Search Results (18)

The Shuixie Cu–Co polymetallic orefield, located in western Yunnan Province (southeastern margin of the Qinghai–Tibet Plateau), is renowned for its Cu–Co mineralization. A recent resource reassessment identified Sb–Au and Cu–Co–Bi (Sb–Au) orebodies as genetically associated with primary Cu–Co mineralization. The mineralization characteristics and microscopic observations indicate that gold mineralization in the Sb–Au orebodies follow a pulsating fluid injection model. The model includes four pulses: (1) euhedral gold-poor pyrite (PyI₁) precipitation; (2) margin-parallel growth of gold-rich pyrite (PyI₂) on PyI₁; (3) continued growth of gold-rich pyrite (PyI₃) along PyI₂; and (4) outermost concentric gold-rich pyrite (PyI₄) formation. This study examined gold-bearing pyrite in orebodies and host rocks. In situ laser ablation inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (LA–ICP–MS) analysis of pyrite and inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP–MS) whole-rock trace element analysis were conducted to track the ore-forming fluid evolution. Compared with CI chondrite, pyrites from all pulses were enriched in LREEs over HREEs. The pyrite REE distribution curves exhibited right-skewed patterns, reflecting LREE enrichment. The Hf/Sm, Nb/La, and Th/La ratios were generally below 1, indicating high-field-strength element depletion. These results suggest a Cl-rich, F-poor ore-forming fluid. The pyrite trace elements showed enrichment in the chalcophile elements (e.g., Cu and Pb) and exceptionally high Bi levels compared with the continental crust. The chalcophile elements (e.g., Zn and Cd) were depleted, whereas iron-group elements (e.g., Co) were enriched and Ni was depleted. The pyrite δCe values (0.87–1.28, mean = 1.01) showed weak anomalies, indicating a reducing ore-forming environment. The δEu values of pyrite during pulses 1 to 4 ranged widely, from 0.2–3.01 (mean of 1.17), 0.27–1.39 (0.6), and 0.41–1.40 (0.96) to 0.4–1.36 (0.84), respectively, suggesting an initial temperature decline and subsequent increase in the ore-forming fluid. Significant variations were found in the Y/Ho, Zr/Hf, and Nb/Ta ratios across pulses, indicating the potential involvement of high-temperature hydrothermal fluids or late-stage alteration during ore formation. The Y/Ho ratio of pyrite overlapped most closely with that of the continental crust of China, indicating a close relationship between the ore-forming fluids and the crust. Full article

Limited trace mineral research has focused on the impacts of maternal trace mineral supplementation on offspring fertility. We hypothesized that maternal injectable mineral (INJ) administration during mid/late gestation would improve overall growth and reproductive parameters in offspring. Two-hundred and seventy-eight cows were enrolled in the study and blocked by body weight, parity, and day (d) of gestation, and randomly assigned to a treatment group: a group (MM, n = 138) that received a single INJ (Cu = 15 mg/mL, Mn = 10 mg/mL, Se = 5 mg/mL, and Zn = 60 mg/mL; Axiota, Ft. Collins, CO, USA) or control group (CON, n = 138), which did not. Following calving, adjusted birth weight and weaning weights were recorded. A subset of bulls was developed until one year of age (CON, n = 18; MM, n = 14) when two semen ejaculates were collected for sperm quality. Mineral injection calves were heavier at birth than CON (p = 0.05). A treatment by parity interaction was observed for an increase in progressive motility in MM bulls than CON (p = 0.10). Injectable mineral administration to the pregnant multiparous cow improved sperm progressive motility in bulls, but no improvements were observed when assessed via flow cytometry. Full article

