Jämtlands berggrund består till stora delar av sedimentära bergarter som har genomgått olika grader av metamorfos under den kaledoniska orogenesen. I Östersunds centrala delar påträffas nästan enbart svartskiffer med låg metamorfosgrad. På flera platser i Östersund har det uppkommit skador på byggnader till följd av svällning i skiffern. Svällning uppstår när berggrunden exponeras för luft och vatten. Pyrit och kalcit som finns i skiffern reagerar och bildar gips, vilket orsakar volymökning. Under arbetet genomfördes laborativt svällförsök, där en del av proverna hölls torrt medan en del fuktades. Proverna undersöktes vidare med röntgendiffraktion för att kvantifiera mineralhalter. Svällförsöket genomfördes i syfte att utveckla en metod för bedömning av svällrisk i projekteringsskede för nya anläggningar i berg. För att förhindra skador till följd av svällning har flertal åtgärder testats, där försöken har inneburit att stänga ute syre från berggrunden genom att hålla berggrunden under grundvattennivån eller på olika sätt försegla exponerade bergytor. Det finns flertal faktorer som påverkar svällbenägenhet, i arbetet diskuteras bland annat påverkan av svavelhalt, pH och temperatur. Slutligen observerades <0,1wt% gips i samtliga prover från undersökningsområdet genom XRD analys, samtliga prover hade även en låg halt av pyrit och magnetkis. De låga halterna och standardavvikelse för analysmetoden medförde att skillnad i mineralogi före och efter utfört svällförsök ej kunde påvisas. Det är fortsatt viktigt att ha i åtanke att berggrunden i området har rätt förutsättningar för svällning även om resultaten inte visar någon skillnad i gipshalt före och efter utfört svällförsök. / Jämtlands bedrock mainly consists of sedimentary rocks that has been metamorphosed during the Caledonian orogenesis. In the central parts of Östersund almost only black shale with a low grade of metamorphism is encountered. Damages on buildings has occurred due to swelling in shale in several places in Östersund. Swelling occurs when the bedrock is exposed to water and air. Pyrite and Calcite in the shale reacts and forms gypsum, which causes volume expansion. During this study laboratory swelling tests were performed, where one part of the samples was kept dry while the other part was exposed to water. The samples were examined with x-ray diffraction to quantify the mineral content. The swelling tests were performed with the purpose of evaluating XRD as a method for predicting the swelling risk in the early stage of planning for new facilities in the bedrock.To prevent damages caused by swelling several methods have been tested, where the attempts included shutting out oxygen from the bedrock by keeping it below the ground water level and by sealing the rock surface in different ways. There are multiple factors that affects the swelling risk, this work discusses influence from sulfur content, pH and temperature. Lastly <0,1wt% gypsum was observed in all samples from the survey area through XRD analysis, a low amount of pyrite and pyrrhotite was also seen in all samples. The low amounts in combination with standard deviation in the analysis made it difficult to prove any difference in mineralogy due to the swelling tests. Hence it is still important to keep in mind that the bedrock in the area has the right conditions for swelling even though the results show no difference in the amount of gypsum between the dry and wet samples.

