Heavy mineral studies on late quaternary red sediments of Bhimunipatnam,Andhra Pradesh,East coast of India

Thirty one sediment samples from different varieties viz. yellow, reddish brown, brick red and light yellow sands from red sediments of Bhimunipatnam, Andhra Pradesh were studied to understand the heavy mineral assemblage, their fractionwise distribution and concentration. The heavy mineral assemblage in red sediments is ilmenite, magnetite, sillimanite, garnet, zircon, rutile, kyanite, monazite etc. Total heavy minerals (THM) wt. % varies from 16.67 to 23.99% and their concentration is not uniform in all the sedimentary samples. The higher THM wt% in brick red sands (23.99%) followed by reddish brown sands (20.24%), light yellow sands (17.10%) and yellow sands (16.67%). The finer fractions have more concentration of THM wt% than coarse fraction. The vertical distribution of heavy minerals in each sedimentary unit indicates that these units are not formed in single phase of deposition. Less concentration of garnets in yellow and light yellow sedimentary units indicates that the garnets might be chemically altered into iron hydroxide–limonite which gives yellow colour to the sediments under slightly oxidizing environment. Low concentration of garnets in brick red and reddish brown sediments indicates that garnets might have been undergone chemical decomposition under acidic conditions leads to produce iron oxides (Hematite) causes for red colorization of these units. The heavy mineral assemblage in different sand units indicates that they are derived from Eastern Ghat Group of rocks (khondalites and charnockites).     

Ilmenite, Magnetite and Chromite Beach Placers from South Maharashtra, Central West Coast of India

The heavy mineral placer deposits of the coastal sediments in south Maharashtra stretch for 12.5 km from Pirwadi in the north to Talashil in the south. The area is a sand bar represented by a narrow submergent coastal plain lying between the Achara and Gad Rivers. The sediments in the area are mainly sands which are moderately well sorted to well sorted. The heavy mineral concentration in the surficial sediments ranges between 0.69 and 98.32 wt % (28.73 wt % in average). The heavy mineral concentration shows an increasing trend from north to south. The heavy mineral suite consists predominantly of opaque minerals (ilmenite, magnetite and chromite), garnet, pyroxene, amphibole, zircon, tourmaline, rutile, staurolite, etc. Ilmenite grains are fresh whereas magnetite grains show the effect of weathering and alteration. The chromite grains are rounded to sub-rounded with alteration at the margin of the grains. The surficial textures of the opaque minerals show mechanical breaking that indicates limited distance of transportation. Ilmenite has TiO₂ in the range between 40.04 and 46.6 wt %. Based on ore microscopy studies, the magnetite grains appear to be of two types: pure magnetite and titano-magnetite. Compositionally, the total magnetite fractions have Fe₂O₃ between 32 and 46 wt %, FeO between 19.0 and 25 wt % and TiO₂ between 14.3 and 23.9 wt %. The chromite grains are an admixture of two varieties, ferro-chromite and magnesio-chromite. The chromite grains have 32.06–47.5 wt % of Cr₂O₃ with total iron between 23.86 wt % (4.73% Fe₂O₃ and 19.13% FeO) and 27.89 wt % (4.36% Fe₂O₃ and 23.53% FeO) and MgO between 12 and 40 wt %. The observed variations in the distribution of heavy minerals in the area are due to differences in the sediment supply, their specific gravity and oceanographic processes all of which result in a selective sorting of the sediments. The observed mineral assemblages of transparent heavy minerals (pyroxene, amphibole, tourmaline, kyanite, garnet, zircon and olivine) are suggestive of their derivation from a heterogeneous provenance comprising of igneous rocks, high grade metamorphic rocks and reworked Kaladgi sediments. The chromite grains appear to have been derived from ultrabasic rocks present in the upper reaches of the Gad River. The inferred reserves of ilmenite, magnetite and chromite are 0.175, 0.395 and 0.032 million tons, respectively.     