Acid in situ leaching (ISL) is a common approach to the recovery of uranium in the subsurface. In acid ISL, there are numerous of chemical reactions among the injected sulfuric acid, groundwater, and porous media containing ore layers. A substantial amount of radioactive elements including U, Ra, Rn, as well as conventional elements like K, Na, and Ca, and trace elements such as As, Cd, and Pb, are released into the groundwater. Thus, in acid ISL, understanding the transport and reactions of these substances and managing pollution control is crucial. In this study, a three-dimensional reactive transport modeling (RTM) using TOUGHREACT was built to investigate the dynamic reactive migration process of UO₂²⁺, H⁺, and SO₄²⁻ at a typical uranium mine of Bayan-Uul. The model considering the partial penetration through wellbore in confined aquifer and complex chemical reactions among main minerals like uranium, K-feldspar, calcite, dolomite, anhydrite, gypsum, iron minerals, clay minerals, and other secondary minerals. The results show that after mining for one year, from the injection well to the extraction well, the spatial distribution of uranium volume fraction does not consistently increase or decrease, but it decreases initially and then increases. After mining for one year, the concentration front of UO₂²⁺ is about 20 m outside the mining area, the high concentration zone is mainly inside the mining area. The concentration front of H⁺ is no more than 50 m. SO₄²⁻ is the index with the highest concentration among the three indexes, the concentration front of SO₄²⁻ is no more than 100 m. The concentration breakthrough curve of the observation well 10 m from the mining area indicates that the concentrations of the three indicators began to significantly rise approximately after mining 0.05 years, reached the maximum value after mining 0.08 to 0.1 years, and then stabilized. The parameter sensitivity of absolute permeability and specific surface area of minerals shows that the concentration of H⁺ and SO₄²⁻ is positively correlated with absolute permeability. The concentration of H⁺ is negatively correlated with the specific surface area of calcite, anhydrite, K-feldspar, gypsum, hematite, and dolomite. The concentration of SO₄²⁻ is positively correlated with the specific surface area of K-feldspar and Hematite, and negatively correlated with the specific surface area of calcite, anhydrite, gypsum, and dolomite. The influence analysis of pumping ratio and non-uniform injection ratio shows that the non-uniform injection scheme has a more significant impact on pollution control. The water table, streamline, capture envelope, and the concentration breakthrough curve of five schemes with different pumping ratios and non-uniform injection ratio were obtained. The water table characteristics of five schemes shown that increase in the pumping ratio and the non-uniform injection ratio, the water table convex near the outer injection well is weakened and the groundwater depression cone near the pumping well is strengthened. This characteristic of water table exerts a notable retarding influence on the migration of pollutants from the mining area to the outside. For the scheme with a pumping ratio is 0 (the total pumping flow rate is equal to the total injection flow rate) and a non-uniform injection ratio is 0 (the flow rate of inner injection well Q1,Q2,Q3 is equal to the flow rate of outer injection well Q4,Q5,Q6), the streamline characteristics shown that a segment of the streamline of is diverging from inner region to the outer region. For other schemes, the streamline exhibits a convergent feature. It is indicated that by increasing the pumping ratio and non-uniform injection ratio, a closure flow field can be established, confining the groundwater pollutants resulting from mining within the capture envelope. Hence, the best scheme for preventing pollution migration is the scheme with a pumping ratio is 0 (the total pumping flow rate is equal to the total injection flow rate) and a non-uniform injection ratio is 0.1 (the flow rate of inner injection well Q₁,Q₂,Q₃ is 10% more than the flow rate of outer injection well Q₄,Q₅,Q₆). In this scheme, the optimal stable concentration of UO₂²⁺, H⁺, and SO₄²⁻ at the observation well obtained by RTM is lower than other schemes, and the values are 0.00316 mol/kg, 2.792 (pH), and 0.0952 mol/kg. The inner well injection rate is 194.09 m³/d, the outer well injection rate is 158.89 m³/d, and the pumping rate is 264.00 m³/d. Numerical simulation analysis suggests that a scheme with a larger non-uniform injection ratio is more conducive to the formation of a strong hydraulic capture zone, thereby controlling the migration of pollutants in the acid ISL. A reasonable suggestion is to adopt non-uniform injection mining mode in acid ISL. Full article

