Physical Experiments and Mechanism Study on the Occurrence State of Hydrogen in Clay Minerals

In recent years,natural hydrogen has been discovered in various geological environments both domestically and internationally,which has sparked a global interest among geologists and led to a surge in the exploration of hydrogen gas(Klein et al.,2019;Prinzhofer et al.,2019;Moretti and Webber,2021;Scott,2021;Bezruchko,2022).However,there is a lack of research on the occurrence state of natural hydrogen gas,which hinders a deeper understanding of its behavior in underground storage and migration.

Types,composition and diagenetic evolution of authigenic clay minerals in argillaceous limestone of sepiolite-bearing strata:A case study of Mao-1 Member of Middle Permian Maokou Formation,eastern Sichuan Basin,SW China

The types,occurrence and composition of authigenic clay minerals in argillaceous limestone of sepiolite-bearing strata of the first member of the Middle Permian Maokou Formation(Mao-1 Member)in eastern Sichuan Basin were investigated through outcrop section measurement,core observation,thin section identification,argon ion polishing,X-ray diffraction,scanning electron microscope,energy spectrum analysis and laser ablation-inductively coupled plasma-mass spectrometry.The diagenetic evolution sequence of clay minerals was clarified,and the sedimentary-diagenetic evolution model of clay minerals was established.The results show that authigenic sepiolite minerals were precipitated in the Si4+and Mg2+-rich cool aragonite sea and sepiolite-bearing strata were formed in the Mao-1 Member.During burial diagenesis,authigenic clay minerals undergo two possible evolution sequences.First,from the early diagenetic stage A to the middle diagenetic stage A1,the sepiolite kept stable in the shallow-buried environment lack of Al3+.It began to transform into stevensite in the middle diagenetic stage A2,and then evolved into disordered talc in the middle diagenetic stage B1and finally into talc in the period from the middle diagenetic stage B2to the late diagenetic stage.Thus,the primary diagenetic evolution sequence of authigenic clay minerals,i.e.sepiolite-stevensite-disordered talc-talc,was formed in the Mao-1 Member.Second,in the early diagenetic stage A,as Al3+carried by the storm and upwelling currents was involved in the diagenetic process,trace of sepiolite started to evolve into smectite,and a part of smectite turned into chlorite.From the early diagenetic stage B to the middle diagenesis stage A1,a part of smectite evolved to illite/smectite mixed layer(I/S).The I/S evolved initially into illite from the middle diagenesis stage A2to the middle diagenesis stage B2,and then totally into illite in the late diagenesis stage.Thus,the secondary diagenetic evolution sequence of authigenic clay minerals,i.e.sepiolite-smectite-chlorite/illite,was formed in the Mao-1 Member.The types and evolution of authigenic clay minerals in argillaceous limestone of sepiolite-bearing strata are significant for petroleum geology in two aspects.First,sepiolite can adsorb and accumulate a large amount of organic matters,thereby effectively improving the quality and hydrocarbon generation potential of the source rocks of the Mao-1 Member.Second,the evolution from sepiolite to talc is accompanied by the formation of numerous organic matter pores and clay shrinkage pores/fractures,as well as the releasing of the Mg2+-rich diagenetic fluid,which allows for the dolomitization of limestone within or around the sag.As a result,the new assemblages of self-generation and self-accumulation,and lower/side source and upper/lateral reservoir,are created in the Middle Permian,enhancing the hydrocarbon accumulation efficiency.

Molecular insights into oil detachment from hydrophobic quartz surfaces in clay-hosted nanopores during steam-surfactant co-injection

