Bismuth‐melt trails trapped in cassiterite–quartz veins

Native bismuth in the form of metallic melt has been considered instrumental to the formation of some metallic ore deposits via a mechanism dubbed the “Liquid Bismuth Collector Model.” Here, we provide petrographical documentation of trail‐forming, μm‐sized blebs of native bismuth in cassiterite–quartz veins from the Santa Bárbara greisen Sn deposit in the Rondônia tin province of northern Brazil. These inclusions suggest the trapping of a Bi melt that took place during vein formation, in a mechanism similar to the entrapment of fluid inclusions.     

Bald kelp: natural and harvesting-induced frond loss in the South African kelp Ecklonia maxima

Ecklonia maxima dominates kelp beds on the west coast of southern Africa, and is commercially and ecologically valuable. Some plants lose all their secondary blades (fronds), leaving only the gas-filled bulb and short primary blade at the top of the stipe. These ‘bald’ kelps may persist for months or longer, occupying substratum space but contributing little to productivity. We investigated natural causes of balding in five kelp beds in False Bay, South Africa, and the effect of simulated commercial frond-harvesting on loss of fronds. Densities of sporophytes with and without fronds were measured at the water surface during low tides. Generalised linear modelling analysis showed a significant relationship between balding and site (whether sheltered from or exposed to swell/wind), position in the kelp bed (shoreward or seaward) and total E. maxima density. We conclude that balding is caused mainly by drying of meristematic basal regions of fronds during emersion of kelp heads at low tide. After partial harvesting of fronds, kelp heads floated higher out of the water, but after 95 days frond loss was significantly higher only when fronds were cut too close to the primary blade, possibly because of damage to meristematic tissue. Nevertheless, increased emersion that results from frond-harvesting may increase desiccation and blade loss and we suggest caution in setting harvest limits for this kelp.     

Geotechnical Characterization by In situ and Lab Tests to the Back-Analysis of a Supported Excavation in Metro do Porto

This paper summarizes the geotechnical characterization conducted for the design and subsequent analysis of a strutted excavation in “Metro do Porto”. This region is geologically dominated by heterogeneous weathered granite masses with deep residual soil profiles. Local saprolitic soils exhibit, by their nature, a particular behavior characterized by very sensitive and weak relic micro-structures, due to their specific genesis. This study has included the interpretation of a significant volume of in situ test results, triaxial tests over undisturbed samples and monitoring data, giving rise to specific correlations between testing and design parameters. Real time monitoring enabled a back-analysis by FEM of a well instrumented section of the strutted excavation, which was calibrated taking into account the derived correlations and the deformability behavior of this specific geotechnical ambient. This geomaterial, although revealing very high initial stiffness values (for very small strain ranges) has shown low stiffness values for “medium to high” strain levels, reflecting a singular strong non-linearity in the stress-strain behavior.     

桐柏碰撞造山带及其邻区变形特征与构造格局

桐柏碰撞造山带及其邻区可以划分为九个大地构造单元,自北向南分别是:华北克拉通南缘岩石构造单元——宽坪岩群、具弧后盆地性质的二郎坪岩石构造单元、具岛弧性质的秦岭杂岩单元、龟山岩组和南湾岩组构成的俯冲前缘楔构造带、构造混杂岩带、桐柏北部高压岩片单元、桐柏核部杂岩单元、桐柏南部高压岩片单元以及随州构造变形带。根据详细的构造解析以及新的地质年代学资料,本文将中生代以来的构造变形划分为五幕,前两幕变形主要发育在构造混杂岩带以南的各个岩石构造单元中,之后的三幕变形则波及整个研究区。第一幕变形的时间约为255～238Ma,以发育区域上透入性的片理及北西西向的拉伸线理为主,并导致了高压岩片早期自西向东的挤出。第二幕变形的时间约为230～215Ma,以自北向南的逆冲推覆构造为主,使得高压岩片进一步垂向抬升。第三幕变形应早于下侏罗统,以近北西西向的宽缓褶皱为主要特征,该幕变形期间桐柏核部杂岩及其两侧高压岩片单元发生同步的抬升。第四幕变形大致发生在140～130Ma之间,主要表现为桐柏核部杂岩两侧走滑型韧性剪切带的活动,桐柏核部杂岩表现出向东的挤出。第五幕变形发生在120～80Ma,表现为北西向及北东向的脆性断裂活动,并切割以上所有构造形迹。桐柏高压岩片的抬升剥露受多幕变形控制,呈阶段性的抬升。     

