What is geochemical classification?

What is geochemical classification?

The Goldschmidt classification, developed by Victor Goldschmidt (1888–1947), is a geochemical classification which groups the chemical elements within the Earth according to their preferred host phases into lithophile (rock-loving), siderophile (iron-loving), chalcophile (sulfide ore-loving or chalcogen-loving), and …

What are geochemical elements?

Knowledge of the geochemical distribution of elements involves elucidation of the relative and absolute abundances of the chemical elements in the Earth and in its various parts—the crust, interior, atmosphere, and hydrosphere.

What do you mean by geochemical effect on distribution of metals?

The overall behaviour of trace metals in an aquatic environment is strongly influenced by the associations of metals with various geochemical phases in sediments[5,6]. Geochemical distribution results have also been used as an aid in predicting potential contaminant mobility and bioavailability[14,15].

Where are Chalcophiles found?

Some of the highly and strongly chalcophile elements (PGE, Au, Re) are also highly siderophile, and thus most of the budget of these elements is found in the Earth’s core. The slightly chalcophile elements Sn, Mo, As, Sb, and Pb together with Bi are enriched in the continental crust.

Is iron a lithophile?

The Goldschmidt classification, developed by Victor Goldschmidt, is a geochemical classification which groups the chemical elements according to their preferred host phases into lithophile (silicate loving), siderophile (iron loving), chalcophile (sulfur loving), and atmophile (gas loving).

What does lithophile mean?

: tending to be concentrated in the silicate outer shell of the earth uranium is a typical lithophile element — Journal of Geology.

What is the meaning of geochemical?

Definition of geochemistry 1 : a science that deals with the chemical composition of and chemical changes in the solid matter of the earth or a celestial body (such as the moon) 2 : the related chemical and geologic properties of a substance.

What is Hydrogeochemical survey?

Hydrogeochemical study is a useful tool to identify these processes that are responsible for groundwater chemistry (Jeevanandam et al. 2007). There are many examples of the use of Hydrogeochemistry in mineral exploration and environmental studies in the world (Miller et al. 1982; Hartikainen 1992; Giammanco et al.

What are the Earth’s geochemical cycles?

In Earth science, a geochemical cycle is the pathway that chemical elements take in the surface and crust of the Earth. The term “geochemical” tells us that geological and chemical factors are all included.

Is silver a chalcophile?

Introduction. Chalcophile (ore/copper/bronze-loving): The chalcophile elements predominantly represent sulfide ores. The elements include antimony, arsenic, bismuth, cadmium, copper, gallium, germanium, indium, lead, mercury, polonium, selenium, silver, sulfur, tellurium, thallium, tin, and zinc.

Is carbon a siderophile?

Transition elements such as Ni, Co, Mn, Mo, Au, and the Platinum-Group Elements (Os, Pd, Pt, Re, Rh, Ru) are highly siderophilic. Under reducing conditions, carbon, silicon, and phosphorus become moderately siderophilic.

Is nitrogen a lithophile?

N is lithophile during Earth’s core formation. The reduced mantle is a major N reservoir on present-day Earth.

How is the geochemical classification of elements used?

This is used in the geochemical analysis. The classification developed by V.M. Goldschmidt that depended on the affinity of elements to form different compounds was one of the most important classification schemes relevant to this aspect of chemistry.

What can geochemical analysis be used to understand?

To a lesser degree, geochemical analysis can also be used to understand extraterrestrial materials such as moon rocks or Martian soil samples. The process or geochemical analysis requires a thorough grounding in chemistry and Earth sciences, as well as an understanding of the different ways elements can interact in a given geologic situation.

Which is the most popular subfield of Geochemistry?

One of the most commercially popular subfields of modern geochemistry is geochemical prospecting, which is employed to locate such metals as uranium and gold or oil and natural gas. The method of geochemical prospecting was pioneered in Europe and the Soviet Union during the 1930s.

How does radiation affect the process of geochemical analysis?

Later scientists have added radiation to the process of geochemical analysis, grouping elements by their radioactive and stable isotopes. Isotopic analysis can give clues to the place of origin of the compound, and the environment in which it was first put together.