Chemical analysis of uranium and titanium niobotantalate metamict minerals by ion-exchange chromatography and spectrophotometric procedures

An ion-exchange separation followed by spectrophotometric determinations is applied to some metamict minerals. These minerals, containing very high amounts of elements which present some problems to the analyst, such as uranium, titanium, niobium and rare-earth elements, are fused with potassium bisulphate, and the cooled melts dissolved in sulphuric acid. The solutions are passed through a series of three ion-exchange columns to separate those mineral-forming elements for which the colorimetric procedures suffer interference from the elements listed above. The procedure has been tested with a synthetic solution and with solutions of the minerals.     

NIR spectroscopy of selected iron(II) and iron(III) sulphates

A problem exists when closely related minerals are found in paragenetic relationships. The identification of such minerals cannot be undertaken by normal techniques such as X-ray diffraction. Vibrational spectroscopic techniques may be applicable especially when microtechniques or fibre-optic techniques are used. NIR spectroscopy is one technique, which can be used for the identification of these paragenetically related minerals and has been applied to the study of selected iron(II) and iron(III) sulphates. The near-IR spectral regions may be conveniently divided into four regions: (a) the high wavenumber region>7500 cm(-1), (b) the high wavenumber region between 6400 and 7400 cm(-1) attributed to the first overtone of the fundamental hydroxyl stretching mode, (c) the 5500-6300 cm(-1) region attributed to water combination modes of the hydroxyl fundamentals of water, and (d) the 4000-5500 cm(-1) region attributed to the combination of the stretching and deformation modes of the iron(II) and iron(III) sulphates. The minerals containing iron(II) show a strong, broad band with splitting, around 11,000-8000 cm(-1) attributed to (5)T(2g)-->(5)E(g) transition. This shows the ferrous ion has distorted octahedral coordination in some of these sulphate minerals. For each of these regions, the minerals show distinctive spectra, which enable their identification and characterisation. NIR spectroscopy is a less used technique, which has great application for the study of minerals, particularly minerals that have hydrogen in the structure either as hydroxyl units or as water bonded to the cation as is the case for iron(II) and iron(III) sulphates. The study of minerals on planets is topical and NIR spectroscopy provides a rapid technique for the distinction and identification of iron(II) and iron(III) sulphates minerals.     

白云鄂博稀土、铌钽矿物及其成因探讨

白云鄂博矿床赋存于元古代地层中,本文具体描述了矿物在矿床的部位和产状,区别出地层矿物和地层后的矿物,其中的热液交代现象具明显成矿特征,依据大地构造,岩浆活动,矿物共生组合,热液交代,成矿地质时代和持续时间等因素,认为稀土铌钽矿物成因是来自深源的硅酸碳酸岩浆演化分异的成矿热液,伴随着构造运动,侵入交元古代地层,长期多幕而成矿。     

Near-infrared spectroscopic study of selected hydrated hydroxylated phosphates

Near-infrared spectroscopy has been applied to a suite of hydrated hydroxylated phosphate minerals including cacoxenite, hureaulite, planerite, gormanite and wardite. The NIR spectra may be conveniently divided into three regions (a) the first hydroxyl fundamental, (b) the water HOH overtone and (c) the region between 4000 and 4800 cm(-1) where combination bands resulting from the bands in the mid-IR. For each of these regions, the minerals show distinctive spectra which enable their identification and characterisation. NIR spectroscopy is a less used technique which does have great application for the study of minerals, particularly minerals which have hydrogen in the structure either as hydroxyl units or as water bonded to the cation or as zeolitic water as is the case for cacoxenite. The study of minerals on planets is topical and NIR spectroscopy provides a rapid technique for the distinction and identification of minerals.     

Fe（Ⅱ）-矿物对亚硒酸的还原作用

79Se是核反应过程中产生的长半衰期（T1/2=2.95×105年）裂片产物核素,具有化学和辐射双重毒性,是高放废物地质处置中重点关注的几个放射性核素之一.硒的溶液化学性质比较特殊,以高价态形式存在的硒酸和亚硒酸,几乎不受溶解度控制,并难以被黏土或花岗岩等处置库围岩介质所吸附,迁移性极强,而当其以低价态（0、–I、–II）形式存在时,易形成固体沉淀.因此将高价态的硒还原生成沉淀是阻滞79Se迁移的最主要方式.从另一方面讲,Fe（II）-矿物是自然界中普遍存在的具有还原性的物质.本文对近年来国内外在Fe（II）-矿物还原亚硒酸方面开展的研究工作进行了一个回顾,并从热力学的角度,对这些矿物还原亚硒酸的可行性及控制产物生成的因素进行了分析.     

