Pilot Point Optimization of Mining Boundaries for Lateritic Metal Deposits: Finding the Trade-off Between Dilution and Ore Loss

Natural Resources Research - Geological contacts in lateritic metal deposits (footwall topographies) often delineate the orebody boundaries. Spatial variations seen in such contacts are frequently...     

Experiences numeriques sur des billards C1 formes de quatre arcs de cercles

The paper deals with some properties of the dynamical system with two degrees of freedom defined by the motion of a particle in a certain type of billiard. These properties are studied by means of numerical experiments. Most results are represented in the now classical surface of section. One parameter families of billiards with a C¹ boundary constructed with four arcs of circles are defined; we use the property that the four meeting points of such billiards lie on the same circle. These billiards may be convex or non convex. They generalize the ‘oval’ billiard with two axes of symmetry studied by Benettin and Strelcyn. We call them generalized billiards. We find the following results:

1. The periodic orbit along the small diameter of a billiard is stable or unstable in the linear approximation according to the position of the center of each relevant are with respect to the opposite one. This orbit is always stable if the billiard is symmetric with respect to its large diameter.
2. When the center of an arc lies on the opposite arc two different transition patterns from order to chaos are observed for the same billiard. If the billiard is of the Benettin and Strelcyn type three distinct nested chaotic seas are seen two of which are separated by a pseudo-invariant curve generated by a so called cancellation orbit.
3. The total area of non chaotic regions is greater for symmetric billiards.
4. Peanut shaped billiards always look ergodic. It can happen also that strictly convex asymmetric billiards look ergodic. This is important since no strictly convex billiard is known for which ergodicity has been proven. The conjecture is proposed that a generalized billiard with neither 2-periodic nor 4-periodic stable orbit in the linear approximation is ergodic.
5. Transverse invariant curves such as the one found by Hénon and Wisdom seem common for billiards with two axes of symmetry but probably do not exist for asymmetric billiards.

There are therefore several properties which differentiate symmetric billiards from asymmetric ones. We conclude by emphasizing that C¹ generalized billiards are indeed inadequate models for smooth mappings in general.     

Structure and physics of solar faculae

Taking into account the effect of roughness (or local departures from sphericity) of the emitting layers in the chromosphere-corona transition zone (CCT) allows one to determine the optical depths of layers responsible for resolved structures in Cii, Ciii, Oiv, and Ovi lines. The result, at the top of the irregularities, is of the order of respectively ₁ 3.5,2.0, 1.6,0.5, and for the bottom of these irregularities, ₂ = 0.7, 0.4, 0.3, 0.25. The characteristic angle of these irregularities is, respectively, of the order of 35 °, 33 °, 35 °, and 41 °. For unresolved structures of Civ and Ovi (already analyzed in the spherical symmetry hypothesis in Paper III), one finds ₁ 0.6; 0.9 and ₂ 0.12; 0.2 in the case of quiet areas; in the case of active areas, the range is broader for Civ and Ovi, from 1.0 to 1.7 for ₁ and from 0.2 to 0.9 for ₂. The values obtained from Ovi are in reasonable agreement with each other for resolved and unresolved structures. And the obtained values of ₁ and ₂ correspond not too badly with the determinations made in Paper III, by methods not exceedingly influenced by the spherical symmetry hypothesis.     

Oxidation and metal-insertion in molybdenite surfaces: evaluation of charge-transfer mechanisms and dynamics

Molybdenum disulfide (MoS₂), a layered transition-metal dichalcogenide, has been of special importance to the research community of geochemistry, materials and environmental chemistry, and geotechnical engineering. Understanding the oxidation behavior and charge-transfer mechanisms in MoS₂ is important to gain better insight into the degradation of this mineral in the environment. In addition, understanding the insertion of metals into molybdenite and evaluation of charge-transfer mechanism and dynamics is important to utilize these minerals in technological applications. Furthermore, a detailed investigation of thermal oxidation behavior and metal-insertion will provide a basis to further explore and model the mechanism of adsorption of metal ions onto geomedia.     

Alkaline fluid circulation in ultramafic rocks and formation of nucleotide constituents: a hypothesis

Seawater is constantly circulating through oceanic basement as a low-temperature hydrothermal fluid (<150°C). In cases when ultramafic rocks are exposed to the fluids, for instance during the initial phase of subduction, ferromagnesian minerals are altered in contact with the water, leading to high pH and formation of secondary magnesium hydroxide, among other – brucite, that may scavenge borate and phosphate from seawater. The high pH may promote abiotic formation of pentoses, particularly ribose. Pentoses are stabilized by borate, since cyclic pentoses form a less reactive complex with borate. Analyses have shown that borate occupies the 2' and 3' positions of ribose, thus leaving the 5' position available for reactions like phosphorylation. The purine coding elements (adenine, in particular) of RNA may be formed in the same general hydrothermal environments of the seafloor.     

