Geological,geochemical and mineralogical features of some bauxite deposits from Nurra (Western Sardinia,Italy): insights on conditions of formation and parental affinity

Bauxite deposits are widespread in NW Sardinia. They formed during the middle Cretaceous, in consequence of a period of emergence of the Mesozoic carbonate shelf. In the Nurra area the geometries derived by the Middle Cretaceous tectonic phases controlled the ore typologies. Two bauxite profiles, laying on different bedrocks, were sampled. The bauxitization proceeded from the surface downward, with the accumulation of Al₂O₃ and residual ‘immobile’ elements (Al, Ti, HFSE), and corresponding mobility and loss of SiO₂ and Fe₂O₃. Epigenetic kaolinite formed close to faults and joints, probably as a result of silicification, introduced by low temperature hydrothermal solutions. Rare earth elements, especially LREE, are concentrated in Fe-rich bauxite horizons, probably due to scavenging by goethite. REE-enrichment is not observed in the boehmite-rich horizons. Very high REE contents are observed in a Fe-depleted horizon due to the occurrence of REE accessory minerals, probably of the bastnäsite group. Conservative indices, including TiO₂/Al₂O₃ and Ti/Cr ratios, and Eu anomalies (Eu/Eu*), suggest that the deposits formed by weathering of sediments derived from mafic rocks of the Hercynian basement. This, in turn, implies that the basement was exposed during middle Cretaceous.     

Ar/Ar dating of central European K–Mn oxides — a chronological framework of supergene alteration processes during the Neogene

K-bearing Mn oxides may potentially constitute useful objects for isotopic dating of ore-forming events. A comprehensive ⁴⁰Ar/³⁹Ar study performed on supergene K–Mn oxides sampled from different sub-alpine mountain terrains in Germany and France has been undertaken. The objective of these investigations was to provide new insight into how and when these secondary Mn accumulations may have formed. Developed in supergene environments at the expense of Mn²⁺/Mn³⁺-bearing precursor minerals, the Mn⁴⁺ oxides occur either as pseudomorphic ores or as cavity-fillings and linings.

The isotopic ages range from 25 to 1 Ma, indicating intense chemical weathering, especially during the Miocene and Pliocene. It is yet too early to decide whether the age range represents a more or less continuous process or distinct weathering episodes. Formation of supergene Mn oxides may result from combined climatic and tectonic factors: local uplift, exhumation, and associated fracturing of rocks provided fresh mineral surfaces for percolating meteoric fluids that induced subsequent weathering under warm–temperate to subtropical conditions.     

Constraints on paleowater dissolved loads and on catchment weathering over the past 16 ka from Sr/Sr ratios and Ca/Mg/Sr chemistry of freshwater ostracode tests in sediments of Lake Constance, Central Europe

Sr isotope and Ca/Mg/Sr chemical compositions of freshwater ostracode tests separated from a sediment core represent the last 16 ka of sedimentation in Lake Constance, Central Europe. The chemical evolution of the paleowater's dissolved load of Lake Constance was estimated by correcting the ostracode data for Ca/Mg/Sr fractionation due to biogenic calcification. Since the Late Pleistocene deglaciation, the Ca/Sr molar ratios of paleowaters increased systematically from about 100 (a near marine signature) to about 200. Ca/Mg molar ratios varied in the range of 1–25. The ⁸⁷Sr/⁸⁶Sr ratios indicate Late Pleistocene paleowater compositions of 0.7086–0.7091, significantly more radiogenic than present day waters (0.7085). Sr isotopes and Ca/Mg/Sr chemical data together show that weathering of Mesozoic evaporites consistently dominated the dissolved Sr load (80–90%). Carbonate and silicate weathering were less important (1–10%). Trends of Sr dissolved loads were therefore not related to Mg which was mainly mobilized by carbonate weathering. Biotite weathering was an important source of radiogenic Sr in the paleowaters. The short-term release (duration about 600–800 years) of radiogenic Sr during glacier retreat started 15.2 ka ago and was due to enhanced biotite weathering at the glacier base. Long-term release of radiogenic Sr was due to biotite weathering in glacial soils and silicate rocks, and has gradually declined since the Late Pleistocene/Holocene transition.     

