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At least 55 records · Page 3Linked to original sources
USGS1958

The deuterium content of water in some volcanic glasses

The deuterium-hydrogen composition (relative to Lake Michigan water = 0.0) of water extractsd from coexisting perlite and obsidian from eleven different localities was determined. The water content of the obsidians is generally from 0.09 to 0.29 per cent by weight, though two samples from near Olancha, California, contain about 0.92 per cent. The relative deuterium concentration is from −4.6 to −12.3 per cent. The coexisting perlite contains from 2.0 to 3.8 per cent of water with a relative deuterium concentration of −3.1 to −16.6 per cent. The deuterium concentration in the perlites is not related to that in the enclosed obsidian. The deuterium concentration in the perlite water is related to the deuterium concentration of the modern meteoric water and the perlite water contains approximately 4 per cent less deuterium than does the groundwater of the area in which the perlites occur. The above relations hold true for perlites from northern New Mexico, east slope of the Sierra Nevada. California Coast Range, Yellowstone Park, Wyoming, and New Zealand. As the water in the obsidian is unrelated to meteoric water, but the enclosing perlite water is related, we believe that this is evidence for the secondary hydration of obsidian to form high water content perlitic glass.

Geochimica et Cosmochimica Acta↗
USGS1958

The water, deuterium, gas and uranium content of tektites

The water content, deuterium concentration of the water, total gas and uranium contents were determined on tektite samples and other glass samples from Texas, Australia, Philippine Islands, Java, French Indo-China, Czechoslovakia, Libyan Desert, Billiton Island, Thailand, French West Africa, Peru, and New Mexico. The water content ranges from 0.24 per cent for the Peru tektite, to 0.0002 per cent for a moldavite. The majority of the tektites have less than 0.05 per cent water, and average 0.005 per cent H 2 O by weight. No other gases were detected, the lower detection limit being about 1 p.p.m. by weight. The deuterium content of the water in tektites is in the same range as that in terrestrial waters, and varies from 0.010 mole per cent to 0.0166 mole per cent deuterium. The uranium content is about from 1 to 3 p.p.m. The possible origin of tektites is discussed. The experimental data presented favour their being originally terrestrial, but produced by some catastrophic event. An extra-terrestrial source is not ruled out.

Geochimica et Cosmochimica Acta↗
USGS1958

The next decade in geochemistry

The purpose, associations, functions; and activities of the Geochmical Society are reviewed briefly. Work on the Colorado Plateau uranium deposits is described as an example of what geochemical research, in conjunction with detailed field work, mineralogical studies, and related techniques can contribute to the understanding of a type of deposit. It is pointed out that not only have these studies given a great deal of information about the origin of the ores, but they have brought about directly a manifold increase in production and reserves of uranium in the United States. Indirectly, they aided the discovery of the tremendous deposits of the Blind River area in Ontario. It is suggested that similar broad cooperative attacks could not only yield comparable results with other types of mineral deposits, such as laterites and Mississippi Valley type lead-zinc deposits, but could also advance our knowledge and understanding of such diverse problems of geology and cosmology as the origin of granites, origin and geologic implications of meteorites (including tektites), origin and search for petroleum, and geochemical relations and interpretations of natural waters. For each of these problems methods of approach are outlined and for some of them, specific projects and correlative problems are mentioned. It is further suggested that the broad cooperative attack needed for most of these problems might be fostered most effectively by a programme comparable to that of the I.G.Y., even though for most types of geochemical research synoptic sampling and observations are not as important as they are for many projects in geophysics.

Geochimica et Cosmochimica Acta↗
USGS1958

The solusphere - its inferences and study

Water is a fundamental geologic agent active in rock decomposition, erosion, and synthesis. Solutes in water are of particular interest to geochemists as sources of raw material for synthesis or as products of decomposition. When geochemical studies move from the laboratory into natural environment many variables relating to solute hydrology must be considered. As a focal point there has been designed a graphical representation of solute hydrology, the solusphere, which embodies the concepts of land-water occurrence and movement on which are superimposed geologic, biologic, physical, chemical, and cultural processes affecting solutes. The solusphere is demonstrated by passing an imaginary plane through the centre of the earth. This plane intercepts concentric zones designated as rock flowage, saturation, aeration, surface activity, and atmosphere. Transport processes carry solutes within and between zones without alteration or conversion. However, whether stationary or in motion, the water's solute character is constantly subject to (1) alteration processes that change concentration by addition or subtraction of solutes or solvent without loss of solute identities, and (2) conversion processes that change the chemical state and form of solutes. The geochemist is concerned with specific conversion processes, but he also must consider transport, alteration, and other conversion processes that are continually modifying the materials with which he is dealing in nature. The solusphere is an attempt to organize processes affecting the chemical quality of land waters into a unified field of science much like the field of marine chemistry.

