Hostname: page-component-76fb5796d-9pm4c Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-04-25T10:27:27.624Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false
  • English
  • Français

Characterisation of fibrous ferrierite in the rhyolitic tuffs at Lovelock, Nevada, USA

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  22 April 2019

Alessandro Zoboli ,
Dario Di Giuseppe Open the ORCID record for Dario Di Giuseppe [Opens in a new window] ,
Cecilia Baraldi ,
Maria Cristina Gamberini ,
Daniele Malferrari ,
Giancarlo Urso ,
Magdalena Lassinantti Gualtieri ,
Mark Bailey  and
Alessandro F. Gualtieri
Alessandro Zoboli
Affiliation:
Department of Chemical and Geological Sciences, University of Modena and Reggio Emilia, Via Campi 103, Modena, I-41125, Italy
Dario Di Giuseppe*
Affiliation:
Department of Chemical and Geological Sciences, University of Modena and Reggio Emilia, Via Campi 103, Modena, I-41125, Italy
Cecilia Baraldi
Affiliation:
Department of Life Sciences, University of Modena and Reggio Emilia, via Campi 103, Modena, I-41125, Italy
Maria Cristina Gamberini
Affiliation:
Department of Life Sciences, University of Modena and Reggio Emilia, via Campi 103, Modena, I-41125, Italy
Daniele Malferrari
Affiliation:
Department of Chemical and Geological Sciences, University of Modena and Reggio Emilia, Via Campi 103, Modena, I-41125, Italy
Giancarlo Urso
Affiliation:
Centro Interdipartimentale Grandi Strumenti, CIGS, University of Modena and Reggio Emilia, via Campi 185, Modena, I-41125, Italy
Magdalena Lassinantti Gualtieri
Affiliation:
Department of Engineering “Enzo Ferrari”, University of Modena and Reggio Emilia, I-41125, Modena, Italy
Mark Bailey
Affiliation:
Asbestos TEM Laboratories, 600 Bancroft Way, Suite A, Berkeley, California, 94710, USA.
Alessandro F. Gualtieri
Affiliation:
Department of Chemical and Geological Sciences, University of Modena and Reggio Emilia, Via Campi 103, Modena, I-41125, Italy
*
*Author for correspondence: Dario Di Giuseppe, Email: dario.digiuseppe@unimore.it
Get access Rights & Permissions [Opens in a new window]

Abstract

Ferrierite is the name for a series of zeolite-group of minerals which includes three species with the same ferrierite framework (FER) crystal structure but different extra-framework cations. Recent studies have shown that ferrierite can exhibit a fibrous-asbestiform crystal habit and may possess the same properties as carcinogenic fibrous erionite. Characterisation of the ferrierite in and around a mine location will be helpful in assessing the potential for toxic outcomes of exposure in the mine and any local population.

The zeolite-rich tuff deposit of Lovelock, Nevada, USA is the largest occurrence of diagenetic ferrierite-Mg. A previous survey reported that ferrierite hosted in these rocks displays a fibrous morphology. However, these observations concerned a limited number of samples and until now there has been little evidence of widespread occurrence of fibrous ferrierite in the Lovelock deposit.

The main goal of this study was to perform a mineralogical and morphometric characterisation of the tuff deposit at Lovelock and evaluate the distribution of fibrous ferrierite in the outcrop. For this purpose, a multi-analytical approach including powder X-ray diffraction, scanning and transmission microscopies, micro-Raman spectroscopy, thermal analyses, and surface-area determination was applied.

The results prove fibrous ferrierite is widespread and intermixed with mordenite and orthoclase, although there are variations in the spatial distribution in the bedrock. The crystal habit of the ferrierite ranges from prismatic to asbestiform (elongated, thin and slightly flexible) and fibres are aggregated in bundles. According to the WHO counting criteria, most of the ferrierite fibres can be classified as breathable. While waiting for confirmatory in vitro and in vivo tests to assess the actual toxicity/pathogenicity potential of this mineral fibre, it is recommended to adopt a precautionary approach for mining operations in this area to reduce the risk of exposure.

