Native Mercury Research Articles

Micronuclei, Pesticides, and Element Mixtures in Mining Contexts: The Hormetic Effect of Selenium.

The contexts where there are mining and agriculture activities are potential sources of risk to human health due to contamination by chemical mixtures. These contexts are frequent in several Colombian regions. This study explored the potential association between the frequency of micronuclei and pesticides and elements in regions with ferronickel (Montelibano, Córdoba) and gold (Nechí, Antioquia) mining, and a closed native mercury mine (Aranzazu, Caldas), with an emphasis in the potential effect of selenium as a potential chelator. A cross-sectional study was carried out with 247 individuals. Sociodemographic, occupational, and toxicological variables were ascertained. Blood and urine samples were taken for pesticide analysis (5 organophosphates, 4 organochlorines, and 3 carbamates), 68 elements were quantified in hair, and micronuclei were quantified in lymphocytes. The mixtures of elements were grouped through principal component analysis. Prevalence ratios were estimated with robust variance Poisson regressions to explore associations. Interactions of selenium with toxic elements were explored. The highest concentrations of elements were in the active mines. The potentially most toxic chemical mixture was observed in the ferronickel mine. Pesticides were detected in a low proportion of participants (<2.5%), except paraoxon-methyl in blood (27.55%) in Montelibano and paraoxon-ethyl in blood (18.81%) in Aranzazu. The frequency of micronuclei was similar in the three mining contexts, with means between 4 to 7 (p = 0.1298). There was great heterogeneity in the exposure to pesticides and elements. The "hormetic effect" of selenium was described, in which, at low doses, it acts as a chelator in Montelibano and Aranzazu, and at high doses, it can enhance the toxic effects of other elements, maybe as in Nechí. Selenium can serve as a protective agent, but it requires adaptation to the available concentrations in each region to avoid its toxic effects.

Структурные и геохимические особенности золоторудных районов Приамурской провинции

The article discusses structural confinement and geochemical features of localization of three historically formed gold ore districts in the Amur gold-bearing province: Solovyovsk, Gonzha, and Tokur, presenting the data on the gold deposits in the districts, from which, since 1890, the main amount of gold has been extracted. It is shown that the structural elements, determining the position of gold ore districts, are the zones of ore-controlling faults: South Tukuringra, North Tukuringra, and Jeltulak. The distinct spatial connection of the native gold and cinnabar dressing halos with the North-Tukuringra and South-Tukuringra fault zones has been established. The significant amounts of mercury in the native gold of the Amur province, as well as high gold content in cinnabar and native mercury are noticed, which may indicate the genetic proximity of the gold and mercury mineralization of the province. It is assumed that the main source of gold and mercury is the mantle matter, initially rich in these components. It is established that, in the Amur gold-bearing province, the principal geochemical feature of ore-controlling fault zones is gold and mercury mineralization confined to them.

Native mercury: discovery narratives as entangled histories of technology

Native mercury: discovery narratives as entangled histories of technology

Amphiphilic Thiol Polymer Nanogel Removes Environmentally Relevant Mercury Species from Both Produced Water and Hydrocarbons.

Technologies for removal of mercury from produced water and hydrocarbon phases are desired by oil and gas production facilities, oil refineries, and petrochemical plants. Herein, we synthesize and demonstrate the efficacy of an amphiphilic, thiol-abundant (11.8 wt % S, as thiol) polymer nanogel that can remove environmentally relevant mercury species from both produced water and the liquid hydrocarbon. The nanogel disperses in both aqueous and hydrocarbon phases. It has a high sorption affinity for dissolved Hg(II) complexes and Hg-dissolved organic matter complexes found in produced water and elemental (Hg0) and soluble Hg-alkyl thiol species found in hydrocarbons. X-ray absorption spectroscopy analysis indicates that the sorbed mercury is transformed to a surface-bound Hg(SR)2 species in both water and hydrocarbon regardless of its initial speciation. The nanogel had high affinity to native mercury species present in real produced water (>99.5% removal) and in natural gas condensate (>85% removal) samples, removing majority of the mercury species using only a 50 mg L-1 applied dose. This thiolated amphiphilic polymeric nanogel has significant potential to remove environmentally relevant mercury species from both water and hydrocarbon at low applied doses, outperforming reported sorbents like sulfur-impregnated activated carbons because of the mass of accessible thiol groups in the nanogel.

