Chemical Weathering Studies

A special issue of Minerals (ISSN 2075-163X). This special issue belongs to the section "Environmental Mineralogy and Biogeochemistry".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 29 November 2024 | Viewed by 6710

Special Issue Editors


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Guest Editor
Institute of Science and Technology, Federal University of Alfenas (UNIFAL), Poços de Caldas 37715-400, Brazil
Interests: water–rock/soil interaction; hydrochemistry; pedogeochemistry; riverbed sediments

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Guest Editor
Department of Geology, University of São Paulo State, Rio Claro 13506-900, Brazil
Interests: water–rock/soil interaction; pedogeochemistry; landscape evolution

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Guest Editor
"Physical Environment Integrated Analysis" Researcher, Institute of Science and Technology, Federal University of Alfenas (UNIFAL), Poços de Caldas 37715-400, Brazil
Interests: lithogeochemistry; pedogeochemistry; geochronology

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Chemical weathering is an important process on Earth as it alters its rocks and models the surface of the planet, contributing to soil formation and water chemistry composition. Chemical weathering takes place when disequilibrium and rupture of the atoms’ crystal structures occur. Chemical reactions are responsible for a more stable arrangement of these structures, transforming the primary mineral of the original rock into a secondary mineral, thus originating an alteration complex and/or soil and leached solution.

The aim of this Special Issue, "Chemical Weathering Studies", is to contribute to the dissemination of all chemical weathering applications, which can comprise different analytical techniques, such as X-ray diffraction, microscopy, spectrometry, geochronological investigations and others. Furthermore, the chemical weathering process is an important issue, especially in the context of climate change, in which rock, soil, sediment and water interactions play a significant role in CO2 sequestration. In addition, it is also related to supergene deposit formation and associated impacts that alter geogenic chemical characteristics. On this specific matter, this issue gives space to studies that correlate to the anthropogenic influence in the natural chemical weathering cycle.

We are looking forward to receiving the partial or final results of studies from different regions of the world to ensure a worldwide perspective on this topic.

Dr. Diego De Souza Sardinha
Dr. Vania Rosolen
Dr. Leticia Hirata Godoy
Guest Editors

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Keywords

  • major, minor and ree
  • hydrochemistry
  • hydrogeochemistry
  • pedogeochemistry
  • riverbed sediments
  • water–rock–soil interaction
  • CO2 sequestration
  • surface modeling
  • supergene alteration
  • supergene deposits
  • mine drainage
  • mine waste
  • heavy metal isotopes
  • risk assessment
  • soil contamination
  • pollution indices

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Published Papers (6 papers)

