Mineralogical changes during thermal demagnetization of natural continental sandstones

We study the mineralogical changes suffered by specimens of natural miocene red and green continental sandstones (from Pozuelos Formation and Tiomayo Formation) cropping out in the Argentine Puna that increase their bulk magnetic susceptibility and change color when thermally treated. We hypothesize that on heating siderite, which is present in small quantities as cement in the studied sandstones, would oxidize and decompose into maghemite and/or magnetite. Subsequent heating to higher temperatures sometimes would bring about the conversion of maghemite and/or magnetite to hematite. Mössbauer spectroscopy proved to be a very valuable tool for the determination of the presence of siderite in small amounts in the studied samples. The present results show that further work is needed in order to fully understand the mineralogical changes suffered by continental sandstones during heating. The characterization of such changes occurred during laboratory routines is relevant, since they can help to better understand natural processes.     

Authigenic carbonate precipitates from the NE Black Sea: a mineralogical,geochemical, and lipid biomarker study

Carbonate precipitates recovered from 2,000 m water depth at the Dolgovskoy Mound (Shatsky Ridge, north eastern Black Sea) were studied using mineralogical, geochemical and lipid biomarker analyses. The carbonates differ in shape from simple pavements to cavernous structures with thick microbial mats attached to their lower side and within cavities. Low δ¹³C values measured on carbonates (−41 to −32‰ V-PDB) and extracted lipid biomarkers indicate that anaerobic oxidation of methane (AOM) played a crucial role in precipitating these carbonates. The internal structure of the carbonates is dominated by finely laminated coccolith ooze and homogeneous clay layers, both cemented by micritic high-magnesium calcite (HMC), and pure, botryoidal, yellowish low-magnesium calcite (LMC) grown in direct contact to microbial mats. δ¹⁸O measurements suggest that the authigenic HMC precipitated in equilibrium with the Black Sea bottom water while the yellowish LMC rims have been growing in slightly ¹⁸O-depleted interstitial water. Although precipitated under significantly different environmental conditions, especially with respect to methane availability, all analysed carbonate samples show lipid patterns that are typical for ANME-1 dominated AOM consortia, in the case of the HMC samples with significant contributions of allochthonous components of marine and terrestrial origin, reflecting the hemipelagic nature of the primary sediment.     

Glauconites from the Late Palaeocene — Early Eocene Naredi Formation,western Kutch and their genetic implications

Glauconitic minerals are considered as one of the valuable input parameters in sequence stratigraphic analysis of a basin. In the present study glauconitic minerals are reported from subtidal green shale facies in the lower part of the Late Paleocene-Early Eocene Naredi Formation of western Kutch. On the basis of the foraminiferal assemblage the glauconite bearing beds are interpreted to have formed in a mid shelf depositional settings of an unstable marine conditions. XRD studies confirm the glauconite mineralogy of the green pellets and provide an estimation of glauconite maturity. Textural attributes of the glauconites confirm their derivation by different degrees of alteration of precursor feldspar grains. Because of the authigenic origin and autochthonous nature, these glauconites hold promise for understanding sequence stratigraphy of the Palaeogene succession of the western Kutch.     