Measuring and mitigating mercury vapour in the collection cabinets at Museums Victoria

Mercury is present in the Museums Victoria collections in a variety of forms. These include mercuric chloride applied as a pesticide, pigments and paints containing mercury sulfide, scientific equipment containing liquid mercury and geoscience specimens including native mercury and cinnabar. All these materials can release mercury vapour into storage cabinets and have the potential to contaminate both storage surfaces and other nearby specimens. Extensive testing identified higher than acceptable levels of mercury vapour inside storage cabinets. Air from cabinets was sampled across all collecting disciplines including First Peoples, Society and Technology and Natural Sciences. Results showed levels of mercury vapour above 25 μg/m3 (TWA) in cabinets of bird skins and First Peoples’ artefacts treated with mercuric chloride pesticides and above 150 μg/m3 (TEEL) in the mineralogy collection. Mercury contamination was also detected on cabinet surfaces and storage boxes. Mitigation strategies implemented to reduce or handle this hazard include enclosing mercury minerals in gas barrier film, replacing contaminated cabinets with vented cabinets and engineering controls during the handling of specimens. Improved staff practices include procedures to dissipate vapour before accessing cabinets. Follow up testing confirmed a significant reduction of mercury vapour levels after the implementation of these mitigation strategies.

Organic matters and acid‐sulfate alteration in Itomuka mercury mine, Hokkaido, Japan: Implications for the transportation and deposition mechanisms of Hg

AbstractIn order to examine the transportation and deposition mechanisms of Hg, we investigated the ore and hydrothermal alteration minerals and solid organic matters from Itomuka mercury mine located in the eastern part of central Hokkaido. In addition to the ore minerals, native mercury and cinnabar, quartz, marcasite, alunite, kaolinite, and minor amounts of pyrite and smectite were identified in the Hg ore by powder X‐ray diffraction (XRD) analysis. This mineral assemblage of acid sulfate alteration was likely developed under the conditions of low temperature (≤100°C) and low pH (≤2) in the steam‐heated environment. The H2SO4 was produced above the water table by the oxidation of H2S separated from deep, near‐neutral fluids by boiling. The dominance of native mercury over cinnabar in Hg ore indicates that the greater part of mineralized Hg was transported as Hg0 in aqueous solution and vapor with low sulfur fugacity. The solid organic matters found in the Hg ore were analyzed with SEM‐EDS, micro‐XRD, and micro‐Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy, and these results suggest that the organic matters contributed to keeping the low fO2 of the Hg‐bearing fluid and transportation of Hg as Hg0 in S‐poor condition. Because the solubility of Hg in acidic fluid is low, neutral to alkaline fluid seems to have leached Hg from the basement sedimentary rocks of Hidaka Group which also supplied the organic matters to the fluid. The oxidation and cooling of Hg‐bearing solution and vapor triggered the deposition of liquid Hg as a primary phase.

Methods for extraction of mercury compounds from coal in Ukraine

The ways of prevention of environmental pollution by coal-containing mercury compounds are investigated in the paper. Coal mercury compounds are harmful and toxic impurities. In coal, the mercury is in the form of sulfides and mercury-containing organic compounds. Considerable amounts of native mercury and cinnabar are also recorded. The content of the mercury in terms of metal in the Donbass coal ranges from 0.01 to 1000 g / t. The highest concentrations of mercury compounds are due to hydrothermal and volcanic processes. In Donbass coal, the content of mercury compounds is on average 5 to 10 times greater than the background compared to other coal basins. The most common form of mercury compounds in coal are impurities in sulfide minerals. The content of mercury compounds in pyrite is two orders of magnitude higher than in the organic coal component. It is established that the bulk of the mercury compounds are contained in fine particles. The maximum content is fixed in a fraction of 0.1 - 15 microns. Thus, it can be assumed that the mercury compounds are predominantly contained in the mineral component of coal, which is more intensively ground. It is shown that washing with hot water and the complexing agent solution results in a decrease in the content of mercury compounds in the coal feedstock. The washing solutions become turbid, and this suggests that the mercury compounds are flushed out with fine particles. The increase in the degree of extraction of compounds of the mercury when applying the complexing solution is due to the ability of aurintricarboxylic acid to form complex compounds with the mercury ions. It can be assumed that in this case chemisorption occurs with the formation of complex compounds of the chelate structure on the surface of the particles, followed by dispersion of the particles of the dispersed phase. It was found that washing of the dispersed coal raw material is accompanied by weight loss. This indicates that the mercury compounds are leached from the coal in the form of dispersed particles. Waste sludge is to be disposed of with further disposal.

Measuring and Mitigating Mercury Gases in the Museums Victoria Collection.

