Eureka! Discovering A New Mineral: Meralaniite,
2017
Michigan Technological University
Eureka! Discovering A New Mineral: Meralaniite, John A. Jaszczak
TechTalks
A series of serendipitous events and four years of collaborative research has led to the discovery and description of a new mineral- merelaniite. It is a natural nanocomposite composed primarily of MoS2 and PbS layers from the famous tanzanite gem mines in northern Tanzania. It's crystal structure and chemistry is unusual and complex, and forms unusual silvery, scroll-like whiskers. It was selected by the International Mineralogical Association as the 2016 Mineral of the Year.
A Geophysical Analysis Of The Great Falls Tectonic Zone And The Surrounding Area, Montana Usa,
2017
Missouri State University
A Geophysical Analysis Of The Great Falls Tectonic Zone And The Surrounding Area, Montana Usa, Travis Lane Fultz
Graduate Theses/Dissertations
The Great Falls Tectonic Zone (GFTZ) is a northeast trending zone of high angle faults and lineaments extending from northeastern Idaho into Saskatchewan, Canada. The GFTZ is believed to have facilitated the collision between the Archean Wyoming and Hearne cratons. Previous geophysical studies have analyzed seismic refraction data across the boundary between the Paleoproterozoic GFTZ and Archean Wyoming Craton (WC), this indicated the lower crustal layer thickens as it dips beneath the boundary towards the WC. In this study, three 2 dimensional (2D) gravity models that crossed the central region of the GFTZ were produced using constraints from existing geologic …
Bat Urea-Derived Minerals In Arid Environment. First Identification Of Allantoin, C4H6N4O3, In Kahf Kharrat Najem Cave, United Arab Emirates,
2017
University of Nice Sophia-Antipolis
Bat Urea-Derived Minerals In Arid Environment. First Identification Of Allantoin, C4H6N4O3, In Kahf Kharrat Najem Cave, United Arab Emirates, Philippe Audra, Pavel Bosák, Fernando Gázquez, Didier Cailhol, Roman Skála, Lenka Lisá, Šárka Jonášová, Amos Frumkin, Martin Knez, Tadej Slabe, Nadja Zupan Hajna, Asma Al-Farraj
International Journal of Speleology
Kahf Kharrat Najem Cave is a small cave in United Arab Emirates (UAE) that hosts a bat colony which is the source of guano deposits and peculiar centimeter-long yellowish stalactites. The mineralogy and geochemistry of these deposits were analyzed using powder X-ray diffraction (XRD), energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopic microanalysis (EDX), scanning electron microscope (SEM), and stable isotope composition (δ13C and δ15N). Urea CO(NH2)2 was found to be the main compound of these stalactites, while allantoin C4H6N4O3 was found to be an accessory urea byproduct. This paper …
Murray Energy Corporation V. Mccarthy,
2017
University of Montana School of Law
Murray Energy Corporation V. Mccarthy, Sarah M. Danno
Public Land & Resources Law Review
Holding that the widespread effects of environmental regulation on the coal industry constituted sufficient importance, the Northern District of West Virginia ordered the Environmental Protection Agency to conduct analysis on employment loss and plant reduction resulting from regulatory effects. In admonishing the EPA’s inaction, the court ruled that the Agency had a non-discretionary duty to evaluate employment and plant reduction. Furthermore, the court held that the EPA’s attempt to put forth general reports in place of required evaluations was an invalid attempt to circumvent its statutory duty.
