<P> This thesis is concerned with the investigation of the diffusion controlled reaction between MgO and β-quartz in the temperature range 1200 - 1450 °C in wet and dry atmospheres. The reactions were studied by placing known faces of quartz crystals in direct contact with Mg0 powder, heat treating them, and then investigating the cross sections. The product layer was investigated by both reflected light and thin section metallography, electron - microprobe and X- ray diffraction. Using Wagner's and Schmalzried's ideas on solid state reactions, a theoretical model for the diffusion controlled formation of silicates was developed. With this model, a mechanism for the diffusion controlled formation of forsterite from MgO and β-quartz was advanced. </P> / Thesis / Master of Science (MSc)

From the analysis of fossils, using the cathodoluminescence technique, it is seen that there is a pattern to the luminescence colours exhibited by dolomite, calcite and quartz, depending on the amount of the trace element Mn2+ present in the structure of the minerals. In the experiment dolomite luminesces turquoise blue, calcite luminesces pale pink & bright red, & quartz luminesces sea blue. The calcite and quartz colours agree well with the observation of both Agrell et al. (1965) and Sippel et al. (1965). However, the dolomite luminescence colour definitely agrees better with the colour described by Agrell et al. than with that observed by Sippel et al. Selective replacement of material occurs in Rugosa corals of the Devonian Onondaga formation of Southern Ontario. Quartz replacing material in the cavities of fossils is common, with the fringe wall of the fossil being of calcite as was previously observed by Middleton (1958). The matrix around the fossils consists mainly of quartz and calcite with minor dolomite. A systematic difference in style of replacement (with respect to the various heights from which the fossils came in the section) occurred when considering replacement of the fossils by quartz. Replacement of calcite by quartz followed by slight dolomitization of the matrix in the Onondaga is suggested by luminescence observation. Also suggested by luminescence observations is: 1) Dolomitization by a downward influx of Mg2+ ions, and 2) Homogenous and heterogenous micritic mud fillings in Rugosa corals' cavities. / Thesis / Bachelor of Science (BSc)

<P> The Faymar Gold Property, near Timmins Ontario, is cross-cut by two quartz-carbonate veins. Isotopic measurements of carbon species in fluid inclusions in these quartz-carbonate veins, reveal the presence of CO2 and other light carbon species (eg. CH4). The inclusion contents were liberated using thermal decrepitation. The results obtained are found to vary quite significantly with various periods and temperatures of heating. The most useful results were obtained from samples heated for 5 minutes at 550 °C. The short heating period reduces fractionation and reaction effects. Mass spectrometer measurements of the carbon isotopes reveal that the CO2 and total carbon in the inclusions are characterized by a δ13c of -3.O and -4.7 respectively. A magmatic source for the fluids most easily explains these values. Petrographic observations indicate that secondary inclusions dominate. Thus, the isotopic measurements are of fluids which post-date the deposition of the quartz-carbonate or at least represent a late stage of this process. Since the mineralization in the veins also appears to be secondary to the quartz-carbonate (ie. in fractures), it is possible that the carbon species in the inclusions are distinct of the mineralizing fluids. </p> / Thesis / Bachelor of Science (BSc)

<p> A detailed petrographic, geochemical and strontium isotope study of the rocks representing the variations observed across the Coe Hill granite, Grenville Province, southeastern Ontario provides the basis for the determination of the age and possible origin of this pluton. This study also provides insight into the relationships between similar granitoid plutons in the immediate vicinity.</p> <p> The Coe Hill granite is a medium to coarse grained hypidiomorphic to allotriomorphic, leucocratic quartz monzonite with subordinate isolated inclusions of dioritic and gabbroic gneiss. Variations upon this otherwise homogeneous granitoid occur in discordant aplite dykes, assimilating mafic xenoliths and along brecciated contact boundaries.</p> <p> Generally the rocks of this pluton are more basic than the average for similar granitoids in the area (12.4% vs. 6.0% mafics) as observed in both thin section and major element oxide diagrams. Besides this trend major element diagrams have uniform distributions. A Rb-Sr isochron was determined for the rocks of the pluton proper which gave an age representative of the emplacement of these rocks (t = 1063 ± 21 M.a.; Ri = 0.7040 ± 5). Trace element Rb shows a value similar to the norm for granitoids yet is enriched in comparison to values acquired from similar granitoids in the area (144 ppm vs. 63 ppm).</p> <p> Through a synthesis of the available data, and that which was acquired from this study on the Coe Hill granite, a comparison with the available data on the Loon Lake quartz monzonite can be made. This comparison illustrates a great deal of strikingly similar trends which have been taken to represent a lower crustal, or upper mantle origin, cogenetic relationship between these two granitoids.</p> / Thesis / Bachelor of Science (BSc)

