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The isotopic composition and parameters for deuterium excess of brines, which were sampled in the Sichuan Basin, show obvious regularities of distribution. The brine isotopic composition shows distinct two systems of marine and terrestrial deposits, with the Middle Triassic strata as the boundary. Brine hydrogen isotopic composition of marine deposits is lower while oxygen isotopic composition is higher than that of the SMOW, respectively, indicating that the brines were derived from seawater with different evaporating degrees at different times. From the Sinian strata, up to the Cambrian, Permian Maokou Formation and the Triassic Jialingjiang Formation, the δD values of brines tend to become relatively positive with the strata becoming younger. Brines of terrestrial deposits are considered to have been derived from precipitation and their isotopic composition is close to the globe meteoric water line (GMWL). Brines of transitional deposits between marine and terrestrial ones (the Upper Triassic Xujiahe Formation) have δD and δO values falling between the two end members of marine deposit brines and precipitation, indicating that the brines are a mixture of precipitation and vaporing seawater. Water samples from the brine-bearing strata of different ages show various deuterium excesses ( d) with an evident decreasing trend as the age of strata gets older and older. Brine-bearing strata of the Triassic Leikoupo-Jialingjiang Formation, the Permian Maokou Formation, the Cambrian and Sinian strata are all carbonate rocks which have experienced intensive water/rock reaction and the deuterium excess essentially changes with time. All brine-bearing-strata surrounding the basin or faults, as well as those brine wells exploited for resources, have been obviously influenced by the precipitation supply. Therefore, the deuterium excesses of their brines have increased to different extents, depending on the amount of involvement of meteoric water. The variation and distribution of d values of the brines from different Triassic strata are related to the embedded depth of the strata. The deuterium excesses of brines become lower with increasing burial depth of the strata. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Vanadium is a trace element widely distributed in the Earth’s crust. Naturally high levels of vanadium are recognized mainly in basic rocks and minerals, particularly in titaniferous magnetite. And the anthropogenic sources of vanadium include fossil fuel combustion and wastes including steel-industry slags. In the last few years, the authors have made investigations and assessments on the environmental geochemistry and ecological risk of vanadium in the Panzhihua mining and smelting area. In the study area, anthropogenic vanadium resulted from mining, extracting and smelting of V-Ti magnetite; vanadium pollution of topsoil and sediments occurs mainly in the mining and extracting area, smelting area, slag dumping area, tailing dam and coal mining area. In the soil, the chemical speciation of vanadium shows: insoluble residue > organically bound > Fe (amorphous) oxide-bound > Mn oxide-bound > soluble component. Vanadium pollution can cause potential harmful effects on ecological systems, and lead to animal poisoning and human disease. So vanadiam pollution should be monitored on a regular basis in the Panzhihua area. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

An eco-environmental geochemical investigation was carried out in and around the Dexing mining area to determine the concentrations of heavy metals in the surface water, sediments, soils and plants. The main objective of this study is to assess the environmental situation and evaluate the transferring of heavy metals from mining activities into the food chain. Some samples of water, sediment, topsoil and plant were collected along the Lean River in the Dexing mining area. The total concentrations of Cu, Pb, Zn, Cd, and As were determined by AAS, and Hg was analyzed by cold-vapor AAS. Some indices such as 'contamination degree', 'geo-accumulation index', and 'biological absorption coefficient' were used to assess eco-environmental quality. The investigation indicated a highly localized distribution pattern closely associated with the two pollution sources along the Le'an River bank: one is strong acidity and a large amount of Cu in the drainage from the Dexing Cu mining area; and the other is the high concentrations of Pb and Zn in the effluents released from many smelters and mining, processing and extracting activities in the riparian zone. Results from the investigated localities indicated, at least in part, that some problems associated with environmental quality deterioration should be solved in the future. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Analyses of fluid inclusion leachates from ore deposits show that Na/Br ratios are within the range of 75 - 358 and Cl/Br 67 - 394, respectively, and this variation trend coincides with the seawater evaporation trajectory on the basis of the Na/Br and Cl/Br ratios. The average Cl/Br and Na/Br ratios of mineralising fluids are 185 and 173 respectively, which are very close to the ratios (120 and 233) of the residual evaporated seawater past the point of halite precipitation. It is suggested that the original mineralizing brine was derived from highly evaporated seawater with a high salinity. However, the inclusion fluid's have absolute Na values of 69.9-2606.2 mmol kg-1 and Cl values of 106.7 - 1995.5 mmol kg-1. Most of the values are much less than those of seawater; Na, 485 mmol kg-1 and Cl, 566 mmol kg-1, respectively; the salinity measured from fluid inclusions of the deposits ranges from 2.47 wt% to 15.78 wt% NaCl equiv. The mineralizing brine has been diluted. The δ18O and δD values of ore-forming fluids vary from -8.21‰ to 9.51‰ and from -40.3‰ to -94.3‰ respectively. The δD values of meteoric water in this region varied from -80‰ to - 100‰ during the Jurassic. This evidenced that the ore-forming fluids are the mixture of seawater and meteoric water. Highly evaporated seawater was responsible for leaching and extracting Pb, Zn and Fe, and mixed with and diluted by descending meteoric water, which resulted in the formation of ores. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Mining and smelting activities are the main causes for the increasing pollution of heavy metals in soil, water body and stream sediment. An environmental geochemical investigation was carried out in and around the Panzhihua mining and smelting area to determine the extent of chemical contamination in soil and sediment. The main objective of this study was to investigate the environmental geochemistry of Ti, V, Cr, Mn, Cu, Pb, Zn and As in soil and sediment and to assess the degree of pollution in the study are. The data of heavy metal concentrations reveal that soils and sediments in the area have been slightly contaminated. Geochemical maps of I[subgeo] of each heavy metal show that the contaminated sites are located in V-Ti-magnetite sloping and smelting, gangues dam. The pollution sources of the selected elements come mainly from dusts resultant from mining activities and other three-waste-effluents. The are needs to be monitored regularly for trace metal, especially heavy metal enrichment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Presents a study on the kinetic modeling of diagenesis of Eogene Lacustrine sandstone reservoirs in the Jianghan Basin, Southeastern China. Diagenetic features identified in the sandstones; Simulation of the kinetics of fluid-mineral reactions and the concentrations of aqueous species; Result of the weak pore fluid during the early diagenetic stage; Cause of the precipitation of quartz, kaolinite and illite.

Presents a study that determined geochemical baseline models and assessed the contributions of trace elements from natural and anthropogenic sources in the Panzhihua mining area in China. Background on Panzhihua; Adoption of a normalization procedure to establish geochemical baselines; Analytical results and relevant parameters for trace metals in topsoil samples from the area.