A comparative study of mercury contamination in the Tagus estuary (Portugal) and major French estuaries (Gironde,Loire, Rhône)

Concentrations of mercury were determined for the waters, suspended matter and sediments of the Tagus and of major French estuaries.The Tagus estuary is one of the most contaminated by mercury derived from the outfalls of a chloralkali plant and from other industrial sources. In deposited sediments the median level, 1·0 μg Hg g^?1, is twenty times higher than the natural background and Hg contents depend on the sediment grain-size, age and the distance from waste-outfalls. Suspended matter is more regularly and highly contaminated (median value: 4·5 μg Hg g^?1). In the French estuaries Hg levels in the suspended material decrease with salinity due to dilution and/or remobilization processes. In June 1982, in the Loire estuary, high values of Hg are observed in the middle estuary and attributed to urban and industrial sources.In the Tagus estuary, the general distribution of total dissolved Hg confirms the contamination: it increases seaward from 10 ng 1^?1 in the river to 80 ng 1^?1 in the estuary outlet. The dissolved Hg is almost totally organic in the river, inorganic in the middle estuary due to inorganic Hg effluents and again organic in the lower estuary. This variation is related to the dissolved organic carbon values. The dissolved Hg levels in the Loire Estuary (5–300 ng 1^?1) are much higher than in the Gironde estuary (3–6 ng 1^?1) and of the same order as those observed in the Tagus estuary.     

Retention of mercury in sediments of the Baltic Sea near Oulu,Finland

Several cores were compared to elucidate the grade of mercury retention in sediments of the Baltic Sea near Oulu, Finland. The known history of the mercury discharge to waste water from a chlor-alkali plant, the primary pollution source, was compared to that in the sedimentary record. One core was dated by lead-210 and varve counts. During the past thirty years, the rate of sedimentation was up to 10 mm per year corresponding to a dry matter accumulation rate of about 3 kg m^–2a^–1. Under these conditions, most of the mercury reaching the sediment was retained. Correspondingly, the mercury levels in fish were considerably lower, with a delay of some five years.The present mercury content of the upper layers is some 1/4 or 1/5 that of the late 1970's, but it is still some twentyfold compared to levels at the beginning of the century. The extent to which the present mercury level in the sediment represents the various phases of industrial emission remains unsolved due to the origin of mercury in this sea area from several other sources and due to difficulties in exact core correlations from different years.     

Mineralogy and Isotope Geochemistry of Active Submarine Hydrothermal Field at Suiyo Seamount, Izu–Bonin Arc, West Pacific Ocean

