西藏雅鲁藏布江缝合带的普兰地幔橄榄岩中发现金刚石:蛇绿岩型金刚石分类的提出

西藏罗布莎蛇绿岩的地幔橄榄岩和铬铁矿中发现金刚石和特殊矿物群引发了新的问题,罗布莎地幔橄榄岩含特殊地幔矿物是不是一个孤立的特殊现象,或这是一个普遍存在的规律?显然,这是一个至关重要的问题.本文报道在雅鲁藏布江缝合带西段,距离罗布莎1000km以远的普兰蛇绿岩的地幔橄榄岩中发现与罗布莎类似的金刚石和特殊地幔矿物群.普兰的地幔橄榄岩体主体为方辉橄榄岩,含少量的纯橄岩和二辉橄榄岩,研究表明,属典型MOR型亏损地幔橄榄岩.通过分选,在657kg的地幔橄榄岩大样中发现了金刚石和碳硅石等30余种矿物的特殊矿物群,包括自然铬、自然铁和自然锌等强还原条件下形成的单质元素矿物.该矿物群与罗布莎地幔橄榄岩和铬铁矿中发现的特殊矿物群十分相似,表明罗布莎的地幔橄榄岩不是雅鲁藏布江缝合带中的一个特例.结合在俄罗斯乌拉尔Ray-Iz铬铁矿中发现类似的矿物群,以及世界其他地区的有关阿尔卑斯型地幔橄榄岩中金刚石的报道,认为蛇绿岩地幔橄榄岩中可能普遍含有金刚石,并将蛇绿岩地幔橄榄岩中产出的金刚石归为一种新的金刚石产出类型,即蛇绿岩型金刚石,不同于金伯利岩型金刚石和超高压变质带中产出的变质金刚石类型.     

西昆仑库地蛇绿岩铬铁矿中铬尖晶石化学特征及其地质意义

库地蛇绿岩属于西昆仑早古生代蛇绿岩带,主要由变质橄榄岩、堆晶橄榄岩、基性火山岩和石英岩等组成。库地蛇绿岩体具有较好的岩相分带,其中纯橄岩相与辉橄岩相中产出豆荚状铬铁矿。与其他岩相对比,铬铁矿具有最高的Cr2O3含量、最大的Mg#值和最小的Fe#值,表明铬铁矿形成于富Mg的环境,且经历了更高程度的部分熔融。利用铬铁矿(铬尖晶石)矿物的化学成分,得出铬尖晶石的结晶温度为1366～1404℃,平均1379℃;压力为2.98～3.03GPa,平均3.00GPa;地幔部分熔融程度F为17.33%～18.84%,平均18.28%。结合已有的研究成果,推测库地蛇绿岩的基底橄榄岩单元源区为石榴石二辉橄榄岩,形成于亏损的软流圈地幔,对应的大地构造位置为消减带之上岛弧环境。     

新疆西准噶尔地区蛇绿岩与豆荚型铬铁矿床的成因研究

本文将西准噶尔地区蛇绿岩分为两类:一类是变质橄榄岩+辉石岩+辉长岩组合(简称PPG系列),它们遵循富Ca的演化趋势,发育冶金型铬铁矿床;另一类是变质橄榄岩+橄长岩+辉长岩组合(简称PTG系列),它们遵循富Al的演化趋势,发育耐火型铬铁矿床。两类蛇绿岩中变质橄榄岩的成因机制是上地幔岩的部分熔融,而铬铁矿及纯橄岩的出现则是高度熔融的残余;堆积杂岩中出现辉石岩+辉长岩和橄长岩+辉长岩的不同组合则与岩浆房的出露深度和氧化状态有关。     

豆荚状铬铁矿床成矿地球化学指标对比和成矿作用讨论

豆荚状铬铁矿主要赋存于地幔橄榄岩中,与方辉橄榄岩密切相关。在全球的分布与蛇绿岩带分布基本一致,但并非所有蛇绿岩体都赋存有铬铁矿,且其中赋存的铬铁矿体规模和分布都是很不规律的。我们对比研究了国内外9个含铬矿和4个不含铬矿蛇绿岩中地幔橄榄岩的地球化学组成,认为含铬矿地幔橄榄岩具有全岩低含量的CaO(<1.91%)和Al_2O_3(<1.76%)、方辉橄榄岩轻稀土元素富集,橄榄石高Fo值(>90),斜方辉石低Al_2O_3含量(<3.8%)以及副矿物铬尖晶石高Cr/Fe值(>1.5)等特征,可以作为该蛇绿岩体含矿评价的地球化学指标。通过这些指标可知豆荚状铬铁矿床是较高程度部分熔融和地幔交代作用的共同结果,结合前人提出的铬铁矿成矿模式,对铬铁矿的成矿过程有了进一步的认识。     

