This study models geochemical and adjunct geologic data to define provinces that are favorable for radioactive-mineral exploration. A multi-element bed-sediment geochemical survey of streams was carried out in the headwaters region of the Ganga River in northern India. Overall median values for uranium and thorium (3.6 and 13.8 ppm; maxima of 4.8 and 19.0 ppm and minima of 3.1 and 12.3 ppm respectively) exceed average upper crustal abundances (2.8 and 10.7 ppm) for these radioactive elements. Anomalously high values reach up to 8.3 and 30.1 ppm in thrust zone rocks, and 11.4 and 22.5 ppm in porphyroids. At their maxima, these abundances are nearly four- and three-fold (respectively) enriched in comparison to average crustal abundances for these rock types. Deformed, metamorphosed and sheared rocks are characteristic of the main central thrust zone (MCTZ). These intensively mylonitized rocks override and juxtapose porphyritic (PH) and proterozoic metasedimentary rock sequences (PMS) to the south. Granitoid rocks, the major protoliths for mylonites, as well as metamorphosed rocks in the MCT zone are naturally enriched in radioelements; high values associated with sheared and mylonitized zones are coincident with reports of radioelement mineralization and with anomalous radon concentrations in soils. The radioelement abundance as well as REE abundance shows a northward enrichment trend consistent with increasing grade of metamorphism indicating deformation-induced remobilization of these elements. U and Th illustrate good correlation with REEs but not with Zr. This implies that zircon is not a principal carrier of U and Th within the granitoid-dominant thrust zone and that other radioelement-rich secondary minerals are present in considerable amounts. Thus, the relatively flat, less fractionated, HREE trend is also not entirely controlled by zircon. The spatial correlation of geologic boundary zones (faults, sheared zones) with geochemical and with geophysical (Rn) anomalies infers ore mineralization by hydrothermal processes generated during multiple episodes of deformation and thrusting. The geologic setting of the anomalies also suggests that crystalline rocks (MCT Zone) along the nearly 2500 km length of the LesserHimalayan belt, where in the vicinity of thrust and fault zones, have potential for radioelement mineralization. Zones of higher concentrations of radioelements delineated by this study and locations of anomalous radon discharge determined by other investigations may indicate a potential health hazard over the long term. However, the low human population density precludes direct manifestation of health effects attributable to chronic exposure to these radioelements; however, the magnitude of natural concentrations suggests the need for more detailed studies and monitoring.

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We determined chloride and sulfate concentrations and δD_H2O and δ¹⁸O_H2O isotope ratios of interstitial fluids extracted from cores from two fault zones within the Taiwan Chelungpu fault. The fluids had higher concentrations of chloride and sulfate and higher δD_H2O and δ¹⁸O_H2O values than the local meteoric water. We concluded that the higher δD_H2O and δ¹⁸O_H2O values were the result of either entry of surface meteoric water at low altitude via fault zones, or isotopic fractionation by depletion at 50°C in a shallower fault zone, and at 125°C in the deeper fault zone. The high temperature in the deeper fault zone might have been earthquake-related frictional heating, which led to isotopic fractionation. However, neither of the above hypotheses explains the high concentrations of Cl^- and SO₄^2-. We concluded that the high concentrations of Cl^- and SO₄^2- might have resulted from mixing with seawater and dissolution of pyrite, respectively.

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Low molecular-weight carboxylic acids, such as acetic and propionic acids, are abundant organic compounds in carbonaceous chondrites, and are generally enriched in heavy stable isotopes (i.e., ¹³C and D) relative to terrestrial organic compounds. In this study, we have determined carbon and hydrogen isotopic fractionation of acetic acid, and site-specific carbon isotopic fractionation of acetic acid, during degradation by ultraviolet (UV) light. Acetic acid became enriched in ¹³C and D with increased UV exposure times. The isotopic fractionation factors (α) of total, methyl and carboxyl carbon of acetic acid were 0.9922, 1.0022 and 0.9823 respectively, and the α value for hydrogen was 0.9875. These results suggest that UV degradation could be a process for yielding ¹³C- and D-enrichment of acetic acid in natural environments.