For the past six years the conservation and collection management departments at Museums Victoria have been conducting a major survey to determine the type and extent of hazardous substances in the collections to better inform safe handling and storage practices. This paper focuses on mercury compounds in the collection, including mercury chloride applied as a pesticide, mercury sulfide pigments, liquid mercury used in scientific equipment, and mineral specimens such as native mercury and cinnabar. All these compounds can release volatile mercury vapour into storage furniture and have the potential to contaminate both the cabinet and other specimens stored nearby. Although previous testing had confirmed that the air in storage rooms and workspaces contained no detectable levels of mercury vapour, recent publications by Hawks et al. 2004, Havermans et al. 2015 and Marcotte et al. 2017 showing high levels of mercury vapour inside storage containers in herbaria raised concern that there could be higher than acceptable levels of mercury vapour building up inside storage cabinets at Museums Victoria. This prompted analysis of the headspace in cabinets using a Jerome J405 portable mercury vapour meter. Testing was informed by the results of previous hazards surveys using X-ray fluorescence spectrography to target cabinets where mercury vapour was likely to be present. Air from cabinets was sampled across the indigenous cultures, history, technology and natural sciences collections. Results showed levels of mercury vapour could be considerably above 25 μg/m3 the Australian time-weighted average (TWA) exposure standard for an 8 hour workday in cabinets of bird skins and indigenous artefacts treated with mercuric chloride pesticides. Results above 150 μg/m3 the temporary emergency exposure level (TEEL) were measured in the mineralogy collection. Mitigation strategies are being implemented to reduce the risks to staff health and contamination of other collection materials, including enclosing mercury-containing species of minerals in gas barrier film, venting high risk cabinets to dissipate vapour before accessing specimens, and engineering controls during the handling of specimens.

Draft genome sequence of Pseudomonas moraviensis strain Devor implicates metabolic versatility and bioremediation potential

Pseudomonas moraviensis is a predominant member of soil environments. We here report on the genomic analysis of Pseudomonas moraviensis strain Devor that was isolated from a gate at Oklahoma State University, Stillwater, OK, USA. The partial genome of Pseudomonas moraviensis strain Devor consists of 6016489bp of DNA with 5290 protein-coding genes and 66 RNA genes. This is the first detailed analysis of a P. moraviensis genome. Genomic analysis revealed metabolic versatility with genes involved in the metabolism and transport of fructose, xylose, mannose and all amino acids with the exception of tryptophan and valine, implying that the organism is a versatile heterotroph. The genome of P. moraviensis strain Devor was rich in transporters and, based on COG analysis, did not cluster closely with P. moraviensis R28-S genome, the only previous report of a P. moraviensis genome with a native mercury resistance plasmid.

Green Gold—Dirty Gold, Tad&amp;#243;, Dept. Choc&amp;#243;, Colombia

In place of mercury, small-scale alluvial gold miners in Tadó, Dept. Chocó, Colombia produce “green gold” (oroverde) using locally available plant extracts. The leaves of Balso (Ochroma pyramidale) and Malva (Hibiscus furcellatus) are crushed by hand and are mixed with water to make a foamy liquid that is added to the gold pan (batea) instead of mercury. After the plant extract is added, the gold, magnetite, and other heavy minerals sink and the lighter minerals are floated out of the gold pan. For final clean-up, a combination of other methods may be used. However, ICP (Inductively Coupled Plasma) analyses indicate that even green gold contains 208 - 4530 ppm Hg—this mercury may have been released from dragas or other small-scale gold mining operations that continue to use mercury; coal burning; volcanism; or native mercury released from cinnabar occurrences. ICP also indicates 308 - 106,000 ppm Ag and 452 - 585 ppm Pt.

Draft Genome Sequence of Pseudomonas moraviensis R28-S

We report the draft genome sequence of Pseudomonas moraviensis R28-S, isolated from the municipal wastewater treatment plant of Moscow, ID. The strain carries a native mercury resistance plasmid, poorly maintains introduced IncP-1 antibiotic resistance plasmids, and has been useful for studying the evolution of plasmid host range and stability.