High nitrogen discharge from mining sites has been an environmental issue that has been closely studied in the recent years. The environmental effects of high nitrogen discharge are mainly eutrophication, but can also lead to changed species composition and algae blooms. Nitrogen is a highly abundant element and is the most abundant element in the atmosphere, where 78% by volume is present as dinitrogen (N2 ). Nitrogen is present in reduced form in all organic life as ammonium (NH4 + ). Nitrogen is also present in reduced form as nitrate (NO3 - ) or nitrite (NO2 - ) in most aquatic systems.  Both nitrate and ammonium is contributing to eutrophication problems worldwide and ammonia (NH3 ) is direct toxic in high concentration to certain sensitive aquatic species. Nitrate in high concentration is also direct toxic, both to humans but also to aquatic biota.  To trace and quantify different nitrogen transforming processes, their sources and their sinks is called tracing nitrogen cycling and is important due to the environmental effect of nitrogen. Nitrogen is available in many different species and oxidation states which all have their respective geochemistry. This thesis focuses on tracing the complex nitrogen cycle in two different cold climate mining systems in northern Sweden using two different methods. The two studied systems are: The LKAB underground iron ore mine in Kiruna Boliden Minerals AB open pit copper ore mine Aitik outside Gällivare  Two different approaches were used to trace the nitrogen cycling. The LKAB Kiruna mine was investigated using stable nitrogen isotopes. The isotope analysis showed high capability to trace nitrogen cycling, both quantative and qualitative. We also showed the origin of the isotope signals which gives indication to the different sources of nitrogen in the mine. The presented study shows presence of nitrification, ammonium volatilization and ammonium adsorption to waste rock to occur in the water transport system.  The nitrogen cycling in the Boliden Aitik mine was investigated using a nitrogen model which we developed as part of this thesis. The model is based on Yakushevs Redox Layer model (ROLM). The model contains the state variables ammonium, nitrate, nitrite, plankton, phosphate, dead organic material (both particulate and dissolved) as well as oxygen. The nitrogen concentrations in the Boliden Aitik mine was modeled for the clarification pond and showed, in general, low biological activity. The biological mediated reactions such as nitrification, denitrification, phytoplankton growth and grazing were low in relation to natural lake systems

This thesis focuses on frothy, felsic xenoliths called ‘xenopumice’, that were retrieved from La Palma during a 10–day field campaign in December 2018. There are only few descriptions of these frothty xenoliths, and a consensus on their origin has not yet been achieved. Furthermore, the xenopumice–bearing vents of the pre–historic eruption of Las Indias and the 1949 eruption of Cumbre Vieja have experienced explosive phreatomagmatism, implying a possible connection between the presence of xenopumice and high–energy volcanism. The sampled suite consists of 18 xenopumice specimens and one ash sample from Las Indias, 11 xenoliths and one ash sample from the 1949 eruption, as well as 8 samples of phonolitic xenoliths and one lava sample from the 1585 Jedey eruption. The mineralogy, textural features, elemental composition, and oxygen isotopes show discrepancy between the sampled xenopumices. The samples from Las Indias and two samples from the 1949 eruption are quartz bearing. These samples have furthermore a high silica content (64 to 74 SiO2 wt. %) and high oxygen isotope ratios of 11.1 to 18.3 ‰, coinciding with typical values of sedimentary rock. The remaining samples from the 1949 eruption comprise mainly feldspars, with some samples showing 120° triple junction grain boundaries. These samples have SiO2 concentrations from 50 to 64 wt. %, and oxygen isotope ratios that range from 3.4 to 11.7 ‰, which compare more closely with magmatic rather than with sedimentary protoliths. REE distribution trends display a similar compositional spectrum for all quartz bearing xenopumice samples, which are similar to average the REE content of continental crust. From these results it is proposed that the quartz bearing xenopumice are of sedimentary origin, while the feldspar–rich samples are