Dissolution and depletion of ferromagnesian minerals from Holocene tephra layers in an acid bog,New Zealand,and implications for tephra correlation

This study examines the depletion of ferromagnesian silicate minerals from a sequence of thin, distal, mainly rhyolitic tephra layers of Holocene age preserved in an acid peat bog (Kopouatai), North Island, New Zealand. The rate of such depletion has been fast, as indicated by the complete loss of biotite from one tephra layer (Kaharoa Tephra), in which it is normally dominant, in only ca. 770 yr. Chemical dissolution is advocated as the likely cause for the depletion, with amphiboles and other mineral grains commonly showing etch pits, microcaves, and other characteristic surface solution features. Theoretical thermodynamic and kinetic models show a marked increase in the rate of dissolution of all ferromagnesian minerals under conditions of low pH (< 4), but that where silica concentrations in solution are high the relative proportions of minerals remaining are unaffected. However, where concentrations of dissolved silica are low, as in most bog environments, the relative proportions of ferromagnesian minerals are affected as well as absolute amounts being decreased. Amphiboles are depleted relative to pyroxenes, consistent with kinetic studies. The results show that the identification and correlation of tephras on the basis of relative abundances of ferromagnesian minerals alone may be unreliable, and emphasise the need to use multiple criteria in such studies.     

广西岩溶区金属硫化物矿床风化与元素表生迁移特征

对广西岩溶区三个铅锌硫化物矿床风化带观测结果表明，中低山岩溶区硫化物矿床具有更强烈的风化淋滤作用，但次生晕面积较小；岩溶平原区硫化物矿床风化与元素表生迁移特征较相似于非岩溶区的情况，表现在可产生较宽的ｐＨ偏低带和较大面积的次生晕     

Microbial release of potassium from K-bearing minerals by thermophilic fungus Aspergillus fumigatus

A strain of thermophilic fungus Aspergillus fumigatus was cultured with K-bearing minerals to determine if microbe-mineral interactions enhance the release of mineralic potassium. Experiments were carried out in two settings, one with the mineral grains and the fungal cells in direct contact, and the other employing a membrane (pore size 0.22 μm) to separate the two. Measurements over a period of 30 days showed that, irrespective of the experimental setup, the concentration of free K in the culture was drastically higher than those in any of the control experiments where no living organism was present. Moreover, the occurrence of mineral-cell physical contact enhanced potassium release by an additional factor of 3 to 4 in comparison to the separation experiments. For contact experiments, Electron Probe Microanalysis revealed the formation of mycelium-mineral aggregates, and Atomic Force Microscopy imaging further indicated the possible ingestion of mineral particles by the fungus cells. Contrasting to what was observed and expected in control experiments, the potassium solubilization rate showed a positive dependence upon pH when fungi and minerals were mixed directly, and exhibited no correlations with solution acidity if cell-rock contact was restrained. These results appear to suggest that A. fumigatus promoted potassium release by means of at least three likely routes, one through the complexation of soluble organic ligands, another appealing to the immobile biopolymers such as the insoluble components of secretion, and the third related to the mechanical forces in association with the direct physical contact between cells and mineral particles.     

An Attempt to Predict the Failure Time of Abandoned Mine Pillars

Summary  Left in place pillars of abandoned mines are subject to weathering (e.g action of water, bacteria) that degrades their mechanical strength and eventually leads to collapse. A simple weathering model is proposed, that is governed by two parameters: the rate of progression of weathered front and the rate of degradation of the compressive strength with time. Both plane strain and axisymmetric analyses are performed and closed form solutions of the variation with time of the bearing capacity of the pillar are given. Experimental data of the tests conducted on gypsum and anhydrite specimens attacked by water are presented. It is shown that in order to fit the experimental data a third parameter must be introduced. New closed form solutions are given and the data are used for estimating the time to failure of abandoned gypsum mines in Northern Italy. Authors’ address: Dr. Riccardo Castellanza, Research Assistant, Department of Structural Engineering, Milan University of Technology (Politecnico), Piazza Leonardo da Vinci 32, 20133 Milan, Italy     

Effect of Bacillus mucilaginosus on weathering of phosphorite and a preliminary analysis of bacterial proteins

The authors investigated the effect of Bacillus mucilaginosus on weathering of phosphorite. Analysis of different proteins was of significance in exploring the molecular biological mechanism in the bacterial weathering process. The concrete methods are described as follows： Mineral powder was put into liquid culture medium and B. mucilaginosus was incubated in the medium. The control （group） had no mineral powder in the medium. The treatments and controls were cultured simultaneously under the same condition. In a few days, the supernatant was filtrated, the main cations （Ca^2＋, Mg^2＋, Na^＋, Mn^2＋, Al^3＋, Fe^3＋, K^＋） were measured by ICP-OES, and the contents of water soluble phosphorus （Pws） and silicon （Siws） were determined by colorimetry. The residual solid was weighed on the filter paper, followed by digestion with concentrated HNO3. The concentrations of the main cations and Pws, Siws in the digest liquid were measured by using the method mentioned above. After the supernatant was centrifuged, the precipitation was used to analyze the protein differences between the treatment groups and the control groups by 2-dimentional gel electrophoresis （2-DE）. The experimental results showed that apatite and quartz were partially weathered, but kaolinite was dissolved completely. The population of bacteria increased when mineral powder was added in the liquid medium. Software analysis and comparison of the 2-DE pictures of bacterial proteins revealed 1134 visible protein spots in the treatment group, and 729 visible protein spots in the control group. To compare the bacterial protein expression contents of the treatment group with those of the control group, there were 496 different protein spots, including 214 protein spots which indicated that the protein contents increased, 75 protein spots were indicative of a decrease, and 207 proteins were newly synthesized. It is proposed that the increased bacterial contents may be related to some protein expression and activation after the     

