Coupled thermal, hydraulic and geochemical evolution of pyritic tailings in unsaturated column experiments     

Patricia Acero  Carlos Ayora  Jesús Carrera 《Geochimica et cosmochimica acta》2007,71(22):5325-5338

The evolution of pore-water and the composition of solid phases in the vadose zone of pyritic tailings was studied by means of unsaturated column experiments. Several columns of water-saturated mine tailings were dried during 125 days under controlled laboratory conditions. The columns were dismantled at four successive drying stages and the evolution of pore-water, mineralogy, water content and temperature was characterized.Sulfide and aluminosilicate minerals present in the waste dissolved, releasing sulfate and other solutes (mainly Fe, Zn, Cu, Al, Mg and Ca) to the pore-water. Evaporation caused a crust of efflorescent, water-soluble sulfates to develop over the complete top surface of the columns and into the pores of the underlying waste material. This crust, which has also been identified in the field, changed the hydraulic properties of the tailings and produced a decrease in the evaporation rate of the columns. Moreover, these water-soluble precipitates (mainly rozenite, szomolnokite, halotrichite, hexahydrite, mirabilite and gypsum) acted as temporary sinks for Cd, Pb, Co and Ni, which could be released to the surface run-off or the groundwaters during rainfall events under field conditions.Pore-water evolution was determined not only by geochemical processes (dissolution of sulfides and aluminosilicates, precipitation of secondary phases) but also by thermal and hydraulic processes. Progressive dilution was observed in the lower part of the columns. Dilution was caused by the thermally driven vapor flux from the top of the column to its colder bottom and subsequent condensation therein. This process, which may also occur in tailings under sub-arid climate, played a key role on the evolution of pore-water with increasing drying.  相似文献   

Neo-liberal ruptures: Local political entities and neighbourhood networks in El Alto, Bolivia     

Juan Manuel Arbona 《Geoforum》2007,38(1):127-137

In October 2003, hundreds of thousands of Bolivians took to the streets demanding the resignation of President Gonzalo Sánchez de Lozada. After 20 years of neo-liberal policies - and the failures to improve the living conditions of the majority - the proposal to export natural gas via Chile was taken by the population as yet another step to sustain an unjust political order. Facing a direct challenge by the population the Sánchez de Lozada administration responded with indiscriminate military force. The result was 63 dead and over 300 wounded, which deepened and extended the social rage and eventually forced the resignation of the President. The neo-liberal project - promoted and defended by Sánchez de Lozada - collapsed. The city of El Alto was the epicentre of the challenges to the legitimacy of this political order. This article focuses on the role of local political entities and neighbourhood networks from El Alto in articulating political spaces that challenged the legitimacy of the institutional infrastructure and led to the October 2003 ruptures in the neo-liberal project. Furthermore, I make the case that the particular histories and memories (of “relocalized” miners and indigenous/peasants) that converged in and defined this city were pivotal in the organization of a “political subsoil” that surged to the surface during the October 2003 events.  相似文献   

Predation on the rocky shores of Patagonia,Argentina     

Fernando J. Hidalgo  Brian R. Silliman  María Cielo Bazterrica  Mark D. Bertness 《Estuaries and Coasts》2007,30(5):886-894

Rocky intertidal communities of Argentinean Patagonia are exposed to harsh physical conditions caused by dry, strong southern trade winds (mean speed 45 km h^-1, gusts up to 140 km h^-1) that result in intense desiccation of intertidal organisms. Predator distributions in these communities were evaluated from April 2003 to December 2004 at two exposed headlands and six protected bays in Cabo dos Bahias (44°50′S, 65°40′W). Crabs and sea stars dominated the predator assemblage, with occasional scavenger snails and fish also present. During low tide, predators were never found in the open but were always associated with shelter (primarily within mussel beds and coralline algae), suggesting a strong predator dependency on foundation species to buffer them from physical stress. Few predators (mostly crabs) emerged from shelter at high tide. Unlike the larger predators found on Chilean rocky shores, invertebrate predators in this system are diminutive, generally < 2 cm. The lone exception was the newly discovered invasive green crab,Carcinus mamas. Feeding trials, gut content analyses, and visual surveys indicated that native predators feed primarily on small, soft-bodied prey.C. mamas fed on slow-moving and sessile animals, including the super abundant musselPerumytilus purpuratus, with much greater voracity than native predators. Because native intertidal organisms are dependent on mussel beds and coralline algae for shelter from desiccation, successful invasion ofC. mamas may lead to a significant decrease in native diversity by consuming foundation species. This study represents a preliminary survey of predator distributions and feeding habits on the rocky shores of Argentinean Patagonia and provides important baseline data to evaluate trophic linkages and predatory effects on Patagonian rocky shores.  相似文献   