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In an attempt to discriminate different sources of organic matter and reconstruct the paleo-environment of the Taipei Basin, northern Taiwan over the past 250,000 years, organic carbon and nitrogen content (C/N ratios) and isotope composition (δ¹³C and δ¹⁵N) are measured for sediment samples collected from core Wu-ku drilled at the depocenter in western Taipei Basin. The high δ¹³C values (up to -17.0‰) and high C/N ratio (up to 14.9 and 13.0, respectively) indicate that this area underwent a period of relative aridity during MIS 2 and mid MIS 6. Another two periods of high and variable δ¹⁵N values (up to 15.5 and 13.5‰, respectively) in MIS 1 and MIS 7 represent different nutrient condition in the basin. In MIS 1, high δ¹⁵N variability along with increasing TOC may reflect an unstable trend of aquatic productivity related to the dynamic mixing ratios of seawater and fresh water. The high δ¹⁵N values observed in the sediments of MIS 7 could be explained by the employment of a ¹⁵N-enriched nitrate from denitrification as the main source of nitrogen for primary producers.

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The Dachang Sn-polymetallic ore field (Guangxi, China) is one of the largest tin deposits in the world with a tin reserve of above 10⁶ tons. Several types of orebody occur in this giant ore field, including mainly the Lamo Cu-Zn skarns at the contact of Devonian limestone and the Cretaceous Longxianggai granite, the Changpo-Tongkeng stratiform Sn-Pb-Zn ores in Devonian siliceous rocks, and the Gaofeng massive sulfide ore in Devonian reef limestone. Rare-earth element (REE) and yttrium concentrations in sulfides from different orebody types have been determined by ICP-MS. Sulfides from the Lamo skarn-type Cu-Zn mines display significant LREE-enriched pattern with large negative Eu anomalies. This is in agreement with the mineralizing fluid being of magmatic hydrothermal origin. However, sulfides from massive and stratiform orebodies show significantly different REE distributions. The Gaofeng massive sulfides have very low total REE concentrations and REE patterns range from (1) being strongly enriched in light REE with positive Eu anomalies, to (2) relatively flat patterns with strongly negative Ce and positive Eu anomalies. Pattern 1 resembles REE distributions in modern submarine hydrothermal fluids. Pattern 2 exhibits both seawater and hydrothermal vent-fluid characteristics. Sulfides from stratiform orebodies at Changpo-Tongkeng are LREE-enriched with small or no negative Eu anomalies. REE patterns of sulfides from different stratiform orebodies are slightly different, but they are similar to those of each host rock. It indicates that the sulfides and host rocks are synsedimentary and that their REE patterns are controlled by the local physical-chemical environments. Y/Ho atomic weight ratios of granite, skarn and sulfides at Lamo vary from 26.3 to 33.7, close to the chondritic Y/Ho ratio. But sulfides from massive and stratiform ores have more variable Y/Ho ratios (28.4-134) that are similar to those of many modern hydrothermal fluids. Hence, the ore-forming fluids responsible for mineralization of the stratiform and massive ores at Dachang were likely to be of exhalative hydrothermal origin. It is suggested that the Dachang deposits are formed through a two-stage hydrothermal process, i.e., the Devonian submarine hydrothermal ore-forming stage and the Yanshanian magmatic-hydrothermal ore-forming stage.

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This paper reports the first discovery of lanthanide tetrad effect in an oceanic plagiogranite recovered from an Ocean Core Complex at 25°S along the Central Indian Ridge. The plagiogranite consists mainly of sodic plagioclase, quartz, and amphibole with accessory minerals of epidote, titanite, zircon, apatite, and allanite. The chondrite-normalized REE pattern of the studied sample exhibits noticeably high REE abundances with a conspicuous negative Eu-anomaly, indicative of very high degrees of fractional crystallization. In addition, the convex (M-type) tetrad effect is clearly recognizable in the REE pattern, implying an unusually volatile-rich (e.g., H₂O, CO₂, Li, B, F, and/or Cl) parent magma for the plagiogranite. Because MORB sources are known to have significantly low volatile content, interaction with an external fluid originating from seawater is suggested to be responsible for the presence of the tetrad effect in the oceanic plagiogranite.

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Neutron activation analysis of 13 hydrothermal ore samples (70 subsamples) collected from the Mid-Okinawa Trough and Suiyo Seamount revealed higher contents of precious metal such as Au and Ag, and those of As, Sb, Ga, and Hg than those from mid-ocean ridge hydrothermal systems. In addition, the Mid-Okinawa Trough samples were richer in Ag and Sb than those from the Suiyo Seamount. The geochemical differences among these hydrothermal ore deposits are regarded as reflecting both differences in the chemical composition of the hosted magma of hydrothermal system and the abundance of sediments that is reacted with hydrothermal fluids.

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