Platinum-group element distribution in base-metal sulfides of the Merensky Reef from the eastern and western Bushveld Complex, South Africa     

Inga Osbahr  Reiner Klemd  Thomas Oberthür  Helene Brätz  Robert Schouwstra 《Mineralium Deposita》2013,48(2):211-232

Base-metal sulfides in magmatic Ni-Cu-PGE deposits are important carriers of platinum-group elements (PGE). The distribution and concentrations of PGE in pentlandite, pyrrhotite, chalcopyrite, and pyrite were determined in samples from the mineralized portion of four Merensky Reef intersections from the eastern and western Bushveld Complex. Electron microprobe analysis was used for major elements, and in situ laser ablation inductively-coupled plasma mass spectrometry (LA-ICP-MS) for trace elements (PGE, Ag, and Au). Whole rock trace element analyses were performed on representative samples to obtain mineralogical balances. In Merensky Reef samples from the western Bushveld, both Pt and Pd are mainly concentrated in the upper chromitite stringer and its immediate vicinity. Samples from the eastern Bushveld reveal more complex distribution patterns. In situ LA-ICP-MS analyses of PGE in sulfides reveal that pentlandite carries distinctly elevated PGE contents, whereas pyrrhotite and chalcopyrite only contain very low PGE concentrations. Pentlandite is the principal host of Pd and Rh in the ores. Palladium and Rh concentrations in pentlandite reach up to 700 and 130 ppm, respectively, in the samples from the eastern Bushveld, and up to 1,750 ppm Pd and up to 1,000 ppm Rh in samples from the western Bushveld. Only traces of Pt are present in the base-metal sulfides (BMS). Pyrrhotite contains significant though generally low amounts of Ru, Os, and Ir, but hardly any Pd or Rh. Chalcopyrite contains most of the Ag but carries only extremely low PGE concentrations. Mass balance calculations performed on the Merensky Reef samples reveal that in general, pentlandite in the feldspathic pyroxenite and the pegmatoidal feldspathic pyroxenite hosts up to 100 % of the Pd and Rh and smaller amounts (10–40 %) of the Os, Ir, and Ru. Chalcopyrite and pyrrhotite usually contain less than 10 % of the whole rock PGE. The remaining PGE concentrations, and especially most of the Pt (up to 100 %), are present in the form of discrete platinum-group minerals such as cooperite/braggite, sperrylite, moncheite, and isoferroplatinum. Distribution patterns of whole rock Cu, Ni, and S versus whole rock Pd and Pt show commonly distinct offsets. The general sequence of “offset patterns” of PGE and BMS maxima, in the order from bottom to top, is Pd in pentlandite?→?Pd in whole rock?→?(Cu, Ni, and S). The relationship is not that straightforward in general; some of the reef sequences studied only partially show similar trends or are more complex. In general, however, the highest Pd concentrations in pentlandite appear to be related to the earliest, volumetrically rather small sulfide liquids at the base of the Merensky Reef sequence. A possible explanation for the offset patterns may be Rayleigh fractionation.  相似文献   

High-grade iron ore at Windarling, Yilgarn Craton: a product of syn-orogenic deformation, hypogene hydrothermal alteration and supergene modification in an Archean BIF-basalt lithostratigraphy   总被引：2，自引：0，他引：2  

Thomas Angerer  Steffen G. Hagemann  Leonid Danyushevsky 《Mineralium Deposita》2013,48(6):697-728