江汉平原主要河流沉积物重矿物特征与物源区岩性的响应

通过对江汉平原主要河流沉积物的重矿物组合、特征矿物以及能够反映沉积物稳定状况、物源及成熟度的重矿物特征指数(ATi,GZi和ZTR)进行对比分析,发现在江汉平原范围内,长江和汉江及其长江主要支流的沉积物中重矿物特征具有显著的差异。长江的重矿物组合模型为：  锆石+绿帘石+辉石+绿泥石+金属矿物,特征矿物是锆石和辉石;   汉江的重矿物组合模型为：  绿帘石+角闪石+石榴石+绿泥石+金属矿物,特征矿物是角闪石、石榴石;   另外,清江、漳河、沮水和玛瑙河的重矿物组合及特征矿物也都完全不同。而且各水系的沉积物的重矿物特征与其源区的岩性分布显示出极好的相关性。研究表明在江汉平原利用重矿物特征及组合模型来进行物源示踪的方法开展水系演化研究是可行的。     

Spatial Variations in Particle Size and Magnetite Concentration on Cedar Beach: Implications for Grain-Sorting Processes, Western Lake Erie, Canada

<正>This study examined spatial variations in the concentration,grain size and heavy mineral assemblages on Cedar Beach(Lake Erie,Canada).Magnetic studies of heavy mineral-enriched,dark-reddish sands present on the beach showed that magnetite(～150μm) is the dominant magnetic mineral.Surficial magnetic susceptibility values defined three zones:a lakeward region close to the water line(Zone 1),the upper swash zone(Zone 2) and the region landwards of the upper swash zone (Zone 3).Zone 2 showed the highest bulk and mass susceptibility(κ,χ) and the highest mass percentage of smaller grain-size(250μm) fractions in the bulk sand sample.Susceptibility(i.e.κandχ) values decreased and grain size coarsened from Zone 2 lakewards(into Zone 1) and landwards (into Zone 3),and correlated with the distribution of the heavy mineral assemblage,most probably reflecting preferential separation of large,less dense particles by waves and currents both along and across the beach.The eroded western section of Cedar Beach showed much higher concentrations of heavy minerals including magnetite,and finer sand grain sizes than the accreting eastern section, suggesting that magnetic techniques could be used as a rapid,cost-effective way of examining erosion along sensitive coastline areas.     

吐哈盆地中北部中侏罗统重矿物组合特征及对博格达山隆升过程的约束

通过对吐哈盆地中北部中侏罗统重矿物组合特征分析发现,该区重矿物组合具有显著的分区特征。其中桃尔沟-胜南-吐南地区整个中侏罗世,重矿物以高含量的磁铁矿、赤铁矿为特征。七泉湖-胜金地区在西山窑组-三间房组沉积时期,重矿物以锆石和钛的氧化物为主;自七克台组沉积伊始,磁铁矿含量显著增加。三堡-鲁克沁地区在西山窑组沉积时期,重矿物以锆石和钛的氧化物为主;到三间房组-七克台组沉积时期,石榴石、磁铁矿含量明显增加。鄯勒-萨克桑地区西山窑组沉积时期重矿物以锆石和钛的氧化物为主;三间房组沉积以来,磁铁矿含量急剧增加。丘陵-丘东地区西山窑组-三间房组沉积时期,重矿物以高含量绿帘石为特征;七克台组沉积时期,转而以锆石和钛的氧化物为主。研究区中侏罗统重矿物组合演化特征显示,中侏罗世博格达山的隆升具有明显的分段性：Ⅰ段（西）在西山窑组沉积时期便已隆起,构成盆地物源区;西山窑晚期-三间房初期,博格达山Ⅲ段（东）开始快速隆升,导致三间房组沉积时期鄯勒-萨克桑地区磁铁矿含量剧增;而博格达山Ⅱ段（中）直到七克台组初期才开始隆升。     

台湾山溪性小河流碎屑重矿物组成及其示踪意义

台湾山溪性小河流每年向边缘海输入巨量沉积物,对东海陆架的沉积过程产生了显著的影响。本文分析台湾两条典型河流(兰阳溪和浊水溪)沉积物的全粒级碎屑重矿物组成,共鉴定出20种重矿物,但重量百分含量较低,为0.004%~0.116%。兰阳溪的主要重矿物组合为:锆石-菱镁矿-赤褐铁矿-锐钛矿-黄铁矿,浊水溪为:锆石-石榴石-赤褐铁矿-钛铁矿-锐钛矿-白钛石。研究流域的碎屑重矿物组成存在明显的沿程不均一性,指示出多数沉积物主要受到近源影响,从上游至下游重矿物组成的继承性较差。因此,基岩性质是河流碎屑重矿物组成的主要控制因素:兰阳溪和浊水溪的下游地区主要受各自流域内第四纪碎屑沉积物的贡献,上游地区则主要受到中央山脉庐山组的贡献。基岩控制起主导作用也使得重矿物指数如ATi、GZi和ZTR等难以恰当地应用于台湾山溪性小河流中。并且,大陆东部典型入海河流的重矿物组成与台湾河流存在明显区别:大陆入海河流中主要重矿物为磁铁矿和绿帘石;与之不同的是,兰阳溪河口富集锆石、菱镁矿和黄铁矿,浊水溪河口富集锆石和石榴石。这种差异主要反映了流域内基岩性质的不同。     

