Peculiar arsenic, copper, nickel, uranium, and yttrium-rich stone coatings in a high mountain stream in the Austrian Alps

IF 1.7 4区地球科学 Q2 Earth and Planetary Sciences

Austrian Journal of Earth Sciences Pub Date : 2018-01-01 DOI:10.17738/AJES.2017.0012

H. Thies, U. Nickus, R. Tessadri, P. Tropper, K. Krainer

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引用次数: 10

Abstract

Peculiar coatings rich in arsenic, copper, nickel, uranium, and yttrium were found to cover stones in a high mountain stream downstream of the confluence of small acidic tributaries, which emerge at the front of the Krummgampen rock glacier (Ötztal Alps, Tyrol, Austria). The hard mineral coatings are characterized by a white color, a x-ray amorphous structure and showed properties of hydrous aluminium silicates like allophane (Al O (SiO ) x n H O) and/or imogolite (Al SiO (OH) ). Main constituents of 2 3 2 2 2 2 3 4 the coatings are aluminium, silica, and sulfur. Contrary to high concentrations of arsenic, copper, nickel, uranium, and yttrium in the stream stone coatings, corresponding element values are below the limit of detection both in the Krummgampen stream and except for nickel and traces of copper – also in acidic outflows from the rock glacier. Stone coatings are neither present in rock glacier outflows nor in the Krummgampen stream upstream of the rock glacier, nor in other streams in the catchment. The coatings are interpreted as a precipitate on or an accretion to stone surfaces in the Krummgampen stream, which is characterized by moderate solute concentrations and a neutral pH. In acidic outflows of the rock glacier high concentrations of dissolved sulfate, calcium, magnesium, silica, aluminium, manganese, and nickel prevail. Some constituents of stream stone coatings like arsenic, copper, nickel, uranium, and yttrium have also been measured in paragneiss rocks in the catchment of the rock glacier which are characterized by heavily weathered accessory minerals monazite, xenotime, and pyrite. It is therefore very likely that minerals which occur in the bedrock of the catchment represent a major source for elements accumulated in stream stone coatings even though processes like element release from the ice-rock matrix in the rock glacier, transport to and accumulation on Krummgampen stream stone surfaces are not yet completely understood.____________________________________________________

查看原文本刊更多论文

在奥地利阿尔卑斯山脉的一条高山溪流中发现了一种特殊的富含砷、铜、镍、铀和钇的石头涂层

在Krummgampen岩石冰川(Ötztal阿尔卑斯山脉，奥地利蒂罗尔)前面的小酸性支流汇合的下游，发现了一种富含砷、铜、镍、铀和钇的特殊涂层，覆盖在高山流中的石头上。硬矿物涂层的特征是白色，x射线无定形结构，并表现出水合硅酸铝(Al O (SiO) x n h2o)和/或铁长石(Al SiO (OH))的性质。涂层的主要成分是铝、二氧化硅和硫。与河流岩石涂层中砷、铜、镍、铀和钇的高浓度相反，除了镍和微量铜——也在岩石冰川的酸性流出物中——在Krummgampen河流中，相应的元素值都低于检测极限。在岩石冰川流出物中，在岩石冰川上游的Krummgampen溪流中，以及在集水区的其他溪流中，都不存在石头涂层。这些涂层被解释为Krummgampen溪流中岩石表面的沉淀或沉积，其特征是中等溶质浓度和中性ph值。在岩石冰川的酸性流出物中，溶解的高浓度硫酸盐、钙、镁、二氧化硅、铝、锰和镍普遍存在。在岩石冰川集水区的副长岩中，还测量了河流石涂层的一些成分，如砷、铜、镍、铀和钇，这些岩石冰川集水区的副长岩以风化严重的辅助矿物独居石、xenotime和黄铁矿为特征。因此，很有可能出现在集水区基岩中的矿物代表了流石涂层中积累元素的主要来源，尽管岩石冰川中冰岩基质中的元素释放，运输到Krummgampen流石表面并在其上积累等过程尚未完全了解。____________________________________________________

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来源期刊

Austrian Journal of Earth Sciences Earth and Planetary Sciences-Paleontology

CiteScore

3.10

自引率

0.00%

发文量

审稿时长

>12 weeks

期刊介绍： AUSTRIAN JOURNAL OF EARTH SCIENCES is the official journal of the Austrian Geological, Mineralogical and Palaeontological Societies, hosted by a country that is famous for its spectacular mountains that are the birthplace for many geological and mineralogical concepts in modern Earth science. AUSTRIAN JOURNAL OF EARTH SCIENCE focuses on all aspects relevant to the geosciences of the Alps, Bohemian Massif and surrounding areas. Contributions on other regions are welcome if they embed their findings into a conceptual framework that relates the contribution to Alpine-type orogens and Alpine regions in general, and are thus relevant to an international audience. Contributions are subject to peer review and editorial control according to SCI guidelines to ensure that the required standard of scientific excellence is maintained.