The adsorption of Selenium by δ - MnO₂ was studied under varying pH conditions and amounts of adsorber.  The methods of analysis for trace amounts of selenium included those of colorimetry and gamma ray spectroscopy.  Of the two methods the latter proved to be the most effective in terms of precision, accuracy and conciseness.

The adsorption of selenium on δ - MnO₂ was adequately described through the use of the Langmuir isotherm equation.  The pH conditions varied from 2.0, 3.5, 5.0 to 8.0 with an increase of pH, the ability of the - MnO₂ to absorb selenium decreased.  It is proposed that this is primarily due to an increased electrostatic repulsion on - MnO₂ surface with increasing pH.

The surface area of δ - MnO₂ was determined using the BET - Kr method and was found to be 156 m²/gm. with increasing amounts of adsorber the ability to adsorb more selenium increased.  When the amount adsorbed per gram was calculated it was seen to decrease with an increase in the amount of adsorber.  This is probably due to an increase in the number of available sites with a greater amount of adsorber.  This trend was observed at pH levels of 2.0 and 8.0 and the acidic conditions showed the best results.  The ability of δ - MnO₂ to adsorb a certain amount of selenium regardless of pH conditions may infer the adsorption mechanism is a two-stage mechanism.  This would include an initial site filling and release of Mn²⁺ or H⁺ which would then result in a change of surface character.  The trends seen with selenium adsorption by δ - MnO₂ closely paralleled those of adsorption by ferrous hydroxide, montmorillonite and kaolinite.

Anisotropy of magnetic susceptibility in rocks has been previously demonstrated to be related to strain.  The magnitude ellipsoid of magnetic susceptibility in a rock generally has its principal axes coincident with the axes of the ellipsoid finite strain.

In this study, the development of magnetic fabric was observed in an easily deformable medium (plasticene) which may simulate the development of magnetic fabric rock.

Magnetite, chlorite, and quartz sand were added to the plasticene in a number of experiments to alter the susceptibility of the plasticene "matrix".

The principal axes of the susceptibility ellipsoid were related to experimental deformation conditions.  These experiments showed that anisotropy of magnetic susceptibility increases with strain and that the principal axes of susceptibility are approximately coincident with the principal axes of strain.

The susceptibility of the maximum and minimum axes for approximately homogeneously deformed plasticene were shown to increase linearly from a point of isotropic fabric with increasing magnetite content (Henry's relationship).

Addition of quartz sand to plasticene resulted in a decrease in susceptibility which may be a linear function of sand content.

Calcite petrofabrics align easily with weak strains, possibly being the most sensitive classical petrofabric indicator.  Thus, calcareous sediments may reveal stress trajectories in neotectonic environments.  Calcite aligns by crystal-plastic deformation and pressure solution to produce corresponding alignments in accessory clay minerals and magnetite (possibly fossil-bacterial).  Their alignments are rapidly and precisely detected by anisotropy of low field magnetic susceptibility (AMS).  These net magnetic fabrics blend diamagenetic contributions from matrix calcite (diamagnetic bulk susceptibility k ~ -14 mSI), accessory clay minerals (k = 100 to 500 mSI) and trace magnetite (k >2 SI).  Considering their relative abundances and different anisotropies, their orientation distributions of AMS axes are sensibly interpreted as paleostress trajectories in Neogene and Quaternary strata at the regional and sub-area level (each ~400km²  and ~30 km² respectively).  The AMS axes may be correlated with the orientation of faults, platemotion vectors and seismic solutions.  A large sample (1090 specimens from 419 sites) was treated by different statistical approaches ("standardization") to emphasize or suppress the contribution of sub-fabrics with anomalous mean susceptibility.  A sub-sample of 254 specimens from 219 sites, from different sub-areas was also investigated by anisotropy of anhysteretic remanence (AARM), which isolates the orientation distributions of magnetite.  AMS and AARM magnetic fabrics are mostly of the L-S kind with the magnetic lineations compatible with gravitational stretching of the sedimentary cover away from the Troodos massif and orthogonal to the strike of principal faults and graben.  The L-direction (k_MAX) shows a smooth variation in orientation, through the sub-areas, directed radially from the Troodos massif and the S-components of the magnetic fabrics are inclined gently to the bedding, compatible with vergence toward the Cyprean Arc that lies offshore to the South and South-West of Cyprus.

