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Open File Report 2019-03, Economic heavy minerals on the continental shelf offshore of Virginia - new insights into the mineralogy, particle sizes, and critical element chemistry
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Your Price: $0.00
Model
Number: 3028
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by Lassetter, W.L., and Blanchette, J.S., 2019, 33 p. plus Appendices.
A total of 63 marine sediment samples were analyzed for heavy minerals during 2016-19. The samples were gathered as part of the BOEM-sponsored Atlantic Sand Assessment Project (ASAP) and the Virginia Offshore Wind Technology Advancement Project (VOWTAP). Grain size analysis of the bulk samples provided mean ɸ values for the sediments, which averaged ɸM = 2.45, indicating predominantly fine grained sand textures that are suitable for beach nourishment. For all samples, the THM content averaged 0.60 wt% (dry weight percent of the total sample), with individual samples ranging from 0.01 wt% up to 1.94 wt%. Modal mineralogical analysis showed ilmenite to be the predominant heavy mineral, averaging 23.5 wt% of THM, followed by rutile 8.7 wt%, and zircon 3.7 wt%. The sum of economic minerals in the concentrates averaged 40.5 wt% of THM.
Major-oxide and trace element geochemical analysis of the THM concentrates indicated significant enrichments in critical elemental commodities including Ti, Zr, REE, Cr, Hf, In, Nb, Sn, Ta, U, V, and W. The chondrite-normalized patterns of REE concentrations in particular provide valuable insight for further investigations of the geospatial distributions and transport processes of the minerals in the offshore environment.
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