Chemical alteration of tephra in the depositional environment: theoretical stability modelling

The study of the chemical stability of vitreous material in aqueous media is well‐established. There has to date been little consideration of the implications of variations in the chemical durability of tephra in Quaternary tephrochronology. Chemical alteration can take the form of cationic leaching from the matrix, or complete destruction of the silica network, either of which could constrain the ability to chemically identify distal tephra. Here we apply established models of vitreous durability to the published chemical analyses of a large number of Icelandic tephras in order to predict their relative durabilities under equivalent conditions. This suggests that some important tephras have relatively poor chemical stability, and that rhyolitic tephras are, in general, more stable than basaltic. We conclude that tephras should be expected to show predictable differential chemical stability in the post‐depositional environment. Copyright © 2003 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Pressures of Crystallization of Icelandic Magmas

Iceland lies astride the Mid-Atlantic Ridge and was createdby seafloor spreading that began about 55 Ma. The crust is anomalouslythick (20–40 km), indicating higher melt productivityin the underlying mantle compared with normal ridge segmentsas a result of the presence of a mantle plume or upwelling centeredbeneath the northwestern edge of the Vatnajökull ice sheet.Seismic and volcanic activity is concentrated in 50 km wideneovolcanic or rift zones, which mark the subaerial Mid-AtlanticRidge, and in three flank zones. Geodetic and geophysical studiesprovide evidence for magma chambers located over a range ofdepths (1·5–21 km) in the crust, with shallow magmachambers beneath some volcanic centers (Katla, Grimsvötn,Eyjafjallajökull), and both shallow and deep chambers beneathothers (e.g. Krafla and Askja). We have compiled analyses ofbasalt glass with geochemical characteristics indicating crystallizationof ol–plag–cpx from 28 volcanic centers in the Western,Northern and Eastern rift zones as well as from the SouthernFlank Zone. Pressures of crystallization were calculated forthese glasses, and confirm that Icelandic magmas crystallizeover a wide range of pressures (0·001 to 1 GPa), equivalentto depths of 0–35 km. This range partly reflects crystallizationof melts en route to the surface, probably in dikes and conduits,after they leave intracrustal chambers. We find no evidencefor a shallow chamber beneath Katla, which probably indicatesthat the shallow chamber identified in other studies containssilica-rich magma rather than basalt. There is reasonably goodcorrelation between the depths of deep chambers (> 17 km)and geophysical estimates of Moho depth, indicating that magmaponds at the crust–mantle boundary. Shallow chambers (<7·1 km) are located in the upper crust, and probablyform at a level of neutral buoyancy. There are also discretechambers at intermediate depths (11 km beneath the rift zones),and there is strong evidence for cooling and crystallizing magmabodies or pockets throughout the middle and lower crust thatmight resemble a crystal mush. The results suggest that themiddle and lower crust is relatively hot and porous. It is suggestedthat crustal accretion occurs over a range of depths similarto those in recent models for accretionary processes at mid-oceanridges. The presence of multiple stacked chambers and hot, porouscrust suggests that magma evolution is complex and involvespolybaric crystallization, magma mixing, and assimilation. KEY WORDS: Iceland rift zones; cotectic crystallization; pressure; depth; magma chamber; volcanic glass     

Composition-Induced Variations in SIMS Instrumental Mass Fractionation during Boron Isotope Ratio Measurements of Silicate Glasses

An analytical artefact is reported here related to differences in instrumental mass fractionation between NIST SRM glasses and natural geological glasses during SIMS boron isotope determinations. The data presented demonstrated an average 3.4‰ difference between the NIST glasses and natural basaltic to rhyolitic glasses mainly in terms of their sputtering-induced fractionation of boron isotopes. As no matrix effect was found among basaltic to rhyolitic glasses, instrumental mass fractionation of most natural glass samples can be corrected by using appropriate glass reference materials. In order to confirm the existence of the compositionally induced variations in boron SIMS instrumental mass bias, the observed offset in SIMS instrumental mass bias has been independently reproduced in two laboratories and the phenomenon has been found to be stable over a period of more than one year. This study highlights the need for a close match between the chemical composition of the reference material and the samples being investigated.     

某地平板玻璃原料用石英砂的提纯研究

某地石英矿砂通过磁选分离法、稀酸浸泡法处理后，矿砂不同程度地降低了铁、铝、钙镁的含量；采用磁选分离 稀酸浸泡法联合处理后，使该地石英砂的化学成分达到了优质的生产平板玻璃用硅质原料的国家标准。     

火山玻璃风化层的透射电镜研究

利用透射电镜(TEM)和X射线能谱(EDX)研究了长白山天池火山1000年和4000年前两次大喷发产生的火山玻璃风化层特征.TEM分析显示,4000年前大喷发浮岩中的火山玻璃风化层平均厚度3.7 mm,1000年前大喷发浮岩中的火山玻璃风化层平均厚度为1.0 mm.EDX分析显示,两次大喷发浮岩中的火山玻璃风化层化学组成与火山玻璃相比富Al、Fe,而si减少.火山玻璃风化层富Al发生在Al的浓度较高的中到弱酸溶液中(pH=5～6),火山玻璃表面形成含有少量的非晶质的Al、Si、Fe物质,这些非品质的次生物质是火山玻璃风化早期阶段形成的.天池火山喷发物中火山玻璃的微观特征的差异可能与火山喷发年代和喷发后的环境有关,研究天池火山不同期次喷发物中火山玻璃的微观特征具有一定的理论和实际应用价值.     

