Platinum-Group Minerals in Chromitites of the Niquelandia Layered Intrusion (Central Goias, Brazil): Their Magmatic Origin and Low-Temperature Reworking during Serpentinization and Lateritic Weathering

A variety of platinum-group-minerals (PGM) have been found to occur associated with the chromitite and dunite layers in the Niquelandia igneous complex. Two genetically distinct populations of PGM have been identified corresponding to phases crystallized at high temperatures (primary), and others formed or modified during post-magmatic serpentinization and lateritic weathering (secondary). Primary PGM have been found in moderately serpentinized chromitite and dunite, usually included in fresh chromite grains or partially oxidized interstitial sulfides. Due to topographically controlled lateritic weathering, the silicate rocks are totally transformed to a smectite-kaolinite-garnierite-amorphous silica assemblage, while the chromite is changed into a massive aggregate of a spinel phase having low-Mg and a low Fe3+/Fe2+ ratio, intimately associated with Ti-minerals, amorphous Fe-hydroxides, goethite, hematite and magnetite. The PGM in part survive alteration, and in part are corroded as a result of deep chemical weathering. Laurite is altered to Ru-oxides or re-crystallizes together with secondary Mg-ilmenite. Other PGM, especially the Pt-Fe alloys, re-precipitate within the altered chromite together with kaolinite and Fe-hydroxides. Textural evidence suggests that re-deposition of secondary PGM took place during chromite alteration, controlled by variation of the redox conditions on a microscopic scale.

The ultra-sonication of minerals in swine feed

A sample preparation method based on ultrasound assisted-extraction (UAE) of Ca, Mg and P from swine feed has been described. The experiment was performed to cover the variables influencing the sonication process and, the method validation using standard reference material. Final solutions obtained upon sonication were analyzed by flame atomic absorption spectrometry (for Ca and Mg) and by UV-vis spectrophotometry (for P). The best conditions for metal extraction were as follows: sample mass: 100 mg in 20 mL 0.10 mol/L HCl, a particle size: <60 μm, sonication time: 5 cycles of 10 s and ultrasound power: 102 W. The UAE method was applied in digestibility assays in different piglet feeds and their results showed that it is highly comparable (P > 0.05) to the other methods used for such purposes, as block digestion, and offered a Ca, Mg and P method of quantification limit of 10.6, 12.4 and 14 mg/kg, respectively. The major advantages of the UAE method compared to other methods are the high treatment rate, low reagent usage in the extracts and, it does not generate toxic residues that might negatively affect human health and the environment, accompanied by good precision and accuracy.

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.

Speleogenesis and secondary cave minerals in quartz-sandstone and quartzite environment

The main objective of this research is to improve the comprehension of the processes controlling the formation of caves and karst-like morphologies in quartz-rich lithologies (more than 90% quartz), like quartz-sandstones and metamorphic quartzites. In the scientific community the processes actually most retained to be responsible of these formations are explained in the “Arenisation Theory”. This implies a slow but pervasive dissolution of the quartz grain/mineral boundaries increasing the general porosity until the rock becomes incohesive and can be easily eroded by running waters. The loose sands produced by the weathering processes are then evacuated to the surface through processes of piping due to the infiltration of waters from the fracture network or the bedding planes. To deal with these problems we adopted a multidisciplinary approach through the exploration and the study of several cave systems in different tepuis. The first step was to build a theoretical model of the arenisation process, considering the most recent knowledge about the dissolution kinetics of quartz, the intergranular/grain boundaries diffusion processes, the primary diffusion porosity, in the simplified conditions of an open fracture crossed by a continuous flow of undersatured water. The results of the model were then compared with the world’s widest dataset (more than 150 analyses) of water geochemistry collected till now on the tepui, in superficial and cave settings. All these studies allowed verifying the importance and the effectiveness of the arenisation process that is confirmed to be the main process responsible of the primary formation of these caves and of the karst-like superficial morphologies. The numerical modelling and the field observations allowed evaluating a possible age of the cave systems around 20-30 million of years.

