Search Results (14)

This article is devoted to the study of the Quaternary aeolian sands of the boreal zone of north Asia. Using the example of the study reference sections of the Selenga Dauria (Western Transbaikalia), it was established that the activation of aeolian processes is determined by the complex interaction of natural and anthropogenic factors. Natural factors include neotectonic movements; wide distribution of alluvial and lacustrine-alluvial deposits; a sharply continental semi-arid climate; and forest-steppe and steppe vegetation. Among the anthropogenic factors, the leading ones are deforestation, plowing of land and construction of new settlements, roads and other line structures. The obtained radiocarbon dating of buried soils and coal from ancient fire pits indicates the activation of aeolian processes during the Holocene. The main sources for aeolian transport (winnowing) are sands located in the areas of river and lake beaches, floodplains and river terraces. Almost all aeolian sands of the boreal zone were formed as a result of short-range wind transport. They form mini-deserts unfixed by vegetation, with active aeolian processes, dunes, barkhans and deflationary basins. Aeolian swells and blowout basins characterize aeolian landscapes weakly fixed by vegetation. It is noted that aeolian deposits of the boreal zone of north Asia, in contrast to similar sands of the subtropical and tropic zones, consist of coarser-grained material. Medium- and fine-grained sands dominate their composition, which is polymineral and well-sorted. In subtropical and tropical deserts, they are predominantly monomineral, fine and fine-grained. At the same time, mainly minerals that are unstable to weathering (feldspars, plagioclases, pyroxenes and amphiboles) represent the mineralogical composition of the studied aeolian sands. Weathering-resistant minerals dominate the sands of classical deserts: quartz, leucoxene, ilmenite, epidote, zircon, garnets, tourmaline, rutile and others. Modern aeolian landscapes are a unique natural formation for the boreal zone of north Asia and can be successfully used for the development of ecotourism. Full article

Simultaneous U–Pb and U–Th dating using laser ablation-inductively coupled plasma-mass spectrometry (LA-ICP-MS) was performed on the ca. 0.1 Ma Toya tephra and the ca. 0.08 Ma SS14-28 U–Th zircon reference material. In U–Pb dating, both Th/U and Pa/U partitioning between magma and minerals were considered. In U–Th dating, both abundance sensitivity and molecular interferences on ²³⁰Th were reevaluated. As a result, the Toya tephra yielded an accurate weighted mean U–Pb age of 0.103 ± 0.029 Ma (2σ) using zircon and monazite. Conversely, the SS14-28 zircon yielded an inaccurate U–Pb age (0.25 ± 0.10 Ma), which was attributed to low ²⁰⁶Pb signal intensity. Both the Toya tephra zircon and the SS14-28 zircon yielded accurate U–Th model ages of 0.108 ± 0.014 Ma and 0.078 ± 0.007 Ma, respectively. The agreement of U–Pb and U–Th ages for Toya indicates that simultaneous U–Pb and U–Th dating is possible and viable. The inappropriate age of SS14-28 U–Pb age and appropriate U–Th model age also indicates it is preferable to apply both U–Pb and U–Th dating simultaneously for young (<0.4 Ma) zircons to check internal consistency. The proposed double dating approach may be especially useful for small grains when it otherwise would be impossible to obtain multiple ages from a single grain. By adopting simultaneous U–Pb and U–Th dating using LA-ICP-MS, zircon crystallization ages as old as 4.5 Ga to as young as 0.1 Ma (or even younger) can be obtained in a quick and cost-effective manner with a reasonable (~5% at 1σ) uncertainty. Full article