一种仿软玉“新型玻璃”的宝石学研究

“新型玻璃”是最近软玉批发市场上出现频繁的一种冒仿软玉的产品,其特点是外观很像软玉,而且其红外图谱谱形极像软玉的,个别峰位基本吻合,这给软玉的快速鉴定带来了一定的迷惑性和风险。选取一批典型的“新型玻璃”进行常规宝石学测试和红外光谱测试等一系列宝石学研究。测试结果表明,虽然“新型玻璃”的红外图谱谱形极像软玉的,但是两者之间的性质还是有着明显的差别,依据现行国家标准,其鉴定名称可直接命名为“玻璃”;同时,对“新型玻璃”的快速鉴定提出了一些参考建议。     

Experimental abiotic alteration of igneous and manufactured glasses

Pits in ocean basalt glass are often attributed to the activity of microorganisms, however, neither the mechanism of formation of pits in glass nor the involvement of microorganisms have been confirmed by experimentation. Experimental abiotic corrosion of basalt glass with 1% hydrofluoric acid (HF), a proxy for more slowly acting organic acids, produces pits that are similar in size, shape, and distribution to pits found in basalt glass collected from the ocean floor and basalt glass incubated with microorganisms. This pit formation by HF etching was demonstrated by comparing secondary electron images taken before and after the acid treatment. The formation of pits by abiotic corrosion of basalt glass is an alternate hypothesis for the origin of these features, and the interpretation of these features as biomarkers may require a resolution of these alternative hypotheses.     

充填处理红宝石的鉴定

对红宝石的天然、合成、优化处理成因已有许多研究,其中有不少争议［１］。争议的焦点在于对其内含物（包裹体）的认识。因此,在鉴定工作中思路要宽,对内含物的一切可能成因要作全方位推断,然后一一甄别。１　测试样品及其一般宝石学特征１－１　测试样品本文测试样品为一条红宝石伴钻石手链,来自于广州市对一家有信誉的国营大公司的市场抽查。样品重７－５４ｇ,由１０粒规格为５－１×４－２ｍｍ的椭圆形刻面红宝石及１８粒圆形钻石组成,工艺精美,商家称为“镶嵌红宝石手链”。１－２　一般宝石学特征１０粒红宝石颜色统一,为较均…     

地质聚合物技术的发展近况

概要介绍了一种无机聚合物———地质聚合物。首先对地质聚合物材料的制备过程作了介绍。根据原料的不同,地质聚合物材料的制备可以有两种途径:一种是以偏高岭石为基础原料,一种是以粉煤灰为主要原料。通常以硅酸钠水溶液作为单体硅源,氢氧化钠溶液作为碱激发剂以提高原料的溶出性。对某些在常温和低于100 ℃下制备的独石材料作了介绍。对煅烧高岭石,叶蜡石,粉煤灰和钢渣的溶出特性作了阐述。应用SEM EDX,对以粉煤灰为原料的地质聚合物材料的化学组成作了分析。最后对地质聚合物材料的经济性以及在环境保护等领域的应用前景,特别是在减少二氧化碳排放与废弃物处理方面的意义作了介绍。     

Association of phosphate with rhyolite glass in marine Neogene tuffs from Patagonia,Argentina

The precipitation/replacement of Ca‐phosphate is a complex process that commonly takes place during the early diagenesis in marine sediments. The unusual occurrence of shallow marine, early diagenetic phosphatic deposits associated with glassy tuffs in the Neogene Gaiman Formation, in the Chubut Province, Patagonia, Argentina, constitutes a good case example for the study of replacement and precipitation of Ca‐phosphate on an unstable substrate. Isocon diagrams illustrate that chemical changes during glass diagenesis include gains in loss on ignition and Ca, and losses of K. These changes are the result of glass hydration during sea water–glass interaction, together with adsorption and diffusion of ions into the bulk shard; combined, these represent an incipient process of volcanic glass replacement by Ca‐phosphate. Subsequent early diagenetic P enrichment in the pore solutions led to phosphate precipitation, associated with pitting on the glass shards and pumice. The associated development of a reactive surface promoted the incorporation of P and Ca into their margins. Lastly, precipitation of calcium phosphate filled the vesicles and other open cavities, inhibiting further glass dissolution. The high porosity and reactivity of the volcanic glass provided an appropriate substrate for phosphate precipitation, leading to the development of authigenic apatite concretions in the volcanic‐glass bearing strata of the Gaiman Formation. This research is of significance for those concerned with marine phosphatic deposits and sheds light on the processes of early diagenetic phosphate precipitation by replacement of an atypical, unstable substrate like hydrated volcanic glass.