The Zhen’an-Xunyang Basin is a late Paleozoic rifted basin with a series of Au-Hg-Sb deposits that have been found, mostly along the Nanyangshan fault. Recently discovered large- and medium-sized gold deposits such as the Xiaohe and Wangzhuang deposits exhibit typical characteristics of Carlin-type gold deposits. Therefore, it is imperative to select a typical deposit for an in-depth study of its metallogenic mechanism to support future prospecting efforts targeting the Carlin-type gold deposits within the area. Based on detailed field investigation and microphotographic observation, four ore-forming stages are identified: I, low-sulfide quartz stage, characterized by euhedral, subhedral pyrite, and fine veins of quartz injected parallel to the strata; II, arsenopyrite–arsenian pyrite–quartz stage, the main mineralization stage characterized by strongly silicified zones of reticulated quartz, disseminated arsenopyrite, fine-grained pyrite; III, low-sulfide quartz stage, characterized by large quartz veins cutting through the ore body or fine veins of quartz; Ⅳ, carbonate–quartz stage, characterized by the appearance of a large number of calcite veins. In situ analysis of trace elements and S isotopes of typical metal sulfides was carried out. The results show significant variations in the trace element compositions of metal sulfides in different stages, among which the main mineralization stage differs notably from those of the Au- and As-low surrounding strata. In situ S isotope analysis reveals δ³⁴S values ranging from 15.78‰ to 28.71‰ for stage I metal sulfides, 5.52‰ to 11.22‰ for stage II, and 0.3‰ to 5.25‰ for stage III, respectively, revealing a gradual decrease in S isotopic values from the pre-mineralization stage to post-mineralization stage, similar to those observed in the Xiaohe gold deposit. These features indicate a distinct injection of relatively low ³⁴S hydrothermal fluids during the mineralization process. The element anomalies of the 1:50,000 stream sediment in the region revealed ore-forming element zonation changing in W→Au (W)→Hg, Sb (Au) anomalies from west to east, manifested by the discovery of tungsten, gold, and mercury–antimony deposits in the area. Moreover, conspicuous Cr-Ni-Ti-Co-Mo anomalies were observed on the western side of the Wangzhuang and Xiaohe gold deposits, indicating a potential concealed pluton related to these deposits. These lines of evidence point to a magmatic–hydrothermal origin for the Carlin-type gold deposits in this area. Furthermore, hydrothermal tungsten deposits, Carlin-type gold deposits, and low-temperature hydrothermal mercury–antimony deposits in this region are probably controlled by the same magma–hydrothermal system. Full article

The East Pana intrusion is a part of the Paleoproterozoic Fedorova–Pana complex (FPC), which belongs to the group of Fennoscandian layered mafic–ultramafic massifs. This article discusses the magmatic stratification of the East Pana intrusion, as well as Cu-Ni and platinum-group elements (PGE) mineralization (PGE zones A, B and C) in its various parts with a total length of more than 20 km, including the East Chuarvy PGE deposit. Based on the whole-rock data on the distribution of major, trace, and ore-forming elements, it is assumed that PGE zone A belongs to the main ore–magmatic system of the FPC, while PGE zones B and C belong to the minor ore–magmatic systems. At the same time, additional magmatic injection played an important role in the formation of economic Cu-Ni-PGE mineralization (PGE zone B), characterized by high PGE concentrations and moderate palladium enrichment. On the normalized distribution spectra of trace elements, the crystallization products of this injection (Gabbronorite Zone 2) have a positive Zr-Hf anomaly, which distinguishes it from host rocks with an anomaly of the opposite sign (Gabbronorite Zone 1, Gabbro Zone). It is assumed that this portion of magma was intruded as a sill of crystal mush, the fractionation of which at depth led to its enrichment with residual liquid. Full article

