Geochemistry of Rocks

Igneous Rocks
Metamorphic Rocks
Sedimentary Rocks
Geochemical Cycles
Chemical Weathering
 Geochemistry of Isotopes
Geochemistry of Water
Environmental Geochemistry
Exploration Geochemistry
 Faure (1996): Principles and Applications of Inorganic
Geochemistry
Krauskopf & Bird (1995): Introduction to
Geochemistry
Albarede: Essentials of Geochemistry
Rollinson: Using Geochemical Data
The field of geochemistry involves:
Study of the chemical composition of the Earth
and other planets.

Chemical processes and reactions that govern the

composition of rocks, water, and soils,

The cycles of matter and energy that transport the

Earth's chemical components in time and space.
In this class, we will use Geochemistry to understand:
1. Natural workings of the Earth:
natural distributions of chemicals in global and local
environments.
2. Formation and history of the Earth:
The birth of matter in our solar nebula, formation of
the solar system and early Earth history.
3. Perturbations caused by humans:
chemical distributions in anthropogenically
"perturbed systems (using chemical fundamentals
to explain the condition of the environment there).
 Isotope geochemistry: Determination of the
relative and absolute concentrations of the
elements and their isotopes in the earth and
on earth's surface.

Examination of the distribution and

movements of elements in different parts of
the earth (crust, mantle, hydrosphere etc.)
and in minerals with the goal to determine
the underlying system of distribution and
movement.
 Cosmochemistry: Analysis of the distribution
of elements and their isotopes in the cosmos.

Organic geochemistry: A study of the role of

processes and compounds that are derived
from living or once-living organisms.

Environmental and exploration geochemistry:

Applications to environmental, hydrological
and mineral exploration studies.
 HISTORICAL REVIEW

Until 16th century, it was believed that earth is made

up of four elements.
Fire
Clay
Water
Air

The name geochemistry was first introduced by

Schonbein since more than 150 years.
Two factors played key role in development of
Geochemistry

Discovery of elements

Methods of rock analysis

 Clark, who was a chief chemist of the US. Geological
Survey from 1884 to 1925, has contributed a lot to the
science of geochemistry.
He published a very large number of chemical analyses of
the various rocks in the earth's crust. He computed
averages for each common rock type and studied the
mutual abundance and distribution of many major and
minor elements.

Goldschmidt (1888 - 1947) contributed significantly to the

roles of ionic size, coordination and atomic substitution in
crystal lattices. He gave a practical definition for the
science geochemistry, as it deals with:
1) the abundance of elements in rock, mineral or crystal,
2) the distribution of the elements, and
3) laws governing the abundance and distribution of
elements in rock, mineral or crystal.
 The combined forces of nature and humans
cause materials to move about Earth from place
to place.

This movement of matter often includes

chemical transformations conducted by
geologic, hydrologic, atmospheric and biologic
agents.
 The more we understand natural cycles, the
better equipped we are to avert future problems
caused by our continuing industrialization,
which usually involves altering the natural order
of things.

Earth Scientists often find it convenient to think

of various parts of our planet as containers
between which matter moves. These containers
are referred to as Reservoirs.
 Movement of material between these
reservoirs is known as a flux.

Concentration changes in space and time in

reservoirs are determined by Transport
equations.

Reservoir A Flux Reservoir B

 Reservoir is any physical subdivision of the
natural world that acts semi-independently

We can define reservoirs differently

depending upon the problem we are studying
i.e., the hydrosphere might be defined as the
location of all water on Earth.

Sub-reservoirs can also be defined, such the

oceans, rivers, glaciers, lakes, etc...)
We divide earth in four major reservoirs

Atmosphere
Biosphere
Hydrosphere
Lithosphere

All earth material and energy moves within

these reservoir.
 Hydrosphere broadly consist of all water
bodies on earth. E.g. oceans, rivers, lakes etc

Hydrological cycle is an important process in

which water moves within various reservoirs.
The thin layer of gases that blanket the Earths
surface.
Obvious compositional contrast, and physical
location clearly differentiates the atmosphere
from the rest of the Earth.

How about pore spaces in soils? Are they part of

the atmosphere?

This is up to the person defining the cycle to

some extent but it is unlikely that one would
choose to include the gases in soil pore spaces
as part of the atmosphere.
 It is also the called lithosphere and includes
the solid Earth including soils.

Our emphasis will be on surface processes -

that part of the geosphere which is connected
to the exogenic cycle.
 The sum total of all living entities on the
Earth.

Life resides in the hydrosphere, geosphere

and atmosphere.

A key aspect of the biosphere is its ability to

create stored chemical energy through
processes such as photosynthesis.
 The effects of human activity on various
natural processes can cause imbalances.

The chemical signatures of human activity

touch nearly every natural process.

Can you think of any such activity which has

alter the natural equilibrium????
 Atmosphere

Hydrosphere Biosphere

Geosphere
Anthrosphere