Thermal recovery techniques for producing oil sands have substantial environmental impacts.Surfactants can efficiently improve thermal bitumen recovery and reduce the required amount of steam.Such a technique requires solid knowledge about the interaction mechanism between surfactants,bitumen,water,and rock at the nanoscale level.In particular,oil sands ores have extremely complex mineralogy as they contain many clay minerals(montmorillonite,illite,kaolinite).In this study,molecular dynamics simulation is carried out to elucidate the unclear mechanisms of clay minerals contributing to the bitumen recovery under a steam-anionic surfactant co-injection process.We found that the clay content significantly influenced an oil detachment process from hydrophobic quartz surfaces.Results reveal that the presence of montmorillonite,illite,and the siloxane surface of kaolinite in nanopores can enhance the oil detachment process from the hydrophobic surfaces because surfactant molecules have a stronger tendency to interact with bitumen and quartz.Conversely,the gibbsite surfaces of kaolinite curb the oil detachment process.Through interaction energy analysis,the siloxane surfaces of kaolinite result in the most straightforward oil detachment process.In addition,we found that the clay type presented in nanopores affected the wettability of the quartz surfaces.The quartz surfaces associated with the gibbsite surfaces of kaolinite show the strongest hydrophilicity.By comparing previous experimental findings with the results of molecular dynamics(MD)simulations,we observed consistent wetting characteristics.This alignment serves to validate the reliability of the simulation outcomes.The outcome of this paper makes up for the lack of knowledge of a surfactant-assisted bitumen recovery process and provides insights for further in-situ bitumen production engineering designs.

Wettability of different clay mineral surfaces in shale:Implications from molecular dynamics simulations

Shale contains a lot of clay minerals. Clay minerals mainly exist in nano- and micro-meter sized particles, and the pore structure is complex, which leads to its extremely complex wettability. The surface wettability of clay minerals significantly affects the oil and gas-bearing capacity of shale reservoirs. Therefore, studying the wettability of common clay minerals in shale at the nanoscale is of great significance for shale hydrocarbon exploration and development. In this study, the wetting behavior of water in n-hexane and toluene on different clay mineral surfaces at the nanoscale was systematically studied using Molecular dynamics (MD) simulation. And the influencing factors of wettability were analyzed. Through the analysis of the morphological changes of water, relative concentration of water, RDF and interaction energy, it is concluded that the following order of water wettability on the surfaces of clay minerals: montmorillonite > chlorite > kaolinite > illite. Through the analysis of interaction energy, it is concluded that the hydrophilicity of four clay minerals is stronger than that of lipophilicity. And the main interactions between water and oil and the mineral surfaces were van der Waals force and electrostatic force. In addition, the temperature, liquid hydrocarbon type, and mineralization of water affected the wettability of clay minerals. The concentration of water on the surfaces of montmorillonite, kaolinite, and illite decreased with increasing temperature, and the water wettability decreased. At 298 K, the hydrophilicity of the surfaces of the clay minerals in toluene follows the order montmorillonite > chlorite > kaolinite > illite. The higher the NaHCO3 concentration in water, the weaker the wettability of the clay mineral surfaces to water. By comparing the previous experimental results with the MD simulation results, similar wetting characteristics were obtained, and the reliability of the simulation results was verified. MD simulation was used to explore the water wetting of the surfaces of four clay minerals in a shale reservoir from the micro level. This makes up for the lack of experimental means for clarifying the flow and production mechanisms of shale oil and gas and effectively improves the evaluation technology of shale.

Geology and mineralization of the Hongqiling large magmatic nickel-copper-cobalt deposit(22×10^(4)t)in Jilin Province,China:A review

