АВТОМАТИЗИРОВАННАЯ СИСТЕМА РЕНТГЕНОФАЗОВОГО АНАЛИЗА МИНЕРАЛЬНО-ФАЗОВОГО СОСТАВА РУД И ТЕХНОЛОГИЧЕСКИХ ПРОДУКТОВ

Relevance. The necessity to assess the role of altered volcanic ash on the formation of mineral and geochemical characteristics of coal-bearing deposits. Traces of volcanic material in coals are diagnosed mainly in the form of clay horizons – tonsteins. The study of the chemical and mineral composition of clay tuffaceous horizons and the host coals allows us to answer a number of questions concerning volcanic material impact on coal accumulation. Tonsteins are known in Paleozoic, Mesozoic and Cenozoic coal-bearing deposits. Finds of Mesozoic tonsteins are relatively rare. In this regard, the Kharanorskoe brown coal deposit is a unique object for the study of altered layers of volcanic ash in Cretaceous coal-bearing deposits. Aim. Comprehensive study of altered volcanic ash in Cretaceous coals of the Zabaikalsky Krai. Methods. Field studies; the mineral composition was studied by optical microscopy, scanning electron microscopy, X-ray diffractometry; chemical composition was determined by inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry, inductively coupled plasma atomic emission spectrometry, and instrumental neutron activation analysis. Results and conclusions. The paper presents data on the mineral and chemical composition of tonstein in the Early Cretaceous Novy-1a coal seam of the Kharanorskoe deposit located in the southeast of the Eastern Siberia (Russia). The mineral composition of the tonstein is represented by kaolinite, quartz, and feldspar. Accessory minerals are zircon, ilmenite, monazite-(Ce), and xenotime-(Y). The tonstein is characterized by high concentrations of Ga, Nb, Hf, Ta, Hg, Th and U. The highest concentrations of rare trace elements in the coal, and especially in the coal ash of the Novy-1a seam, are localized in the areas of contact between the tonstein and the coal. The enrichment with REE, Zr, Nb, Y, Ta, Hf, Th and U is the most significant. Mineralogical and geochemical characteristics of the studied tonstein indicate its formation from volcanic ash of alkaline composition.

The consumption of β-glucan-rich barley can contribute to a healthy diet. Sensory properties may be improved by roasting whereby the nutritional value should be preserved. The aim of the present study was to investigate the impact of different roasting conditions (160-200 °C, 20 minutes) on sensory quality, health-related compounds and viscosity in β-glucan-rich barley kernels, thin and thick flakes. Sensory quality was improved by roasting. Acrylamide levels increased due to roasting to maximum values of 322 μg kg-1 (kernels), 586 μg kg-1 (thin flakes) and 804 μg kg-1 (thick flakes). No relevant impact of roasting on the contents of fat, protein, starch and β-glucan was observed, whereas dietary fibre fractions were marginally modulated. Roasting significantly decreased viscosity 1.9-fold (kernels), 2.4-fold (thin flakes) and 2.7-fold (thick flakes), on average. In conclusion, improved sensory quality along with a favourable healthy composition of barley products may be achieved by roasting over a low to medium temperature range.

Highly developed countries generate large volumes of industrial waste, the type and quantity of which are strongly linked to the characteristics of the industries that produce it. Industrial waste can adversely affect the environment, so its disposal and management are a major challenge. Understanding the characteristics of a given waste type (e.g., its chemical and phase composition, technical parameters and likelihood of releasing constituents into aquatic and soil environments) allows its potential economic applications to be determined. A simple application of mineral waste is in the production of artificial aggregates, which are increasingly used as a substitute for natural aggregates. In Poland, artificial aggregates are widely produced from metallurgical waste from steel and non-ferrous metallurgy, which may contain numerous components that are potentially environmentally damaging. Depending on their occurrence form (i.e., mineral composition), these contaminants have varying potential to be released into aquatic and soil environments. This study presents the results of mineral and chemical composition analyses and leachability tests conducted on aggregates produced from metallurgical waste, including slags from blast furnaces, steelmaking, Zn and Pb production, and Ni production. The studied aggregates are characterised by chemical and phase composition differences, resulting from the type of slag from which they originate. The chemical composition of blast furnace slag is dominated by CaO, SiO2, Fe2O3, and MgO; steelmaking slag by CaO, Fe2O3, and SiO2; Zn and Pb production slag by SiO2, Fe2O3, SO3, and CaO; and Ni production slag by SiO2, Fe2O3, CaO, and Al2O3. The phase composition of all the tested aggregates is dominated by silicates resistant to leaching (weathering), which results in low levels of Al, Ca, Cr, Mn, Zn, Pb, Cu, As, Sr and Ni leaching, not exceeding 1.6%.

