Hasil untuk "Mineralogy"

Yipu Guo, Fulin Qu, Wengui Li

Abstract Recycling mine tailings in concrete production offers transformative potential for the resource-intensive construction sector. This review critically examines studies on utilizing tailings in cementitious and alkali-activated concrete, covering physicochemical properties, mineralogy, activation, performance, toxicity, and sustainability. It starts from fundamental characteristics and multiple utilization channels to the engineering performance and latest industrialization advancements. Our aim is to provide valuable insights and help shape a roadmap for future interdisciplinary research efforts.

Aiping Chen, Wei Qi, Qiwei Du et al.

Fully weathered phyllite is widely encountered along railway corridors in China, yet its suitability as subgrade fill remains insufficiently documented. This study provides an integrated laboratory and field evaluation of both untreated and low-dosage cement-stabilized phyllite for sustainable transport constructions. Laboratory investigations covered mineralogy, classification, compaction, permeability, compressibility, shear strength, and bearing capacity, while large-scale field trials examined the influence of loose lift thickness, moisture content, and compaction sequence on subgrade quality. Performance indicators included the degree of compaction and the subgrade reaction modulus K₃₀, defined as the plate load modulus measured with a 30 cm diameter plate. A recommended cement dosage of 3.5% (by weight of dry soil) was established based on preliminary trials to balance strength development with construction reliability. The results show that untreated phyllite, when compacted under controlled conditions, can be used in lower subgrade layers, whereas cement stabilization significantly improves strength, stiffness, and constructability, enabling reliable application in the main load-bearing subgrade layers. Beyond mechanical performance, the study demonstrates a methodological innovation by linking laboratory mix design directly with field compaction strategies and embedding these within a life-cycle perspective. The sustainability analysis shows that using stabilized in-situ phyllite achieves lower costs and approximately 30% lower CO₂ emissions compared with importing crushed rock from 30 km away, while promoting resource reuse. Overall, the findings support circular economy and carbon-reduction objectives in railway and road earthworks, offering practical guidance for low-carbon, resource-efficient infrastructure.

Mohadeseh Eskandari, Maryam Sheibi , Fardin Mousivand et al.