The Hongqiling large nickel-copper-cobalt deposit(hereafter referred to as the Hongqiling deposit),a typical mafic-ultramafic copper-nickel deposit in China,boasts proven Ni(Ni)resources of approximately 22×10^(4)t,associated copper resources of 2×10^(4)t,and associated cobalt(Co)resources of 0.5×10^(4)t,with Ni reserves ranking 10th among China's magmatic nickel deposits.Geotectonically,the Hongqiling deposit is situated in the superimposed zone between the Xing'an-Mongolian orogenic belt and the circum-Western Pacific's active continental margin belt.Its ore-bearing plutons occur within the metamorphic rocks of the Ordovician Hulan Group,with the emplacement of plutons and the locations of orebodies governed by the deep-seated Huifahe fault and its secondary NW-trending Fujia-Hejiagou-Beixinglong-Changsheng fault zone.In the deposit,the rock assemblages of ore-bearing plutons predominantly encompass gabbro-pyroxenite-olivine pyroxenite-pyroxene peridotite(pluton No.1)and norite-orthopyroxenite-harzburgite(pluton No.7),with ore-bearing lithofacies consisting primarily of olivine pyroxenite and pyroxenite facies.The Hongqiling deposit hosts stratoid,overhanging lentoid,veined,and pure-sulfide veined orebodies.Its ores principally contain metallic minerals including pyrrhotite,pentlandite,chalcopyrite,violarite,and pyrite.Despite unidentified magma sources of ore-bearing mafic-ultramafic rocks,it is roughly accepted that the magmatic evolution in the Hongqiling deposit primarily involved fractional crystallization and crustal contamination.The ore-forming materials were primarily derived from the upper mantle,mixed with minor crustal materials.The ore-bearing mafic-ultramafic rocks in the deposit,primarily emplaced during the Indosinian(208-239 Ma),were formed in an intense extension setting followed by the collisional orogeny between the North China Plate and the Songnen-Zhangguangcai Range Block during the Middle-Late Triassic.From the perspective of the metallogenic geological setting,surrounding rocks,ore-controlling structures,and rock assemblages,this study identified one favorable condition and seven significant indicators for prospecting for Hongqiling-type nickel deposits and developed a prospecting model of the Hongqiling deposit.These serve as valuable references for exploring similar nickel deposits in the region,as well as the deep parts and margins of the Hongqiling deposit.

Clay mineral compositions in the surface sediment of the Chanthaburi coast(northeastern Gulf of Thailand)and their implications on sediment provenance

Clay mineral composition represents an important tracer of sediment source area,migration processes,and paleoclimatic conditions.Clay mineral analysis was performed on 15 surface sediment samples collected from the coast of Chanthaburi,Thailand.Results show that the composition of clay minerals in the study area differs substantially from that in surrounding regions of the Gulf of Thailand.The clay minerals of the Chanthaburi coast are dominated by kaolinite(~56%),followed by smectite(~21%),illite(~14%),and low concentrations of chlorite(~8%).The average illite chemistry index and crystallinity are 0.93 and 0.32,respectively.Comparative analysis of the clay mineral composition of surface sediments in several typical areas around the Gulf of Thailand indicated that the clays of the Chanthaburi coast are mainly derived from parent rock weathering in the small watersheds of the Chanthaburi and Welu rivers and the surrounding islands.Terrestrial input from the northern coast of the Gulf of Thailand(excluding the Mekong River)was previously considered negligible;however,the present results indicate that such input has impact on the eastern Gulf of Thailand.The warm humid climatic conditions in Southeast Asia are the primary factors that affect the strong chemical weathering in the study area,followed by the nature of the parent rock.

Rheological mechanical properties and its constitutive relation of soft rock considering influence of clay mineral composition and content

Rheological mechanical properties of the soft rock are afected signifcantly by its main physical characteristics-clay mineral.In this study,taking the mudstone on the roof and foor in four typical mining regions as the research object,frstly,the clay mineral characteristic was analyzed by the X-ray difraction test.Subsequently,rheological mechanical properties of mudstone samples under diferent confning pressures are studied through triaxial compression and creep tests.The results show that the clay mineral content of mudstone in diferent regions is diferent,which leads to signifcant diferences in its rheological properties,and these diferences have a good correlation with the content of montmorillonite and illite-montmorillonite mixed layer.Taking the montmorillonite content as an example,compared with the sample with 3.56%under the lower stress level,the initial creep deformation of the sample with 11.19%increased by 3.25 times,the viscosity coefcient and longterm strength decreased by 80.59%and 53.94%,respectively.Furthermore,based on the test results,the damage variation is constructed considering the montmorillonite content and stress level,and the M–S creep damage constitutive model of soft rock is established.Finally,the test results can be ftted with determination coefcients ranging from 0.9020 to 0.9741,which proves that the constitutive relation can refect the infuence of the clay mineral content in the samples preferably.This study has an important reference for revealing the long-term stability control mechanism of soft rock roadway rich in clay minerals.