Identification and dissolution behavior of the secondary uranium minerals in the corrosion products of Depleted Uranium (DU) ammunition formed in soils

In der vorliegenden Studie wurden verschiedene Techniken eingesetzt um drei Proben (4, 7, and 8) die aus denrnKorrosionsprodukten von aus dem Kosovo Krieg stammenden Munitionskugeln, bestehend aus abgereichertem Uranrn(Depleted Uranium - DU), zu untersuchen. Als erstes Verfahren wurde die Raman-Spektroskopie eingesetzt. Hierbeirnzeigte sichin den Proben, charakterisiert durch einen Doppelpeak, die Anwesenheit von Schoepitrn(UO2)8O2(OH)12(H2O)12. Der erste und zweite Peakzeigte sich im Spektralbereich von 840,3-842,5 cm-1rnbeziehungsweise 853,6-855,8 cm-1. Diese Werte stimmen mit den Literaturwerten für Raman-Peaks für Schoepitrnüberein. Des Weiteren wurde bei dieser Untersuchungsmethode Becquerelite Ca(UO2)6O4(OH)6(H2O)8 mit einemrnPeak im Bereich zwischen 829 to 836 cm-1 gefunden. Aufgrund des Fehlens des Becquerelitespektrums in derrnSpektralbibliothek wurde eine in der Natur vorkommende Variante analysiert und deren Peak bei 829 cm-1 bestimmt,rnwas mit den Ergebnissen in den Proben korrespondiert. Mittels Röntgenbeugung (X-Ray Diffraction, XRD) zeigtenrnsich in allen Proben ähnliche Spektren. Das lässt darauf schließen, dass das pulverisierte Material in allen Probenrndas gleiche ist. Hierbei zeigte sich eine sehr gute Übereinstimmung mit Schoepit und/oder meta-rnSchoepit(UO2)8O2(OH)12(H2O)10, sowie Becquerelite. Weiterhin war weder Autunit, Sabugalit noch Uranylphosphatrnanwesend, was die Ergebnisse einer anderen Studie, durchgeführt an denselben Proben, wiederlegt. DiernAnwesenheit von P, C oder Ca im Probenmaterial konnte ausgeschlossen werden. Im Falle von Calciumkann diesrnmit der Anwesenheit von Uran erklärt werden, welches aufgrund seines Atomradius bevorzugt in Becquerelite (1:6)rneingebaut wird. Die beiden Hauptpeaks für Uran lagen im Falle von U 4f 7/2 bei 382.0 eV und im Falle von U 4f 5/2rnbei 392 eV. Diese Werte mit den Literaturwerten für Schoepit und meta-Schoepitüberein. Die Ergebnissernelektronenmikroskopischen Untersuchung zeigen U, O, Ca, Ti als dominante Komponenten in allen Messungen.rnElemente wie Si, Al, Fe, S, Na, und C wurden ebenfalls detektiert; allerdings kann nicht ausgeschlossen werden,rndass diese Elemente aus dem Boden in der unmittelbaren Umgebung der Munitionsgeschosse stammen. Gold wurdernebenfalls gemessen, was aber auf die Goldarmierung in den Probenaufbereitungsbehältern zurückgeführt werdenrnkann. Die Elektronenmikroskopie zeigte außerdem einige Stellen in denen elementares Uran und Bodenmineralernsowie sekundäre Uranminerale auftraten. Die Elementübersicht zeigt einen direkten Zusammenhang zwischen U andrnCa und gleichzeitig keine Korrelation zwischen U und Si, oder Mg. Auf der anderen Seite zeigte sich aber einrnZusammenhang