One of the key usages of geostatistics has long been the prediction of the spatial structure of orebodies. This is used for the evaluation of resources and/or reserves and for further planning of the mining and beneficiation process schedule. For most applications, and until quite recently, metal grade has been regarded as the central property of study and the main objective has been to distinguish between ore and waste. However, recently other properties have come into focus through better analytical methods, such as automated mineralogy (see e.g. Fandrich et al. 2007), and new geostatistical methods considering more complex information, such as kriging of compositions (Pawlowsky-Glahn and Olea, 2004). Two ores with the same chemical composition can have totally different mineralogies and microfabrics, which will result in different recoveries, energy requirements, or reagent consumptions, thus yielding very different mass streams. An ore is thus no longer understood as represented by a single value element, but through a complex microfabric (Hagni, 2008). This perspective allows quantitative insight into relevant properties of different ore and gangue minerals (Sutherland and Gottlieb, 1991), potentially containing poison elements or phases (e.g. Houot, 1983) that modify the efficiency of downstream processing steps or require additional treatment. Accordingly, processing choices have become more complex. Grade-based studies allow a mere ‘beneficiate-or-dump’ decision. With the advent of these analytical and methodological advances, it is possible to better adapt processing to the ore mined due to a more profound understanding of the processing required. For instance, good knowledge of microfabric properties can reduce energy consumption, if overgrinding is avoided, which also results in improved recovery by avoiding losses due to poor liberation (Wills and Napier-Munn, 2006). Similarly, accurate information on mineral composition may permit the specification of a cut-off in any separation technique (magnetic, electrostatic, or density-based), optimally weighting recovery and further processing costs. Or depending on the proportion of fines generated during milling, desliming might or might not be necessary. Finally, different concentrations of chemicals might be needed for an optimal flotation process as a function of the composition of the concentrate. These Improving processing by adaption to conditional geostatistical simulation of block compositions

Pre-harvest operations affect the quality of food products. This study evaluated the impact of age at harvest (AH), cropping system (CS) and variety on the chemical and functional properties of high quality cassava flour (HQCF). Two white-fleshed (TMS 30572 and TMS 98/0505) and three yellow-fleshed (TMS 97/JW2, TMS 01/1371 and TMS 01/1368) cassava varieties planted either as sole crop or intercropped with maize were harvested at 12, 15 and 18 months after planting, and processed into HQCF. Chemical composition (proximate, mineral), physico-chemical properties (pH, total titratable acidity and colour) and functional properties (bulk density, water absorption index, dispersibility, swelling power, solubility index and pasting properties) of HQCF were determined. Data obtained were analysed using general linear model (GLM). AH had a significant (P < 0.05) effect on proximate and mineral composition, functional and physico-chemical properties, peak and breakdown viscosities, and peak time of HQCF. CS significantly (P < 0.05) affected the crude fibre, fat, bulk density, swelling power, mineral composition, and physico-chemical properties (except L* and b*) of HQCF. Variety significantly (P < 0.05) affected the proximate (except moisture) and mineral composition, functional properties, and breakdown viscosity of HQCF. The interactive effect of AH, CS and variety was significant (P < 0.05) on fat, dispersibility, mineral composition, and physico-chemical properties. In terms of carbohydrate content, it is desirable to harvest cassava at 12 months after planting, with TMS 98/0505 being the choice variety. Recommendation of the desirable AH, CS and variety will vary according to the desired quality of the end-products. Age at harvest is the most important single factor affecting the proximate composition and functional properties of HQCF.