The effects of in ovo injection of L-ascorbic acid (L-AA) on tissue L-AA concentrations, systemic inflammation, plasma mineral concentrations, and tracheal histomorphology of Ross 708 broilers subjected to elevated atmospheric ammonia (NH₃) levels after hatch were investigated. The four in ovo treatments included non-injected (control), saline-injected (control), or saline containing 12 or 25 mg of L-AA. The in ovo treatments were applied at 17 days of incubation by injecting a 100 μL volume of each pre-specified treatment into the amnion. At hatch, 12 male chicks were randomly allocated to each of the 12 replicate battery cages belonging to each treatment group. The cages were arranged in a randomized complete block design within a common room. All birds were exposed to 50 ppm of NH₃ at 35 days of posthatch age (doa), and the concentration of NH₃ in the room was recorded every 20 s. At 0, 7, 14, 21, and 28 doa, one bird from each cage was arbitrarily selected and euthanized for determinations of liver and eye L-AA concentrations at 0, 7, 14, 21, 28 doa; plasma nitric oxide concentrations at 0, 14, 21, and 28 doa; and plasma calcium and trace mineral concentrations at 0 and 21 doa. Tracheal histomorphology evaluations were performed at 0, 21, and 28 doa. There were no significant treatment differences for plasma nitric oxide and mineral concentrations, and for liver and eye L-AA concentrations at each sampling timepoint. In ovo injection of either 12 or 25 mg of L-AA decreased tracheal attenuation incidence at 0 doa compared to the non-injected or saline-injected control groups. Furthermore, the percentage of mild tracheal inflammation scores was lower at 28 doa in response to the in ovo injection of 12 mg of L-AA compared to the non-injected or saline-injected control groups. These results indicate that in ovo injection of 12 mg of L-AA reduces tracheal inflammation in broilers subjected to elevated atmospheric NH₃. Full article

This study was conducted on five commercial farms across Victoria, Australia, between September 2018 and November 2019, where the TM status of ewes was within normal ranges before joining. Mix breed ewes (n = 1484) were randomly allocated to receive either nil treatment (Control) or two injections of an ITM product containing zinc (40 mg/mL), manganese (10 mg/mL), selenium (3 mg/mL), and copper (10 mg/mL); 0.2 mL per 10 kg BW (Multimin^® plus Copper for Sheep, Virbac (Australia) Pty Ltd., Milperra, NSW, Australia) 30 days before the start of joining and 30 days before the start of lambing. Approximately 90 days after joining, pregnancy status and conception rate were determined by ultrasound. The marking rate was determined approximately four weeks after the end of lambing, and lamb weights were determined at weaning (12 weeks after the end of lambing). In all farms, ITM treatment did not affect the conception rate. The average conception rate was 156 ± 11.0% (p > 0.05). The marking rate of ITM ewes was 9% higher than control ewes (95% Confidence Interval 3–21%). Lambs born to ITM ewes were 2.31 kg heavier at weaning than lambs born to control ewes (p < 0.001). Although not significant, ewe mortality across farms was 1.3% lower in the ITM group than in the control group. On average, ewes treated with ITM pre-joining and pre-lambing produced more and heavier lambs that represent an extra AU$ 2338 per 100 ewes net benefit for the producer. These results help to understand strategic TM supplementation for animal health, performance and farm profitability beyond the treatment of clinical deficiencies. Full article

Trace minerals (TM) play an important role in cattle immunity, health and performance. Although TM are needed in small quantities, they are fundamental for enzymes involved in antioxidant protection against cellular damage and several pathways of the immune response. Cattle TM status results from the balance between TM dietary intake and their requirements. Free-choice oral TM supplementation is a common practice in beef cattle production systems. However, there is a high variation in TM intake and thus TM status and bioavailability in animals receiving free-choice oral TM supplements. Strategic pulse-dose supplementation during critical points of beef cattle management provides a controlled amount of TM intended to remove such a variation. Adequate TM supplementation should not only satisfy the basal requirements but also provide a source of TM when there is a higher demand of the antioxidant systems or during the development of the immune response. This paper reviews the research-based evidence of the effects of TM supplementation on immunity and its impact on beef cattle health. This review highlights the benefits of a novel approach of strategic administration of injectable trace minerals (Se, Zn, Cu and Mn) during critical episodes of cattle management (e.g., around weaning or at vaccination) in combination with free-choice oral supplementation to maintain adequate TM and oxidative status, enhanced immunity and overall cattle health. This strategy has proven to decrease morbidity, which would positively impact the productivity of the beef cattle systems. Full article