Fan beheading and drainage diversion as evidence of a 3200-2800 BP earthquake event in the Esmeraldas-Tumaco seismic zone: A case study for the effects of great subduction earthquakes

The San Lorenzo area belongs to the Esmeraldas–Tumaco seismic zone where some of the strongest earthquakes of South America occurred during the 20th century. This paper provides evidence for a succession of geomorphic changes characterized by the disruption of the Quaternary drainage network and the reshaping of the Cayapas–Santiago estuary. The rise of the La Boca uplift bordered by the La Boca and San Lorenzo faults is responsible for the southward diversion of the Palabi, Tululbi, Bogotá and Carolina rivers toward the Santiago and Cayapas rivers. The increase of the discharge directed to the Cayapas River generated the change of the channel pattern downstream from the confluence, and the avulsion of a new estuary through the coastal plain. According to the dating of beach ridges the avulsion occurred in the period 3200–2800 BP. This period corresponds also to a faster accretion of the beach ridge margin, interpreted as a response to a small uplift of the shore. The coherency of the three morphologic evidences—diversion of drainage network, avulsion and increase of coastal accretion—suggest a unique morphotectonic event, in relation with the activity of the Esmaraldas–Tumaco seismic zone. The opening of a direct communication through the mangrove margin may have brought favorable conditions for the development of the La Tolita archaeological site after 3000 BP.     

Apparent and real bias in numerical transfer functions in palaeolimnology

We present an evaluation of the procedure by which model prediction bias is examined in palaeolimnological transfer function inference models. We argue that most of the prediction biases commonly reported in the literature are, in fact, fallacious, and are the artificial consequence of the inappropriate manner in which residuals are traditionally examined. We show that the extent of the specious model bias is entirely predictable from first principles and is essentially determined by the strength of the predictive model. We suggest that the analysis of residuals should always be examined as a function of the model's predictions and we discuss the implications of the old and new approaches.     

Morphological and microtectonic analysis of Quaternary deformation from Puná and Santa Clara Islands, Gulf of Guayaquil, Ecuador (South America)

This paper presents the neotectonic study of Santa Clara and Puná Islands sited in the Gulf of Guayaquil eastern part. Both islands are located on the south-western segment of the fault zone bounding to the east the North Andean Block. Fault motion and morphostructural analysis were carried out from Pleistocene age terrain. A two step deformation characterises the South Puná tectonics. The first step involves the Zambapala Cordillera uplift that post-dates Pleistocene sediments and pre-dates a marine terrace correlated with the M.I.S. 11 or 13 (440–550 ka). The second step is the formation of a pull-apart that shows evidence of 2.9 km dextral offset since the M.I.S. 11 or 13, giving an offset mean rate of 5.3 to 6.6 mm/yr. This rate is higher than the one calculated on the Pallatanga Fault northeast of the study area, in the Western Andean Cordillera, suggesting that deformation is split in different fault segments from the Gulf of Guayaquil to the continent. The Zambapala Cordillera uplift and transpression deformation requires a compressive event that may have been induced by the subduction process during the early Pleistocene.     

Mid‐Weichselian interstadial in Kolari,western Finnish Lapland

Finnish Lapland is known as an area where numerous sites with sediments from Pleistocene glacial and interglacial periods occur. Recent sedimentological observations and dating call for reinterpretation of the record, which shows a complicated Mid‐Weichselian ice‐sheet evolution within the ice‐divide zone. Here, a large, previously unstudied section from a former Hannukainen iron mine was investigated sedimentologically and dated with optically stimulated luminescence (OSL). Ten sedimentary units were identified displaying a variety of depositional environments (glacial, glaciolacustrine, fluvial and aeolian). They are all – except for the lowermost, deeply weathered till – interpreted to be of Mid‐ or Late Weichselian/Holocene age. Five OSL samples from fluvial sediments give ages ranging from 55 to 35 ka, indicating two MIS 3 ice‐free intervals of unknown duration. The Mid‐Weichselian interstadial was interrupted by a re‐advance event, which occurred later than 35 ka and caused glaciotectonic deformation, folding and stacking of older sediments. This new evidence emphasizes the importance of the Kolari area when unravelling the complex Late Pleistocene glacial history of northern Finland and adjacent regions.     

Segmentation and kinematics of the North America‐Caribbean plate boundary offshore Hispaniola

We explored the submarine portions of the Enriquillo–Plantain Garden Fault zone (EPGFZ) and the Septentrional–Oriente Fault zone (SOFZ) along the Northern Caribbean plate boundary using high‐resolution multibeam echo‐sounding and shallow seismic reflection. The bathymetric data shed light on poorly documented or previously unknown submarine fault zones running over 200 km between Haiti and Jamaica (EPGFZ) and 300 km between the Dominican Republic and Cuba (SOFZ). The primary plate‐boundary structures are a series of strike‐slip fault segments associated with pressure ridges, restraining bends, step overs and dogleg offsets indicating very active tectonics. Several distinct segments 50–100 km long cut across pre‐existing structures inherited from former tectonic regimes or bypass recent morphologies formed under the current strike‐slip regime. Along the most recent trace of the SOFZ, we measured a strike‐slip offset of 16.5 km, which indicates steady activity for the past ~1.8 Ma if its current GPS‐derived motion of 9.8 ± 2 mm a^?1 has remained stable during the entire Quaternary.