Aeolian abrasion and modes of fine particle production from natural red dune sands: an experimental study

A series of experiments was conducted to determine the potential for aeolian abrasion of natural dune sands to produce fine particles (< 125 µm) by (1) the release of resident fines; (2) spalling, chipping and breakage of particles; and (3) the removal of grain surface coatings. Parent samples were obtained from the surfaces of four active continental dunes and abraded using a glass ‘test tube’ chamber for up to 120 h. The fine particles produced by this abrasion process were trapped at varying time intervals and subject to detailed particle‐size analyses using a Coulter Multisizer. The abrasion of untreated parent samples produced fine particles in one of two main size classes, < 10 µm and > 50 µm, but when the parent sample was sieved to exclude particles < 250 µm, relatively more material in the range 10–50 µm was produced. For unsieved parent samples, the size range associated with the dominant mode varied according to the length of the abrasion time. The coarsest mode (> 63 µm) was dominant during the first 16 h of abrasion, then became less significant and is thought to be associated with the release of resident fines into suspension. The finest mode (< 10 µm) was absent or very weak during the first 16 h of abrasion, then became more significant and, in some instances, dominated the distribution as abrasion continued. Removal of grain surface coatings is the main source of fine material < 10 µm, and this may be a significant source of fine material in areas where sands are dominated by subrounded and rounded particles. By comparison with previous studies of aeolian particle abrasion, these natural dune sands produced very low quantities of fine material (by weight), but their spatial extent makes them potentially a significant source of dust‐sized particles at the global scale.     

Oxidation of As-bearing gold ore—a comparison of batch and column experiments

This study deals with the experimental determination of the rate of weathering and As release from Au-bearing sulfide ores of the Mokrsko-West deposit (Czech Republic). The elevated As contents in the ore and the possible As mobilisation must be taken into account due to the close proximity of the deposit to the Vltava River, a source of drinking water for Prague. Crushed and homogenized ore material was divided into four grain-size fractions showing uniform chemical and mineralogical composition and subjected to batch and column leaching experiments. The most important reactions controlling metal leaching include (i) oxidation of sulfides, (ii) carbonate equilibrium and (iii) precipitation of hydrated ferric oxides (HFO). Hydrated ferric oxides were found to be important sorbents of mobilized As. The highest concentration of As in the leachates was obtained from the 64–1000 μm fraction. The oxidation rate in the agitated batch experiment calculated on the basis of sulfate concentrations is an order of magnitude higher (3.8×10⁻⁹ to 4.4×10⁻⁸ mol SO₄²⁻ h⁻¹ g⁻¹) than in the static column experiment (9.6×10⁻¹⁰ to 7.4×10⁻⁹ mol SO₄²⁻ h⁻¹ g⁻¹). The higher oxidation rate of batch experiments is explained by abrasion of oxidation products (mainly HFO) and by further exposition of reaction surfaces of the sulfide grains.     

Timing and intensity of groundwater movement during Egyptian Sahara pluvial periods by U-series analysis of secondary U in ores and carbonates

Wet climatic episodes are known to have prevailed in the Egyptian Sahara several times during the late Quaternary, most recently during the Holocene 8000 yr ago. Earlier wet episodes have been recognized as having occurred during the past 300,000 yr and have been dated by U-series methods in speleothems and in lake travertines. We show here that the times of enhanced groundwater movement can also be determined by ²³⁰Th/²³⁴U dating of secondary U in ores of uranium, iron, and phosphate. We also present evidence that such acceleration of groundwater movements is indicated by relatively low ²³⁴U/²³⁸U activity ratios in the secondary uranium. Our new data show that pluvial periods in Egypt occurred during marine oxygen isotope stages 4, 5, 6, and 7 and therefore are consistent with the view that the wet episodes are the results of migration of the tropical monsoonal belt driven primarily by the 23,000-yr precession cycle of the Milankovich curve, modulated by the 100,000-yr eccentricity cycle.     