In the process of in situ zircon U–Pb dating, it is an effective means to overcome the matrix effect by using a matrix-matched external reference material. However, the limited number of available zircon reference materials still makes it difficult to meet the research needs. In this paper, we performed a preliminary analysis of the gemological characteristics, trace elements and U–Pb ages of natural zircon CAM18 to assess its suitability as a reference material for laser ablation inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (LA-ICP-MS) U–Pb dating. This tawny, gem-quality zircon has no visible inclusions and weighs approximately 0.55 g. Its density, full width at half maximum (FWHM) of the Raman peak and alpha flux (Dα) indicate that the sample has suffered mild-to-moderate radiation damage without any thermal treatment. The LA-ICP-MS U–Pb dating results reveal that the trace elements content and U–Pb ages of the sample are fairly homogeneous at the 50 μm scale, and there is no obvious loss of radiogenic Pb. The ²⁰⁶Pb/²³⁸U age (571.0 ± 3.0 Ma, 2s) and ²⁰⁷Pb/²³⁵U age (573.4 ± 6.0 Ma, 2s) are consistent within the analytical uncertainty, and the calculated concordia age is 571.4 ± 1.4 Ma (2s, n = 20). The variation in the ²⁰⁶Pb/²³⁸U ages is small, with a measurement repeatability of 0.46% (RSD), which is within the uncertainty of the age accuracy obtained by LA-ICP-MS. The oscillatory zoning, Th/U ratio (0.2) and chondrite-normalized rare-earth element (REE) pattern imply a magmatic origin of zircon CAM18. The Ti-in-zircon temperature ranges from 714 to 742 °C, and the oxygen fugacity ranges from ΔFMQ−2.87 to ΔFMQ−3.17, suggesting that it is crystallized in a reducing environment. All the results show that zircon CAM18 may has great potential in LA-ICP-MS U–Pb dating. Full article

The Vredefort impact structure in South Africa is deeply eroded to its lowermost levels. However, granophyre (impact melt) dykes in such structures preserve clasts of supracrustal rocks, transported down from the uppermost levels of the initial structure. Studying these clasts is the only way to understand the properties of already eroded impactites. One such lithic clast from the Vredefort impact structure contains a thin pseudotachylite vein and is shown to be derived from the near-surface environment of the impact crater. Traditionally, impact pseudotachylites are referred to as in situ melt rocks with the same chemical and isotopic composition as their host rocks. The composition of the sampled pseudotachylite vein is not identical to its host rock, as shown by the micro-X-ray fluorescence (µXRF) and energy-dispersive X-ray (EDX) spectrometry mapping. Mapping shows that the melt transfer and material mixing within pseudotachylites may have commonly occurred at the upper levels of the structure. The vein is spatially related to shocked zircon and monazite crystals in the sample. Granular zircons with small granules are concentrated within and around the vein (not farther than 6–7 mm from the vein). Zircons with planar fractures and shock microtwins occur farther from the vein (6–12 mm). Zircons with microtwins (65°/{112}) are also found inside the vein, and twinned monazite (180°/[¹⁰¹]) is found very close to the vein. These spatial relationships point to elevated shock pressure and shear stress, concentrated along the vein’s plane during impact. Full article

Herein, zircon U-Pb geochronology, Lu-Hf isotopes, and whole-rock major and trace element geochemistry are presented for two Palaeoproterozoic granitic rocks in Qingchengzi district, northeastern Jiao-Liao-Ji Belt (JLJB). These new geochronological and geochemical data provide reference clues for exploring the petrogenesis and tectonic setting of Paleoproterozoic magmatic rocks in the Qingchengzi district, which further constrain the tectonic nature of the JLJB. Our zircon U-Pb dating denotes that the Paleoproterozoic magmatic events in the Qingchengzi district were emplaced at ~2163 Ma and ~1854 Ma, represented by granite porphyry and biotite granite, respectively. Geochemically, these Palaeoproterozoic rocks are characterized by high Sr (760–842 ppm), SiO₂ (69.72–70.89 wt.%), and Al₂O₃ (15.53–16.78 wt.%) contents, low Y (2.1–9.0 ppm) and Yb (0.25–0.80 ppm) contents, which indicate an adakite affinity. Combined with Hf isotopic composition (εHf(t) = −1.5~+4.8; T_DM2 = 3109~2560 Ma), we believe that the Paleoproterozoic adakitic magma originated from partial melting of the thickened lower crust material in the Meso-Neoarchean. Moreover, these rocks are enriched in light rare earth elements and large ion lithophilic elements (e.g., K, Rb, and Cs), and depleted in heavy rare earth elements and high field strength elements (e.g., Nb and Ta). These features are similar to magmatic rocks formed in an arc environment (either island arc or active continental margin) and are not consistent with an intraplate/intracontinental environment. According to this study and previous research results, we conclude that the arc–continent collision model is conducive to the Paleoproterozoic tectonic attribute of the JLJB, and the oceanic crust subduction between the Namgrim and Longgang blocks may have induced the widespread occurrence of magmatic events in the region. Full article