Secondary Minerals From Salt Caves In The Atacama Desert (Chile): A Hyperarid And Hypersaline Environment With Potential Analogies To The Martian Subsurface,
2017
University of Bologna
Secondary Minerals From Salt Caves In The Atacama Desert (Chile): A Hyperarid And Hypersaline Environment With Potential Analogies To The Martian Subsurface, Jo De Waele, Cristina Carbone, Laura Sanna, Marco Vattano, Ermanno Galli, Francesco Sauro, Paolo Forti
International Journal of Speleology
Over the past 15 years several expeditions by French, American and especially Italian cavers have unveiled over 50 caves in the Cordillera de la Sal (Atacama Desert, Northern Chile). Many of these caves contain a variety of speleothems and minerals, some of which have rarely been observed within karst systems. Most of the secondary deposits in these caves are composed of halite, but also other halide, carbonate, sulphate, nitrate, phosphate, and silicate minerals have been found. Among the sixteen cave mineral species recognized, atacamite, darapskite, blödite, leonite, anhydrite, and especially antarcticite are worth mentioning. In one of the samples an …
Quartz Crystal Preferred Orientation And Recrystallization Patterns From Naturally Deformed Rocks Under Constriction,
2016
California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo
Quartz Crystal Preferred Orientation And Recrystallization Patterns From Naturally Deformed Rocks Under Constriction, Riley Quine
Materials Engineering
This study analyzes crystal preferred orientation (CPO) patterns within constrictional quartz-rich gneisses. Quartz deformation and CPO patterns are an area of interest because quartz is one of the most prevalent minerals in earth's crust. Understanding the typical way that quartz crystals reorient under different states of strain can provide geologists with an additional tool for understanding paleo-strain. Temperature and strain geometry are two dominant factors that control the orientation of quartz crystals within a rock. Temperature determines which slip planes are active and slip planes typically reorient so that they are perpendicular to maximum stress. Previous workers have suggested that …
Investigating Mineral Stability Under Venus Conditions: A Focus On The Venus Radar Anomalies,
2016
University of Arkansas, Fayetteville
Investigating Mineral Stability Under Venus Conditions: A Focus On The Venus Radar Anomalies, Erika Kohler
Graduate Theses and Dissertations
Radar studies of the surface of Venus have identified regions with high radar reflectivity concentrated in the Venusian highlands: between 2.5 and 4.75 km above a planetary radius of 6051 km, though it varies with latitude. Previous research has proposed several theories on the source of these anomalies, including increased surface roughness, metallic materials with higher dielectric constants, or ferroelectric materials. Prior work suggests several processes that could be the origin of these anomalies, such as surface-atmospheric interactions or low lying clouds or fog. Alternatively, these anomalies could result from a semi-metallic compound trapped at the cooler conditions in the …
The Importance Of Geologic Study For The Application Of Carbon Capture And Storage (Ccs) In Otsego County, Michigan,
2016
Western Michigan University
The Importance Of Geologic Study For The Application Of Carbon Capture And Storage (Ccs) In Otsego County, Michigan, Matthew Rine
Research and Creative Activities Poster Day
The most recent Paris climate talks emphasized the importance of reducing carbon dioxide pollution associated with burning fossil fuels. In an attempt to mitigate CO2 emissions, carbon capture and storage (CCS), which is a process by which CO2 is pulled from a smokestack before it is released into our atmosphere and buried deep underground, is currently underway in Otsego County, Michigan. In order to safely and effectively store CO2 into deep geologic formations, it is critical to gain a better understanding for the geologic “storage tank” in which these fluids will be stored. As part of this …
Precipitation And Growth Of Barite Within Hydrothermal Vent Deposits From The Endeavour Segment, Juan De Fuca Ridge,
2016
GEOMAR – Helmholtz Centre for Ocean Research Kiel
Precipitation And Growth Of Barite Within Hydrothermal Vent Deposits From The Endeavour Segment, Juan De Fuca Ridge, John William Jamieson, Mark D. Hannington, Margaret K. Tivey, Thor Hansteen, Nicole M.-B. Williamson, Margaret Stewart, Jan Fietzke, David Butterfield, Matthias Frische, Leigh Allen, Brian Cousens, Julia Langer
United States Department of Commerce: Staff Publications
Hydrothermal vent deposits form on the seafloor as a result of cooling and mixing of hot hydrothermal fluids with cold seawater. Amongst the major sulfide and sulfate minerals that are preserved at vent sites, barite (BaSO4) is unique because it requires the direct mixing of Ba-rich hydrothermal fluid with sulfate-rich seawater in order for precipitation to occur. Because of its extremely low solubility, barite crystals preserve geochemical fingerprints associated with conditions of formation. Here, we present data from petrographic and geochemical analyses of hydrothermal barite from the Endeavour Segment of the Juan de Fuca Ridge, northeast Pacific Ocean, …
University of San Francisco
The Role Of The State, Multinational Oil Companies, International Law & The International Community: Intersection Of Human Rights & Environmental Degradation Climate Change In The 21st Century Caused By Traditional Extractive Practices, The Amazon Rainforest, Indigenous People And Universal Jurisdiction To Resolve The Accountability Issue, Marcela Cabrera Luna
