Biogeochemistry in Mineral Exploration (eBook)

Colin E. Dunn (Autor)

eBook Download: PDF

2011 | 1. Auflage
480 Seiten
Elsevier Science (Verlag)
978-0-08-054649-0 (ISBN)

Infos

"Significant refinements of biogeochemical methods applied to mineral exploration have been made during more than twenty years since the last major publication on this technique. This innovative, practical and comprehensive text is designed as a field handbook and an office reference volume. It outlines the historical development of biogeochemical methods applied to mineral exploration, and provides details of what, how, why and when to collect samples from all major climatic environments with examples from around the world. Recent commercialization of sophisticated analytical technology permits immensely more insight into the multi-element composition of plants. In particular, precise determination of ultra-trace levels of 'pathfinder' elements in dry tissues and recognition of element distribution patterns with respect to concealed mineralization. Data handling and interpretation are discussed in context of a wealth of previously unpublished information, including a section on plant mineralogy, much of which has been classified as confidential until recently. Data are provided on the biogeochemistry of more than 60 elements and, by case history examples, their roles discussed in assisting in the discovery of concealed mineral deposits. A look to the future includes the potential role of bacteria to provide new focus for mineral exploration. Analyses of samples from the controlled environment of Britain's Eden Project are presented on an accompanying CD as part of a database that includes, also, the potential role of the halogens to assist in mineral exploration. Data on this CD provide a 'hands-on' approach for the reader to interrogate and personally assess real datasets from the burgeoning discipline of biogeochemical exploration.

* Describes the practical aspects of plant selection and collection in different environments around the world, and how to process and analyze them
*Discusses more than 60 elements in plants, with data interpretation and case history results that include exploration for Au, PGEs, U, base metals and kimberlites
* Contains databases as digital files on an accompanying CD for hands-on experimentation with real biogeochemical data"

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Significant refinements of biogeochemical methods applied to mineral exploration have been made during more than twenty years since the last major publication on this technique. This innovative, practical and comprehensive text is designed as a field handbook and an office reference volume. It outlines the historical development of biogeochemical methods applied to mineral exploration, and provides details of what, how, why and when to collect samples from all major climatic environments with examples from around the world. Recent commercialization of sophisticated analytical technology permits immensely more insight into the multi-element composition of plants. In particular, precise determination of ultra-trace levels of 'pathfinder' elements in dry tissues and recognition of element distribution patterns with respect to concealed mineralization. Data handling and interpretation are discussed in context of a wealth of previously unpublished information, including a section on plant mineralogy, much of which has been classified as confidential until recently. Data are provided on the biogeochemistry of more than 60 elements and, by case history examples, their roles discussed in assisting in the discovery of concealed mineral deposits. A look to the future includes the potential role of bacteria to provide new focus for mineral exploration. - Describes the practical aspects of plant selection and collection in different environments around the world, and how to process and analyze them- Discusses more than 60 elements in plants, with data interpretation and case history results that include exploration for Au, PGEs, U, base metals and kimberlites

Inhalt

Cover 1
Contents 6
Editor’s Foreword 14
Preface 16
Chapter 1. Introduction 20
Setting the Scene 20
Biogeochemistry and Geobotany 20
Plant Evolution and Chemistry 29
Barrier Mechanisms 36
Chapter 2. Plant Function, Chemistry and Mineralogy 40
Plant Requirements 40
Element Uptake and Function 43
Root form and Controls on Element Uptake 46
Summary Comments on Chemical Requirements of Plants 47
Mineralogy of Plants 49
Chapter 3. Field Guide 1: Climatic and Geographic Zones 56
Selection of Plant Species 56
Summary Notes 79
Chapter 4. Field Guide 2: Sample Selection and Collection 82
General Considerations 82
Selection of Tissue Type 92
Sample Collection 125
Alternative Samples 135
Geozoology 143
Chapter 5. Survey Design and Comparisons with other Sample Media 146
Introduction 146
Survey Design 148
Scale of Survey 149
Comparisons with other Types of Geochemical Survey 162
Summary 168
Chapter 6. Sample Preparation and Decomposition 170
Introduction 170
Washing 170
Particle and Sample Size 178
Sample Decomposition 182
Dry Ashing 184
A Special Case: Vegetation from Sites Near Smelters or other Sites of Point-Source Metal Emissions 193
Wet Decomposition 197
Microwave Digestion 198
Selective Leaching 199
Fusions 204
Standard Reference Materials and Analytical Controls 205
Summary 208
Chapter 7. Plant Analysis 210
’Fit for Purpose’ 211
Analytical Techniques 213
Analytical Instrumentation 215
Summary 228
Chapter 8. The Eden Project – Source of a Biogeochemical Database 232
Introduction 232
Samples in the Collection 232
Soil in the Biomes 233
Foliage Collection from the Biomes 234
Chapter 9. Biogeochemical Behaviour of the Elements 248
Introduction 248
The Importance of Data Quality 248
Elements in Plants and their Relevance to Mineral Exploration 250
Chapter 10. Data Handling and Analysis 346
First Estimation of the Data 346
Computer Software Tools 349
Data Analysis 350
Map Plots of Data Distributions 357
Unusual Concentrations of Selected Elements 358
Chapter 11. Case Histories 362
Gold 363
Platinum Group Metals/Nickel/Copper 380
Nickel 385
Uranium 392
Kimberlites 400
Chapter 12. Exploration Geomicrobiology – The New Frontier 412
Introduction 412
Significance of Micro-Organisms as Biogeochemical Agents 413
Methods for Identifying Micro-Organisms and Microbial Processes 416
Molecular Procedures 418
Amplification of Target Genes from Extracted DNA or RNA 419
Case Studies 422
Future Technologies for Bio-Prospecting 429
Conclusions 432
Chapter 13. A Look to the Future 434
Introduction 434
Hyperspectral Imagery in Relation to Biogeochemistry 434
Exploration Geomicrobiology 436
Forensic Biogeochemistry 436
Plant Mineralogy 437
Chemical Analysis 437
Concluding Remarks 438
References 440
Botanical Index 470
Subject Index 474
Contents of CD 480

Produkt-Details

• Erscheint lt. Verlag: 30.8.2011
• Sprache: englisch
• Themenwelt: Naturwissenschaften ► Chemie
• Themenwelt: Naturwissenschaften ► Geowissenschaften ► Geologie
• Themenwelt: Technik ► Bergbau
• Themenwelt: Wirtschaft
• ISBN-10: 0-08-054649-8 / 0080546498
• ISBN-13: 978-0-08-054649-0 / 9780080546490