A New Combined Assessment of Mixed Uncertainty in Spatial Models: Conceptualization and Implementation

Uncertainty quantification is not often performed in spatial modeling applications, especially when there is a mixture of probabilistic and non‐probabilistic uncertainties. Furthermore, the effect of positional uncertainty is often not assessed, despite its relevance to geographical applications. Although there has been much work in investigating the aforementioned types of uncertainty in isolation, combined approaches have not been much researched. This has resulted in a lack of tools for conducting mixed uncertainty analyses that include positional uncertainty. This research addresses the issue by first presenting a new, flexible, simulation‐oriented conceptualization of positional uncertainty in geographic objects called F‐Objects. F‐Objects accommodates various representations of uncertainty, while remaining conceptually simple. Second, a new Python‐based framework is introduced, termed Wiggly and capable of conducting mixed uncertainty propagation using fuzzy Monte Carlo simulation (FMCS). FMCS combines both traditional Monte Carlo with fuzzy analysis in a so‐called hybrid approach. F‐Objects is implemented within the Wiggly framework, resulting in a tool capable of considering any combination of: (1) probabilistic variables; (2) fuzzy variables; and (3) positional uncertainty of objects (probabilistic/fuzzy). Finally, a realistic GIS‐based groundwater contamination problem demonstrates how F‐Objects and Wiggly can be used to assess the effect of positional uncertainty.     

Talc mineralisation associated with soft hematite ore, Gongo Soco deposit, Minas Gerais, Brazil: petrography, mineral chemistry and boron-isotope composition of tourmaline

Talc mineralisation occurs as hematite–talc schist between soft hematite ore and dolomitic itabirite at Gongo Soco, Quadrilátero Ferrífero of Minas Gerais, Brazil. The hematite–talc schist and soft hematite have a prominent tectonic foliation of tabular hematite. Tabular hematite without preferential orientation is superimposed on the tectonic foliation. The talcose schist is enriched in F and has a constant Fe/S ratio. Electron-microprobe analyses indicate trace amounts of S in different generations of hematite. The whole-rock Fe/S ratio possibly represents sulfate S from hematite-hosted fluid inclusions. Fluid inclusions in foliation-overprinting hematite and chlorite geothermometry from talcose rocks suggest, respectively, temperatures from <200°C to ~300°C. Tourmaline, a rarely observed mineral in the hematite–talc schist, belongs to the alkali group and falls in the dravite compositional field. Boron-isotope determinations of tourmaline crystals, using secondary ion mass spectrometry, vary from −20‰ to −12‰ δ¹¹B. This compositional isotopic range and the tourmaline chemical composition suggest a meta-evaporitic origin. A non-marine evaporitic setting is the most likely source of acidic, highly oxidising fluids, which resulted in the abundant F-bearing talc and the presence of otherwise immobile Ti in hematite. Oxidising brines were channelled along shear zones and converted dolomitic itabirite into the Gongo Soco soft hematite and the talc mineralisation. The latter is envisaged as the hydrothermal wall-rock alteration of dolomitic itabirite, which gave rise to the soft hematite ore.     

