Oxidation Zone Research Articles

Study on the Effect of Pore Evolution on the Coal Spontaneous Combustion Characteristics in Goaf

Understanding the characteristics of coal spontaneous combustion (CSC) in goaf under different porosities is crucial for comprehending the mechanism of CSC and its prevention and control. In this paper, a multi-field coupled model of CSC in the goaf, considering porosity variation, is developed to investigate the effect of porosity on the CSC characteristics in the goaf. The results indicate that, as the goaf depth increases, both porosity and permeability decrease. When the highest goaf porosity is 25%, the average airflow velocity is between 0.00134 and 0.00139 m/s. In contrast, the average airflow velocity in the goaf with a porosity of 40% is approximately six times greater than that of the goaf with a porosity of 25%. As the goaf porosity increases, the overall oxygen concentration, temperature, and oxidized zone area also rise. Moreover, the oxidation zone area can be quantified and visualized, thereby enabling more effective prediction of the CSC risk in the goaf. The findings of the study have a positive significance in guiding the prevention and control of coal fires.

Corrosion kinetics of T91 steel under low oxygen conditions (10−7 wt% O) in lead-bismuth eutectic at 500 °C

Among the advanced reactor designs of the fourth generation, the Lead-cooled Fast Reactor (LFR) stands out as one of six distinct types. The corrosion caused by the liquid Lead-Bismuth Eutectic (LBE) on structural materials is recognized as a significant obstacle hindering the development of LFR. The corrosion kinetics of T91 steel in static LBE with 10−7 wt% oxygen at 500 ºC is analyzed in this study. The formed oxide scale consists of an outer (Fe, Cr)3O4 layer with a Fe-Cr spinel structure and an inner internal oxidation zone (IOZ). The thickness evolution of the oxide layers follows a parabolic rule, with rate constants determined for different layers. The dissolution rate of metals into the LBE decreases over time, indicating diminishing the concentration gradient of Fe across the oxide layer-LBE interface. The observed deviations from expected norms may be attributed to dynamic flow conditions and non-isothermal loop experiments, which accelerate Fe diffusion into LBE.

Study on Spontaneous Combustion Risk Areas in Narrow Coal Pillar-Utilized Deep Mining and Double-Pipe Liquid CO2 Injection Technology

ABSTRACT Coal spontaneous combustion (CSC) in goafs, one of the most serious disasters in coal mines, not only wastes resources and destroys the ecological environment, but also causes casualties. As global underground mining gradually shifts to the deep, this problem becomes increasingly prominent. Deep mining is operated in a complex mechanical environment characterized with high stress, high permeability, high temperature, and strong mining disturbance. To avoid stress concentration areas, narrow coal pillars are often utilized in roadway excavation along the goaf. However, narrow coal pillars are likely to fracture and lose stability during the mining process. Consequently, goaf areas of two adjacent working faces might connect, which promotes the CSC risk in the goaf. Most of the current researches are focused on CSC risk areas under shallow mining conditions and the CSC-gas coupling disasters, yet research on CSC risk areas in the goaf triggered by narrow coal pillars under deep mining conditions is rarely reported. Moreover, there is a lack of relevant means to prevent and extinguish fires. This study takes the narrow coal pillar-utilized 130,205 working face in Yangchangwan Coal Mine as the research object. First, the development of coal pillar fractures was simulated by adopting the discrete element method of PFC. Besides, on-site monitoring and FLUENT numerical simulation were conducted to identify CSC risk areas in the goaf of the narrow coal pillar-utilized working face. Finally, a double-pipe liquid CO2 injection technology was proposed for fire prevention and extinguishing. The following beneficial results were obtained. Affected by high stress in deep mining, the coal pillar collapses, which expands the range of the oxidation zone on the return side. Meanwhile, the adjacent goaf is also exposed to CSC risk. Double-pipe liquid CO2 injection can effectively reduce air leakage near the working face and suppress spontaneous combustion of residual coal by inerting the goaf. This study can provide guidance and reference for fire prevention and extinguishing in goafs under the condition of narrow coal pillar-utilized deep mining.

