Coloration; Heavy metals; Polymetallic; Speleothem; Weathering; Geophysics; Geochemistry and Petrology
Abstract :
[en] Speleothems rarely exhibit stunning colors such as red, yellow, green, or blue. The colorations are often linked to elevated heavy metal ion concentration in the drip water and thus to a metal source/pollution in the catchment area. Here the blue-green speleothems coloration in Malaval Cave (Lozère, France) is characterized by a wide panel of optical, mineralogical and geochemical techniques. These techniques were applied on several small blue or white stalactites and a larger greenish stalactite. The speleothems are mostly composed of aragonite and contain variable amounts of Zn, Cu and Pb, which cause the colorations. Zn and Cu are mostly present in substitution in the aragonite and Cu2+ is the main cause of the blue coloration. Zn is also found in small amorphous gel particles, containing minor amounts of Mg, Cu and Si. These phases are responsible for microscopical scale variations in the blue coloration. Pb is present as Pb2+ ions in substitution within the aragonite, creating a saturated blue-to-greenish coloration. This coloration may depend on the Pb/Zn ratio due to metallic interaction. Pb, Zn and Cu ratios indicate that Pb likely deposited from distinct fluids and at a different timing than Cu and Zn. All three metals likely originate from the leaching of Pb[sbnd]Zn ores in the Jurassic formations surrounding the cave.
Disciplines :
Earth sciences & physical geography
Author, co-author :
Vlieghe, Martin; Institute of Life, Earth and Environment, University of Namur, Namur, Belgium
Rochez, Gaëtan; Institute of Life, Earth and Environment, University of Namur, Namur, Belgium
Pire-Stevenne, Stéphane; Groupe de Recherches et Photographie en Spéléologie, Namur, Belgium
Felten, Alexandre; Namur Institute of Structured Matter, University of Namur, Namur, Belgium ; Synthesis, Irradiation & Analysis of Materials (SIAM) Technological Platform, University of Namur, Namur, Belgium
Dechamps, Marie; Namur Institute of Structured Matter, University of Namur, Namur, Belgium
Mouchet, Sébastien ; Université de Mons - UMONS > Faculté des Sciences > Service des Matériaux Micro et Nanophotoniques ; Institute of Life, Earth and Environment, University of Namur, Namur, Belgium ; Namur Institute of Structured Matter, University of Namur, Namur, Belgium ; School of Physics, University of Exeter, Exeter, United Kingdom
Cecchet, Francesca; Namur Institute of Structured Matter, University of Namur, Namur, Belgium
Bruguier, Olivier; Géosciences Montpellier, UMR5243, CNRS & Université de Montpellier, Montpellier, France
Galéra, Jean-Louis; Association Malaval, Lozère, France
Lima-Mendez, Gipsi; Namur Research Institute of Life Sciences, Biology Department, University of Namur, Namur, Belgium
Llirós Dupré, Marc; Biosciences Department, Faculty of Sciences, Technology and Engineering, University of Vic, Vic, Spain
Yans, Johan; Institute of Life, Earth and Environment, University of Namur, Namur, Belgium
Language :
English
Title :
Polymetallic interactions of Zn-Pb-Cu in blue/green-colored speleothems from Malaval Cave (France)
European Commission Marie Sklodowska-Curie Actions Université de Namur FRS-FNRS European Commission Waalse Gewest European Union
Funding number :
847587; 2110034
Funding text :
M.V. acknowledges a UNamur FSR grant (1 year) followed by a Research Fellow grant from the Belgian National Fund for Scientific Research (F.R.S.-FNRS, convention FC 050205). S.R.M. was supported by a BEWARE Fellowship (Convention n\u00B02110034) of the Walloon Region (CO-FUND Marie Sk\u0142odowska-Curie Actions of the European Union #847587), as a Postdoctoral Researcher. F.C. was supported by FRS-FNRS as a Research Associate. This research used the equipment from the Morphology & Imaging Platform (https://www.poledenamur.be/en/platforms/morph-im/equipment/electron-microscopy): Electron Microscopy; the Physico-Chemical Characterization (PC2) Technology Platform (https://platforms.unamur.be/pc2): X-ray Diffraction; the Laser, Optics and Spectroscopies (LOS) Technology Platform (https://platforms.unamur.be/los): Optical Spectrophotometry, Raman Micro-spectrometry; and the Synthesis, Irradiation and Analysis of Materials (SIAM) Technology Platform (https://platforms.unamur.be/siam): Time-of-Flight Secondary Ion Mass Spectrometry, X-ray Photoelectron Spectroscopy. LA-ICP-MS measurements were performed at G\u00E9osciences Montpellier.M.V. acknowledges a UNamur FSR grant (1\u202Fyear) followed by a Research Fellow grant from the Belgian National Fund for Scientific Research (F.R.S.-FNRS, convention FC 050205 ). S.R.M. was supported by a BEWARE Fellowship (Convention n\u00B02110034) of the Walloon Region (CO-FUND Marie Sk\u0142odowska-Curie Actions of the European Union #847587), as a Postdoctoral Researcher. F.C. was supported by FRS-FNRS as a Research Associate. This research used the equipment from the Morphology & Imaging Platform ( https://www.poledenamur.be/en/platforms/morph-im/equipment/electron-microscopy ): Electron Microscopy; the Physico-Chemical Characterization (PC 2 ) Technology Platform ( https://platforms.unamur.be/pc2 ): X-ray Diffraction; the Laser, Optics and Spectroscopies (LOS) Technology Platform ( https://platforms.unamur.be/los ): Optical Spectrophotometry, Raman Micro-spectrometry; and the Synthesis, Irradiation and Analysis of Materials (SIAM) Technology Platform ( https://platforms.unamur.be/siam ): Time-of-Flight Secondary Ion Mass Spectrometry, X-ray Photoelectron Spectroscopy. LA-ICP-MS measurements were performed at G\u00E9osciences Montpellier.
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