Geochimica et Cosmochimica Acta↗
USGS1958

Role of clay minerals in the transportation of iron

The clay minerals have iron associated with them in several ways: 1. (1) as an essential constituent 2. (2) as a minor constituent within the crystal lattice where it is in isomorphous substitution and 3. (3) as iron oxide on the surface of the mineral platelets. Nontronite, “hydromica,” some chlorites, vermiculite, glauconite and chamosite contain iron as an essential constituent. Kaolinite and halloysite have no site within the lattice for iron, but in certain environments iron oxide (goethite or hematite) is intimately associated as a coating on the micelles. Analyses of clay minerals show that the content of Fe 2 O 3 varies: 29 per cent (nontronite), 7·3 per cent (griffithite), 4.5 per cent (“hydromica”), 5.5 per cent (chlorite), 4 per cent (vermiculite) and 18 per cent (glauconite). The FeO content is: 40 per cent (chamosite), 7.8 per cent (griffithite), 1–2 per cent (“hydromica”), 3 per cent (glauconite) and 2 per cent (chlorite). The iron associated with the clay minerals remains stable in the environment in which the minerals occur, but if either pH or Eh or both are changed the iron may be affected. Change of environment will cause: 1. (1) removal of iron by reduction of Fe 3+ to Fe 2+ ; 2. (2) ion-exchange reactions; 3. (3) instability of the crystal lattice. Experiments using bacterial activity to produce reducing conditions with kaolinite and halloysite coated with iron oxides and with nontronite in which ferric iron is in the octahedral position within the lattice showed that ferric oxide is removed at Eh +0·215 in fresh water and at Eh +0.098 in sea water. Hematite, goethite, and indefinite iron oxides were removed at different rates. Red ferric oxides were changed to black indefinite noncrystalline ferrous sulphide at Eh −0.020 but reverted to ferric oxide under oxidizing conditions. Nontronite turned bright green under reducing conditions and some of the ferrous iron remained within the lattice on a return to oxidizing conditions. Bacterial activity seems to be necessary for maintaining reducing conditions in the environments studied.

Geochimica et Cosmochimica Acta↗
USGS1958

Biogeochemistry of the rare-earth elements with particular reference to hickory trees

Hickory trees concentrate the rare-earth elements in their leaves to a phenomenal degree and may contain as much as 2300 p.p.m. of total rare earths based on the dry weight of the leaves. The average proportions of the individual elements (atomic percent of the total rare-earth elements) in the leaves are: Y 36, La 16, Ce 14, Pr 2, Nd 20, Sm 1, Eu 0.7, Gd 3, Tb 0.6, Dy 3, Ho 0.7, Er 2, Tm 0.2, Yb 1, and Lu 0.2. The similarity in the proportions of the rare-earth elements in the leaves and in the exchange complex of the soil on which the hickory trees grow indicates that the trees do not fractionate the rare earths appreciably. The variation of the rare-earth elements in the leaves and soils can be explained generally in terms of the relative abundance of the cerium group and the yttrium group, except for the element cerium. The large fluctuations in the proportion of cerium [Ce/(La + Nd) atomic ratios of 0.16 to 0.86] correlate with oxidation-reduction conditions in the soil profile. The substitution of dilute H 2 SO 3 for dilute HC1 in the determination of available rare-earth elements brings about a large increase in the proportion of cerium that is extracted from an oxygenated subsoil. These relationships strongly suggest that quadrivalent cerium is present in oxygenated subsoil and is less available to plants than the other rare-earth elements that do not undergo such a change in valence. A few parts per billion of rare-earth elements have been detected in two samples of ground water.

Geochimica et Cosmochimica Acta↗
USGS1958

Determination of thorium in the parts per million range in rocks

A procedure is presented for the determination of thorium in the concentration range of 0·2 to 10 parts per million ThO 2 in felsic or mafic rocks. Thorium is extracted by mesityl oxide and purified by iodate precipitation from nitric acid medium containing tartaric acid and hydrogen peroxide. The thorium is determined spectrophotometrically with thoron from meso-tartaric acid medium.

Geochimica et Cosmochimica Acta↗
USGS1959

Composition of monazites from pegmatites in eastern Minas Gerais, Brazil

Two zoned pegmatites in south-eastern Minas Gerais were sampled in detail for their content of monazite and xenotime and the monazite was analysed for certain of the rare-earth elements and thorium. The ratio of xenotime to monazite increases in both pegmatites from the wall toward the quartz core. The content of the less basic rare-earth elements and of thorium in monazite rises in the same direction. These variation trends suggest that during the crystallization of these pegmatites there was a fractionation of the elements leading to a more or less steady enrichment of the less basic rare-earth elements and of thorium in the residual fluids. One mode of explaining these observed effects postulates that the rare-earth elements and thorium were present in pegmatitic fluids as co-ordination complexes rather than as simple cations.