Conditions and Mechanism of Crystallization of Hydrous W-Fe Oxides with a Pyrochlore-Type of Structure (Elsmoreite Group) in the Oxidation Zone of Ore Deposits

Conditions and Mechanism of Crystallization of Hydrous W-Fe Oxides with a Pyrochlore-Type of Structure (Elsmoreite Group) in the Oxidation Zone of Ore Deposits

High temperature transformations and thermal expansion of halotrichite FeAl<sub>2</sub> (SO<sub>4</sub>)<sub>4</sub>⋅22H<sub>2</sub>O

Halotrichite is a widespread mineral in post-volcanic environments and oxidation zones of ore deposits. Halotrichite is stable at temperature up to 70 °C; further heating leads to the formation of an X-ray amorphous phase I. There are reflections of millosevichite (prevailing) and mikasaite appearing in the range of temperatures 340–660 °C. Millosevichite and mikasaite are decomposing at temperatures 660 °C with the formation of an X-ray amorphous phase II. According to data of the synchronous thermal analysis, the transition from halotrichite into anhydrous sulfates is accompanied by the loss of H2O molecules, which makes about 42.9 wt %, the transition to the X-ray amorphous phase II is caused by the loss of SO3, which is ca. 37.4 wt %, associated with two endothermal effects. The thermal expansion of halotrichite is sharply anisotropic, the maximum expansion is determined by the shear deformations of the lattice in its monoclinic plane along the bisectrix of the obtuse angle β, and the minimum one – in the direction of strong S–O–Fe bonds inside [Fe(SO4)(H2O)5]0 complexes. The significant volumetric expansion of halotrichite (9(3)∙10-5 ºC-1) occurs due to the determing role of hydrogen bonds in composition of the crystal structure.

Alloying effects of Al, Si and Fe on Ni-20Cr alloy oxidation in water vapour at 650 °C

Ni-20Cr alloys with or without minor elements (Al, Si, Fe) were oxidized in Ar-5 H2O at 650°C. The undoped alloy formed a feathery NiO external scale and a thick internal oxidation zone (IOZ). Additions of Al, Si and Fe improved oxidation resistance by changing oxide morphologies and reducing the IOZ. For Al and Si additions, more surface area formed a chromia scale with Al2O3 or SiO2 precipitates underneath. In addition, needle-shaped precipitates with a lamellar structure of chromia mixed with alumina or silica were observed. For Fe addition, a multi-layered oxide scale was formed with additional Fe-rich spinel, improving oxidation resistance.

Trace and minor elements in the ore minerals: An assessment of geochemical distribution in overprinting epithermal on porphyry mineralization at Chodarchay, NW Iran

