Pb-Pb age of sedimentary phosphorite reworking in Lower Riphean carbonate sediments,the Satka Formation of Southern Urals

The mineral composition and U-Pb and Rb-Sr systematics of phosphorites from the Satka Formation of Lower Riphean carbonates, the Burzyan Group of Southern Urals, are studied. Phosphorites occurring as small lenses between stromatolite layers are composed largely of fluorapatite with admixture of detrital quartz, feldspars, illite, and chlorite. Phosphorite samples have been subjected to stepwise dissolution in 1 N (fraction L-1) and 2 N (fraction L-2) HCl. As is established, the maximum apatite content is characteristic of fraction L-1, while fraction L-2 is enriched in products of dolomite and sulfide dissolution and in elements leached from siliciclastic components. The Sr content in the Satka apatites (280–560 ppm) is substantially lower as compared with that in unaltered marine apatite. The ⁸⁷Sr/⁸⁶Sr “initial ratio in the phosphorites studied (0.71705–0.72484) and host dolomites from the lower part of the Satka Formation is significantly higher than in the Early Riphean seawater that indicates a reset of the Rb-Sr original systems in sediments. The Pb-Pb age of 1340 ± 30 Ma (MSWD = 6.4) estimated based on 7 data points characterizing fractions L-1 and L-2 is younger than the formation time of overlying Burzyan sediments, being consistent, within the error range, with date of the Mashak rifting event recorded at the Early-Middle Riphean boundary. The comparative U-Pb characteristics of two soluble fractions (L-1 and L-2) and silicate residue of phosphorites show that epigenetic redistribution of Pb and U was characteristic of the phosphorite horizon only. The initial Pb isotope composition and μ (²³⁸U/²⁰⁴Pb) estimated according to model by Stacey and Kramers for the early diagenetic fluids in carbonate and phosphate sediments of the Satka Formation suggest that they were in isotopic equilibrium with erosion products of the Taratash crystalline complex.     

Structural investigation of the synthetic CaAn(PO4)2 (An = Th and Np) cheralite-like phosphates

The crystallographic structures of the synthetic cheralite, CaTh(PO₄)₂, and its homolog CaNp(PO₄)₂ have been investigated by X-ray diffraction at room temperature. Rietveld analyses showed that both compounds crystallize in the monoclinic system and are isostructural to monazite LnPO₄ (Ln = La to Gd). The space group is P2₁/n (I.T. = 14) with Z = 2. The refined lattice parameters of CaTh(PO₄)₂ are a = 6.7085(8) Å, b = 6.9160(6) Å, c = 6.4152(6) Å, and β = 103.71(1)° with best fit parameters R _wp = 4.87%, R _p = 3.69% and R _B = 3.99%. For CaNp(PO₄)₂, we obtained a = 6.6509(5) Å, b = 6.8390(3) Å, c = 6.3537(8) Å, and β = 104.12(6)° and R _wp = 6.74%, R _p = 5.23%, and R _B = 6.05%. The results indicate significant distortions of bond length and angles of the PO₄ tetrahedra in CaTh(PO₄)₂ and to a lesser extent in CaNp(PO₄)₂. The structural distortions were confirmed by Raman spectroscopy of CaTh(PO₄)₂. A comparison with the isostructural compounds LnPO₄ (Ln = Ce and Sm) confirmed that the substitution of the large rare earth trivalent cations with Ca²⁺ and Th⁴⁺ introduces a distortion of the PO₄ tetrahedra.     