Understanding heavy mineral dynamics using magnetic fingerprinting technique: a case study of North Maharashtra Coast,India

Environmental magnetic and grain size measurements were carried out on sand samples collected from nine sand pits along a 20-km coastal stretch of Arnala Beach, North Maharashtra, India. This study sets out to identify the potential heavy (magnetite) mineral-rich sites in a dynamic coastal system and decipher their enrichment processes. Combination of rock-magnetic and grain size data of the sand pits mirrors the differential heavy mineral fluxes along the coast. Two distinct and well-separated bands of magnetite enrichments were identified. The upper magnetite band (UMB) is more pronounced and shows uniform magnetite enrichment representing the present-day beach erosional state. A well-separated lower magnetite band (LMB) had highest magnetite concentration at Vaitarna River mouth and depicts a strong decrease in magnetite content and clastic (mean) grain size away from the river mouth. This suggests that the NW–SE-directed coast-parallel sediment transport in the past played a major role in the formation of magnetite-rich layers of LMB. A non-enriched zone (NEZ) between UMB and LMB is magnetically weak and showed large variations in clastic grain sizes and possibly represents a period of sediment accretion. A strong correlation between magnetite concentration and magnetic grain size was found for all the sand pit samples, with highest magnetic susceptibility values being dominated by coarser magnetic grains. This relationship needs to be further exploited as a potential fingerprint to identify the heavy mineral lag deposits in coastal environments. Our study explores the potential of using environmental magnetism and sedimentological methods to identify the potential areas enriched in heavy (magnetic) minerals and explains the mechanism of their formation.     

Comparison of detrital mineral compositions between stream sediments of the Yangtze River (Changjiang) and the Yellow River (Huanghe) and their provenance implication

A comparative comparative study on the detrital mineral composition of stream sediments of the Yangtze River (Changjiang) and Yellow River (Huanghe) shows that, light minerals of the Yangtze River basin were mainly quartz, feldspar, and detritus, the compositional characteristics of light minerals differed among tributaries, the main stream had a generally higher maturity index than tributaries; heavy mineral content tended to decrease progressively from the upper stream to lower stream of the Yangtze River, the primary assemblage was magnetite-hornblende-augite-garnet-epidote, and diagnostic minerals of different river basins were capable of indicating the nature and distribution of the source rock. Detrital mineral assemblages in sediments of tributaries and the main stream of the Yellow River were basically similar, Primary heavy mineral assemblage was opaque mineral-garnet-epidote-carbonate mineral and alteration mineral. Variations in the contents of garnet, opaque mineral, and hornblende mainly reflected the degree of sedimentary differentiation in suspended sediment and the hydrodynamic intensity of a drainage system. The heavy mineral differentiation index F revealed sedimentary differentiation of diagnostic detrital mineral composition due to changes in regional hydrodynamic intensity and can serve as an indicator for studying the dynamic sedimentary environment of a single-provenance river and the degree of sedimentary differentiation of its detrital minerals. Changes in detrital mineral content of the Yellow River was not completely controlled by provenance but reflected gravity sorting of the detrital mineral due to variations in the ephemeral river hydrodynamic intensity and sedimentary environment, however the index changing of Yangtze River were mainly influenced by the complex sediment sources. Therefore caution must be exercised in using the detrital mineral composition of marginal sea to determine the contribution of the Yangtze River and Yellow River.© 2019 China Geology Editorial Office.     