数学地质在矿山研究中的应用--判别分析归类矿体属性实例

数学地质方法为宏观地质研究提供了定量的可能。判别分析对研究未知属性矿体的归属有着重要的意义。苏州西部地区通安——潭山多金属成矿带中，小茅山铜铅锌矿段，潭山铅锌银铁矿段位于成矿带的两端，属性已知。该成矿带中有一未知属性的铜铅锌银迂里矿段，用判别分析方法对其归类。研究结果表明，未知属性的迂里矿段归属潭山多金属硫化物矿床类型，即高—中温多金属硫化物矿床类型。     

山东泰安朱家庄自然硫矿床地质概要

山东省泰安朱家庄自然硫矿床,赋存于鲁西断隆古近纪汶东陆相盆地。自然硫矿层在汶口组二段上亚段,泥质灰岩-含泥灰岩-含云灰岩-石膏岩韵律层中的白云岩-石膏岩层段发育。自然硫以胶态、晶态、土态3种形态产出,可划分为顺层型、准顺层型、斑杂型及不顺层型4大类10余种矿石类型。从矿区去膏化作用普遍、自然硫与石膏-硬石膏分别富集轻-重同位素的特征、油气显示明显及地下水主要径流方向自然硫矿化最强等各种证据,表明该矿属生物后生成因的矿床。     

金龙——丘岭金矿床成矿流体的储运规律及区域找金方向

金龙山——丘岭金矿区含金矿源为层上泥盆统南羊山组和下石炭统袁家沟组。组成含金矿源层岩石为高频互层的细碎屑岩-碳酸盐岩，其中细砂岩、粉砂岩、碳酸盐岩含成矿流体物性较好．页岩、板岩含成矿流体物性较差，构成屏蔽层。金鸡岭Ⅰ级复式向斜控制着金、砷、锑等异常范围；松枣Ⅱ级复式背斜控制着金的矿化带；金龙山-丘岭金矿Ⅲ级背斜控制着金的矿（化）体；镇安——板岩镇断裂的次级断裂是金矿化体的容矿有利位置。在成矿过程中，构造变形与成矿流体的形成、运移及储集密切相关。其规律是：①原生构造导致成矿流体的初次聚集。②第一期构造变形导致成矿流体的聚集。③第二期构造变形导致成矿流体运移及金矿床形成。此期变形是金的主要成矿期。④第三期构造变形使成矿流体进一步聚集和金矿体的富集。⑤第四期构造变形是石英方解石脉的形成时期。总结出矿床形成模式。据此提出了在4种不同的构造部位找金的方向。     

西藏自治区乃东县劣布铜矿综合地质特征

文章介绍区域地质背景、矿区地物化特征，对成矿时代、流体包裹体特征进行初步研究，并指出找矿远景，希望对矿区的矿产勘查具有借鉴和指导意义。     

广西南丹地区有色金属尾砂型人工矿床地质特征及其资源化

广西南丹地区尾矿分布于大厂、车河、芒场等矿区。尾砂来自以锡石为主的多金属矿床，尾砂中除Sn，Pb，Zn，Ag，Sb的质量分数达到工业指标外，Au亦达到综合利用指标。通过试验证明，对尾矿中的细微粒锡石可采用风力分级选矿、磁选和化学选矿等方法回收；尾砂中的非金属资源可作为填充材料、水泥原料利用，使尾砂型人工矿床充分的资源化。     

辽宁省鞍本地区铁尾矿资源现状及其开发利用

辽宁省的鞍山、本溪两市为我国重要的钢铁基地，各矿山长期生产遗留的铁尾矿问题越来越引起人们的重视，如污染环境、诱发地质灾害等，如何解决已成为地质、环保、水工界的关注。     

Effect of suction on the mechanical behaviour of iron ore rock

The effect of suction on the behaviour of iron ore has been studied from both physical and mechanical points of view. The porosity and the suction phenomena have been analysed using different experimental techniques. Uniaxial compressive tests on partially saturated samples have shown that the suction is responsible for strength and cohesion improvement. Considering the theory of partially saturated porous soils of Coussy and Dangla (Mécanique des sols non saturés (2002 edn). Hermès Science: 2002; 390), we have proposed a constitutive law for partially saturated iron ore. The real increase in the apparent cohesion due to the capillary attraction forces is overestimated if the yield function is written in terms of effective stresses. The effect of the capillary cohesion has been modelled with a function in the expression of the apparent cohesion of the yield function. The effect of suction on the mechanical behaviour has been represented in the effective stresses space and in the total stresses space like the Alonso model (Géotechnique 1990; 40 :405–430). Copyright © 2005 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.