Mineral Suite Research Articles

Minerals As Electrode Materials for Ca-Based Rechargeable Batteries: Evaluation of the Pyroxene, Garnet, Melilite and Double Carbonate Groups

Rechargeable lithium-ion batteries dominate the consumer electronics and electric vehicle markets. However, concerns on Li availability have prompted the development of alternative high energy density electrochemical energy storage systems. Rechargeable batteries based on a Ca metal anode can exhibit advantages in terms of energy density, safety and cost. The development of rechargeable Ca metal batteries requires the identification of suitable high specific energy cathode materials. This work focuses on Ca-bearing minerals because they represent stable and abundant compounds. Suitable minerals should contain a transition metal able of being reversibly reduced and oxidized, which points to several major classes of silicates and carbonates. A recent work [1] discusses their electrode characteristics based on crystal chemistry analysis and density functional theory (DFT) calculations. The results indicate that upon Ca deintercalation, compounds such as pyroxene, garnet and double carbonate minerals could display high theoretical energy densities (ranging from 780 to 1500 Wh/kg) with moderate structural modifications. As a downside, DFT calculations indicate a hampered Ca mobility in their crystal structures with energy barriers for Ca migration exceeding 2 eV. More recent investigations found a lower energy barrier of 1 eV in the group of melilite with formula Ca2MSi2O7, where Ca ions are in a square antiprism coordination polyhedron and M is a transition metal ion in tetrahedral coordination.Acknowledgements: Authors are grateful for financial support from European Union H2020-FETOPEN funded project CARBAT-766617.[1] Torres, Luque, Tortajada, Arroyo-de Dompablo, Scientific Reports 9, 9644 (2019).

Controls on development of different mineral assemblages in gabbro and basalt during subduction metamorphism

Coexisting fine-grained (meta-volcanic) and coarse-grained (meta-plutonic) mafic rocks in a high-pressure (P)/low-temperature (T) complex (Sivrihisar, Turkey) preserve different prograde, peak, and retrograde mineral assemblages, providing an opportunity to evaluate controls on mineral assemblages in metabasites that experienced the same P–T conditions. Fine-grained metabasalts are garnet-bearing lawsonite blueschist and eclogite with similar assemblages that vary on a mm- to cm- scale in mode of glaucophane vs. omphacite. In contrast, metagabbro consists of a disequilibrium mineral suite of relict igneous clinopyroxene partially replaced by omphacite or hydrous phases (lawsonite + tremolite or glaucophane) in a matrix of fine-grained lawsonite, omphacite, tremolite, white mica, very rare garnet, and retrograde minerals (e.g., epidote, albite, and titanite), with later chlorite and calcite. Pseudosection modeling predicts similar peak P–T conditions (490–530 °C, 1.8–2.0 GPa) for both glaucophane-rich (blueschist) and omphacite-rich (eclogite) layers of the metabasalt and similar to slightly higher conditions (490–600 °C, 1.9–2.5 GPa) for metagabbro. The range of modelled H2O content at peak P–T conditions in metabasalt (2.0–5.4 wt%) is significantly lower than in metagabbro (6.4–8.7 wt%) due to the higher modal abundance of hydrous minerals in the latter. At the relatively similar peak P–T conditions, metagabbro experienced different reaction histories from coexisting metabasalt, thereby developing distinctive HP/LT mineral assemblages and modes (e.g., scarce garnet) owing to its more Mg-rich bulk composition (XMg = 0.58–0.84 vs. 0.50), higher H2O content, and coarser grain-size. This study is the first petrologic analysis of Sivrihisar metagabbro and the first systematic study of H2O content in metabasites from this locality, which is one of the best-preserved examples of lawsonite eclogite and blueschist in the world.

