TY - JOUR

T1 - Laboratory dissolution studies of rocks from the Borrowdale volcanic group (English Lake District).

AU - Stidson, R.

AU - Hamilton-Taylor, John

AU - Tipping, E.

PY - 2002/7

Y1 - 2002/7

N2 - Laboratory studies were conducted to investigate the rates ofrelease of Na, Mg, Al, Si, K, Ca and Fe from 10 samples of metamorphosed igneous rock of the Borrowdale Volcanic Group (BVG), consisting mainly of plagioclase feldspars, chlorite andquartz, with minor amounts of hornblende, epidote and carbonates.Experiments were performed using freshly-prepared rock pieces (ca. 12 mm cubes), in batch mode, but with frequent changes of the solution phase so that accumulation of dissolved solutes wasminimised. The initial element release rates were relatively high, but declined with time to reach approximate (pseudo-) steady state conditions. Element release rates declined withpH in the pH range 2–7, the dependence upon pH decreasing in the order Al Fe > Si > Mg Ca > K Na. Thepseudo-steady state rates for Si were comparable to steady state values for single minerals. Calcium showed the greatestsample-to-sample variation (more than 100-fold). Rock dissolutionwas far from stoichiometric, with Ca and Mg being present in thesolution phase in proportions greater than in the rock, and Al and Si in lower proportions. In some samples the release rates ofMg and Ca were equal, while in others the Ca rate was up to 100times that of Mg. The rate of release of Ca is correlated with the carbonate content of the rocks. The results indicate that the main source of Ca in the faster-dissolving samples is calcite, while the highest release rates of Mg are consistent with dissolution of dolomite. Aluminium, Si and Fe are probablyreleased predominantly from chlorite. The results are discussed in terms of the supply of base cations to stream waters drainingcatchments underlain by rocks of the BVG.

AB - Laboratory studies were conducted to investigate the rates ofrelease of Na, Mg, Al, Si, K, Ca and Fe from 10 samples of metamorphosed igneous rock of the Borrowdale Volcanic Group (BVG), consisting mainly of plagioclase feldspars, chlorite andquartz, with minor amounts of hornblende, epidote and carbonates.Experiments were performed using freshly-prepared rock pieces (ca. 12 mm cubes), in batch mode, but with frequent changes of the solution phase so that accumulation of dissolved solutes wasminimised. The initial element release rates were relatively high, but declined with time to reach approximate (pseudo-) steady state conditions. Element release rates declined withpH in the pH range 2–7, the dependence upon pH decreasing in the order Al Fe > Si > Mg Ca > K Na. Thepseudo-steady state rates for Si were comparable to steady state values for single minerals. Calcium showed the greatestsample-to-sample variation (more than 100-fold). Rock dissolutionwas far from stoichiometric, with Ca and Mg being present in thesolution phase in proportions greater than in the rock, and Al and Si in lower proportions. In some samples the release rates ofMg and Ca were equal, while in others the Ca rate was up to 100times that of Mg. The rate of release of Ca is correlated with the carbonate content of the rocks. The results indicate that the main source of Ca in the faster-dissolving samples is calcite, while the highest release rates of Mg are consistent with dissolution of dolomite. Aluminium, Si and Fe are probablyreleased predominantly from chlorite. The results are discussed in terms of the supply of base cations to stream waters drainingcatchments underlain by rocks of the BVG.

KW - Borrowdale Volcanic Group - calcite - catchment acidification - chemical weathering - dissolution

U2 - 10.1023/A:1015582208062

DO - 10.1023/A:1015582208062

M3 - Journal article

VL - 138

SP - 335

EP - 358

JO - Water, Air, and Soil Pollution

JF - Water, Air, and Soil Pollution

SN - 0049-6979

IS - 1-4

ER -