Kaolinite – alkali interaction and effects on basic properties

The influence of type and amount of clays present in soils on their properties is well understood. The clays exert their influence through large specific surface area and charges on them. Their effect is mostly exhibited through inter particle bonding and subsequent particle associations. The mineralogical influence of soils in water is well documented. However, the change in soil water system because of presence some of the contaminants can greatly influence the soil behaviour. Some of the changes are due to formation of new compounds due to interactions between the soil and pollutant. The paper reports the effect of interaction of kaolinite mineral with alkali on the index properties of soils from which the geotechnical behaviour can be understood. Detailed X-ray diffraction studies have shown that sodium aluminum silicate hydroxide hydrate (NASH) is formed by clay alkali reactions. The type and amount of formation of the compound is influenced by the concentration of alkali solution. While the compound formed is in smaller quantities with 1 N NaOH solution, significantly high quantity is formed with 4 N NaOH solution. Presence of alumina is shown to play a significant role. It was observed that the formation of sodium aluminum silicate hydroxide hydrate is reduced in the presence of alumina. Specific gravity of contaminated clay soil was reduced which confirms the formation of new compounds. Water adsorption and specific surface area of soil are also influenced due to soil alkali interaction. The changes in the free swell and index properties of soil in the presence of alkali have been explained by the changes in soil fabric and the formation of new compound.     

A new oxygen-deficient perovskite phase Ca(Fe<Subscript>0.4</Subscript>Si<Subscript>0.6</Subscript>)O<Subscript>2.8</Subscript> and phase relations along the join CaSiO<Subscript>3</Subscript>–CaFeO<Subscript>2.5</Subscript> at transition zone conditions

A new oxygen-deficient perovskite with the composition Ca(Fe_0.4Si_0.6)O_2.8 has been synthesised at high-pressure and -temperature conditions relevant to the Earths transition zone using a multianvil apparatus. In contrast to pure CaSiO₃ perovskite, this new phase is quenchable under ambient conditions. The diffraction pattern revealed strong intensities for pseudocubic reflections, but the true lattice is C-centred monoclinic with a=9.2486 Å, b=5.2596 Å, c=21.890 Å and =97.94°. This lattice is only slightly distorted from rhombohedral symmetry. Electron-diffraction and high-resolution TEM images show that a well-ordered ten-layer superstructure is developed along the monoclinic c* direction, which corresponds to the pseudocubic [111] direction. This unique type of superstructure likely consists of an oxygen-deficient double layer with tetrahedrally coordinated silicon, alternating with eight octahedral layers of perovskite structure, which are one half each occupied by silicon and iron as indicated by Mössbauer and Si K electron energy loss spectroscopy. The maximum iron solubility in CaSiO₃ perovskite is determined at 16 GPa to be 4 at% on the silicon site and it increases significantly above 20 GPa. The phase relations have been analysed along the join CaSiO₃–CaFeO_2.5, which revealed that no further defect perovskites are stable. An analogous phase exists in the aluminous system, with Ca(Al_0.4Si_0.6)O_2.8 stoichiometry and diffraction patterns similar to that of Ca(Fe_0.4Si_0.6)O_2.8. In addition, we discovered another defect perovskite with Ca(Al_0.5Si_0.5)O_2.75 stoichiometry and an eight-layer superstructure most likely consisting of a tetrahedral double layer alternating with six octahedral layers. The potential occurrence of all three defect perovskites in the Earths interior is discussed.     

Spectrocam-10 Thermal Infrared Observations Of The Dust In Comet C/1995 O1 Hale-Bopp

We describe 5 to 18 μm broadband images and R ∼ 100 spectra of comet Hale-Bopp taken with SpectroCam-10 on the 5 m Hale telescope during six runs between 1996 June and 1997 April. Our data show the gradual warming of dust grains as the comet approached perihelion. In June, the 10 μm silicate emission feature was already stronger than observed in any other comet, and it increased to about 3 times the continuum level near perihelion. Spectral structure attributed to a crystalline olivine grain component remained relatively constant, but other features associated with pyroxenes appeared to vary with heliocentric distance. This revised version was published online in July 2006 with corrections to the Cover Date.     

Emission of nitrogen oxides (NO x ) from a flooded soil fertilized with urea: Relation to other nitrogen loss processes

Emissions of nitric oxide and other odd nitrogen oxides (NO _x ) from a flooded rice field were studied after urea had been broadcast into the floodwater.The NO _x flux from the fertilized area was very low (0.2×10^-9 g N m^-2 s^-1) for the first few days after application of urea and was high (0.95×10^-9 g N m^-2 s^-1) in the subsequent period when significant nitrite and nitrate were present in the floodwater. At night, little if any NO _x was exhaled but ambient NO₂ was absorbed by the floodwater. An uptake velocity for NO₂ of 3×10^-4 m s^-1 was measured during one night. Maximum NO _x losses were observed near 1300 h when temperature and solar ultraviolet light were maximum.While the amounts of nitrogen oxides emitted are of little agronomic importance (2×10^-3 per cent of the fertilizer nitrogen was lost as NO _x during the 10-day study period), they may well be of significance as a source for some gas reactions in the atmosphere and for the global nitrogen cycle.Of the fertilizer nitrogen applied (as urea) approximately 30% was lost to the atmosphere by NH₃ volatilization, 15% by denitrification, presumably as N₂, and the remainder, less minor losses of NO and N₂O, remained in the plant/soil/water system.Now at Forestry Department, Australian National University, G.P.O. Box 4, ACT 2601, Australia.     