Tourmalines as a Tool in Provenance Studies of Terrigenous Material in Extra-Carpathian Albian (Uppermost Lower Cretaceous) Sands of Miechów Synclinorium, Southern Poland

The mature transgressive Albian quartz sands in the Miechów Synclinorium contain a poor (<1%) heavy mineral suite consisting of tourmaline, rutile, garnet, staurolite, ilmenite, zircon, monazite, kyanite, and gahnite. The other minerals, especially those containing Fe and Ti (e.g., biotite), are subordinate. Over 512 tourmaline grains from seven outcrops in the Miechów Segment were analysed using electron probe microanalysis (EPMA). The majority of grains belong to the alkali tourmaline group in which the X-site is dominated by Na (0.4 to 0.9 apfu). Detrital tourmalines are mainly dravite with a prevalent schorl end-member with average XMg values over 0.6. Apart from Mg and Fe, the other Y-site cations rarely exceed 0.1 apfu. Fluorine content is usually below the detection limit. Their chemical composition suggests that most tourmaline grains were sourced from Al-rich and Al-poor metapelites/metapsammites. The main source rocks for the Albian sands were rocks from low- to medium-grade metamorphism, probably from Al-rich quartz-muscovite schist and/or muscovite rich gneisses. Additional minor source rocks were granites and pegmatites coexisting with them. A comparison of the examined tourmaline to tourmaline from possible source areas indicates that these areas were located in the eastern part of the Bohemian Massif and/or eastern Sudetes.

Evaluating the Precise 39Ar/40Ar Dating of Multiple Mineral Potassic Phases in Ultra‐alkaline Rocks: Applications to Mantle Systematics

AbstractA suite of potassium‐bearing minerals from the Walgidee Hills lamproite intrusion in the Kimberley region of Western Australia was selected for 39Ar/40Ar dating. These included wadeite, jeppeite, priderite, potassium richterite, and phlogopite. All recorded excellent plateau ages, with the mean age of the combined data set being 17.3±0.3 Ma. Phlogopite recorded the largest uncertainty, whereas, of the other minerals, wadeite gave the best precision. Although rare to absent in common magmatic rocks, these minerals are widely distributed in alkaline complexes and in lamproite, kimberlite and orangeite intrusions. The results indicate this suite of minerals is excellent for 39Ar/40Ar dating and that they can be used singly or in combination to obtain the precise magmatic crystallization ages of ultra‐alkaline rocks. Because of the stability of potassium richterite at mantle depths, 39Ar/40Ar dating of MARID (mica‐amphibole‐rutile‐ilmenite‐diopside) xenoliths should be a more widely‐applied technique to investigating mantle geodynamics.

In situ U-Pb Dating of Calcite from the South China Antimony Metallogenic Belt.

SummaryAccurately determining the age of hydrothermal ore deposits is difficult, because of lack of suitable mineral chronometers and techniques. Here we present the first LA-MC-ICPMS U-Pb age of carbonates from hydrothermal Sb deposits. Three stages of hydrothermal carbonates from the giant South China Sb metallogenic belt were identified: (1) pre-ore dolomite (Dol-I), (2) syn-ore calcite (Cal-II), and (3) post-ore calcite (Cal-III). The U and Pb isotopic data show that Cal-II yielded a lower intercept age of 115.3 ± 1.5 Ma (MSWD = 2.0), suggesting a Sb mineralization that corresponds to an extension event occurred during the early Cretaceous in South China. Although Cal-III yielded an age of 60.0 ± 0.9 Ma (MSWD = 1.5), indicating a potential tectonothermal event occurred in this belt during the early Cenozoic. Hence, in situ U-Pb dating of calcite offers a new way to determine the age of hydrothermal ore deposits.

Carbonates at the supergiant Olypmic Dam Cu-U-Au-Ag deposit, South Australia part 2: Sm-Nd, Lu-Hf and Sr-Pb isotope constraints on the chronology of carbonate deposition

