Advances in interaction mechanism of water(gas) on clay minerals in China

Dealing with large-scale deformations in soft-rock tunnels is a very important issue in soft-rock tunnel engineering. The mechanism of this large-scale deformation is closely related to the physical and chemical properties of soft rock, interaction between soft rock and water, and interaction between soft rock and gas contained in soft rock. In order to gain a better predictive understanding of the governing principles associated with this phenomenon, we used experimental and theoretical methods to study the effects of point defect on physical and chemical properties of soft rock and mechanism of interaction between water(gas) and soft rock. Firstly, we calculated the impurity formation energies and transition energy levels of defects by using the first-principle calculation, the results showed the microscopic mechanism of defects substitution in kaolinite and effects of defects on the structure of kaolinite. Moreover,comparing the experimental and theoretical results, we found the mechanism of interaction between water and soft rock. The results show that water is one of the most important factors which can induce various kinds of geological disasters. At last, the interaction between soft rock and surrounding gas as CO2, CH4 and CO is disused, the influence of surrounding gas on soft rock should not be ignored.

An Isotopic(Sr,Nd and Pb) Tracer Study on the Xiaoxinancha Gold-rich Copper Deposit in Yanbian,China:Implication for the Geodynamic Model of Diagenesis and Metallogenesis

An isotopic study was systemically carried out on the granitic complex,diorite-porphyrite, ores and ore minerals of the 103 Ma Xiaoxinancha gold-rich copper deposit in Jilin province to determine the geodynamic model of diagenesis and metallogenesis.Results show that the initial Nd and Sr isotopic compositions of the granitic complex are in the range of 0.70425-0.70505 for（87Sr/86Sr）i, 0.51243-0.51264 for INd,and -1.31 to ＋2.64 forεNd（t）;those of the diorite-porphyrite are in the range from 0.70438-0.70448 for（87Sr/86Sr）,,0.51259-0.51261 for INd,and ＋1.56 to ＋2.09 forεNd（t）.For ores and sulfides,the（87Sr/86Sr）i,7Nd,andεNd（t） values are in the range from 0.70440-0.70805,0.51259- 0.51279 and ＋1.72 to ＋5.56,respectively.The Pb isotopic ratios of the granitic complex range from 18.2992-18.6636 for 206Pb/204Pb,from 15.5343-15.5660 for 207Pb/204Pb,and from 38.1640-38.5657 for 208Pb/204Pb For diorite-porphyrite,the isotopic ratios of 206Pb/204Pb,207Pb/204Pb and 208Pb/204Pb are 18.3919,15.5794 and 38.3566,respectively,whereas those of the ores and ore sulfides vary from 18.2275-18.3770 for 206Pb/204Pb,from 15.5555-15.5934 for 207Pb/204Pb and from 38.1318-38.3131 for 208Pb/204Pb.The results indicate that the mineralization was correlated to the formation and evolution of the granitic complex and the diorite-porphyrite.Combining with the reported data in petrologic characteristics,elemental geochemistry and chronology,conclusions can be drawn that the geodynamic settings of diagenesis and metallogenesis of this deposit were consistent with the subduction of the Izanagi oceanic plate during the Early Cretaceous.The diorite-porphyrite was formed by the emplacement of the adakitic magma triggered by partial melting of the enriched mantle,which originated from the derivative continental lithospheric mantle metasomatized by dehydration fluids from the subducting oceanic crust.The granitic complex was produced by fractional crystallization of the mixture between the adakitic magma and the high-K calc-alkaline acidic magma,which were generated by the remelting of the lower crust in the course of intraplate upwelling of the adakitic magma.The ore-bearing fluid reservoir convened in a late stage of the evolution of the mixed magma chamber.

Progress and Prospects of Salt Lake Research in China

China has unique salt lake resources, and they are distributed in the east of Eurasian salt lake subzone of the Northern Hemisphere Salt Lake Zone, mainly concentrated in the regions with modern mean annual precipitation lower than 500 mm. This paper preliminarily reviews the progress made in salt lake research in China for the past 60 years. In the research of Paleoclimate and paleoenvironment from salt lake sediments, a series of salts have been proposed to be indicators of paleoclimate, and have been well accepted by scholars. The chloride-sulfate depositional regions of the west Qaidam and the east Tarim have been revealed to be the drought center of China since the Quaternary, and more than 6 spreading stages of arid climate （salt forming） have been identified. Five pan-lake periods with highstands have been proved to exist during the late Quaternary on the Tibetan Plateau. In mineral resource prospecting and theories of the forming of salt deposits： the atlas （1：2500000） of hydrochemical zoning of salt lakes on the Tibetan Plateau has been compiled for the first time, revealing the zonal distribution and transition from carbonate type to chloride type from south to north and presenting corresponding mineral assemblages for different type of salt lakes; several large continental salt deposits have been discovered and the theory of continental potash deposition has been developed, including the salt deposition in deep basins surrounded by high mountains, the mineral deposition from multistage evolution through chains of moderate or shallow lakes with multilevels, the origin of potassium rich brines in gravel layers, and the forming of potassium deposits through the inheriting from ancient salt deposits, thus establishing the framework of ＂Continental Potash Deposition Theory＂; several new types of Mg-borate deposits have been discovered, including the ulexite and pinnoite bed in Da Qaidam Lake, Qinghai, the pinnoite and kurnakovite bed in Chagcam Caka, Tibet, the kurnakovite bed in Lake Nyer, and the corresponding model of borate deposition from the cooling and dissolution of boron rich brines was proposed based on principles of geology, physics and chemistry. The anti-floatation-cold crystallization method developed independently has improved the capacity of KCI production to 3 million tons per year for the Qarham, serving the famous brand of potash fertilizer products. One 1.2 million ton K-sulfate production line, the biggest in the world, has been built in Lop Nor, and K-sulfate of about 1.6 million tons was produced in 2015. Supported by the new technology, i.e. brine preparation in winter-cooling-solarization-isolation-lithium deposition from salt gradient solar pond＂ the highest lithium production base at Zabuye Lake （4421 m）, Tibet, has been established, which is the first lithium production base in China that reaches the year production of 5000 tons of lithium carbonate. The concept of Salt lake agriculture （Salt land agriculture） has been established based on the mass growth of Dunaliella and other bacillus-algae and the occurrence of various halophytes in saltmarsh and salt saline-alkali lands, finding a new way to increase arable lands and develop related green industry in salt rich environments. Finally this paper presents some new thoughts for the further research and development on salt science, and the further progress in salt science and technology will facilitate the maturing of the interdisciplinary science ＂Salinology＂.