Some mafic granulites in the Sanggan area of the northern Trans‐North China Orogen (TNCO) have a relatively simple mineralogy with low energy grain shapes that are compatible with an assumption of equilibrium, but the rock‐forming minerals show variations in composition that create challenges for thermobarometry. The mafic granulites, which occur as apparently disrupted dyke‐like bodies in tonalite–trondhjemite–granodiorite gneisses, are divided into two types based on petrography and chemical composition. Type 1 mafic granulites are fine‐ to medium‐grained with an equilibrated texture and an assemblage of plagioclase+clinopyroxene+garnet+magnetite+ilmenite and sometimes minor hornblende±orthopyroxene. Type 2 mafic granulites are coarse‐grained and hornblende bearing with a peak assemblage of garnet+clinopyroxene+plagioclase+hornblende and variably developed coronae and symplectites of plagioclase+hornblende+orthopyroxene partially replacing porphyroblastic garnet±clinopyroxene.SIMSU–Pb dating of metamorphic zircon from two type 1 mafic granulites yields metamorphic ages ofc. 1.84 and 1.83 Ga, consistent with published ages of the type 2 mafic granulites. Based on phase equilibrium modelling, we use the common overlap ofP–Tfields defined by the mineral assemblage limits, and the mole proportion and composition isopleths of different minerals in each sample to quantify the metamorphic conditions. For type 1 granulites, overlap of the mineral proportion and composition fields for each of three samples yields similarP–Tconditions of 710–880°C at 0.57–0.79 GPa, 820–850°C at 0.59–0.63 GPa and 800–860°C at 0.59–0.68 GPa. For the type 2 granulites, overlaying the peak assemblage fields for three samples yields commonP–Tconditions of 870–890°C at 1.1–1.2 GPa. For the retrograde assemblage, overlap of the mineral proportion and composition fields for each sample yields similarP–Tconditions of 820–840°C at 0.85–0.88 GPa, 860–880°C at 0.83–0.86 GPa and 880–930°C at 0.89–0.95 GPa. TheP–Tconditions appear distinct between the two types of mafic granulite, with the mineralogically simple type 1 mafic granulites recording the lowest pressures. However, there are significant uncertainties associated with these results. For the granulites, there are uncertainties related to the determination of modes and composition of the equilibration volume, particularly estimation of O and H2O contents, and in the phase equilibrium modelling there are uncertainties that propagate through the calculation of mole proportions and mineral compositions. The compound uncertainties on pressure and temperature for high‐Tgranulites are large and the results of our study show that it may be unwise to rely onP–Tconditions determined from the simple intersection of calculated mineral composition isopleths alone. Since the samples in this study are from a limited area—a few hundred square metres—we infer that they record a singleP–Tpath involving both decompression and cooling. However, there is no evidence of the high‐Pgranulite facies event at 1.93–1.90 Ga that is recorded elsewhere in theTNCO, which suggests that the precursor basic dykes were emplaced late during the assembly of the North China Craton.

The fifth paleosol layer in the southern part of China's Loess Plateau and its environmental significance

Cement manufacturing is energy‐intensive (5Gj/t) and comprises a significant portion of the energy footprint of concrete systems. Incorporating modern monitoring, simulation and control systems will allow lower energy use, lower environmental impact, and lower costs of this widely used construction material. One of the goals of the CESMII roadmap project on the Smart Manufacturing of Cement included developing an analytical process model for clinker quality that includes the chemistry of the kiln feed and accounts for critical process variables. This predictive model will be used in nonlinear model predictive control system designed to significantly reduce process energy use while maintaining or improving product quality. In the cement manufacturing plant used in this study, the kiln feed (meal) is tested every 12 h and used to estimate the mineral composition of the cement kiln output (clinker) using the stoichiometry‐based Bogue's model and the expertise of the plant operators. During kiln operation, kiln output (clinker) is sampled and tested every 2 h to measure its chemical and mineral composition. The predicted and measured values of the clinker composition are used by the plant operators to adjust the kiln input stream and the production process characteristics to maintain stable operation and uniform product quality. However, the time delay between prediction and testing, along with inaccuracies inherent in the Bogue's model have made any process changes designed to minimize energy use problematic, especially in‐light of potential clinker quality issues that process changes often pose. A new analytical model that integrates quality information and process operation information has been developed from data collected from 2 years of production from an operating cement facility. To make the model fuel‐type‐independent, consumed heat energy was computed in the model instead of fuel type and amount. A Feedforward Network was trained and tailored from collected data. Many data‐based simulations were conducted to quantitatively evaluate the proposed model and the 5‐fold cross‐validation procedure was used to test the models. The resulting predictive model was shown to have a low root mean square error (MSE) with respect to the estimated clinker mineral composition compared to that using the industry standard “Bogue’ model”. The end goal of this work was to develop a single machine learning tool that allows the use of quality control data and process control variables to improve energy efficiency of the process in a continuous fashion. The proposed nonlinear model predictive control system (NMPC) can generate predicted kiln production characteristics based on manipulated variables in manner that accurately follows the target product quality values. Simulation results also show that the proposed model produced accurate predictions of kiln outputs that fell within the required constraints, while manipulating control variables within typical operational ranges.