邯邢式铁矿形成机制:来自河北武安斑状二长岩中“含铁熔体-流体”的证据

人们对邯邢式铁矿形成机制一直存在争议。为解决这一科学问题,本文对在河北武安赵庄地区斑状二长岩中发现的“含铁熔体-流体”脉及团斑进行了详细的矿物学及岩石学研究。结果显示:“含铁熔体-流体”矿物组合分带明显,其中核部矿物组合为Di+Amp+Mt+Ap+Pl,边部矿物组合为Prh+Cal。“含铁熔体-流体”中磁铁矿具有明显的环带结构,中心部分TiO₂含量为2.23%,边部磁铁矿TiO₂含量为0.36%0.57%。核部∑REE高过边部两个数量级,在球粒陨石标准化稀土元素分配图中呈右倾型曲线,与武安地区侵入岩同源,在未经流体加入时的高温岩浆环境中结晶。边部磁铁矿在球粒陨石标准化稀土元素分配图中显示REE轻微亏损,且有明显的Ce负异常,指示了磁铁矿结晶环境有大量富含挥发分的流体加入。在磁铁矿(Ti+V)-(Al+Mn)图解中,“含铁熔体-流体”中的磁铁矿落于斑岩型磁铁矿和Fe-Ti、V型磁铁矿区域,也处于热液型磁铁矿与岩浆型磁铁矿之间。这表明“含铁熔体-流体”并非侵入岩与围岩发生接触交代反应后形成的远端夕卡岩脉,而是源于深部的“含铁熔体-流体”在浅部结晶的产物。以高钛、富集REE为特征的磁铁矿是深部岩浆房铁矿浆结晶的磁铁矿微晶。由于富含挥发分的流体注入岩浆房形成流体超压,磁铁矿微晶与气泡结合沿岩浆通道快速上升。最后在1.552.19 km的深度形成以低Ti、亏损REE为特征的磁铁矿,并结晶形成角闪石等流体晶矿物。     

Prehnite–pumpellyite to greenschist facies transition, Smartville Complex, near Auburn, California

The Smartville Complex is a late Jurassic, rifted volcanic arc in the northern Sierra Nevada, California. Near Auburn, California, it consists of a lower volcanic unit, dominated by basaltic flows, and an upper volcanic unit of andesitic volcaniclastic rocks, both of which have been intruded by dykes and irregular bodies of diabase. These rocks contain relict igneous minerals, and the metamorphic minerals albite, chlorite, quartz, pumpellyite, prehnite, epidote, amphibole, titanite, garnet, biotite, K-feldspar, white mica, calcite, and sulphide and oxide minerals.
Prehnite–pumpellyite (PrP), prehnite–actinolite (PrA), and greenschist (GS) zones have been identified. The pumpellyite-out isograd separates the PrP and PrA zones, and the prehnite-out isograd separates the PrA and GS zones. The minerals Ab + Qtz + Mt + Tn are common to most assemblages in all three zones. The MgO/(MgO + FeO) ratio of the effective bulk composition has an important and systematic effect on the observed mineral assemblages in the PrP zone. Prehnite-bearing assemblages contain the additional minerals, Pmp + Amp + Ep + Chl in MgO-rich rocks, and either Pmp + Ep + Chl or Amp + Ep + Chl in less magnesian rocks. Subcalcic to calcic amphibole is common in the PrP zone. The mineral assemblage Prh + Act + Ep + Chl, without Pmp, characterizes the PrA zone, and the mineral assemblage Act + Ep + Chl, without Prh or Pmp, characterizes the GS zone. The disappearance of pumpellyite and prehnite occurred by continuous reactions.
The sequence of mineral assemblages was produced by burial metamorphism at P–T conditions of 300° 50°C at approximately 2.5 ± 0.5 kbar. During metamorphism, the composition of the fluid phase was nearly 100% H₂O and the oxygen fugacity was between the hematite–magnetite and quartz–fayalite–magnetite buffers.     