The sauropod diversity of the La Amarga Formation (Barremian), Neuquén (Argentina)     

Sebastin Apesteguía 《Gondwana Research》2007,12(4):533-546

A study of the abundant and undescribed isolated and associated bones and teeth from the La Amarga Formation (Barremian of Neuquén, Argentina) permitted the recognition of additional clades of sauropod dinosaurs: basal titanosauriforms, both basal and derived titanosaurs, and rebbachisauroid diplodocoids, which are now added to the already known dicraeosaurids and a recently published basal diplodocoid. These forms substantially increase the knowledge on the Early Cretaceous sauropod diversity in Gondwana.  相似文献   

Granite fracture index to check suitability of granite outcrops for quarrying   总被引：1，自引：0，他引：1  

Luís M.O. Sousa   《Engineering Geology》2007,92(3-4):146-159

A correct knowledge of fracture patterns previous to quarrying is important for economical exploitation. This work comprises the general characterization of the discontinuities of 10 granite rock masses in NE Portugal. During the study some discontinuity characteristics such as orientation, persistence, aperture, trace length and spacing were evaluated. The differences in the characteristics of the selected granites were described, and the most important exploration factors were identified. In the granites studied, most of the joints are oriented from N10°E to N50°E, which is compatible with the regional fracture pattern. Concerning joint termination, the XX type is common, while the RR type is rare; the persistence index ranges from 3.5% to 25.4%. Closed joints are predominant in the granites studied (> 72.4%), and openings of the others are about 1–2 mm as a result of superficial displacement of the granite blocks. The percentage of filled joints, usually by quartz and pegmatite, is different from one granite to another, but most are < 20%. The average joint length ranges from 11.1 m in post-tectonics granites to 4.6 m in syntectonic granites. Joint spacing varies from 0.98 to 2.8 m with higher values in post-tectonic granites. Joint-space distributions of the granites studied are close to log-normal and exponential distributions. Volumetric joint count (Jv) ranges from 0.8 to 2.1 joints/m³ and is used for categorizing the places of each granite. The relationships between Jv and other joint characteristics, such as length, spacing and number of joint sets, were investigated. A Granite Fracturing Index (GFI) is introduced, computed on the basis of volumetric joint count, number of joint sets and true joint spacing. The GFI classification of studied places allows us evaluate the suitability for profitable exploitation.  相似文献   

The Spatial and Temporal Characteristics of Pc3 Geomagnetic Activity over Canada in 2000, as a Guide to Planning the Times of Aeromagnetic Surveys     

Marc A. Vallée  Larry Newitt  Ian R. Mann  Mouhamed Moussaoui  Régis Dumont  Pierre Keating 《Pure and Applied Geophysics》2007,164(1):161-176

Geomagnetic activity affects aeromagnetic surveys. Geomagnetic variations are quite complex and can be quantified in different ways. A measure of geomagnetic activity that is useful for planning aeromagnetic surveys is the Pc3 pulsation index developed by the Australian Space Weather Agency. Purposeful to developing guidelines for planning aeromagnetic surveys in Canada, we study the variations in Pc3 index amplitude over Canada in 2000. This study shows distinct patterns associated with the sub-auroral zone, the auroral zone, and the polar cap. Average Pc3 index activity is higher during the months of February, July, September, and November in the auroral and sub-auroral zones. The station in the polar cap exhibits maximum activity near midday during the summer months. Detailed analysis of a magnetic storm shows that Pc3 index amplitude during the beginning of the solar storm is least important at the polar cap. The mean Pc3 index also relates to solar wind parameters such as the solar wind velocity and the vertical polarity of the interplanetary magnetic field. Analysis of the morning maximum of the Pc3 index observed in the auroral zone can be used to develop guidelines for planning aeromagnetic surveys in Canada and other areas of the world affected by auroral zones.  相似文献   

Late Pleistocene–Holocene environments in Valle Carbajal, Tierra del Fuego, Argentina   总被引：1，自引：0，他引：1  

Ana María Borromei  Andrea Coronato  Mirta Quattrocchio  Jorge Rabassa  Silvia Grill  Claudio Roig   《Journal of South American Earth Sciences》2007,23(4):321-335