Mineralization at the supergiant Cu-U-Au-Ag Olympic Dam deposit (South Australia), the ‘uranium endmember’ of the iron-oxide copper–gold (IOCG) spectrum of ore deposits, is hosted in a breccia complex developed entirely within granite of the 1.59 Ga Hiltaba Suite (Gawler Craton). Earlier studies suggested brecciation and mineralization occurred within a magmatically-driven hydrothermal system at 1.59 Ga, with a critical role for mafic–ultramafic intrusions. In contrast, recent radiometric dating of the breccia complex indicates a prolonged, multi-stage history of brecciation and mineralization from 1.59 to 0.5–0.4 Ga. Ca-Fe-Mg-Mn-carbonate gangue minerals are associated with ore minerals at virtually every stage of mineralization. In a companion study (Apukhtina et al., 2020), this mineralogically, texturally and compositionally diverse carbonate mineral suite was assigned to seven associations defined on the basis of host lithology and texture. Here we report Sm-Nd, Pb-Pb and Lu-Hf isotope ages for these carbonates, which are used to examine the chronology of carbonate deposition. Initial Sr-Nd isotopic compositions are used to place constraints on fluid sources. Sm-Nd and Pb-Pb isotope systematics of calcite veins in ~1.59 Ga IOCG ore indicate 1.59–1.55 Ga deposition ages. Likewise, locally abundant laminated siderites have Sm-Nd ages in this age interval. A world-first attempt to apply Lu-Hf dating to carbonate gangue in an ore deposit yields ages that are 70–100 Ma younger than corresponding Sm-Nd ages, presumably reflecting isotopic exchange of carbonate Lu-Hf isotope systems with host rocks. Sm-Nd ages for carbonates assigned to other carbonate associations (hosted in highly altered inferred 1.59 Ga basalt and picrite; diverse settings within granite-dominated breccia; locally abundant megaclasts of green and red bedded sandstone/mudstone sequences; ~0.82 Ga doleritic dykes) are more diverse and range from ~1.59 to 0.5 Ga. The structurally youngest carbonates (unbrecciated fluorite-barite veins; carbonate matrix in polymict conglomerate above the breccia complex) yield ~0.50 Ga Sm-Nd ages. Inferred carbonate ages are broadly consistent with radiometric dates for other hydrothermal minerals (e.g., hematite, uraninite, apatite, fluorite). They suggest that mineralization initiated at 1.59 Ga was reworked and possibly increased in size in response to large-scale tectonic, magmatic, sedimentary and hydrothermal events. Initial 87Sr/86Sr in the carbonates is higher and more variable (0.710–0.752, average ~0.721) than could be explained by ore and gangue mineral formation from magmatic-hydrothermal fluids during a single event at 1.59 Ga, a model favored in several earlier studies. By contrast, carbonate formation over a long period, as inferred from the Sm-Nd chronology presented here, would allow ingrowth of 87Sr in the granitic host rocks to develop the heterogeneous initial 87Sr/86Sr recorded in the carbonates. Carbonate-bearing fluids appear to have sourced Nd (and most likely also Sr) locally, within the host granite and breccia, with contributions from mafic rocks. The emerging evidence for protracted, multi-stage mineralization implies that single-stage models for Olympic Dam need to be revisited and that all studies of sulfide and gangue minerals in this deposit require careful radiometric dating. We speculate that the polymetallic nature and unusually large metal reserves of the Olympic Dam mineralization are related to its multi-stage formation history.

Geology and inclusion studies on the genesis of the Baolun gold deposit in Hainan Province, South China

AbstractThe late Triassic Baolun gold deposit hosted by Silurian phyllites is a large‐scale high‐grade gold deposit in Hainan Island, South China. The ores can be classified into quartz‐vein dominated type and less altered rock type. Three mineralization stages were recognized by mineral assemblages. The early stage, as the most important mineralization stage, is characterized by a quartz–native gold assemblage. The muscovite−quartz−pyrite−native gold assemblage is related to the intermedium mineralization stage. In late mineralization stage, native gold and Bi‐bearing minerals are paragenetic minerals. Microthermometry analyses show that the early mineralization stage is characterized by two types of fluid inclusions, including CO2‐rich inclusions (C‐type) and aqueous inclusions (W‐type). C‐type inclusions homogenize at 276–335°C with an averaged value of 306°C and have salinities of 1.0–10.0 wt% NaCl equivalent (mean value of 4.9 wt% NaCl equivalent). W‐type inclusions homogenize at 252–301°C (mean value of 278°C) with salinity of 4.0–9.7 wt% NaCl equivalent (mean value of 7.4 wt% NaCl equivalent). In intermedium mineralization stage, C‐type and W‐type inclusions homogenize at 228–320°C (mean value of 283°C) and 178–296°C (mean value of 241°C), with salinities of 2.4–9.9 wt% NaCl equivalent (mean value of 6.5 wt% NaCl equivalent) and 3.7–11.7 wt% NaCl equivalent (mean value of 7.7 wt% NaCl equivalent), respectively. No suitable mineral, such as quartz or calcite, was found for fluid inclusion study from late mineralization stage. In contrast, only aqueous inclusions were found from post‐ore barren veins, which yielded lower homogenization temperatures ranging from 168–241°C (mean value of 195°C) and similar salinities (2.6–12.6 wt% NaCl equivalent with averaged value of 7.2 wt% NaCl equivalent). The different homogenization temperatures and similar salinities of C‐type and W‐type from each mineralization stage indicate that fluid immiscibility and boiling occurred. The Baolun gold deposit was precipitated from a CO2‐bearing mesothermal fluid, and formed at a syn‐collision environment following the closure of the Paleo‐Tethys.