Clay mineral distribution characteristics of surface sediments in the South Mid-Atlantic Ridge

Clay minerals are usually considered as important indicators to identify sources in both terrigenous and marine sediments.In particular,clay minerals in metalliferous sediments(MS)have long been studied in global oceans except in South Mid-Atlantic Ridge(SMAR)due to limited explorations.Thus,32 MS and 34 non-MS(NMS)samples were analyzed to clarify the distribution characteristics and mineral compositions of clay minerals.All the sediments were collected along the SMAR between 12°S and 27°S.After removal of organic matter and carbonate,clay fractions(<2μm)were investigated by Xray diffraction(XRD)analysis.Results show that clay mineral assemblages of surface MS consist dominantly of smectite,less abundant illite,chlorite,and kaolinite in average weight percentage of 30%,21%,18%,and 16%,respectively.On the other hand,clay mineral assemblages in the NMS consist mainly of illite,less abundant kaolinite,chlorite,and very scarce smectite in average weight percentage of 47%,29%,24%,and 0.2%,respectively.The clay fractions in MS are mainly composed of amorphous or poorly crystallized Fe/Mn oxyhydroxides,clay mineral,quartz,and plagioclase.However,the counterparts in the NMS are mainly composed of well-crystallized clay minerals,quartz,and plagioclase without the presence of Fe/Mn oxyhydroxides.It is suggested that most of the illite,kaolinite,and chlorite in both MS and NMS are likely aeolian dust in origin from South Africa continent.In addition,the abundance of kaolinite dominates the clay mineral assemblage at low latitudes,where the intensive chemical weathering of continental source rocks facilitating the formation of kaolinite.In terms of smectite,it is indicated of authigenic origin in consideration of only smectite is available in several MS and the absence in NMS.Moreover,the MS samples with only smectite available are always accompanied by goethite.Therefore,it is assumed that most of smectite occurred in studied area is the results of interaction between hydrothermal Fe-oxyhydroxide,silica,and seawater.

Clay minerals and elemental composition of sediments on different sedimentary units in the northern East China Sea shelf:provenance tracing and genetic mechanism analysis

The composition,provenance,and genetic mechanism of sediment on different sedimentary units of the East China Sea(ECS)shelf are essential for understanding the depositional dynamics environment in the ECS.The sediments in the northern ECS shelf are distributed in a ring-shaped distribution centered on the southwestern Cheju Island Mud.From the inside to the outside,the grain size goes from fine to coarse.Aside from the“grain size effect”,hydrodynamic sorting and mineral composition are important restrictions on the content of rare earth elements(REEs).Based on the grain size,REEs,and clay mineral composition of 300 surface sediments,as well as the sedimentary genesis,the northern ECS shelf is divided into three geochemical zones:southwestern Cheju Island Mud Area(ZoneⅠ),Changjiang Shoal Sand Ridges(ZoneⅡ-1),Sand Ridges of the East China Sea shelf(ZoneⅡ-2).The northern ECS shelf is mostly impacted by Chinese mainland rivers(the Changjiang River and Huanghe River),and the provenance and transport mechanism of sediments of different grain sizes is diverse.The bulk sediments come primarily from the Changjiang River,with some material from the Huanghe River carried by the Yellow Sea Coastal Current and the North Jiangsu Coastal Current,and less from Korean rivers.Among them,surface sediments in the southwestern Cheju Island Mud Area(ZoneⅠ)come mostly from the Changjiang River and partly from the Huanghe River.It was formed by the counterclockwise rotating cold eddies in the northern ECS shelf,which caused the sedimentation and accumulation of the fine-grained sediments of the Changjiang River and the Huanghe River.The Changjiang Shoal Sand Ridges(ZoneⅡ-1)were developed during the early-middle Holocene sea-level highstand.It is the modern tidal sand ridge sediment formed by intense hydrodynamic action under the influence of the Yellow Sea Coastal Current,North Jiangsu Coastal Current,and Changjiang Diluted Water.The surface sediments mainly originate from the Changjiang River and Huanghe River,with the Changjiang River dominating,and the Korean River(Hanjiang River)influencing just a few stations.Sand Ridges of the East China Sea shelf(ZoneⅡ-2)are the relict sediments of the paleo-Changjiang River created by sea invasion at the end of the Last Deglaciation in the Epipleistocene.The clay mineral composition of the surface sediments in the study area is just dominated by the Changjiang River,with the North Jiangsu Coastal Current and the Changjiang Diluted Water as the main transporting currents.

