organic matter origin for carbon oxidation via sulfate and iron reduction in the sediments of three acid mine lakes is analyzed. Carbon reactivity was estimated by fitting first‐order expressions to measured rates. Carbon oxidation rates via sulfate and ferric iron reduction ranged from 3.4 to 4.7 mmol m^–2 d^–1 and resembled those reported for freshwater lakes. The estimated reaction constants increased from about 10^–3 a^–1 at the interface to the former mine grounds to 0.05 to 0.2 a^–1 at the current sediment‐water interface. Aquatic organic matter accounted for an estimated 45...75% of total carbon oxidation rates while it amounted only to about 5...14% of the total organic matter that had been deposited. The results of this study suggest that in highly acidic mine lakes the reactivity of the deposited organic matter can rapidly increase after flooding, enhancing carbon oxidation and internal neutralization rates in the sediments.     

Strategies towards robust interpretations of in situ zircon Lu-Hf isotope analyses

The combination of U-Pb and Lu-Hf compositions measured in zircon crystals is a remarkably powerful isotopic couplet that provides measures on both the timing of mineral growth and the radiogenic enrichment of the source from which the zircon grew.The U-Pb age documents the timing of zircon crystallization/recrystallization and Hf isotopes inform on the degree to which the host melt was derived from a radiogenic reservoir(e.g.depleted mantle) versus an unradiogenic reservoir(e.g.ancient continental crust),or some mixture of these sources.The ease of generating large quantities of zircon U-Pb and Lu-Hf data has been in large part facilitated by instrument advances.However,the dramatic increase in time constrained zircon Lu-Hf analyses in the Earth science community has brought to the fore the importance of careful data collection and reduction workflows,onto which robust geological interpretations may be based.In this work,we discuss the fundamentals of Lu-Hf isotopes in zircon,which then allows us to provide a robust,accessible,methodology for the assessment of data quality.Additionally,we discuss some novel techniques for:data visualization—that facilitates better transparency of data interpretation;integration of geographic information—that may reveal spatial trends where temporal trends were only apparent before;and some novel statistical evaluation tools—that may provide more rigorous interand intra-sample comparisons.     

Rhyacian and Neoproterozoic magmatic associations of the Gurupi Belt,Brazil: Implications for the tectonic evolution,and regional correlations

The Gurupi Belt, in north-northeastern Brazil, is a mobile belt developed in the south-southwestern margin of the São Luís cratonic fragment and crops out as a tectonic and erosional window within the Phanerozoic cover. Field, petrographic, geochemical, geochronological, and Nd isotopic information (new and published) constrain the timing and types of magmatic associations present in the belt and the tectonic settings in which they formed. The Rhyacian was the main period of magmatic activity, which can be grouped into two main stages. (1) ~2185–2130 ​Ma: pre-collisional, juvenile, calc-alkaline magnesian and calcic ferroan granitoid suites, and minor calc-alkaline and tholeiitic mafic plutonism (now amphibolites), formed in intra-oceanic to transitional/continental arcs; and intra- or back-arc volcano-sedimentary basin. (2) ~2125–2070 ​Ma: syn- (two-mica granites) to late-collisional (potassic to shoshonitic granites and quartz-syenite) plutonic suites produced after crustal thickening and melting, with localized migmatization, that intruded during the compressive D₁ deformational phase and concomitantly with greenschist to amphibolite metamorphism. There is a zonation of the Rhyacian episodes, with intra-oceanic stages occurring to the northeast, and the continental arc and collisional phases occurring to the southwest, indicating the presence of an active continental margin to the southwest, and subduction from NE to SW (present-day configuration). This magmatic framework is a continuation to the south of what is described for the São Luís cratonic fragment to the north, and the orogenic scenario is identical to what is observed for the same period in the West African Craton (Eburnean/Birrimian orogen), which additionally supports previous geological correlations. In the Neoproterozoic, a few magmatic occurrences are recognized. An extensional event allowed the intrusion of an anorogenic, nepheline syenite at ca. 730 Ma, which was followed by the intrusion of a crustal, calc-alkaline microtonalite, of uncertain tectonic setting, at 624 ​Ma. Both intrusions underwent greenschist to amphibolite facies metamorphism between 580 Ma and 529 ​Ma. This metamorphic event is probably related to crustal thickening, which produced crustal melting and intrusion of two-mica granites between 595 Ma and 549 ​Ma. The absence of oceanic and arc-related assemblages, along with geophysical information about the basement of the Phanerozoic cover indicates an intracontinental setting for the Neoproterozoic–Early Cambrian evolution of the Gurupi Belt, with rifting and posterior closure of the basin, without oceanization. Rifting and closure correlate in time with the onset of Rodinia breakup and West Gondwana assembly, respectively, but we interpret the events in the Gurupi Belt as having no direct role in these two global supercontinent-related events, but, instead, as being related to orogenic events occurring in the periphery of the West African and Amazonian cratons at that time.     