Effect of Native Reservoir State and Oilfield Operations on Clay Mineral Surface Chemistry

An understanding of clay mineral surface chemistry is becoming critical as deeper levels of control of reservoir rock wettability via fluid–solid interactions are sought. Reservoir rock is composed of many minerals that contact the crude oil and control the wetting state of the rock. Clay minerals are one of the minerals present in reservoir rock, with a high surface area and cation exchange capacity. This is a first-of-its-kind study that presents zeta potential measurements and insights into the surface charge development process of clay minerals (chlorite, illite, kaolinite, and montmorillonite) in a native reservoir environment. Presented in this study as well is the effect of fluid salinity, composition, and oilfield operations on clay mineral surface charge development. Experimental results show that the surface charge of clay minerals is controlled by electrostatic and electrophilic interactions as well as the electrical double layer. Results from this study showed that clay minerals are negatively charged in formation brines as well as in deionized water, except in the case of chlorite, which is positively charged in formation water. In addition, a negative surface charge results from oilfield operations, except for operations at a high alkaline pH range of 10–13. Furthermore, a reduction in the concentrations of Na, Mg, Ca, and bicarbonate ions does not reverse the surface charge of the clay minerals; however, an increase in sulfate ion concentration does. Established in this study as well, is a good correlation between the zeta potential value of the clay minerals and contact angle, as an increase in fluid salinity results in a reduction of the negative charge magnitude and an increase in contact angle from 63 to 102 degree in the case of chlorite. Lastly, findings from this study provide vital information that would enhance the understanding of the role of clay minerals in the improvement of oil recovery.     

Applications of Electron Microbeam Analysis in the Earth Sciences

 Naturally formed geological materials are not constrained in the number of elements which may be present and a wide range of concentrations can be expected. Oxides are a frequent component and water may be present. The particular problems posed for quantitative analysis in some representative applications are described and solutions suggested. Critical testing of the results for consistency with mineral formulae and for repeatability provides confidence in those results. Examples of applications of quantitative analysis of minerals are used to show the variety of problems encountered in electron microbeam analysis and how the analytical results can be used to determine the conditions (time, pressure, temperature) of the minerals or the rocks in which they occur.     

Thermal decomposition of different types of asbestos

Given the known carcinogenic effects, asbestos minerals are considered as general health hazard. Therefore, the elimination of asbestos materials from the environment is necessary. Asbestos minerals should be entirely transformed to a non-hazardous material. One of these methods is destructing the fibers structure of asbestos minerals by thermal treatment. Asbestos minerals are naturally occurring hydrous silicates, so that they decompose to release water by heating at high temperatures which may lead to changes in crystal structure and the formation of new phases without the dangerous properties. In this article, thermal behavior of asbestos minerals is investigated to observe the disappearance of this hazardous structure and to characterize products obtained by this way. Ten samples of asbestos minerals (six chrysotile samples from different locations, two samples of crocidolite, one amosite, and one tremolite) from different locations were tested. Mineralogical and morphological data (X-ray diffraction, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, and scanning electron microscopy) were obtained before and after differential thermal analysis.     

A review of zinc oxide mineral beneficiation using flotation method

In recent years, extraction of zinc from low-grade mining tailings of oxidized zinc has been a matter of discussion. This is a material which can be processed by flotation and acid-leaching methods. Owing to the similarities in the physicochemical and surface chemistry of the constituent minerals, separation of zinc oxide minerals from their gangues by flotation is an extremely complex process. It appears that selective leaching is a promising method for the beneficiation of this type of ore. However, with the high consumption of leaching acid, the treatment of low-grade oxidized zinc ores by hydrometallurgical methods is expensive and complex. Hence, it is best to pre-concentrate low-grade oxidized zinc by flotation and then to employ hydrometallurgical methods. This paper presents a critical review on the zinc oxide mineral flotation technique. In this paper, the various flotation methods of zinc oxide minerals which have been proposed in the literature have been detailed with the aim of identifying the important factors involved in the flotation process. The various aspects of recovery of zinc from these minerals are also dealt with here. The literature indicates that the collector type, sulfidizing agent, pH regulator, depressants and dispersants types, temperature, solid pulp concentration, and desliming are important parameters in the process. The range and optimum values of these parameters, as also the adsorption mechanism, together with the resultant flotation of the zinc oxide minerals reported in the literature are summarized and highlighted in the paper. This review presents a comprehensive scientific guide to the effectiveness of flotation strategy.     