From the original set of 1090 specimens, two smaller sets of samples were further studied using different magnetic techniques to examine differences in magnetic mineralogy and granulometry in different lithologies and through time.

The first set of 100 specimens was divided into pelagic and non-pelagic sub-sets and microhysteresis showed that these samples contained magnetite in the appropriate size ranges for simply interpretable AMS fabrics ("normal fabrics") and also exhibited possible contributions from titanomagnetite (TM₆₀) in the non-pelagic samples.

A sub-set of 55 samples in stratigraphic sequence with approximately known age determinations (54-6 Ma) shows systematic variations in bulk susceptibility (k), anhysteretic susceptibility (kARM), saturation isothermal remanence (SIRM), and thermal demagnetization unblocking temperatures (T_UB).  Some combinations of these magnetic parameters have demonstrated that TM₆₀ is present in appreciable amounts in the youngest of the Cyprus limestones (due to uplift and early erosion of the Troodos massif), and in some of the oldest rocks (due to distal submarine volcanism).  Furthermore, the lack of TM₆₀ in the middle of the sequence and the magnetic granulometry shows that magnetotactic bacteria dominate the chalk units of Cyprus.

This thesis examines a small area of the Neohelikian Alkali Coldwell Complex.  The area is located on the west shore of the Coldwell Peninsula.  The Complex is composed of three intrusive events and is emplaced in an Archean metavolcanic belt.

The rocks of the thesis area, wholly contained in the second intrusive event, are divided into two types: biotite nepheline gabbro and alkali feldspar foid syenite.  The syenitic phase intrudes the gabbro and is either layered or massive.  The layered sections of the syenite contain numerous sedimentary-like structures (cross laminations, convoluted laminations, current troughs, flame structures, load pillows and slump structures).

Detailed mapping and petrologic examination lead to the hypothesis of surge-type density currents with minor gravity settling being the mode of formatin of the layers and sedimentary-like structures.

The Big Beaver House Carbonatite Complex is an orbicular-shaped intrusion emplaced into granitoid rocks of the Gods Lake Subprovince of the Archean Superior Province of the Canadian Shield.  Rocks of the complex may be divided into five lithologic categories based on model composition.

Cathodoluminescence (CL) is a non-destructive process by which visible radiation is emitted from the surface of some materials when charged electrons supplied by a cathode ray gun excite electrons in the sample to higher-energy levels.  Photons are emitted as electrons return to lower-energy levels.  The wavelength and frequency of light emitted is characteristic of the element causing activation.

CL techniques are useful in locating zircon and calzirtite.  The activator causing CL in these zircons is presumed to be Dy³⁺.  Zonation and fracture control of apatite grains is prominent.  The relative concentrations of Dy³⁺ to Sm³⁺ may be determined by comparing the spectral emission peaks.  50% of the Big River House Carbonatite Complex apatites produce spectral emissions consistent with Dy³⁺ domination.  Details of carbonate veinlets are apparent using CL techniques.  Multiple generations of carbonate terminate with a late influx of Fe carbonate.  REEs could be causing activation in the Big Beaver House Carbonatite Complex calcites.  There may be domination of Dy³⁺ activation associated with pyroxenite.

Two cores of Late Quaternary lacustrine sediments from Lake Erie were collected.  Sedimentation in Lake Erie may have been affected by the Nipissing Transgression and a geomagnetic excursion, named the Erieau excursion, was present in both cores ending between 7,800 to 8,000 years B.P.

The Aphebian Rove Formation, located within the Southern Province of the Canadian Shield, is transected by a steeply dipping northeast trending fracture zone named the "Mainland Belt" by Oja (1966).  Within this belt are the Rabbit Mountain Group of silver mines, the Beaver Junior mine being a member, situated about 30 miles ESE of Thunder Bay, Ontario.  A detailed mapping, structural, and sampling project was undertaken within the vicinity of a 40 foot vertical section of diabase cap rock over argillic shale, and a 50 foot adit driven along strike of the Big Harry Vein, one of the two veins which constitute this mine.  The Big Harry vein was found to be a ten inch wide, calcite-quartz vein emplaced in a steeply dipping ENE striking fault with an apparent vertical displacement of ten feet.  Its attitude is correlatable with joint maxima in the host rock.  Joint maxima is also correlatable with that at Rabbit Mountain and Pigeon Point, Minnesota.  The mode of deposition is fracture-filling as indicated by textural evidence.  The ore minerals exhibit complex primary and replacement texturals.  Mineralization includes native silver, acanthite, allemontite (?), sphalerite, galena chalcopyrite and alteration minerals including smithsonite, cerussite, and covellite.  Gangue minerals are calcite, quartz, fluorite, and plagioclase.  Vertical and lateral zonation, and a paragenetic sequence are evident.

