碳酸盐岩溶解-沉淀热力学模型及其在塔北地区的应用

 碳酸盐岩作为一种化学岩类其物性受成岩作用的影响十分明显,溶解作用是否发育直接关系到碳酸盐岩储层质量的好坏。碳酸盐矿物在埋藏环境中的溶解度与地层水的化学成分、环境的温度、pH等有着密切的关系。利用地层水化学资料,根据化学热力学的理论,通过方解石及白云石与地层水作用的平衡反应,计算吉布斯自由能变化ΔG,以此来判断方解石及白云石的溶解趋势,并建立了封闭系统中这两种矿物与水作用的热力学模型。根据这个理论模型,对塔北地区159口井奥陶系及6口井的寒武系地层水进行了ΔG的计算,结果显示,塔北地区碳酸盐岩与地层水反应的ΔG基本为负值,表明该地区总体处于碳酸盐岩溶解的环境,寒武系白云岩反应的自由能小于奥陶系灰岩,即在这种深埋条件下白云岩比灰岩更易溶解,这一点在实际岩芯资料上及前人的实验模拟中均有显示。塔北于奇地区自由能的计算结果也为负值,说明该地区强烈的充填作用并非发生在现今条件下,于奇地区现今的埋藏环境是有利于碳酸盐矿物溶解的,这一结论也在该地区奥陶系及寒武系岩芯上得到了验证。
      

Marine Minerals in the Mexican Pacific: Toward Efficient Resource Management

Abstract

Vast reserves of marine minerals are known to occur within the Mexican Exclusive Economic Zone. These reserves include: (1) heavy mineral placers rich in titanium and iron along the coast of San Antonio del Mar, Baja California and the southern States of Oaxaca and Guerrero; (2) phosphorites, which represent the only source for superphosphate fertilizers along the Pacific coast off the Baja California peninsula and the Gulf of Tehuantepec; and (3) manganese oxide deposits in nodule and crusts located adjacent to the Clarion-Clipperton Zone and containing high concentrations of Cu + Ni + Co (up to 1.9%), which are essential for the steel and super-alloy industries. Few but important efforts toward surveying these deposits have been carried out by Mexican and international researchers. Relevant data generated by these investigations are reviewed here and put together in a single document. Adequate knowledge of Mexican mineral resources is essential for the development of management strategies when offshore mining starts during this century. Thus, the review discusses the economics inherent to ocean mining in Mexico, setting baselines for future exploration and development activities in the Mexican Exclusive Economic Zone.     

Provenance Signature of Pre-Cambrian and Mesozoic Rocks in the Nearshore Placers of Konkan,Central West Coast of India

Heavy mineral studies of the nearshore placer deposits of the Konkan Coast reveal a dominant assemblage comprised of garnet and kyanite along with other accessory minerals like epidote, olivine and rutile. The heavy mineral assemblage of the study region shows a characteristic suite of 17 types of heavy minerals. Their abundance shows hardly any drastic variation in the four bays studied. Overwhelming presence of minerals like garnet and kyanite in the studied four bays points to the source as metamorphic rocks. The presence of etched garnets, overgrown zircons and etched kyanites corroborate the recycling of paleo-sediments into the bay. Characterization of opaques under the microscope also corroborates the influence of a metamorphic source, rather than the adjoining basaltic rocks. However, the absence of metamorphic rocks in the hinterland suggests the possibility of deposition of sediments predominantly from offshore. Factor analysis results also corroborate the overwhelming influence of metamorphic rocks in the present study region rather than the abutting basalts.     

Technology developments for the strategic Indian blue economy

Abstract

With the land-based resources depleting faster, effective exploration and sustained harvesting of the Ocean resources, taking into account the economic growth, social needs and the health of the Ocean environment is essential. India with a 7600?km long coastline and an exclusive economic zone of 2.3 million km² and spear heading the blue economic growth and security of all the countries in the Indian Ocean region have initiated policies for leveraging the growth of the Indian economy through the blue economy. The paper discusses the strategic technology developments undertaken in India by the National Institute of Ocean Technology-Ministry of Earth Sciences (MoES), Government of India for the harvesting of the living and non-living blue economic resources, and for protecting the ocean ecosystems.     

Radioactive quartz-pebble conglomerates from western margin of Bonai granite pluton,Sundargarh district,Orissa — A new find

Several radioactive quartz-pebble conglomerate (QPC) occurrences at the western margin of Archaean Bonai granite and overlying Iron Ore Group (IOG) rocks have recently been located over a total strike length of 8–10 km intermittently in a NE-SW to E-W trend with steep dips due north-west to north in parts of Sundargarh district of Orissa. The QPC samples have analysed up to 0.039% U₃O₈ and 0.035% ThO₂ with high concentration of Y (74 to 518 ppm), La(<100 to 880 ppm), Cr ( 126 to 633 ppm), Zr (137 to 1250 ppm) and Pb (31 to 581 ppm). Cellulose Nitrate (CN) film studies of few QPC samples indicated adsorbed uranium over goethite and infiltrated ferruginous material (limonite), secondary uranium as encrustation and fracture filling and discrete sub-rounded grains of monazite, zircon, allanite and rare xenotime in the matrix of QPC as radioactive phases. Higher content of Th over U, elevated concentration of Y and La in QPC eliminates the possibility of its low temperature product by epigenetic processes. Poor correlation of U with elements like Pb, Y, Zr, La and Cr can be explained due to surficial leaching of uranium from QPC after its deposition as reflected by adsorbed U over iron-oxides and low U/Th ratio in QPC in the area.     

