Orthorhombic 11C pyrrhotite from Michałkowa, Góry Sowie Block, The Sudetes, Poland - preliminary report

This study provides the preliminary report about first occurrence of orthorhombic 11C pyrrhotite (Fe (1-x) S) from the Sudetes, Poland. Samples of pyrrhotite-containing two-pyroxene gabbro were found in a classic pegmatite locality in Michałkowa near Walim in the Góry Sowie Block. Based on microscopic methods, pyrrhotite is associated with pentlandite, chalcopyrite, chromite, ilmenite, gersdorffite, magnetite, biotite, magnesio-hornblende, clinochlore, lizardite and talc. X-Ray diffraction (XRD) indicate that pyrrhotite has orthorhombic 11C structure and it is characterized by: a = 3.433(9) Å, b = 5.99(2) Å, c = 5.7432(5) Å, β = 90º and d 102 = 2.06906 Å. Mössbauer studies confirmed the XRD data. Pyrrhotite has three sextets with hyperfine parameter values 30.8 T for sextet A, 27.9 T and 25.8 T for sextets B and C respectively, indicating orthorhombic structure, the composition near Fe 10 S 11 and x = 0.0909

Mechanism of rhabdophane-(La) and lanthanite-(La) formation during reduction of bioavailabe nutrients in water based on sem and XRD study

This study presents results of SEM and XRD investigation of products formed after La-rich bentonite application into water containing PO4 3- and CO3 2- ions. The main product of the investigated reaction with phosphate and carbonate anions is rabdophane-(La) and lanthanite-(La), respectively. Studied material has adaptation in many water reservoirs only for phosphorus ions reduction. Further studies might find application in case of reduction others hazardous ions. They could be precipitated in the same fast and effective way, to other stable, nontoxic mineral phases

Chemical and mineral composition of furnace slags produced in the combustion process of hard coal

Presented are the results of the examination of the chemical and mineral composition as well as iron compounds in furnace hearth slags coming into existence after the burning of hard coal. The samples of furnace hearth slags from heat and power plant and the hearths of the individual home furnaces fitted out with grate firings were compared. The examination methods like X-ray diffraction (XRD) with powder method, Mössbauer spectroscopy, scanning electron microscopy and ICP analysis were used. The main components of furnace hearth slags are SiO2, Al2O3 and Fe2O3. On the basis of the X-ray diffraction, it was found that the domination components of furnace hearth slags are mullite and quartz. Furnace hearth slags are different as for the content of the concentration of toxic elements (Cd, Cr, Ni, Tl, Pb, Zn, As, Ba and Cu) and Fe

Mössbauer spectroscopy study in characterization of steel production dusts

Steel production involves processes and alloys based on iron. Metallurgy is one of the most energy-intensive branches of industry and it also generates a lot of damage. The aim of the research was to recognize magnetic properties, mineral composition, and phase content of dusts from a de-dusting station, steel mill, sinter strand and filter press located in a steel metallurgical foundry in Upper Silesia, the most urbanized, industrialized and also the most polluted region of Poland. The following methods were applied: X-ray fluorescence, X-ray diffraction and the Mössbauer spectroscopy measurements

Jak odróżnić oryginał od fałszywek : kopalny meteoryt z Lechówki

Value of meteorites can be explained at least in two aspects. From the scientific point of view they are priceless objects, which can bring important information about the very beginning of the Universe. Because of their rarity anduniqueness, the meteorites often are extremely expensive in the term of a commercial value. This situation is used by dishonest sellers who offer fake meteorites. It has happened with the paleometeorite remnants, which were originallyfound in Cretaceous-Paleogene clay boundary in Lechówka, Poland. The so-called fake Lechówka remnants were offered by one seller on domestic online shops. All grains had certificate of authenticity that was included with the sold grains. In this paper we described the most common and diagnostic features, which can be easily applied to distinguish the original meteorite remnants from the fake ones

Zanieczyszczenie gleby metalami ciężkimi związane z historycznym hutnictwem cynku w Jaworznie

The initial study of heavy metals (Cr, Cu, Ni and Mn) contamination was carried out on the 22 samples taken from 4 forest soil (podzol) profiles and 5 waste samples taken from 3 points of the historical zinc smelting area in Jaworzno, Southern Poland. XRD and pH analyses on the soil samples were done. The trace element concentrations were measured with the inductively coupled plasma optical emission spectrometry (ICP-OES) after mineralisation in concentrated HNO3 (65 % Suprapur) and HCl (30 % Suprapur). Examined materials were ultra acidic to neutral, mostly very strong acidic. Total accumulations of trace elements in the soil varied from 21.91 to 119.32 mgCr, from 1.4 to 51.16 mgCu, from 2.15 to 36.16 mgNi and from 16.33 to 869.19 mgMn . kg–1. In waste samples quantities of the same elements equalled 45.55–67.38 mgCr, 19.5–244.74 mgCu, 4.96–22.15 mgNi and 30.75–369.11 mgMn . kg–1. Vertical distributions of examined metals were determined in each of soil profiles. The research revealed heavy metal pollution of studied soil. Influence of the historical smelter on the pollution is inferred, which changed soil environment to dangerous for humans, especially due to close proximity of abandoned industry to built-up and recreation areas as well as community gardens

Multi-Tool (LA-ICPMS, EMPA and XRD) Investigation on Heavy Minerals from Selected Holocene Peat-Bog Deposits from the Upper Vistula River Valley, Poland