富硒、高镉地质背景下水稻种植实验研究

富硒(Se)的土地常常富镉(Cd)，如何从该类土地中过滤掉Cd而安全地利用Se是农业生产的关键。本文以水稻种植为切入点，选取了7种水稻品种，以硅肥调节和农家常规种植方式作为对照进行了实验田与对照田实验。实验结果发现：(1)硅肥具有通过调节土壤理化性质、促进Se和Cd有效态的释放以及通过与Cd²⁺反应降低Cd有效态的双重效果，使水稻更有利于富集Se而不富集Cd；(2)“深两优5814”和“C两优华占”水稻品种，在富集Se和抑制Cd方面的效果上较好。     

中国化肥投入管制的时空演化及影响因素分析

运用脱钩弹性方程,分析了1980~2015年中国各地区（除港澳台地区外）的化肥投入与农业增长耦合关系和化肥投入变动的管制效果;通过LMDI模型,将化肥投入变动影响因素分解为产值规模效应、化肥效益效应和科技效应。研究表明：随着农业经济的迅速发展,中国的化肥投入可以分为“增量管制”和“减量管制”2个阶段,减量管制阶段的化肥投入增速明显低于增量管制阶段,其中东部地区的化肥投入率先减量;脱钩弹性系数在增量管制阶段末期达到最高值后,呈现出逐渐降低的趋势,各地区的管制效果与化肥投入管制方向基本相同;科技效应驱动了各地区化肥投入的减少,化肥效益效应是化肥投入增加的推动力,各效应在增量管制和减量管制阶段的驱动方向保持一致,其中东部地区的化肥效益效应贡献率较大,同时科技效应贡献率的绝对值也相对高,西部地区农业增产模式较为粗放。随着化肥投入减量管制的深入,要在重视空间差异的基础上,不断提高化肥增产效率、增强现代农业的外部替代作用。     

农业化肥减量及生物肥料替代可行性研究——来自新疆棉区调查数据的实证

推进化肥减施增效是实现中国农业绿色高质量发展的关键途径。本文以新疆棉花为例,基于2000—2020年棉花化肥施用量及技术、资本、劳动力投入时序数据,构建生产函数考察了新疆棉花单位面积化肥施用强度变化及其对棉花单产提升的贡献作用,并利用2015—2020年不同植棉区化肥和生物肥料施肥区的微观定位调查数据,采用熵权法构建肥料应用效益评价指标体系,对两种肥料的综合效益做出总体评判,并对经济效益（棉花产量、黄萎病害发生率）和生态效益（土壤有机质、微生物数量）及两种肥料施用成本进行具体比较,探讨了生物肥替代化肥的可行性及其实现机制。研究表明：① 2000—2020年间新疆棉花单位面积化肥施用强度呈不断上升态势,高于同期国内大部分植棉省份,自2016年起趋于减缓和平稳,施肥量浮动在585 kgN/hm²左右。② 2000—2010年随着单位面积化肥施用强度的增加,对棉花单产增加呈正向促进作用;而2010—2020年,单位面积化肥施用强度增加对棉花单产提高的贡献率为-21.29%,表明持续增加化肥用量对棉花单产提高已呈现负效应。③ 生物肥料施肥区生态效益优势更突出,但经济效益低于化肥区,两种肥料的综合效益随使用年限增加差距趋于缩小;较化肥组,研究期内不同植棉区生物肥组棉花单产降低3%~8%,黄萎病害发病率降幅27.75%~58.20%,土壤有机质含量提高了14.59%~28.54%,土壤微生物数量显著增加;生物肥单位施用成本高于化肥14%~19%。根据生物肥生态属性及作用机理,结合农户经济理性及传统的化肥依赖,建议在生物肥推广初期,实行一定的政策激励或生态补偿,同时积极引导和培育农户亲环境意识,农业化肥逐步减量及生物肥替代具有理论与实践可行性。     

我国首次发现的天然硅铋石的矿物学研究

硅铋石是一种极为罕见的铋的硅酸盐矿物,本次报道的天然硅铋石产于我国内蒙古自治区东乌旗朝不楞矽卡岩型铁多金属矿床中,附生在蔷薇辉石晶洞或裂隙中的透闪石纤维上。常见四面体{111}及三角三四面体晶形,一般粒径为0.07～0.15mm,颜色多为浅黄色,透明,玻璃光泽,性脆,条痕为无色,维氏硬度VHN_（100g）=487～583kg/mm²,平均535kg/mm²,摩氏硬度5,计算密度7.11g/cm³,计算折射率N=2.15。矿物化学分子式为Bi₄Si₃O₁₂。X射线衍射强线[d（Å）（I）]为4.26（85）、3.29（100）、2.77（79）、2.11（45）和1.67（33）,结构精修晶胞参数a=10.116（2）Å,V=1035.2（7）ų,空间群为I43d,Z=4。本文还对硅铋石的成因进行了初步探讨。     

磷矿市场走势分析

经过了50余年的持续增长,全球磷肥和磷矿市场自2012年下半年以来出现了下行趋势,属必然发生的理性回归,其根本原因为市场误导出现的产能过剩。磷块岩产量主要受制于磷肥消耗量,二者存在高度正相关性。目前条件下,全球磷肥和磷块岩年消耗量的极限分别约为38.9Mt和172.49Mt,未来一个时期,年消耗量走势分别在各自的极限值上下波动。国家有关部门应从宏观层面进行布局和指导,企业不应盲目"跟风",以避免出现"周期性的危机"。     

优质矿物肥料泥炭在农业上的利用与研究

作为一种燃料矿产的泥炭,在农业上具有广泛用途。泥炭中需含腐植酸,且含氮、磷、钾、蛋白质及多种微量元素。并且质轻疏松、通气透水性好等特性。在农业中可用作肥料、饲料和作为生长刺激素,施用效果显著,在园艺方面亦可发挥良好的作用。目前国内外对泥炭需求旺盛,泥炭的开发具有良好的市场前景。