The Dogan copper-molybdenum deposit is located in the northern Central Iranian magmatic arc, south of Shahrood. Mineralization in this area is caused by the injection of a microdioritic subvolcanic intrusion into Eocene volcanic rocks. Mineralization occurs frequently as veins, veinlets, and disseminated ores and is mineralogically composed of primary minerals like pyrite, chalcopyrite, bornite, and molybdenite as well as secondary minerals like chalcocite, iron oxides and hydroxides, and malachite. The alteration zoning in the Dogan deposit is circular and concentric and changes from potassic in the central part to phyllic alteration and then propylitic alteration in the margins. Some parts of argillic alteration are observed in the upper and surface parts of the phyllic zone. The fluids producing potassic alteration were rich in liquid and a small amount of steam (L + V), had a high temperature (398 to 513ºC), and a high salinity (50 wt% NaCl), according to fluid inclusions studies. These fluids were most likely magmatic in origin and were responsible for the formation of the V1 and V2 veins. The activity of meteoric fluids containing liquid vapor phases (V + L) with lower temperature (210 to 360°C) and salinity less than 10 wt % NaCl causes phyllic alteration (V3 veins). In terms of geochemistry, the studied igneous samples are adakititc in nature and are located in the domain of calc-alkaline magmas of the active continental margin. The presence of potassic alteration in surface and deep cores, the high salinity and temperature of hydrothermal fluids, the type of mineralization (disseminated and vein-veinlet), the high potential of copper and molybdenum, and the zonation of existing alterations are all indicative of a porphyry system. The Dogan mining area is similar to copper-molybdenum porphyry deposits in terms of tectonic environment of formation, host rock type, texture and structure, mineralogy, and alteration zonation. Introduction One of the ore-bearing magmatic arcs in the northern structural zone of Central Iran is the Toroud-Chah-Shirin magmatic arc (TCMA) (Fig. 1A). It hosts a significant volume of Eocene volcanic and pyroclastic rocks and equivalent subvolcanic and intrusive bodies. According to the distribution of mineralized systems in the aforementioned magmatic arc, the majority of the ore deposits under investigation are epithermal (see, for instance, Sheibi and Mousivand, 2018; Mehrabi and Ghasemi Siani, 2012; Tale Fazel et al., 2019). This study has shown the geological proof of a typical Cu-Mo porphyry ore deposit at Dogan, which is 130 km southeast of Shahrood (in the province of Semnan) and 18 km north of the village of Toroud. Materials and methods Precise microscopic investigations of mineralogy, texture, and mineralography were made on 10 thin and 27 thin-polished sections. In the Vancouver (ACME) laboratory in Canada and the TU Clausthal laboratory (IELF) in Germany, whole rock geochemistry of microdioritic samples with the least alteration was examined by XRF, ICP-OES and ICP-MS methods. Fluid inclusion thermometry is measured using the Linkham MDSG600 heating/freezing stage at the economic geology laboratory of the Shahrood University of Technology. At the Clausthal Laboratory (IELF) in Germany, the Linkham MDSG600 heating/freezing stage and the XRD methods have been used to identify some very fine fluid inclusion analyses and clay minerals, respectively. Results A subvolcanic intrusion was introduced into Eocene volcanic rocks, resulting in the development of the Dogan Cu-Mo deposit. The microdiorites have a distinct LREE/HREE fractionation and are enriched in large ion lithophile elements (LILE) and depleted in high field-strength elements (HFSE). In addition, the Nb and Ti negative anomalies indicate a magmatic arc signature. However, they differ from typical volcanic arc magmas geochemically due to having SiO2 ≥40 wt.%, Al2O3≥10 wt%, 1<MgO<5 wt%, Sr≥200 and Y>18 ppm, along with the depletion of HREE have adakititc affinities. Based on field and laboratory studies, potassic alteration, propylitic, phyllic, argillic alterations have been detected in the Dogan deposit. Potassic alteration is located in the central part of the system and varies from abundant potassium feldspar veins in the superficial parts to microdiorite containing abundant hydrothermal biotites and potassium feldspar in boreholes. For the samples that have undergone potassic alteration, the fluid inclusion homogenization temperature is greater than 590°C and is similar to values found in other porphyry deposits. This alteration also led to the formation of two known mineralized veins, namely V1: quartz + potassium feldspar + biotite + pyrite + magnetite + chalcopyrite, and V2: potassium feldspar + anhydrite/gypsum + pyrite + molybdenite + chalcopyrite. Sericitic (phyllic) alteration in Dogan is frequently restricted to the fractures where quartz, sericite, and pyrite have been produced as a result of hydrolysis of the potassic- altered rocks. In phyllic altered rocks, the majority of third type veins (V3) containing quartz and trace amounts of pyrite + chalcopyrite ± bornite have been observed. Like many copper and copper-molybdenum porphyry systems (for example: Lepanto Far Southeast deposit in Hedenquist et al., 1998), advanced argillic alteration is observed exactly in the upper part of the Dogan deposit. Significant amounts of Na, Ca, and Mg are removed from the structure of pre-existing minerals during this process due to the low pH (Clark et al., 2003). Propylitic alteration is found at the periphery, from the surface to medium depths, and close to phyllic and argillic alteration in the Dogan deposit. Discussion The microdirotic intrusion has formed at an active continental margin with an adakitic nature. The hypogene sulfide mineralization occurs mainly as disseminated chalcopyrite and pyrite, typically in the matrix or associated stockworks containing potassium feldspar-gypsum/anhydrite, especially in the rocks affected by potassic and phylic processes. The fluids producing potassic alteration are rich in liquid and less vapor (LV); they have high temperatures (398 to 513°C) and high salinity (more than 50 wt% NaCl). These fluids have a magmatic origin and are considered to be the cause of mineralized veins. Phyllic alteration is caused by the activity of fluids containing vapor and liquid phases at lower temperatures (210 to 360°C) and less than 10 wt% NaCl salinity. The low temperature homogenization of the fluid inclusions in phyllic altered rocks (210°C) indicates that the thermal gradients have decreased and the meteoric fluids have flowed. In the next stage with decreasing temperature, the addition of significant amounts of meteoric fluids causes Na-Mg-Ca metasomatism and a mineral assemblage of propylitic alteration, i.e., epidote, chlorite and calcite. The subvolcanic nature of the host rocks (microdiorite) and their formation in the magmatic arc, the presence of potassic alteration evidence in surface and drilled cores, the salinity and high temperature of hydrothermal fluids, the type of mineralization (disseminate and vein-veinlet), the high potential of copper and molybdenum, and zonation of existing alterations all indicate the occurrence of a porphyry system. Geologists should be motivated by the supplied information to look for undiscovered porphyry systems in the Toroud-Chah-Shirin and other Iranian magmatic arcs.