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Research

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18 pages, 4446 KiB  
Article
Major, Trace and Rare Earth Elements Geochemistry of Bottom Sediments in the Retiro Baixo Reservoir after the B1 Tailings Dam Rupture, Paraopeba River (Brazil)
by Diego S Sardinha, Mateus Sala Pinto, Paulo Henrique Bretanha Junker Menezes, Gunther Brucha, Jéssica Teixeira Silveira, Letícia Hirata Godoy, Deivid Arimatea Saldanha de Melo and Fernando Verassani Laureano
Minerals 2024, 14(6), 621; https://doi.org/10.3390/min14060621 - 18 Jun 2024
Viewed by 816
Abstract
The rupture of an iron mining tailing dam in Brumadinho, Brazil, released around 10 million cubic meters of tailings, of which 1.6 Mm3 reached the Paraopeba River. In this work, a total of 30 samples from three bottom sediment cores were collected [...] Read more.
The rupture of an iron mining tailing dam in Brumadinho, Brazil, released around 10 million cubic meters of tailings, of which 1.6 Mm3 reached the Paraopeba River. In this work, a total of 30 samples from three bottom sediment cores were collected in the lower course of the Paraopeba River basin and analyzed for major, trace and rare earth elements by ICP-OES and ICP-MS. The sediments presented a range of compositions with different weathering histories, overall marked by depleted Ca2+, Na+ and K+ compared with the average UCC, PAAS and NASC and some advanced weathering trends. The samples presented a fractionation pattern characterized by a continuous depletion of light REEs from La to Sm and a regular decreased distribution of heavy REEs from Gd to Yb, and the Co/Th vs. La/Sc diagram indicates a predominant intermediate source. The upper samples presented the highest contents of REEs, probably due to the higher presence of iron and aluminum oxides and hydroxides, which can be related to more advanced weathering. The Al, Cu, Ni, V, Zn, Co, Mn, Ti, Fe and Si concentrations and the CF, EF and Igeo index values varied across the sediment core samples, demonstrating that there were long periods of geogenic or anthropogenic contributions. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Chemical Weathering Studies)
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17 pages, 3737 KiB  
Article
Microtextural Characteristics of Ultramafic Rock-Forming Minerals and Their Effects on Carbon Sequestration
by Tadsuda Taksavasu, Piyanat Arin, Thanakon Khatecha and Suchanya Kojinok
Minerals 2024, 14(6), 597; https://doi.org/10.3390/min14060597 - 6 Jun 2024
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Abstract
Ultramafic rocks are promising candidates for carbon sequestration by enhanced carbon dioxide (CO2) mineralization strategies due to their highly CO2-reactive mineral composition and their abundant availability. This study reports the mineralogy and microtextures of a representative ultramafic rock from [...] Read more.
Ultramafic rocks are promising candidates for carbon sequestration by enhanced carbon dioxide (CO2) mineralization strategies due to their highly CO2-reactive mineral composition and their abundant availability. This study reports the mineralogy and microtextures of a representative ultramafic rock from the Ma-Hin Creek in northern Thailand and provides evidence of CO2 mineralization occurring through the interaction between CO2 and the rock in the presence of water under ambient conditions. After sample collection, rock description was determined by optical petrographic analysis. The rock petrography revealed a cumulated wehrlite comprising over 50% olivine and minor amounts of clinopyroxene, plagioclase, and chromian spinel. Approximately 25% of the wehrlite had altered to serpentine and chlorite. A series of CO2 batch experiments were conducted on six different rock sizes at a temperature of 40 °C and pressure of 1 atm over five consecutive days. The post-experimental products were dried, weighed, and geochemically analyzed to detect changes in mineral species. Experimental results showed that product weight and the presence of calcite increased with reducing grain size. Additionally, the modal mineralogy of the wehrlite theoretically suggests potential CO2 uptake of up to 53%, which is higher than the average uptake values of mafic rocks. These findings support the rock investigation approach used and the preliminary assessment of carbon mineralization potential, contributing to enhanced rock weathering techniques for CO2 removal that could be adopted by mining and rock supplier industries. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Chemical Weathering Studies)
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22 pages, 9102 KiB  
Article
Weathering Intensity, Paleoclimatic, and Progressive Expansion of Bottom-Water Anoxia in the Middle Jurassic Khatatba Formation, Southern Tethys: Geochemical Perspectives