This report presents mineralogical, geochemical and isotopic data on samples obtained using the Benthic Multi‐coring System (BMS) to drill a submarine hydrothermal deposit developed in a caldera on the summit of the Suiyo Seamount in the Izu–Bonin Island Arc, south of Japan. This deposit is regarded as the first example of Kuroko‐type sulfide mineralization on a volcano at the volcanic front of an island arc. The mineralization and hydrothermal alteration below the 300 × 150‐m area of active venting was investigated to depths of 2–9 m below the sea floor. Drilling beneath the area of active venting recovered a sequence of altered volcanic rocks (dacite lavas, pyroclastic rocks of dacite–rhyolite compositions and pumice) associated with sulfide veining and patches/veins of anhydrite. No massive sulfide was found, however, and the subsea‐floor mineralization to 10 m depth is dominated by anhydrite and clay minerals with some sulfides. Sulfide‐bearing samples contained high Au (up to 42 ppm), Ag (up to 263 ppm), As (up to 1550 ppm), Hg (up to 55 ppm), Sb (up to 772 ppm), and Se (up to 24 ppm). Electron probe microanalyzer indicated that realgar, orpiment, and mimetite were major As‐bearing minerals. The sulfides were also characterized by high Zn (>10%) compared to Cu (<6.3%) and Pb (<0.6%). The δ²⁰²Hg/¹⁹⁸Hg, δ²⁰²Hg/¹⁹⁹Hg and δ²⁰²Hg/²⁰⁰Hg of the sulfide‐bearing dacite samples and a sulfide chimney decreased with increasing Hg/Zn concentration ratio. The variation of the δ²⁰²Hg/¹⁹⁸Hg ranged from ?2.8 to +0.5‰ to relative to S‐HG02027. The large range of these δ²⁰²Hg/¹⁹⁸Hg was greater than might be expected for such a heavy element and may be due to a predominance of kinetic effects. The variation of δ²⁰²Hg/¹⁹⁸Hg of sulfide‐bearing dacite samples suggested that light Hg isotope in the vapor mixed with oxygenated seawater near sea floor during mineralization. Lead isotope ratios of the sulfide were very similar to those of the dacite lava, suggesting that lead is of magmatic origin. The ⁸⁷Sr/⁸⁶Sr ratio (0.70872) of anhydrite was different from that of the dacite lava, and suggests an Sr derivation predominantly from seawater. Hydrothermal alteration of the dacite in the Suiyo hydrothermal field was characterized by Fe‐sulfides, anhydrite, barite, montmorillonite, chlorite/montmorillonite mixed‐layer minerals, mica, and chlorite with little or no feldspar or cristobalite. Hydrothermal clay minerals changed with depth from montmorillonite to chlorite/montmorillonite mixed‐layer minerals to chlorite and mica. Hydrogen isotope ratios of chlorite/montmorillonite and mixed‐layer, mica‐chlorite composites obtained below the active venting sites ranged from ?49 to ?24‰, suggesting seawater as the dominant fluid causing alteration. Oxygen isotope ratios of anhydrite ranged from 9.2 to 10.4‰ and anhydrite formation temperatures were calculated to be 188–207°C. Oxygen isotope ratios ranged from +5.2 to +9.2‰ for montmorillonite, +3.2 to +4.5‰ for chlorite/montmorillonite mixed‐layer minerals, and +2.8 to +3.8‰ in mixtures of chlorite and mica. The formation temperatures of montmorillonite and of the chlorite–mica mixture were 160–250°C and 230–270°C, respectively. The isotope temperatures for clay minerals (220–270°C) and anhydrite (188°C) were significantly lower than the borehole temperature (308.3°C) measured just after the drilling, suggesting that temperature at this site is now higher than when clay minerals and anhydrite were formed.     

The mercury problem in the Amazon due to gold extraction

The environmental impacts caused by the use of mercury (Hg), as a gold (Au) amalgam, in gold extraction in three geographical areas located in the Brazilian wetlands (Poconé) and the Amazon (Alta Floresta and Itaituba), are reviewed and solutions proposed.     

Mercury pollution in two gold mining areas of the Brazilian Amazon

Gold has been exploited intensively in the Brazilian Amazon during the past fifteen years using garimpo methods (small-scale gold mining). In this study, two gold mining areas were investigated, the municipalities of Pocone and Alta Floresta located in the state of Mato Grosso. Central Brazil. The elemental mercury (Hg) used in amalgamating the gold, the final stage of the ore dressing process, has caused abnormal Hg concentrations in waterways. This has occurred principally in the Amazon region, where most of the ore prospected is alluvial. Background levels of metals were determined by analyzing sediments and soils located upstream of the anthropogenic inputs and unaffected by mining activities. The study aimed to evaluate the pollution level in sediments and soils, taking into account drainage waters directly affected by gold mining. ‘Geoaccumulation indexes’ (Igeo) of Hg in sediments from both study areas were used to assesses the pollution level in the aquatic environment. The geoaccumulation indexes of Hg in sediments of the Bento Gomes River in Pocone indicate a relatively high degree of pollution at some sites, even reaching class 4 (1.85 mg/kg). However, when the river reaches the Pantanal swamp, Hg concentrations drop considerably to 0.30 mg/kg. This drop seems to be due to accumulation of metals in the sediments of a lake (sampling site PG-24), which retains most of the sediments transported by the Bento Gomes River. Accumulation of metals in the lake also occurred for Cu, Pb, Zn, Fe and Mn. In the region of Alta Floresta, total Hg concentrations in sediments of the Teles Pires River were studied in the grain size fractions < 74 μm and > 74 μm. Hg concentrations in bottom sediments of this river were higher than those found in the Pocone region, with increases of 1.5 to 30 times the background, and thus reaching an Igeo up to class 5.     

