Mercury concentrations in the bedrock of southwestern Nova Scotia: a reconnaissance study.

From: Atlantic Geology | Date: March 1, 2005| Author: | Copyright information

ABSTRACT

Kejimkujik National Park in southwestern Nova Scotia contains an ecosystem affected by Hg contamination. Although the source of the Hg has been regarded as anthropogenic, it is unclear what role the underlying geology may play. In order to assess the possibility that Hg contamination might be, at least in part, from the underlying bedrock, we present Hg analyses of biotite-rich granitoid, muscovite-rich granitoid, and mafic rocks from the area in order to complement previous regional studies. A correlation matrix reveals significant positive correlations between Hg, ...

<100 [m.sup.2] - 1 [km.sup.2], and show a wide range of texture and mineralogy. They range in composition from granodiorite to monzogranite, and generally contain between 10-20% biotite (with inclusions of apatite, zircon, monazite, and ilmenite), trace amounts of muscovite, and less than 2% garnet. The mafic porphyry samples collected for this study are all ofgranodiorite composition, dark grey, and fine to medium grained. Samples R024-25, 37-38, and 40-41 have 15-20% biotite, whereas sample R002 has>
<1 
 
Notes: All analyses are in ppm except Hg and Au in ppb 
and Al, Ca, Fe, K, Mg, Na, S, and Ti in element %. 
 
Table 4. An overview of textural and petrographic 
characteristics in major units of the South Mountain 
Batholith after MacDonald (2001). 
 
                                     Grain       Dominant 
                          % of        size       textures 
Rock type                 SMB         (1)           (2) 
 
Leucogranite              0.7        f-m(c)     porp, equi, 
                                                   pegm 
 
Fine-grained              6.8        f-m(c)     porp, equi 
luecomonzogranite 
 
Coarse-grained            21.8       m-c(f)     mega, seri 
luecomonzogranite 
 
Muscovite-bionte          8.9        m-c(f)     mega, seri, 
monzogranite                                       equi 
 
Biotite                   52.2       m-c(f)     mega, Seri 
monzogranite 
 
Biotite                   9.6        m-c(f)     mega, seri 
granodiorite 
 
                                   Muscovite 
                        Biotite      (3, 6) 
Rock type                % (6)         %           Type 
 
Leucogranite              0-2         3-28      euh><5       unzoned        non- 
                                                 exsolved 
 
Fine-grained 
luecomonzogranite 
 
Coarse-grained                      zoned><0.1 cm); m = medium (0.1-0.5 cm); 
c = coarse (>

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