热扩散驱动的元素分异和同位素分馏:一种不容忽视的硅酸盐成分分异机制

热扩散在地质过程中是否发挥重要作用一直存有争议。本文回顾了热扩散的研究历史和现状,重点总结了热扩散驱动的元素和同位素行为规律,并探讨了温度、硅酸盐组分、压力和氧逸度等因素对热扩散行为的影响。已有的研究表明,稳定热梯度下的硅酸盐热扩散效应类似于结晶分异或AFC过程,可以造成轻、重同位素分别在高温端和低温端富集,而主、微量元素的扩散方向则取决于两端化学势的高低和熔体中的电价平衡。从基性岩浆到酸性岩浆,熔体聚合度增大,黏度增加,热扩散速率明显降低,成网元素的热扩散效应减弱,变网元素则反之;水、氟、氯和硫化氢等挥发组分能增加熔体的非桥氧比例,降低熔体聚合度,因而能显著增强硅酸盐熔体中元素和同位素的热扩散效应。在此基础上,本文提出了当前硅酸盐体系热扩散研究中存在的五个亟需解决的问题,即:1)对不同硅酸盐体系的热扩散规律的研究还不够全面;2)对微量元素的热扩散行为认识不足;3)硅酸盐体系热扩散作用的影响因素及尺度还不够明确;4)热扩散作用的地质与地球化学关键识别标志有待确立;5)硅酸盐体系热扩散作用的理论模型有待建立。尽管硅酸盐体系热扩散的研究还存在诸多不足,但越来越多的证据表明,热扩散是地质过程中不容忽视的一种成分分异机制。这种机制会造成岩浆房或岩浆通道中的元素分异和同位素分馏,可能对于一些成分分异的岩石和矿床的形成具有重要的意义。     

The degree of urbanization across the globe is not reflected in the δN of seagrass leaves

Many studies show that seagrass δ¹⁵N ratios increase with the amount of urbanization in coastal watersheds. However, there is little information on the relationship between urbanization and seagrass δ¹⁵N ratios on a global scale. We performed a meta-analysis on seagrass samples from 79 independent locations to test if seagrass δ¹⁵N ratios correlate with patterns of population density and fertilizer use within a radius of 10–200 km around the sample locations. Our results show that seagrass δ¹⁵N ratios are more influenced by intergeneric and latitudinal differences than the degree of urbanization or the amount of fertilizer used in nearby watersheds. The positive correlation between seagrass δ¹⁵N ratios and latitude hints at an underlying pattern in discrimination or a latitudinal gradient in the ¹⁵N isotopic signature of nitrogen assimilated by the plants. The actual mechanisms responsible for the correlation between δ¹⁵N and latitude remain unknown.     

Characteristics of isotope in precipitation,river water and lake water in the Manasarovar basin of Qinghai–Tibet Plateau

The stable hydrogen and oxygen of lake, river, rain and snow waters were investigated to understand the water cycle characteristics of the drainage basin of Manasarovar Lake in Tibet. Both δD and δ ¹⁸O of river water are larger than those of lake water and the effect of altitude on both δD and δ ¹⁸O is not very significant. This phenomenon was suggested to occur because Manasarovar basin is located in Qinghai–Tibet Plateau which has low latitude, high altitude, abundant glaciers, thin air and intensive solar radiation, resulting in higher evaporation in lake water.     

Isotope geochemistry of Mississippi Valley Type stratabound F-Ba-(Pb-Zn) ores of Hammam Zriba (Province of Zaghouan,NE Tunisia)

The Hammam Zriba F-Ba-(Zn-Pb) ore deposit in the Province of Zaghouan in north-eastern Tunisia is hosted in the shallow dipping unconformity between green marls with chalky biomicritic limestones of Campanian age and Uppermost Jurassic carbonates. The mineralization consists mainly of fluorite and barite with minor sphalerite and galena. Calcite is the main gangue mineral. Two types of Zn-Pb sulfides can be distinguished according to the geometry of the orebodies, i.e., lenticular or stratiform ores, intra-karstic fillings. Sulfur isotope compositions (δ³⁴S) of barite range from 14.7 to 17.2‰, indicating that sulfur was derived from Triassic evaporites and the higher ones (19–25.7‰) are due to reservoir effect associated with thermo-chemical sulfate reduction (TSR) or bacterial sulfate reduction (BSR) under conditions of restricted sulfate supply. δ³⁴S of galena and sphalerite in lenticluar and intra-karstic orebodies range from −13.8 to 2.1‰, and could be explained by multiple sources of reduced sulfur: Triassic evaporites, diagenetic primary sulfides as well as sulfur from organic matter. Both TSR and BSR as potential contributors of sulfur are needed for sulfide precipitation. Lead isotope compositions of galena exhibit very similar: ²⁰⁶Pb/²⁰⁴Pb (18.858–18.876), ²⁰⁷Pb/²⁰⁴Pb (15.667–15.684), and ²⁰⁸Pb/²⁰⁴Pb (38.680–38.747) ratios, and plot between the upper crust and orogene average growth curves, reflecting involvement of a mixing and subsequent homogenization of Pb isotopic compositions of different source Pb reservoirs. The underlying Paleozoic basement rocks were the plausible source of metals. The economic ore (fluorite F1) mineralization was formed during the Eocene-Miocene compressional phase. During this deformation phase, deep-seated basinal brines have been circulated as hydrothermal fluids that have interacted with the Paleozoic rocks, thereby leaching metals, and have been channelized through subsidiary faults associated with the major regional NE–SW-trending deep-seated Zaghouan-Ressas fault. Hydrothermal fluids then migrated to the site of deposition where they got mixed with shallow, cooler, metal-depleted, TSR- and BSR-derived sulfur-rich fluids, which triggered the precipitation of the ores.     

