A 16th CENTURY TRADING BOOK AS A SOURCE OF MINERALOGICAL KNOWLEDGE

Торговая книга XVI в. рассмотрена в качестве самостоятельного источника с целью изучения характера минералогических познаний, существовавших у наших предков в XVI-XVII вв. Выполнено сопоставление камней, упоминаемых в книге, с реальными минералами, в т. ч. на основе анализа упоминаемых минералогических характеристик. Отмечено, что в памятнике описываются, прежде всего, реальные минералогические свойства, в отличие от современных ему «лечебников» и «травников», а также памятников официальной и отреченной книжности. В качестве основного приема для отличия наиболее дорогих камней от менее ценных использовалось такое свойство как твердость. Это свойство минералов и сейчас широко применяется для их диагностики на основе 10-балльной шкалы твердости Мооса. Автор Торговой книги предлагает использовать для определения наиболее дорогих минералов своеобразные «эталоны» - обломки достоверных драгоценных камней (яхонт, лал, изумруд). Весьма важно упоминание наждака как материала для обработки ювелирных камней. В совокупности с находками необработанных ювелирных камней в слоях XVI-XVII вв. это подтверждает наличие собственных мастерских по их обработке. A trading book of the 16th century was analyzed as a separate source with a view of exploring the nature of mineralogical knowledge that our ancestors living in the 16th-17th centuries had. The analysis included comparison of the stones mentioned in the book with genuine minerals including review of the listed mineralogical characteristics. The paper notes that the book describes primarily true mineralogical properties in contrast to books of home remedies and books of herbal cures as well as books of official and prohibited booklore. The main method to distinguish between the most precious stones and less valuable ones is based on analysis of stone hardness. This mineral property is still widely used for their diagnostics based on the Mohs scale of mineral hardness, with scale number from 1 to 10. The author of the trading book suggests to use special “standards” for determining the most precious minerals such as fragments of true gemstones (jachont, lal, and emerald). It is rather important that he mentions emery as material for processing precious stones. Along with the finds of unprocessed gemstones in the layers of the 16th<-17th centuries it is an evidence of existence of jewelry workshops.

Geochemical and Mineralogical Characteristics of Garnierite From the Morowali Ni-Laterite Deposit in Sulawesi, Indonesia

The Morowali Ni-laterite deposit is located in the East Sulawesi Ophiolite, which is a large ophiolite belt on Sulawesi Island, Indonesia. The Morowali deposit is developed on a laterite profile due to ophiolite weathering, with saprolite, limonite, and ferruginous cap horizons from the bottom to top. Based on the occurrence of garnierite as the main ore, occurring in the saprolite horizon, it can be classified that the ore deposit is hydrous Mg silicate-type. The Ni ore is classified into different types based on color and XRD and electron probe micro-analyzer analyses. Whole-rock geochemical study was also conducted to understand the mineralization process. The Morowali Ni deposit consists of serpentine-like and talc-like phases. The serpentine-like phase consists of Ni-lizardite and karpinskite (0.76–38.26 wt% NiO) while the talc-like phase is mainly composed of kerolite (4.02–8.02 wt% NiO). The serpentine-like garnierite exhibits high Ni and Fe contents and occurrence similar to that of the serpentine observed in the saprolite horizon, suggesting the serpentine-like garnierite originated from the bedrock, and Mg-Ni cation exchange occurred during laterization. Contrastingly, the lower Fe content of the talc-like phase (0.01–0.05 wt%) than the serpentine-like phase (0.14–7.03 wt%) indicates that the talc-like garnierite is of secondary origin since Fe is immobile during weathering. The Morowali Ni-laterite deposit was mainly formed during laterization. The repetition of dry and wet cycles in each year results in the formation of secondary garnierite.

The Potential Use of Brick Wastes in the Generation of New Materials for Construction through Geopolymerization Processes

The calcined clay bricks are the second most used materials in construction that, after the demolition processes, tends to become rubble, generating a negative visual and environmental impact, in addition to the fact that the brick-making process has not been industrialized in Ecuador, for that, its properties are deficient; in this way, the present research aims to study the physical, chemical and mineralogical characteristics of brick waste from the Southern part of ​​this country, for the elaboration of ecological bricks through geopolymerization processes, using as alkaline activator Sodium Hydroxide at temperature ranged between 90 °C and 200 °C, obtaining an optimal mixture at the combination 12.5 M, 26 wt% Cs, 150 °C. The mechanical properties of bricks as simple compression and flexural strength, respectively, applying the experimental Griffith criterion method by finite element simulation method. These ecological bricks obtained are suitable for use in construction.