溧阳盆地东南缘永坞头地区自然重砂异常圈定及其物源区分析

自然重砂测量是矿产勘查的重要手段之一,以往的自然重砂测量工作主要侧重于目标矿物量的研究,圈定的异常仅有矿物含量的意义,忽视了矿物迁移、富集规律,很大程度上影响了找矿效果。以溧阳永坞头地区为例,从重矿物剥蚀、迁移、富集规律出发,对自然重砂数据进行整理,重新圈定重砂异常,并利用重矿物组合特征、稳定系数及特征指数（ZTR）对异常源区进行判断。研究表明,圈定的2处锡石自然重砂异常源区分别为永坞头404.60高地—413.10高地一带以及387.60高地一带。     

Effects of valley and local channel morphology on the distribution of gold in stream sediments from Harris Creek, British Columbia, Canada

Large (60 kg, minus 2 mm) sediment samples collected from a 5-km reach of a mature highland stream were used to investigate the effects of bar morphology and channel slope on the downstream dispersion of Au. Results are compared with those for an abundant heavy mineral (magnetite) and are discussed in terms of differential entrapment of light and heavy minerals by gravels and differences in supply of magnetite and Au to the study reach. Gold is selectively trapped in gravels; therefore, highest Au concentrations, a long dispersion train and lowest between-sampling-location variability were obtained with heavy-mineral concentrates of the minus 105+74 μm fraction from sandy gravels. In contrast, sands in bar-tail eddy pools gave the least reliable Au concentrations, due to random (Poisson) sampling errors and local post-depositional winnowing, and show rapid downstream anomaly decay.     

Experimental Study of the Melting Reaction and Genetic Mechanism of Mineral Phase Transformation in Granulite Facies Metamorphism

The high-temperature and high-pressure experiment on natural block rock indicates that dehydration-melting of hydrous biotite (Bi) and partial melting of felsic minerals in garnet-biotite-plagioclase gneiss are mainly controlled by temperature, while mineral phase transformation is not only controlled by temperature-pressure conditions but also genetically associated with hydrous mineral dehydration-melting and partial melting of felsic minerals. According to the characteristics of biotite dehydration-melting and garnet transformation reaction, three stages may be distinguished: (1) when the experimental temperature is 700℃, biotite transforms to ilmenite (Ilm) + magnetite (Mt) + H2O and garnet to magnetite (Mt); (2) when the temperature is 730-760℃, biotite is dehydrated and melted and transformed into K2O-rich melt + Ilm + Mt, and garnet, into hypersthene (Hy) + cordierite (Crd); (3) when the temperature is up to or higher than 790℃, biotite is dehydrated and melted and transformed into melt + Hy +     

松花江早更新世水系演化:来自TIMA矿物和地球化学的证据

水系演化研究是揭示流域地貌—构造—气候演化之间相互作用的重要途径。松花江水系演化研究目前还相对薄弱,尤其是第四纪松花江中上游是否发生流向反转存在争议。自动定量矿物分析系统TIMA(TESCAN Integrated Mineral Analyzer)在源区识别和古地理重建方面有极大的应用潜力。为此,本文利用TIMA技术对位于松花江T2阶地的哈尔滨荒山岩心沉积物进行重矿物及全岩矿物地球化学组成分析。结果表明,以深度62.3 m为界,岩心上、下地层沉积物的重矿物(例如,锆石、磷灰石、金红石、榍石、石榴石、钛铁矿、铁磁矿物和硅铁矿)及全岩矿物地球化学组成均存在明显差异。62.3 m以上地层沉积物的重矿物组合是闪石类+帘石类+榍石+铁磁矿物,硅铁锂钠石在上段地层中出现,全岩矿物地球化学元素较为稳定,波动幅度较小;62.3 m以下地层沉积物的重矿物组合是闪石类+帘石类+钛铁矿+榍石,方解石、铬铁矿、蛇纹石、黄铁矿和磁黄铁矿仅在下段地层中出现,全岩矿物地球化学元素波动幅度较大。TIMA重矿物和全岩矿物地球化学组成反映了岩心沉积物的物源发生明显变化,进而指示了松花江的水系演化。结合在依兰发现的河湖相地层,我们提出了松花江水系演化的新模式。早更新世时期,佳依(佳木斯—依兰)分水岭将松嫩水系和三江平原水系分隔开,作为松花江上游的牡丹江向东流经依兰—通河—哈尔滨,最终注入松嫩古湖。在0.94 Ma B. P.之后,松辽分水岭局部隆升,古松花江发生反转,从西向东流至通河—依兰地区形成古大湖。湖泊水位不断升高致使湖水溢流切穿佳依分水岭,形成现代松花江水系的基本格局。这挑战了以前的向源侵蚀导致佳依分水岭被切穿的水系演化模式。     