Deterioration mechanisms of tuffs in Midas monument

Slightly weathered white and pink tuffs of the Midas monument have deterioration problems. In this study, depths and characteristics of the weathering zones developed within the tuffs are investigated through optical microscopy, X-ray diffractometry (XRD), chemical analyses, scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and some index parameters. Accelerated weathering tests including wetting–drying, freezing–thawing and salt crystallization are performed, and durability assessment methods are used to predict the durabilities of the tuffs. The findings are compared with field observations. By examining quantitative weathering indices and comparing them with thin section studies, it is found that thin section analyses of the crystals, LoI, and WPI are good indicators to quantify the depth of weathering for the tuffs. However, thin section studies have limited value for fine-grained tuffaceous matrix. The chemical weathering of the tuffs produces weathered zones that are 4.5-cm thick within the white tuff and 2.5-cm thick within the pink tuff. Physical weathering causes scaling of outer layers of the tuffs and fracturing of feldspars along their cleavage planes. However, variations of the index properties of the tuffs due to weathering are not so significant to quantify the weathering depths in the tuffs. Among the accelerated weathering tests, salt crystallization is found to be the most destructive environmental condition. Pigeon droppings rich in NO₃¹⁻ are found to be the main source of soluble salt at the Midas monument. The salt transported up by capillary rise due to surface water causes spalling of the tuffs in the capillary zone. Surface water and salt of any kind in the close vicinity of the monument should be totally eliminated for the purpose of conservation. Field observations and the durability equations reveal that the white tuff is less durable than the pink tuff. Wet-to-dry strength ratio yields a better stone durability assessment among various durability methods used in this study.     

六盘山地区下白垩统红色绿色泥岩地球化学特征及气候环境

白垩纪是距今最近的"温室地球"时期,研究其气候演变对认识现今气候环境格局形成及演变具有重要意义。通过对六盘山地区下白垩统六盘山群李洼峡组中段红色、绿色泥岩的元素地球化学特征研究,发现2种泥岩中大部分元素变异趋势相似;化学风化指数(CIA)相当(红色泥岩平均为66.3%,绿色泥岩平均为65.5%),反映中—低化学风化强度;A-CN-K图解显示源岩单一。利用CaCO3质量百分含量,(CaO+Na2O+K2O)/Al2O3,TFeO/Mn,Ti/Sr,Rb/Sr,Sr/Ba比值等指标分析显示泥岩颜色差异与气候背景有关,红色泥岩形成时气候较为稳定,表现为相对湿润且氧化的环境,而绿色泥岩形成时气候波动较大,表现为相对干旱且还原的环境。     

A Review of the Methods and Controls of Soil Weathering Rates

The study of soil weathering processes College of Resources and Environment, rates and the associated influencing factors is crucial for understanding of the feedbacks between soil and environment, which will provide a basis for predicting soil behavior and evolution trend in the ecosystem under natural and anthropogenic forcings. This is also important for the effective management of soil resources. This article reviewed the methods for measuring soil weathering rates (including simulating leaching experiment, model calculation, isotope technique, element depletion and geochemical mass balance) and the influencing factors (including climate, organism, parent material, relief, time and human activities). In view of the serious degradation of soil resources, we proposed the challenge and opportunity of the research of soil weathering. The future study should focus on the critical processes, rates and the associated environmental thresholds of soil weathering under varying natural conditions and intensive human perturbations, including the establishment of the quantitative relationship between the weathering rates calculated by different methods, the analysis and interpretation of synergistic effects among multiple influencing factors, and the modeling and prediction of changing tendency of weathering rates under the impacts of both climatic changes and human activities, in order to guide the sustainable management of soil resource and mitigation of global change.     