Material Composition of the Mesozoic Alkaline Rocks of the Yukhta Massif (Southern Yakutia, Central-Aldan Ore Region)

The paper considers the petrographic composition of the Mesozoic alkaline igneous rocks of the Yukhta massif. It is part of the Central Aldan ore region and is spatially located in the central part of the Nymnyr block. The massif is a large multiphase structure, of the most productive stage of the territory’s development – the Mesozoic tectonic-magmatic activation of the Aldan-Stanovoy shield. Determination of the qualitative quantitative-mineralogical characteristics of the 2 and 3 phases of intrusion (emplacement) most promising for gold-radioactive mineralization with the help of crystal-optical methods was the main goal of this work. As a result of petrographic studies of Mesozoic alkaline igneous rocks, it is defined that, the Yukhta massif is a multiphase magmatic structure, with decrease of the content of dark-colored minerals in rocks from the early to later phases of intrusion. In general, the rocks of the massif bear significant traces of secondary changes, which are related to the gradual formation of the massif. According to the features of the composition of the massif rocks, it was found that the latter could be formed from residual differentiates during the fractional crystallization of rock-forming minerals with the involvement of plagioclases. The Yukhta massif is associated with the large Samolazovskoye gold deposit, which formation is related to an intense contact-metasomatic impact on carbonate rocks. Hydrothermal-metasomatic transformations of the latter are the products of multi-stage silica-alkaline metasomatosis associated with the second and especially with the third phases of the massif intrusion, and with further weathering processes, involving karst formation, disintegration of gold-ore metasomatites and the formation of a thick oxidation zone. From whence it is concluded that uranium being a chemically active element does not accumulate in a hypergenic form within the Yukhta massif. Where the weathering crust is intensively developed, a gold-ore type of mineralization is observed. On the other hand, the rocks of the massif itself, in particular syenites of the 2 and 3 phases of intrusion, may be promising for the uranium-thorium-rare earth (U-Tn-REE) type of mineralization. In general, these studies in this direction will provide insight into a number of issues related to the study of the evolution and metallogeny of the Mesozoic tectonic-magmatic activation of the Aldan-Stanovoy Shield

Evaluation of the viability of recycling railroad ballast for reusing in railroads

The main objective of this study is to assess the reuse of naturally old ballast that was removed from an operating railroad. In order to verify the viability of its reuse, laboratory tests were carried out, based on the procedures and parameters established in literature. The reuse of ballast would reduce costs, minimize the disposal of this material and reduce quarry extraction. There are several standards regulations the ballast’s (gravel) properties, such as size, shape, hardness, abrasion resistance and composition to provide better performance of the rail platform, due to the wide variety of materials and environmental conditions to which they are subjected. Ballast specifications are based on the execution of characterization tests and can be divided according to strength properties and geometric properties. Thus, several specifications have been used by different railway organizations around the world to meet the needs of their projects. One test used to analyze ballast quality is the Los Angeles Abrasion, which provides data on resistance to fragmentation. The durability of the ballast depends on the quality of the gravel related to the original rock composition. This is an important parameter that can be associated with railroad maintenance, which is expensive. A series of tests were carried out to evaluate the ballast properties, as well as an analysis of the geometric and mineralogical characteristics of the gravel, and the impact of the variation of these properties in the performance of the ballast. The viability of reusing the ballast removed from an operating road was then evaluated, and it was concluded that the material is still suitable for reusing, although its properties have undergone a few changes, without modifying its main characteristics and functions.

U–Pb Zircon Geochronological and Petrologic Constraints on the Post-Collisional Variscan Volcanism of the Tiddas-Souk Es-Sebt des Aït Ikko Basin (Western Meseta, Morocco)

