. | . |
New research supports volcanic origin of Kiruna-type iron ores by Staff Writers Uppsala, Sweden (SPX) Apr 15, 2019
The origin of giant apatite-iron oxide ores of the so-called 'Kiruna-type' has been the topic of a long standing debate that has lasted for over 100 years. In a new article, published in Nature Communications, a team of scientists presents new and unambiguous data in favour of a magmatic origin for these important iron ores. The study was led by researchers from Uppsala University in Sweden. Despite globally increasing demand for rare metals, iron is the overall most important metal for modern industry. Over 90 % of Europe's total iron production comes from apatite-iron oxide ores, also referred to as Kiruna-type ores, named after the extremely large and iconic Kiruna iron ore deposit in northern Sweden. Today the Swedish deposits at Kiruna and Malmberget are the largest and most important iron producers in Europe, and Kiruna-type deposits represent an iron source of global importance. These deposits also have a large future potential for production of sought-after and critical rare earth elements (REE) as well as phosphorous, another element deemed critical for Europe's future development. The origin and actual process of formation of Kiruna-type ores has remained highly controversial for over 100 years, with suggestions ranging from a purely low-temperature hydrothermal origin to sea floor precipitation to a high-temperature volcanic origin from magma or high-temperature magmatic fluids. To remedy this problem, a team of scientists from Uppsala University, the Geological Survey of Sweden, the Geological Survey of Iran, the Indian Institute of Technology in Bombay, and the Universities of Cardiff and Cape Town, led by Uppsala researcher Prof. Valentin Troll, employed Fe and O isotopes, the main elements in magnetite (Fe3O4), from Sweden, Chile and Iran to chemically fingerprint the processes that led to formation of these ores. By comparing their data from Kiruna-type iron ores with an extensive set of magnetite samples from volcanic rocks as well as from known low-temperature hydrothermal iron ore deposits, the researchers were able to show that more than 80 % of their magnetite samples from Kiruna-type apatite-iron oxide ores were formed by high-temperature magmatic processes in what must represent volcanic to shallow sub-volcanic settings. The new results constitute an important advance in our understanding of Kiruna-type ores and will be of help for the interpretation of, and future exploration for, apatite-iron oxide deposits worldwide.
Fossil fly with an extremely long proboscis sheds light on the insect pollination origin Moscow, Russia (SPX) Apr 03, 2019 A long-nosed fly from the Jurassic of Central Asia, reported by Russian paleontologists, provides new evidence that insects have started serving as pollinators long before the emergence of flowering plants. Equipped with a proboscis twice the length of the body, this fly predates the first angiosperms by about 40-45 million years. This suggests that insect pollination began to evolve in association with ancient gymnosperms.The results of the study are published in Gondwana Research. Archocyrtus ko ... read more
|
|
The content herein, unless otherwise known to be public domain, are Copyright 1995-2024 - Space Media Network. All websites are published in Australia and are solely subject to Australian law and governed by Fair Use principals for news reporting and research purposes. AFP, UPI and IANS news wire stories are copyright Agence France-Presse, United Press International and Indo-Asia News Service. ESA news reports are copyright European Space Agency. All NASA sourced material is public domain. Additional copyrights may apply in whole or part to other bona fide parties. All articles labeled "by Staff Writers" include reports supplied to Space Media Network by industry news wires, PR agencies, corporate press officers and the like. Such articles are individually curated and edited by Space Media Network staff on the basis of the report's information value to our industry and professional readership. Advertising does not imply endorsement, agreement or approval of any opinions, statements or information provided by Space Media Network on any Web page published or hosted by Space Media Network. General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) Statement Our advertisers use various cookies and the like to deliver the best ad banner available at one time. All network advertising suppliers have GDPR policies (Legitimate Interest) that conform with EU regulations for data collection. By using our websites you consent to cookie based advertising. If you do not agree with this then you must stop using the websites from May 25, 2018. Privacy Statement. Additional information can be found here at About Us. |