The effect of weathering on pore geometry and compressive strength of selected rock types from Turkey

Weathering processes cause important changes in rock porosity. Besides porosity, distribution of pore sizes is significant for the identification of changes due to rock weathering and its effects on fabric. The formation of secondary porosity in different types of rock taken from different parts of Turkey was examined and the results are presented in this paper. The aim of this study was to observe changes in porosity due to weathering. Effective porosity, mercury intrusion porosimetry, and optical and scanning electron microscopy were used to evaluate the changes in pore geometry of the rocks. Additionally, the dry density, water absorption and uniaxial compressive strength of the rocks at different weathering stages were determined. Analysis of experimental data showed that microstructure of the rocks in relation to weathering is the main feature, which controls their physical and mechanical properties. The study revealed that fabric characteristics, particularly the pore and fracture geometry are very important characteristics for assessment of the behaviour of weathered rock.     

南极普通球粒陨石风化等级的重新厘定

在南极格罗夫山普通球粒陨石的风化等级划分中出现了和Wlotzka(1993)标准矛盾的现象。部分普通球粒陨石的金属和陨硫铁氧化不足20%,然而硅酸盐却发生了蚀变。如果考虑金属的氧化量,这种风化程度应为W1,如果考虑硅酸盐的蚀变,这种风化程度应为W5。对于存在如此大的差异本文给出了折衷的解决办法——对金属和硅酸盐同时进行风化等级划分。金属的风化等级划分为W_m0-W_m4五个,硅酸盐风化等级划分为W_s0-W_s3四个。依据新方案,GRV 021588、021636、021772和021957等4块无法用Wlotzka(1993)标准来确定风化等级的陨石的风化等级均为W_m1-W_s1。而陨石GRV 023312的风化等级为W_m3-W_s0,其相当于Wlotzka(1993)标准中的W3。     

Geochemistry of fine-grained clastic sedimentary rocks of the Neoproterozoic Ikorongo Group, NE Tanzania: Implications for provenance and source rock weathering

The Neoproterozoic Ikorongo Group, which lies unconformably on the late Archaean Nyanzian Supergroup of the Tanzania Craton, is comprised of conglomerates, quartzites, shales, siltstones, red sandstones with rare flagstones and gritstones and is regionally subdivided into four litho-stratigraphic units namely the Makobo, Kinenge, Sumuji and Masati Formations.We report geochemical data for the mudrocks (i.e., shales and siltstones) from the Ikorongo basin in an attempt to constrain their provenance and source rock weathering. These mudrocks are compositionally similar to PAAS and PS indicating derivation from mixed mafic–felsic sources. However, the siltstones show depletion in the transition elements (Cr, Ni, Cu, Sc and V) and attest to a more felsic protolith than those for PAAS and PS. The Chemical Index of Alteration (CIA: 52–82) reveal a moderately weathered protolith for the mudrocks. The consistent REE patterns with LREE-enriched and HREE-depleted patterns ((La/Yb)_CN = 7.3–38.3) coupled with negative Eu anomalies (Eu/Eu* = 0.71 on average), which characteristics are similar to the average PAAS and PS, illustrate cratonic sources that formed by intra-crustal differentiation.Geochemical considerations and palaeocurrent indications suggest that the provenance of the Ikorongo Group include high-Mg basaltic-andesites, dacites, rhyolites and granitoids from the Neoarchaean Musoma-Mara Greenstone Belt to the north of the Ikorongo basin. Mass balance calculations suggest relative contributions of 47%, 42% and 11% from granitoids, high-magnesium basaltic-andesites and dacites, respectively to the detritus that formed the shales. Corresponding contributions to the siltstones detritus are 53%, 43% and 4%.     

High-resolution and precisely dated record of weathering and hydrological dynamics recorded by manganese and rare-earth elements in a stalagmite from Central China

Manganese (Mn) and rare-earth elements (REEs) in a stalagmite (SJ3) collected from Central China were analyzed, using an ICP-MS method for the precise determination of > 40 trace elements in geological samples by enriched-isotope internal standardization. Unlike speleothem Mn and REEs investigated by cathodoluminescence, which may be incorporated into crystal lattice, the Mn and REEs analyzed in SJ3 should come largely from colloidal and particle phases in groundwater and may be associated with non-carbonate inclusions. The Mn and REEs in SJ3 vary significantly during the period between 20 and 10 ka. These elements show remarkable increases since  14.5 ka, suggesting enhanced weathering of the overlying soil layer and the host rock since the onset of the last deglaciation and the strengthening of the Asian summer monsoon. In addition, the Mn and REEs in SJ3 display significant centennial fluctuations which may reflect groundwater dynamics.     