The Chodarchay overprinting epithermal on porphyry mineralization occurs in the Tarom-Hashtjin subzone of the Alborz magmatic arc in northwestern Iran. Rock units include intrusions (phases I and II) and volcano-volcaniclastic rocks. The alteration types consist of potassic, phyllic, argillic, and propylitic. The porphyry type is mostly accompanied by potassic alteration. The Chodarchay Fault implies two extensional and compressional mechanisms. The porphyry type is associated with the extensional and the epithermal type with the compressional stage of the fault. Mineralization occurred mainly inside the Eocene volcanic and volcano-sedimentary rocks; some ores are associated with the Late Eocene quartz monzonite. The mineralization is divided into three zones from depth to surface: 1) Hypogene sulfide zone (deep); 2) Enriched supergene sulfide zone (near-surface); 3) Oxidized and leached zone (surface). The major sulfide minerals consist of chalcopyrite, pyrite, sphalerite, and galena. Based on the results of the new analyses, chalcopyrite hosts Ag as a solid-solution and contains Ag-rich Bi-sulfosalt micro-inclusions. Non-constant Cd/Zn ratio in the chalcopyrite can indicate varying physiochemical conditions during its crystallization. Low As contents in the pyrite caused relatively clean pyrite with very few elements. The Ni concentrations in the pyrite imply that it was sourced from mantle mafic–ultramafic rocks. Sphalerite is the only Au-host mineral among the sulfide minerals as a nano-mineral phase. Solid-solution Ag exists in the sphalerite. The sphalerite Fe/Zn ratios show that it was precipitated between 220 and 280 °C. Silver and Bi have the highest measured concentrations among all analyzed elements in the galena, mainly partitioning within the galena, but Hg and Cd are abundant in the sphalerite. Bornite is one of the major carriers of Ag and Bi. Silver and Bi exhibit considerable variations in the Cu-(Fe) sulfides. A new occurrence of sulfosalt minerals was identified at Chodarchay (N = 14). The discovered Bi-sulfosalts include cuprobismuthite group minerals (cuprobismuthite, hodrushite, and paderaite), aikinite-bismuthinite series (aikinite and friedrichite), emplectite, makovickyite, galenobismutite, gustavite, heyrovskyite, neyite, cupropavanite; and As-Sb-bearing Cu sulfosalts (watanabeite and colusite). This number of sulfosalts had not previously been reported from any of the Tarom or Alborz deposits or mines. The Au-Ag occurrence was reported from the neyite, emplectite, and gustavite. The Ag-rich minerals crystallize from fractionated fluids that cooled during rising. Silver-carrier sulfosalts may have been exsolution from pre-existing Ag-bearing chalcopyrite in the cooling system. Most of the Ag-bearing sulfosalt minerals formed at the margins and fractures of the chalcopyrite, indicating that the cooling started from these points. Thus, Ag at Chodarchay is hosted inside Cu-(Fe) sulfides, the significant part of them being chalcopyrite and Ag-rich sulfosalt micro-inclusions inside the chalcopyrite. The fluid temperature for the Ag and chalcopyrite precipitation is from 200 to 350 °C. Bismuth assemblages precipitated at > 350 °C. The cuprobismuthite group crystallizes at temperatures > 300 °C. The supergene process and rare secondary enrichment of Ag and Au took place in the oxidation zone; this enrichment is dependent on the presence of manganese. Based on the fire-assay results, the concentration of gold is greater at shallower depths.

Thermal fatigue performance enhancement of new high-Cr martensitic die steels based on overall microstructure manipulation by trace TiC–TiB2 nanoparticles

Thermal fatigue failure is one of the main factors affecting the service life of hot work die steel. Achieving excellent thermal fatigue resistance for hot working die steels can benefit the industry economically. In this work, (TiC + TiB2)/Al master alloys were used to add TiC–TiB2 nanoparticles into high-Cr die steels, which achieves microstructure manipulation and obtains excellent thermal fatigue resistance and strength-plastic combination. The results showed that after being manipulated by 0.02 wt% TiC–TiB2 nanoparticles, the surface oxidation zone of the high-Cr die steel after different thermal fatigue cycles is reduced than high-Cr die steel without manipulation. TiC–TiB2 nanoparticles effectively refined the heat-treated microstructure of high-Cr die steel, promoting the Cr element and alloy carbides being more uniformly distributed in the matrix, which prevents the occurrence of oxidative pitting and conducive to the formation of a dense and uniform Cr2O3 oxide layer, and further preventing the initiation of thermal fatigue cracks. Moreover, these finer and more uniformly distributed precipitates in TiC–TiB2 nanoparticles manipulated high-Cr die steels will promote stress dispersion and hinder thermal fatigue crack propagation. This work provides a promising avenue for the design of low-cost, high-performance, and long-life die steels for industrial applications.