The NE–SW trending Tiddas Souk Es-Sebt des Ait Ikko (TSESDAI) basin, located at 110 km southeast of Rabat, in the region of Khmesset between the village of Tiddas Souk Es-Sebt des Ait Ikko, is the third largest late Palaeozoic continental trough in the northern Central Moroccan Meseta. It is a ~20 km long and ~2–3 km wide basin, comprising mainly mixed volcano-sedimentary reddish-purple continental Permian rocks laying with an angular unconformity on Visean deep marine siliciclastic sediments and unconformably overlain by the Triassic and Cenozoic formations. In this study we aim to better determine the age of Permian volcanics and their chemical and mineralogical characteristics, as well as assess the provenance of inherited zircons, thus contributing to the understanding of the late stages of the Variscan orogeny in Morocco. The standard volcanic succession includes the following terms: (i) andesites, lapilli tuffs and andesitic ash deposits; (ii) accumulations of rhyolitic lavas; (iii) lapilli tuffs and rhyolitic ash (formation F1); (iv) flows and breccias of dacites; (v) andesite flows; and (vi) basaltic flows. The various volcanic and subvolcanic studied rocks display calc-alkaline-series characteristics with high contents of SiO2, Al2O3, CaO, MgO, and relatively abundant alkalis, and low contents of MnO. In the classification diagram, the studied facies occupy the fields of andesites, trachy-basalts, dacites, trachydacites, and rhyolites and display a sub-alkaline behavior. These lavas would be derived from a parental mafic magma (basalts) produced by partial fusion of the upper mantle. Specific chemical analyses that were carried out on the mineralogical phases (biotite and pyroxene) revealed that the examined biotites can be classified as magnesian and share similarities with the calc-alkaline association-field, while the clinopyroxenes are mainly augites and plot on the calc-alkaline orogenic basalt field. Andesites and dacites of TSESDAI show similarities with the rocks of the calc-alkaline series not linked to active subduction and which involve a continental crust in their genesis. The existence of enclaves in the lavas of the TSESDAI massif; the abnormally high contents of Rb, Ba, Th, and La; and the systematic anomalies in TiO2 and P2O5 indicate also a crustal contamination mechanism. Three magmatic episodes are distinguished with two episodes that correspond to an eruptive cycle of calc-alkaline andesites and rhyolites followed by a basaltic episode. The SHRIMP U–Pb geochronologic data of zircons recovered from the rhyolite dome of Ari El Mahsar in TSESDAI basin show a Concordia age of 286.4 ± 4.7 Ma interpreted to date the magmatic crystallization of this dome. Thus, the rhyolite likely belongs to the third magmatic episodes of TSESDAI.

Flotation and Tailing Discarding of Copper Cobalt Sulfide Ores Based on the Process Mineralogy Characteristics

The mineral composition of copper–cobalt ores is more complex than that of copper sulfides, and it is also difficult to discard tailing efficiently in primary flotation for the fine-grained disseminated of ore. In this work, a mineral liberation analyzer (MLA) was employed to study the characteristics of minerals. As a significant mineralogical characteristic, the liberation degree of useful mineral aggregates was determined after grinding, and a correlation was established between the ore grinding size and mineralogical characteristics. The results showed that the adopted ore occurred in sulfide form. However, the particle size of the mineral’s monomer was fine grained, whereas its aggregate was coarse. The sulfide mineral aggregate obtained after primary grinding was selected as the recovery object, and its mineralogical characteristics, such as liberation degree and particle size, were investigated to promote total recovery in primary flotation. The copper–cobalt sulfide concentration was obtained at the following optimal conditions: the grinding size of −0.074 mm (65%), the aggregate’s liberation degree of 67%, a collector dosage of 50 g·t−1, a collector combination of 35% aerofloat + 65% butyl xanthate, a pH of 8.5, and 2# oil (a terpineol type foaming agent) dosage of 60 g·t−1. The recovered rough Cu and Co concentrates were 89.45% and 88.03%, respectively. Moreover, the grades of Cu and Co were 13.4% and 4.81%, respectively, with 85.07% of the ore weight discarded as tailing. The consideration of sulfide aggregates instead of singeral minerals mineralogy characters in primary grinding and primary flotation provides an effective theoretical guide for the sorting of sulfide minerals and reduction in the power consumption of grinding.

Overview of Gemstone Resources in China

Gemstones are minerals of gem qualities used for adornment and decoration with the attributes of beauty, durability and rarity. Traditionally, although China has been regarded as the most important source for nephrite, over the past decades, a large variety of gemstone resources have been newly discovered in China owing to continuous exploration works. The vast land with various geological and geochemical backgrounds is rich in gemstone resources with potential for new deposits discoveries. In pegmatites, gemstones are related to granitic magma events and mainly occur in pegmatitic cavities, such as tourmaline, aquamarine, spodumene, spessartine, moonstone, quartz, apatite, and topaz. The eruption of Tertiary basaltic magma provides gem-quality sapphire, spinel, olivine, garnet, and zircon. The supergene oxidation zones of some copper and iron deposits in Hubei and Anhui province host gem-quality turquoise and malachite. Moreover, the formation of the nephrite deposit in China is mostly related to the carbonatite and serpentinite rocks involved in the metamorphic-metasomatic processes. This paper comprehensively introduces the distribution of gemstones deposits, as well as the gemological and mineralogical characteristics of gemstones in China. Our present investigation provides insights into the gemstone potential of China for further exploitation.