primarily igneous rocks associated with the formation of La Palma. The frothy texture of the investigated xenopumice implies substantial degassing and expansion in the magmatic conduit of ca. 13 to 34 %. Such intense gas release may have profound effects on the eruptive mechanisms and styles, as it might increase the risk of explosive activity. For future risk assessment on La Palma and the other Canary Islands it is thus important to understand magma storage and potential interaction with surrounding bedrock, as this can cause an otherwise calm, mafic eruption to become explosive in nature. / La Palma är en c. 2 miljoner år gammal vulkanö som tillhör ökedjan Kanarieöarna. Den här studien fokuserar på felsiska, pimpstensliknande xenoliter som hämtats från La Palma. Xenolit betyder främmande sten, vilket innebär att de inte formats på samma sätt som lavan som burit dem till ytan. Hur de felsiska xenoliterna från La Palma formats och vart de kommer från, är frågor som inte besvarats förut. Förekomsten av felsiska xenoliter kan dessutom kopplas samman med utbrott av explosiv karaktär. La Palma har generellt inte explosiv vulkanism, så därför är denna koppling mycket intressant. Projektets syfte är därmed att avgöra vart xenoliterna kommer ifrån, hur de kan ha påverkat utbrottet, och om det finns en koppling mellan explosiva utbrott och formationen av felsiska xenoliter. Från analyser av xenoliternas mineralogi och kemiska sammansättning, är det tydligt att inte alla xenoliter har samma ursprung. Vissa består främst av fältspater, och har en kemisk sammansättning som mer liknar magmatisk sten. De andra proverna innehåller kvarts och har höga syreisotopvärden, vilket indikerar ett sedimentärt ursprung, då kvarts primärt inte formas genom magmatiska processer på Kanarieöarna. Den pimpstensliknande texturen hos både magmatiska och sedimentära xenoliter, indikerar att gas har bildats när xenoliterna togs upp av magman. En sådan gasbildning kan kraftigt öka trycket i magmakammaren och orsaka explosiva utbrott, vilket tyder på att förekomsten av de pimpstensliknande xenoliterna från La Palma kan ha påverkat det resulterande utbrottet. För att i framtiden bättre kunna avgöra den potentiella risken som ett utbrott utgör, måste interaktionen mellan kringliggande berg och magma studeras noggrannare.

A new Ph.D research project was started early October into the Department of Civil, Environmental and Natural Resources Engineering at Luleå University of Technology (LTU) by Sarah CONRAD under the direction of Johan INGRI. The part of this project in which I participed was the determination of the concentration of Fe (II) by flow injection analysis using chemiluminescence in the Bothnia Bay. The missions were to handle the instrument and the software and to prepare also some sample standards for the calibration of the FIA. The stream water is first sampled and filtered. Then the water, containing either just the natural iron in the water or after addition of artificial iron, is analyzed by flow injection analysis in combination with luminol. The results are saved on the laptop and interpreted later. The experiments were performed on both the field and the laboratory of the University. / <p>Validerat; 20131008 (global_studentproject_submitter)</p>

I Svappavaara har förhöjda halter av uran med avseende på löst fas påträffats i det vatten sombräddas från industriområdet. Halterna av uran överstiger Havs och vattenmyndighetensbedömningsgrunder för utsläpp av särskilt förorenande ämnen till sötvatten. LKAB måstedärför minska utsläppen av uran till recipienten och utvärderar därför hur detta bör utföras.Detta examensarbete utfördes som en del av detta projekt för LKAB och skrevs på distans frånLuleå Tekniska Universitet. Tidigare studier som LKAB utfört har funnit att halten uran med avseende på löst fas iprocessvattnet minskar inom Svappavaaras processvattensystem innan bräddning, vilket tyderpå att fastläggning av uran sker, men var eller hur har inte kunnat beskrivas. LKAB hartillhandahållit data för lösta halter från sitt regelbundna kontrollprogram från perioden 2016-2021 då provtagning utfördes ungefär en gång per månad. Data har kompletterats som en delav examensarbetet och en provtagningsplan för vatten (löst och ofiltrerat), suspenderat materialoch fast material inom Svappavaaras processvattensystem har tagits fram. Samtliga proveranalyserades för halter av 72 grundämnen