PROSPECTS OF NEWLY DISCOVERED UGUR AREA IN THE NORTHWEST OF THE GEDABEY ORE DISTRICT (LESSER CAUCASUS, AZERBAIJAN)

The article describes Ugur exploration area located in Gedabey Ore District of the Lesser Caucasus in NW of Azerbaijan. Results of trenches and channels sampling on the surface, RC bore holes and summary of significant drill intercepts (>0.29 ppm Au) of Ugur Exploration area are presented. It has been established that The deposit is enlarged by highly gold-silver result of surface outcrop rock chip samples over an area of 2.5 kms North-South by 2 kms East-West, with the Reza gold deposit located in the central part. Out of metallic minerals crystalline hematite was observed. On surface intensive barite and barite-hematite vein and veinlets, also gossan zones were observed. The main mineralization zones have been sampled in three trenches at a distance up to 270 m by trenches #1, #2 and #3 and received positive results for gold and silver. Also there have taken approximately 550 samples from outcrop #1 and #2. On the main orebody at surface centre there occured secondary quartzites with vein-veinlets barite-hematite mineralization over which there remain accumulations of hydrous ferric oxides cementing breccias of quartz and quartzites. And in erosion parts "reddish mass" being oxidation product of stock and stockverk hematite ores were observed. Representing typical gossans, these accumulations by the data of trenches for thickness about 5-10 m contain gold 0.3-2.0 ppm and silver 1.0-15.0 ppm. Ten diamond drill holes, named UGDD 01-10 were drilled in the center part of the deposit. The drill holes were sampled mainly in 1 meter lengths from the top of the hole to the bottom. The core samples were marked and placed into standard boxes. Significant intervals of weighted averages greater than 0.29 ppm over down hole intervals of 1 metres or greater (>0.29 ppm Au and >0.9 m) are summarized in table 3 below. In conclusion, the outcropping alteration at the deposit is typical of the upper steam-heated levels of high-sulfidation epithermal (HSE) deposits, which in most mineralized systems of this type, may cap higher-grade gold mineralization which is hosted by underlying vuggy and oxide zones.

Arsenian Pyrite and Cinnabar from Active Submarine Nearshore Vents, Paleochori Bay, Milos Island, Greece

Active, shallow-water (2–10 m below sea level) and low temperature (up to 115 °C) hydrothermal venting at Paleochori Bay, nearshore Milos Island, Greece, discharges CO2 and H2S rich vapors (e.g., low-Cl fluid) and high-salinity liquids, which leads to a diverse assemblage of sulfide and alteration phases in an area of approximately 1 km2. Volcaniclastic detritus recovered from the seafloor is cemented by hydrothermal pyrite and marcasite, while semi-massive to massive pyrite-marcasite constitute mounds and chimney-like edifices. Paragenetic relationships indicate deposition of two distinct mineralogical assemblages related to the venting of high-Cl and low-Cl fluids, respectively: (1) colloform As- and Hg-bearing pyrite (Py I), associated with marcasite, calcite, and apatite, as well as (2) porous and/or massive As-rich pyrite (Py II), associated with barite, alunite/jarosite, and late-stage hydrous ferric oxides. Mercury, in the form of cinnabar, occurs within the As-rich pyrite (Py I) layers, usually forming distinct cinnabar-enriched micro-layers. Arsenic in colloform pyrite I shows a negative correlation with S indicating that As1− dominates in the pyrite structure suggesting formation from a relatively reducing As-rich fluid at conditions similar to low-sulfidation epithermal systems. On the contrary, As3+ dominates in the structure of porous to massive pyrite II suggesting deposition from a sulfate-dominated fluid with lower pH and higher fO2. Bulk sulfide data of pyrite-bearing hydrothermal precipitates also show elevated As (up to 2587 ppm) together with various epithermal-type elements, such as Sb (up to 274 ppm), Tl (up to 513 ppm), and Hg (up to 34 ppm) suggesting an epithermal nature for the hydrothermal activity at Paleochori Bay. Textural relationships indicate a contemporaneous deposition of As and Hg, which is suggested to be the result of venting from both high-salinity, liquid-dominated, as well as CO2- and H2S-rich vapor-dominated fluids that formed during fluid boiling. The CO2- and H2S-rich vapor that physically separated during fluid boiling from the high-salinity liquid led to calcite formation upon condensation in seawater together with the precipitation of As- and Hg-bearing pyrite I. This also led to the formation of sulfuric acid, thereby causing leaching and dissolution of primary iron-rich minerals in the volcaniclastic sediments, finally resulting in pyrite II precipitation in association with alunite/jarosite. The Paleochori vents contain the first documented occurrence of cinnabar on the seafloor in the Mediterranean area and provide an important link between offshore hydrothermal activity and the onshore mercury and arsenic mineralizing system on Milos Island. The results of this study therefore demonstrate that metal and metalloid precipitation in shallow-water continental arc environments is controlled by epithermal processes known from their subaerial analogues.