Keywords

mineral fibresrhyolitic tuffszeoliteferrieritehealth hazard
Type
Article
Information
Mineralogical Magazine , Volume 83 , Issue 4 , August 2019 , pp. 577 - 586
Copyright
Copyright © Mineralogical Society of Great Britain and Ireland 2019 

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

Footnotes

Associate Editor: Giancarlo Della Ventura

References

Arletti, R., Fantini, R., Giacobbe, C., Gieré, R., Vezzalini, G., Vigliaturo, R. and Quartieri, S. (2018) High–temperature behavior of natural ferrierite: In–situ synchrotron X–ray powder diffraction study. American Mineralogist, 103, 1741–1748.Google Scholar
Battles, D.A. and Barton, M.D. (1995) Arc–related sodic hydrothermal alteration in the western United States. Geology, 23, 913–916.Google Scholar
Brunauer, S., Emmet, P.H. and Teller, E. (1938) Adsorption of gases in multimolecular layes. Journal of the American Chemical Society, 60, 309–319.Google Scholar
Carbone, M., Emri, S., Dogan, A.U., Steele, I., Tuncer, M., Pass, H.I. and Baris, Y.I. (2007) A mesothelioma epidemic in Cappadocia: Scientific developments and unexpected social outcomes. Nature Reviews Cancer, 7, 147–154.Google Scholar
Carten, R.B. (1986) Sodium–calcium metasomatism, chemical, temporal, and spatial relationships at the Yerington, Nevada; porphyry copper deposit. Economic Geology, 81, 1495–1519.Google Scholar
Crafford, A.E.J. (2007) Geologic Map of Nevada. U.S. Geological Survey, Data Series, 249.Google Scholar
Degen, T., Sadki, M., Bron, E., König, U. and Nénert, G. (2014) The HighScore Suite. Powder Diffraction, 29, 13–18.Google Scholar
Dutta, P.K. and Del Barco, B. (1988) Raman spectroscopy of zeolite A: influence of silicon/aluminum ratio. The Journal of Physical Chemistry, 92, 354–357Google Scholar
Fischer, C., Kurganskaya, I., Schäfer, T. and Lüttge, A. (2014) Variability of crystal surface reactivity: what do we know? Applied Geochemistry, 43, 132–157.Google Scholar
Gottardi, G. and Galli, E. (1985) Natural Zeolites. Spinger, Berlin, 409 pp.Google Scholar
Graham, R.P.D. (1918) On ferrierite, a new zeolitic mineral, from British Columbia. Royal Society of Canada, Proceedings and Transactions, 3rd Series, 12, 185–190.Google Scholar
Gramlich-Meier, R., Meier, W.M. and Smith, B.K. (1984) On faults in the framework structure of the zeolite ferrierite. Zeitschrift für Kristallographie – Crystalline Materials, 169, 201–210.Google Scholar
Gramlich-Meier, R., Gramlich, V. and Meier, W.M. (1985) The crystal structure of the monoclinic variety of ferrierite. American Mineralogist, 70, 619–623.Google Scholar
Gualtieri, A.F. (2018) Towards a quantitative model to predict the toxicity/pathogenicity potential of mineral fibers. Toxicology Applied Pharmacology, 361, 89–98.Google Scholar
Gualtieri, A.F., Bursi Gandolfi, N., Passaglia, E., Pollastri, S., Mattioli, M., Giordani, M., Ottaviani, M.F., Cangiotti, M., Bloise, A., Barca, D., et al. (2018 a) Is fibrous ferrierite a potential health hazard? Characterization and comparison with fibrous ferrierite. American Mineralogist, 103, 1044–1055.Google Scholar
Gualtieri, A.F., Bursi Gandolfi, N., Pollastri, S., Rinaldi, R., Sala, O., Martinelli, G., Bacci, T., Paoli, F., Viani, A. and Vigliaturo, R. (2018 b) Assessment of the potential hazard represented by natural raw materials containing mineral fibres – The case of the feldspar from Orani, Sardinia (Italy). Journal of Hazardous Materials, 350, 76–87.Google Scholar
Gualtieri, A.F., Pollastri, S., Bursi Gandolfi, N. and Lassinantti Gualtieri, M. (2018 c) In vitro acellular dissolution of mineral fibres: A comparative study. Scientific Reports, 8, 7071.Google Scholar