Mine Fires, Experiences in Extinguishing Large Underground Mine Fires

Mine fires are common the underground exploitation of mineral raw materials. With the development of mining science and practice, the methods of extinguishing mine fires using new methods and materials were also developed. Today, in mining practice, direct fire extinguishing with water or fire extinguishers, isolation of oxidation zones with insulating walls, installation of torket concrete on the walls of the pit room or use of special foams are most often used. Methods based on ventilation methods or the use of inert gases can also be encountered. All these methods are used to extinguish local oxidation processes, fires are localized in a part of the pit, ventilation department or goafs. This paper presents methods of extinguishing a mine fire where the fire zone covered a larger area and it was not possible to localize it in one part of the underground mine, the pit is completely closed and isolated until the oxidation process subsides due to lack of oxygen. At the time of the complete closure and isolation of the pit, several gas detectors remained in operation in the pit, through which the change in the composition of the pit air could be monitored during the still active pit fire. At the same time, samples of the pit atmosphere behind the isolation walls were regularly taken, their analysis was performed and they were compared with the data obtained using active gas detectors. The key question was when to reopen the pit, conduct an inspection and try to reactivate the pit operations. Although it is an underground brown coal mine, some experiences and knowledge can be applied and used in underground mines of other mineral resources threatened by pit fires. Experiences can also be applied in case of fire, where it is possible to control the fire zone only through insulating walls. It was established that changes in the activity of the pit fire were manifested both on the insulation walls and on the active gas detectors.

Особенности сульфидной минерализации гидротермальной системы мыса Фиолент (юго-западный Крым)

As a result of generalization of geophysical studies, petro-paleomagnetic and structural-geomorphological analyses, as well as thermodynamic modeling, some features of ore formation in the hydrothermal system of Cape Fiolent (southwestern Crimea) under island arc conditions were revealed. It has been established that the main transformations of rocks of the Middle Jurassic igneous complex of Cape Fiolent occurred under the influence of hydrothermal fluids during the introduction of felsic intrusions during 168–140 Ma. The zones contain sulfide mineralization, the main minerals of which are pyrite, sphalerite, pyrrhotite, galena, chalcopyrite and arsenic pyrite. In the central parts of the hydrothermal alteration zone, massive sulfides are strongly weathered; these zones contain many secondary sulfates. In the marginal parts of hypergenic limonite, yellow-brown goethite prevails in the oxidation zone, yellow jarosite in the center, which is probably due to the large amount of pyrite in the center of the system, which gave more sulfuric acid during oxidation. The presence of native sulfur in the section testifies to the mixing of the acidified hydrothermal solution with seawater. Complex petro-paleomagnetic and magnetometric studies have shown that contact changes and transformation of the contrasting basalt-rhyolite formation occurred along the NNW-trending faults.

Simulation of Underground Coal-Gasification Process Using Aspen Plus

In order to study the underground coal-gasification process, Aspen Plus software was used to simulate the lignite underground gasification process, and a variety of unit operation modules were selected and combined with the kinetic equations of coal underground gasification. The model can reflect the complete gasification process of the coal underground gasifier well, and the simulation results are more in line with the experimental results of the lignite underground gasification model test. The changes in the temperature and pressure of oxygen, gasification water, spray water, and syngas in pipelines were studied, and the effects of pipe diameters on pipeline conveying performance were investigated as well. The effects of the oxygen/water ratio, processing capacity, and spray-water volume on the components of syngas and components in different reaction zones were studied. In addition, the change tendency of gasification products under different conditions was researched. The results indicate that: (1) The depth of injection and the formation pressure at that depth need to be taken into account to determine a reasonable injection pressure. (2) The liquid-water injection process should select a lower injection pressure. (3) Increasing the oxygen/water ratio favors H2 production and decreasing the oxygen/water ratio favors CH4 production. (4) The content of CO2 is the highest in the oxidation zone, the lowest in the reduction zone, and then increases a little in the methanation reaction zone for the transform reaction. The content of CO is the lowest in the oxidation zone and the highest in the reduction zone. In the methanation reaction zone, CO partially converts into H2 and CO2, and the content of CO is reduced. (5) The injection of spray water does not affect the components of the gas but will increase the water vapor content in the gas; thus, this changes the molar fraction of the wet gas.