Influence of nearshore sediment dynamics on the distribution of heavy mineral placer deposits in Sri Lanka

Beach sediments in Sri Lanka contain industrial-grade heavy mineral occurrences. Samples of both offshore and onshore sediments were collected to examine the provenance, mineralogy and geochemical compositions of the heavy mineral occurrences. Coastal morphodynamic changes along the coastline of Sri Lanka were analyzed using the time-series satellite images. These coastal morphodynamic changes were used to identify the prominent directions of monsoon-influenced longshore currents, coastal sediment accretion and depositional trends and their relationships to the provenance of the heavy minerals. Results show the concentrations of detrital ilmenite, zircon, garnet, monazite, and rutile vary in the onshore and offshore sediments. The heavy mineral potential of the northeastern coast is high (average contents of about 45–50% in the Verugal deposit, 70–85% in the Pulmoddai deposit, and 3.5–5.0% in offshore samples stretching from Nilaveli to Kokkilai), compared to sediments in southwest (average content about 10% in onshore sediments and 2% in offshore sediments from the mouth of the Gin River). Therefore, no economic-grade heavy mineral placers were identified in the offshore environments. The high concentrations of heavy minerals in beach sediments and low concentrations in offshore sediments suggest operation of a panning system in the surf zone to form enriched placer deposits. Major and trace element compositions of beach sediments show marked enrichments of TiO₂, Fe₂O₃, La, Ce, Zr, Cr, Nb, Th and V compared to average Upper Continental Crust (UCC) values. Analysis of prominent coastal longshore transport patterns identifies bidirectional sediment transport in the northeast coast of Sri Lanka. In the southwestern coast, two transport directions occur with anti-clockwise transport from Galle to Hambantota, and clockwise transport from Hikkaduwa to Wadduwa. The heavy minerals in the placers were mainly derived from Precambrian metamorphic rocks, and transported to the coast through the river systems of Sri Lanka.     

金矿自然重砂矿物组合规律及其找矿指示意义

对云南、海南、江西、湖北、河南、新疆、浙江、山东、辽宁等27个省185个典型金矿床的自然重砂矿物进行统计分析,发现自然重砂矿物对金矿具有良好的响应,自然金、黄铁矿、方铅矿、黄铜矿、白铅矿、辰砂等对寻找金矿具有指示意义。不同成因类型的金矿床反映出的自然重砂矿物组合不同,斑岩型金矿床的标型指示矿物组合为自然金+黄铁矿+方铅矿+重晶石+闪锌矿+白铅矿+金红石,卡林型—类卡林型金矿床的标型指示矿物组合为自然金+黄铁矿+方铅矿+辉锑矿+毒砂+雄(雌)黄,而造山型+矽卡岩型+热液型+构造蚀变岩型金矿床的标型指示矿物组合为自然金+黄铁矿+方铅矿+辰砂。不同区域的金矿床反映出的自然重砂矿物组合也各有差异,闪锌矿为南方各省金矿床的特征矿物,辰砂和白钨矿为北方地区金矿床的特征矿物,重晶石和白铅矿为西部地区金矿的特征矿物。综合研究认为,自然重砂具有直接找矿和指导找矿的作用,按照特定成因类型和区域金矿床所建立的自然重砂矿物组合对建立矿床找矿模型具有重要的意义。     

云南寻甸县大凹子岩体特征及钛铁矿找矿前景

基于1∶5万区域地质矿产调查,通过对云南寻甸县大凹子基性岩体,岩石矿物学及人工重砂副矿物分析研究,发现其含有大量的钛铁矿、磁铁矿、钛磁铁矿等,岩体经风化富集后这些钛铁矿可达工业品位,揭示了大凹子基性岩体分布区,可能成为风化壳型钛铁矿新的找矿靶区。     

Mineral Compositions and Equilibria in the Metamorphosed Iron Formation of the Gagnon Region, Quebec, Canada