Tracing anthropogenic sources of Tantalum and Niobium in Bothnian Bay sediments, Sweden

Purpose This study aims to evaluate temporal trends of Tantalum (Ta) and Niobium (Nb) concentrations in northern Baltic Sea sediments with focus on the potential impact from the Rönnskär sulfide ore smelter, located 15 km east of Skellefteå in northern Sweden. The potential of Ta or Nb to serve as tracers for environmental pollution caused by the electronic waste is compared. Lastly, correlations between Ta and Nb concentrations and those of major redox elements are investigated. Methods A 35-cm-deep core was collected in the harbor bay (Kallholmsfjärden) outside of the smelter. A secondary 6-m-deep sediment core was collected in the deep Bothnian Bay for comparative purposes. Element screening analysis was conducted the using ICP-SFMS for the Kallhomsfjärden core and a combination of ICP-SFMS and ICP-OES for the Bothnian Bay core. In the final analysis, a 5-step sequential extraction technique was preformed to allow for better prediction of the fate and mobility of Ta and Nb. Results and discussion In the vicinity of the smelter, Ta concentration increases from 0.42 to 3.8 ppm from the time coinciding with the beginning of electronic waste processing. Conversely, Nb concentration remained stable at background levels throughout the core at 6.33 ± 0.78 ppm. The Nb/Ta ratio thus changed from 14.5 to 1.7, reflecting an increase of anthropogenic input of Ta into the bay sediments. In the pre-industrial part of the sediment, concentrations of both elements follow concentration of aluminosilicates in the core. In recent sediments, however, the anthropogenic Ta exhibits an association with hydrous ferric oxides (HFOs) and organic matter. Conclusions Notable increases in Ta concentrations began following the beginning of scrap metal and electronic waste processing at the Rönnskär smelter. Anthropogenic Ta introduced in the upper portion of the sediment and are more associated with HFOs and organic material than natural Ta seen in the deeper parts of the core where detrital Ta is most common. Niobium was not affected by the Rönnskär smelter and displayed no notable change to the preindustrial background.

Scheelite weathering and tungsten (W) mobility in historical oxidic-sulfidic skarn tailings at Yxsjöberg, Sweden

More knowledge of the geochemical behavior of tungsten (W) and associated contamination risks is needed. Therefore, weathering of scheelite (CaWO4) and secondary sequestration and transport of W to groundwater in historical skarn tailings and surface water downstream of the tailings were studied. The tailings contained 920 mg/kg W, primarily in scheelite. Mineralogical and geochemical analyses were combined to elucidate the geochemical behavior of W in the tailings, and water samples were taken monthly during 2018 to monitor its mobility. In the tailings, a large peak of W was found at 1.5 m depth. There, 30 wt%. of W was present in easily reducible phases, indicating former scheelite weathering. Currently, W is being released from scheelite to water-soluble phases at 2.5 m depth. The release of WO42− is hypothetically attributed to anion exchange with CO32− released from calcite neutralizing acid produced from pyrrhotite oxidation in the upper tailings and transported downwards to pH conditions > 7. Higher concentrations of dissolved W were found in the groundwater and particulate W in downstream surface water than in reference water, but they were lower than current contamination thresholds. Tungsten showed correlations with hydrous ferric oxides (HFO) in both the tailings and surface water.

Impact of Hydrous Manganese and Ferric Oxides on the Behavior of Aqueous Rare Earth Elements (REE): Evidence from a Modeling Approach and Implication for the Sink of REE

In this study, models were used for the first time to investigate the fate and transport of rare earth elements (REE) in the presence of hydrous manganese and ferric oxides in groundwaters from the coastal Bohai Bay (China). Results showed that REE sorption is strongly dependent on pH, as well as hydrous manganese and ferric oxide content. Higher proportions of REE were sorbed by hydrous manganese oxide as compared to hydrous ferric oxides, for example in the presence of neodymium. In this case, a mean 28% of this element was sorbed by hydrous manganese oxide, whereas an average 7% sorption was observed with hydrous ferric oxides. A contrasting REE sorption behavior was observed with hydrous manganese and ferric oxide for all investigated groundwaters. Specifically, REE bound to hydrous manganese oxides showed decreasing sorption patterns with increasing atomic number. The opposite trend was observed in the presence of hydrous ferric oxides. In addition, these results suggested that light REE (from La to Sm) rather than heavy REE (from Eu to Lu) are preferentially scavenged by hydrous manganese oxide. However, the heavy REE showed a greater affinity for hydrous ferric oxides compared to light REE. Therefore, both hydrous manganese and ferric oxide are important scavengers of REE. This study shows the implication of hydrous manganese and ferric oxide sorption for the sink of REE in groundwater.

Study on the effects of soluble microbial product on phosphate adsorption onto fresh hydrous ferric oxides by surface complexation models

As one of the major soluble organic compounds in membrane bioreactors, soluble microbial product (SMP) can combine the surface sites on hydrous ferric oxides (HFO), which can compete with HFO for the uptake of phosphate. In this study, SMP was extracted from an MBR plant with long-term stable operation, and the effects of SMP on phosphate adsorption onto fresh HFO (FHFO) were investigated at pH values of 6.0 and 7.8 in a two-phase system composed of FHFO (solid phase) and SMP/phosphate (liquid phase). The phosphate adsorption capacity of FHFO was found to decrease significantly with increase in the pH value and SMP concentration. A diffuse layer model (DLM) and a charge distribution multisite complexation (CD-MUSIC) model, which take these factors into account, were developed to describe the speciation of SMP and phosphate on FHFO surface. Both of the models provided good description of phosphate adsorption behavior in the presence of SMP at different pH. The equilibrium constants of surface complexation reactions between SMP and HFO were obtained by inversion calculation as log10K = 15.1 ± 0.11 in DLM model and log10K = 12.1 ± 0.5 in CD-MUSIC model, which can improve the equilibrium constants database of surface complexation models.