Genistein is an isoflavone naturally present in numerous staple food crops, such as soybeans and chickpeas. This study utilized the Gallus gallus intraamniotic administration procedure to assess genistein administration effects on trace mineral status, brush border membrane (BBM) functionality, intestinal morphology, and intestinal microbiome in vivo. Eggs were divided into five groups with 1 mL injection of the following treatments: no-injection, DI H₂O, 5% inulin, and 1.25% and 2.5% genistein (n = 8 per group). Upon hatch, blood, cecum, small intestine, and liver were collected for assessment of hemoglobin, intestinal microflora alterations, intestinal morphometric assessment, and mRNA gene expression of relevant iron and zinc transporter proteins, respectively. This study demonstrated that intraamniotic administration of 2.5% genistein increased villus surface area, number of acidic goblet cells, and hemoglobin. Additionally, genistein exposure downregulated duodenal cytochrome B (DcytB) and upregulated hepcidin expression. Further, genistein exposure positively altered the composition and function of the intestinal microbiota. Our results suggest a physiological role for genistein administration in improving mineral status, favorably altering BBM functionality and development, positively modulating the intestinal microbiome, as well as improving physiological status. Full article

Low salinity water injection (LSWI) is an emerging way to improve waterflood performance through chemical processes. The presence of clay minerals is one of the required parameters to successfully implement LSWI in sandstone formations. The ability of clays to exchange the cations, represented by cation exchange capacity (CEC), leads to oil detachment from the rock surface and changes the formation wettability toward water-wet. There are still limited studies that discuss the implementation of specific CEC models in the field-scale LSWI reservoir simulation. This paper attempts to propose an improved method of clay-induced rock typing that can be representatively implemented for field-scale reservoir simulation. The scope of this study is limited to a sandstone reservoir from an oil field in Indonesia. The oil is considered light, and the reservoir contains main clay minerals, including kaolinite and illite, and a trace of chlorite was also found from the XRD evaluation. CEC can be derived from log data, while rock type can also be estimated from log data by using the artificial neural network method. The main finding is that the combination of those variables, i.e., log data, rock properties, and CEC, results in an improved method to characterize and classify the clay into three types associated with conventional rock types. The classification obtained by the clay typing method can be utilized as an input for advanced LSWI modeling, which is expected to provide more robust results. Furthermore, dispersed clay has a strong influence on the magnitude of cation exchange capacity rather than laminar and structural clays. Full article

The objective was to determine the effects of an injectable trace mineral (TMI; Multimin 90) containing copper (Cu), manganese (Mn), selenium (Se), and zinc (Zn) on trace mineral status and the resulting impacts on reproduction of beef cows and the growth of their calves. Beef cows (n = 200) were assigned to receive TMI or no injection (CON) prior to calving and breeding over two consecutive years. Calves born to cows receiving TMI also received TMI at birth in both years and at 49 ± 1.3 days of age in year 1. The TMI increased (p = 0.01) liver Zn and tended (p = 0.06) to increase liver Cu concentrations. Short-lived effects of TMI on Se were observed. Liver Cu and Zn would have been considered adequate and Se marginal in the CON. Pregnancy due to artificial insemination and overall pregnancy rate did not differ (p ≥ 0.36) between treatments. Use of TMI did not increase calf pre-weaning gain. These data indicate that TMI does not improve the reproductive performance of beef cows with adequate trace mineral status or the pre-weaning performance of their calves. Full article

A laser-induced breakdown spectroscopy (LIBS) system using a microchip laser for plasma generation is proposed for in-situ analysis of trace minerals in human hair. The LIBS system is more compact and less expensive than conventional LIBS systems, which use flashlamp-excited Q-switched Nd:YAG lasers. Focusing optics were optimized using a Galilean beam expander to compensate for the low emitted pulse energy of the microchip laser. Additionally, hundreds of generated LIBS spectra were accumulated to improve the signal-to-noise ratio of the measurement system, and argon gas was injected at the irradiation point to enhance plasma intensity. LIBS spectra of human hair in the UV to near IR regions were investigated. Relative mass concentrations of Ca, Mg, and Zn were analyzed in hairs obtained from five subjects using the intensity of C as a reference. The results coincide well with those measured via inductively coupled argon plasma mass spectrometry. The lowest detectable concentrations of the measured LIBS spectra were 9.0 ppm for Mg, 27 ppm for Zn, and 710 ppm for Ca. From these results, we find that the proposed LIBS system based on a microchip laser is feasible for the analysis of trace minerals in human hair. Full article