Causes of large-scale landslides in the Lesser Himalaya of central Nepal

Geologically and tectonically active Himalayan Range is characterized by highly elevated mountains and deep river valleys. Because of steep mountain slopes, and dynamic geological conditions, large-scale landslides are very common in Lesser and Higher Himalayan zones of Nepal Himalaya. Slopes along the major highways of central Nepal namely Prithvi Highway, Narayangadh-Mugling Road and Tribhuvan Highway are considered in this study of large-scale landslides. Geologically, the highways in consideration pass through crushed and jointed Kathmandu Nappe affected by numerous faults and folds. The relict large-scale landslides have been contributing to debris flows and slides along the highways. Most of the slope failures are mainly bechanced in geological formations consisting phyllite, schist and gneiss. Laboratory test on the soil samples collected from the failure zones and field investigation suggested significant hydrothermal alteration in the area. The substantial hydrothermal alteration in the Lesser Himalaya during advancement of the Main Central Thrust (MCT) and thereby clay mineralization in sliding zones of large-scale landslide are the main causes of large-scale landslides in the highways of central Nepal. This research also suggests that large-scale landslides are the major cause of slope failure during monsoon in the Lesser Himalaya of Nepal. Similarly, hydrothermal alteration is also significant in failure zone of the large-scale landslides. For the sustainable road maintenance in Nepal, it is of utmost importance to study the nature of sliding zones of large-scale landslides along the highways and their role to cause debris flows and slides during monsoon period.     

Zircon alteration,formation and preservation in sandstones

Zircon textures, chemistry and microstructures have been characterized in situ within Carboniferous sandstones from the Midland Valley of Scotland using back‐scattered electron and cathodoluminescence images, electron backscatter diffraction techniques and chemical analyses. The study of polished thin sections reveals a variety of zircon types including unmodified detrital zircon, zircon outgrowths and different forms of modified zircon that formed in low‐temperature conditions within the sedimentary rocks. These rocks have only experienced temperatures of <100 °C during burial; however, altered zircon is abundant and characterized by a low mean atomic number, with relatively high contents of non‐formula elements and a nano‐crystalline or microcrystalline structure. It forms by replacement of detrital zircon that subsequently became metamict. Two types of replacement mechanisms are effective in sedimentary environments and involve either dissolution–reprecipitation or solid‐state reaction, but both require fluid access to the radiation‐damaged areas. The former process appears to become the dominant replacement mechanism as temperature increases and produces highly porous, inclusion‐rich zircon. Metamict zircon is extremely reactive in near‐surface conditions and the production of low‐temperature zircon is sensitive to both parent zircon characteristics and environmental conditions. As such, the alteration of zircon has the potential to yield unique information on the diagenetic history of sedimentary rocks. Low‐temperature zircon would be unlikely to survive sedimentary transport or the rock crushing procedures that characterize many investigations of detrital zircon populations and consequently may generate severe biases in studies of this type.     

Platinum potential of the Lukkulajsvaara layered massif in North Karelia

This paper discusses geological features of the Lukkulajsvaara platinum-bearing intrusion. Particular attention is paid to platinum-bearing layers, namely petrographic features of ore-bearing rocks, their structure, texture, and the mineralogical composition of the ore. This allowed the revelation of some features of platinum ore formation, in which postcumulus liquids enriched in fluids played the main role.     

The fate of amino acids adsorbed on mineral matter

We present here selected results recently obtained on the molecular characterization of amino acids adsorption on oxide minerals and their further polymerization by thermal activation, in the general frame of assessing Bernal's hypothesis on the origin of biopolymers on mineral surfaces. Adsorption mechanisms may be identified by a combination of vibrational spectroscopy, ¹³C solid-state NMR, and molecular modeling. Depending on a particular amino acid, the oxide surface investigated, and the water activity during adsorption (i.e., whether it is carried out from the gas phase or from an aqueous solution), contributions from electrostatic adsorption, outer-sphere and inner-sphere (coordination) complexes may be observed. These mechanisms result in significant adsorption selectivities from equimolar mixtures of different amino acids. Upon thermal activation at moderate temperatures (150-160 °C), clean polymerization events occur and can easily be observed by thermogravimetric analysis. There are some hints of selectivity in this step too. The water activity during thermal treatment plays an important role for the thermodynamics of polymerization.     

苏北盆地粘土矿物转化模式与古地温

以苏北盆地为例,系统研究了火成岩发育区粘土矿物组合特征及其控制因素;建立了粘土矿物转化模式;根据粘土矿物成岩演化特点,进行古地温分析。研究表明,苏北地区粘土矿物的分布主要受埋藏成岩作用、岩浆侵入、母质来源三种因素的影响,发育四种类型的粘土矿物组合和三种粘土矿物转化模式;火山碎屑岩母岩区和基性岩浆侵入区具有特殊的粘土矿物组合和成岩演化模式,前者以富含蒙皂石矿物为特点;后者出现高岭石与伊/蒙有序间层矿物共生组合,并具有不连续的演化序列;苏北盆地短有序I/S矿物出现于镜质组反射率 0.5 %～ 0.5 5 %的深度,伊/蒙间层矿物转变成伊利石在镜质组反射率 0.75 %～ 0.8%,可以用于热成熟度和古地温的估算;而蒙皂石消失的界面则不具有指标意义