FORMATION OF TWO-PHASE ZONES DURING INTERNAL OXIDATION OF BINARY ALLOYS

In the paper the formation patterns of two-phase regions during the internal oxidation process in low-alloyed binary alloys is studied. The goal of the research is the creation of a mathematical model for the internal oxidation process, which is to describe the kinetics of formation and evolution of internal oxidation zones, the study of the patterns governing the two-phase zone formation during internal oxidation, the study of the space-time dynamics of the structural parameters of the two-phase area, namely the number of the oxide particles, their average radius and the phase volume, at different stages of the internal oxidation zone evolution. The two-phase process of diffusion saturation with light components applied to binary alloys is analyzed theoretically. The conditions for formation of disperse oxide particles are formulated. A mathematical model for the formation of two-phase areas as well as the numerical solution for the system of equations describing the kinet- ics of formation and evolution of the two-phase area for different values of the process parameters is proposed. The modeling and experiments demonstrate that the distribution of structural parameters of the two-phase area has complex, non-monotonous nature. The influence of the main parameters of the process on the kinetics of the formation of the two-phase area in a lightly-alloyed binary nickel-based alloy plate is also determined. All stages of the plate’s oxidation process are studied – from the inception of the particles to the coalescence of second-stage particles. The results of the work could be used for developing new technologies in thermal and chemical-thermal treatments for disperse strengthening of materials using internal oxidation, as a physical basis for seeking ways of providing certain distributions of the internal oxidation zone structural parameters, which are required to give the al- loy a necessary set of physical and mechanical properties. The comparison of the modeling and experimental results shows a good correlation, which allows them to be recommended for developing new technologies in disperse strengthening, new heat-resistant steels, disperse-strengthened magnetic materials and electrotechnical alloys.

Revealing the superior oxidation resistance of alloy 690 in deaerated supercritical water at 600 °C through advanced characterization

The corrosion behavior of a well-polished Alloy 690 in deaerated supercritical water at 600 °C was examined. The study found that the weight gain follows a near-cubic rate law. A key observation was that the direct external oxidation and the rapid transition from internal to external oxidation within the initial 24-h exposure are responsible for its superior oxidation resistance. As exposure time increases, the transformation of Cr-rich spinel oxides and Ni-rich networks in the internal oxidation zone into Cr2O3 leads to the expansion of the protective chromia layer, effectively slowing down the oxidation process. Conversely, the Cr2O3 layer at the grain boundaries (GBs) was less effective at preventing oxidation, resulting in a significantly faster oxidation rate in these areas compared to the bulk grains. The extensive GB oxidation exhibits little consequential correlation with carbides.

Effect of the triangular prism dent on stress corrosion cracking behavior of alloy 690TT heat transfer tube in a lead-containing alkaline solution

In this paper, the microstructural changes and mechanical characteristics of alloy 690TT heat transfer tube with a triangular prism dent are investigated by combining experimental and simulation methods, and subsequently examines their influence on stress corrosion cracking (SCC) behavior. The results indicate that the deformation mechanism caused by impact dent is slip and twinning. The structural transformation of high-density dislocations, as well as Copper and Brass deformation textures, are formed at dent bottom, resulting in stress concentration through work hardening, which greatly increases SCC sensitivity. Oxidation preferentially occurs along grain boundaries and dislocations, and the corrosion products are formed, which exhibit a semi-coherent orientation relationship with the matrix. Oxidation is essentially a de-alloying process in which oxygen diffuses inward and Cr migrates towards the oxidation zone. The wedge force generated by corrosion products provides another driving force for initiation and propagation of SCC cracks, in addition to external loads and residual stress. SCC cracks propagate in the form of intergranular stress corrosion cracking and transgranular stress corrosion cracking in a high temperature lead-containing alkaline solution.

