Analysis Of Tourmaline Resources Potential And The Research On Its Comprehensive Development And Utilization

As a kind of natural nonmetallic mineral resource that can be applied to daily life, tourmaline is also a very important new type of functional mineral material. Considering the characteristics as its spontaneous electrode, electrostatic field around its particles, emitting far infrared ray, releasing anion etc. that can be developed and utilized, the development and utilization of tourmaline has been one of the hot spots about studying new type of functional mineral materials in 21st century. China is very rich in tourmaline resources; however, the tourmaline reserves that can be used and the distribution in China are still questions, and the research about basic theory of application and comprehensive utilization of tourmaline mineral features was focused on too late, especially the application study and products exploitation for agriculture is still blank in China.By applying lots of subjects including geological, biological and material science as well as frontier theories, the study has systematically studied and concluded the following factors about Chinese tourmaline, that are the characteristics of tourmaline deposits, temporal and spacial distribution, ore-forming regularity, the tourmaline resources in China and other countries and the exploitation with utilization status. Through a large amount of experimental research, the study has successfully worked out the manufacturing techniques and crafts about tourmaline compound boron fertilizer with the patent being authorized. The main research fingings and creative cognition of the study are presented as follows:1. The study has comprehensively analyzed and concluded the formation and distribution regularities of tourmaline in China. This is the first time that Chinese tourmaline deposits have been classified into five types as granite pegmatite-host deposits, magmatic hydrothermal deposits, volcanic-subvolcanic (hydrothermal) deposits, hot water sediment-host deposits and supergene sediment-host deposits according to the ore-forming processes, ore-forming patterns, ore-forming matters sources and the temporal and spacial distribution characters of tourmaline resources in China, with the characteristics of each kind of deposits being expounded in the paper. Based on the field survey and existing data about tourmaline resources, combined with the tectonic characteristics of China, the study has worked out the first map as Tourmaline mineral resources distributed in China in the scale of 1:4,000,000.2. Taking boron concentration as the major parameter, with kinds of tourmalines from different places as studying objects, using advanced modern testing technology (electro probe, energy spectrum, SEM, X-ray diffraction, ICP spectrum and so on) as testing methods, on the basis of theoretical and testing data, the paper has analyzed and comparatively studied the boron concentrations contained by different kinds of tourmalines that are from different places. The studying results have not only confirmed that tourmaline has high boron concentration, but also built a favorable foundation for the application of tourmaline resources with high boron concentration in China. The boron concentration contained by tourmalines chosen as testing samples from Baiyunshan in Jiangxi is even reached 3.43% (B₂O₃ concentration as 11.06%). Since the Baiyunshan tourmaline has high boron concentration, it may be better tourmalines at present in China.3. Through overall study about the development and utilization of tourmaline resources in China and other countries, the paper has proposed the significance, imagination and exploitation foreground about applying tourmalines to agriculture. In addition, considering the shortage of boron fertilizer in China, the paper has first put forward the idea of using tourmaline to replace borax and manufacture boron fertilizer by utilizing particular physical properties of tourmaline and its chemical properties of high boron concentration, through deep discussing about boron-bearing status and boron-lacking status of Chinese soil, and the physiological mechanism and effects about how boron element affecting crops.4. Through deep research of theories and experiments, the study has first proposed the treatment of activating tourmaline with calcinations and chemical methods ( eg. adding acid or alkali activator ) being combined, which will effectively separate boron from tourmaline crystal structure and make it dissolved in water to be absorbed by crops. According to boron solution effect, economic factors, safety, and environmental protection consideration, etc., the study has chosen Na₂CO₃ as chemical activator because of the maximum benefit, and its character of being favorable to industrializing production.5. The study has also create a boron fertilizer manufacturing method by mixing tourmaline powder treated by activating and tourmaline powder without any treatment to form highly active tourmaline boron fertilizer. This method has fully utilized the chemical property of high boron concentration and particular physical property of tourmaline, and not only made tourmaline boron fertilizer had virtues of general boron fertilizer, but also bring the environmental protection characters including antioxidation of soil, promoting the growth of plants, absorbing a part of heavy metals and pesticide residues, as well as purifying plants' growing environment to tourmaline boron fertilizer. Moreover, the study has also worked out the best prescription and technic with other creative fruits about how to manufacture different compound tourmaline fertilizer with different function by adding related elements and mineral materials that are required by crops to high active fertilizer.6. The studying achievement described in the paper has already gained Chinese invention patent on April.23rd of 2008 (Patent Number: ZL200610021331.9, Patent Name: Tourmaline activating treatment and high active tourmaline boron fertilizer manufactured by this method.).