Master's Theses
Local, national and international conventions that protect indigenous sovereignty and their territories, where many of the resources are extracted from by multinational corporations (MNCs) particularly oil, the number one commodity of the world and cause of climate change, continue to be jeopardized because of the lack of a clear international legal framework that can protect them and potentially hold multinationals accountable for their actions. These practices are causing not only environmental issues to the indigenous and surrounding communities, but climate change is in fact, the real human rights issue of the 21st century and it affects everyone. By using …
An Investigation Into Transitions In Clay Mineral Chemistry On Mars,
2015
University of Nevada, Las Vegas
An Investigation Into Transitions In Clay Mineral Chemistry On Mars, Seth Gainey
UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones
This dissertation is comprised of three studies investigating clay mineralogy on, or near the martian surface, with an introductory chapter, introducing and linking the three studies. Chapter two is on the subject of clay mineral synthesis, including Fe/Mg clay minerals which have been detected at multiple locations across the southern highlands. These Fe/Mg clay minerals have been previously interpreted as forming in anoxic/reducing environments, conducive to the preservation of organic matter. The results of this study suggest that the previous interpretation of Fe/Mg-rich clay as requiring anoxic/reducing conditions may not be accurate, as the minor presence of Mg (below what …
Anomalous Thermal Indicators From Authigenic Minerals In Upper Paleozoic Strata Of The Michigan Basin,
2015
Western Michigan University
Anomalous Thermal Indicators From Authigenic Minerals In Upper Paleozoic Strata Of The Michigan Basin, Kyle Cox
Masters Theses
Indications of anomalous paleo-temperatures exist in strata of the Michigan basin, USA. The thermal history of the basin was investigated through identification and analysis of authigenic components in two Upper Paleozoic strata, the Devonian Dundee Formation and Mississippian Marshall Sandstone. Formation conditions for diagenetic phases in both units were estimated through a variety of means and compared to conditions expected for a simple burial model. Authigenic clays identified in the Marshall via X-ray diffraction are expected to have formed at temperatures above what would have been produced by burial alone. Stable isotope and fluid inclusion analysis indicate the same for …
Holocene Sedimentology And Stratigraphy Of Coastal Sediments In An Arid Climate, Al Qahmah, Southern Red Sea, Saudi Arabia,
2015
Missouri University of Science and Technology
Holocene Sedimentology And Stratigraphy Of Coastal Sediments In An Arid Climate, Al Qahmah, Southern Red Sea, Saudi Arabia, Abdullah Ibrahim Nabhan
Doctoral Dissertations
"Holocene sedimentary deposits in Al Qahmah coast, southern Red Sea, in Saudi Arabia have been accumulated on an arid siliciclastic coast in a rift tectonic setting. This study provides a detail interpretation and analysis of sedimentary facies, stratigraphy, depositional environment, and major geological processes. Two studies have been undertaken. First, petrological study of composition and texture of modern sediments and facies mapping delineate facies distribution and mechanisms of sediment transport and deposition. A unique suite of complex riverine, wave, tidal, wind, and chemical and biological processes affect the composition, texture, and distribution of the facies. Second, the depositional environments of …
Ore Classification And Breccia Formation In The 144 Zone Gold Deposit: A Chemical Replacement Model, Bare Mountain Range, Nevada,
2014
University of Nevada, Las Vegas
Ore Classification And Breccia Formation In The 144 Zone Gold Deposit: A Chemical Replacement Model, Bare Mountain Range, Nevada, William Thomas Fischer
UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones
The 144 Zone is an oxidized, breccia-hosted, disseminated gold deposit that formed along the contact between Early Cambrian Carrara Formation limestone and overlying Bonanza King Formation dolomite within the Bare Mountain range in southern Nevada. Gold mineralization occurs within a breccia body that contains a variety of breccia types. Research goals of this project included classifying clay, oxide and other minerals as well as breccia types to identify the habits of gold mineralization and the minerals associated with gold. Research was also aimed at determining the paragenesis of Au mineralization and brecciation in the 144 Zone. Underground mapping provided spatial …
Microstratigraphic Logging Of Calcite Fabrics In Speleothems As Tool For Palaeoclimate Studies,
2014
The University of Newcastle, Callaghan, Australia
Microstratigraphic Logging Of Calcite Fabrics In Speleothems As Tool For Palaeoclimate Studies, Silvia Frisia
International Journal of Speleology
The systematic documentation of calcite fabrics in stalagmites and flowstones provides robustness to palaeoclimate interpretation based on geochemical proxies, but it has been neglected because it is difficult to transform crystal morphologies into numerical values, and construct fabric time series. Here, general criteria that allow for coding fabrics of calcite composing stalagmites and flowstones is provided. Being based on known models of fabric development, the coding ascribes sequential numbers to each fabric, which reflect climate-related parameters, such as changes in drip rate variability, bio-mediation or diagenetic modifications. Acronyms are proposed for Columnar types, Dendritic, Micrite, Microsparite and Mosaic fabrics, whose …