Mitigating Coal Spontaneous Combustion Risk within Goaf of Gob-Side Entry Retaining by Roof Cutting: Investigation of Air Leakage Characteristics and Effective Plugging Techniques

Relative to conventional coal pillar retention mining technology (the 121 mining method), gob-side entry retaining by cutting roof (the 110 mining method), a non-pillar mining technique, efficiently addresses issues like poor coal resource recovery and significant rock burst damage. Nonetheless, the open-type goaf created by 110 mining techniques suffers from complex and significant air leaks, increasing the likelihood of coal spontaneous combustion (CSC) within the gob area. To address the CSC problem caused by complex air leakage within the goaf of gob-side entry retaining by roof cutting, this study takes the 17202 working face of Dongrong Second Coal Mine as the object of study. Field tests and simulation calculations are conducted to research the features of air leakage and the distribution of the oxidation zone within the goaf. Subsequently, plugging technology with varying plugging lengths is proposed and implemented. The tests and simulations reveal that the airflow migration within the goaf follows an L-shaped pattern, while air leakage primarily originates from gaps found in the gob-side entry retaining wall. The amount of air leaking into the gob-side entry retaining section is 171.59 m3/min, which represents 7.3% of the overall airflow. The maximum oxidation zone within the goaf ranges from 58.7 m to 151.8 m. After the air leakage is blocked, the airflow migration route within the goaf is transformed into a U-shaped distribution, and the maximum oxidation zone range changes from 42.8 m to 80.7 m. Engineering practice demonstrates that after air leakage plugging, the total air leakage volume within the gob-side entry retaining section significantly reduces to 20.59 m3/min, representing only 0.78% of the total airflow volume. This research provides reference on how to prevent the occurrence of CSC in similar mine goafs.

The kinetics and warm flame chemistry associated with radiative extinction of spherical diffusion flames

Several studies have found that microgravity diffusion flames with sufficient heat loss cool until they extinguish at a critical temperature near 1130 K. In this work, the associated chemical kinetics are explored for spherical diffusion flames burning ethylene. The flames are simulated with a transient numerical model with detailed chemistry, transport, and radiation. This incorporates the UCSD mechanism with 57 species and 270 reactions. Species concentrations, reaction rates, and heat release rates are examined. Upon ignition, the peak temperature is above 2000 K, but this decreases until extinction due to radiative losses. This allows the chemistry to be studied over a wide range of peak temperatures for the same fuel and oxidiser. When the peak temperature is high, the dominant chemistry is similar to that for typical normal-gravity ethylene diffusion flames. There are two distinct zones: an ethylene pyrolysis zone and an oxidation zone, and negligible reactant leakage. The ethylene mainly reacts with H and OH. The concentration of OH in the ethylene pyrolysis zone is high due to the long residence times and reactions of CO2 and H2O with H. As the flame cools and the peak temperature approaches the critical extinction temperature, there is increased reactant leakage leading to higher O, OH, and HO2 concentrations on the fuel side. Most reactions shift towards the oxidiser side and there is large overlap between the two zones. Reactions involving HO2 become more significant and the large consumption rates of H by HO2 increase the concentrations of OH and O on the fuel side. The appearance of warm flame chemistry delays extinction but is not sufficiently exothermic to prevent it.

Determination of Coal Spontaneous Combustion Zone in Overlaying Multilayer Goaf and Its Control Technology of Thickened Slurry

ABSTRACT In order to study the law of coal spontaneous combustion and prevention methods in the overlying multilayer goaf, this study combined the situation of 378 working face and overlying multilayer goaf in Anyuan Coal Mine and determined the coal spontaneous combustion zone in the overlying multilayer goaf by overlaying the oxidation zones divided by wind velocity and oxygen concentration, and verified it. Subsequently, a new type of thickened slurry was prepared based on sodium alginate, carboxymethyl cellulose, loess, and water as the main raw materials, and a thickened slurry fire prevention technique suitable for overlying multilayer goaf was proposed. The research results indicated that the coal spontaneous combustion zone was located near the 3117 return air roadway and the 378 return air roadway in 378 working face, as well as the upper part of 3117 return air roadway in 372 (4) goaf. When the water-soil ratio was 8:1 and thickener concentration was 0.3%, the suspension performance of the thickened slurry was better. At this point, the corresponding yield stress was the smallest and the flow ability was better. Through the used of fixed-point grouting and regional sealing of a thickened slurry fire prevention technique, it was found that the CO concentration gradually decreased to zero in the 372 (4) goaf. The oxygen concentration significantly decreased and the pressure difference remained stable in the sealing wall in the return air roadway. The outlet water temperature were below 25°C all boreholes.