Forty-seven specimens of the Wabush Iron Formation were collectedfrom ten outcrop areas. Twenty-five specimens contain the assemblage(1), quartz+clinopyroxene+calcite with or without orthopyroxene,grunerite, magnetite, ankerite, and siderite. Five specimenscontain assemblage (2), quartz+clinopyroxene+actinolite+calcite+magnetite+hematite,and two contain assemblage (3), quartz+orthopyroxene+actinolite+magnetite+hematite.In three specimens of assemblage (1), graphite occurs in theabsence of magnetite; pyrrhotite and pyrite occur separatelyor together in specimens with assemblage (1). Thirty-nine clinopyroxenes, 38 orthopyroxenes, 18 grunerites,7 actinolites, 16 calcites, 1 ankerite, and 1 siderite wereanalyzed for iron, manganese, and calcium by X-ray emissionspectrography. Magnesium contents were estimated by assumingstoichiometric proportions. Minerals occurring with hematite show low Fe/(Fe+Mg) ratios,and those in the other assemblages show higher values with awide range of variation. In orthopyroxene, Fe/(Fe+ Mg) rangesfrom 0·17 (with hematite) to 0·77. Regularity in the distributions of Fe, Mn, and Ca between pairsof coexisting minerals shows that equilibrium was attained inmost of the rocks studied. This regularity is also accomplishedin the distribution of Mn between calcite and coexisting silicatesas well as between the silicates themselves. Small differencesin the distributions of Ca and Fe depend on both outcrop areaand mineral assemblage. Phase rule considerations suggest that the specimens with dolomite-ankeriteor magnesitesiderite do not represent equilibrium assemblages.Variations in orthopyroxene compositions in assemblages withpyrite or pyrrhotite, or both, and magnetite indicate non-equilibrationof sulfides with silicates. The presence of the oxygen buffer,magnetite+hematite, attests to the immobility of oxygen duringmetamorphism. Within each outcrop area, over which the temperature and pressureare assumed to have been uniform, variations in the compositionsof the silicates in the sub-assemblages quartz+ orthopyroxene+gruneriteand quartz+orthopyroxene+clinopyroxene+calcite indicate gradientsof µ_H2O µ_CO2 and respectively. As characterizedby the composition of orthopyroxene, both gradients are relativelylow along strike, and high across strike. The direction of gradientsacross strike is almost without reversals, which is consistentwith intergranular diffusion of H₂O and CO₂. Phase rule restrictionsfor a majority of assemblages are not in accord with the simultaneousimposition of µ_H2O and µ_CO2 gradients on the rocks,nor the formation of an H₂O-CO₂ fluid phase during metamorphism.     

Mineral chemical study of U-bearing minerals from the Dominion Reefs,South Africa

The Neo-Archean Dominion Reefs (~3.06 Ga) are thin meta-conglomerate layers with concentrations of U- and Th-bearing heavy minerals higher than in the overlying Witwatersrand Reefs. Ore samples from Uranium One Africa’s Rietkuil and Dominion exploration areas near Klerksdorp, South Africa, were investigated for their mineral paragenesis, texture and mineral chemical composition. The ore and heavy mineral assemblages consist of uraninite, other uraniferous minerals, Fe sulphides, Ni–Co sulfarsenides, garnet, pyrite, pyrrhotite, monazite, zircon, chromite, magnetite and minor gold. Sub-rounded uraninite grains occur associated with the primary detrital heavy mineral paragenesis. U–Ti, U–Th minerals, pitchblende (colloform uraninite) and coffinite are of secondary, re-mobilised origin as evidenced by crystal shape and texture. Most of the uranium mineralisation is represented by detrital uraninite with up to 70.2 wt.% UO₂ and up to 9.3 wt.% ThO₂. Re-crystallised phases such as secondary pitchblende (without Th), coffinite, U–Ti and U–Th phases are related to hydrothermal overprint during low-grade metamorphism and are of minor abundance.     

锡矿自然重砂矿物组合规律及其找矿意义

为探究不同类型锡矿床所反映出的自然重砂矿物组合特征,统计了云南、福建、江西、浙江、湖南、青海和广西7省共35个典型锡矿床的自然重砂情况,通过计算和分析各自然重砂矿物在所对应类型矿床中的报出频率,得出矽卡岩型、热液脉型和斑岩型3种锡矿所对应的自然重砂矿物组合。所反映出的重砂矿物组合既有相似之处,如均出现锡石+白钨矿(或黑钨矿)的矿物组合,亦反映出不相同的地方,如矽卡岩型锡矿石榴子石报出率高,斑岩型锡矿锆石报出率高等。因此,按照矿床类型建立的自然重砂矿物组合对于建立自然重砂找矿模型具有重要意义。