铬同位素体系及其在铬铁矿成矿过程中的应用

近年来铬(Cr)同位素体系在示踪地幔部分熔融、岩浆结晶分异及俯冲带流体相关的地质过程中均取得了重要进展。本文通过实例研究综述了Cr同位素在铬铁矿成矿作用方向的主要进展,包括:(1) Stillwater层状岩体橄榄岩带和K?z?ldaˇg蛇绿岩壳幔过渡带内铬铁矿及共生硅酸盐矿物的Cr同位素研究,揭示了层状/似层状铬铁矿成矿过程中可能发生明显的Cr同位素分馏,且主要受结晶分异和岩浆补给过程控制;(2) K?z?lda?蛇绿岩豆荚状铬铁矿床的Cr同位素研究,证明了俯冲带地幔橄榄岩中尖晶石的部分熔融,可能是豆荚状铬铁矿床主要的成矿物质来源之一,同时俯冲带流体也可能直接参与成矿;(3)层状岩体及蛇绿岩中普遍存在矿物间的Cr同位素不平衡分馏现象,不仅可用以记录岩浆作用的冷却时间,同时也证明了铬铁矿成矿过程中释放的流体对矿物间的元素交换具有明显促进作用。     

南天山满大勒克蛇绿岩铬铁矿矿物学特征及其意义

满大勒克蛇绿岩属于南天山晚古生代蛇绿岩带,主要由蛇纹石化橄榄岩、玄武岩和含放射虫硅质岩组成。其中蛇纹岩富含铬铁矿,并具有豆荚状特征。显微镜观察和电子探针分析表明,铬铁矿具有明显的环带结构,从核部到边部呈现出由铬尖晶石到铬铁矿到磁铁矿的变化特征,元素组成上具有由富Al和Cr、贫Fe到贫Al和Cr、富Fe的变化趋势。利用铬铁矿(铬尖晶石)核部矿物的化学成分,得出铬尖晶石的结晶温度为1359～1394℃,平均1379℃;压力为2.76～3.00GPa,平均2.87GPa;相对于FMQ缓冲剂的地幔氧逸度为FMQ-1.50～FMQ-2.92log单位,平均值为FMQ-2.14log单位;地幔熔融程度F为16.7%～18.0%。结合已有研究成果,推测满大勒克蛇绿岩的基底橄榄岩单元源区为石榴石二辉橄榄岩,形成于亏损的软流圈地幔,对应的大地构造位置为弧前盆地。研究区铬尖晶石的环带特征显示其经历了温度由高到低、氧逸度由低到高的演变,反映了满大勒克蛇绿岩套的橄榄岩单元经历了高温高压的地幔环境(低氧逸度),之后随构造变动被推覆到地壳,定位之后又经历了区域变质作用的演化过程(高氧逸度)。     

西藏罗布莎不同类型铬铁矿的特征及成因模式讨论

蛇绿岩地幔橄榄岩中产出的豆荚状铬铁矿是铬的主要来源。已有的研究表明,豆荚状铬铁矿形成于洋中脊或俯冲带的浅部地幔环境。但随着近些年在豆荚状铬铁矿及围岩地幔橄榄岩中不断发现金刚石等深部矿物,人们也开始质疑豆荚状铬铁矿的浅部成因理论。本文系统研究了西藏雅鲁藏布江蛇绿岩带东段的罗布莎豆荚状铬铁矿床,识别出两类铬铁矿,一类以方辉橄榄岩为围岩的致密块状铬铁矿(Cr1#),另一类是以纯橄岩壳为围岩的浸染状铬铁矿(Cr2#)。两类铬铁矿在铬尖晶石的矿物化学成分、PGE和Re-Os同位素特征上存在较大差别,属不同演化过程的结果。地幔橄榄岩的地球化学特征指示罗布莎橄榄岩中存在由低铬且轻稀土亏损和高铬且轻稀土富集的两类方辉橄榄岩。在此基础上,提出豆荚状铬铁矿为多阶段形成的新认识,经历了早期俯冲至地幔过渡带(410~660km)的陆壳和洋壳物质被脱水和肢解,过渡带产生的热和流体促成了地幔的熔融和Cr的释放和汇聚;铬铁矿浆在地幔柱/地幔对流驱动下,运移至过渡带顶部冷凝固结,并有强还原性的流体进入,后者携带了深部形成的金刚石、斯石英等高压矿物,并进入"塑性-半塑性地幔橄榄岩"中;随着物质向上移动,深度降低,早期超高压相矿物发生相变,如斯石英转变成柯石英,高压相的铬铁矿中出溶成柯石英和单斜辉石;在侵位过程和俯冲带环境,含水熔体与方辉橄榄岩反应形成了不含超高压矿物的规模相对较小的浸染状铬铁矿(Cr2#)及纯橄岩壳。     

