The results of a multielemental biogeochemical orientation survey carried out in Calabria, southern Italy, are reported in this paper. Five plant species: three herbaceous species, Oenanthe pimpinelloides, Anthemis triumphetti, and a stonecrop (Sedum tenuifolium), a leguminous shrub, spanish broom (Spartium junceum) and laricio pine (Pinus nigra ssp laricio) were studied to determine which species is the most responsive to sulfide mineralization and which are the best indicator elements. Si, Fe, Ti, Mn, Zn, Mo, Cu, and Pb were determined in ashed material by X-ray fluorescence analysis. All the data were treated statistically and classified into geometrically increasing intervals, in order to discriminate anomalous from background values. In addition, an R-mode factor analysis and a correlation analysis were performed to find out whether any specific metal association that could characterize both the lithology and mineralization existed for each plant species. The herbaceous plants, particularly Oenanthe, were much more effective as indicators of mineralization compared with laricio pine. The elements that gave the best indication of sulfide mineralization were Zn and Pb, confirming the usefulness of biogeochemical methods as an additional prospecting tool in Calabria, where such exploration has never been attempted before. R-mode factor analysis was found to be extremely promising as a supplemental tool in the interpretation of results from this biogeochemical survey. Each plant species is always characterized by a metal association (predominantly Pb-Zn-Mn) whose high factor loading scores constantly show a close relationship with proven sulfide mineralization. © 1982.
Metal response in plants to sulfide mineralization in the Longobucco area (Calabria, southern Italy)
CRISCI, Gino Mirocle;
1982-01-01
Abstract
The results of a multielemental biogeochemical orientation survey carried out in Calabria, southern Italy, are reported in this paper. Five plant species: three herbaceous species, Oenanthe pimpinelloides, Anthemis triumphetti, and a stonecrop (Sedum tenuifolium), a leguminous shrub, spanish broom (Spartium junceum) and laricio pine (Pinus nigra ssp laricio) were studied to determine which species is the most responsive to sulfide mineralization and which are the best indicator elements. Si, Fe, Ti, Mn, Zn, Mo, Cu, and Pb were determined in ashed material by X-ray fluorescence analysis. All the data were treated statistically and classified into geometrically increasing intervals, in order to discriminate anomalous from background values. In addition, an R-mode factor analysis and a correlation analysis were performed to find out whether any specific metal association that could characterize both the lithology and mineralization existed for each plant species. The herbaceous plants, particularly Oenanthe, were much more effective as indicators of mineralization compared with laricio pine. The elements that gave the best indication of sulfide mineralization were Zn and Pb, confirming the usefulness of biogeochemical methods as an additional prospecting tool in Calabria, where such exploration has never been attempted before. R-mode factor analysis was found to be extremely promising as a supplemental tool in the interpretation of results from this biogeochemical survey. Each plant species is always characterized by a metal association (predominantly Pb-Zn-Mn) whose high factor loading scores constantly show a close relationship with proven sulfide mineralization. © 1982.I documenti in IRIS sono protetti da copyright e tutti i diritti sono riservati, salvo diversa indicazione.