Distribution of clay minerals in surface sediments off Yangtze River estuary

Based on the clay minerals, content analysis from 187 stations in the surface sediments, this paper dealt with the assemblages and the distributions of clay minerals in the surface sediments off the Yangtze River estuary. The research results showed that the illite dominates the surface sediments off the Yangtze River estuary with the smectite or kaolinite the second rank and chlorite the third rank; the illite-smectite-kaolinite-chlorite-assemblage is the main type of the clay minerals assemblage in the area, with the illite-kaolinite-chlorite-smectite-type as the second rank; the source of clay mineral is mainly from the Yellow River and the Yangtze River. The Q-type cluster analysis show that sediments from both recent and ancient Yellow River were deposited mainly in the northeast part of the study area to the north of 29°30′. Substance from the Yangtze River was deposited mainly in the western and middle parts off the Yangtze River estuary.

Classification and mineralization of global lithium deposits and lithium extraction technologies for exogenetic lithium deposits

A reasonable classification of deposits holds great significance for identifying prospecting targets and deploying exploration. The world ’s keen demand for lithium resources has expedited the discovery of numerous novel lithium resources. Given the presence of varied classification criteria for lithium resources presently, this study further ascertained and classified the lithium resources according to their occurrence modes, obtaining 10 types and 5 subtypes of lithium deposits(resources) based on endogenetic and exogenetic factors. As indicated by surveys of Cenozoic exogenetic lithium deposits in China and abroad,the formation and distribution of the deposits are primarily determined by plate collision zones, their primary material sources are linked to the anatectic magmas in the deep oceanic crust, and they were formed primarily during the Miocene and Late Paleogene. The researchers ascertained that these deposits,especially those of the salt lake, geothermal, and volcanic deposit types, are formed by unique slightly acidic magmas, tend to migrate and accumulate toward low-lying areas, and display supernormal enrichment. However, the material sources of lithium deposits(resources) of the Neopaleozoic clay subtype and the deep brine type are yet to be further identified. Given the various types and complex origins of lithium deposits(resources), which were formed due to the interactions of multiple spheres, it is recommended that the mineralization of exogenetic lithium deposits(resources) be investigated by integrating tectono-geochemistry, paleoatmospheric circulation, and salinology. So far, industrialized lithium extraction is primarily achieved in lithium deposits of the salt lake, clay, and hard rock types. The lithium extraction employs different processes, with lithium extraction from salt lake-type lithium deposits proving the most energy-saving and cost-effective.

Melt extraction and mineralization: A case study from the Shuangjianzishan supergiant Ag-Pb-Zn deposit(208 Mt), Inner Mongolia, NE China

The supergiant Shuangjianzishan(SJZ) Ag-Pb-Zn deposit is in the southern segment of the Great Hinggan Range(SGHR), northeast China. Previous studies suggest the ore-forming material and fluid originated from the magmatic system, and the mineralization age was consistent with the diagenetic age. However,the relationship between granitic magmatism and mineralization is still unclear in the SJZ. In this study, CH-O-He-Ar and in-situ S-Pb isotope analyses were conducted to determine the sources of ore-forming fluids and metals, which were combined with geochemistry data of SJZ granitoids from previous studies to constrain the relationship between the magmatism and the mineralization. The C-H-O-He-Ar-S-Pb isotopic compositions suggested the SJZ ore-forming material and fluids were derived from a magmatic source, which has mixed a small amount of mantle-derived materials. In addition, the disseminated sulfide from the syenogranite has comparable S-Pb isotopic composition with the sulfide minerals from ore veins,suggesting that the generation of the SJZ ore-forming fluids has a close relationship with the syenogranite magmatism. Combining with the geochemical characters of the syenogranite, the authors proposed that the mantle-derived fingerprint of the SJZ ore-forming fluid might be caused by the parent magma of the syenogranite, which was derived from partial melting of the juvenile lower crust, and underwent the residual melts segregated from a crystal mush in the shallow magma reservoir. The extraction of the syenogranite parent magma further concentrated the fertilized fluids, which was crucial to mineralization of the SJZ Ag-Pb-Zn deposit.

