Petrology and geochemical characteristics of Precambrian granitic basement complex rocks in the southernmost part of North-Central Nigeria

The Precambrian basement complex in the southernmost part of North-Central Nigeria is underlain by migmatitic banded gneisses, granitic intrusions and dykes of dolerite, rhyolite porphyry and pegmatite. The rocks are generally felsic, containing modal and normative hypersthene, as well as normative corundum. The basement complex has experienced high-grade regional metamorphism as indicated by the presence of hypersthene and plagioclase of andesine composition. Anatectic melting is suggested by the occurrence of ptygmatic folds, folded gneissose foliation, numerous quartzo-feldspathic veins and lenses of dark-colured, micaceous schistose rocks. Geochemically, the rocks have magnesian, calc-alkalic and strongly peraluminous characteristics. Their overall characteristics suggest derivation from progressive (fractional) partial melting of pelitic rocks during high-grade regional metamorphism, possibly associated with intense hydrothermal activities. The magnesian characteristics reflect close affinity to relatively hydrous, oxidizing melts and source regions in settings broadly related to subduction.     

纳米赤铁矿电极光电催化特性及苯酚降解活性研究

伴随环境污染问题日益加剧,借助半导体材料实现光能的光电转化在催化及环境领域引起广泛关注。本文借助电化学方法快速高效地合成不同沉积时间纳米赤铁矿薄膜电极。X射线衍射(XRD)、Raman光谱测试表明其成分为赤铁矿物相;原子力显微镜(AFM)观测颗粒尺寸约52.1(±1.48)nm×50.5(±1.49)nm,表面高度起伏分布于70~100 nm,且分布特征符合正态分布规律。紫外可见漫反射吸收谱显示电极可显著吸收350~600 nm波长范围可见光,计算得禁带宽度约2.0~2.1 e V。光电化学实验光电流密度-时间曲线及电流-电压曲线表明电极有良好的可见光光电催化活性,且反应符合Langmuir-Hinshelwood多相反应动力学模型。进一步选取效果较显著的沉积时间10 min电极研究其光电催化降解苯酚活性,0.65 V vs.SCE(饱和甘汞电极)恒电势光照条件下6 h苯酚降解率达62%,拟合一级动力学反应模型可知,反应速率常数k为0.16 h-1(R2=0.996)。综上,本文研究结果显示电化学法简单高效合成的纳米赤铁矿具有良好半导体性能且能够可见光光电催化降解苯酚等有机污染物。     

云南保山南红玛瑙矿物学特性及致色机理探究

通过光学显微镜、X射线粉晶衍射、X射线荧光光谱、电感耦合等离子体质谱、电子探针等测试分析手段对云南保山南红玛瑙的岩相学、矿物组成、化学成分等进行了系统研究,在此基础上进一步通过扫描电镜、X射线能谱元素面扫描、激光共聚焦显微拉曼分析了南红玛瑙致色矿物形貌、元素分布及矿物物相构成。研究结果表明,保山南红玛瑙主要矿物为石英(95%,质量分数),主要结构为粒状结构和纤维结构,次要矿物为斜硅石及方解石等,并含有吸附水和结构水两种状态水。致色矿物主要以小于1μm球状矿物颗粒、2~10μm絮状似球状集合体、针状矿物颗粒和不规则形态矿物集合体这4种类型存在,元素分析显示其为含铁矿物。显微拉曼进一步确认南红玛瑙的颜色是由含铁矿物所致,其中红色致色主要为赤铁矿,黄色致色主要为针铁矿,铁矿物的具体存在形式及其分布方式对南红玛瑙的价值具有决定性作用。本工作为南红玛瑙矿物学特性以及致色机理研究提供了有价值的参考信息,对完善其知识体系和推动南红玛瑙文化有重要意义,同时对借助共聚焦显微拉曼等微区表征技术推动宝玉石研究提供了新思路。     

P–T conditions of decompression of the Limpopo high-grade terrane: record from shear zones