Zhiyuan Li, Xinsong Wu, Zhilong Huang et al.

Abstract The previous studies on coal-measure tight sandstone reservoirs often focused on the single diagenetic evolution and pore structure characterization. The understanding of reservoir evolution under the comprehensive control of the sedimentary–diagenetic process was insufficient. In this paper, the coal-measure tight sandstone reservoir evolution mechanism under the control of the depositional–diagenetic process is studied through sequence stratigraphy, sedimentology, petrology, mineralogy, and geochemistry analysis. The study found that during the depositional process of coal-bearing strata, there were differences in sedimentary environments, sand body types, and coal-mud-sand combinations in different sedimentary stages. These differences result in different diagenetic evolution processes and ultimately different reservoir qualities. In general, the coal-bearing strata underwent a depositional evolution process from the lowstand filling stage to the lacustrine transgressive-maximum flooding stage, and finally highstand filling stage. In this process, sand-coal-mud combinations of thick coal-mud covering thick sand, thick coal-mud thin sand, and thick sand thin coal-mud are formed. The sedimentary environment and coal-mud-sand combination control the type and content of carbonate cement. In the rapid lacustrine transgressive-maximum flooding stage, with a reducing-high salinity sedimentary environment, strong organic matter fermentation leads to the production of large amounts of CO2 and reducing metal cations. It is conducive to the formation of a large number of early carbonate cements (siderite and ankerite). And the fluids and substances often migrate from the thick coal seam to the underlying thick lowstand filling sandstone. That is the reason why carbonate cement of lowstand filling sandstone is dominated by siderite and ankerite. In the highstand filling stage, with an oxidized-low salinity sedimentary environment, ferro calcite is the main carbonate cement in tight sandstone. Overall, the lacustrine transgressive-maximum flooding sandstone has a fine grain size and low content of rigid minerals, resulting in strong compaction and weak dissolution. And there is a large amount of siderite and ankerite developed. The reservoir quality is poor. Sandstones in lowstand and highstand filling stages have a coarse grain size and high content of rigid minerals, resulting in good pore preservation and strong dissolution. The reservoir quality is good. Siderite and ankerite are developed in reservoirs of lowstand filling stage. Due to the dissolution of early carbonate cements, its pores are particularly well preserved.

V. Nikolov, R. Nikolova, N. Petrova et al.

Detailed studies of the Li4GeО4-Li2CaGeО4 system by solid-phase syntheses of various compositions from pure Li4GeО4 to pure Li2CaGeО4 in the temperature range from 25 to 1125 °C is investigated for a first time. Solid state synthesis powders are characterized by X-ray and DSC/TG methods. Concentration and temperature two-phase regions of Li4GeО4 and Li2CaGeО4 as well as two-phase regions of Li2CaGeО4 and Li2+2xCa1-xGeO4 are established. Region of pure Li2+2xCa1-xGeO4 solid solution are detected too and it structure is investigated. Being structural analog to Li2+2xZn1-xGeO4 and Li2+2xMg1-xGeO4, Li2+2xCa1-xGeO4 has own specific local environment of the metal ions. The obtained results are compared with those for Li4GeО4-Li2ZnGeО4 system and for Li2+2xZn1-xGeO4 solid solution. The differences of the phase diagrams and structural features of the solid solutions are discussed.

William Grimble, Joel Kastner, Christophe Pinte et al.

Our understanding of how exoplanets form and evolve relies on analyses of both the mineralogy of protoplanetary disks and their detailed structures; however, these key complementary aspects of disks are usually studied separately. We present initial results from a hybrid model that combines the empirical characterization of the mineralogy of a disk, as determined from its mid-infrared spectral features, with the MCFOST radiative transfer disk model, a combination we call the Empirical and Radiative Transfer Hybrid (EaRTH) Disk Model. With the results of the mineralogy detection serving as input to the radiative transfer model, we generate mid-infrared spectral energy distributions (SEDs) that reflect both the mineralogical and structural parameters of the corresponding disk. Initial fits of the SED output by the resulting integrated model of Spitzer Space Telescope mid-infrared spectra of the protoplanetary disk orbiting the nearby T Tauri star MP Mus demonstrate the potential advantages of this approach by revealing details like the dominance of micron-sized olivine and micron-sized forsterite in this dusty disk. The simultaneous insight into disk composition and structure provided by the EaRTH Disk methodology should be directly applicable to the interpretation of mid-infrared spectra of protoplanetary disks that will be produced by the James Webb Space Telescope.