Influence of SO 3 on mercury removal with activated carbon: Full-scale results

Activated carbon injection is considered one of the most cost-effective options for mercury control at PRB-fired power plants. However, roughly 30% of sites firing PRB coal use SO 3 for flue gas conditioning. The presence of SO 3 in flue gas can decrease mercury capture by activated carbon, sometimes dramatically. Overcoming activated carbon performance limitations caused by SO 3 conditioning for units with this configuration is essential to enable these plants to cost-effectively meet pending mercury emission regulations. Ameren's Labadie Unit 2 fires PRB coal and uses SO 3 to enhance particulate capture in the electrostatic precipitator (ESP). Full-scale sorbent injection tests at Labadie were conducted from 2005–2007. Six sorbents were tested at SO 3 injection concentrations ranging from 0 to 10.7 ppm. Sorbent performance was evaluated at two injection locations (the air preheater (APH) inlet and outlet). Native mercury capture on fly ash was typically less than 15%. When the mercury sorbents were injected downstream of the air preheater, the SO 3 concentration resulted in a decrease in mercury capture from 85% (no SO 3 injection) to 17% (SO 3 injection set at 10.7 ppm). Mercury sorbents were more effective when injected upstream of the air preheater. With the SO 3 system off, mercury removal increased from 75% when injecting 5.1 lb/MMacf of brominated carbon at the APH outlet, compared to 95% when injecting at the inlet. With the SO 3 system on, test results indicated an increase from about 30% injecting at the outlet to 58% injecting at the inlet. Tests evaluating the ADA-ES patented onsite milling process showed that 85% mercury capture was achieved injecting 4 lb/MMacf of milled activated carbon compared to a requirement of 10 lb/MMacf to achieve the same removal using as-received carbon, representing a 60% reduction in activated carbon consumption. No changes in opacity, APH and ESP performance, or other balance-of-plant effects were observed in these tests.

Geologic setting and characterization of coals and the modes of occurrence of selected elements from the Franklin coal zone, Puget Group, John Henry No. 1 mine, King County, Washington, USA

Upper middle and upper Eocene coal-bearing strata in the Green River coal district of Washington state are in the Franklin coal zone of the undivided Puget Group. Coal-bearing strata accumulated in intertidal and deltaic environments along a tidally influenced delta plain. Numerous shale and tonstein partings within the coals indicate that the coal formed in low-lying peat mires. To evaluate variations in element distribution within these coals, vertical bench channel samples from the Franklin No. 7–8–9 ( n = 24) and the No. 10 ( n = 11) coal beds were collected. Coal beds in the John Henry No. 1 mine of the Green River coal district have an apparent rank of high volatile B bituminous. No. 7–8–9 and No. 10 have a mean sulfur content of 0.67 wt.% and 0.9 wt.% respectively. When compared statistically to other western U.S. Tertiary coals, the Franklin coal zone in the John Henry No. 1 mine Franklin coal zone is significantly higher in contents of ash, Si, Al, Mg, K, Ti, Ag, As, Cu, F, Ga, Hg, Li, Nb, Ni, P, Sc, Sr, V, Y, Yb, and Zr, and has significantly lower contents of Ca, Na, B, Nd, and Se. Mean contents of several elements in the Franklin No. 7–8–9 and No. 10 coal beds are uncommonly high compared to western U.S. Tertiary coals. The No. 7–8–9 bed is higher in As (6.6 X, 44 ppm), Cu (3.8 X, 42 ppm), F (3 X, 190 ppm), Hg (44 X, 4.4 ppm), Mn (3.4 X, 170 ppm), Nb (4.4 X, 10 ppm), Ni (3.5 X, 16 ppm), V (4 X, 68 ppm), and Zr (4.9 X, 88 ppm). The No. 10 bed is higher in As (11 X, 81 ppm), Cu (3.2 X, 35 ppm), Hg (75 X, 7.5 ppm), Ni (3.3 X, 15 ppm), P (5.4 X, 1300 ppm), Sc (4.1 X, 8 ppm), Sr (2.5 X, 680 ppm), V (3.7 X, 63 ppm), and Zr (2.7 X, 48 ppm). X-ray diffraction analysis of the low-temperature ash from these coals reveals the predominance of quartz and clays (kaolinite, minor illite, smectite group, and mixed layer) and minor plagiociase feldspar (albite, disordered, and ordered Ca-bearing), carbonate (ankerite, calcite, kutnohorite, and siderite), pyrite, and clinoptilolite. Minor crandallite group minerals, zircon, and β-form quartz phenocrysts were also found, indicating that volcanic ash was deposited within the peat-forming mires. The presence of augite, hornblende, and smectite group clays in the tonsteins suggests a volcanic source that was intermediate in composition. The higher contents of Ba, F, P, Sr, and Zr in the Franklin coals result from the alteration of volcanic ash in the mires. Apatite contains major amounts of F and P, whereas feldspar contains Ba and Sr. Zircon is the primary Zr-bearing mineral. Crandallite group minerals are major Ba- and P- bearing minerals in the coals and can contain Ca and Sr. Higher As and Hg contents in the coals result from post-Eocene hydrothermal mineralization. Mines in the nearby Green River Gorge contain cinnabar, metacinnabar, realgar, and orpiment. Realgar and orpiment were found in fractured sandstone above the No. 10 coal bed. Kleinite and cinnabar, both mercury-containing minerals, were identified in coal samples and native mercury was found in one parting sample. Thermal and XANES studies on coal samples indicate that there are at least two modes of occurrence for Hg in the Franklin coals: (1) organic complexes containing Hg, and (2) Hg-bearing minerals within the coal and associated partings. Pyrite may also contain trace amounts of As, Hg, and Ni.