zwischen Si und Al da beide Konstituenten von Bodenmineralen darstellen. Eine mit Hilfe derrnElektronenstrahlmikroanalyse durchgeführte quantitative Analyse zeigte den Massenanteil von Uran bei ca. 78 - 80%,rnwas mit den 78,2% and 79,47% für Becquerelite beziehungsweise Schoepit aufgrund ihrer Summenformelrnkorrespondiert. Zusätzlich zeigt sich für Calcium ein Massenanteil von 2% was mit dem Wert in Becquerelite (2.19%)rnrecht gut übereinstimmt. Der Massenanteil von Ti lag in einigen Fällen bei 0,77%, was auf eine noch nicht korrodierternDU-Legierung zurückzuführen ist. Ein Lösungsexperiment wurde weiterhin durchgeführt, wobei eine 0,01 M NaClO4-rnLösung zum Einsatz kam in der die verbliebene Probensubstanz der Korrosionsprodukte gelöst wurde;rnNatriumperchlorate wurde hierbei genutzt um die Ionenstärke bei 0,01 zu halten. Um Verunreinigungen durchrnatmosphärisches CO2 zu vermeiden wurden die im Versuch für die drei Hauptproben genutzten 15 Probenbehälterrnmit Stickstoffgas gespült. Eine Modelkalkulation für den beschriebenen Versuchsaufbau wurde mit Visual MINTEQrnv.3.0 für die mittels vorgenannten Analysemethoden beschriebenen Mineralphasen im pH-Bereich von 6 – 10 imrnFalle von Becquerelite, und Schoepit berechnet. Die modellierten Lösungskurven wurden unter An- und Abwesenheitrnvon atmosphärischem CO2 kalkuliert. Nach dem Ende des Lösungsexperiments (Dauer ca. 6 Monate) zeigten diernKonzentrationen des gelösten Urans, gemessen mittels ICP-OES, gute Übereinstimmung mit den modelliertenrnSchoepit und Becquerelite Kurven. Auf Grund des ähnlichen Löslichkeitverhaltens war es nicht möglich zwichen denrnbeiden Mineralen zu unterscheiden. Schoepit kontrolliert im sauren Bereich die Löslichkeit des Urans, währendrnbecquerelit im basichen am wenigsten gelöst wird. Des Weiteren bleibt festzuhalten, dass ein Anteil an CO2 in diernverschlossenen Probenbehälter eingedrungen ist, was sich mit der Vorhersage der Modeldaten deckt. Die Löslichkeitrnvon Uran in der Lösung als Funktion des pH-Wertes zeigte die niedrigsten Konzentrationen im Falle einer Zunahmerndes pH-Wertes von 5 auf 7 (ungefähr 5,1 x 10-6 mol/l) und einer Zunahme des pH-Wertes auf 8 (ungefähr 1,5 x 10-6rnmol/l bei). Oberhalb dieses Bereichs resultiert jeder weitere Anstieg des pH-Wertes in einer Zunahme gelösten Uransrnin der Lösung. Der ph-Wert der Lösung wie auch deren pCO2-Wert kontrollieren hier die Menge des gelösten Urans.rnAuf der anderen Seite zeigten im Falle von Becquerelite die Ca-Konzentrationen höhere Werte als erwartet, wobeirnwahrscheinlich auf eine Vermischung der Proben mit Bodensubstanz zurückgeführt werden kann. Abschließendrnwurde, unter Berücksichtigung der oben genannten Ergebnisse, eine Fallstudie aus Basrah (Irak) diskutiert, wo inrnzwei militärischen Konflikten Uranmunition in zwei Regionen unter verschiedenen Umweltbedingungen eingesetztrnwurden.