张掖盆地水文地质特征与稳定同位素研究

论述了张掖盆地地下水赋存分布特征与地下水补给、径流、排泄条件,利用水化学、同位素调查的方法,重点对张掖甘州平原区地下水水化学类型及其演化过程进行了研究。结果表明：张掖盆地由源于南部祁连山和北部龙首山的水系沉积物组成,其冲洪积平原规模、含水层富水性、导水性与地下水水化学特征等方面存在差异;同时地下水稳定同住素特征分析印证了水文地质条件的差异。祁连山前沉积物与龙首山前沉积物中地下水有着不同的补给来源和径流路径。浅层地下水和龙首山前深层承压水主要补给源为大气降水和山区河流入渗补给,祁连山前深层承压地下水系统可能有冰雪融水补给。     

Evolution of sedimentary environments of the middle Jiangsu coast, South Yellow Sea since late MIS 3

An evolutionary model of sedimentary environments since late Marine Isotope Stage 3 （late MIS 3, i.e., ca. 39 cal ka BP） along the middle Jiangsu coast is presented based upon a reinterpretation of core 07SR01, new correlations between adjacent published cores, and shallow seismic profiles recovered in the Xiyang tidal channel and adjacent northern sea areas. Geomorphology, sedimentology, radiocarbon dating and seismic and sequence stratigraphy are combined to confirm that environmental changes since late MIS 3 in the study area were controlled primarily by sea-level fluctuations, sediment discharge of paleo-rivers into the South Yellow Sea （SYS）, and minor tectonic subsidence, all of which impacted the progression of regional geomorphic and sedimentary environments （Le., coastal barrier island freshwater lacustrine swamp, river floodplain, coastal marsh, tidal sand ridge, and tidal channel）. This resulted in the formation of a fifth-order sequence stratigraphy, comprised of the parasequence of the late stage of the last interstadial （Para-Sq2）, including the highstand and forced regressive wedge system tracts （HST and FRWST）, and the parasequence of the postglacial period （Para-Sql）, including the transgressive and highstand system tracts （TST and HST）. The tidal sand ridges likely began to develop during the postglacial transgression as sea-level rise covered the middle Jiangsu coast at ca. 9.0 cal ka BP. These initially submerged tidal sand ridges were constantly migrating until the southward migration of the Yellow River mouth to the northern Jiangsu coast during AD 1128 to 1855. The paleo-Xiyang tidal channel that was determined by the paleo-tidal current field and significantly different from the modern one, was in existence during the Holocene transgressive maxima and lasted until AD 1128. Following the capture of the Huaihe River in AD 1128 by the Yellow River, the paleo-Xiyang tidal channel was infilled with a large amount of river-derived sediments from AD 1128 to 1855, causing the emergence of some of the previously submerged tidal sand ridges. From AD 1855 to the present, the infilled paleo-Xiyang tidal channel has undergone scouring, resulting in its modern form. The modern Xiyang tidal channel continues to widen and deepen, due both to strong tidal current scouring and anthropogenic activities.     

内蒙古长山壕金矿区花岗岩同位素年代学研究及地质意义

长山壕金矿床是近年来在内蒙古中西段找到的一特大型金矿床。尽管金矿化在中元古界白云鄂博群变质沉积岩内呈层状、似层状和透镜状产出,但是与各类花岗岩类侵入岩具有密切空间分布关系。本次研究采用LA-ICP-MS方法分别对有关花岗岩类侵入岩进行了系统年代学研究,花岗斑岩和二长花岗斑岩样品的锆石U-Pb年龄值分别为290.9±2.8Ma (MSWD=1.4)和287.5±1.9Ma (MSWD=2.4);2件黑云母花岗岩样品的年龄值分别为267.9±1.2Ma (MSWD=0.95)和274.0±2.3Ma (MSWD=1.4)。根据上述同位素年龄数据,同时结合金矿区野外地质调查和岩(矿)相学证据,可以认为,长山壕金矿区花岗斑岩和二长花岗斑岩及相关金矿床的形成时间为早二叠世早期,并且遭受到早二叠世晚期-中二叠世早期构造-岩浆活动的叠加改造,矿区切穿含金矿脉黑云母花岗岩体的存在就是很好的例证。强烈的中酸性岩浆作用为金矿床的形成提供了动力、热力和物质来源,初步研究结果表明,长山壕金矿床是海西期构造-岩浆作用及相关流体活动的产物,属于与侵入岩有关的中温热液脉型金矿床。