TERLINGUACREEKITE, Hg2+ 3O2Cl2, A NEW MINERAL SPECIES FROM THE PERRY PIT, MARIPOSA MINE, TERLINGUA MINING DISTRICT, BREWSTER COUNTY, TEXAS, U.S.A.

Terlinguacreekite, ideally Hg 2+ 3 O 2 Cl 2 , has a very pronounced subcell that is orthorhombic, space-group choices Imam , Imcm , Ima 2 and I 2 cm , with unit-cell parameters refined from powder data: a 6.737(3), b 25.528(10), c 5.533(2) A, V 951.6(6) A 3 , a:b:c 0.2639:1:0.2167, Z = 8. The true symmetry, supercell unit-cell parameters, and details regarding the crystal structure are unknown. The strongest nine lines of the X-ray powder-diffraction pattern [ d in A ( I )(subcell hkl )] are: 5.413(30)(011), 4.063(80)(121), 3.201(50)(080), 3.023(50)(161), 2.983(60)(240), 2.858(30)(211), 2.765(50)(002), 2.518(100b)(091, 251) and 2.026(30)(242). The mineral is found in an isolated area measuring approximately 1 × 0.5 m in the lower level of the Perry pit, Mariposa mine, Terlingua mining district, Brewster County, Texas (type locality), as mm-sized anhedral dark orange to reddish orange crusts of variable thickness on calcite, and rarely as 0.5 mm-sized aggregates of crystals of the same color. It has also been identified at the McDermitt mine, Humboldt County, Nevada, U.S.A., where it occurs with kleinite and calomel in silicified volcanic rocks and sediments. Terlinguacreekite is a secondary phase, most probably formed from the alteration of primary cinnabar or native mercury. At Terlingua, most crusts are thin, almost cryptocrystalline, with no discernable forms, and are resinous and translucent to opaque. Crystals are up to 0.2 mm in length, subhedral, acicular to prismatic, elongation [001], with a maximum length-to-width ratio of 4:1. They are vitreous, transparent, and some crystals have brightly reflecting faces, which may be {010} and {110}. The streak is yellow, and the mineral is brittle with an uneven fracture, no observable cleavage, and is soft, nonfluorescent under both long- and short-wave ultraviolet light. D (calc.) is 9.899 g/cm 3 (empirical formula). Material from the McDermitt mine is reversibly photosensitive, and turns from vivid orange to black in strong light. In reflected plane-polarized light, it is bluish grey, with very weak (in air) to distinct (in oil) bireflectance, nonpleochroic, and distinctly anisotropic, with colors masked by ubiquitous yellowish orange to orange internal reflections. Measured values of reflectance obtained in air and in oil are tabulated. Averaged results of electron-microprobe analysis give HgO 92.03, Cl 9.54, Br 1.22, sum 102.79, less O = Cl + Br 2.28, total 100.51 wt.%. The empirical formula is Hg 2+ 3.00 O 2.00 (Cl 1.90 Br 0.11 ) ∑2.01 , based on O + Cl + Br = 4 atoms per formula unit. The mineral name recalls the creek that flows through the Terlingua mining district and into the Rio Grande River.

Aurivilliusite, Hg2+HgI+OI, a new mineral species from the Clear Creek claim, San Benito County, California, USA