Banded iron formation (BIF)-hosted iron ore deposits in the Windarling Range are located in the lower greenstone succession of the Marda–Diemals greenstone belt, Southern Cross domain, Yilgarn Craton and constitute a total hematite–martite–goethite ore resource of minimum 52 Mt at 60 wt.% Fe (0.07 P). Banded iron formation is interlayered with high-Mg basalts at Windarling and precipitated during episodes of volcanic quiescence. Trace element content and the rare earth element (REE) ratios Y/Ho (42 to 45), Sm/Yb (1.5), together with positive La and Gd anomalies in ‘least-altered’ hematite–magnetite–metachert–BIF indicate the precipitation from Archean seawater that was fertilised by hydrothermal vent fluids with a basaltic HREE-Y signature. Hypogene iron ore in sub-greenschist facies metamorphosed BIF formed during three distinct stages: ore stage 1 was a syn- to post-metamorphic, syn-D₁, Fe–Ca–Mg–Ni–Co–P–REE metasomatism that produced local Ni–REE-rich Fe–dolomite–magnetite alteration in BIF. Hydrothermal alteration was induced by hot fluid flow controlled by brittle–ductile reactivation of BIF-basalt margins and crosscutting D₁ faults. The Ni–Co-rich content of dolomite and a shift in REE ratios in carbonate-altered BIF towards Archean mafic rock signature (Y/Ho to 31 to 40, Sm/Yb to 1 to 2 and Gd/Gd* to 1.2 to 1.4) suggest that high-Mg basalts in the Windarling Range were the primary source of introduced metals. During ore stage 2, a syn-deformational and likely acidic and oxidised fluid flow along BIF-basalt margins and within D₁ faults leached carbonate and precipitated lepidoblastic and anhedral/granoblastic hematite. High-grade magnetite–hematite ore is formed during this stage. Ore stage 3 hydrothermal specular hematite (spcH)–Fe–dolomite–quartz alteration was controlled by a late-orogenic, brittle, compressional/transpressional stage (D₄; the regional-scale shear-zone-related D₃ is not preserved in Windarling). This minor event remobilised iron oxides, carbonate and quartz to form veins and breccia but did not generate significant volumes of iron ore. Ore stage 4 involved Mesozoic(?) to recent supergene oxidation and hydration in a weathering environment reaching down to depths of ～100 to maximum 200 m below surface. Supergene ore formation involved goethite replacement of dolomite and quartz as well as martitisation. Important ‘ground preparation’ for supergene modification and upgrade were mainly the formation of steep D₁ to D₄ structures, steep BIF/basalt margins and particularly the syn-D₁ to syn-D₂ carbonate alteration of BIF that is most susceptible to supergene dissolution. The Windarling deposits are structurally controlled, supergene-modified hydrothermal iron ore systems that share comparable physical, chemical and ore-forming characteristics to other iron ore deposits in the Yilgarn Craton (e.g. Koolyanobbing, Beebyn in the Weld Range, Mt. Gibson). However, the remarkable variety in pre-, syn- and post-deformational ore textures (relative to D₁ and D₂) has not been described elsewhere in the Yilgarn and are similar to the ore deposits in high-strain zones, such as of Brazil (Quadrilátero Ferrífero or Iron Quadrangle) and Nigeria. The overall similarity of alteration stages, i.e. the sequence of hydrothermal carbonate introduction and hypogene leaching, with other greenstone belt-hosted iron ore deposits supports the interpretation that syn-orogenic BIF alteration and upgrade was crucial in the formation of hypogene–supergene iron ore deposits in the Yilgarn Craton and possibly in other Archean/Paleoproterozoic greenstone belt settings worldwide.  相似文献   

Risk-targeted seismic design maps for mainland France   总被引：3，自引：2，他引：1  

John Douglas  Thomas Ulrich  Caterina Negulescu 《Natural Hazards》2013,65(3):1999-2013

In this article, the recently proposed approach known as ‘risk targeting’ for the development of national seismic design maps is investigated for mainland France. Risk targeting leads to ground-motion maps that, if used for design purposes, would lead to a uniform level of risk nationally. The Eurocode 8 design loads currently in force for France are used as the basis of this study. Because risk targeting requires various choices on, for example, the level of acceptable risk to be made a priori and these choices are not solely engineering decisions but involve input from decision makers we undertake sensitivity tests to study their influence. It is found that, in contrast to applications of this methodology for US cities, risk targeting does not lead to large modifications with respect to the national seismic hazard map nor to changes in the relative ranking of cities with respect to their design ground motions. This is because the hazard curves for French cities are almost parallel. In addition, we find that using a target annual collapse probability of about 10^?5 for seismically designed buildings and a probability of collapse when subjected to the design PGA of 10^?5 leads to reasonable results. This is again in contrast to US studies that have adopted much higher values for both these probabilities.  相似文献   

Using Long-Term Census Data to Inform Restoration Methods for Coastal Dune Vegetation     

Elise S. Gornish  Thomas E. Miller 《Estuaries and Coasts》2013,36(5):1014-1023

Barrier islands are exposed to the wind and wave action from storms, which often disturbs both the geomorphology and vegetation. Conservation and restoration efforts for these important habitats could be improved with knowledge of how native plants respond to storms. We analyzed 10 years of annual data of vegetation of St. George Island, Florida, in the Gulf of Mexico, to quantify how the plant community responds to major storms and to predict which dune species might be appropriate for restoration after storm damage across dune zones. This prediction was tested with six plant species that differed in their storm response—from highly negative (local extinction in response to storms) to highly positive (increased abundance in response to storms). We measured transplant survival and growth (plant height and number of shoots) over 2 years in a restoration experiment across three major dune zones. We found that different species can be useful for restoration purposes in different dune zones, depending on both short- and longer-term management strategies. Uniola paniculata is a particularly strong restoration candidate across all dune zones, whereas Muhlenbergia capillaris and Schizachyrium maritimum would be beneficial for restoration in the interdune area. Fimbristylis spp. and Sporobolus virginicus demonstrate the strongest potential for restoration in the interdune and backdune areas. Restoration of disturbed areas often involves the seeding or transplanting of species to stabilize the landscape and initiate the return of the original vegetation. We show that the performance of native species, in response to storms, especially in conjunction with information on plant life history, can be useful for identifying the best species to use for restoration.  相似文献   