Minas Gerais↗
USGS1959

Leaching of clay minerals in a limestone environment

Water saturated with CO 2 at about 25°C was percolated through mixed beds of limestone or marble fragments and montmorillonite, “illite” and kaolinite in polyethylene tubes for six and fortyfive complete runs. The leachates were analysed for SiO 2 , A1 2 O 3 and Fe 2 O 3 , but only SiO 2 was found. The minerals lost SiO 2 in this order: montmorillonite > kaolinite > “illite”. The differential removal of SiO 2 during the short period of these experiments suggests a mechanism for the accumulation of bauxite deposits associated with limestones.

Geochimica et Cosmochimica Acta↗
USGS1959

Magnetic susceptibility of tektites and some other glasses

The magnetic susceptibility at several magnetic field strengths of about thirty tektites from various localities have been measured. The susceptibility ranges from 2 × 10 −6 to about 7.9 × 10 −6 e.m.u./g. Tektites from a given locality have similar susceptibilities. The intensity of magnetization of all the tektites measured is zero or very small. For comparison, the same measurements have been made on about thirty obsidians. The magnetic susceptibilities cover approximately the same range, but the intensity of magnetization of the impurity was found to be much higher. By heating the obsidians to 1450°C the intensity of magnetization was reduced to zero. From the above data, it is shown that the tektites must have been heated well above 1400°C, and that essentially all the iron is in solution. On the other hand, the evidence shows that obsidians have not been heated much above this temperature, and that there is a significant amount of undissolved iron in the glass, probably as magnetite. Further, if tektites are extraterrestrial, they probably entered the earth's atmosphere as a glass.

Geochimica et Cosmochimica Acta↗
USGS1959

New occurrences of ferroselite (FeSe2)

Iron selenide from the uranium-vanadium ores of the Colorado Plateau was under investigation when ferroselite was described as a new mineral in Russia by Bur'yanova and Komkov (1955). Association of ferroselite with selenian pyrite and marcasite within discrete areas of these uranium-vanadium deposits suggests an unusual environment of formation. Its association with apparent low temperature assemblages in the United States and Bussia indicates that its minimum temperature of formation is quite low. Chemical analyses of ferroselite agree well with the theoretical formula FeSe 2 ; material from the Virgin no. 3 mine, Montrose County, Colorado, gives the formula FeSe 2.07 and that from the A.E.C. no. 8 mine, Temple Mountain, Utah, gives the formula (Fe, Co)Se 2.08 . The similarity of hastite and ferroselite suggests that a complete series FeSe 2 -CoSe 2 may exist. In contrast to this, pyrite associated with ferroselite apparently will camouflage only 4 per cent (molecular) FeSe 2 within its structure. Ferroselite cannot be distinguished from rammelsbergite (FeAs 2 ) by X-ray or in polished section; therefore, the exact identification of these two minerals can be made only by specific tests for As or Se. As hastite (CoSe 2 ) and marcasite are in the same structure group as ferroselite and rammelsbergite, identification of these minerals should include qualitative chemical determinations.

Geochimica et Cosmochimica Acta↗
USGS1960

Diagenesis of metabolites and a discussion of the origin of petroleum hydrocarbons

Proteins and carbohydrates are rapidly degraded to compounds of no direct interest in the problem of the origin of petroleum. Lignin, if carried into marine basins in the form of humic substances, is probably the major progenitor of kerogen rather than the precursor of petroleum. Pigments are but minor contributors to petroleum. The fate of fatty acids in a marine environment is not completely understood. Although they may not be directly decarboxylated biochemically, it is shown how they can be converted into oxygenated or dehydrogenated acids more reactive than the parent compounds. Illustrations are also given for Diels-Alder reactions that could account for the formation from these compounds of the alicyclic and aromatic hydrocarbons in petroleum. It is most likely that crude oil is generated in sediments containing concentrations of lipids, the character of which governs the nature of the oil that is formed.

Geochimica et Cosmochimica Acta↗
USGS1960

Potentiometric titration and equivalent weight of humic acid

The “acid nature” of humic acid has been controversial for many years. Some investigators claim that humic acid is a true weak acid, while others feel that its behaviour during potentiometric titration can be accounted for by colloidal adsorption of hydrogen ions. The acid character of humic acid has been reinvestigated using newly-derived relationships for the titration of weak acids with strong base. Re-interpreting the potentiometric titration data published by Thiele and Kettner in 1953, it was found that Merck humic acid behaves as a weak polyelectrolytic acid having an equivalent weight of 150, a pK a of 6.8 to 7.0, and a titration exponent of about 4.8. Interdretation of similar data pertaining to the titration of phenol-formaldehyde and pyrogallol-formaldehyde resins, considered to be analogs for humic acid by Thiele and Kettner , leads to the conclusion that it is not possible to differentiate between adsorption and acid-base reaction for these substances.

Geochimica et Cosmochimica Acta↗
USGS1960

Equivalent weight of humic acid from peat

By means of discontinuous titration, the equivalent weight of humic acid isolated from a peat was found to increase from 144 to 183 between the third and fifty-second day after the humic acid was dissolved. Infra-red studies showed that the material had probably condensed with loss of carbonyl groups.

Geochimica et Cosmochimica Acta↗