蛇绿岩中金刚石和异常矿物的全球记录

蛇绿岩型金刚石产在地幔橄榄岩和铬铁矿中,是新建立的金刚石产出类型,不同于产在金伯利岩和超高压变质岩中的金刚石。全球已在21个蛇绿岩中发现了该类金刚石,含金刚石的蛇绿岩主要分布在特提斯造山带、乌拉尔- 中亚造山带、日高变质岩带和北美克拉马斯- 阿卡特兰造山带。本文梳理了含金刚石蛇绿岩的全球分布和地质背景以及蛇绿岩中超高压－强还原矿物与其它壳幔矿物组合的特征,讨论了已有的含金刚石铬铁矿和地幔橄榄岩的四种成因机制。金刚石和伴生的超高压－强还原矿物组合产在不同时代的造山带蛇绿岩中,不仅仅揭示了金刚石在蛇绿岩中普遍存在,需要重新思考蛇绿岩和铬铁矿的成因以及它们形成的地质构造背景,还证实了蛇绿岩地幔橄榄岩和铬铁矿是地球深部矿物重要的储存库,为认识地球深部的物质组成和物理化学环境,以及深部物质运移的轨迹和动力学过程等提供了天然样品。     

藏北班公湖—怒江缝合带中—西段康穷地区发现铬铁矿

班公湖—怒江缝合带中—西段康穷地区发育一套各端元出露比较齐全的蛇绿岩岩石组合,向东与八乌错、米素、赤日、孜如错、桑日一带的超基性岩共同构成了班公湖—怒江缝合带中—西段基性超基性岩带。2012年,于康穷地区变质橄榄岩岩体边部发现一处铬铁矿体,首次证实这一巨大的超基性岩带内存在铬铁矿。铬铁矿露头良好,地表见有2条矿体,在露头西侧还见有大片残坡积铬铁矿,残坡积之下的深部情况尚难确定。矿体以冶金级富铬矿石为主,Cr2O3含量最高可达59.11%,矿体围岩主要为方辉橄榄岩,见有少量纯橄榄岩。初步研究认为,康穷铬铁矿类型为豆荚状铬铁矿。该矿体的发现为班公湖—怒江缝合带中—西段铬铁矿的找矿工作提供了重要线索,对区域找矿具有重要的指示意义。     

西藏西南部达巴—休古嘎布绿岩带铬铁矿的找矿前景

雅鲁藏布江蛇绿岩带长1500km以上,分为东段(曲水—墨脱)、中段(昂仁—仁布)和西段(萨嘎以西至中印边境)3部分。西段又进一步分为北亚带(达机翁—萨嘎蛇绿岩带)和南亚带(达巴—休古嘎布蛇绿岩带),以往的研究程度很低。达巴—休古嘎布蛇绿岩带的蛇绿岩体(块)由地幔橄榄岩组成,主要岩石类型是方辉橄榄岩和纯橄榄岩,极少量二辉橄榄岩,缺少典型蛇绿岩剖面中的洋壳单元。带内岩体规模大,岩相分带明显,出现较大面积的纯橄榄岩相。拉昂错、东坡、当穷岩体和休古嘎布岩体群发现有较多的铬铁矿化点,矿体呈透镜状(豆荚状)、短脉状、不规则状,矿石以致密块状为主,少部分为浸染状,Cr2O3含量一般达40%以上。矿化类型属于豆荚状铬铁矿。对比研究显示,该岩带的岩体在构造环境,蛇绿岩的类型,岩体规模,岩石组成,保存部位,部分熔融程度,岩石、矿物地球化学特征,铬铁矿化特征等许多方面与国内外大型豆荚状铬铁矿床的含矿岩体相似,成矿条件好,找矿前景较大。提出区内找矿前景最好的地段是拉昂错岩体西北部的纯橄榄岩相,其次是东坡岩体的纯橄榄岩相、纯橄榄岩-方辉橄榄岩相,以及当穷岩体的方辉橄榄岩-纯橄榄岩相。     