Characterization of feed coals and coal combustion byproducts from the Wyodak-Anderson coal zone, Powder River Basin, Wyoming

The U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) determined the physical and chemical properties of more than 260 feed coal and coal combustion byproducts from two coal-fired power plants. These plants utilized a low-sulfur (0.23-0.47 wt. % S) and low ash (4.9-6.3 wt. % ash) subbituminous coal from the Wyodak-Anderson coal zone in the Tongue River Member of the Paleocene Fort Union Formation, Powder River Basin, Wyoming. Fifty-three samples of bituminous coal were collected and analyzed from a Kentucky power plant, which used several sources of bituminous coals from the Appalachian and Illinois Basins. Based on scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and X-ray diffraction (XRD) analyses of feed coal samples collected and analyzed from 1996 through the late 2000s, two mineral suites were identified: (1) a primary or detrital suite consisting of quartz (including beta-form grains), biotite, feldspar, and minor zircon; and (2) a secondary authigenic mineral suite containing alumino-phosphates (crandallite and gorceixite), kaolinite, carbonates (calcite and dolomite), quartz, anatase, barite, and pyrite. The detrital mineral suite is interpreted, in part, to be of volcanic origin, whereas the authigenic mineral suite is interpreted, in part, to be the result of the alteration of the volcanic minerals. The mineral suites have contributed to the higher amounts of barium, calcium, magnesium, phosphorus, sodium, strontium, and titanium in the Powder River Basin feed coals in comparison to eastern US coals. XRD analysis indicates that (1) fly ash is mostly aluminate glass, perovskite, lime, gehlenite, quartz, and phosphates with minor amounts of periclase, anhydrite, hematite, and spinel group minerals; and (2) bottom ash is predominantly quartz, plagioclase (albite and anorthite), pyroxene (augite and fassaite), rhodonite, and akermanite, and spinel group minerals. Microprobe and SEM analyses of fly ash samples revealed quartz, zircon, and monazite, euhedral laths of corundum with merrillite, hematite, dendritic spinels/ferrites, wollastonite, and periclase. The abundant calcium and magnesium mineral phases in the fly ash are attributed to the alteration of carbonate, clay, and phosphate minerals in the feed coal during combustion. The calcium- and magnesium-rich and alumino-phosphate mineral phases in the coal combustion byproducts can be attributed to volcanic minerals deposited in peat-forming mires. Dissolution and alteration of these detrital volcanic minerals occurred either in the peat-forming stage or during coalification and diagenesis, resulting in the authigenic mineral suite. The presence of free lime (CaO) in fly ash produced from Wyodak-Anderson coal acts as a self-contained “scrubber” for SO3, where CaO + SO3 form anhydrite either during combustion or in the upper parts of the boiler. Considering the high lime content in the fly ash and the resulting hydration reactions after its contact with water, there is little evidence that major amounts of leachable metals are mobilized in the disposal or utilization of this fly ash.

Nutritional Quality of Plant Species in Pyrenean Hay Meadows of High Diversity

The feed quality of 34 species (27 dicotyledonous and 7 grasses) present in the vegetation of the Pyrenean mountain hay meadows rich in species subject to extensive management is analyzed in this paper. For this, just before mowing, samples were taken in the field and their organic and mineral components were determined in the laboratory. The results indicate that some species, such as Taraxacum officinale, Sanguisorba minor, Chaerophyllum aureum, and Lotus corniculatus, are outstanding in their forage feed value and, in the cases of T. officinale and C. aureum, also for their mineral content. The non-leguminous forbs studied presented quality comparable to legumes and higher than grasses, which provide worse nutritional values in this type of late-cut meadow. The forbs are shown to have higher content than grasses and legumes in Mg, K, and Na, as well as intermediate Ca content. All species present suitable mineral content for animal nutrition, except in the case of P, which is low. The Ca:P ratio is higher than adequate in half of the species analyzed, while the K:(Ca + Mg) ratio is appropriate for all species. The ratios between the elements N, P, and K indicate that most of the species studied grow under N-limited conditions, which are adequate for their conservation in the meadows.