L. Grossman, J. Larimer

Ekaterina V. Sukhanova, Nursultan E. Sagatov, Aleksandr S. Oreshonkov et al.

Chevrel non-van der Waals crystals are promising candidates for the fabrication of novel 2D materials due to their versatile crystal structure formed by covalently bonded (Mo₆X₈) clusters (X–chalcogen atom). Here, we present a comprehensive theoretical study of the stability and properties of Mo-based Janus 2D structures with Chevrel structures consisting of chalcogen and halogen atoms via density functional theory calculations. Based on the analysis performed, we determined that the S₂Mo₃I₂ monolayer is the most promising structure for overall photocatalytic water-splitting application due to its appropriate band alignment and its ability to absorb visible light. The modulated Raman spectra for the representative structures can serve as a blueprint for future experimental verification of the proposed structures.

Afnindar Fakhrurrozi, Izzul Qudsi, Mochamad Rifat Noor et al.

Recently, hybrid clustering algorithms gained much research attention due to better clustering results and are computationally efficient. Hyperspectral image classification studies should be no exception, including mineral mapping. This study aims to tackle the biggest challenge of mapping the mineralogy of drill core samples, which consumes a lot of time. In this paper, we present the investigation using a hybrid clustering algorithm, cohesion-based self-merging (CSM), for mineral mapping to determine the number and location of minerals that formed the rock. The CSM clustering performance was then compared to its classical counterpart, K-means plus-plus (K-means++). We conducted experiments using hyperspectral images from multiple rock samples to understand how well the clustering algorithm segmented minerals that exist in the rock. The samples in this study contain minerals with identical absorption features in certain locations that increase the complexity. The elbow method and silhouette analysis did not perform well in deciding the optimum cluster size due to slight variance and high dimensionality of the datasets. Thus, iterations to the various numbers of k-clusters and m-subclusters of each rock were performed to get the mineral cluster. Both algorithms were able to distinguish slight variations of absorption features of any mineral. The spectral variation within a single mineral found by our algorithm might be studied further to understand any possible unidentified group of clusters. The spatial consideration of the CSM algorithm induced several misclassified pixels. Hence, the mineral maps produced in this study are not expected to be precisely similar to ground truths.

G. Borghini, P. Fumagalli, E. Rampone

<p>Interaction between peridotite and pyroxenite-derived melts can significantly modify the mineralogy and chemistry of the upper mantle, enhancing its heterogeneity, by creating re-fertilized peridotites and secondary-type pyroxenites. We experimentally investigated the reaction between a fertile lherzolite and MgO-rich basaltic andesite produced by partial melting of an olivine-free pyroxenite at 2 GPa and 1300–1450 <span class="inline-formula">^∘</span>C. The aim was to constrain the rate and style of melt–peridotite reaction mostly as a function of temperature, i.e. assuming variable physical status of the host peridotite. Experiments juxtaposed pyroxenite on a synthesized fertile lherzolite to evaluate the modal and mineral compositional changes in the fertile lherzolite resulting from the reaction with pyroxenite-derived melt. At 1300 and 1350 <span class="inline-formula">^∘</span>C, the reaction produces a thin orthopyroxene-rich reaction zone confined between partially molten pyroxenite and modally unmodified subsolidus lherzolite. Chemical changes in minerals of the pyroxenite crystal mush suggest that element diffusion across the pyroxenite–peridotite interface, coupled with orthopyroxene precipitation, plays a role in the reactive crystallization of mantle pyroxenite veins. At 1380 and 1400 <span class="inline-formula">^∘</span>C, infiltration of pyroxenite-derived melt significantly modifies the mineralogy and chemistry of the host peridotite by creating orthopyroxene-rich websterites and pyroxene-rich lherzolite. At 1450 <span class="inline-formula">^∘</span>C, pyroxenitic melt fluxes into molten peridotite, enhancing peridotite melting and creating a melt-bearing dunite associated with a refractory harzburgite. At a given pressure, bulk compositions of hybrid rocks originating through melt–peridotite interaction are mostly controlled by the chemistry of the reacting melt. Interaction between pyroxenitic melt and peridotite causes <span class="inline-formula"><math xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" id="M5" display="inline" overflow="scroll" dspmath="mathml"><mrow><msub><mi>X</mi><mi mathvariant="normal">Mg</mi></msub><mo>[</mo><msub><mi>X</mi><mi mathvariant="normal">Mg</mi></msub><mo>=</mo><mi mathvariant="normal">Mg</mi><mo>/</mo><mo>(</mo><mi mathvariant="normal">Mg</mi><mo>+</mo><msup><mi mathvariant="normal">Fe</mi><mi mathvariant="normal">tot</mi></msup><mo>)</mo><mo>]</mo></mrow></math><span><svg:svg xmlns:svg="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg" width="135pt" height="17pt" class="svg-formula" dspmath="mathimg" md5hash="f5b94359714451298c1801cca2b30f07"><svg:image xmlns:xlink="http://www.w3.org/1999/xlink" xlink:href="ejm-34-109-2022-ie00001.svg" width="135pt" height="17pt" src="ejm-34-109-2022-ie00001.png"/></svg:svg></span></span> and <span class="inline-formula"><math xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" id="M6" display="inline" overflow="scroll" dspmath="mathml"><mrow><msub><mi>X</mi><mi mathvariant="normal">Cr</mi></msub><mo>[</mo><msub><mi>X</mi><mi mathvariant="normal">Cr</mi></msub><mo>=</mo><mi mathvariant="normal">Cr</mi><mo>/</mo><mo>(</mo><mi mathvariant="normal">Cr</mi><mo>+</mo><mi mathvariant="normal">Al</mi><mo>)</mo><mo>]</mo></mrow></math><span><svg:svg xmlns:svg="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg" width="111pt" height="14pt" class="svg-formula" dspmath="mathimg" md5hash="374393a5fc6715a36277233e4f2e9227"><svg:image xmlns:xlink="http://www.w3.org/1999/xlink" xlink:href="ejm-34-109-2022-ie00002.svg" width="111pt" height="14pt" src="ejm-34-109-2022-ie00002.png"/></svg:svg></span></span> decrease and TiO<span class="inline-formula">₂</span> increase in pyroxenes and spinel across the pyroxenite–peridotite boundary. Similar chemical gradients in minerals are observed in pyroxenite–peridotite associations from natural mantle sequences. The comparison with mineral chemistry variations derived by reaction experiments potentially represents a petrologic tool to discriminate between low- versus high-temperature melt–peridotite reactions.</p>