Wavelength-dispersive X-ray fluorescence spectrometric determination of Sc, V, Cr, Co, Ni, Cu, Zn, Rb, Sr, Y, Zr, Nb, Ba, Pb, and Th in komatiites

Komatiites are mantle-derived ultramafic volcanic rocks. Komatiites have been discovered in several States of India, notably in Karnataka. Studies on the distribution of trace-elements in the komatiites of India are very few. This paper proposes a simple, accurate, precise, rapid, and non-destructive wavelength-dispersive x-ray fluorescence (WDXRF) spectrometric technique for determining Sc, V, Cr, Co, Ni, Cu, Zn, Rb, Sr, Y, Zr, Nb, Ba, Pb, and Th in komatiites, and discusses the accuracy, precision, limits of detection, x-ray spectral-line interferences, inter-element effects, speed, advantages, and limitations of the technique. The accuracy of the technique is excellent (within 3%) for Sc, V, Cr, Co, Ni, Cu, Zn, Rb, Sr, Zr, Nb, Ba, Pb, and Th and very good (within 4%) for Y. The precision is also excellent (within 3%) for Sc, V, Cr, Co, Ni, Cu, Zn, Rb, Sr, Y, Zr, Nb, Ba, Pb, and Th. The limits of detection are: 1 ppm for Sc and V; 2 ppm for Cr, Co, and Ni; 3 ppm for Cu, Zn, Rb, and Sr; 4 ppm for Y and Zr; 6 ppm for Nb; 10 ppm for Ba; 13 ppm for Pb; and 14 ppm for Th. The time taken for determining Sc, V, Cr, Co, Ni, Cu, Zn, Rb, Sr, Y, Zr, Nb, Ba, Pb, and Th in a batch of 24 samples of komatiites, for a replication of four analyses per sample, by one operator, using a manual WDXRF spectrometer, is only 60 hours.     

硅酸盐类样品中硅、铁、铝、钛、锰、钙、镁、钾、钠和磷的x射线荧光光谱测定

本文拟定了一种以熔融法制备样片,用X射线荧光光谱测定硅酸盐类样品中Si、Fe、Al、Tj、Mn、Ca、Mg、K、Na、P等元素的分析方法。在对不同靶材X光管和分光晶体实验对比的基础上,选择了最佳的测量条件。该法具有快速、准确,测量范围广,检测限低,价格便宜等优点。经过近百个各种类型标样或管理样品的分析对比表明,本法不仅适用于硅酸盐类岩石样品的分析,还适用于铁矿、铝土矿、碳酸盐类岩矿样品以及水泥、耐火材料等样品的分析。     

高压微波消解法测定醋酸纤维过滤器采集的微尘粒子中的砷镉钴铬铜铁锰镍铅钒锌

最新的流行病学研究表明,空气中较高浓度的悬浮细颗粒可能对人类的健康有不利的影响。根据该项研究显示,由于心脏病、慢性呼吸问题和肺功能指标恶化而导致死亡率的升高与细尘粒子有关。这些研究结果已经促使欧盟于1999年4月出台了限制空气中二氧化硫、二氧化氮、氧化氮、铅和颗粒物含量的法案(1999/30/EC),对各项指标包括对可吸入PM10颗粒的浓度提出了新的限制性指标。PM10颗粒是指可以通过预分级器分离采集的气体动力学直径小于10μm的细颗粒。目前研究的兴趣重点逐步偏向PM2.5这些更细微颗粒物,PM2.5这种颗粒物对健康有明显的不利影响。在欧盟指令2008/50/EC中,对PM10和PM2.5都提     

Isotopic systematics of He,Ar, S,Cu, Ni,Re, Os,Pb, U,Sm, Nd,Rb, Sr,Lu, and Hf in the rocks and ores of the Norilsk deposits