Vanadium recovery from clay vanadium mineral using an acid leaching method

A technique including direct acid leaching, vanadium precipitation with alkaline, sodium hydroxide releaching, impurity removing by adjusting pH value, precipitation vanadium with ammonium chloride, and vanadium pentoxide by roasting steps was proposed according to the characteristic of Xichuan clay vanadium mineral. The factors influencing leaching vanadium such as temperature and the concentration of sulfuric acid were investigated and optimized. The experimental results indicate that the extract ratios of V205 can reach 94% and 92% at a sodium chlorate ratio of 3% and a manganese dioxide ratio of 3%, respectivdy. A completely chemical precipitation method was adopted to decontaminate and enrich the vanadium in the acid leaching solution. The X-ray diffraction （XRD） pattern and the purity analysis of vanadium pentoxide indicate that the purity of final vanadium pentoxide can reach 99% and meet the standard specifications. The total recovery can reach about 75%. The technique has the characteristics of simplicity, less investment, and more environment safety as compared with the traditional salt roasting method.

Clay mineral distribution in surface sediments of the South China Sea and its significance for in sediment sources and transport

Clay minerals of surface sediments in the South China Sea （SCS） are analyzed with X-ray diffraction, and their transport is explored with a grain size trend analysis （GSTA） model. Results show that clay mineral types in various sedimentary environments have different sediment sources and transport routes. Sediments in the northern SCS （north of 20°N） between the southwest of Taiwan Island and the outer mouth of the Pearl River have high contents of illite and chlorite, which are derived mainly from sediments on Taiwan Island and/or the Yangtze River. Sediments from the Pearl River are characterized by high kaolinite and low smectite content, and most are distributed in the area between the mouth of the Pearl River and northeast of Hainan Island and transported vertically from the continental shelf to the slope. Characterized by high illite content, sediments from Kalimantan Island are transported toward the Nansha Trough. Sediments from Luzon Island are related with volcanic materials, and are transported westwards according to smectite distribution. On the Sunda Shelf, sediments from the Mekong River are transported southeast in the north while sediments from the Indonesian islands are transported northward in the south. Ascertaining surface sediment sources and their transport routes will not only improve understanding of modem transportation and depositional processes, but also aid paleoenvironmental and paleoclimatic analysis of the SCS.

Bio-Mobilization of Potassium from Clay Minerals: I. By Ectomycorrhizas

A pot experiment was carried out to investigate effect of ectomycorrhizal fungi on eucalyptus growth and K bio-mobilization from soils and clay minerals. In the experiment, sands mixed with soil, KCI-saturated vermiculate and mica, respectively, were used to nurse eucalyptus seedlings which were nonectomycorrhized or ectomycorrhized by an ectomycorrhizal fungus Pisolithus tinctorius strain XCI (Pt XC1) isolated from a forest soil from Xichang, Sichuan Province, China, and a worldwide well-known ectomycorrhizal fungus Pisolithus tinctorius strain 2144 (Pt 2144) obtained in Australia. More depletion of HCl-soluble K by mycorrhizas from the soil and minerals than nonmycorrhizas suggested that mycorrhizas had a great ability to mobilize K present in the interlayer and feldspar. Mycorrhizal seedlings depressed greatly K digested with HF-HCIO4 from substrates after consecutive extractions of soils and minerals by water, ammonium cetate and boiling HCl, while nonmycorrhizal seedlings reduced it little if any, showing that the mycorrhizal seedlings could mobilize and then utilize the structural K in mineral lattice. Ectomycorrhizal fungi played a very important role not only in promoting the growth of eucalyptus seedlings but also in mobilizing K in soils and minerals. The infection of Pt XC1 led to a better growth of eucalyptus seedlings and more K accumulation in the seedlings than that of Pt 2144. The large differences in K accumulation by the seedlings might be due to different abilities of the two ectomycorrhizal fungi to mobilize K in interlayer and lattice pools in the clay minerals.