Late Oligocene micromammal teeth (MP28/29) from the Lower Freshwater Molasse (USM) of Chrummorge (Lägern, N-Switzerland)     

Thomas Bolliger 《Swiss Journal of Geoscience》2013,106(2):147-159

The small sandpit “Chrummorge” on the Lägern hill (N-Switzerland) was searched for small mammal fossils. Bone fragments and about 100 teeth were retrieved while screen-washing of about 300 kg of Late Oligocene river channel-sands. Sedimentology indicates a probably meandering stream type, which likely followed a more erosional environment with tropical karsts and the formation of bolus-clay and iron ore. Even though, most of the micromammal teeth were rolled due to river transport before sedimentation, it was still possible to identify teeth of biostratigraphical importance, dating this new mammal assemblage to MP28/29 (about 24.6 ± 0.2 Ma). These Late Oligocene river channel sands are the oldest molasse sediments in the Lägern area, and they are in direct contact with Late Jurassic limestone. Thus they add important information for the reconstruction of the regional geological history.  相似文献   

A data exploration framework for validation and setup of hydrological models   总被引：5，自引：5，他引：0  

Karsten Rink  Thomas Fischer  Benny Selle  Olaf Kolditz 《Environmental Earth Sciences》2013,69(2):469-477

Over the course of hydrological research projects often a large number of heterogeneous data sets are acquired from sources as diverse as boreholes, gauging stations or satellite imagery. This data then need to be integrated into models for the simulation of hydrological processes. We propose a framework for exploration of geoscientific data and visually guided preparation of such models. Data sets from a large number of sources can be imported, combined and validated to avoid potential problems due to artefacts or inconsistencies between data sets in a subsequent simulation. Boundary conditions and domain discretisations for surface and subsurface models can be created and tested regarding criteria indicating possible numerical instabilities. All data sets including simulation results can be integrated into a user-controlled 3D scene and aspects of the data can be enhanced using a number of established visualisation techniques including thresholding and user-defined transfer functions. We present the application of this framework for the preparation of a model for simulation of groundwater flow in a river catchment in southwest Germany investigated in the scope of the WESS project.  相似文献   

Assessing the relevance of subsurface processes for the simulation of evapotranspiration and soil moisture dynamics with CLM3.5: comparison with field data and crop model simulations     

Sebastian Gayler  Joachim Ingwersen  Eckart Priesack  Thomas Wöhling  Volker Wulfmeyer  Thilo Streck 《Environmental Earth Sciences》2013,69(2):415-427

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On the inclusion of ground-based gravity measurements to the calibration process of a global rainfall-discharge reservoir model: case of the Durzon karst system (Larzac, southern France)     

Naomi Mazzilli  Hervé Jourde  Thomas Jacob  Vincent Guinot  Nicolas Le Moigne  Marie Boucher  Konstantinos Chalikakis  Hélène Guyard  Anatoly Legtchenko 《Environmental Earth Sciences》2013,68(6):1631-1646

This work examines the relevance of the inclusion of ground-based gravity data in the calibration process of a global rainfall-discharge reservoir model. The analysis is performed for the Durzon karst system (Larzac, France). The first part of the study focuses on the hydrological interpretation of the ground-based gravity measurements. The second part of the study investigates further the information content of the gravity data with respect to water storage dynamics modelling. The gravity-derived information is found unable to either reduce equifinality of the single-objective, discharge-based model calibration process or enhance model performance through assimilation.  相似文献   

Geothermal energy systems: research perspective for domestic energy provision   总被引：1，自引：1，他引：0  

Ernst Huenges  Thomas Kohl  Olaf Kolditz  Judith Bremer  Magdalena Scheck-Wenderoth  Thomas Vienken 《Environmental Earth Sciences》2013,70(8):3927-3933

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Wharf embankment and strengthening program at the Port of Oakland   总被引：1，自引：0，他引：1  

Frank R. Lobedan  Thomas LaBasco  Kenny Ogunfunmi   《Soil Dynamics and Earthquake Engineering》2002,22(9-12):1125-1130

The wharf and embankment strengthening program (WESP) is a structural modification project involving approximately 12,000 linear feet of pile-supported, marginal wharf structures. WESP is necessary because the Port of Oakland plans to deepen its berths from −42′ mean lower low water (MLLW) to −52′ MLLW, in conjunction with a Federal Government-sponsored channel dredging project. Unless they are structurally reinforced prior to the dredging, the waterfront components (i.e. wharves and embankments) will be weakened by the berth deepening project. WESP is a three-phase program that establishes the existing structural and seismic capacities of waterfront components, develops designs for improvements necessary to maintain these capacities after the berth deepening, and constructs the improvements. WESP also includes consideration of seismic upgrade improvements. The Port is currently completing the first phase of the WESP program. This paper will describe the design criteria, project phasing, construction type of waterfront components, project organization, and results to date for WESP.  相似文献