حسن بخشنده امنیه, ابراهیم عارف مند, مهدی پورقاسمی

یکی از مهم‌ترین مشکلات بعد از عملیات انفجار در معادن سطحی، تشکیل ترک و شکستگی در پشت آخرین ردیف چال‌های انفجاری یا پدیده عقب‌زدگی است. انفجار Power Deck به‌ عنوان یک روش نوین و جایگزین برای انفجار مرسوم معرفی ‌شده است که با استفاده بهینه از انرژی ماده منفجره، نتایج انفجار را بهبود می‌دهد. در این روش یک ستون هوا در انتهای چال قرار می‌گیرد که به کاهش یا حذف اضافه حفاری مورد استفاده منجر می‌شود. انفجار Power Deck در شرایط یکسان نسبت به انفجار مرسوم، میزان‌ خرج در تاخیر که یکی از پارامترهای موثر در عقب‌زدگی است را کاهش می‌دهد. در این تحقیق عقب‌زدگی ناشی از انفجارهای مرسوم و Power Deck در معدن سنگ آهن میشدوان ارزیابی شده ‌است. با استفاده از روش انفجار Power Deck عقب‌زدگی به ‌ترتیب 4/16% و 55% در توده‌سنگ آهن و باطله سنگی نسبت به انفجار مرسوم کاهش یافت. همچنین بعد از عملیات بارگیری و حمل، مشخص شد که استفاده از روش Power Deck در توده‌سنگ آهن و باطله سنگی از لحاظ پاشنه مشکلی ایجاد نمی‌کند. در نهایت روش Power Deck باعث کاهش 5/28% خرج ویژه و کاهش 9% حفاری ویژه شده است. همچنین بهره‌وری چال‌ها نسبت به انفجار مرسوم 9% بهبود یافته است.

R. Coleman, R. Coleman

Kundan Meshram, Nitu Singh, P. K. Jain

In the present study, characterisation and quantitative microanalysis were identified for six expansive soils of which one is natural soil, i.e. black cotton (BC) soil and remaining soils were prepared by mixing of BC soil with different percentage of bentonite. The BC soil and prepared soil samples were characterised by the X-ray diffraction (XRD) and scanning electron microscope (SEM). The regular or irregular mixed layers of soils justified by SEM images. There are superstructures whose spacing can simply be described as the ratio of BC soil and prepared soil. d-Spacing was calculated by Bragg’s formula (XRD) which was observed by joint committee on powder diffraction standards card and calculated by Bragg’s equation for h-k-l plane for expansive soils and it was observed that d-spacing decreased with increasing prepared soil combination. Moisture content was taken below optimum moisture content, i.e. 15%, 17% and 20% to determine swelling and swelling pressure and found that montmorillonite mineral affects the swelling characteristics of expansive soils.