<p> The Buffalo Mine, located in Heyson Township, Red Lake, consists of quartz-tourmaline veins in a grandiorite. An alteration halo, consisting of andesine feldspar, quartz, calcite, with minor tourmaline, zircon, and opaques, is seen surrounding the veins. Opaque minerals consists of pyrite and hematite. Possible Na - overgrowths of the Plagioclase are seen , as well as complete destruction of the mafic minerals. </p> <p> Geochemistry shows that the wall-rock alteration involves the breakdown of Si, Al, Fe, Mg, Na, and K . Si and Al remain fairly constant, while Na and Ca increase and Fe, Mg, and K decrease in abundance. There has been a sufficient input of CO2 to precipitate calcite, as well as Enough sulfur to form pyrite. </p> <p> The initial hydrothermal solutions were high temperature NaCl solutions, enriched in boron and containing some CO2 . The fluids were likely oxidizing and had a neutral pH. </p> / Thesis / Bachelor of Science (BSc)

<p> The Meguma Group is situated in the southeastern and southwestern regions of Nova Scotia. The Meguma Group is divided into two formations: the Goldenville and the Halifax. Both formations are comprised of A and E divisions of the Bouma sequence. Thus, the Meguma Group is a turbidite deposit. Auriferous quartz veins strike parallel to bedding and occur between the lower Bouma cycle's E division and the overlying Bouma cycle's A division. The development of bedding-parallel veins was due to hydraulic fracturing of the Bouma units.</p> <p> The bedding-parallel quartz veins were emplaced at low temperatures, from 260°C to 300°C. The fluid which precipitated the gold-arsenopyrite-quartz veins consisted of a divalent cation salt species (MgCl2) and hydrosulphide ligands which were the main complexing agent of gold.</p> <p> Gold was precipitated due to the reduction of sulphide ligands as they came into contact with the organic-rich slates of the E division of the Bouma sequence. Sulphide reduction was not complete, thus a large concentration of gold remained in solution later to be precipitated with arsenic in arsenopyrite.</p> / Thesis / Bachelor of Science (BSc)

No description available.

This study describes the analysis of orientation of elongate quartz grains in turbidite greywackes of the Normanskill Formation, (Ord.) New York. No relationship is found between grain orientation and sole features of the beds. No relationship exists between grain orientations taken at different levels above the base of the beds. Maximum grain size and maximum elongation decrease upwards in the beds. The most elongate grains are those which most clearly show preferred orientation. / Thesis / Master of Science (MSc)