Peat sediments represent important environmental and climatic archives, as well as recording information on the processes a ecting the formation of these deposits; combined these data can be used for paleoreconstruction of peat-bogs. In this paper we characterize heavy mineral-rich sandy layers from two peat-bog sites in Mizerów and Strumie´n (Poland). In both cases, the most common identified mineral suite is: epidote, staurolite, tourmaline (dravite and schörl), garnet, spinel, Al2SiO5 polymorphs (sillimanite, kyanite, andalusite), amphibole (mainly hornblende), pyroxene (e.g., richterite, diopside), perovskite, topaz, cordierite, apatite, monazite, chromite, ilmenite, chlorite, iron oxides, rutile and siderite. This mineral suite is characteristic of a metamorphic aureole surrounding a magmatic body. Pyrite is likely authigenic in origin. Apatite and monazite were employed for U-Pb and CHIME dating, respectively. Based on the U-Pb age information composition and textural features of selected minerals, di erent provenance areas were indicated: the Tatra Massif, the Bohemian Massif, and the Silesian Basin area. Transport of the investigated mineral phases was linked to development of both the Odra (praOdra) and the Vistula valleys

Fragments of strongly weathered meteorite from Lechówka: mineralogical and geochemical characterisation

Fossil iron meteorites are extremely rare in the geological sedimentary record. In the boundary clay from the outcrop at the Lechówka quarry (Poland), fragments of the paleometeorite were found in the Cretaceous-Paleogene boundary clay layer. The fragments of meteorite (2–6 mm in size) and meteoritic dust are metallic-grey in colour. Analyses of the meteorite from Lechówka reveal the presence of Ni-rich minerals with a total Ni amount of 2–3 wt%. They are represented by: taenite, kamacite, schreibersite, Ni-rich magnetite, and Ni-rich goethite. The investigated remnants of paleometeorite apparently represent an independent fall and does not seem to be derived from the K-Pg impactor

Crystal Chemistry of an Erythrite-Köttigite Solid Solution (Co3–xZnx) (AsO4)2·8H2O

A wide compositional range, covering about 90% of an expected erythrite-köttigite substitutional solid solution with extreme compositions of (Co2.84Mg0.14Zn0.02) (AsO4)2·8H2O and (Zn2.74Co0.27) (AsO4)2·8H2O, was revealed in a suite of samples from a polymetallic ore deposit in Miedzianka, SW Poland. Members of the solid solution series were examined by means of Electron Probe Microanalysis (EPMA), Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM)/Energy-Dispersive Spectrometer (EDS), X-ray single-crystal and powder diffraction, and Raman spectroscopy. Metal cations were randomly distributed between two special octahedral sites in the erythrite–köttigite structure. In response to Co ↔ Zn substitutions, small but significant changes in bond distances (particularly in [AsO4] tetrahedra), rotation, and distortion of co-ordination polyhedra were observed. Two sub-series of dominant cationic substitutions (Co-Mg-Ni and Co-Fe-Zn) were noted within the arsenate series of vivianite-group minerals linked by erythrite. The paragenetic sequence erythrite → Zn-rich erythrite → Co-rich köttigite → köttigite reflects the evolution of the solution’s pH towards increased acidity and a relative increase in the concentration of Zn ions following precipitation of erythrite

Mineralogy and organic geochemistry of phyllite from the Dewon-Pokrzywna deposit, the Opava Mountains (SW Poland)

Phyllites from the Dewon–Pokrzywna de posit in the Opava Mts., SW Po land, were in ves ti gated by XRD (Rietveld method), XRF, EPMA, SEM, and ATR-FTIR from the per spec tive of their po ten tial us age as a buffer and/or back fill ma te rial in a geo - log i cal re pos i tory of ra dio ac tive waste. Or ganic mat ter dis persed in the phyllite ma trix was ana lysed by GC-MS. Fine-grained Mg-Fe-mus co vite (13 to 29 wt.%), Fe-ripidolite (10 to 25 wt.%), de tri tal quartz (20 to 46 wt.%), and al bite (7 to 28 wt.%) ± microcline, illite or illite/smectite, and kaolinite are ma jor min er als in phyllite sam ples. The chlorite/mus co vite ra tio ranges from 0.65 to 1.1. Mg-annite in her ited from the pre cur sor rock is a mi nor con stit u ent. De tri tal il men ite is a dom i nant ac ces sory min eral. Ancylite-(Ce) oc curs in quartz-cal cite-ripidolite veins. Two types of phyllite have been dis tin guished based on the pro por tion of phyllosilicates to silt frac tion: ar gil la ceous (47 to 55 wt.% phyllosilicates) and silt-rich (28 wt.% phyllosilicates). Ar gil la ceous phyllite shows el e vated con tent of alu mina and mod er ate con cen tra tion of sil ica. It is highly en riched in Fe com - pared to phyllites from other lo cal i ties world wide. The BET spe cific sur face area of ar gil la ceous phyllite ranges from 1.73 to 3.64 m2/g. Whole-rock chem i cal com po si tion, min eral as sem blages, chlorite geothermometry, and the oc cur rence of aliphatic hy dro car bons sug gest that ar gil la ceous phyllite orig i nated from a pe lagic pelite protolith un der low-tem per a ture (260–370°C) greenschist to subgreenschist fa cies con di tions. Per sis tent biomarkers are in dic a tive of bac te rial deg ra da tion of plank tonic or ganic mat ter sus pended in a high wa ter col umn. En rich ment in Fe-rich chlorite and Mg,Fe-mus co vite, low vol - ume of in ter con nected pores with dom i nant mesopores sug gest that ar gil la ceous phyllite from the Dewon–Pokrzywna de - posit is a po ten tial can di date for a buffer and/or back fill ma te rial