中国南方离子吸附型稀土矿床成矿类型及其母岩控矿因素探讨

传统认为中国南方的离子吸附型稀土矿床可划分为以“足洞式”为代表的重稀土型和以“河岭式”(或“花山式”)为代表的轻稀土型两种矿化类型。然而，近年来发现的许多矿床(如清溪、寨背和馒头山等)的赋矿风化壳中出现了轻稀土矿与重稀土矿并存现象，表现出特殊的“上轻下重”双层矿体结构。这指示了除重稀土型和轻稀土型之外，还存在着轻重稀土共生型的过渡类型。本研究通过对三种不同成矿类型的若干典型矿床系统对比，指出成矿类型的多样性与母岩性质密切相关，尤其是母岩的稀土元素地球化学和稀土载体矿物属性是制约成矿类型变化的关键因素。统计数据表明，从重稀土型→轻重稀土共生型→轻稀土型，成矿母岩的全岩稀土总量变化不大(ΣREY: 200×10-6~450×10-6→200×10-6~500×10-6→200×10-6~800×10-6)，但轻重稀土配分值出现较显著的区间性差异(ΣLREE/ΣHREY: 02~1→1~5→2~10)。与之同时，母岩中能为离子相稀土提供物源且具有重稀土配分属性的稀土副矿物类型和数量明显减少，这与全岩稀土元素地球化学特征中重稀土分量占比的降低趋势也互相匹配。该结果指示，以往认为重稀土配分母岩形成重稀土矿床、轻稀土配分母岩形成轻稀土矿床的传统观点需要外延，即一部分具有低度轻稀土配分属性(1＜ΣLREE/ΣHREY＜5)且含有丰富易风化稀土副矿物的母岩还可能形成轻重稀土共生型矿床，该认识可为今后离子吸附型稀土矿床勘查工作提供新的找矿依据。     

南极长城站地区现代环境地球化学特征

本文通过环境背景值、风化壳地球化学、对流层(大气气溶胶)地球化学和人为地球化学异常,初步探讨了南极长城站地区的现代环境地球化学特征。分析表明:环境要素固有的地球化学性质、区域环境条件和自然环境演变之间具有深刻的内在联系。     

Cosmogenic nuclide methods for measuring long-term rates of physical erosion and chemical weathering

Understanding the evolution of geochemical and geomorphic systems requires measurements of long-term rates of physical erosion and chemical weathering. Erosion and weathering rates have traditionally been estimated from measurements of sediment and solute fluxes in streams. However, modern sediment and solute fluxes are often decoupled from long-term rates of erosion and weathering, due to storage or re-mobilization of sediment and solutes upstream from the sampling point. Recently, cosmogenic nuclides such as ¹⁰Be and ²⁶Al have become important new tools for measuring long-term rates of physical erosion and chemical weathering. Cosmogenic nuclides can be used to infer the total denudation flux (the sum of the rates of physical erosion and chemical weathering) in actively eroding terrain. Here we review recent work showing how this total denudation flux can be partitioned into its physical and chemical components, using the enrichment of insoluble tracers (such as Zr) in regolith relative to parent rock. By combining cosmogenic nuclide measurements with the bulk elemental composition of rock and soil, geochemists can measure rates of physical erosion and chemical weathering over 1000- to 10,000-year time scales.     

Forests, climate, and silicate rock weathering

Over time periods of 10⁶ years and longer, atmospheric carbon dioxide content is largely controlled by a balance between silicate rock weathering and CO₂ sources (degassing from the Earth plus net organic carbon oxidation). Vegetation cover can affect silicate rock weathering rates by increasing soil CO₂ content, stabilizing soil cover, and producing organic acids. Forests absorb more solar radiation than most other ecosystems; this tends to warm Earth's climate, especially outside of the tropics; this warmth would tend to increase silicate rock weathering rates. Here, we develop preliminary parameterizations of this effect that could be incorporated into carbonate–silicate cycle models, based on the results of general circulation model simulations.     

Weathering and climate change since l820 AD in Hoh Xil, Qinghai-Xizang Plateau, China——Evidence from element geochemistry of lake sediments of Gulug Co Lake

Element geochemistry of lake sediments has been widely used to detect climate change because element composition and ratios can reflect the weathering degree in the source area. Given the dement composition of lake sediments from Gulug Co Lake, Hoh Xil, Qing- hai-Xizang Plateau, chemical index of alteration （CIA）, index of composition variability （ICV） and other element ratios have been used to establish the weathering sequence of this area since 1820 AD. The weathering is so weak that the element composition change is more sensitive to climate change and autochthonous processes. From 1820 to 1984 AD, there were two drier periods with a wetter interval from 1870 to 1945 AD. After 1984 the weather showed a tendency of becoming wet.