The first goal of this study is to identify the ideal piezoelectric material for the manufacturing of rheological reflectance ultrasonic sensors. The second goal is to integrate the ultrasonic rheometer within a gas absorption reactor and to measure viscosity changes in an ionic liquid (IL) caused by gas absorption. To achieve the objectives, bismuth titanate, lead titanate, lead metaniobate and lead zirconate titanate materials in layer, tungsten bronze and perovskite structures were assembled on aluminum delay lines and tested under thermal cycling between room temperature and 150 °C. The results showed that lead metaniobate in tungsten bronze structure is the most suitable material for long time duration thermal cycling. Therefore, the ultrasonic rheometer was assembled using this material and installed in a pressurized reactor to test a reference IL at the operating conditions of 50 °C and at a pressure of 80 bar. The reference IL was saturated with nitrogen as well as hydrogen gas. Viscosity signals remained constant under the hydrogen atmosphere, while in nitrogen atmosphere the absorption of the gas lead to a rise in the value of viscosity. Full article

PZT-silsesquioxane-based 0-3 hybrid materials are prepared by mixing lead zirconate titanate (Pb(Zr,Ti)O₃; PZT) powder with a [R-SiO_3/2]_n (R = H, CH₃, CH=CH₂, C₆H₅) silsequioxane preceramic polymer. A PZT load up to 55 vol.% can be reached in the final composite. The piezoelectric and mechanical properties are investigated as a function of the filler content and are compared with theoretical models and reference samples made of the pure preceramic polymer or PZT filler. The piezoelectric response of the composites, as expressed by the relative permittivity and the piezoelectric coefficients d₃₃ and g₃₃, increases with an increasing PZT content. The bending strength of the composites ranges between 15 MPa and 31 MPa without a clear correlation to the filler content. The thermal conductivity increases significantly from 0.14 W∙m⁻¹∙K⁻¹ for the pure polymer-derived ceramic (PDC) matrix to 0.30 W∙m⁻¹∙K⁻¹ for a sample containing 55 vol.% PZT filler. From X-ray diffraction experiments (XRD), specific interactions between the filler and matrix are observed; the crystallization of the PDC matrix in the presence of the PZT filler is inhibited; conversely, the PDC matrix results in a pronounced decomposition of the filler compared to the pure PZT material. Full article

We present a new methodology for laser-induced steady-state photoluminescence (PL) spectroscopy of Dy³⁺ that aims at a direct quantification of the amorphous fraction f_a present in zircon (ZrSiO₄), which undergoes a transition from a crystalline to a metamict state due to cumulative self-irradiation damage caused by the radioactive decay of substituted U and Th. Using state-of-the-art confocal spectrometers attached to optical microscopes, measurements may be performed non-destructively on the micrometre length-scale with the option to visualize radiation-damage patterns as revealed by hyperspectral PL maps. Zircon from the Ratnapura district (Sri Lanka, ~520 Ma), was used as reference material to substantiate the applicability of the proposed method. The accumulation of radiation damage in this material was investigated in detail and obtained f_a values correlate with calculated α-doses in accordance to the direct impact model reported variously in the literature. The impact of chemically-induced, heterogeneous broadening of Raman and Dy³⁺ emission spectral bands is discussed on two examples from Mt. Malosa district, Malawi. A mean weighted U-Pb isotope age of 111 ± 1 Ma (pegmatitic-type) and a discordia age of 112 ± 1.6 Ma (hydrothermal-type) as obtained by LA-ICP-MS confirm their close genetic and temporal relationship. Studied zircon examples demonstrate that the amount of radiation damage present may have a substantial effect on the precision of LA-ICP-MS ages, but cannot be considered an exclusive cause for bias of obtained isotope ages. Full article