内在矿物对高灰褐煤CO_2气化的影响研究

利用分选结合逐级酸洗的方法制备出不同灰含量和矿物组成的褐煤煤样,使用沉降管反应器(DTR)和热重分析仪(TGA)研究内在矿物在1 000-1 200℃对褐煤CO_2气化的影响。结果表明,内在矿物对褐煤CO_2气化具有促进作用,且促进机制具有温度敏感性。低温时(1 000℃),内在矿物可通过增加初生半焦微晶结构的无序度,间接提高气化碳转化率。高温时(1 100-1 200℃),内在矿物通过催化煤焦气化,直接促进气化碳转化率的上升。碱性指数不适用于表征本研究的褐煤内在矿物的催化作用。Ca是内在矿物中影响整体催化能力的主要成分,而且羧酸盐形式的Ca是其中的活性组分。不同的催化机制是导致煤焦中钙的催化活性因其化学形式而异的根本原因。羧酸盐形式的Ca可降低煤焦气化反应的活化能,而CaO则提高反应的表观频率因子。     

A Universal Geochemical Scenario for Formamide Condensation and Prebiotic Chemistry

The condensation of formamide has been shown to be a robust chemical pathway affording molecules necessary for the origin of life. It has been experimentally demonstrated that condensation reactions of formamide are catalyzed by a number of minerals, including silicates, phosphates, sulfides, zirconia, and borates, and by cosmic dusts and meteorites. However, a critical discussion of the catalytic power of the tested minerals, and the geochemical conditions under which the condensation would occur, is still missing. We show here that mineral self-assembled structures forming under alkaline silica-rich solutions are excellent catalysts for the condensation of formamide with respect to other minerals. We also propose that these structures were likely forming as early as 4.4 billion years ago when the whole earth surface was a reactor, a global scale factory, releasing large amounts of organic compounds. Our experimental results suggest that the conditions required for the synthesis of the molecular bricks from which life self-assembles, rather than being local and bizarre, appears to be universal and geologically rather conventional.     

Microanalysis of minerals by laser ablation ICPMS and SIRMS

Due to permanent re-equilibration processes that minerals undergo during dynamic processes within the earth, minerals build up concentration profiles – mainly from rim to core – which are ideal indicators of the geological processes the rocks have suffered. To understand these fingerprints of geological processes micro-analytical facilities are required that allow measurement of the isotopic and chemical composition of spot sizes from about 1 μm to 1 mm at concentration levels in the ng/g-range. Laser ablation techniques combined with inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (LA-ICPMS) and stable isotope ratio mass spectrometry (SIRMS) recently have achieved these demands. This contribution gives an example about their potential in establishing concentration gradients within minerals for geological questions.     

Raman, infrared and XPS study of bamboo phytoliths after chemical digestion

Many phosphate containing minerals are found in the Jenolan Caves. Such minerals are formed by the reaction of bat guano and clays from the caves. Among these cave minerals is the mineral taranakite (K,NH(4))Al(3)(PO(4))(3)(OH)·9(H(2)O) which has been identified by X-ray diffraction. Jenolan Caves taranakite has been characterised by Raman spectroscopy. Raman and infrared bands are assigned to H(2)PO(4), OH and NH stretching vibrations. By using a combination of XRD and Raman spectroscopy, the existence of taranakite in the caves has been proven.     

Asbestos mineral analysis by UV Raman and energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy.

The applicability of a UV micro-Raman setup was assessed for the rapid identification of fibrous asbestos minerals using 257 and 244 nm laser light for excitation. Raman spectra were obtained from six asbestos reference standards belonging to two basic structural groups: the serpentines (chrysotile) and the amphiboles (crocidolite, tremolite, amosite, anthophyllite, and actinolite). The UV Raman spectra reported here for the first time are free from fluorescence, which is especially helpful in assessing the hydroxyl-stretching vibrations. The spectra exhibit sharp bands characteristic of each asbestos species, which can be used for the unambiguous identification of known and unknown asbestos fibres. Evident changes of the relative band intensities sensitively reflect the chemical substitutions that typically occur in asbestos minerals. The elemental composition of the asbestos reference samples was analysed by using a scanning electron microscope equipped with an energy-dispersive X-ray (EDX) spectrometer. The discussion of the experimental results in terms of EDX analysis sheds new light on the structural and vibrational consequences of cation distribution in asbestos minerals.     