This paper reports the first results of a study of 11 isotope systems (³He/⁴He, ⁴⁰Ar/³⁶Ar, ³⁴S/³²S, ⁶⁵Cu/⁶³Cu, ⁶²Ni/⁶⁰Ni, ⁸⁷Sr/⁸⁶Sr, ¹⁴³Nd/¹⁴⁴Nd, ^206–208Pb/²⁰⁴Pb, Hf–Nd, U–Pb, and Re–Os) in the rocks and ores of the Cu–Ni–PGE deposits of the Norilsk ore district. Almost all the results were obtained at the Center of Isotopic Research of the Karpinskii All-Russia Research Institute of Geology. The use of a number of independent genetic isotopic signatures and comprehensive isotopic knowledge provided a methodic basis for the interpretation of approximately 5000 isotopic analyses of various elements. The presence of materials from two sources, crust and mantle, was detected in the composition of the rocks and ores. The contribution of the crustal source is especially significant in the paleofluids (gas–liquid microinclusions) of the ore-forming medium. Crustal solutions were probably a transport medium during ore formation. Air argon is dominant in the ores, which indicates a connection between the paleofluids and the atmosphere. This suggests intense groundwater circulation during the crystallization of ore minerals. The age of the rocks and ores of the Norilsk deposits was determined. The stage of orebody formation is restricted to a narrow age interval of 250 ± 10 Ma. An isotopic criterion was proposed for the ore-bearing potential of mafic intrusions in the Norilsk–Taimyr region. It includes several interrelated isotopic ratios of various elements: He, Ar, S, and others.     

Viscous, cohesive, non-Newtonian, depositing, radial slurry flow

Mining induced subsidence can significantly affect mining costs where major surface facilities and natural environment need to be protected. Overburden grout injection is a technology used to control coal mine subsidence by injecting the mine waste material extracted from the coal back into the inter-burden rock during longwall mining. The flowing slurry is here categorised as a nonlinear viscous cohesive (Bingham plastic) fluid. During longwall mining the grout slurry is pumped into the separated beds of the rock mass through a central vertical borehole, which is drilled deep into the inter-burden rock strata above the coal seam. However, a blockage can occur in the injection system when the slurry velocity falls below a certain critical threshold velocity, indicating a material phase change from cohesive-viscous to cohesive-frictional. In situ field injection tests through boreholes have been simulated at a smaller scale at the CSIRO laboratory in Brisbane by pumping the slurry through a radial disk (gap = 4 mm) from its centre. Laboratory experiments indicate a general, nonlinear, cohesive, viscous, frictional model for shear behaviour of the slurry, in which the material shear parameters are functions of the disk radial distance. Complete dimensional and dimensionless analytical solutions have been developed based on an approach related to Bingham–Herschel–Bulkley fluid mechanics. The derived formulae include relations for minimum pump pressure, local pressure and pressure gradient, wall shear stress, volume rate, velocity and velocity gradient. The theoretical results match the experimental measurements. The experiments covered slurries with maximum particle sizes of 0.5 to 2 mm with about 50% being larger than 100 µm. The viscosities at the various solids concentrations were measured with a standard torsion viscometer. This study differs from the previous research in several distinct aspects, namely, consideration of the variable shear parameters rather than fixed values, inclusion of total nonlinear behaviour, and implementation of a friction function to mimic behaviour of the deposited and consolidating stiff slurry, which can cause a significant pressure rise as a result of the increased shear resistance.     

硅酸盐中铁、锰、钛、钙、钾、磷、硅、铝、镁、钠、锶、铷、钡的X-射线荧光光谱定量测定

本文介绍样品经四硼酸锂熔融制成玻璃小饼。采用Lachance模式和理论a系数来校正元素间的效应,由3080E型X-射线荧光谱仪和DF-350B数据处理系统完成硅酸盐中十三个项目的测定。     