vid ALS Scandinavias laboratorium i Luleå.Elektrisk konduktivitet, pH, alkalinitet samt anjoner analyserades av LKABs internamiljölaboratorium, temperatur mättes i fält. Haltdata användes för att studerakoncentrationsförändringar mellan provpunkterna och mellan fast respektive löst fas.Förändring i koncentration studerades sedan för att identifiera processteg där en tydligfasförändring sker. Provtagningen bidrog inte med tillräcklig information för att verifiera ettexakt processteg där uran minskar med avseende på löst fas samtidigt som det ökar i fast fas. Data bekräftar att ingående uran till Svappavaaras processvattensystem är i löst- eller kolloidalfas och inte suspenderad- eller fast fas. Samtidigt kan en massbalans beräknad medmodellerade flöden påvisa att den totala ingående mängden uran är något högre än denutgående. Massbalansen är utförd för både fasta och lösta faser. Uran i löst fas korrelerar medalkalinitet och i viss grad med temperatur samt pH inom Svappavaaras processvattensystem. Modellering av SI (Saturation Index), aktiviteter för de analyserade grundämnena och vanligtförekommande mineral har utförts och visar att inga rena uranmineral sannolikt bildas inomprocessen. Mineral som gips skulle enligt modellerade data kunna bildas i anrikningssandenoch uran kan i vissa fall samutfälla med gips. Vid en kort SEM session kunde korn avkalciumsulfat identifieras i anrikningssanden, utan mätbara halter av uran. Modellering ochanalys av data har utförts i Microsoft Excel, PhreeqC Interactive och The Geochemist’sWorkbench. / In Svappavaara elevated dissolved concentrations of uranium have been found in the processwater that is being discharged from the industry area. The uranium concentrations areelevated compared to the standards set by the Swedish Sea and Water authority, whichgoverns the assessment criteria for release of particularly polluting substances to sweet water.For that reason, LKAB must decrease their release of dissolved uranium to their recipient andare evaluating how this is best done. This thesis is written as a part of that work for LKABand is written from Luleå Technical University. Earlier studies performed by LKAB has shown that the concentration of uranium leavingtheir system is lower than the one entering it with respect to dissolved phase only. But whythis is the case and where inside the process the uranium is stuck has not been possible todescribe, which is the aim of this project. LKAB has distributed data for dissolved phasesfrom their regular control sampling between the years 2016-2021, which is sampled monthly.This data was supplemented as a part of this project and a sampling plan was made for water(dissolved and unfiltered), suspended and solid material within Svappavaara process system.All samples where chemically analysed for 72 elements at ALS Scandinavia’s laboratory inLuleå. Electrical conductivity, pH, alkalinity and anions were analysed at the internalenvironmental lab at LKAB, temperature was measured in the field. The data was then usedto study and compare the difference in concentration between solid and dissolved phases toidentify a step in the process where a change is shown. However, the sampling was notsufficient to verify an exact step in the process where a dissolved phase decreases while asolid increases. The sampled data could however show that the uranium entering the process in Svappavaarawas in true dissolved phase or colloidal and not suspended or solid. A mass balance based onmodelled flows shows that the total amount of uranium entering the system is slightly higherthan the one leaving it. The mass balance is done for both dissolved and solid phases.Uranium has also in the dissolved phase been strongly correlated to alkalinity and to a degreealso temperature and pH within the process. Modelling of saturation indices (SI), activities for analysed elements and commonlyoccurring minerals has also been done, which shows that no pure uranium minerals should beformed within the Svappavaara process. However, minerals such as gypsum could accordingto the model precipitate within the tailings and uranium could in some cases coprecipitatetogether with gypsum. At a short SEM session calcium-sulphate grains could be identifiedwithin the tailings, without traceable uranium concentrations. Modelling and the analysis ofdata has been done within Microsoft Excel, PhreeqC interactive and The Geochemist’sWorkbench.