In this contribution, we report the results for the characterization of the BB zircon, a newly developed zircon reference material from Sri Lanka, via secondary ion mass spectrometry (SIMS) and multiple-collector inductively coupled plasma-mass spectrometry (MC-ICP-MS). The focus of this work was to further investigate the applicability of the BB zircon as a reference material for micro-beam analysis, including Li, O, and Hf isotopes. The SIMS analyses reveal that BB zircon is characterized by significant localized variations in Li concentration and isotopic ratio, which makes it unsuitable as a lithium isotope reference material. The SIMS-determined δ¹⁸O values are 13.81‰ ± 0.39‰ (2SD, BB16) and 13.61‰ ± 0.40‰ (2SD, BB40), which, combined with previous studies, indicates that there is no evidence of conspicuous O isotope heterogeneity within individual BB zircon megacrysts. The mean ¹⁷⁶Hf/¹⁷⁷Hf ratio of BB16 determined by solution MC-ICP-MS is 0.281669 ± 0.000012 (2SD, n = 29) indistinguishable from results achieved by laser ablation (LA)-MC-ICP-MS. Based on the SIMS and MC-ICP-MS data, BB zircon is proposed as a reference material for the O isotope and Hf isotope determination. Full article

U-Pb dating by LA ICP-MS is one of the most popular and successful isotopic techniques available to the Earth Sciences to constrain timing and rates of geological processes thanks to its high spatial resolution, good precision (absolute U/Pb age resolution of ca. 2%, 2s), rapidity and relative affordability. The significant and continuous improvement of instrumentation and approaches has opened new fields of applications by extending the range of minerals that can be dated by this method. Following the development and distribution to the community of good quality reference materials in the last decade, rutile U-Pb thermochronology (with a precision only slightly worse than zircon) has become a commonly used method to track cooling of deep-seated rocks. Its sensitivity to mid- to low-crustal temperatures (~450 °C to 650 °C) is ideal to constrain exhumation in active and ancient orogens as well as thermal evolution of slow-cooled terranes. Recrystallization and secondary growth during metamorphism and the presence of grain boundary fluids can also affect the U-Pb isotopic system in rutile. A growing body of research focusing on U-Pb dating of rutile by LA ICP-MS is greatly improving our understanding of the behavior of this mineral with regards to retention of radiogenic Pb. This is key to fully exploit its potential as a tracker of geological processes. The latest developments in this field are reviewed in this contribution. The combined application of U-Pb zircon and rutile chronology in provenance studies, particularly when complemented by lower-T thermochronometry data, allows the isotopic characterization of the sources across a wide range of temperatures. The benefits of applying detrital zircon-rutile U-Pb chronology as a coupled provenance proxy are presented here, with a focus on the Eastern Himalayan-Indo-Burman region, where a growing number of successful studies employs such an approach to help constrain river drainage and basin evolution and to infer feedback relationships between erosion, tectonics and climate. Full article