The Sources and Transport Patterns of Modern Sediments in Hangzhou Bay: Evidence from Clay Minerals

Clay mineral compositions of 199 offshore surface sediment samples collected from the Hangzhou Bay have been analyzed. The clay minerals in the sediments from the Hangzhou Bay are dominated by illite(58.7%, on average), followed by chlorite(20.3%), kaolinite(16.9%) and smectite(4.1%). Two provinces were classified by Q-mode cluster analysis. Class Ⅰ with relatively low amounts of illite and smectite is widely distributed in the Hangzhou Bay, especially concentrated in the top and mouth of the bay, and the northern and southern nearshore areas. Class Ⅱ with comparatively high amounts of illite and smectite is mainly concentrated in the central part of the bay with the water depth of 8–10 m. By comparing clay mineral compositions with the neighbouring regions, we can find that the sediments in the Hangzhou Bay are mainly influenced by the resuspension and repeated deposition of particles from the Yangtze River due to the strong dynamic environment. In particular, the clay fraction of Class Ⅰ is mainly supplied by the Yangtze River, while the sediments of Class Ⅱ are mixture of the clay minerals carried by the Yangtze River and Qiantang River. In general, the distributions of clay minerals in the northern bay are affected by Yangtze River runoff, coastal current and flood tide together, and in the southern they are mainly affected by the Qiantang River runoff and ebb tide.

Paleoclimate and Paleoenvironment of Gonghe Basin, Qinghai-Tibet Plateau, During the Lastdeglacial: Weathering, Erosion and Vegetation Cover Affect Clay Mineral Formation

With the analysis of the sources and formation mechanism of the clay minerals in the sediment core from the Dalianhai lake in the Gonghe Basin,northeastern Tibet-Qinghai Plateau,clay mineral composition proxies,grain-size and carbonate contents have been employed for high-resolution study in order to reconstruct East Asian Summer Monsoon （EASM） over the northeastern Tibet-Qinghai Plateau during the lastdeglacial.The study also extended to establish a relationship between vegetation cover changes and erosion during the last 14.5 ka with pollen record and clay mineral proxies.Smectite/kaolinite and smectite/（illite＋chlorite） ratios allow us to assess hydrolysis conditions in lowlands and/or physical erosion process in highlands of the Gonghe Basin.Before 12.9 Cal ka BP,both mineralogical ratios show low values indicative of strong physical erosion in the basin with a dominant cold and dry phase.After 12.9 Cal ka BP,an increase in both mineralogical ratios indicates enhanced chemical weathering in the basin associated with a warm and humid climate.The beginning of Holocene is characterized by high smectite/（illite＋chlorite） and smectite/kaolinite ratios that is synchronous as with deposition of many peat laminae,implying the best warm and humid conditions specifically between 8.0 to 5.5 Cal ka BP.The time interval after 5.0 Cai ka BP is characterized by a return to high physical erosion and low chemical weathering with dry climate conditions in the basin.Comparing variations of clay mineral assemblages with previous pollen results,we observe a rapid response in terms of chemical weathering and physical erosion intensity to a modification of the vegetation cover in the basin.

Effects of Organic Anions on Phosphate Adsorption and Desorption from Variable-Charge Clay Minerals and Soil

Effects of citrate and tartrate on phosphate adsorption and desorption from kaolinite, goethite, amorphous Al-oxide and Ultisol were studied. P adsorption was significantly decreased as the concentration of the organic anions increased from 10-5 to 10-1 M. At 0.1 M and pH 7.0, tartrate decreased P adsorption by 27.6% - 50.6% and citrate by 37.9 - 80.4%, depending on the kinds of adsorbent. Little Al and/ or Fe were detected in the equilibrium solutions, even at the highest concentration of the organic anions. Effects of the organic anions on phosphate adsorption follow essentially the competitive adsorption mechanism.The selectivity coefficients for competitive adsorption can be used to compare the effectiveness of different organic anions in reducing P adsorption under given conditions.Phosphate desorption was increased by 3 to 100 times in the presence of 0.001 M citrate or tartrate compared to that in 0.02 M KC1 solution alone. However, for all the soil and clay minerals studied the amount of P desorbed by citrate or tartrate was generally lower than or close to that of isotopically exchangeable P. The effect of organic anions on phosphate desorption arises primarily from ligand exchange.