by Ahmed Mansour, Paolo Martizzi, Mohamed S. Ahmed, Shun Chiyonobu and Thomas Gentzis
Minerals 2024, 14(3), 281; https://doi.org/10.3390/min14030281 - 7 Mar 2024
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Abstract
The Jurassic Period was a significant phase of variable organic matter accumulation in paleo-shelf areas of the southern Tethys (Egypt). Reconstructing the paleoredox conditions, paleoclimate, and weathering intensity, along with the role of terrigenous sediment flux and mineralogical maturity, is important for understanding [...] Read more.
The Jurassic Period was a significant phase of variable organic matter accumulation in paleo-shelf areas of the southern Tethys (Egypt). Reconstructing the paleoredox conditions, paleoclimate, and weathering intensity, along with the role of terrigenous sediment flux and mineralogical maturity, is important for understanding basin infill history and prevalent paleoenvironmental conditions. Here, inorganic geochemical data are presented from the Middle Jurassic Khatatba Formation and two samples from the underlying Ras Qattara and the overlying Masajid formations in the Jana-1x well, Shushan Basin, Western Desert. Twenty-four (24) whole-rock samples were analyzed for their major and trace element composition and carbonate content. The Khatatba Formation represents one of the major hydrocarbon source rocks in the North Western Desert, Egypt. Redox conditions were assessed based on enrichment factors of redox-sensitive elements Mo, V, U, and Co. Results revealed that the Khatatba Formation was deposited under predominant anoxic bottom and pore water conditions, in contrast to the oxic settings that were prevalent during the deposition of the Ras Qattara and Masajid formations. Continental weathering intensity and paleoclimate were reconstructed based on several proxies, such as the chemical index of alteration (CIA), K2O/Rb, Rb/Sr, Ln(Al2O3/Na2O), and Al/K ratios, indicating that the studied succession was deposited during alternating phases between weak and moderate weathering intensity under arid and warm-humid climates, respectively. Periods of enhanced continental weathering were associated with high values of clastic ratios such as Si/Al, Ti/Al, and Zr/Al, suggesting increased terrigenous sediment supply during intensified hydrological cycling. These ratios further provided inferences about the changes in sediment grain size, such as a change from shale to coarse silt- and sand-size fractions. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Chemical Weathering Studies)
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15 pages, 5644 KiB  
Article
The Source, Mobility and Fate of Bismuth (Bi) in Legacy Mine Waste, Yxsjöberg, Sweden
by Lina P. B. Hällström and Jon Petter Gustafsson
Minerals 2024, 14(2), 122; https://doi.org/10.3390/min14020122 - 24 Jan 2024
Viewed by 1363
Abstract
The usage of bismuth (Bi), a critical and strategic raw material, has increased in the last 10 years. At present, the knowledge of Bi geochemistry is too limited to develop accurate mine waste and water management strategies to prevent environmental impact. Therefore, its [...] Read more.
The usage of bismuth (Bi), a critical and strategic raw material, has increased in the last 10 years. At present, the knowledge of Bi geochemistry is too limited to develop accurate mine waste and water management strategies to prevent environmental impact. Therefore, its geochemistry was studied in historical tailings in Yxsjöberg, Sweden. Intact tailings cores and shore samples were geochemically and mineralogically analyzed. Groundwater was sampled between 2016 and 2021 and analyzed for 71 elements and (SO4, F, Cl). The results were correlated with metals and dissolved organic matter (DOC), which have been previously published. The total concentrations, sequential extraction and scanning electron microscopy–energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (SEM–EDS) mapping indicated that Bi had been mobilized from the primary mineral bismuthinite (Bi2S3). In the oxidized tailings from both the cores and shore, Bi was hypothesized to have adsorbed to iron (Fe) (hydr)oxides, which prohibited high concentrations of Bi leaching into the groundwater and surface water. Dissolved Bi in groundwater was significantly correlated with DOC. In surface water, dissolved Bi was transported more than 5 km from the tailings. This study indicates that Bi can become mobile from legacy mine waste due to the oxidation of bismuthinite and either be scavenged by adsorption of Fe (hydr)oxides or kept mobile in groundwater and surface water due to complexation with DOC. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Chemical Weathering Studies)
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Review