Heavy Mineral Distribution in the Lokoja and Patti Formations, Southern Bida Basin, Nigeria: Implications for Provenance, Maturity and Transport History

Abstract Heavy mineral component of 13 samples from the Lokoja and Patti Formations, Bida Basin have been studied for their textural characteristics, compositional abundance, maturity and provenance determinations. The suite of heavy minerals encountered is classified as opaque and non-opaque constituents. The non-opaque components include zircon, tourmaline, rutile, garnet, staurolite, epidote, kyanite, titanite, lawsonite, cassiterite, sillimanite, hornblende, hypersthene and andalusite. The assemblage is generally dominated by zircon and tourmaline in the two formations. The constituent heavy minerals identified are dominated by ultra-stable and stable classes, whereas the ZTR indices indicate mineralogical immaturity coupled with textural immaturity of the constituent grains. This suggests the possible dominance of chemical weathering of the source rock. The suites of minerals recovered have been linked to both metamorphic and non-metamorphic crystalline rock origins.

Sixth-century AD glassware from Jelica, Serbia—an increasingly complex picture of late antiquity glass composition

In this paper, the chemical analyses of forty-two samples of glassware from the sixth to early seventh century AD Byzantine settlement of Gradina on Jelica, Serbia are reported, completing the previous study of forty windowpane samples from the same site. Apart from a single plant ash glass, all other glasses are natron-based, classified as Foy 2.1 (thirty-four), Foy 3.2 (six), and Roman (two). The ten colourless glasses from the assemblage are decolourised with manganese. Five glasses are intentionally coloured blue with cobalt and copper, one black with iron. Four blue glasses are opacified, one with antimony, one perhaps with tin. Some Jelica glass finds classified as Foy 3.2 are specific for having magnesium levels above those characteristic for serie 3.2. Jelica glasses assigned to Foy 2.1 group were further divided into low iron (twenty), high iron (four), and very high iron (six) subgroups. The overall compositional pattern of Jelica samples identified as Foy 2.1 suggest that different sands with different heavy mineral suites and sources of lime were used in their making, as well as different levels of recycling. Our findings indicate that the reasons for the compositional blurring of Foy 3.2 and Foy 2.1 are not limited to technological reasons such as recycling, but also include variations in the sand minerals. The results support the picture of the dominance of Foy 2.1 and Foy 3.2 types of glass in central and eastern Balkans and on the Macedonian-Thracian coast during the sixth century AD. Our findings, together with the apparent absence of Levantine glass from this region reported until now, suggest that different trade routes were supplying these regions with Eastern Mediterranean raw glass from those supplying Adriatic Sea coasts.

Controls on Early Cretaceous desert sediment provenance in south‐west Gondwana, Botucatu Formation (Brazil and Uruguay)

AbstractThe Lower Cretaceous Botucatu Formation records the development of widespread dry–aeolian desert sedimentation throughout the Paraná Basin in south‐west Gondwana. To reconstruct the provenance of the aeolian sediment, petrography, granulometric analysis, U‐Pb detrital zircon ages have been determined from along the southern basin margin in Rio Grande do Sul state (southern Brazil) and Uruguay (Tacuarembó region). The dataset reveals a mean composition Qt89F8L3, comprising very fine to medium‐grained quartozose and feldspatho‐quartzose framework. Heavy mineral analysis reveals an overall dominance of zircon, tourmaline and rutile grains (mean ZTR0.84) with sporadic garnet, epidote and pyrolusite occurrences. The detrital zircon U‐Pb ages are dominated by Cambrian to Neoproterozoic (515 to 650 Ma), Tonian to Stenian (900 to 1250 Ma) and Orosirian to Rhyacian (1.8 to 2.2 Ga) material. The detrital zircon dataset demonstrates a significant lateral variation in sediment provenance: Cambrian to Neoproterozoic detrital zircons dominate in the east, while Tonian to Stenian and Orosirian to Rhyacian ages predominate in the west of the study area. Sandstones are quartz‐rich with dominantly durable zircon, tourmaline and rutile heavy mineral suite, with subtle but statistically significant along‐strike differences in heavy mineral populations and detrital mineralogy which are thought to record local sediment input points into the aeolian system. The similar age spectra of Botucatu desert with proximal Paraná Basin units, the predominance of quartzose, and zircon, tourmaline and rutile components, suggests that recycling is the mechanism responsible for the erg feeding.

