Volume 52 (2021): Issue 1 (January 2021)

This study aims to help non-expert geologists in locating, classifying and analyzing lamprophyres, the exotic and complex rocks. The process includes three basic steps, a macroscopic study of the formation, petrographic microscopy and lastly whole-rock and trace element analyses of the samples. Fourteen Greek lamprophyric rocks with distinct characteristics were used. Conventional lamprophyres were considered along with rarer alkali minettes, meta-lamprophyres, lamproschists, appinites and para-lamproites.

The mineralogical compositions of the Gerinya claystone, Patti Formation, Southern Bida Basin, Nigeria, were investigated to infer their sedimentological process and industrial application. Mineralogical analysis of the claystone was carried out using the X-ray diffraction (XRD) method. The diffractogram peaks aided the identification of the clay and non-clay minerals in the study area. The XRD showed kaolinite as the major clay mineral with compositions ranging from 10.8 - 67.6 wt%. The non-clay minerals were quartz, anatase, diopside, goethite, hematite, rutile, muscovite and micro-cline. Among the non-clay minerals, quartz had the highest percentage mineralogical composition of 21.2 to 83.4 wt%. The mineral assemblage is typical of a hot and humid climate where chemical alteration and hydrolysis of silicate minerals are severe. The sediments are of mafic and felsic crystalline rocks origin. The sediments are of low energy floodplain/interchannel depositional environment. The Gerinya claystone vary from low to high porosity and very low to low permeability. The claystone can be used as clay liners and as raw material for ceramic production. The application of the claystones in fertiliser production will require some processing. The clay-stone can be used for haemorrhage control in the pharmacological/medical sector. Although, the ingestion of the clay-stones could lead to dental damage and possible perforation of the sigmoid colon in the gastrointestinal tract.

The lime plasters of the excavated monument of Salvankuppam, previously submerged and exposed by the Tsunami occurred in the Indian Ocean on 26^th December 2004 was studied with different analytical techniques. The temple is dated 4-5^th century CE. The XRF, XRD, FTIR, NMR, SEM-EDX analysis of the lime plasters evidenced particular occurrence of phosphatised bacterial remains in saline conditions. The formation of amorphous Ca-phosphate by bio mineralization was identified in the plasters by the analyses. The plasters are made of air-lime with coarse aggregates and seashells inclusion as confirmed by the thermal and chemical analysis. The microstructure and morphological investigations of mineralized microbial structures by SEM-EDX indicated the formation of amorphous Ca-phosphate. The unordered and fibrous spherulites have hardened and reduced porosity of the plaster by bio mineralization as observed through MIP analysis. The 16S rRNA sequencing has identified the Pseudomonas strains mainly responsible for the clustering of amorphous Ca-phosphate particles around the bacterial colony.

Main U minerals in the Lubin and Polkowice mines in decreasing order of abundance are: uraninite, brannerite, metazunerite, metauranospinite, uranospinite, thucholite, monazite-huttonite, coffinite, and becquerelite. All these minerals are associated mainly with noble metal mineralization at the redox interfaces. Main minerals of REE are: (i) brannerite, monazite-huttonite in Noble Metals Bearing Shale (NMBS), (ii) florencite in Mo-Re shales and (iii) minor phospates in Cu-black shales derived from oxidation of organic matter. The latter, however, are controlling no more than 1/5 of the REE budget. Chloride minerals and sulphates are ubiquitous phases associated with Cu sulphides. They are represented by chlorargylite, cotunnite and penfieldite. Halite and sylvite form cubic inclusions in gypsum, up to 3 mm in chevrel compound, where they occur together with thiosulphates, anna-bergite and erithrite and Ni-Co-diarsenides. Sylvite is most common in lensoidal accumulations of semi massive kaolinite + chalcocite + gypsum at the contact between black shale and the top part of white sandstone. Such lenses have been traced over a distance of up to 30 m in the Lubin West and Polkowice East mines. Sylvite and halite have been so far overlooked during investigations of the Kupferschiefer because of applying standard cuƫng and polishing procedures using water as a lubricant. The Au content in native gold may reach exceptionally up to 97.40 wt% in a dolomitic reef from the Lubin West Mine. Gold forms four characteristic micro to nano-textures. Organic matrix of thucholite indicates correlation of Pt-Ni-V suggesting substitution of Pt in tetrapyrrole ring. Sperrylite, geversite and insizwaite appear at the western perimeter of Cu-sulphide deposit, where the redox gradient is so strong that almost all organic matter is gone. Platinum has forms its own minerals trapped in microfractures in anilite-digenite-spionkopite-yarrowite-bornite composite grains present in the reddened NMBS. Celestine-barite solid solution is one of the main accessory minerals in the Kupferschiefer. It has Sr/Ba ratio around 2.5 and 7.5. Euhedral uraninite associated with celestine-barite yielded U/Pb age of 84 ± 1 Ma, based on four grains measurements.

Teamwork has distinct pedagogic advantages and is also an important transferable skill and the dominant mode of work graduates encounter in the workplace. However, students rarely become proficient in teamwork skills during their education. The goal was to test strategies to improve teamwork skills in a course on Ores deposits, MSc Earth Science, Uppsala University. A focus on team-work was established by presenting the collaborative practicals as a series of linked opportunities to work together, get feedback on the teamwork process and reflect on and evaluate the teamwork. During the collaborative PBL sessions sociograms were used to provide feedback. Criteria based evaluation was also used to evaluate task oriented and interpersonal skills. Sociograms and criteria based evaluation promoted behavioural changes that improved teamwork interactions.