Geochemical investigations of slags from the historical smelting in Freiberg, Erzgebirge (Germany)

The Freiberg area in the Saxon Erzgebirge (Ore Mountains) represents one of the oldest mining districts in Germany. Argentiferous ore mineralizations with lead, zinc and copper are dominating in this region. Various waste products of mining can be found around Freiberg. In particular, the slags from ore smelting were and are regarded as unusable waste products. However, they preserve information on the smelting and weathering behaviour of slag, which makes them very useful sources of information for our purposes. To reconstruct the chemical processes during ore smelting, historical slag represents a most valuable archive. Therefore, the historical slag dump in Halsbach (Germany) was examined exemplarily for the Freiberg deposit. The slag was dumped approx. 400 years ago and is rich in lead. An interrelation between the slag and the metallurgical process applied can be made on the basis of chemical composition, appearance and microscopic results. The slags of the heap in Halsbach contain high concentrations of heavy metals (average contents in mg kg⁻¹: Zn 40,000; Pb 10,000; Cu 1500; U 1000). Enrichments of heavy metals in the organic-rich soil horizons within the range of the dump foot (maximum contents in the A-horizon in mg kg⁻¹: Zn 3719; Pb 9198; As 3017; Cu 963) imply a faint discharge of metals from the dump.     

地壳风化速率研究综述

地壳风化速率研究的理论基础是质量守恒原理和溶液与矿物反应动力学法则。元素在风化过程中的行为受多种因素控制，主要包括基岩风化量、大气沉降量、径流量、生物的输出数量和人为输入量（如施肥）。硅酸盐矿物化学风化过程中，矿物与溶液之间总的化学反应速率是单个反应速率之和，其中涉及到 3个关键参数，即：酸中和能力（ANC）、基本阳离子/无机铝（BC/Al无机）比值和临界负荷（CL）。风化速率的研究主要采用四种方法，即PROFILE模型、基本阳离子损耗、元素输入-输出指数和Sr同位素比值等。PROFILE模型是一个稳定态的综合土壤化学模型，矿物的分解速率、矿物的暴露表面积、土壤水饱和度和土壤层厚度决定着该矿物的风化速率，总的风化速率为各种矿物的风化速率之和。元素损耗，主要是基本阳离子（Ca、Na、K和Mg）的损耗，假设Ti、 Zr和Nb在成土过程中含量稳定并不参与风化反应，那么对于给定的土壤层，化学风化损耗的基本阳离子可以通过比较土层与成土母质之间元素组成的差异来计算。输入-输出指数的假设前提是研究的流域处于稳定状态，一般认为输入指数是大气沉降，输出指数是河流搬运溶解部分、悬浮的非岩屑成因部分和生物营养净吸收部分。Sr同位素在生物和化学作用过程中并不分馏，不同生态系统阳离子场中Sr同位素组成是大气和矿物风化来源的Sr的混合物。     

云南红土型金矿床地质特征及成矿条件研究

红土型金矿是云南找金工作的主攻类型之一。云南新构造期运动是红土型金矿的主成矿期,地壳的快速抬升,古气候与古地貌的变化,表现出红土型风化壳剖面发育不全,成熟度低,厚度不大,对基岩含金性依存度高等特点。云南红土型金矿成矿作用为红土化作用的初、中期阶段,其金矿类型有岩控型、层控型和构控型三种。     

关于衢州古城墙通仙门凝灰岩砌块相对风化速度的研究

岩石风化速度历来受到工程地质学界和地貌学界的关注, 但由于岩石在自然条件下的风化速度很慢, 通常很难测到定量化的结果。为了研究衢州古城通仙门城台基座的凝灰岩砌块的相对风化速度, 作者利用与之相邻的石英砂岩水平砌块和它之间风化厚度的比较来估算凝灰岩相对于石英砂岩自明代筑城开始至今的相对风化速度, 得出平均风化速度为0.086mmA-1的结论。