SiO₂ is the most abundant oxide in the earth and its properties, behaviors and interactions are of immense scientific and technological importance. Of particular importance are the interactions of silica with aqueous fluids because these fluids are present in nearly every natural setting. The dissolution of silica and glass by HF plays a very important role in technology and is widely used for the etching of silica and silicate glasses in the glass industry, in the flint industry, in surface micromachining, in etching of glass fibers for near-field optical probes, in the creation of frosted surfaces for decorative applications like frosted glass and cosmetic vials. I performed 57 batch reactor experiments in acidic fluoride solutions to measure the dissolution rate of quartz. Quartz dissolution rate data from other published studies were combined with the rate data from my experiments and these 75 data were analyzed using multiple linear regression to produce an empirical rate law for quartz r_qz = 10^-4.53 (e^-18932/RT) a_HF^1.18 a_H⁺^-0.39 where -5.13 < a_HF < 1.60, -0.28 < pH < 7.18, and 25 < T < 100 °C. Similarly, 97 amorphous silica dissolution rate data from published studies were analyzed using multiple linear regression to develop an empirical rate law for amorphous silica r_as = 10^0.48 (e^-34243/RT) a_HF^1.50 a_H⁺^-0.46 where -5.13 < a_HF < 1.60, -0.28 < pH < 7.18 and 25 < T < 70 °C. An examination of the empirical rate laws suggests that the rate-determining step in the reaction mechanism involves a coordinated attack of HF and H⁺ on the Si-O bond where the H⁺ ion, acting as a Lewis acid, attacks the bridging O atom, while the F end of a HF molecule, acting as a Lewis base, attacks the Si atom. This allows a redistribution of electrons from the Si-O bond to form a O-H and a Si-FH bond, thus "breaking" the Si-O bond. In order to quantify the effect of fluoride on the dissolution of silica, I also performed a series of 81 quartz dissolution and 20 amorphous silica dissolution experiments in batch reactors over a pH range of 0 to 7 to investigate the effect of H⁺ on silica dissolution rates. Between pH 3.5 and 7 silica dissolution rates are independent of pH, but they increase significantly below pH 3.5, so that the dissolution rate of both quartz and amorphous silica at pH 0 is more than an order magnitude faster than the dissolution rate at pH 3.5. I found that the empirical rate law for the dissolution of the"disturbed surface" of quartz in the pH range of 0 to 3.5 is r_qz,pH = 10^-0.23 (e^-59392/RT) a_H⁺^0.28 where 0 < pH < 3.5 and 25 < T < 55°C. The empirical rate law for amorphous silica dissolution in the pH range 0 to 3.5 is r_qz,pH = 10^0.56 (e^-64754/RT) a_H⁺^0.40 where 0 < pH < 3.5 and 25 < T < 55°C. Based on the empirical rate laws I suggest that the rate-determining step in the reaction mechanism involves a coordinated attack of H₃O⁺, acting as a Lewis acid reacts, on a bridging O atom and the O end of a H₂O, acting as a Lewis base, on the Si atom. This results in a redistribution of electrons from the Si-O bridging bond to form two Si-OH surface species. / Ph. D.

As the two most abundant natural polymers on earth, cellulose and chitin have attracted increasing attention as a source of renewable energy and functional materials. Thin films of cellulose and chitin are useful for studying interactions of these materials with other natural and synthetic molecules via techniques such as quartz crystal microbalance with dissipation monitoring (QCM-D) and surface plasmon resonance (SPR). Because of the difficulty of extracting native cellulose, regenerated cellulose (RC), sulfated nanocrystalline cellulose (SNC), and desulfated nanocrystalline cellulose (DNC) thin films are often studied in its place. In this work, QCM-D solvent exchange studies showed that water contents of RC, SNC and DNC films were proportional to the film thickness (d). Accessibility and degradation of the films was further analyzed via substrate exposure to cellulase. Cellulase adsorption onto RC films was independent of d, whereas cellulase adsorption onto SNC and DNC films increased with d. Enhanced access to guest molecules for SNC and DNC films relative to RC films revealed they are more porous. The porosity of these cellulose films aided in understanding the observed differences of xyloglucan (XG) adsorption onto their surfaces. Xyloglucan adsorption onto RC, SNC, and DNC was studied by QCM-D and SPR. The amount of adsorbed XG increased in the order RC < SNC < DNC. XG adsorption onto RC films was independent of d, whereas XG adsorption was weakly dependent upon d for SNC films and strongly dependent upon d for DNC films. However, XG adsorbed onto "monolayer" thin films of RC, SNC, and DNC in approximately the same amount. These results suggested that the morphology and surface charge of the cellulose substrate had a limited effect upon XG adsorption and that accessible surface area of the cellulose film may be the factor leading to apparent differences in XG adsorption for different surfaces. The porosity and surface charge of SNC films presented a unique opportunity to examine polyelectrolyte adsorption and subsequent dewatering of the SNC substrate. The adsorption of a series of cationically derivatized dextran (cDex) polyelectrolytes with various degrees of substitution (DS) onto SNC was studied using QCM-D and SPR. As the hydrophobic character of the cDex samples increased, the water content of the adsorbed cDex layer decreased. For cDex with the greatest hydrophobic content, nearly 50% by mass of the initial water present in the porous SNC film was removed upon cDex adsorption. This study indicated that the water content of the film could be tailored by controlling the DS and hydrophobic character of the polyelectrolyte. This work also presents the first report of smooth, homogeneous, ultrathin chitin films, opening the door to surface studies of binding interactions, adsorption kinetics, and enzymatic degradation. The chitin films were formed by spincoating trimethylsilyl chitin onto gold or silica substrates, followed by regeneration to a chitin film. The utility of these chitin films as biosensors was evident from QCM-D and SPR studies that revealed bovine serum albumin adsorbed as a monolayer. / Ph. D.