Phlogopite mineral separates from five samples of lamproite, three MARID suite rocks, and a sample of metasomatized lherzolite were studied with respect to major and trace elements as determined by instrumental neutron activation analysis.

High K/Cs ratios and similar K/Ba and Rb/Cs ratios were found in lamproitic samples whereas lower K/Cs and more variable ratios were found in MARID suite micas.  The elements Rb, K, Mn, and Co were similar but Sc, Cr, Cs, and Ba were significantly different for phlogopites from these two rock suites.  Most noteworthy are Cs and Ba, the former being less abundant in lamproites due to its large ionic radius and volatile nature, which is believed to be indicative of source differences between these rocks and those of MARID suite composition.  Any possible relationship must be complex in order to account for variations in geochemical nature found with respect to phlogopite mineral separates.

In addition, amphibole and clinopyroxene mineral separates were prepared from the MARID suite samples.  These were analysed for REE by radiochemical neutron activation analysis using the oxalate precipitation method.  Instumental neutron activation analysis data was used in the determination of chemical yield for this experiment.

Similar REE distribution patterns were produced to those determined by Kramers et al. (1983).  The clinopyroxenes contain a much higher absolute abundance of the REE and define a much wider range of REE enrichment than was obtained by Kramers et al. (1983).  Two liquids of different REE content but with similar elemental ratios are thought to have generated the MARID suite composition.  This is believed to have occurred by open system crystallization with loss of a fugitive phase from an intital melt approximating kimberlite composition (Kramers et al., 1983).

Orientation distributions of crystals were determined for 291 samples of the Sheeted Dike Complex of the Troodos ophiolite, located on the island of Cyprus.  These were inferred from anisotropy of magnetic susceptibility (AMS), anisotropy of anhysteretic remanent magnetism (AARM), and natural remanent magnetism (NRM).  From these data the dispersion of magmatic flow fabrics with a mild tectonic overprint were recognized.

The study area (~60km²) is located near the Arakapas Fault Belt (AFB), a fossil transform fault in the Western Limassol Forest Complex, which was responsible for the tectonic overprint.

The predominantly magmatic AMS fabrics combine normal, inverse, and tectonic components, making the interpretation of magmatic flow ambiguous.  NRM vectors, both before and after low-temperature demagnetization (LTD), generally trend north, and show an anticlockwise tectonic offset progressively with distance from the AFB.  AARM fabrics do define magmatic flow in the dikes, which in all sub-areas was steeply up and to the southwest.  This indicates that the magma chamber that fed these dikes must have been located somewhere to the north (present co-ordinates) of the study area.  These results imply localized magma chambers, thereby supporting the slow-spreading origin of the Troodos crust.

The investigation of the Magnetite-Olivine Gabbro unit within the Eastern Gabbro of the Coldwell Alkaline Complex was carried out in order to determine whether the Magnetite-Olivine Gabbro unit was petrogenetically related to the EG.  Petrographic analysis of the mineral phases and textures of the newly defined magnetite-olivine coarse grained gabbro was undertaken to determine if it is a subunit of the Easter Gabbro or petrogenetically a separate unit similar to other gabbro units in the area, such as the Geordie Lake Intrusion or the Two Duck Lake Intrusion.  Petrographicly the Magnetite-Olivine Gabrro is a distinct unit showing an increases grain size, magnetite banding, plagioclase alignment and mineral components which are not seen in the Eastern Gabbro such as biotite, apatite and chalcopyrite.  Using SEM-EDX, both the Eastern Gabbro and the Magenetite-Oliving Gabbro were analyzed revealing that all major components were compositionally similar suggesting the same parent magma.  Relative to the other gabbroic intrusions into the Eastern Gabbro the Magnetite-Olivine Gabbro shows little to no correlation to that of the Geordie Lake Intrusion however, it is similar in some respects to that of the Two Duck Lake Intrusion, but is more evolved.  In reference to mineralization in the Magnetite-Olivine Gabbro there was no visible PGM, however, there was an increase in chalcopyrite.