放牛沟硫铁多金属矿床汞的地球化学异常特征

放牛沟矿床中的矿物、岩石及矿石含汞量的差异说明汞的次生地球化学异常来自矿体,特别是PbZn矿体。壤中气汞(Hg°)、土壤吸附汞(△Hg)及全汞(THg)异常套合出现是PbZn矿体的可靠标志。全汞异常能反映浅部矿体;吸附汞和壤中气汞异常不但反映浅部矿体,还能指示盲矿体及含矿断裂。根据汞的地球化学异常特征的研究,结合地质、土壤和岩石地球化学勘查结果,提出了两处找矿有希望地段。     

Evaluation of the liquid hydrocarbon potential of coal by artificial maturation techniques

In certain areas, relatively large accumulations of liquid hydrocarbons have been attributed to coals. Evaluating the source rock potential of coal requires definition of both the generative potential (quantity and composition of generated hydrocarbons), and expulsion efficiency. Hydrous pyrolysis experiments were completed using Tertiary lignites (R_o < 0.35%) from North Dakota and the Far East to evaluate the source rock potential of coal. The North Dakota lignite is vitrinite-rich (93%) and liptinite-poor (3%); the Far East lignite is liptinite-rich (32% of total maceral content). These lignites have Hydrogen Index values of 123 and 483 mg HC/g OC, respectively. Differences in oil-pyrolysate yield, composition, and temperature of maximum pyrolysate yield from hydrous pyrolysis experiments for these two lignites are related to the type and amount of liptinite and vitrinite macerals. A maximum of 48 and 158 mg oil-pyrolysate/g OC is generated and expelled from the North Dakota and Far East lignites, respectively. Although these lignites consist predominantly of gas-prone vitrinitic components, their organic-rich nature can compensate for their poor convertibility to liquid hydrocarbons. The composition of these artificially generated oil-pyrolysates are similar to some non-marine oils, suggesting that this type of organic matter can be a significant contributor to many oils. Although the overall composition of the generated products from the two lignites is similar, the distribution of these products is significantly different. Homologous series of methyl ketones and alkyl benzenes have been identified in both oil-pyrolysates. Their presence and characteristic distribution suggest that microbial degradation occurred during the formation of these lignites. Although many coals generate significate amounts of liquid hydrocarbons that are similar to naturally occurring oils, poor explusion efficiency limits their source rock potential. Significant amounts of liquid products are assimilated by the vitrinitic matrix of most coals prior to expulsion, severely limiting the amount of petroleum available for migration and reservoir accumulation. However, adequate expulsion may occur in certain liptinite-rich coals or coals occurring in unique depositional settings.     

汞型活性碳纸富集—XRF法测定地质试样中痕量碘

本文用特制的汞型活性碳纸富集地质样品中痕量碘并用X-射线荧光光谱进行测定。方法操作简便,样品测定限为0.25ppm,测定含I~-量25μg薄试样片(n=10),其相对标准偏差为3％。经地质标准样品验证,结果与推荐值符合。     

苏东区块盒8段储层微观孔隙结构特征研究

鄂尔多斯盆地苏东区块盒8段储层是典型的致密砂岩储层,影响储层质量的因素较为复杂。以铸体薄片、扫描电镜和物性分析等资料为基础,对储层微观孔隙结构特征进行了定性分析,同时应用恒速压汞方法对储层微观孔隙结构进行了定量表征。研究结果表明:苏东区块盒8段低渗储层物性主要受喉道控制,而不是孔隙;平均喉道半径越大,微观均值系数越小,相对大喉道越多,排驱压力越低,储层微观孔隙结构一般越好,反映储层微观孔隙结构品质越好因此,喉道是影响致密砂岩储层质量的主要微观地质因素。     

应用扫描电镜-X射线衍射-电子探针研究北山斑岩铜矿区绢英岩中白色云母的特征

绢英岩化蚀变带是近地表寻找斑岩型铜矿的重要矿物学标志之一。公婆泉和白山堂铜矿是甘肃北山成矿带中典型的斑岩型矿床,本文应用偏光显微镜、扫描电镜、X射线衍射仪和电子探针等技术,研究矿区绢英岩化蚀变带中白色云母的结构与化学特征,探讨其成矿指示意义。结果表明,绢英岩中的云母集合体呈边缘不规则的细小花瓣状、扭折板片状和平直板片状等形态;公婆泉矿区云母晶体化学式中四次配位Si原子数为3.04~3.37,白山堂矿区为3.03~3.35,绢英岩中的白色云母结构为1M型普通绢(白)云母与2M1型热液成因的多硅白云母共存。不同多型的云母具有不同的b0值,二者共存的温度和酸度条件,揭示了斑岩铜矿成矿过程中流体从较高温、强酸性快速向低温、弱酸性演化的现象。