The Southern Marginal Zone of the late Archean Limpopo Belt of southern Africa is an example of a high‐grade gneiss terrane in which both upper and lower crustal deformational processes can be studied. This marginal zone consists of large thrust sheets of complexly folded low‐strain gneisses, bound by an imbricate system of kilometre‐wide deep crustal shear zones characterized by the presence of high‐strain gneisses (‘primary straight gneisses’). These shear zones developed during the decompression stage of this high‐grade terrane. Low‐ and high‐strain gneisses both contain similar reaction textures that formed under different kinematic conditions during decompression. Evidence for the early M1/D1 metamorphic phase (> 2690 Ma) is rarely preserved in low‐strain gneisses as a uniform orientation of relict Al‐rich orthopyroxene in the matrix and quartz and plagioclase inclusions in the cores of early (M1) Mg‐rich garnet porphyroblasts. This rare fabric formed at > 820 °C and > 7.5 kbar. The retrograde M2/D2 metamorphic fabric (2630–2670 Ma) is well developed in high‐strain gneisses from deep crustal shear zones and is microscopically recognized by the presence of reaction textures that formed synkinematically during shear deformation: M2 sigmoid‐shaped reaction textures with oriented cordierite–orthopyroxene symplectites formed after the early M1 Mg‐rich garnet porphyroblasts, and syn‐decompression M2 pencil‐shaped garnet with oriented inclusions of sillimanite and quartz formed after cordierite under conditions of near‐isobaric cooling at 750–630 °C and 6–5 kbar. The symplectites and pencil‐shaped garnet are oriented parallel to the shear fabric and in the stretching direction. Low‐strain gneisses from thrust sheets show similar M2 decompression cooling and near‐isobaric cooling reaction textures that formed within the same P–T range, but under low‐strain conditions, as shown by their pseudo‐idioblastic shapes that reflect the contours of completely replaced M1 garnet and randomly oriented cordierite–orthopyroxene symplectites. The presence of similar reaction textures reflecting low‐strain conditions in gneisses from thrust sheets and high‐strain conditions in primary straight gneisses suggests that most of the strain during decompression was partitioned into the bounding shear zones. A younger M3/D3 mylonitic fabric (< 2637 Ma) in unhydrated mylonites is characterized by brittle deformation of garnet porphyroclasts and ductile deformation of the quartz–plagioclase–biotite matrix developed at < 600 °C, as the result of post‐decompression shearing under epidote–amphibolite facies conditions.     

高级变质岩中Zr、Hf、Nb、Ta的ICP-MS准确分析

采用高压密闭溶样ICP－MS研究了片麻岩、榴辉岩等高级变质岩中Nb、Ta、Zr、Hf准确分析方法。实验表明：在温度为190℃时,溶样时间大于36h,Nb、Ta、Zr、Hf可完全溶解,而获得准确的分析结果。但Nb、Ta在稀硝酸介质中的不稳定性会导致分析结果的误差,采用0．1％HF介质的“F^-基体”匹配,可保持Nb、Ta长时间的稳定性。所建立的高压密闭溶样ICP－MS分析方法用于苏鲁－大别地区片麻岩、榴辉岩等高级变质岩的分析,经与XRF及碱熔融ICP－MS方法对比,分析结果具有良好的一致性。     

粤北下庄矿田铀矿成矿时代探讨

粤北下庄矿田存在早、晚两期不同成因类型的花岗岩型铀矿，早期铀矿成矿年龄为122－138Ma，为岩浆期后热液型铀矿，以富矿为主；而晚期铀矿成矿年龄则为54－96Ma，为岩源活化热液再造型铀矿，以贫矿为主。早期铀矿是本区今后进一步寻找富铀矿的主攻方向。     

Hematite spherules in basaltic tephra altered under aqueous, acid-sulfate conditions on Mauna Kea volcano, Hawaii: Possible clues for the occurrence of hematite-rich spherules in the Burns formation at Meridiani Planum, Mars

Iron-rich spherules (> 90% Fe₂O₃ from electron microprobe analyses) ∼10-100 μm in diameter are found within sulfate-rich rocks formed by aqueous, acid-sulfate alteration of basaltic tephra on Mauna Kea volcano, Hawaii. Although some spherules are nearly pure Fe, most have two concentric compositional zones, with the core having a higher Fe / Al ratio than the rim. Oxide totals less than 100% (93-99%) suggest structural H₂O and/or OH^− 1. The transmission Mössbauer spectrum of a spherule-rich separate is dominated by a hematite (α-Fe₂O₃) sextet whose peaks are skewed toward zero velocity. Skewing is consistent with Al³⁺ for Fe³⁺ substitution and structural H₂O and/or OH^− 1. The grey color of the spherules implies specular hematite. Whole-rock powder X-ray diffraction spectra are dominated by peaks from smectite and the hydroxy sulfate mineral natroalunite as alteration products and plagioclase feldspar that was present in the precursor basaltic tephra. Whether spherule formation proceeded directly from basaltic material in one event (dissolution of basaltic material and precipitation of hematite spherules) or whether spherule formation required more than one event (formation of Fe-bearing sulfate rock and subsequent hydrolysis to hematite) is not currently constrained. By analogy, a formation pathway for the hematite spherules in sulfate-rich outcrops at Meridiani Planum on Mars (the Burns formation) is aqueous alteration of basaltic precursor material under acid-sulfate conditions. Although hydrothermal conditions are present on Mauna Kea, such conditions may not be required for spherule formation on Mars if the time interval for hydrolysis at lower temperatures is sufficiently long.     