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26 pages, 11780 KiB  
Review
Peridotite Weathering and Ni Redistribution in New Caledonian Laterite Profiles: Influence of Climate, Hydrology, and Structure
by Michel Cathelineau, Yoram Teitler, Jean-Louis Grimaud, Sylvain Favier, Fabrice Golfier, Erick Ramanaidou, Sylvain Grangeon, Yohann Kerreveur, Julie Jeanpert, Samuel Étienne, Manuel Muñoz and Marc Ulrich
Minerals 2024, 14(11), 1082; https://doi.org/10.3390/min14111082 - 27 Oct 2024
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Abstract
The peridotite massifs of New Caledonia are characterised by complex hydrodynamics influenced by intense inherited fracturing, uplift, and erosion. Following the formation of the erosion surfaces and alteration processes, these processes drive chemical redistribution during weathering; particularly lateritisation and saprolitisation. Magnesium, silica, and [...] Read more.
The peridotite massifs of New Caledonia are characterised by complex hydrodynamics influenced by intense inherited fracturing, uplift, and erosion. Following the formation of the erosion surfaces and alteration processes, these processes drive chemical redistribution during weathering; particularly lateritisation and saprolitisation. Magnesium, silica, and trace elements such as nickel and cobalt—released as the dissolution front advances—are redistributed through the system. New observations and interpretations reveal how lateritic paleo-land surfaces evolved, and their temporal relationship with alteration processes since the Oligocene. Considering the geometry of discontinuity networks ranging from micro-fractures to faults, the transfers occur in dual-permeability environments. Olivine dissolution rates are heterogeneously due to differential solution renewal caused by erosion and valley deepening. Differential mass transfer occurs between mobile regions of highly transmissive faults, while immobile areas correspond to the rock matrix and the secondary fracture network. The progression of alteration fronts controls the formation of boulders and the distribution of nickel across multiple scales. In the saprolite, nickel reprecipitates mostly in talc-like phases, as well as minor nontronite and goethite with partial diffusion in inherited serpentine. The current nickel distribution results from a complex interplay of climatic, hydrological and structural factors integrated into a model across different scales and times. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Chemical Weathering Studies)
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25 pages, 8461 KiB  
Review
Regolith-Hosted Rare Earth Element Mineralization in the Esperance Region, Western Australia: Major Characteristics and Potential Controls
by Nikita Sergeev and Tiffany Collins
Minerals 2024, 14(8), 847; https://doi.org/10.3390/min14080847 - 22 Aug 2024
Viewed by 835
Abstract
A number of regolith-hosted REE occurrences have recently been discovered in the Esperance region in southern Western Australia. This paper summarizes major characteristics of REE mineralization and discusses contributing factors and potential controls. The main aim is to explain why there is a [...] Read more.
A number of regolith-hosted REE occurrences have recently been discovered in the Esperance region in southern Western Australia. This paper summarizes major characteristics of REE mineralization and discusses contributing factors and potential controls. The main aim is to explain why there is a lack of highly sought-after ion-adsorption-clay-type REE deposits across the region despite the presence of the regolith-hosted REE mineralization on a regional scale. Local mineralization mostly occurs as continuous flat-lying enrichment “blankets” within the residual regolith developed over Archaean–Proterozoic granite gneisses and granitoids with elevated REE content. The enriched horizon is commonly located in the lower saprolite and saprock and is accompanied by an overlying REE-depleted zone. This distribution pattern, together with the data on HREE fractionation and the presence of the supergene REE minerals, indicates chemogenic type enrichment formed by supergene REE mobilization into groundwater, downward transport, and accumulation in the lower part of the weathering profile. Residual REE accumulation processes due to bulk rock volume and mass reduction during weathering also contribute to mineralization. It is proposed that climate and groundwater chemistry are the critical regional controls on the distribution of REEs in the weathering profile and on their speciation in the enrichment zone. Cenozoic aridification of climate in southwest Australia heavily overprinted pre-existing REE distributions in the weathering profile. Acidic (pH < 4), highly saline groundwaters intensely leached away any relatively weakly bound, adsorbed or colloidal REE forms, moving them downward. Dissolved REEs precipitated as secondary phosphates in neutral to alkaline environment at lower Eh near the base of the weathering profile forming the supergene enrichment zone. Low denudation rates, characteristic of areas of low relief under the arid climate, are favourable for the preservation of the existing weathering profiles with REE mineralization. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Chemical Weathering Studies)
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Planned Papers

The below list represents only planned manuscripts. Some of these manuscripts have not been received by the Editorial Office yet. Papers submitted to MDPI journals are subject to peer-review.

1. Title: Weathering characteristics of Ultramafic rocks and nikel enrichment in Nuinua ultramafic massiff (North central Vietnam)
Authors: Pham Thanh Dang

2. Title: Synthetic overview of the genetic processes implied in the formation of Ni(Co, Sc) concentrations in New Caledonia
Authors: Michel Cathelineau, etc.

3. Title: Mineralogy and trace element . geochemistry of the sediments in monsoon-dominated rivers along the west coast of India: inferences on chemical/physical weathering and provenance

Authors: Sk. Sai Babu, V. Purnachandra Rao and M. Ram Mohan

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