Leaching Copper Minerals in the Butte District

The history of mining in Butte is woven about three of our principal metals. The gold placers first attracted the attention of miners in 1863, and reached their peak production in 1867. Silver was the second metal mined, and this operation required the erection of large mills with a consequent increase in mining activity that made the district a prominent producer. Although the presence of copper in the silver ore had been known, the credit for the first development of the copper veins is due Senator W. A. Clark. The original Colusa, Mining Chief, and Gambetta claims were developed to 1872. The ore was freighted by wagon trains 400 miles to Corrine, Utah, thence by rail eastward, some of it going to Swansea, Wales. The cooper production of the "richest hill on earth" has mounted to ten billion pounds.

Relationships of Manganese Minerals in the Butte District

The use of manganese in the steel industry as a deoxidizing and desulfidizing agent makes it a necessity in modern industry, while the various alloy steels using manganese for the quality of toughness are also indispensable. Manganese is also used in the manufacture of such various articles as battery cells, paints and glass.

A Preliminary Study of the Separation of the Copper Sulfides from Sphalerite and the Effect of Certain Reagents on Some of the Pure Copper Minerals in Synthetic Mixtures

The problem of separating the copper sulfide minerals from sphalerite, in copper - zinc ores, has been a difficult one. This is largely due to the lack of adequate research and the small amount of data obtainable on the behavior of copper and zinc sulfide minerals in flotation circuits.

Geochemistry of minerals in CRP sediment cores from the Ross Sea, Antarctica

Sixty-four volcanic chists, sandstones and tephras between 5.95 and 618.19 meters below sea floor (mbsf) in the Cape Roberts Project cores 2 and 2A cores (CRP-2/2A) were examined for Cenozoic and Mesozoic volcanic components, using optical and Scanning Electron Microscopy. Minerals and glass shards in a selection of samples were analysed by electron microprobe fined with an EDAX detector. Laser-Ablation ICP-Mass-Spectrometry (ICP-MS) was used to determine rare earth elements and 14 additional trace elements in glass shards, pyroxenes and feldspars in order to pin-point the onset of McMurdo Volcanic Group (MVG) activity in the stratigraphic column. Pumices in tephra layers of peralkaline phonolite composition in Unit 7.2 -between 108 and 114 mbsf - were also analysed for trace elements by ICP-MS. This tephra unit is not reworked and its isotopic age (21.44 ± 0.05 Ma) is the age of deposition. The height of the eruptive column responsible for the deposition of the tephra was probably less than 8 km; the source was local, probably within 30 km from the drill site. Phonolite of unit 7.2 of CRP-2/2A has no direct petrogenetic relation with the peralkaline trachyte in the tephra-enriched layer of CRP-1 at 116.55 mbsf. Volcanic clasts and sand grains (glass shards, aegirine-augite, anorthoclase) related to Cenozoic activity of MVG were observed only starting from Unit 9.8, where they are dated at 24.22 ± 0.06 Ma at c. 280 mbsf. In this unit the lowest- occurring basaltic glass shard is found at 297.54 mbsf. Sampled McMurdo volcanics are generally vesicular and vary in composition from alkali basalt to trachyte and peralkaline phonolite. By contrast, below 320 mbsf, aphyric or slightly-porphyritic volcanic clasts become more abundant but they are all non-vesiculated, pigeconite and ilmenite-bearing basalts and dolerite of tholeiitic affinity. These rocks are considered to be related to lava flows and associated intrusions of Jurassic age (Kirkpatrick basalts and Ferrar dolerite). As in CRP-1, McMurdo volcanics appear to derive from a variety of lithologics. Besides glaciers, a dominant role of wind transportation from exposed volcanic rocks may be inferred from the contemporary occurrence of glass shards of different compositions at depths above 297.54 mbsf. These data confirm that the onset of magmatic activity in southern Victoria Land is considerably delayed (by about 24 Ma) with respect to northern Victoria Land.

Clay minerals in bottom sediments of the St. Anna Trough

This paper is devoted to studies of clay minerals from two cores collected in the northern and central regions of the St. Anna Trough, the largest trough of the Kara Sea. Upper Quaternary glacial, glaciomarine, and marine deposits are characterized by various contents of kaolinite, chlorite, illite, and smectite. It is established that, from older to younger deposits, amounts of kaolinite and chlorite generally decrease, while those of illite and smectite, on the contrary, increase. A joint analysis of distributions of clay and heavy minerals over the section allowed us to refine position of sources for terrigenous matter and their temporal variability. It is shown changes in sources of supply were directly related to climate changes that occurred when passing from glacial to marine sedimentation environments.