This study introduces a new zircon reference material, LKZ-1, for the in situ U–Pb dating and O–Hf isotopic and trace element analyses. The secondary ion mass spectrometric analyses for this gem-quality single-crystal zircon yielded a weighted mean ²⁰⁶Pb/²³⁸U age of 572.6 ± 2.0 Ma (2σ, n = 22, MSWD = 0.90), with moderately high U concentrations (619 ± 21 ppm, 1 SD), restricted Th/U ratios (0.146 ± 0.002, 1 SD), and negligible common Pb content (²⁰⁶Pb_c < 0.2%). A comparable ²⁰⁶Pb/²³⁸U age (570.0 ± 2.5 Ma, 2σ) was produced by the isotope dilution-thermal ionization mass spectrometry. The secondary ion mass spectrometric and laser ablation-assisted multiple collector inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometer analyses respectively showed that LKZ-1 had little variation in O (δ¹⁸O_V-SMOW = 10.65 ± 0.14‰; laser fluorination value = 10.72 ± 0.02‰; 1 SD) and Hf (¹⁷⁶Hf/¹⁷⁷Hf = 0.281794 ± 0.000016, 1 SD) isotopic compositions. LKZ-1 was also fairly homogeneous in its chemical composition (RSD of laser ablation ICPMS data ≤ 10%), displaying a relatively uniform chondrite-normalized rare earth element pattern ((Lu/Gd)_N = 31 ± 3, Eu/Eu^* = 0.43 ± 0.17, Ce/Ce^* = 44 ± 32; 1 SD). These consistencies suggest that the LKZ-1 zircon is a suitable working standard for geochronological and geochemical analyses. Full article

A NanoSIMS 50 L was used to study the relationship between the ²³⁵U/²³⁸U atomic and ²³⁵U¹⁶O/²³⁸U¹⁶O molecular uranium isotope ratios determined from a variety of uranium compounds (UO₂, UO₂F₂, UO₃, UO₂(NO₃)₂·6(H₂O), and UF₄) and silicates (NIST-610 glass and the Plesovice zircon reference materials, both containing µg/g uranium). Because there is typically a greater abundance of ²³⁵U¹⁶O⁺ and ²³⁸U¹⁶O⁺ molecular secondary ions than ²³⁵U⁺ and ²³⁸U⁺ atomic ions when uranium-bearing materials are sputtered with an oxygen primary ion beam, the goal was to understand whether use of ²³⁵U¹⁶O/²³⁸U¹⁶O has the potential for improved accuracy and precision when compared to the ²³⁵U/²³⁸U ratio. The UO₂ and silicate reference materials showed the greatest potential for improved accuracy and precision through use of the ²³⁵U¹⁶O/²³⁸U¹⁶O ratio as compared to the ²³⁵U/²³⁸U ratio. For the UO₂, which was investigated at a variety of primary beam currents, and the silicate reference materials, which were only investigated using a single primary beam current, this improvement was especially pronounced at low ²³⁵U⁺ count rates. In contrast, comparison of the ²³⁵U¹⁶O/²³⁸U¹⁶O ratio versus the ²³⁵U/²³⁸U ratio from the other uranium compounds clearly indicates that the ²³⁵U¹⁶O/²³⁸U¹⁶O ratio results in worse precision and accuracy. This behavior is based on the observation that the atomic (²³⁵U⁺ and ²³⁸U⁺) to molecular (²³⁵U¹⁶O⁺ and ²³⁸U¹⁶O⁺) secondary ion production rates remain internally consistent within the UO₂ and silicate reference materials, whereas it is highly variable in the other uranium compounds. Efforts to understand the origin of this behavior suggest that irregular sample surface topography, and/or molecular interferences arising from the manner in which the UO₂F₂, UO₃, UO₂(NO₃)₂·6(H₂O), and UF₄ were prepared, may be a major contributing factor to the inconsistent relationship between the observed atomic and molecular secondary ion yields. Overall, the results suggest that for certain bulk compositions, use of the ²³⁵U¹⁶O/²³⁸U¹⁶O may be a viable approach to improving the precision and accuracy in situations where a relatively low ²³⁵U⁺ count rate is expected. Full article