岩石密度和超高压岩石折返速率

在常温常压条件下对中国大陆科学钻CCSD主孔100-3000米岩心样品进行了密度测量,建立了密度连续剖面,并界定了不同超高压岩石的密度值。通过对比高温高压物性实验资料,岩石密度随着退变程度增强而降低,榴辉岩密度变化序列为3.52g/cm3→3.49g/cm3→3.07g/cm3→2.93g/cm3。超高压长英质岩石密度变化序列为3.00g/cm→2.80g/cm3→2.65g/cm3。上述实验资料是讨论不同折返阶段岩石所受浮力的基础,为研究折返速率大小提供了基本参数。本文通过折返板块运动平衡时,上浮力与粘滞力平衡这一关系式,定量研究了大陆俯冲板块的折返速率,认为密度差产生上浮力从而引起折返,温度对板块折返速率的影响最为显著;密度差大小、折返角度、折返板块大小对折返速率也有直接的影响。定量模拟分析表明,在温度高于850℃时,板块的折返速率可以超过100mm/a;当温度降至700℃时,折返速率则低于1.5mm/a。作者认为在折返早期,温度较高,板块快速折返至60-70km榴辉岩相深度;随着传导散热,温度降低,板块以较慢的速率折返至中下地壳。折返速率的估算表明,浮力是板块折返第一阶段(从>100km深部折返至<40km的中下地壳)的主要驱动力。     

Mercury,arsenic, antimony,and selenium contents of sediment from the Kuskokwim River,Bethel, Alaska,USA

The Kuskokwim River at Bethel, Alaska, drains a major mercury-antimony metallogenic province in its upper reaches and tributaries. Bethel (population 4000) is situated on the Kuskokwim floodplain and also draws its water supply from wells located in river-deposited sediment. A boring through overbank and floodplain sediment has provided material to establish a baseline datum for sediment-hosted heavy metals. Mercury (total), arsenic, antimony, and selenium contents were determined; aluminum was also determined and used as normalizing factor. The contents of the heavy metals were relatively constant with depth and do not reflect any potential enrichment from upstream contaminant sources.     

滇东南花岗岩与锡、银、铜、铅、锌多金属矿床的成因关系

滇东南锡、银、铅、锌多金属矿床主要分布在个旧、白牛厂、都龙3个矿区,而滇东南较大的3个花岗岩体又分别出露在3个矿区或附近.花岗岩体均形成于燕山晚期,岩石化学、矿物成分相似,富含锡、银、铅、锌、钨、铜等成矿元素.矿床主金属元素组合与岩体之间的距离由远而近出现由锡、钨、(铍、铌、钽)→锡、钨、(铁)、铜、铟→锡、铅、锌、银、铟、(锑)有规律的变化.花岗岩浆是成矿物质来源和成矿热源.岩浆侵入初期使上覆地层隆起产生背斜(凹陷部位成向斜);同时使地层产生一系列裂隙、压性断层或层间断裂;岩浆侵入晚期,这些断层再次活动,表现为张性,岩浆产生的含矿热液沿由其活动所造成的断裂迁移、充填、交代、沉淀而形成矿床.     

Bellechester,Minnesota, USA,lagoon collapses

Bellechester, Minnesota, is a small community of approximately 155 residents located on the county line between Goodhue and Wabasha counties in southeast Minnesota's karst region. Bellechester is served by a 21-year-old wastewater treatment facility (WWTF) consisting of three waste-stabilization ponds. On 28 April 1992 six sinkholes were discovered to have drained cell 2 of the WWTF resulting in the loss of approximately 8.7×10⁶ 1 of partially treated effluent and about 600 m³ of soil into previously undetected subsurface voids of unknown dimensions. In the week following the collapse, approximately 200 water wells located within a 5-km radius of the WWTF were sampled in an after-the-fact, emergency sampling program. Twelve samples with elevated fecal coliform levels, 18 samples with nitrate-nitrogen greater than the 10 mg/1 standard, and no samples with elevated chlorides were found. However, the elevated levels could not be unambiguously attributed to the WWTF collapse. This is the third WWTF to fail by sinkhole collapse in southeast Minnesota since 1974. All three collapsed lagoons have been located in similar geomorphic and stratigraphic settings. However, at least two lagoons have collapsed in the adjacent area in northeast Iowa, and these lagoons are located at different stratigraphic positions. Twenty-two WWTFs constructed in southeast Minnesota's karst region in the last 25 years have been identified as subject to potential sinkhole collapse. An unknown but significant number of manure storage lagoons, flood control structures, etc., have also been constructed in the karst region and are at risk. Public agencies are beginning to develop plans to deal with the risk associated with existing and future waste lagoons in this environment. The critical hydrogeologic parameters that can be used to prioritize the risk of collapse at existing facilities include: (1) the lithology of the first bedrock beneath each lagoon, (2) the thickness of surficial materials between the lagoon and the bedrock surface, (3) the presence and construction of liners (seepage rate), and (4) the proximity to existing sinkholes.