Equipment selection in mineral processing - A sensitivity analysis approach for a fuzzy multiple criteria decision making model

Selecting the most suitable mineral processing equipment among feasible alternatives with respect to multiple conflicting criteria is considered a Multiple Criteria Decision Making (MCDM) problem. For example, a type of crusher that might allow a very high throughput is less likely to be used in a mobile plant, so trade-offs between these type of criteria need to be clearly defined in the decision making process. One of the most frequently used MCDM methods is the Analytical Hierarchy Process (AHP) method, which relies on judgements from decision makers that allow for comparisons to be made between alternatives (e.g. the type of equipment) or criteria (e.g. the characteristics of the equipment that are of interest). However, AHP is not able to capture the uncertainty associated with the various decision makers’ judgements and the lack of precise information. An integrated constrained fuzzy stochastic analytic hierarchy process (IC-FSAHP) is a new hybrid MCDM method that can be used to overcome the aforementioned limitations of AHP. In order to understand the robustness of AHP based methods, a sensitivity analysis of the decision making results is required. However, sensitivity analyses are not often carried out for fuzzy AHP methods, arguably because of the complexity of some of the procedures involved, the computation time required and the limited resources available to do so. The main objective of this paper is therefore to propose a new sensitivity analysis approach by applying an additional fuzzification factor and disagreement level of decision makers in order to model uncertainty. For this purpose, a case study for the selection of primary crushers was considered. Five types of primary crushers were evaluated with respect to six criteria to showcase the applicability of the proposed approach to assess IC-FSAHP. The results obtained showcase that the proposed sensitivity analysis approach is capable of providing extensive and useful “what-if” information on the decision making results.

Heavy Mineral Composition and Sources of Himalayan Neogene Sediments Occurring along the Garu-Likabali Road Section, West Siang District, Arunachal Pradesh, India

The Neogene sedimentary sequence of the Arunachal Himalayas is represented by the Dafla, Subansiri and Kimin Formations. Their systematic heavy mineral analysis along the Garu-Likabali Road section indicates that the heavy mineral assemblage is composed of fifteen heavy mineral varieties comprising of andalusite, biotite, chloritoid, chlorite, epidote, garnet, hornblende, hypersthene, kyanite, muscovite, rutile, sphene, staurolite, tourmaline and zircon, besides opaque minerals. The assemblage points towards a complex sediment provenance for the Neogene sedimentary sequences with sediment inputs from pre-existing igneous, metamorphic and sedimentary rocks. The boundary between the Dafla and Subansiri Formation in the region can be demarcated on the basis of disappearance of Hypersthene in the heavy mineral suite of the older Dafla Formation as well as appearance and persistence of staurolite in the same Formation.

Geochemistry of the Athabasca Basin, Saskatchewan, Canada, and the unconformity-related uranium deposits hosted by it

ABSTRACTA large data set comprising near-total digestion analyses of whole rock samples from the Athabasca Basin, Saskatchewan, Canada (based principally on the Geological Survey of Canada open file 7495), containing more than 20,000 analyses, was used to define the average chemical composition of Athabasca Group sandstones and of unconformity-related uranium deposits hosted by the basin.The chemical composition of unaltered and un-mineralized Athabasca Group sandstones is dominated by Al (median Al2O3 of 1.14 wt.%), Fe (median Fe2O3 of 0.24 wt.%), and K (median K2O of 0.11 wt.%; Si was not measured), corresponding mostly to the presence of kaolin, illite, and hematite, in addition to the most-abundant quartz. The median concentration of U in the barren sandstones is 1 ppm, with 5 ppm Th, 3 ppm Pb, and 56 ppm ΣREE. Other trace elements present in significant amounts are Zr (median of 100 ppm), Sr (median of 69 ppm), and B (median of 43 ppm), corresponding to the presence of zircon, illite, and dravite.The elements most enriched in a typical Athabasca Basin unconformity-related uranium deposit relative to the barren sandstone are U (median enrichment of ×710), Bi (×175), V (×77), and Mg (×45), followed by five elements with enrichment factors between 20 and 30 (Co, Mo, K, As, and Ni). These correspond to the presence in the ore bodies of alteration minerals (dravite, kaolinite, illite, chlorite, aluminum-phosphate-sulfate minerals, and a suite of sulfide minerals) and are similar to what has been observed before. These elements are similar to the typical pathfinder elements described above known deposits, but their usefulness has to be assessed based on their relative mobility in the predominantly oxidizing Athabasca Basin sandstones.