Harper, M. (2008) 10th Anniversary Critical Review: Naturally occurring asbestos. Journal of Environmental Monitoring, 10, 1394–1408.Google Scholar
IARC (International Agency for Research on Cancer) (2012) Asbestos (chrysotile, amosite, crocidolite, tremolite, actinolite, and anthophyllite). IARC Monographs on the Evaluation Carcinogic Risks to Humans, 100C, 219–309.Google Scholar
IARC (International Agency for Research on Cancer) (2017) Some nanomaterials and some fibres. IARC Monographs on the Evaluation Carcinogic Risks to Humans, 111, 215–240.Google Scholar
Johnson, D.A., Barton, M.D. and Hassanzadeh, J. (1993) Mafic and felsic hosted Fe-apatite–(REE–Cu) mineralization in Nevada. Abstracts with Programs – Geological Society of America, 25, 57.Google Scholar
Laetsch, T. and Downs, R. (2006) Software for identification and refinement of cell parameters from powder diffraction data of minerals using the RRUFF Project and American Mineralogist crystal structure databases. Abstracts from the 19th General Meeting of the International Mineralogical Association, Kobe, Japan, 23–28 July 2006.Google Scholar
Lee, R.J., Strohmeier, B.R., Bunker, K.L. and Van Orden, D.R. (2008) Naturally occurring asbestos: A recurring public policy challenge. Journal of Hazardous Material, 153, 1–21.Google Scholar
Lercher, J.A. and Jentys, A. (2007) Infrared and Raman spectroscopy for characterizing zeolites. Studies in Surface Science and Catalysis, 168, 435–476.Google Scholar
Lucci, F., Della Ventura, G., Conte, A., Nazzari, M. and Scarlato, P. (2018) Naturally occurring asbestos (NOA) in granitoid rocks, a case study from Sardinia (Italy). Minerals, 8, 442.Google Scholar
Metintas, M., Hillerdal, G. and Metintas, S. (1999) Malignant mesothelioma due to environmental exposure to erionite: follow-up of a Turkish emigrant cohort. European Respiratory Journal, 13, 523–526.Google Scholar
NIMH (National Institute of Mental Health) (2018) ImageJ. https://imagej.nih.gov/ij/ (Accessed 19, September 2018).Google Scholar
Passaglia, E. and Sheppard, R.A. (2001) The crystal chemistry of zeolites. Pp. 69–116 in: Natural Zeolites: Occurrence, Properties, Applications (Bish, D. and Ming, D., editors). Reviews in Mineralogy and Geochemistry, 45. Mineralogical Society of America and Geochemical Society, Washington DC.Google Scholar
Pollastri, S., Gualtieri, A.F., Gualtieri, M.L., Hanuskova, M., Cavallo, A. and Gaudino, G. (2014) The zeta potential of mineral fibres. Journal of Hazardous Materials, 276, 469–479.Google Scholar
Rice, S.B., Papke, K.G. and Vaughan, D.E.W. (1992) Chemical controls on ferrierite crystallization during diagenesis of silicic pyroclastic rocks near Lovelock, Nevada. American Mineralogist, 77, 314–328.Google Scholar
Stewart, J.H. and Carlson, J.E. (1978) Geologic Map of Nevada. U.S. Geological Survey.Google Scholar
Stephenson, D.J., Fairchild, C.I., Buchan, R.M. and Dakins, M.E. (1999) A fiber characterization of the natural zeolite, mordenite: A potential inhalation health hazard. Aerosol Science & Technology, 30, 467–476.Google Scholar
Vaughan, P.A. (1966) The crystal structure of the zeolite ferrierite. Acta Crystallographica, 21, 983–990.Google Scholar
WHO (World Health Organization) (1997). Determination of Airborne Fiber Number Concentrations. World Health Organization, Geneva, pp. 53.Google Scholar
Wise, W.S. and Tschemich, R.W. (1976) Chemical composition of ferrierite. American Mineralogist, 61, 60–66.Google Scholar
Supplementary material: PDF

Zoboli et al. supplementary material

Zoboli et al. supplementary material 1

Download Zoboli et al. supplementary material(PDF)
PDF 350 KB