长石微生物风化作用的研究现状与展望

矿物—微生物相互作用是地球表生环境下重要的地质作用类型,由于硅酸盐矿物的微生物风化影响着地球物质循环及地貌的形成和演变,尤其受到地质地球化学领域的关注。作为地球表层分布最广的硅酸盐矿物类型,长石在风化分解过程中,微生物通常会以流体模式、生物膜及真菌菌丝等方式与矿物表面发生作用。而长石在微生物作用下的分解机制主要包括质子交换和配体络合作用。微生物生理活动、微生物及代谢产物种类、生长条件,以及长石的种类、结构、成分及表面特征等均会影响其风化速率和风化程度。由于长石在硅酸盐矿物中的代表性,因此对长石—微生物作用模式、机理、影响因素等方面的研究,可以大大促进硅酸盐的微生物地质学的发展。     

岩溶地区土状堆积物物质来源判别的实用指标———粒度分布特征

选择湘西吉首完整的灰岩风化壳, 首次利用粒度参数并结合已有的矿物学、地球化学的研究成果,为湘西和贵州地区的碳酸盐岩上覆土状堆积物的残积成因提供了有力的佐证。粒度分析研究结果表明, 湘西吉首灰岩风化壳基岩酸不溶物及其上覆半风化带粒度频率分布曲线形态的一致性和渐变性,指示了风化壳对基岩的继承和演化;砂-粉砂-粘粒含量、中值粒径和平均粒径在剖面上的演化趋势,反映了一个标准残积风化壳的发育规律;频率曲线众数峰含量随深度的变化,不但指示了化学风化趋势,而且反映了风化程度的变化梯度。      

塔中隆起海相碳酸盐岩大型凝析气田成藏特征与勘探

多次资评与勘探实践表明塔中隆起成藏条件优越,海相碳酸盐岩油气资源丰富,奥陶系油气藏集中赋存于上奥陶统礁滩体与下奥陶统风化壳储层中,缝洞系统控制了大型凝析气藏纵向多套叠置-横向准层状分布规律。多学科、动静态一体化研究表明,形成塔中海相碳酸盐岩大型凝析气田主力烃源岩为寒武-奥陶系两套碳酸盐岩,原油具有明显的混源特征,天然气主要来源于中-下寒武统高成熟度原油裂解气。奥陶系海相碳酸盐岩凝析气藏是古油藏在喜山期被寒武系来源的原油裂解气气侵的结果,经历了三期成藏过程,即中晚加里东期、晚海西期原油充注,喜山期注气。两套烃源岩长期供烃是形成塔中奥陶系海相碳酸盐岩大型凝析气田的物质基础,构造作用、岩溶作用是形成了塔中奥陶系多套优质碳酸盐岩储集体的主控因素,断裂、不整合面、缝洞发育带构建的网状油气输导体系是塔中海相碳酸盐岩复式聚集混源成藏的重要保障。塔中奥陶系海相碳酸盐岩具备10亿吨当量的油气资源潜力。     

Geochemical features of the Matomb alluvial rutile from the Neoproterozoic Pan-African belt,Southern Cameroon

The Matomb region constitutes an important deposit of detrital rutile. The rutile grains are essentially coarse (> 3 mm), tabular and elongated, due to the short sorting of highly weathered detritus. This study reports the major, trace, and rare-earth element distribution in the bulk and rutile concentrated fractions. The bulk sediments contain minor TiO₂ concentrations (1–2 wt%), high SiO₂ contents (∼77–95 wt%) and variable contents in Al₂O₃, Fe₂O₃, Zr, Y, Ba, Nb, Cr, V, and Zn. The total REE content is low to moderate (86–372 ppm) marked by high LREE-enrichment (LREE/HREE ∼5–25.72) and negative Eu anomalies (Eu/Eu^* ∼0.51–0.69). The chemical index of alteration (CIA) shows that the source rocks are highly weathered, characteristic of humid tropical zone with the development of ferrallitic soils. In the concentrated fractions, TiO₂ abundances exceed 94 wt%. Trace elements with high contents include V, Nb, Cr, Sn, and W. These data associated with several binary diagrams show that rutile is the main carrier of Ti, V, Nb, Cr, Sn, and W in the alluvia. The REE content is very low (1–9 ppm) in spite of the LREE-abundance (LREE/HREE ∼4–40). The rutile concentrated fractions exhibit anomalies in Ce (Ce/Ce^* ∼0.58 to 0.83; ∼1.41–2.50) and Eu (Eu/Eu^* ∼0.42; 1.20–1.64). The high (La/Sm)_N, (La/Yb)_N and (Gd/Yb)_N ratios indicate high REE fractionation.     

Chemical weathering processes in the Yalong River draining the eastern Tibetan Plateau,China

To better understand chemical weathering and controlling processes in the Yalong River of the eastern Tibetan Plateau, this study presents major ion concentrations and stable isotopes of the dissolved loads. The isotopic compositions (δ¹³C-DIC, δ³⁴S and δ¹⁸O-SO₄) of the dissolved loads are very useful to quantify solute sources and define the carbon budget related with chemical weathering in riverine systems. The isotopic composition of sulphate demonstrates that most of the sulphate is derived from sulphide oxidation, particularly in the upper reach of the Yalong River. The correlations between δ¹³C-DIC, water chemistry and isotopes of sulphate, suggest that the carbon dynamics are mainly affected by carbonate weathering by sulphuric acid and equilibration processes. Approximately 13% of the dissolved inorganic carbon in the Yalong River originates from carbonate weathering by strong acid. The CO₂ consumption rates are estimated to be 2.8 × 10⁵ mol/km²/yr and 0.9 × 10⁵ mol/km²/yr via carbonate and silicate weathering in the Yalong River, respectively. In this study, the influence of sulphide oxidation and metamorphic CO₂ on the carbon budget is estimated for the Yalong River draining the eastern Tibetan Plateau.