我国盐田首次产出南极石

The First Precipitation of Antarcticite in Solar Ponds in China

南极石是极度干旱且寒冷气候条件下的产物,于1963年在南极首次被发现,并以发现地而被命名为南极石。在我国青海柴达木盆地,也曾有发现南极石的报道。南极石化学式是CaCl2·6H2O,可用来生产融雪剂,干燥剂等,具有广泛的用途。本文在青海省柴达木盆地西部南翼山地区,利用1940 m深处的地下氯化物型富钾油田水进行盐田蒸发试验,于冬季得到了南极石矿物。通过偏光显微镜下鉴定、X光粉晶衍射及化学分析,并参照前人矿物数据,确定为南极石。以前没有关于人工产出南极石的报道,这是首次在野外人工盐田条件下产出南极石,这对认识南极石的自然产出及赋存气候环境条件,对研究地区气候变化,具有重要指示意义。

Antarcticite, formed in areas of very arid and cold climate, was first discovered in the Don Juan Pond in Victoria Land, Antarctica. The mineral is named after the place it was found. The Antarcticite was reported to be found in Qaidam basin in 1983. Nanyishan area of Qaidam basin is also extremely dry and very cold, especially in winter. A solar pond experiment was carried out to extract potash in Nanyishan from the underground brine at the depth of 1940 m, which is rich in calcium and potassium. In the experiment, the Antarcticite was crystallized out in the solar pond with halite and potash during the winter. The X-ray powder diffraction measurement, chemical analysis and crystal optical study of this mineral has proved that the mineral is Antarcticite. This is for the first time that the Antarcticite is reported in solar ponds because there was no such report before. Through the research, the climate environment for the formation of Antarcticite is determined. The results obtained by the authors will give some useful information to the study of the environment changes in Qaidam basin.