AbstractAurivilliusite, ideally Hg2+Hg1+OI, is monoclinic, C 2/c, with unit-cell parameters refined from X-ray powder data: a= 17.580(6), b= 6.979(1), c= 6.693(3)Å, β = 101.71(4)°, V = 804.0(5)Å3, a:b:c= 2.5190:1:0.9590,Z = 8. The strongest six lines of the X-ray powder-diffraction pattern [din Å (I )(hkl)] are: 8.547(70)(200), 3.275(100)(002), 2.993(80)(21), 2.873(80)(600), 2.404(50b)(02, 421, 22) and 1.878(50)(23). This extremely rare mineral was collected from a small prospect pit near the longabandoned Clear Creek mercury mine, New Idria district, San Benito County, California, USA. It is intimately intermixed with another new undefined Hg-O-I phase (‘CCUK-15’), and is also closely associated with native mercury, cinnabar and edgarbaileyite in a host rock principally composed of quartz and magnesite. Aurivilliusite occurs in a cm-wide quartz vein predominantly as irregular-shaped thin patches ‘splattered’ on the quartz surface; patches vary in size from 10–20 μm up to 0.5 mm. The only known subhedral platy brightly reflecting crystal fragment, with major ﹛100﹜ form and distinct ﹛100﹜ cleavage, did not exceed 0.2 mm in longest dimension. The mineral is dark grey-black with a dark red-brown streak. Physical properties include: metallic lustre; opaque; non-fluorescent; brittle; uneven fracture; calculated density 8.96 g/cm3 (empirical formula), 8.99 g/cm3 (ideal formula). In polished section in plane-polarized reflected light, aurivilliusite resembles cinnabar, is extremely light sensitive, shows twinning and no internal reflections, and exhibits an unusual ‘red light’ coalescing phenomena. Averaged and corrected results of electron-microprobe analyses yielded HgO 40.10, Hg2O 38.62, I 22.76, Br 0.22, Cl 0.06, sum 101.76, less O = I + Br + Cl –1.46, total 100.30 wt.%, corresponding to Hg1.002+Hg1.001+ O1.01(I0.97Br0.01Cl0.01)Σ0.99, based on O + I + Br + Cl = 2 atoms per formula unit (a.p.f.u.). The original value for Hg, 74.27 wt.%, was partitioned in a HgO:Hg2O ratio of 1:1 after the discovery of the crystal-structure paper dealing with the synthetic equivalent of aurivilliusite. The mineral name is in honour of the late Dr Karin Aurivillius (1920 –1982), chemistcrystallographer at the University of Lund, Sweden, for her significant contributions to the crystal chemistry of Hg-bearing inorganic compounds. Aurivilliusite is related chemically to terlinguaite, Hg2+Hg1+OCl, but has a different structure and X-ray characteristics.

VASILYEVITE, (Hg2)102+O6I3Br2Cl(CO3), A NEW MINERAL SPECIES FROM THE CLEAR CREEK CLAIM, SAN BENITO COUNTY, CALIFORNIA

Vasilyevite, a new mineral species of ideal composition (involving complete anion order) (Hg 2 ) 2 + 10O 6 I 3 Br 2 Cl(CO 3 ), is is triclinic, P1, with unit-cell parameters measured on a single-crystal X-ray diffractometer: a 9.344(2), b 10.653(2), c 18.265(4) A, a 93.262(5), β 90.548(4), γ 115.422(4)°, V 1638.3(9) A 3 , a:b:c 0.8771:1:1.7145, Z = 2. The strongest seven lines of the X-ray powder-diffraction pattern [d in A(I)(hkl)] are: 7.645(60)(111), 4.205(80)(014), 3.296(50)(115,105), 3.132(90)(123,133), 2.894(100)(312,322), 2.722(80)(124) and 2.629(50)(130, 140). The mineral has been identified on five micromount specimens collected from a small prospect pit within the dumps surrounding the long-abandoned Clear Creek mercury mine, New Idria district, San Benito County, California. It is most closely associated with native mercury, eglestonite, montroydite, cinnabar and an undefined Hg oxyhalide in a host rock principally composed of quartz and ferroan magnesite. Vasilyevite occurs in small shallow quartz-lined vugs as anhedral cryptocrystalline masses, less than 0.5 mm in size, and as a somewhat elongate spheroidal anhedral mass, 0.3 mm in diameter, which is partly hollow and has a shell thickness of approximately 30 μm. The mineral is silvery grey to black to dark red-black with a red-brown streak. Physical properties include: adamantine to metallic luster, opaque to translucent (on very thin edges), nonfluorescent, no cleavage, very brittle, uneven fracture, estimated hardness approximately 3, density 9.57 g/cm 3 (calculated from chemical formula and unit-cell parameters derived from crystal structure). In polished section, vasilyevite is weakly bireflectant, nonpleochroic and moderately to strongly anisotropic in green, blue and grey tints. In reflected plane-polarized light, it is grey to white with abundant orange-red to blood-red internal reflections. Measured values of reflectance obtained in air and in oil for a single fragment are tabulated. Averaged and corrected results of electron-microprobe analyses yield Hg 2 O 89.1, I 7.0, Br 2.5, Cl 0.6, CO 2 [0.8] (from crystal structure), S 0.1, sum 100.1, less O = I + Br + Cl + S 0.88, total 99.22 wt.%, corresponding to Hg 1 + 20.82O 6 . 8 5 I 2 . 6 9 (Br 1 . 5 2 Cl 0 . 8 2 ) Σ 2 . 3 4 [(CO 3 ) 0 . 8 9 S 2 - 0.15] Σ 1 . 0 4 based on O + I + Br + Cl + S = 14.7 apfu (atoms per formula unit), as determined from the crystal structure. The original value for Hg, 85.7 wt.%, was converted to Hg 2 O after the crystal structure was determined. The infrared-absorption spectrum confirms the presence of CO 3 . The mineral name honors V.I. Vasilyev of the Institute of Geology of the Siberian Branch of the Russian Academy of Sciences, Novosibirsk, Russia, for his contributions to the study of new and rare Hg-bearing minerals.