Laboratory experiments (150 days) were performed to analyze the influence of NO₂ impurities on indigenous microbial communities and diversity with 16S rRNA sequence at real GCS site (Geological CO₂ Sequestration, ordos, China) conditions (pressure: 15 MPa, temperature: 55 °C). The possible impact of metabolic activity on the GCS process was investigated through the BLASTn search. Compared with the pure CO₂, results demonstrate that the biomass and biodiversity were lower, due to the lower pH, within 60 days after the co-injection of 0.1% NO₂. Subsequently, the pH was quickly buffered through the corrosion of feldspar and clay, and the impact of NO₂ had almost no obvious effect on the microbial structure except the abundance of phylum and genus after 90 days. In addition, acid-producing bacteria appeared after 60 days, such as Bacillus, Acinetobacter, and Lactococcus, etc., lower the pH in the solution and accelerate the dissolution of minerals. The Fe (III)-reducing microbes Citrobacter freundii reduce the Fe (III) released from minerals to Fe (II) and induce siderite (FeCO₃) biomineralization through biogeochemical processes. Therefore, the co-injection of trace NO₂ will not significantly affect the growth of microorganisms on long timescale. Full article

The objective of this study was to investigate effects of maternal supplementation with an injectable trace mineral (Cu, Mn, Zn, and Se) on subsequent steer performance during the finishing phase. Seventy-six Angus cross steers (initial body weight 249 ± 41.5 kg) from dams administered either an injectable trace mineral (TM; Multimin 90) or sterilized physiological saline (CON) during prepartum stage were used. Individual feed intake during the finishing phase were recorded with GrowSafe feed bunks. Blood and liver biopsy samples were collected to evaluate trace mineral status. Steers were slaughtered at 413 ± 26 days of age and carcass data were obtained at a commercial abattoir. Growth performance or mineral status of the steers during the finishing phase was not affected (p ≥ 0.14) by maternal treatments. Carcass characteristics were not different (p ≥ 0.18), except steers from TM dams had greater (p = 0.05) percentage of carcasses graded as Choice or greater. In conclusion, maternal supplementation of an injectable trace mineral increased the percentage of carcasses graded as Choice or greater, other than that, maternal supplementation had limited influence on finishing phase growth performance, trace mineral status, or carcass characteristics of the subsequent steer progeny. Full article

The consumption of teff (Eragrostis tef), a gluten-free cereal grain, has increased due to its dense nutrient composition including complex carbohydrates, unsaturated fatty acids, trace minerals (especially Fe), and phytochemicals. This study utilized the clinically-validated Gallus gallus intra amniotic feeding model to assess the effects of intra-amniotic administration of teff extracts versus controls using seven groups: (1) non-injected; (2) 18Ω H₂O injected; (3) 5% inulin; (4) teff extract 1%; (5) teff extract 2.5%; (6) teff extract 5%; and (7) teff extract 7.5%. The treatment groups were compared to each other and to controls. Our data demonstrated a significant improvement in hepatic iron (Fe) and zinc (Zn) concentration and LA:DGLA ratio without concomitant serum concentration changes, up-regulation of various Fe and Zn brush border membrane proteins, and beneficial morphological changes to duodenal villi and goblet cells. No significant taxonomic alterations were observed using 16S rRNA sequencing of the cecal microbiota. Several important bacterial metabolic pathways were differentially enriched in the teff group, likely due to teff’s high relative fiber concentration, demonstrating an important bacterial-host interaction that contributed to improvements in the physiological status of Fe and Zn. Therefore, teff appeared to represent a promising staple food crop and should be further evaluated. Full article