Crystallization conditions and controls on trace element residence in the main minerals from the Pedra Branca Syenite, Brazil: An electron microprobe and LA-ICPMS study

Major and trace-element microanalyses of the main minerals from the 610 Ma Pedra Branca Syenite, southeast Brazil, allow inferences on intensive parameters of magmatic crystallization and on the partition of trace-elements among these minerals, with important implications for the petrogenetic evolution of the pluton. Two main syenite types make up the pluton, a quartz-free syenite with tabular alkali feldspar (laminated silica-saturated syenite, LSS, with Na-rich augite + phlogopite + hematite + magnetite + titanite + apatite) and a quartz-bearing syenite (laminated silica-oversaturated syenite, LSO, with scarce corroded plagioclase plus diopside + biotite +/- hornblende + ilmenite magnetite +/- titanite + apatite). Both types share a remarkable enrichment in incompatible elements as K, Ba, Sr, P and LREE. Apatite saturation temperatures of similar to 1060-1090 degrees C are the best estimates of liquidus, whereas the pressure of emplacement, based on Al-in-hornblende barometry, is estimated as 3.3 to 4.8 khan Although both units crystallized under oxidizing conditions, oxygen fugacity was probably higher in LSS, as shown by higher mg# of the mafic minerals and higher hematite contents in Hem-Ilm(ss). In contrast with the Ca-bearing alkali-feldspar from LSO, which hosts most of the whole-rock Sr and Pb, virtually Ca-free alkali-feldspar from LSS hosts similar to 50% of whole-rock Sr and similar to 80% of Pb, the remainder of these elements being shared by apatite, pyroxene and titanite. This contrast reflects a strong crystal-chemical control, whereby a higher proportion of an element with similar ratio and charge (Ca2+) enhances the residence of Sr and Pb in the M-site of alkali feldspar. The more alkaline character of the LSS magma is inferred to have inhibited zircon saturation; Zr + Hf remained in solution until late in the crystallization, and were mostly accommodated in the structure of Ca-Na pyroxene and titanite, which are one order of magnitude richer in these elements compared to the same minerals in LSO, where most of Zr and Hf are inferred to reside in zircon. The REE, Th and U reside mostly in titanite and apatite; D(REE)Tit/Ap raises steadily from 1 to 6 from La to Tb then remains constant up to Lu in the LSO sample; these values are about half as much in the LSS sample, where lower contents of incompatible elements in titanite are attributed to its greater modal abundance and earlier crystallization. (C) 2012 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Sources of organic trace minerals in diets for weaned piglets

One hundred and twenty six piglets from a commercial genetic strain weaned at 21 days of age (6.11 +/- 0.42 kg) were used to evaluate the effects of supplementation levels of organic sources of trace minerals in the diets of weaned piglets on performance, occurrence of diarrhea, excretion of copper and zinc in the feces, and hematological parameters. A completely randomized block design was adopted, composed of six treatments (diets containing 100% of inorganic trace minerals premix at 3.00 kg/T; diets containing 0, 25, 50, 75 or 100% of organic trace minerals premix, equivalent to 0; 0.75; 1.50; 2.25 or 3.00 kg/T, respectively), seven replicates and three animals per plot. During the experimental period (from 21 to 63 days of age), the increasing levels of organic trace minerals premix in the diets determined a quadratic effect on daily weight gain (DWG), feed conversion (FC), percentage of hematocrit (Ht), hemoglobin (Hb), mean corpuscular hemoglobin (MCH), mean corpuscular volume (MCV), platelets (Pt), and a linear increase of Cu and Zn concentrations in feces. The comparison of means between the treatment with inorganic trace minerals premix and the other treatments showed that piglets fed diets without trace minerals premix had lower values of DWG, Ht, Hb, MCH, MCV, Pt and the worst FC value of piglets fed diets containing 25% of organic trace minerals premix presented lower values of Ht and Hb, in comparison with those fed diets with 100% of inorganic trace minerals premix. Inorganic trace minerals premix can be substituted by organic trace minerals premix at a lower level of inclusion in diets for weaned piglets.