Characterization of the Heavy Mineral Suite in a Holocene Beach Placer, Barrytown, New Zealand

The placer deposit at Barrytown, New Zealand, has been worked for gold and is known for high levels of ilmenite that has not been exploited. Other heavy minerals are present but have not been well characterized, which is the purpose of this research. Sand grains were separated into the density fractions and the heavier fractions analyzed by laser ablation ICP-MS for elemental composition and by scanning electron microscopy (SEM) EDS in whole grains and polished sections. Grain size distributions were determined from SEM images of polished grain mounts. Elemental associations have been identified with different minerals. A wide range of ore minerals, or potential useful industrial minerals, have been shown to be present largely as individual sand grains. These include gold, ilmenite, garnet, zircon, monazite, allanite, uraninite, thorite, cassiterite, wolframite, scheelite, and columbite. The ilmenite contains many inclusions, consisting of silicates and phosphates and 100–400 ppm Nb. Scandium is found to be present in zircon at 100–600 ppm along with 3000 ppm Y. Monazite is depleted in Eu relative to chondrite and contains Ga and Ge at 1000–3000 ppm. Because the sand grains are mostly individual minerals, it is suggested that separation may be possible using a combination of density, electrostatic and magnetic methods to obtain almost pure mineral fractions. This knowledge should inform decisions on potential exploitation of the resource.

Nutritional requirements for mycelial growth of three Lentinus species from the Philippines

Lentinus (Family Polyporaceae) is one of the most common fungal groups of wild edible mushrooms found in the Philippines. In our intention to determine the nutritional requirements, this paper highlights the effect of different carbon sources, nitrogen sources, carbon to nitrogen ratios, mineral salts, organic acids, phytohormones, and vitamins on the mycelia growth of Lentinus swartzii, Lentinus strigosus, and Lentinus tigrinus on solid media. Mycelia favourably grew on starch, fructose, and sucrose and on ammonium chloride, yeast extract, and malt extract at C/N ratio of 10:1, 10:1, and 40:1, respectively. The most suitable minerals were KH2PO4 for L. swartzii, ZnSO4•7H2O for L. strigosus, and all minerals tested except CuSO4•5H2O for L. tigrinus. Organic acids such as lactic acid, acetic acid and citric acid also enhanced the mycelial growth. Growth-stimulating phytohormone, gibberellic acid (GA) and vitamin, pyridoxine produced superior mycelial growth of the three mushrooms. The results suggest the unique nutritional requirements of each Lentinus species evaluated, which are of significance in the formulation of chemically-defined culture media for efficient production of mycelia of consistent quality.

The sapphirine-bearing rocks in contact with the Lherz peridotite body: New mineralogical data, age and interpretation