Remote Exploration: Understanding Martian Surface Processes,
2014
San Jose State University
Remote Exploration: Understanding Martian Surface Processes, Sarah M. Bass, Virginia C. Gulick, Natalie Glines, Patrick Freeman
STAR Program Research Presentations
Earth and Mars share many similar physical features, including canyons, valleys, craters, volcanoes, ice, and gullies. My research focuses on two distinct projects. The first concentrates on the formation of gullies, which are channel networks generally formed on mid-latitude crater walls on Mars. Debated gully-forming processes include the melting of snowpacks, sublimation of accumulated carbon dioxide frost, melting of snow-rich dusty mantle material, and groundwater flows. Using High Resolution Imaging Science Experiment (HiRISE) images of gullies and working with Digital Elevation Models (DEMs) in ENVI, we are able to perform detailed studies of gully morphology, including volume calculations using slope, …
Exploring The Link Between Otolith Growth And Function Along The Biological Continuum In The Context Of Ocean Acidification,
2014
University of Massachusetts Boston
Exploring The Link Between Otolith Growth And Function Along The Biological Continuum In The Context Of Ocean Acidification, Eric D. Wilcox Freeburg
Graduate Doctoral Dissertations
Oceans are acidifying as atmospheric CO2 is drawn down. This process, known as ocean acidification (OA), is well known and documented. Over the next 100 years, pH of the surface ocean is projected to decrease by up to 0.35 units. This CO2 draw down has a direct effect on dissolved inorganic carbon (DIC) balance in the ocean. OA is expected to impact calcifying organisms that rely on constituencies of the DIC system, specifically carbonate ion [CO32-]. It is clear that externally calcified structures, such as coral skeletons, bivalve shells, etc., will be significantly affected as pH, …
The Effect Of Single Crystal Elastic And Plastic Anisotropy On Stress And Strain Heterogeneity: Comparison Of Olivine To Other Common Minerals,
2014
University of Nevada, Las Vegas
The Effect Of Single Crystal Elastic And Plastic Anisotropy On Stress And Strain Heterogeneity: Comparison Of Olivine To Other Common Minerals, Christopher Joseph Cline Ii
UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones
In order to investigate the influence of single crystal elastic anisotropy on the heterogeneity of stress distributions during polycrystalline deformation multiple deformed crystalline materials were analyzed using electron backscatter diffraction (EBSD). Deformation experiments were conducted on samples of Solnhofen limestone using a modified Griggs piston cylinder apparatus at UNLV, and also on San Carlos olivine using the D-DIA multi-anvil press at the National Synchrotron Light Source beamline X17B2. Analysis of the mechanical twins in deformed calcite and kink bands in olivine help elucidate deviations in local stress directions away from that of the applied macroscopic stress. Combined calculated compression directions …
Infrared Spectra Analysis Of Thermally Altered Iron Phyllosilicates And The Implications For Mars,
2013
University of Arkansas, Fayetteville
Infrared Spectra Analysis Of Thermally Altered Iron Phyllosilicates And The Implications For Mars, William Thomas Bryan
Graduate Theses and Dissertations
This study looks at two iron-rich phyllosilicates, which may be present on Mars. The minerals, greenalite and hisingerite, are rich in iron-II and iron-III, respectively. Small samples (~0.40 grams) of each mineral were crushed and heated in a Lindberg Tube Oven for approximately twenty-four hours at temperatures selected to mimic lava flows and impact events. Following heating, each sample was placed in a Fourier Transform Infrared (FT-IR) spectrometer to collect the near- and mid-infrared spectra. The spectra allowed for these terrestrial analogs to be analyzed with regards to how their structure breaks down with increasing temperature. The samples' colors were …
Microstructures And Quartz Lattice-Preferred Orientations In The Eclogite-Bearing Migmatitic Gneisses Of The D’Entrecasteaux Islands, Papua New Guinea,
2013
Victoria University of Wellington
Microstructures And Quartz Lattice-Preferred Orientations In The Eclogite-Bearing Migmatitic Gneisses Of The D’Entrecasteaux Islands, Papua New Guinea, T. A. Little, B. R. Hacker, S. J. Brownlee, G. Seward
Environmental Science and Geology Faculty Research Publications
Lattice preferred orientations (LPO) of quartz in gneiss domes of the D’Entrecasteaux Islands, Woodlark Rift shed insight into exhumation of the world’s youngest (~5–7Ma) eclogite-bearing terrane at cm/yr rates. We focus on deformation that affected the terrane as it transited between lower crustal depths and the surface, including: (1) grain-scale deformation mechanisms; and (2) style of flow and mode of emplacement of the domes. Electron-backscatter diffraction was used to analyze microstructure and LPOs of 37 quartzofeldspathic gneiss samples that enclose meter-scale mafic blocks preserving original eclogite-facies assemblages. During exhumation of the ultrahigh-pressure (UHP) terrane, gneisses were retrogressed in the amphibolite …