Records of sedimentary dynamics in the continental shelf and upper slope between Aveiro-Espinho (N Portugal)

The sedimentary unconsolidated cover of the Aveiro-Espinho continental shelf and upper slope (NW Portugal) records a complex interplay of processes including wave energy and currents, fluvial input, sediment transport alongshore and cross-shelf, geological and oceanographic processes and sediment sources and sinks. In order to study this record, a set of surface sediment samples was studied. Sediment grain size and composition, as well as the mineralogical composition (by XRD) of the fine (<63 mu m) and clay (<2 mu m) fractions and benthic microfaunal (foraminifera) data were analysed. Cluster analysis applied to the sedimentological data (grain size, sediment composition and mineralogy) allowed the establishment of three main zones corresponding to the: inner-, mid- and outer-shelf/upper slope. On the inner-shelf, the sedimentary coverture is composed of siliciclastic fine to very fine sand, essentially comprising modern (immature) terrigenous particles. The sediment grain size, as well as mineralogical and microfaunal composition, denote the high energetic conditions of this sector in which the alongshore transport of sand is predominantly southward and occurs mostly during the spring-summer oceanographic regime, when the main river providing sediments to this area, the River Douro, undergoes periods of drought. This effect may emphasize the erosive character of this coastal sector at present, since the Ria de Aveiro provides the shelf with few sediments. On the mid-shelf, an alongshore siliciclastic band of coarse sand and gravel can be found between the 40 m and 60 m isobaths. This gravelly deposit includes relic sediments deposited during lower sea-level stands. This structure stays on the surface due to the high bottom energy, which promotes the remobilization of the fine-grained sediments, and/or events of sediments bypassing. Benthic foraminifera density and "Benthic Foraminifera High Productivity" (BFHP) proxy values are in general low, which is consistent with the overall small supply of organic matter to the oceanic bottom in the inner- and mid-shelf. However, the Ria de Aveiro outflow, which delivers organic matter to the shelf, leaves its imprint mainly on the mid-shelf, identifiable by the increase in foraminifera density and BFHP values in front of the lagoon mouth. The higher values of BFHP along the 100 m isobath trace the present position of an oceanic thermal front whose situation may have changed in the last 3/5 ka BP. This zone marks a clear difference in the density, diversity and composition of benthic foraminifera assemblages. Here, in addition, sediment composition changes significantly, giving rise to carbonate-rich fine to medium sand in the deeper sector. The low bottom energy and the small sedimentation rate of the outer-shelf contributed to the preservation of a discontinuous carbonate-rich gravel band, between the 100 m and 140 m isobaths, also related to paleo-littorals, following the transgression that has occurred since the Last Glacial Maximum. The winter oceanographic regime favours the transport of fine grained sediments to the outer-shelf and upper slope. The inner- and mid-shelf, however, have low amounts of this kind of sediment and the Cretacic carbonated complexes Pontal da Galega and Pontal da Cartola, rocky outcrops located at the mid- and outer-shelf, act as morphological barriers to the cross-shelf transport of sediments. Thus a reduced sedimentation rate occurs in these deeper sectors, as indicated by the lower abundance of detrital minerals, which is compensated for the high sedimentary content of biogenic carbonates. The relatively high BFHP and Shannon Index values indicate water column stratification, high supply of organic matter and environmental stability, which provide favourable conditions for a diversified benthic fauna to flourish. These conditions also encourage authigenic chemical changes, favourable to glauconite formation, as well as illite and kaolinite degradation. Benthic foraminifera and clay mineral assemblages also reveal the effect of the internal waves pushing upward, and downslope losses of the sediments on the outer-shelf and upper slope.

Micro-structural and compositional variations of hydrothermal epidote-group minerals from a peralkaline granite, Corupá Pluton, Graciosa Province, South Brazil, and their petrological implications

Epidote-group minerals, together with albite, quartz, fluorite, Al-poor and Fe-rich phyllosilicates, zircon, and minor oxides and sulphides, are typical hydrothermal phases in peralkaline alkali-feldspar granites from the Corupá Pluton, Graciosa Province, South Brazil. The epidote-group minerals occur as single crystals and as aggregates filling in rock interstices and miarolitic cavities. They display complex recurrent zoning patterns with an internal zone of ferriallanite-(Ce), followed by allanite-(Ce), then epidote-ferriepidote, and an external zone with allanite-(Ce), with sharp limits, as shown in BSE and X-ray images. REE patterns show decreasing fractionation degrees of LREE over HREE from ferriallanite to epidote. The most external allanite is enriched in MREE. LA-ICP-MS data indicate that ferriallanite is enriched (>10-fold) in Ti, Sr and Ga, and depleted in Mg, Rb, Th and Zr relative to the host granite. Allanite has lower Ga and Mn and higher Zr, Nb and U contents as compared to ferriallanite, while epidote is enriched in Sr, U and depleted in Pb, Zr, Hf, Ti and Ga. The formation of these minerals is related to the variable concentrations of HFSE, Ca, Al, Fe and F in fluids remaining from magmatic crystallization, in an oxidizing environment, close to the HM buffer. L-MREE were in part released by the alteration of chevkinite, their main primary repository in the host rocks.