Sapphirine-bearing rocks are described in the Aulus Basin (Ariège, France) in a contact zone between the Lherz peridotitic body and Mesozoic metasediments which underwent the Pyrenean Cretaceous high-temperature, low-pressure metamorphic event (Monchoux, 1970, 1972a, 1972b). Sapphirine crystals occur in layered clastic deposits characterized by an uncommon suite of Al-Mg-rich minerals. A detailed petrographic study of sixteen samples representative of the diversity of the Lherz sapphirine-bearing rocks is presented. These rocks include breccias and microbreccias with various compositions. Some samples are composed of polymineralic clasts and isolated minerals that derive from regionally well-known protoliths such as ultramafic rocks, meta-ophites, “micaceous hornfels”, and very scarce Paleozoic basement rocks. Nevertheless, a large portion of the sapphirine-bearing clastic suite is composed of mono- and polymineralic debris that derive from unknown protolith(s). We define a "sapphirine-bearing mineral suite” (SBMS) composed of monomineralic debris including: sapphirine + enstatite + aluminous spinel + Mg-amphiboles + Ca-amphiboles + kornerupine + accessory minerals (apatite, diopside, rutile, serpentine, smectite, tourmaline, vermiculite and a white mica). We highlight the dominance of metamorphic Keuper clastic materials in the studied rocks and the presence of inclusions of anhydrite and F-, Cl-, Sr-rich apatite in minerals of the Al-Mg-rich suite. The brecciated texture and the presence of unequivocal sedimentary features suggest that the sapphirine-bearing rocks were mechanically disaggregated and then experienced winnowing in underwater conditions with poor mixing between the different sources. We measured U-Pb rutile age data in order to provide constraints on the age of (one of) the protolith(s) of those clastic deposits. The obtained age (98.6 + 1.2 Ma) is interpreted as the age of metamorphism of this protolith of the SBMS. Previous works interpreted the Lherz sapphirine-bearing rocks as crustal protoliths modified at depth along the contact with the ultramafic rocks of the Lherz body during their ascent towards shallower depths. These new data imply: (i) an Upper Triassic to Lower Jurassic origin for the main protolith of the sapphirine-bearing rocks; (ii) the metamorphism of this protolith along an active hot crust–mantle detachment during Cenomanian times with the involvement of metasomatic, brine-type fluids; and (iii) its brecciation during the exhumation of the material due to the evolution of the detachment, followed by subsequent sedimentary reworking of the metamorphic material.

Sử dụng bột rong bún (Enteromorpha intestinalis) lên men có bổ sung khoáng để nuôi sinh khối Artemia

This study is aimed to assess the useability of fermented green seaweed Enteromorpha intestinalis (FGS) with minerals supplementation as feed to culture Artemia biomass. The first experiment was conducted to determine the suitable mineral concentration to add into FGS for Artemia culture. Different concentrations of mineral (0, 1, 3 and 5 g) were added to 1 kg of FGS with 3 replications per each and used to culture Artemia in 14 days. The findings showed that Artemia fed on FGS adding mineral at 3.0 g/kg obtained the highest length and survival rate. In the second experiment, Artemia was cultured in 21 days with 4 feeding treatments corresponding to the replacement rate of FGS at 0%, 25%, 50% and 100% of the industrial diet (ID), each treatment was repeated 3 times. The results showed that survival and Artemia biomass was highest in the 100% ID (85.67 ± 1.61% and 3.34 ± 0.28g). Artemia length was highest in 25% FGS replacement (7.60 ± 0.84mm) on day 14 of culture period. The fecundity of Artemia was highest in the 100% ID (84.43 ± 6.98 eggs/female) and lowest in the 100% FGS treatment (41.07 ± 6.73 eggs/female). The survival, growth and fecundity of Artemia during the experiment was always highest in 100% ID and 25% FGS replacement. The results showed the ability to replace fermented seaweed powder as food for Artemia franciscana with 25% replacement rate.

Multi-Tool (LA-ICPMS, EMPA and XRD) Investigation on Heavy Minerals from Selected Holocene Peat-Bog Deposits from the Upper Vistula River Valley, Poland

Peat sediments represent important environmental and climatic archives, as well as recording information on the processes affecting the formation of these deposits; combined these data can be used for paleoreconstruction of peat-bogs. In this paper we characterize heavy mineral-rich sandy layers from two peat-bog sites in Mizerów and Strumień (Poland). In both cases, the most common identified mineral suite is: epidote, staurolite, tourmaline (dravite and schörl), garnet, spinel, Al2SiO5 polymorphs (sillimanite, kyanite, andalusite), amphibole (mainly hornblende), pyroxene (e.g., richterite, diopside), perovskite, topaz, cordierite, apatite, monazite, chromite, ilmenite, chlorite, iron oxides, rutile and siderite. This mineral suite is characteristic of a metamorphic aureole surrounding a magmatic body. Pyrite is likely authigenic in origin. Apatite and monazite were employed for U-Pb and CHIME dating, respectively. Based on the U-Pb age information composition and textural features of selected minerals, different provenance areas were indicated: the Tatra Massif, the Bohemian Massif, and the Silesian Basin area. Transport of the investigated mineral phases was linked to development of both the Odra (praOdra) and the Vistula valleys.