the cu, pb, zn, ag-au deposit of amensif is located on the northern flank of the western high atlas. this deposit is hosted in lower cambrian carbonate bars and is structurally controlled by ne-sw to e-w trending fault structures and is spatially associated with the permian 273 ma azegour granite. ore reserves are around 0.5 mt and grades are 3.21% zn, 0.58% pb, 0.86% cu with 83.31 ppm ag and 0...

The remarkably preserved Rhynie chert plants remain pivotal to our understanding of early land plants. The extraordinary anatomical detail they preserve is a consequence of exceptional preservation, by silicification, in the hot-springs environment they inhabited. However, this has prompted questions as to just how typical of early land plants the Rhynie chert plants really are. Some have sugge...

PDMPO (2-(4-pyridyl)-5-((4-(2-dimethylaminoethylaminocarbamoyl)methoxy)phenyl)oxazole), has unique silica specific fluorescence and is used in biology to understand biosilicification. This 'silicaphilic' fluorescence is not well understood nor is the response to local environmental variables like solvent and pH. We investigated PDMPO in a range of environments: using UV-vis and fluorescence spe...

BACKGROUND The incorporation of silica within the plant cell wall has been well documented by botanists and materials scientists; however, the means by which plants are able to transport silicon and control its polymerization, together with the roles of silica in situ, are not fully understood. RECENT PROGRESS Recent studies into the mechanisms by which silicification proceeds have identified...

Earth's biota produces vast quantities of polymerized silica at ambient temperatures and pressures by mechanisms that are not understood. Silica spicules constitute 75% of the dry weight of the sponge Tethya aurantia, making this organism uniquely tractable for analyses of the proteins intimately associated with the biosilica. Each spicule contains a central protein filament, shown by x-ray dif...

It has been proposed that prebiotic chemical studies on the emergence of primitive life would be most relevant when performed in a hydrogel, rather than an aqueous, environment. In this paper we describe the ambient temperature coupling of phosphorus oxyacids [Pi] mediated by Fe(II) under aerobic conditions within a silica hydrogel (SHG) environment. We have chosen to examine SHGs as they have ...

Biomaterial design via genetic engineering can be utilized for the rational functionalization of proteins to promote biomaterial integration and tissue regeneration. Spider silk has been extensively studied for its biocompatibility, biodegradability and extraordinary material properties. As a protein-based biomaterial, recombinant DNA derived derivatives of spider silks have been modified with ...

Certain alteration minerals are used to identify the hydrothermally altered rocks. In volcanic rocks, mainly potassic, phyllic (sericitic), propylitic, argillic alteration and silicification are observed. The role of remote sensing in alteration mapping is the differentiation of the minerals that are unique for different alteration types. In this study, Landsat TM 5 images are used. General alt...