Seventy-seven gem opals from ten countries were analyzed by inductively coupled plasma-mass spectrometry (ICP-MS) through a dilution process, in order to establish the nature of the impurities. The results are correlated to the mode of formation and physical properties and are instrumental in establishing the geographical origin of a gem opal. The geochemistry of an opal is shown to be dependant mostly on the host rock, at least for examples from Mexico and Brazil, even if modified by weathering processes. In order of decreasing concentration, the main impurities present are Al, Ca, Fe, K, Na, and Mg (more than 500 ppm). Other noticeable elements in lesser amounts are Ba, followed by Zr, Sr, Rb, U, and Pb. For the first time, geochemistry helps to discriminate some varieties of opals. The Ba content, as well as the chondrite-normalized REE pattern, are the keys to separating sedimentary opals (Ba > 110 ppm, Eu and Ce anomalies) from volcanic opals (Ba < 110 ppm, no Eu or Ce anomaly). The Ca content, and to a lesser extent that of Mg, Al, K and Nb, helps to distinguish gem opals from different volcanic environments. The limited range of concentrations for all elements in precious (play-of-color) compared to common opals, indicates that this variety must have very specific, or more restricted, conditions of formation. We tentatively interpreted the presence of impurities in terms of crystallochemistry, even if opal is a poorly crystallized or amorphous material. The main replacement is the substitution of Si4+ by Al3+ and Fe3+. The induced charge imbalance is compensated chiefly by Ca2+, Mg2+, Mn2+, Ba2+, K+, and Na+. In terms of origin of color, greater concentrations of iron induce darker colors (from yellow to “chocolate brown”). This element inhibits luminescence for concentrations above 1000 ppm, whereas already a low content in U (≤ 1 ppm) induces a green luminescence. 相似文献
Flood stories in the Hebrew Bible and the Koran appear to be derived from earlier flood stories like those in the Gilgamesh Epic and still earlier in the Atrahasis. All would have their source from floods of the Tigris and Euphrates rivers.
The Gilgamesh Epic magnifies the catastrophe by having the flood begin with winds, lightning, and a shattering of the earth, or earthquake. Elsewhere in Gilgamesh, an earthquake can be shown to have produced pits and chasms along with gushing of water. It is commonly observed that earthquake shaking causes water to gush from the ground and leaves pits and open fissures. The process is known as soil liquefaction. Earthquake is also a possible explanation for the verse “all the fountains of the great deep (were) broken up” that began the Flood in Genesis. Traditionally, the “great deep” was the ocean bottom. A more recent translation substitutes “burst” for “broken up” in describing the fountains, suggesting that they erupted at the ground surface and were caused by an earthquake with soil liquefaction. Another relation between soil liquefaction and the Flood is found in the Koran where the Flood starts when “water gushed forth from the oven”. Soil liquefaction observed erupting preferentially into houses during an earthquake provides a logical interpretation if the oven is seen as a tiny house. A case can be made that earthquakes with soil liquefaction are embedded in all of these flood stories. 相似文献
The widespread records of mafic intrusives (both sills and dykes) are reported from the Proterozoic sedimentary basins of the Indian Shield. Amongst them, the Bijawar basin is also intruded by Paleoproterozoic (ca. 1.98−1.97 Ga) mafic sills. We provide first hand information on petrological and geochemical characteristics of these mafic sills together with a few NW-trending mafic dykes belong to the Jhansi swarm emplaced within the Bundelkhand craton, adjacent to the Bijawar basin. These Paleoproterzoic mafic intrusive rocks, i.e. sills and dykes, are believed to be integral parts of the Jhansi LIP, identified in the Bundelkhand craton. The studied mafic magmatic samples are medium- to coarse-grained and contain doleritic mineral compositions and textures. Geochemically, the mafic sill samples of the Bijawar basin, which belong to the Darguwan-Surjapura mafic sills (DSMS), are sub-alkaline basaltic-andesite to andesite in character. They are co-genetic in nature and show close geochemical similarities with a set of NW-trending mafic dykes (low-Ti) emplaced in the Bundelkhand craton. On the other hand, another set of NW-trending mafic dykes (high-Ti) of the Bundelkhand craton have distinct geochemical nature; likely to have different genetic history. The rare-earth element contents and trace-element modeling suggest that the DSMS and low-Ti dyke samples are likely to be derived from a melt generated ≥20 % melting of a shallower mantle source (spinel stability field), whereas the high-Ti dyke samples show their derivation from a melt generated through ≤15 % melting of the similar mantle source but at deeper level (garnet or garnet-spinel transition stability field); with a substantiate percentage of olivine fractionation of melts before crystallization. Their emplacement in an intracratonic tectonic regime and role of plume in the genesis of these rocks are suggested. The geochemical signature also indicates the role of an ancient (Archean) subduction event that has metasomatized the mantle before the cratonization. Their spatiotemporal correlation with other similar magmatic events of the globe indicate that the Bundelkhand craton was closer to the Karelia-Kola craton (Baltica Shield), North China craton and northern Superior craton, which could be part of the Columbia supercontinent, during its assembly. 相似文献