ABSTRACTOver the past years, both food researchers and food industry have shown an increased interest in finding techniques that can estimate modifications in quality, nutritional, and thermophysical properties of food products during processing and/or storage. For instance, differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) has attracted the interest of scientific community because only a small amount of sample is needed for analysis. Moreover, it does not require any specific sample preparation, and is a repeatable and reliable method. In addition, DSC methodology needs a short time for experiments compared with other techniques used for the same purpose. At this stage of investigation, there is a need to evaluate the commonly accepted and new emerging DSC applications to establish the optimum conditions of emerging processing. This paper reviews the current and new insights of DSC technique for the estimation of quality, nutritional, and thermophysical properties of food products during conventional and emerging processing and/or subsequent storage. The estimation of different properties in several food matrices after processing and/or storage is also discussed.

Objectives an analysis of physical and chemical indicators of milk quality produced under the most popular brands in the Samara region.
 Material and methods. The study was selective and prospective, focused on the physical and chemical indices of milk quality. The sampling was based on the results of the assessment of the frequency of consumption of various brands of milk by the population of the Samara region. The analysis included five samples of milk of different brands, purchased in the retail food store chain, and assessed their various physical and chemical indicators. All measurements were performed in accordance with the regulatory documentation.
 Results. Only 1/3 part of respondents (32.6%) included milk in their daily diet. All five milk samples subjected to physical and chemical examination met the requirements of the current regulatory documentation. However, in assessing the nutritional value of the samples by mineral composition, it was found that the actual content of phosphorus and calcium is significantly lower than the values of the corresponding indicators set out in the handbook "Chemical composition and calorie content of Russian food products" that is used as a guide by nutrition specialists.
 Conclusion. Milk purchased in the food store chain met the safety requirements for physical and chemical indicators. The reduced level of milk consumption among the population of the Samara region requires management decisions. The actual chemical composition of this product, which has regional and seasonal characteristics, should be taken into account in the development of diets for defined population groups.

During the last several decades, wetlands are losing their ecological functions due to increasing anthropogenic loads. One of these functions is the ability to bind elements forming geochemical barriers. The research aimed to study the geochemical conditions of natural wetlands and flooded paddy fields (artificial wetlands) in the Ganjiang River basin to trace geochemical barriers. The research approach was based on a comprehensive analysis of water and aqueous extracts from bottom sediments and paddy soils, including chemical and mineral composition. The samples were collected in November 2019, during the dry season at the end of harvesting. Chemical analysis was performed using standard methods for natural substances: titrimetry, photometry, ionic chromatography, high-temperature oxidation, ICP-MS, and ICP-AES. The mineral composition of the soils and sediments was determined by XRD. It was found that the main physicochemical characteristics (TDS, pH, main component concentrations) of the natural wetland water correspond to the surface water of the study area, whereas the irrigation water is similar to shallow groundwater. The content of trace elements in the irrigation water is higher than in the natural wetland water. Generally, the trace element composition of the natural wetland water corresponds to the geochemical background of the study area. Analysis of the mineral and chemical composition of the paddy soils and sediments indicates the geochemical barriers that accumulate a wide range of elements. In the natural wetland, the geochemical barrier is likely associated with a decrease in oxygen content and advective transport rate in the sediments, whereas in the paddy fields, the precipitation of clay minerals in the soil profile forms the geochemical barrier related to a decrease in filtration properties and advection–diffusion transport.Graphic abstract

