B. Herut et al., COPRECIPITATION OF TRACE AND MINOR ELEMENTS IN MODERN AUTHIGENIC HALITES FROM THE HYPERSALINE DEAD-SEA BRINE, Geochimica et cosmochimica acta, 62(9), 1998, pp. 1587-1598
Modern halite samples were collected from the Dead Sea (post 1983) and
analyzed for their minor (Br, Mn, K, Ca) and trace (Cd, Pb, Zn, Ni) e
lement concentrations. The halites collected include sedimentary halit
es with different morphologies and halites which crystallized on ropes
suspended in the water body (rope-halites). The mechanisms of minor a
nd trace element coprecipitation with these halites are discussed, and
their apparent distribution coefficients are calculated (D-Mn = 0.09,
D-K = 3.6 x 10(-4), D-Ca = 5 x 10(-5) D-Br = 0.011, D-Cd = 9.3, D-Pb
= 3.5, D-Zn = 0.041, D-Ni = 0.11) mainly based on the sedimentary hali
tes, which represent the slowest crystallization rates and are therefo
re crystallized at or closest to equilibrium with the brine. Several t
ypes of halites which crystallized at different crystallization rates
exhibit large variations in coprecipitated Mn and to a lesser degree o
f coprecipitated K and Ca. The wide range of calculated D-Br and D-K v
alues in halites precipitated from the Dead Sea brine and from evapora
ted seawater are probably due to kinetic factors and not to difference
s in the parent brine compositions. The present study apparent distrib
ution coefficient values probably best represent, both the Dead Sea br
ine and evaporated seawater at similar ionic strengths. The continuous
precipitation of halite since 1983 played a major role in the removal
of Cd and Pb from the Dead Sea brine and only a minor role in the rem
oval of Zn and Ni. Based on estimates of inventories in the Dead Sea,
the removal flux of Cd and Pb are discussed. Copyright (C) 1998 Elsevi
er Science Ltd.