Assessing the Natural Source Zone Depletion of a Petroleum-Contaminated Clayey Soil Site in Southern China Combining Concentration Gradient Method and Metagenomics.

Natural source zone depletion (NSZD) is the main process of LNAPL (Light Non-Aqueous Phase Liquid) removal under natural conditions. The NSZD rates assessed ranged from 0.55 to 11.55 kg·m-2·a-1 (kilograms per square meter per year) in previous studies. However, most of these data were obtained from sandy sites, with few clayey sites. To gain knowledge of NSZD in clayey soil sites, the study assessed the NSZD of a petroleum hydrocarbon-contaminated clayey soil site in China, combining the concentration gradient method with metagenomic sequencing technology. The results show that the abundance of methane-producing key enzyme mcrA gene in the source zone was more abundant than in background areas, which suggests that there was methanogenesis, the key process of NSZD. The concentration gradients of oxygen and carbon dioxide existed only in shallow soil (<0.7 m), which suggests that there was a thin methane oxidation zone in the shallow zone. The calculated NSZD rates range from 0.23 to 1.15 kg·m-2·a-1, which fall within the moderate range compared to previous NSZD sites. This study expands the knowledge of NSZD in clayey soil and enriches the attenuation rate data for contaminated sites, which is of significant importance in managing petroleum contaminants.

Geogas prospecting for igneous ore deposits covered by regolith: the Zijinshan high-sulfidation epithermal Cu–Au deposit in the Cathaysia Block

The mining industry faces a challenge due to the scarcity of outcrop or near-surface mineral deposits, necessitating the development of low-cost and efficient prospecting methods to explore through cover. Inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry has been applied to geological sample analysis, and scientists have gradually improved the method of geogas prospecting. As a result, geogas prospecting has shown promising results in detecting underlying concealed Au, U and Cu–Ni deposits covered by Gobi sand and Quaternary sediments. To verify the effectiveness of this method for exploring underlying concealed mineral deposits developed in igneous covered areas, the Zijinshan high-sulfidation epithermal Cu–Au deposit, a concealed mineral deposit in southeastern China, was selected as the experimental field. Our experiments revealed nanoscale particles composed of Au, Cu–Fe and Cu–other elements in the geogas captured above the ore bodies of the deposit. Furthermore, Cu–nanoscale particles retain the isotopic composition of copper found in both the oxidation zone and deep copper ores. The geogas samples exhibited similar C1-chondrite normalized REE distributions, with REE patterns indicating significant enrichment of LREE relative to HREE and similar (La)N/(Sm)N and (Gd)N/(Yb)N ratios. These characteristics are similar to those of the gold ores, copper ores, altered rock and bedrock near the ore bodies. These findings suggest that deep-penetration geochemical methods using geogas can be a valuable tool for uncovering underlying concealed mineral deposits in igneous covered areas.

On oxidation film structure of SIMP steel exposed in stagnant oxygen-saturated LBE at 600 °C

To understand the impact of multilayered oxide films on the liquid-metal resistance, SIMP steels with three different Si levels were investigated. A novel composite oxidation film, namely amorphous SiO2 packed by Cr2O3, was formed along the prior high-angle grain boundaries in internal oxidation zone to impede the inward diffusion of oxygen. Evolved into the inner layer, the amorphous SiO2 films stayed there, while Cr2O3 transformed into FeCr2O4. Moreover, outward diffusion of chromium facilitated the transformation from lower sublayer to upper sublayer in inner layer. This multilayer plays a critical role in improving the oxidation resistance of SIMP steel.