西太平洋海山磷酸盐的常量、微量和稀土元素地球化学研究

本文对主要取自于西太平洋我国调查区内不同海山、不同水深、不同产状的13个磷酸盐样品进行了常量、微量和稀土元素测定,以探讨与大洋富钴结壳密切伴生的磷酸盐的常、微量和稀土元素地球化学的特征。分析结果表明,调查区磷酸盐中主要氧化物的平均值与赤道太平洋的相近,暗示两者可能有相似的形成环境和形成机制。磷酸盐中微量元素Sr、Ba、Co、Cu、Ni及U丰度分别变化于862×10~(-6)～2181×10~(-6)、29×10~(-6)～3429×10~(-6)、6.3×10~(-6)～115×10~(-6)、23×10~(-6)～263×10~(-6)、12×10~(-6)～825×10~(-6)及4×10~(-6)～11×10~(-6),丰度多数低于泥质岩平均值,其CaO/P_2O_5、F/CO_2、Sr/P_2O_5值及常量、微量元素间的相关关系,清晰地显示了磷酸盐的种类、成分与结构、形成的地质背景和元素的主要组合特征。磷酸盐的稀土丰度为136.50×10~(-6)～853.70×10~(-6);Ce~*变化于0.01～0.18之间;(Ce/Yb)_N值变化于0.01～0.21之间。研究证实,不同产状磷酸盐的稀土元素配分模式基本一致,曲线相互平行,基本不呈现交叉现象,均呈Ce强烈亏损,轻、重稀土分馏程度大及重稀土富集的型式。调查区、赤道太平洋、中太平洋磷酸盐的稀土元素丰度、Ce~*、Ce/Yb值以及它们与海水稀土元素配分模式相似的特征,也进一步显     

发达国家禁用（限用）含磷洗衣粉的措施

在查阅国内外有关文献资料的基础上,对世界上主要发达国家－－美国,加拿大,日本,德国,英国和法国等,实施禁用（或限用）含磷洗衣粉措施的历史背景状况,实施后所取得的效果及当前存在的意见分岐作出简要的综述,结果表明,“禁磷”措施在洗衣粉中磷占入湖总磷量比例较大（２０％以上）,且目前难以兴建三级污水处理厂的湖区,对削减磷的负荷,减缓湖泊富营养化的进程,起到一定的积极作用,但解决富营养化问题的根本途径。     

Kinetics of phosphate adsorption by iron oxyhydroxides in aqueous systems

The rate of uptake of phosphate onto synthetic Fe(III)- and Fe(II)-derived oxyhydroxides has been studied using reaction conditions similar to those encountered in natural waters. Kinetic analyses were carried out on the adsorption profiles and both first-order and second-order conditional rate constants were obtained. The temperature dependence of some of the rate constants was investigated and corresponding apparent activation energies calculated. Similar experiments and analyses were undertaken using Fe from natural sources and in general the conditional rate constants obtained in seawater were in agreement with the synthetic ones. The results of this study are of value when comparing the time scales of adsorption processes in natural waters with the time scales of mixing and advection.     

Studies on the behaviour of nutrients in the Mandovi Estuary during premonsoon

Behaviour of silicate, nitrate and phosphate in the Mandovi Estuary was studied during the premonsoon season. The study shows that silicate is removed from the water column while nitrate showed an internal source. This nitrate source has been identified as the wash water from an iron ore screening plant which discharges the muddy waste directly into the river. Applying mixing relations, the distribution of this nitrate both up- and downstream of the outfall has been studied. Phosphate showed very low concentrations in the low salinity region; however, its concentration increased slightly towards the higher salinity region.     

Behaviour of iron,manganese, phosphate and humic acid during mixing in a Delaware salt marsh creek

The mixing behaviour of iron, manganese, phosphate and humic acid in a Delaware salt marsh creek was studied using field data, laboratory mixing experiments, and geochemical mass balance equations. Property-salinity diagrams for field data indicated that the removal of iron is 56–70% in the 0–10‰ salinity range. A proposed mechanism of removal is the flocculation of colloidal iron, perhaps with humic acid. Phosphate, however, undergoes 195% addition in the same low salinity region, which may be due to release of phosphate from resuspended sediments. Dissolved manganese is conserved, as is humic acid throughout the salt marsh mixing zone. Within the uncertainty of the data the maximum possible removal of humic acid is 23%.Laboratory mixing experiments that simulated salt marsh mixing along the same salinity gradient as observed in the field (5–25‰) showed only small-scale additions and removals compared to the field results. Such small-scale changes occurred largely at salinities >10‰ in the laboratory experiments, whereas most removals and additions occurred at salinities <10‰ in the field. Mixing studies also showed little difference between prefiltered and unfiltered mixes. The studies suggest that simple mixing of salt marsh waters, with or without suspended material, does not strongly influence the observed behaviour of dissolved constituents in salt marshes, and that other processes (e.g. sediment or intertidal exchange) must dominate their behaviour.     