陕西大西沟喷流沉积型菱铁矿矿床地质特征及矿床成因

陕西大西沟铁矿床位于秦岭造山带山-柞盆地西北部,与银洞子大型银铅矿床毗邻。矿体主要赋存在泥盆系青石垭组中上段,容矿岩石为一套海相复理石碎屑岩和碳酸盐岩建造。矿床的金属矿物主要有菱铁矿、磁铁矿、黄铁矿,其次为黄铜矿、磁黄铁矿等;非金属矿物主要是重晶石、石英、铁白云石,其次为方解石、绢云母、绿泥石、黑云母、斜长石、钠长石、堇青石等,局部地段由于表生氧化和次生富集作用而形成针铁矿、赤铁矿、蓝辉铜矿等。与矿化有关的围岩蚀变较弱,主要有硅化、绢云母化、绿泥石化和碳酸盐化。基于野外地质观察、矿物共生组合和矿石结构构造的系统研究,将大西沟铁矿床的形成划分为3期6阶段,分别是:①喷流沉积期:硅质岩-黄铁矿-菱铁矿阶段(Ⅰ)、重晶石-磁铁矿阶段(Ⅱ);②热液改造期:堇青石-黄铁矿-磁铁矿阶段(Ⅲ)、石英-碳酸盐阶段(Ⅳ)、碳酸盐-硫化物-磁铁矿阶段(Ⅴ);③表生氧化期(Ⅵ)。流体包裹体显微测温结果表明,喷流沉积期Ⅰ阶段菱铁矿完全均一温度和盐度w(NaCl_(eq))峰值区间分别为230～270℃和13%～14.5%,Ⅱ阶段重晶石中流体包裹体的完全均一温度和盐度w(NaCl_(eq))峰值区间分别为220～290℃和9%～13%;热液改造期Ⅳ阶段菱铁矿和石英中气液两相包裹体均一温度峰值区间为240～300℃,盐度w(NaCl_(eq))为2.6%～15.7%;热液改造期Ⅴ阶段菱铁矿与石英中流体包裹体,除大量气液两相包裹体外,还发育有含子矿物多相包裹体,其中,气液两相包裹体均一温度峰值区间为290～340℃,盐度w(NaCl_(eq))为5.1%～13.4%,含子矿物多相包裹体均一温度峰值区间为380～440℃,盐度w(NaCl_(eq))为40.6%～59.7%。含子晶流体包裹体可能是流体不混溶或/和高盐度流体加入的反映。矿区内不同产状碳酸盐矿物的C、O同位素组成比较均一,δ~(13)C_(PDB)值集中在-3.58‰～-1.15‰之间,δ~(18)O_(SMOW)值为21.22‰～21.82‰,均表现出海相碳酸盐或海底喷流热液溶解海相碳酸盐的特征。大西沟矿床的地质、矿化和流体特征与海底热液喷流沉积型矿床一致,可能属于典型的喷流沉积型菱铁矿床,但后期受到秦岭造山作用的影响及热液叠加改造并形成磁铁矿和少量硫化物。大西沟菱铁矿矿床与邻近的银洞子铅锌矿组成一个较完整的喷流沉积成矿系统,两者可能分别代表了喷流沉积的边缘相和中心相。     

高压下天然菱铁矿的压缩性和电子结构研究

采用同步辐射光源和金刚石对顶砧(DAC)技术,对天然菱铁矿的压缩性和电子结构进行了原位X射线衍射(XRD)和X射线吸收近边结构谱(XANES)测试研究。在室温下随着压力逐渐升高至50.2 GPa,菱铁矿保持方解石型结构不变,但是逐渐向Na Cl型结构转变;刚性[CO3]2-基团平行于ab-平面定向排列使c轴的压缩性大于a轴。菱铁矿在44.6~47.1 GPa之间发生电子由高自旋态(HS)向低自旋态(LS)的转变,表现为体积塌陷8%。HS菱铁矿的等温状态方程参数为K0=112(5)GPa和K'0=4.6(3)。首次采用XANES技术对菱铁矿中Fe2+的电子结构进行了研究,结果表明:随着压力升高至37.3 GPa,Fe2+的配位和局域对称并未发生明显变化;此后电子结构开始转变,Fe2+的3d轨道分裂能降低,电子跃迁概率增大,呈现LS特性。     

Cathodoluminescence of authigenic albite

Authigenic albites in carbonate rocks typically grow in a high-grade diagenetic to low-grade metamorphic environment and often show Roc-Tourné-twinning sensu Füchtbauer. Based on an investigation of four Middle to South European occurrences, they show Mn²⁺- and Fe³⁺-activated cathodoluminescence (CL), as revealed by combined high resolution spectroscopy of cathodoluminescence emission (HRS-CL), electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR), and proton-induced X-ray emission (μPIXE).     

Using iron speciation in authigenic carbonates from hydrocarbon seeps to trace variable redox conditions

Seepage of hydrocarbon-rich fluids out of the marine sedimentary column is characterized by temporal changes of flow intensity and resultant spatially variable redox conditions. Authigenic carbonates at marine hydrocarbon seeps provide excellent geological and geochemical archives that serve to explore seepage dynamics over time. In this study, we investigated the potential of Mössbuaer spectroscopy and Fe contents of seep-related authigenic carbonates from the Congo Fan, the Gulf of Mexico, and the Black Sea for reconstructing past redox conditions and fluid seepage activity at cold seeps. The Fe speciation observed by Mössbauer spectroscopy and Fe contents suggest that (1) the Congo Fan carbonates precipitated in a sulfidic environment, (2) the formation conditions of seep carbonates were variable at the Gulf of Mexico seep site, ranging from oxic to suboxic and anoxic and even spanning into the methanogenic zone, and (3) the stratified water column of the Black Sea or suboxic condition resulted in low Fe contents of Black Sea carbonates. The study reveals that Fe speciation can provide constraints on the wide range of redox conditions that imprinted seep carbonates during the life span of seepage. Similarly, Mössbauer spectroscopy – particularly when used in combination with the analysis of redox-sensitive elements – is a promising tool to trace variable redox conditions in marine paleoenvironments other than seeps.     