Waste rock piles from coal mining of tertiary bituminous coal in Longyearbyen, Svalbard, show sulfide oxidation and subsequent acid mine drainage (AMD) production. The aim was to establish deeper understanding of AMD prediction based on Mineralogy and Geochemistry of coal and AMD samples. Mineralogical investigation of both coal and rock samples was performed with Automated SEM (ZEISS-Sigma VP300-Mineralogic System) as well as RAMAN. ICP-MS analysis was performed on solid and water samples. The pH from in situ measurements of AMD between 2,5-7,0. Eh varied from 222-569 mV (corresponding pe value of 3,7-9,6). This study showed that time of AMD in an oxidative environment was a key factor in iron concentration and iron speciation the AMD. This could not however be concluded in terms of age of mine site but rather the site-specific setting. The main minerals found in coal samples were pyrite (FeS2), siderite (FeCO3), calcite (CaCO3) and apatite (Ca5(PO4)3). Pyrites were identified with framboidal and euhedral textures and were found inside the maceral matter and in over- and underlying rocks respectively. SEM analysis of coal samples indicated that the modes of mineral formation was changing over the course of the Longyear seam. This study found that framboidal or euhedral textures of pyrite had different impacts in the AMD production. Framboidal pyrite was found to generate a greater amount of acidity than euhedral pyrites due to larger specific surface area and could therefore pose larger problems in AMD management.

Shallow marine environments from the Lower Cambrian period were very different to shallow marine environments of today. Tubes of what was thought to be silica recovered from a partly dolomitized carbonate sample collected form a site near Indian Springs, Nevada could help further understand the chemistry and characteristics of such environments. The aim of this study is to present a detailed morphological description of the tubular structures found in the rock sample as well as to give a description of the environment in which they were produced. This was achieved by first studying the samples with several different analytical techniques including Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM) and Energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDS) and subsequent evaluation of the obtained data. This resulted in the discovery that the tubular structures have a wall mainly consisting of non-detrital silica crystals. The crystals are arranged in string-like structures which overlap to form tube walls of varying thicknesses. The observed tubular structures are typically straight and ca. 0,23 to 0,25 mm long, but slightly curved and rare bifurcating tubes were also seen. The elemental mapping of a thin section of tubes showed that the wall-forming crystals consist mainly of silica (SiO2), however, small concentrations of calcium (Ca) were found inside many of the silica crystals leading to the conclusion that positive calcium ions may have acted as a seed for the silica crystals. A comparison of the tubular structures with other tubular fossils of the same geological time period is presented as well as a discussion of whether the specimens are of biological origin, and consequently a biosignature, as these could be used in future research when studying material from other planetary bodies. / Grunda marinmiljöer i nedre Kambrium var väldigt annorlunda från grunda marinmiljöer som finns idag. Små rör av vad som hypotiserades vara kiseloxid upptäckta i en dolomitiserad kalkstenstuff från Indian Springs, Nevada skulle kunna hjälpa att förstå kemin inblandad i bildandet av dessa samt bildningsmiljön i mer detalj. Syftet med detta projekt är att presentera en detaljerad morfologisk beskrivning av dessa rör samt försöka beskriv miljön i vilken de bildades. Undersökningen gjorde genom att först studera rören med olika mikroskoperingsmetoder inklusive ett optiskt mikroskop samt med ett svepelektronmikroskop (SEM), sedan analyserades proverna med Energidispersiv röntgenspektroskopi (EDS) för att detektera och kartera de grundämnena som fanns i rören. Resultaten av dessa metoder är att rören är cylindriska eller cigarrformade samt har en väggstruktur av kiseldioxidkristaller som sitter ihop som strängar av pärlor. Rören är huvudsakligen raka och har en längd på mellan 0,23 och 0,25mm, även böjda och förgrenade rör hat hittats, dock var mer sällsynta än de raka. Den kemiska analysen av ett tunnslip på några rör visade att de består till mestadels av kiseldioxid (SiO2) men koncentrationer av kalcium (Ca) hittades som indikerar att dessa kanske agerade som små frön för kiseldioxid att växa runt. En jämförelse av dessa rör med andra liknande fossilmed samma struktur och från samma tidsperiod är presenterad samt en diskussion kring rören som biosignatur och dess potentiella biologiskt ursprung samt användning i framtida forskning inom ämnet.

