Degradation of organic pollutants by heterogeneous Fenton-based advanced oxidation processes has been proved to be an efficient method. The use of naturally occurring catalysts as H₂O₂ activators is of particular interest in environmental remediation. This work applied a low-cost and eco-friendly natural mineral under UV-light irradiation to degrade organic dye in water. To study the performance of the natural mineral in photo-Fenton oxidation, methylene blue (MB) was employed as a model dye pollutant. The morphology and chemical composition of the natural mineral were characterized using various techniques. The effects of different experimental conditions such as the initial pH of the solution, the amount of catalyst, and initial dye concentrations on the degradation efficiency were investigated. The degradation of methylene blue reached 91.3% at optimum reaction conditions; 0.1g catalyst and 100 mg L^‒1 H₂O₂ concentrations for 10 mg L^‒1 initial dye concentration after 180 min of treatment. The pseudo-first-order kinetic model exhibited a better correlation coefficient (R² > 0.98) in explaining the degradation kinetics of MB. The applied natural mineral showed good catalytic activity and will open a door towards large-scale wastewater purification from dyes. Furthermore, the plausible mechanism of the heterogeneous photo-Fenton oxidation is discussed.

The Iraqi Zagros Orogenic Belt includes two separate ophiolite belts, which extend along a northwest-southeast trend near the Iranian border. The outer belt shows ophiolite sequences and originated in the oceanic ridge or supra-subduction zone. The inner belt includes the Mawat complex, which is parallel to the outer belt and is separated by the Biston Avoraman block. The Mawat complex with zoning structures includes sedimentary rocks with mafic interbedded lava and tuff, and thick mafic and ultramafic rocks. This complex does not show a typical ophiolite sequences such as those in Penjween and Bulfat. The Mawat complex shows evidence of dynamic deformation during the Late Cretaceous. Geochemical data suggest that basic rocks have high MgO and are significantly depleted in LREE relative to HREE. In addition they show positive ɛ _Nd values (+5 to+8) and low 87Sr/86Sr ratios. The occurrence of some OIB type rocks, high Mg basaltic rocks and some intermediate compositions between these two indicate the evolution of the Mawat complex from primary and depleted source mantle. The absence of a typical ophiolite sequence and the presence of good compatibility of the source magma with magma extracted from the mantle plume suggests that a mantle plume from the D″ layer is more consistent as the source of this complex than the oceanic ridge or supra-subduction zone settings. Based on our proposed model the Mawat basin represents an extensional basin formed during the Late Paleozoic to younger along the Arabian passive margin oriented parallel to the Neo-Tethys oceanic ridge or spreading center. The Mawat extensional basin formed without creation of new oceanic basement. During the extension, huge volumes of mafic lava were intruded into this basin. This basin was squeezed between the Arabian Plate and Biston Avoraman block during the Late Cretaceous.

Three types of metamorphic titanite have been noted in a metarodingite pod within the tectonized and serpentinized peridotite portion of the Penjwin ophiolite sequence within the Iraqi Zagros Thrust Zone (IZTZ), northeastern Iraq. Type I metamorphic titanite occurs as subhedral to anhedral fine-grained disseminated crystals within chlorite that was formed during chloritization of biotite as a result of low-temperature (T = 330–340 °C) ocean-floor metamorphism or rodingitization of plagiogranite under a reducing environment. It is characterized by intermediate Al₂O₃ (Avg: 3.61 wt%), high FeO_T (Avg: 0.89 wt%), and intermediate TiO₂ (Avg: 34.7 wt%). Type II metamorphic titanite occurs as a thin rim around ilmenite and has high Al₂O₃ (Avg: 4.8 wt%), intermediate FeO_T (Avg: 0.6 wt%), and low TiO₂ (Avg: 33.7 wt%); it represents a reaction product between grossular and ilmenite, which resulted from an oxidizing high-pressure–high-temperature (P = 1.4–1.6 GPa and T > 750 °C) metamorphic event involving plagiogranite. Type III metamorphic titanite occurs as very coarse, highly fractured grains up to 0.5 mm, with inclusions of ilmenite, and surrounded by albitic plagioclase, analcime, and chlorite. This titanite is characterized by low Al₂O₃ (Avg: 1.23 wt%), low FeO_T (Avg: 0.30 wt%), and high TiO₂ (Avg: 36.98 wt%). It formed during extensive titanitization of ilmenite by a reaction with Ca-plagioclase during moderate pressure and temperature (P < 1.6 GPa and T < 750 °C) conditions, as a result of albitization of Ca-plagioclase in plagiogranite.

Ebrahim-Attar granitic pegmatite, which is distributed in southwest Ghorveh, western Iran, is strongly peraluminous and contains minor beryl crystals. Pale-green to white beryl grains are crystallized in the rim and central parts of the granite body. The beryl grains are characterized by low contents of alkali oxides (Na₂O = 0.24–0.41 wt.%, K₂O = 0.05–0.17 wt.%, Li₂O = 0.03–0.04 wt.%, and Cs₂O = 0.01–0.03 wt.%) and high contents of Be₂O oxide (10.0 to 11.9 wt.%). The low contents of alkali elements (oxides), low Na/Li (apfu) ratios (2.94 to 5.75), and variations in iron oxide (FeO= 0.28–1.18 wt.%) reveal a poorly evolved magmatic source of the beryl grains. Low abundances of rare earth elements (ΣREE = 0.8–4.9 ppm) with high ⁸⁷Sr^/86Sr_(i) ratios of 0.739 ±0.036 for the beryl grains and 0.7081 for the host granites infer that the primary magma was directly produced by partial melting of the upper continental crust (UCC). The crystallization temperature of the Ebrahim-Attar granitic pegmatite changes from 586 to 755 °C (average = 629 °C), as calculated based on the zircon saturation index. Furthermore, the quartz geobarometer calculation shows that crystallization occurred at pressures of approximately 233–246 MPa. This pressure range is a promising condition for saturation of Be in magma. During granitic magma crystallization, the melt was gradually saturated with Be, and then beryl crystallized in the assemblage of the main minerals such as quartz and feldspar. Likewise, the host granite is characterized by high ratios of Nb/Ta (4.79–16.3) and Zr/Hf (12.2–19.1), and peraluminous signatures are compatible with Be-bearing LCT (Li-Ce and Ta) pegmatites.