No abstract

No abstract

No abstract

No abstract

The Barrigão re-mobilized copper vein deposit, Iberian Pyrite Belt, southern Portugal, is located about 60 km south of Beja and 10 km southeast of the Neves Corvo ore deposit, in Alentejo Province. The deposit is structurally associated with a NE-SW striking fault zone inferred to have developed during late Variscan deformation. The copper ore itself is a breccia-type ore, characterized by up to four ore-forming stages, with the late stages showing evidence of fluid-driven element re-mobilization. The ore is dominated by chalcopyrite+tennantite-tetrahedrite, with minor arsenopyrite, pyrite, and löllingite. The supergene paragenesis is composed mainly of bornite, covellite, and digenite. Whole-rock analyses show anomalous tin and germanium contents, with averages of 320 and 61 ppm, respectively. Electron microprobe analysis of Barrigão ores revealed the germanium and tin to be restricted to chalcopyrite, which underwent late-stage hydrothermal fluid overprint along distinct vein-like zones. The measured zonal enrichment of tin and germanium is related to limited element re-mobilization associated with mineral replacement, which resulted in distinctive mineral disequilibrium. Fluid-driven element zoning affected chalcopyrite and tennantite coevally. The average contents of germanium and tin in chalcopyrite are of 0.19 and 0.55 wt.%, respectively, as confirmed through additional micro-proton-induced X-ray emission (micro-PIXE) analysis. The distribution of tin and germanium in chalcopyrite correlates strongly with iron. Tin and germanium covary. Minute sub-microscopic inclusions of an unknown Cu-Sn-Ge sulphide phase have been detected in chalcopyrite and in small vugs therein. These inclusions hint at a stanniferous sulphide as the most possible host for tin and germanium in chalcopyrite, although the idea of limited incorporation of these two elements through element substitution cannot be completely excluded.

a b s t r a c tGastropod statoliths are spherical biocarbonates formed during their lifespan. The stability and homogeneity of these structures' mineral matrix was characterised along their radiuses, using Nassarius reticulatus as a model. Generally, they were proved to be bimineralic. Two of the three CaCO 3 crystalline polymorphs occurring in biocarbonates -aragonite and calcite -coexist along statolith radiuses, aragonite being unequivocally the most abundant phase. The presence of a diffuse organic matrix was also perceived by the detection of a weak Raman band between 2800 and 3000 cm À1 consistently observed along radiuses. Beyond the apparent stability and homogeneity, different crystalline orientations were disclosed by Raman spectroscopy. A change in the intensity pattern of the features related to the lattice and bending modes of aragonite between different radiuses give new insights for a possible spherulitic-like growth of these structures. As expected from the relative homogeneity of both mineral and organic signals, there was no pattern on the distribution of Ca, O, Na and S along radiuses. However, a higher concentration of Sr occurs in growth rings (known as winter tags), corroborating the already described negative correlation between the concentration of this element in statoliths and temperature. Despite the apparent stability and homogeneity of the matrix during its lifespan, the periodic distribution of Sr potentially influences a dissimilar incorporation of trace elements in increments and growth rings. Since gastropod statolith elemental fingerprinting was recently suggested as a new tool to monitor marine environmental changes, the pressing need for further studies on the incorporation of traces in these structures is highlighted.

The elemental composition of the pollen wall differs among plant genera. When airborne, the elemental composition of the pollen surface is modified. The amounts of Na, Cl, Mg, K and Si increase when pollen is in the atmosphere. Increasing relative humidity leads to increased levels of Na, Cl and Mg.

Research was performed to gain insight into the heterogeneous reaction of Cr(VI) reduction by zero-valent iron, which is frequently used in the treatment of contaminated groundwater using permeable reactive barriers. An electron probe microanalyzer was used to clarify in detail relevant aspects of the reaction with consequences for the conception of interpretative kinetic models. Spherical particles of iron with controlled grain sizes were used after being subjected to a previous washing with diluted acid in order to remove oxidation products. These spheres were immersed in solutions of Cr(VI) in nonagitated flasks using different operating procedures. The iron particles were photographed so that the time evolution of the grain size distribution could be established. A sample of the iron balls after the reaction and samples of the raw material and the precipitates of the reaction products were analyzed by backscattering electron images and elemental mapping produced by wavelength-dispersive spectroscopy. The analysis of the spatial distribution of the concentrations in iron, oxygen, and chromium indicates that there are three distinct mechanisms for the reaction with different limiting steps.