In marine ecosystems around the world, iron (Fe) is a well-studied and important trace element which has been found to stimulate phytoplankton and cyanobacteria growth, as well as limit nitrogen fixation and being essential for Legionella pneumophila which is known as the main cause of Legionnaires’ disease. Fe also contributes to the brownification of freshwater and has recently been documented to increase in concentration in rivers in Sweden. The aim of this study was to investigate the link between Fe and humic substances (HS) in rivers and a coastal area in the northern Baltic Sea. In late winter, surface samples from rivers and the coast were analyzed for Fe, HS, dissolved organic carbon (DOC), pH, salinity, and temperature. Overall, the results showed a positive correlation between Fe and HS, indicating a terrestrial input of Fe. Other variables affecting Fe and HS including pH, salinity, and temperature were analyzed using principal component analysis (PCA), which showed spatial variations between river and coastal samples. Fe is known to be transported in water as two main carrier phases, Fe-OM complexes and Fe-oxyhydroxides. Which carrier phase is the most contributing depends on multiple factors, including catchment characteristics, seasonal variations, and water chemistry. Understanding the link between Fe and HS in land-sea transitional areas is important since terrestrial Fe is identified as a source of bioavailable Fe in marine waters such as the Baltic Sea.

No description available.

After mineral exploitation the residual grinded and milled material, rich in sulphide minerals and heavy metals, is often left exposed to the atmospheric variables. This weathered mine waste material can lead to the formation of acid mine drainage (AMD) which has negative effects to the environment. The fractionation of stable isotope of metals such as Cu and Fe can be measured using innovative analytical techniques developed recently and could offer a detailed hindsight of the geochemical processes occurring in mine contaminated sites. Tailings profiles from Northern Sweden with high content of Cu and Fe sulphides and in different stages of weathering and/or remediation, along with plant and soil samples from a phytoremediation test site in Ronneburg, Germany were analysed using MC-ICP-MS to measure the isotope ratios of 65Cu/63Cu and 56Fe/54Fe. The analytical method used requires anion exchange chromatography to extract Cu and Fe from a complex matrix prior to the proper isotope ratio measurement. The samples from the tailings profile were useful to interpret the geochemical processes that can lead to a fractionation of Cu and Fe in the field, since redox-driven reactions such as rock oxidation and mineral precipitation are present in such environment. This study shows that precipitation of covellite in a redox-boundary zone in a mine tailings can cause a clear fractionation of Cu (Δ65Curock-covellite= -5.66±0.05‰) and a depletion of the lighter Cu isotope in the oxidised areas of the tailings due to dissolution of the remaining Cu-sulphides. Precipitation of Fe(oxy)hydroxides as a result of the oxidation process of sulphide-bearing rocks can also fractionate Fe, being the precipitated mineral slightly enriched in 56Fe.The influence of soil bacteria and plant uptake in the fractionation of Cu and Fe was investigated in pot and field experiments at the Ronneburg site, where organic amendments were used. The results showed that the plant material was enriched in the lighter Fe isotope compared to the substrate used in the pot and field experiments, in spite of the application of a bacterial consortium. Cu isotope fractionation is more susceptible to the changes in the amendments used, being those bacterial consortium, mychorriza or compost than Fe isotope fractionation. There are differences in the fractionation values in pot and field trials, regardless of the type of organic amendment applied. As an overall view, leaves are enriched in the heavier Cu isotope compared to the soils, regardless of the amendment usedThe application of the results obtained in this work would help not only to offer a view in the cycle of Fe and Cu in the surface environment, and the understanding of the (bio)geochemical processes occurring in sulphide soil surfaces. But also in the way that current remediation techniques of metal contaminated sites could be evaluated, having in mind that simplified systems show a different Cu and Fe fractionation compared to natural systems where more variables are needed to take into account.