The Tatra Mountains are a unique Central European alpine ecosystem where the non-anthropogenic soil cover and soil-forming processes are well recognized. However, the Technosols in the area’s high-mountain environment have not been studied in detail to date. Therefore the aim of this study was to identify the most important soil-forming factors controlling the properties of Technosols developed in historical mining and metallurgical sites in the Tatra Mountains of southern Poland active from the 15th Century until the end of the 19th. The present paper is one of the first attempts to study the genetic aspects of high-mountain Technosols in the temperate climatic zone. The study involved determining soil morphology and classification, soil properties, magnetic susceptibility, mineral composition, optical microscopic observations and total concentration of major elements. The studied Technosols were poorly developed soils with simple soil morphology (mainly A horizon in the topsoil and C horizons in the subsoil). There was a high content of rock fragments. The research has shown that the properties of Technosols in the Tatra Mountains were primarily determined by past human activities like mining and metallurgy as well as the type of anthropogenic parent material, which included mining wastes and metallurgical slags and determined soil properties together with mineral and chemical composition. Soil formation was significantly influenced by vegetation which was conditioned by the relief and climatic conditions dependent on altitudinal zonation. Vegetation and plant-derived soil organic matter shaped topsoil properties. The lengthy soil-forming process acting since a few centuries in some Technosols led to the formation of Bw horizons.

Introduction: Egg quality and its components are important indices to consumers, and the economic success of producers depend on the total number of eggs sold. Egg quality is based on the characteristics of the eggs that affect its acceptability, and the egg components are of nutritional importance. Therefore, the study was carried out to determine the chemical and mineral compositions of ostrich eggs found in southern guinea savannah environ of Nigeria. Methods: Eighty freshly laid eggs were obtained from Ostrich birds in Old Oyo National Park and were used for the experiments. Data were obtained for chemical composition on moisture, carbohydrate, protein, lipid, cholesterol and ash components separately for both albumen and yolk of the eggs while mineral composition observed were Potassium, Calcium, Magnesium, Phosphorus, Iron, copper, Zinc and Manganese. Results: The findings on chemical composition revealed that the protein (17.35), moisture (85.59) and ash contents (1.90) were significantly (p<0.05) higher in albumen than in yolk. The carbohydrate (0.98), lipid (30.47) and cholesterol (13.40) contents mean percentages were higher in yolk than in albumen. The mineral compositions of albumen and yolk of ostrich eggs indicated that the yolk as a content had the higher values of 135.35, 380.40, 20.35, 10.38, 2.25, 1.85 and 2.50 ppms in calcium, phosphorus, magnesium, iron, copper, zinc and manganese respectively than these variables in albumen while albumen contents was only higher in potassium (160.25 ppm) than in the yolk. Conclusion: It can be concluded that the information provided in this study could be a template of criteria for comparison and improvement for Ostrich eggs in the environment.

Hydrogels are substances designed to retain significant quantities of water and slowly release it to support plant growth. This study produced and evaluated the use of a test hydrogel (TH), a natural polymer derived from cashew gum (Anacardium occidentale), on the growth, chemical composition, and mineral content of cactus pear genotypes. The TH was compared to a negative control (no hydrogel; NH), and to a positive control or commercial hydrogel (CH). The CH was a synthetic polyacrylamide-based hydrogel. The study was carried out in a completely randomized design with a 3 × 3 factorial arrangement (n = 36), involving three hydrogel types × three cactus pear genotypes [Elephant Ear (Opuntia stricta); Giant (Opuntia ficus-indica); and Sweet (Nopalea cochenillifera)]. There was a significant effect of interaction (p ≤ 0.05) between genotypes and hydrogel types on cladode area, plant height, dry biomass of cladodes, and macro- and micromineral content. The use of TH promoted greater growth and improved chemical and mineral composition (p ≤ 0.05) to cactus genotypes. The Sweet genotype hydrated with TH presented the highest crude protein accumulation (p ≤ 0.05). Cashew gum-based hydrogel improved both growth and chemical composition of the cactus genotypes, and it is an eco-friendly alternative to synthetic polymers.

Prediction of the chemical composition of mutton with near infrared reflectance spectroscopy