Chlorite alteration in pegmatite from the Madan Pb-Zn deposits: mineral association, chemical composition and temperature of formation

Chlorites are common constituent of the secondary mineral assemblage formed as alteration products after aluminosilicate host rocks in the Pb-Zn deposits in Madan district. In concordant pegmatite body from the Petrovitsa deposit, they are formed after mica flakes. Such transformation often results in abundant rutile grains. The dominant chlorite compositions fall in the clinochlore-chamosite series. Minor and trace elements incorporation of Li, B, V, Co, Ni, Zn, Ga, Rb, Sr, Cs, and Ba is detected. Calculated To of formation ranges within 298–306 °C.

Valuable Secondary Habitats or Hazardous Ecological Traps? Environmental Risk Assessment of Minor and Trace Elements in Fly Ash Deposits across the Czech Republic

Deposits of coal combustion wastes, especially fly ash, are sources of environmental and health risks in industrial regions. Recently, fly ash deposits have been reported as habitat surrogates for some threatened arthropods in Central Europe. However, the potential environmental risks of fly ash have not yet been assessed in the region. We analysed concentrations of 19 minor and trace elements in 19 lignite combustion waste deposits in the Czech Republic. We assessed their environmental risks by comparison with the national and EU legislation limits, and with several commonly used indices. Over 50% of the samples exceeded the Czech national limits for As, Cu, V, or Zn, whilst only V exceeded the EU limits. For some studied elements, the high-risk indices were detected in several localities. Nevertheless, the measured water characteristics, the long-term presence of fly ash, previous leaching by acid rains, and the low amount of organic matter altogether can infer low biological availability of these elements. We presume the revealed high concentrations of some heavy metals at some studied sites can be harmful for some colonising species. Nevertheless, more ecotoxicological research on particular species is needed for final decision on their conservation potential for terrestrial and freshwater biota.

An Attractive Blue Diopside from Sissone Valley, Western Alps, Italy

In this work a rare and attractive blue diopside present in Sissone valley in the Western Alps was investigated through different methodologies: geological survey; standard gemological methods; X-Ray Powder Diffraction; SEM observations; Raman spectrometry; EMP analyses of major elements; and LA-ICP-MS analyses for minor and trace elements. The host rock of investigated gems is represented by a Mg-calcite bearing marble, belonging to the Suretta nappe and composed of blue diopside, lizardite, phlogopite, forsterite, Ca-Mg-amphibole, and thomsonite; the rock was metamorphosed by the intrusion of Masino-Bregaglia pluton. The diopside is generally found in the core of veins in contact with green–blue tremolite and, more externally, with green–yellowish lizardite. The diopside samples show opaque diaphaneity, are inert to long and short-waves UV radiation, and their specific density varies between 3.24 and 3.30 g/cm3 while medium refraction between 1.680–1.683. The diopside shows a polycrystalline texture with interstitial Mg-calcite which acts as binder. The characteristic blue–turquoise color is mainly determined by traces of V and subordinately of Fe, Mn, Cr and Ti. The contents of V and Ti show a good positive correlation. The minerals associated with diopside in the lenticular veins also show enrichments in V. The blue diopside of the Sissone valley could certainly present a good commercial value, but unfortunately it is difficult to reach the outcrop sites.

Relationship between Selected Major, Minor, and Trace Elements in Iron Oxide–Copper–Gold Deposits, an Example from the Unique Sin Quyen Deposit (Lào Cai Province, North Vietnam)

—We study the relations between several selected elements present in the Sin Quyen IOCG deposit, Lào Cai, North Vietnam, and interpret the obtained correlations, especially with a coefficient higher than 0.7. The correlations with high coefficients are mainly observed for the elements belonging to the chalcophile group (Cu, Ag, Au, Te, and Bi) and for the relation between uranium and Ag, Au, Cu, Pb, and Bi. Although the S-, Fe-, and REE-bearing minerals are predominant in the studied deposit, no strong correlation between them and the other elements was observed, even with Cu. The phenomena are primarily explained based on the geochemical properties of the mentioned elements and the characteristics of IOCG deposits.

Standardization of an external (in air) PIGE methodology using tantalum as a current normalizer in conjunction with INAA for rapid and non-destructive chemical characterization of “as-received” glass fragments towards forensic applications

Rapid automobile glass forensics by non-destructive analysis of “as-received” samples by external (in-air) PIGE for low Z elements with tantalum as a current normalizer and INAA for minor and trace elements using reactor neutrons.