Characteristics of Clay Minerals in the Northern South China Sea and Its Implications for Evolution of East Asian Monsoon since Miocene

Clay mineral assemblages, crystallinity, chemistry, and micromorphology of clay particles in sediments from ODP Site 1146 in the northern South China Sea （SCS） were analyzed, and used to trace sediment sources and obtain proxy records of the past changes in the East Asian monsoon climate since the Miocene, based on a multi-approach, including X-ray diffraction （XRD） and scanning electron microscopy combined with energy dispersive X-ray spectrometry （SEM-EDS）. Clay minerals consist mainly of illite and smectite, with associated chlorite and kaolinite. The illite at ODP Site 1146 has very well-to-well crystallinity, and smectite has moderate-to-poor crystallinity. In SEM the smectite particles at ODP Site 1146 often appear cauliflower-like, a typical micromorphology of volcanic smecites. The smectite at ODP Site 1146 is relatively rich in Si element, but poor in Fe, very similar to the smectite from the West Philippine Sea. In contrast, the chemical composition of illite at ODP Site 1146 has no obvious differences from those of the Loess plateau, Yellow River, Yangtze River, and Pearl River. A further study on sediment source indicates that smectite originates mainly from Luzon, kaolinite from the Pearl River, and illite and chlorite from the Pearl River, Taiwan and/or the Yangtze River. The clay mineral assemblages at ODP Site 1146 were not only controlled by continental eathering regimes surrounding the SCS, but also by the changing strength of the transport processes. The ratios of （illite＋chlorite）/smectite at ODP Site 1146 were adopted as proxies for the East Asian monsoon evolution. Relatively higher ratios reflect strongly intensified winter monsoon relative to summer monsoon, in contrast, lower ratios indicate a strengthened summer monsoon relative to winter monsoon. The consistent variation of this clay proxy from those of Loess plateau, eolian deposition in the North Pacific, planktonic, benthic foraminifera, and black carbon in the SCS since 20 Ma shows that three profound shifts of the East Asian winter monsoon intensity, and aridity in the Asian inland and the intensity of winter monsoon relative to summer monsoon, occurred at about 15 Ma, 8 Ma, and the younger at about 3 Ma. The phased uplift of the Himalaya-Tibetan plateau may have played a significant role in strengthening the Asian monsoon at 15 Ma, 8 Ma, and 3 Ma.

Distribution and dispersal pattern of clay minerals in surface sediments,eastern Beibu Gulf,South China Sea

Clay minerology of sediments are useful in determining distribution, sources and dispersal routes of fine-grained sediments. In the present paper, clay minerals of surface sediments throughout the eastern part of Beibu Gulf has been investigated to reveal sources and transport of detrital fine- grained sediments. Four distinct clay mineral suites were observed from cluster analysis of clay mineral compositions of the samples. From the distribution pattern of clay minerals, we conclude that kaolinte in the eastern gulf is mainly derived from South China Landmass; Smectite could not be transported mainly by surface current from north-western Hainan Island, and maybe minor portion of it from Red River; Illite is mainly transported by the currents fl＇om South China Sea. Chlorite has two sources, namely South China Sea and South China Landmass. The Zhujiang River derived sediments could not be one of the sources for the clay mineral here, because of very different composition and ratios. The distribution pattern of clay minerals in the eastern Beibu Gulf is mainly controlled by fine-grained sediment source and local currents. The Silt/Clay, Smectite/Kaolinte, and Smetite/（Chlorite＋Illite） ratios could be used as indicators of fine-grained sediment dispersal in the gulf.