ARTSMITHITE, A NEW Hg1+-Al PHOSPHATE-HYDROXIDE FROM THE FUNDERBURK PROSPECT, PIKE COUNTY, ARKANSAS, U.S.A.

Artsmithite, with the general formula Hg1+4Al(PO4)2− x (OH)1+3 x ( x = 0.26), is monoclinic, C 2/ c , with the following unit-cell parameters measured on a single-crystal X-ray diffractometer: a 17.022(5), b 9.074(2), c 7.015(2) A, β 101.20(1)°, V 1062.9(8) A3; a:b:c 1.8759:1:0.7731, Z = 4. The strongest eight lines of the X-ray powder-diffraction pattern [ d in A( I )( hkl )] are: 8.326(100)(200), 4.739(50)(310), 4.166(40)(400), 2.979(80)(202), 2.952(50)(402), 2.784(80)(600), 2.660(75)(330) and 1.755(50)(732,640, 204). The mineral occurs as a colorless-to-white matted nest, approximately 3 × 1 mm in size, of randomly scattered fibrous to acicular crystals at the Funderburk prospect, Pike County, Arkansas, U.S.A. Associated minerals on the holotype specimen are quartz, goethite, dickite and cinnabar; other minerals reported from the locality include barite, calcite, calomel, eglestonite, fluorapatite, galena, livingstonite, native mercury, metacinnabar, montroydite, perhamite, pyrite, siderite, stibiconite, stibnite and terlinguaite. Artsmithite is a secondary phase most probably formed from the breakdown of primary cinnabar and apatite. Individual needles are elongate [001], colorless, transparent, with a length-to-width ratio in excess of 100:1, and they average about 0.5 mm in length. Artsmithite is vitreous, with an off-white to cream streak, no obvious cleavage, irregular fracture; it is nonfluorescent, and the needles are flexible. D (calc.) is 6.40 g/cm3 for the formula inferred from the crystal-structure analysis. It is biaxial positive, and all indices of refraction exceed 1.80; 2 V (meas.) 60°; r < v , distinct; length slow with Z ≈ c. An electron-microprobe analysis gave Hg2O 78.28, Al2O3 5.02, P2O5 11.39, H2O [1.63], total [96.32] wt.%. The empirical formula, derived from the results of the crystal-structure and electron-microprobe analysis, is Hg1+4.00Al1.05P1.71O8.74H1.78, on the basis of O = 8.74 and (OH) = 1.78 (from crystal structure). The infrared-absorption spectrum shows bands for structural (OH), adsorbed (H2O) and phosphate. The name honors Arthur E. Smith, Jr., of Houston, Texas, who collected the mineral specimen in 1995.

Application of ultrafiltration and stable isotopic amendments to field studies of mercury partitioning to filterable carbon in lake water and overland runoff

Results from pilot studies on colloidal phase transport of newly deposited mercury in lake water and overland runoff demonstrate that the combination of ultrafiltration, and stable isotope amendment techniques is a viable tool for the study of mercury partitioning to filterable carbon. Ultrafiltration mass balance calculations were generally excellent, averaging 97.3, 96.1 and 99.8% for dissolved organic carbon (DOC), total mercury (Hg T), and methylmercury (MeHg), respectively. Sub nanogram per liter quantities of isotope were measurable, and the observed phase distribution from replicate ultrafiltration separations on lake water agreed within 20%. We believe the data presented here are the first published colloidal phase mercury data on lake water and overland runoff from uncontaminated sites. Initial results from pilot-scale lake amendment experiments indicate that the choice of matrix used to dissolve the isotope did not affect the initial phase distribution of the added mercury in the lake. In addition there was anecdotal evidence that native MeHg was either recently produced in the system, or at a minimum, that this ‘old’ MeHg partitions to the same subset of DOC that binds the amended mercury. Initial results from pilot-scale overland runoff experiments indicate that less than 20% of newly deposited mercury was transported in the filterable fraction (<0.7 μm). There is some indication of colloidal phase enrichment of mercury in runoff compared to the phase distribution of organic carbon, but the mechanism of this enrichment is unclear. The phase distribution of newly deposited mercury can differ from that of organic carbon and native mercury, suggesting that the quality of the carbon (available ligands), not the quantity of carbon, regulates partitioning. Further characterization of DOC is needed to clarify the underlying mechanisms.