Characteristics and genesis of hematite in Chinese loess and paleosol sequences： Mineral genetic restriction for magnetic susceptibility as paleoclimate proxy and iron geochemistry

Hematite is an important iron oxide mineral in loess-paleosol sequences in central China. Investigation of the mineralogical characteristics, genetic mechanism and relationship of hematite with other iron oxides and Fe-bearing minerals will help understand the geochemical process before and after eolian deposit, paleocliamte significance of magnetic susceptibility and reconstruct paleoclimate in central China. So, hematite and related minerals of the loess and paleosol units from Chinese Loess Plateau were investigated using optical microscope, X-ray powder diffraction （XRD）, scanning electron microscopy （SEM）, and high-resolution transmission microscopy （HRTEM）. The results show that there are five genetic types of hematite in loess-paleosol sequences of central China： （1） weathering of Fe-bearing silicate minerals, for instance, chlorite, will release iron that is precipitated as aggregates of hematite nano-crystals on mineral surfaces; （2） hematite combined with eolian magnetite grains that resulted from partial oxidation of magnetite, even though the partial oxidation may occur in the original area; （3） phase transformation from eolian goethite to hematite; （4） hematite formed on the edge and surface of maghemite because of dissolution and hematite recrystallization; and （5） eolian detrial hematite. The hematite formed from chemical weathering of Fe-bearing silicates with nanoporous texture because of dehydration from iron hydroxide is the most important genetic mechanism. It is proposed that the fact that hematite was formed from chemical weathering of Fe-bearing silicates is a main reason for the redness in paleosol units. However, too intense pedogenesis and high amounts of precipitation will promote oxidation of eolian magnetite and maghemite dissolution, which may result in the decreasing of magnetic susceptibility.     

内蒙古大青山-乌拉山地区高级变质杂岩中的陡倾叶理带——造山作用的产物

内蒙古大青山-乌拉山地区的高级变质杂岩是华北克拉通北缘西段怀安-贺兰山麻粒岩相地体的一部分,以孔兹岩系的发育为特征.这些高级变质杂岩经历了十分复杂的变形变质作用改造,构造特征十分复杂.近年来的研究发现,近东西向陡倾叶理带是该区高级变质杂岩中保存完好的一种主要构造形式,规模巨大,以密集的近东西向陡倾叶理和直立褶皱的发育为特征,反映了地壳挤压收缩环境下的纯剪切变形,其上叠加了深构相右行走滑剪切带.陡倾叶理带形成于角闪岩相-角闪麻粒岩相构造环境中,叠加在早期近水平顺层滑脱变形和穹形构造之上,是古元古代末期叠加造山作用的产物.     

Laboratory test on the combined cooling effect of L-shaped thermosyphons and thermal insulation on high-grade roadway construction in permafrost regions

With the completion of the Qinghai-Tibetan Railway,economic development of related areas has been greatly accelerated.This,in return,calls for building or upgrading more roadways,especially high-grade roadways.In cold regions,the thawing of permafrost can induce settlement damage of and even failure to railway (or roadway) embankments.Thermosyphons (self-powered refrigera-tion devices that are used to help keep the permafrost cool) have proved effective in mitigating thaw settlement by maintaining the thermal stability of the embankments.However,for high-grade roadway embankments of great width,stabilizing or cooling ef-fects of traditional geotechnological measures may be limited.To enhance the cooling effect of thermosyphons,an L-shaped thermosyphon was designed.A laboratory test was carried out to study the combined cooling effect of the L-shaped thermosyphon and thermal insulation applying to roadbed construction.The angle between the evaporator and condenser sections of the L-shaped thermosyphon is 134 degrees,and the L-shaped thermosyphon was inserted into the soil at an angle of 5 degrees with the road surface.The tested results show that the L-shaped thermosyphon is effective in removing heat from a roadway in winter.When the ambient air temperature is lower than the soil temperature,the thermosyphon is active and extracts the heat in the soil around it.When the ambient air temperature is higher than the soil temperature,the thermosyphon is inactive,and no heat is in-jected into the soil through the L-shaped thermosyphon.Compared to embankments with straight thermosyphons,the inner parts of the embankments with L-shaped thermosyphons were significantly cooled.It is hoped that the present study would be useful to the application of L-shaped thermosyphons in the construction of high-grade roadways in cold regions.