Ali Mohammad, Abdul Ghaffar Kashani, Inayat Ullah et al.

W. Nikonow, D. Rammlmair, J. Meima et al.

Puhong Duan, Jibao Lai, Pedram Ghamisi et al.

Combining both spectral and spatial information with enhanced resolution provides not only elaborated qualitative information on surfacing mineralogy but also mineral interactions of abundance, mixture, and structure. This enhancement in the resolutions helps geomineralogic features such as small intrusions and mineralization become detectable. In this paper, we investigate the potential of the resolution enhancement of hyperspectral images (HSIs) with the guidance of RGB images for mineral mapping. In more detail, a novel resolution enhancement method is proposed based on component decomposition. Inspired by the principle of the intrinsic image decomposition (IID) model, the HSI is viewed as the combination of a reflectance component and an illumination component. Based on this idea, the proposed method is comprised of several steps. First, the RGB image is transformed into the luminance component, blue-difference and red-difference chroma components (YCbCr), and the luminance channel is considered as the illumination component of the HSI with an ideal high spatial resolution. Then, the reflectance component of the ideal HSI is estimated with the downsampled HSI image and the downsampled luminance channel. Finally, the HSI with high resolution can be reconstructed by utilizing the obtained illumination and the reflectance components. Experimental results verify that the fused results can successfully achieve mineral mapping, producing better results qualitatively and quantitatively over single sensor data.

Ross P. Anderson, N. Tosca, R. Gaines et al.

J. Bodinier, G. Vasseur, J. Vernieres et al.

Yurisley Valdes-Mariño, José Nicolás Muñoz-Gómez, Gerardo Antonio Orozco-Melgar et al.

En el sector Camarioca Sur del municipio Moa se han documentado bloques exóticos de rocas metamórficas que no guardan relación con las litologías comunes del complejo ofiolítico y sobre los cuales apenas se desarrolla corteza de meteorización. Esta investigación tuvo el propósito de identificar los rasgos estructurales, texturales y mineralógicos de las rocas componentes de estos bloques para establecer su protolito y ambiente de formación. Se encontró que los protolitos de las rocas metamórficas están constituidos de picro-basalto y basaltos, revelándose por primera vez rocas vulcanógenas ultramáficas metarmorfizadas asociadas a rocas ultramáficas del complejo ofiolítico en el macizo Moa-Baracoa. Se fundamenta el carácter mantélico de las rocas vulcanógenas ultramáficas metamorfizadas, sustentado en la existencia y los contenidos de los elementos químicos: Ni, Cr, Cu, Co, V, Mg y Ti. Asimismo queda corroborado que la génesis de estos basaltos presenta una afinidad con tipo MORB y de arcos de islas, sustentada por los valores de las relaciones entre Al2O3/ TiO2 y CaO/TiO2 obtenidas en este estudio.

S. Morrison, Chao Liu, A. Eleish et al.

Abstract A fundamental goal of mineralogy and petrology is the deep understanding of mineral phase relationships and the consequent spatial and temporal patterns of mineral coexistence in rocks, ore bodies, sediments, meteorites, and other natural polycrystalline materials. The multi-dimensional chemical complexity of such mineral assemblages has traditionally led to experimental and theoretical consideration of 2-, 3-, or n-component systems that represent simplified approximations of natural systems. Network analysis provides a dynamic, quantitative, and predictive visualization framework for employing “big data” to explore complex and otherwise hidden higher-dimensional patterns of diversity and distribution in such mineral systems. We introduce and explore applications of mineral network analysis, in which mineral species are represented by nodes, while coexistence of minerals is indicated by lines between nodes. This approach provides a dynamic visualization platform for higher-dimensional analysis of phase relationships, because topologies of equilibrium phase assemblages and pathways of mineral reaction series are embedded within the networks. Mineral networks also facilitate quantitative comparison of lithologies from different planets and moons, the analysis of coexistence patterns simultaneously among hundreds of mineral species and their localities, the exploration of varied paragenetic modes of mineral groups, and investigation of changing patterns of mineral occurrence through deep time. Mineral network analysis, furthermore, represents an effective visual approach to teaching and learning in mineralogy and petrology.