Gemstones form in metamorphic, magmatic, and sedimentary rocks. In sedimentary units, these minerals were emplaced by organic and inorganic chemical processes and also found in clastic deposits as a result of weathering, erosion, transport, and deposition leading to what is called the formation of placer deposits. Of the approximately 150 gemstones, roughly 40 can be recovered from placer deposits for a profit after having passed through the “natural processing plant” encompassing the aforementioned stages in an aquatic and aeolian regime. It is mainly the group of heavy minerals that plays the major part among the placer-type gemstones (almandine, apatite, (chrome) diopside, (chrome) tourmaline, chrysoberyl, demantoid, diamond, enstatite, hessonite, hiddenite, kornerupine, kunzite, kyanite, peridote, pyrope, rhodolite, spessartine, (chrome) titanite, spinel, ruby, sapphire, padparaja, tanzanite, zoisite, topaz, tsavorite, and zircon). Silica and beryl, both light minerals by definition (minerals with a density less than 2.8–2.9 g/cm³, minerals with a density greater than this are called heavy minerals, also sometimes abbreviated to “heavies”. This technical term has no connotation as to the presence or absence of heavy metals), can also appear in some placers and won for a profit (agate, amethyst, citrine, emerald, quartz, rose quartz, smoky quartz, morganite, and aquamarine, beryl). This is also true for the fossilized tree resin, which has a density similar to the light minerals. Going downhill from the source area to the basin means in effect separating the wheat from the chaff, showcase from the jeweler quality, because only the flawless and strongest contenders among the gemstones survive it all. On the other way round, gem minerals can also be used as pathfinder minerals for primary or secondary gemstone deposits of their own together with a series of other non-gemmy material that is genetically linked to these gemstones in magmatic and metamorphic gem deposits. All placer types known to be relevant for the accumulation of non-gemmy material are also found as trap-site of gemstones (residual, eluvial, colluvial, alluvial, deltaic, aeolian, and marine shelf deposits). Running water and wind can separate minerals according to their physical-chemical features, whereas glaciers can only transport minerals and rocks but do not sort and separate placer-type minerals. Nevertheless till (unconsolidated mineral matter transported by the ice without re-deposition of fluvio-glacial processes) exploration is a technique successfully used to delineate ore bodies of, for example, diamonds. The general parameters that matter during accumulation of gemstones in placers are their intrinsic value controlled by the size and hardness and the extrinsic factors controlling the evolution of the landscape through time such as weathering, erosion, and vertical movements and fertility of the hinterland as to the minerals targeted upon. Morphoclimatic processes take particular effect in the humid tropical and mid humid mid-latitude zones (chemical weathering) and in the periglacial/glacial and the high-altitude/mountain zones, where mechanical weathering and the paleogradients are high. Some tectono-geographic elements such as unconformities, hiatuses, and sequence boundaries (often with incised valley fills and karstic landforms) are also known as planar architectural elements in sequence stratigraphy and applied to marine and correlative continental environments where they play a significant role in forward modeling of gemstone accumulation. The present study on gems and gemstone placers is a reference example of fine-tuning the “Chessboard classification scheme of mineral deposits” (Dill 2010) and a sedimentary supplement to the digital maps that form the core of the overview “Gemstones and geosciences in space and time” (Dill and Weber 2013). Full article

Zircon (ZrSiO₄) is the most commonly used mineral in U–Pb geochronology. Although it has proven to be a robust chronometer, it can suffer from Pb-loss or elevated common Pb, both of which impede precision and accuracy of age determinations. Chemical abrasion of zircon involves thermal annealing followed by relatively low temperature partial dissolution in HF acid. It was specifically developed to minimize or eliminate the effects of Pb-loss prior to analysis using Thermal Ionization Mass Spectrometry (TIMS). Here we test the application of chemical abrasion to Laser Ablation Inductively Coupled Plasma Mass Spectrometry (LA-ICP-MS) by analyzing zircons from both untreated and chemically abraded samples. Rates of ablation for high alpha-dose non-treated zircons are up to 25% faster than chemically abraded equivalents. Ablation of 91500 zircon reference material demonstrates a ca. 3% greater down-hole fractionation of ²⁰⁶Pb/²³⁸U for non-treated zircons. These disparities necessitate using chemical abrasion for both primary reference material and unknowns to avoid applying an incorrect laser induced fractionation correction. All treated samples display a marked increase in the degree of concordance and/or lowering of common Pb, thereby illustrating the effectiveness of chemical abrasion to LA-ICP-MS U–Pb zircon geochronology. Full article