Reactivity and mobility of new and old mercury deposition in a boreal forest ecosystem during the first year of the METAALICUS study. Mercury Experiment To Assess Atmospheric Loading In Canada and the US.

The METAALICUS (Mercury Experiment To Assess Atmospheric Loading In Canada and the US) project is a whole ecosystem experiment designed to study the activity, mobility, and availability of atmospherically deposited mercury. To investigate the dynamics of mercury newly deposited onto a terrestrial ecosystem, an enriched stable isotope of mercury (202Hg) was sprayed onto a Boreal forest subcatchment in an experiment that allowed us, for the first time, to monitor the fate of 'new' mercury in deposition and to distinguish it from native mercury historically stored in the ecosystem. Newly deposited mercury was more reactive than the native mercury with respect to volatilization and methylation pathways. Mobility through runoff was very low and strongly decreased with time because of a rapid equilibration with the large native pool of "bound" mercury. Over one season, only approximately 8% of the added 212Hg volatilized to the atmosphere and less than 1% appeared in runoff. Within a few months, approximately 66% of the applied 202Hg remained associated with above ground vegetation, with the rest being incorporated into soils. The fraction of 202Hg bound to vegetation was much higher than seen for native Hg (<5% vegetation), suggesting that atmospherically derived mercury enters the soil pool with a time delay, after plants senesce and decompose. The initial mobility of mercury received through small rain events or dry deposition decreased markedly in a relatively short time period, suggesting that mercury levels in terrestrial runoff may respond slowly to changes in mercury deposition rates.

TEDHADLEYITE, Hg2+Hg1+10O4I2(Cl,Br)2, A NEW MINERAL SPECIES FROM THE CLEAR CREEK CLAIM, SAN BENITO COUNTY, CALIFORNIA

Tedhadleyite, a new mineral species of ideal composition Hg 2+ Hg 1+ 10 O 4 I 2 (Cl,Br) 2 , is triclinic, A 1, with unit-cell parameters refined from X-ray powder data: a 7.014(4), b 11.855(6), c 12.601(6) A, α 115.56(4), β 82.57(4), γ 100.57(4)°, V 927.7(8) A 3 , a:b:c 0.5916:1:1.0629, Z = 2. The strongest eight lines of the X-ray powder-diffraction pattern [ d in A( I )( hkl )] are: 5.281(50)(020,111), 3.143(90)(131,222), 3.005(70)(122), 2.981(50)(211), 2.885(100)(113), 2.675(90)(124, 233, 131), 2.508(40)(213) and 1.624(35)(035). The mineral occurs on a single specimen collected from a small prospect pit near the long-abandoned Clear Creek mercury mine, New Idria district, San Benito County, California. It is most closely associated with native mercury, calomel and traces of cinnabar, eglestonite and montroydite in a host rock principally composed of quartz and magnesite. Tedhadleyite occurs in a quartz-lined vug as a somewhat elongate spheroidal anhedral mass, 0.3 mm in diameter, which is partly hollow. The mineral is very dark red to black with a red streak. Physical properties include: adamantine to submetallic luster, opaque to translucent (on thin edges), nonfluorescent, poor {010} cleavage, brittle, uneven fracture, hardness less than 3, calculated density 9.43 g/cm 3 (for the chemical formula and unit-cell parameters derived from the crystal structure). In polished section, tedhadleyite is very weakly bireflectant, nonpleochroic and moderately anisotropic in shades of grey. In reflected plane-polarized light, it is bluish white with ubiquitous deep red to purplish red internal reflections. Measured reflectance values obtained in air and in oil for a single fragment are tabulated. Averaged and corrected results of electron-microprobe analyses yielded HgO 8.36, Hg 2 O 80.50, I 11.11, Cl 2.20, Br 1.62, sum 103.79, less O = I + Cl + Br 1.36, total 102.43 wt.%, corresponding to Hg 1.0 2+ Hg 1+ 9.8 O 3.7 I 2.2 (Cl 1.6 Br 0.5 ) ∑2.1 , based on O + I + Cl + Br = 8 apfu (atoms per formula unit). The original value for Hg, 85.15 wt.%, was partitioned in a ratio of 1 HgO : 10 Hg 2 O after the crystal structure was determined. The mineral name honors Ted A.Hadley of Sunnyvale, California.