南黄海自生黄铁矿成因及其环境指示意义

样品为１９８９年采自南黄海，利用显微镜，电子显微镜，电子探针和化学分析方法，对自生黄铁矿的形态，成份和同位素特征进行研究，在此基础上就其成因与形成环境的关系进行初步探讨。研究结果表明，自生黄铁矿集合体形态可以分为聚莓，单莓和细粒３种，霉体特征的形态是早期成岩作用阶段沉积物随机堆积的结果，可以作了沉积成因黄铁矿的形态标型黄铁矿微量成份特征显示其沉积成因，同时亦表现对泥质沉积物地球化学背景值的继承性，     

Anatomically preserved plants in siderite concretions in the shale split of the Foord Seam: mineralogy, geochemistry, genesis (Upper Carboniferous, Canada)

A shale split in the well-studied Foord Seam (Upper Carboniferous), Stellarton Basin, Nova Scotia, provides a rare opportunity to study little known siderite concretions with anatomically preserved plants from a limnic basin. Siderite concretions occur throughout the split, commonly as sheet-like, inter-connected lepidodendrid logs, or less frequently as spherical masses; they are typically vuggy. A sample of 14 stratigraphically oriented concretions in the split shows that primary siderite varies from 45% to 80% (wt.%) due to selective replacement by 5% to 40% ferroan dolomite or ankerite in plant tissues. These two minerals show large Mg/Fe and Mg/Ca variability and are Fezoned. Clay content ranges from trace to 20%, and quartz from 5% to 10%. Partial cell-wall destruction by erosion and changeable oxic/anoxic conditions, prior to siderite permineralization, resulted in preservation mainly of the more resistant plant tissues. On average, carbon from siderite is isotopically heavier (+4.8±1.9 0/00) than that from ‘dolomite' (−7.2±1.1 0/00). The distribution of and the positive correlation between δ¹³C and δ¹⁸O probably reflects the two fractionation processes associated with methanogenesis and ‘dolomitization', respectively, in the genetic history of the siderite concretions in the split. Siderite concretions formed diagenetically early from bicarbonate under reducing conditions in a slightly alkaline freshwater environment that precluded calcite deposition.     

Substrate control on formation and maturation of glauconites in the Middle Eocene Harudi Formation, western Kutch, India

Formation and maturation of glauconites within the early Middle Eocene Harudi Formation, built up in a lagoon to shelf transition in western Kutch, India is addressed taking recourse to a combined sedimentological, micropalaeontological and mineralogical investigation. The glauconite is authigenic and its occurrence coincides with maximum flooding. The glauconite is more matured within the fecal pellets and is less matured within the intra-particle pores of bioclasts namely, foraminifera, ostracoda, gastropoda and bryozoa. SEM-EDS, XRD and geochemical studies clearly document that the infilling within the intra-particle pores of bioclasts belong to nascent to slightly evolved glauconite (<5 wt% K₂O), while the pellet belongs to slightly evolved to evolved glauconite (5-7 wt% K₂O). Based on chemical characteristics and SEM investigations the glauconitization process can be best explained by the ‘verdissement theory’. The glauconite possibly formed as initial authigenic glauconitic smectite precipitates; while the pellet matured subsequently by addition of K, the process was hindered in case of infillings. The maturation process also involved addition of Si and release of Al, with or without release of Mg. The glauconite maturation was facilitated in case of fecal pellets because of higher porosity, inter-granular nature of pores and availability of necessary elements in semi-confined micro-environments. In contrast, the maturation was aborted at an early stage in case of infillings because of the minute, closed nature of the pores and prevalent alkaline conditions not allowing dissolution of calcitic tests. A low negative cerium anomaly suggests glauconite formation in sub-oxic micro-environments, created by decay of organic matters within the fecal pellets and bioclasts. A clear case of substratum control on glauconitization becomes apparent.