XANES技术探究酸处理对义马煤中硫形态及其热变迁行为的影响

利用XANES技术研究了酸处理对义马煤的比表面积、体相及表面硫形态分布和热解过程中硫变迁行为的影响。结果表明,由于酸处理过程中部分镶嵌于有机质中的矿物质被脱除导致部分闭合孔打开,煤的比表面积有所增大。HCl-HF和HCl-HF-HNO₃处理脱除了煤中大部分矿物质和无机硫,由于HNO₃的强氧化性,YMN中亚砜和砜硫化物的相对含量均高于YMR和YMD。相比煤样体相,酸处理过程对表面形态硫的分布产生了更为明显的影响。酸处理煤样热解含硫气体释放量减少,但由于大部分碱性矿物质的脱除和煤中易分解形态硫相对含量的增加,含硫气体释放率增加。不同形态硫之间的内部转化使得酸处理煤焦中主要形态硫的分布更为均匀。通过HCl-HF-HNO₃处理可以有效地脱除煤中矿物质及无机硫,并改变煤中形态硫分布,从而为高灰分、富含黄铁矿的高硫煤的利用提供指导。     

RELATION BETWEEN THE OPTICAL ANISO-TROPY INDEX AND THE POLARIZABILITY ELLIPSOID OF ATOM GROUPS

The optical anisotropy index is a new conception which has been proposed by the author of this paper on the basis of the Gladstone refractivity (i.e. specific energy by Larsen). The conception is very useful for studying the structural-optical mineralogy. The polarizability ellipsoid of atom groups in minerals may be obtained from the optical anisotropy index; conversely, when the crystal structure, orientation, and the polarizability ellipsoid of atom groups are known, the optical anisotropy index of the minerals may be calculated, and then three principal refractive indices, and the optical axis angles may be calculated, too. The calculated values of optical properties are in very good agreement with the experimental values. This calculation method is much simpler thanBragg's for the carbonates, and the precision of calculated values is much higher than that of Bragg's. The principle of calculation method is suitable for all the minerals containing some strong anisotropic atom groups, besides carbonat     

Microcoulometric measurement of water in minerals

A DuPont Moisture Analyzer is used in a microcoulometric method for determining water in minerals. Certain modifications, which include the heating of the sample outside the instrument, protect the system from acid gases and insure the conversion of all hydrogen to water vapor. Moisture analyzer data are compared to concurrent data obtained by a modified Penfield method. In general, there is a positive bias of from 0.1 to 0.2% in the moisture analyzer results and a similarity of bias in minerals of the same kind. Inhomogeneity, sample size, and moisture pick-up are invoked to explain deviations. The method is particularly applicable to small samples.     

Near-infrared spectroscopy of natural alunites

Near-infrared spectroscopy (NIR) has been used to analyse alunites of formula K(Al3+)6(SO4)4(OH)12. Whilst the spectra of the alunites shows a common pattern differences in the spectra are observed which enable the minerals to be distinguished. These differences are attributed to subtle variations in alunite composition. The NIR bands in the 6300-7000 cm(-1) region are attributed to the first fundamental overtone of both the infrared and Raman hydroxyl stretching vibrations. A set of bands are observed in the 4700-5500 cm(-1) region which are assigned to combination bands of the hydroxyl stretching and deformation vibrations. NIR spectroscopy has the ability to distinguish between the alunite minerals even when the formula of the minerals is closely related. The NIR spectroscopic technique has great potential as a mineral exploratory tool on planets and in particular Mars.     

青藏高原湖泊影响锂元素迁移和富集的矿物、元素及环境因素——以西藏郭扎错钻孔沉积物为例

作为我国战略性矿产的锂矿,主要赋存于青藏高原盐湖中。湖泊系统中,锂的富集和迁移规律关系到锂矿的高效提取和未来锂矿的储量估算。本文以西藏咸水湖郭扎错的钻孔沉积物为例,结合AMS14C年代和Mg元素含量变化,系统分析了孔隙水、碳酸盐矿物和硅酸盐矿物的锂含量变化,探讨了矿物、镁元素、环境变化和早期成岩作用等对锂元素迁移和富集的影响。郭扎错沉积物中锂和镁大部分存在于硅酸盐矿物中,锂和镁较高的相关性说明二者存在于相同的硅酸盐矿物中,如粘土矿物。大约90%的锂赋存在硅酸盐矿物中,约8.5%的锂赋存在碳酸盐矿物中,孔隙水中的锂含量占比仅约1.5%。碳酸盐矿物中Mg/Li摩尔比值为78–270,是孔隙水中10多倍,而硅酸盐矿物中的Mg/Li摩尔比值稳定在24–29之间。水–沉积物相互作用促进硅酸盐矿物中锂的释放,咸水环境下释放的锂多于淡水环境下。碳酸盐矿物中,锂和镁主要存在于方解石中。镁离子对锂离子的迁移具有阻碍作用,低温、高盐度下的阻碍作用更强。湖泊沉积物可能是湖水锂的一个重要来源。