The authors discuss Late Pleistocene–Holocene depositional environments in one of the Fuegian Andes valleys on the basis of palynological, geomorphological, and sedimentological analyses from two sites located near the Beagle Channel. The results obtained at these localities reinforce and refine the Late Pleistocene–Holocene climatic pattern previously recorded there. A colder period, associated with the Younger Dryas stadial event, is suggested by low Nothofagus pollen frequency, and communities of grass, low scrub, and shrub heath expanded into the low/middle slopes (10,310 ¹⁴C yr BP). By ca. 9500 ¹⁴C yr BP, warmer and drier conditions occurred, as evidenced by the development of open-grown vegetation in the valley floors (pollen zone O-3), followed by the expansion of open Nothofagus woodland (pollen zone O-2) in the middle Holocene. The milder climate subsequently changed, as indicated by the spreading of the closed forest and mire (pollen zone O-1), to more humid and cooler conditions during the last ca. 5000 yr BP.  相似文献   

The Alleret maar (Massif Central, France): A new lacustrine sequence of the early Middle Pleistocene in western Europe     

Jean-Franois Pastre  Agns Gauthier  Sbastien Nomade  Paul Orth  Ana Andrieu  Franck Goupille  Herv Guillou  Stphane Kunesch  Stphane Scaillet  Paul Randall Renne 《Comptes Rendus Geoscience》2007,339(16):987-997

The Alleret maar (Massif Central, France) provides a long lacustrine sequence (40.6 m) attributed to the early Middle Pleistocene. Sediment, pollen and diatoms analysis of its upper part (AL2 core, 14.6 m) indicates two temperate phases marked by high lake levels, forest development and vegetation expansion. They are separated by a cold period during which lake level drops, coarse sediment input increases and steppic and xerophilous plants develop. Pollen data suggests that this sequence belongs to the upper part of the Cromerian complex. These results are in agreement with the 557 ± 3 ka (±12 ka, including all errors) ⁴⁰Ar/³⁹Ar age obtained from an interbedded tephra layer emitted by the Mont-Dore/Sancy strato-volcano and establish that this sequence probably covers the MIS 15 substages.  相似文献   

Crustal attenuation in the Southern Andean retroarc (38°–39°30′ S) determined from tectonic and gravimetric studies: The Lonco-Luán asthenospheric anomaly     

Andrs Folguera  Antonio Introcaso  Mario Gimnez  Francisco Ruiz  Patricia Martinez  Cynthia Tunstall  Ezequiel García Morabito  Víctor A. Ramos 《Tectonophysics》2007,439(1-4):129-147

The western retroarc of the Southern Andes between 38° and 40° S is formed by a NNW-elongated ridge not associated with stacked thrust sheets. On the contrary, during the last 4–3 Ma this ridge was affected by extensional deformation, regional uplift and related folding on a very broad scale. Receiver function analysis shows that the drainage divide area and adjacent retroarc lie over an attenuated crust. Expected crustal thickness at these latitudes is around 38 km, whereas in this part of the retroarc the thickness is less than 32 km. The causes for such attenuation have been linked to a moderate steepening of the subducted Nazca plate beneath the South American plate, which is suggested by a westward shift and narrowing of the magmatic arc during the last 4 to 5 Ma. Gravimetric studies show that the upper plate did not react homogeneously to slab steepening, but ancient sutures and lithospheric discontinuities deeply buried under Mesozoic to Cenozoic sequences in the retroarc were locally reactivated. These processes resulted in an asthenospheric anomaly that correlates at the surface with the area of Pliocene to Quaternary doming, widespread extension and three radial troughs. Two of the troughs have accommodated substantial amounts of extension, but the third was probably aborted at an early stage. Moreover, the presence of an anomalous concentration of calderas and large volcanic centers over the proposed asthenospheric anomaly, and their age distribution, may indicate minor migration of the asthenospheric anomaly between 4 and 2 Ma through the western South American plate.  相似文献   

Structural framework and Mesozoic–Cenozoic evolution of Ponta Grossa Arch, Paraná Basin, southern Brazil     

Michael Strugale  Sidnei Pires Rostirolla  Fernando Mancini  Carlos Vieira Portela Filho  Francisco Jos Fonseca Ferreira  Rafael Corrêa de Freitas 《Journal of South American Earth Sciences》2007,24(2-4):203-227

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