Persistent organic pollutants carried by synthetic polymers in the ocean environment

Thermoplastic resin pellets are melted and formed into an enormous number of inexpensive consumer goods, many of which are discarded after a relatively short period of use, dropped haphazardly onto watersheds and then make their way to the ocean where some get ingested by marine life. In 2003 and 2004 pre-production thermoplastic resin pellets and post-consumer plastic fragments were collected and analyzed for contamination for persistent organic pollutants (POPs). Samples were taken from the North Pacific Gyre, and selected sites in California, Hawaii, and from Guadalupe Island, Mexico. The total concentration of PCBs ranged from 27 to 980 ng/g; DDTs from 22 to 7100 ng/g and PAHs from 39 to 1200 ng/g, and aliphatic hydrocarbons from 1.1 to 8600 microg/g. Analytical methods were developed to extract, concentrate and identify POPs that may have accumulated on plastic fragments and plastic pellets. The results of this study confirm that plastic debris is a trap for POPs.     

陕西省略阳县杨家坝多金属矿区成矿作用地球化学示踪

本文以陕西省略阳县杨家坝多金属矿区为例,通过对该矿区岩(矿)石和各类脉体的岩相学、稀土和微量元素及流体包裹体地球化学示踪发现,多金属中重晶石的形成及硅化、碳酸盐化、滑石化、纤闪石化、绢云母化和绿泥石化和透闪石岩的含氟浅闪石及隐晶硅质玻璃和微晶硅质,这表明与成矿蚀变有关的热液流体是一种不同于一般地壳流体的富硅、钛、铁、碱质和挥发份,并具备熔体性质的成矿流体。各类样品的稀土元素配分模式明显富集LREE,在Ce、Eu、Yb异常的组合上也各具特征。LREE富集是地幔流体作用的显著特征之一;矿石和脉体的负Ce、正Eu和负Yb异常以及流体包裹体中H2O-C6H6成分,是高温还原地幔流体的重要标志;正Ce和负Eu异常的出现,以及Ce、Eu、Yb异常的减弱和消失则是壳幔混染叠加改造的显示。综合研究表明:矿区成矿过程可能统一受制于秦岭地区碰撞造山背景下具高温还原性质的地幔流体作用,且由此引发壳幔强烈混染的叠加改造作用在成矿过程中发挥了重要作用。     

Relation between semen quality and rangeland diets of mixed-breed male goats

The impact of range plant toxins on the reproductive performance of female cattle is economically important to the livestock industry. Nevertheless, there is little information on the significance of toxicosis from range plants on semen quality in domestic ruminants. A total of 18 adult mixed-breed bucks under range conditions were used to evaluate the effect of diet composition (microhistological analysis of fecal samples) on some semen characteristics, and blood and fecal components in April and August. Forages in the buck diets were grouped into 2 classes: low or high levels of each plant in the buck diets. Bucks with higher proportion of Acacia greggii, Flourensia cernua and Lindleya mespiloides in their diets yielded 23–50% less (p<0.05) semen than bucks with low proportion of these shrubs in their diet. Sperm motility was reduced by 3–8 percent units (p<0.05) by high levels of five rangeland shrubs in the buck diets. Bucks consuming high levels of Acacia greggii showed significantly lower percentages of normal sperm (92±10 vs. 96±3; p<0.05) than bucks with low intake of this forage. High proportions of Rhus virens and Solanum elaeagnifolium in the buck diet increased the percentage of normal sperm (5 units, p<0.05) when compared to bucks with low utilization of these forages. Increased intake of Acacia greggii, Dalea bicolor, Opuntia rastrera, Larrea tridentata and Cowania plicata reduced percentage of live sperm by 5 units (p<0.05). Blood metabolites analysis showed that increased levels of Acacia greggii and Parthenium incanum were related to better nutritional status of bucks. Zn (−), Cu (−) and glucose (+) were significant predictors of semen volume (r²=0.30). Cu (−) and cholesterol (−) accounted for 37% of the variation in percentage of normal sperms. Forty-four percent of the variation in secondary abnormalities was accounted by Zn (+) and cholesterol (+), whereas fecal N, serum total proteins and creatinine positively affected percentage of live sperms (r²=0.37). These results indicate that semen quality and metabolic profiles of grazing bucks were sensitive to the ingestion of some Chihuahuan desert forages.