太平洋水下海山磷酸盐的成因及形成环境

笔者首次对太平洋与大洋富钴结壳密切相关的海山磷酸盐的成因及形成环境进行了比较深入的研究。研究发现 ,各种产出形态的磷酸盐都不同程度地交代碳酸盐等含钙物质 ,而呈现出交代生物结构、交代凝灰结构、交代角砾状结构及交代填间结构等各种交代结构 ,反映了磷酸盐的交代成因。此外 ,其δ13 C值 (变化于 0 .7‰～ 2 .0‰之间 )也证实其属于交代成因。磷酸盐中Na、Mg、Sr、F、P2 O5含量以及Na/P2 O5、Mg/P2 O5、Sr/P2 O5、F/P2 O5的比值 ,特别是晶格中结构CO2 的含量 (变化于 5 .7%～ 6 .2 %之间 ) ,与形成于氧化环境下的Blakeplateau、ChathamRise、AgulhasBank等处的磷酸盐相近 ,表明调查区磷酸盐亦形成于氧化环境。氧同位素测定结果表明 ,磷酸盐的形成温度为 5 .8～ 14 .8℃ ,平均为 11.5℃ ,显示其形成于正常的海水温度环境。西、中太平洋海山磷酸盐形成环境十分接近的事实暗示 ,西、中太平洋广大区域内的成磷事件存在着时间上和成因上的统一性和相似性。     

Influence of environments of coal deposition on phosphorous accumulation in a high latitude, northern Alaska, coal seam

Although phosphorus is a very important biogenic element, its concentration in coal is generally low. Phosphorus (P) concentrations typically range from 0.001% to 0.229% in raw coals of the contiguous 48 states [Glick, D.C., Davis, A., 1984. Variability in the inorganic content of United States coals—a multivariate statistical study of final report, Part 10 (DOE-30013-Flo) to the US Dept. of Energy under contract no. DE-AC22-80PC 30013, 404 pp.]. Some Alaskan coal seams contain horizons that are unusually high in phosphorus. The present paper focuses on a bituminous coal from northern Alaska, where 0.15 m subsections of this coal seam have shown high phosphorous in certain subsections. In order to investigate the lateral extent of such high phosphorous bands in coal, the authors obtained three drill cores up to 3 km apart from the coal seam. A detailed investigation of the cores was undertaken to determine the nature and mode of occurrence of phosphorous minerals. Maceral composition allowed interpretation of environments of coal deposition. Acid-extractable phosphorous analysis of the subsections identified the high phosphorous horizons. Electron microprobe analyses identified the phosphorous mineral as crandallite. Correlation of high phosphorous intervals with corresponding environments of deposition suggests that phosphorous precipitation is promoted by an oxidizing environment with a lowered water table during the peat stage. A study of thin sections from high phosphorous samples showed that crandallite is associated with structured vitrinite and as cell fillings in fusinite. The study confirms the potential for using high phosphorous horizons for the correlation of coal seams, as noted in previous work by the authors (Rao and Walsh, 1997). A high phosphorous horizon is found at 0.45 m above the bottom of the seam in all of the drill holes, indicating a uniformity of the coal forming environment and the availability of crandallite constituent elements over the entire 3 km. The uniformity of high phosphorous concentrations through the top 2 m of the three drill holes also shows a distinct correlation.     

Beneficiation and digestion of Georgia offshore phosphates

Abstract

The U.S. Bureau of Mines conducted beneficiation and digestion tests to evaluate the potential of recovering P₂O₅ from an apatite deposit located 10 nautical miles offshore Savannah, GA, in the Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ). A 1.8 metric ton sample containing 1.0–1.5% P₂O₅ was obtained in a cooperative drilling project involving the Bureau of Mines, the Marine Minerals Technology Center‐Continental Shelf Division, the Minerals Management Service, and the Georgia Nonenergy Minerals Offshore Task Force. Beneficiation methods were evaluated with the goal of producing a 29–31% P₂O₅ concentrate with a CaO: P₂O₅ratio of less than 1.6: 1. These specifications were obtained using a combination of gravity separation and flotation. Comparative leaching tests conducted using EEZ, Idaho, and Florida phosphate concentrates showed that these EEZ phosphates behaved similarly to land‐based phosphates. The results suggest that as land‐based phosphate deposits are depleted, ocean phosphates represent a feasible alternate source.