http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1674987111000211

Arid and semi-arid regions are susceptible to high levels of erosion.A rapid and cost effective methodological erosion assessment for these regions is required to describe and monitor the processes that control erosion.This study uses remote sensing to describe the contribution of several factors that control erosion.Topography,land use,vegetation density,soil properties and climatic proxies are used to determine erosion risk and to provide basic maps of water and soil conservation practices. A hierarchi...     

Hg and As Minerals in Fluid Inclusions from the Williams Mine,Hemlo,and Their Genetic Implications

The Hemlo mineralization is enigmatic compared to general Archean lode gold deposits based on the fact that is characterized by an exotic mineralogy containing elements such as As,Hg,Sb,Ba,V and Mo.The genetic concepts range from syngenetc to epigenetic types of mineralization.This reconnaissance study was designed to examine the relationshp of Hg-As minerals with respect of fluid inclusions in the Williams mine(formerly known as the Page Williams mine)covering the A and C ore zones.     

Behaviour of REE during weathering of granite in a tropical climate

Weathering is essentially a leaching process and thus, one way of determining the extent of weathering is to monitor the mobility of different elements. Rate of loss of elements in a weathering profile can be determined by comparing the concentrations of …     

Acid Mine Drainage and Heavy Metal Pollution from Solid Waste in the Tongling Mines, China

Based on investigation of the characteristics of solid waste of two different mines, the Fenghuangshan copper mine and the Xinqiao pyrite mine in Tongling, Anhui province in central-east China, the possibility and the differences of acid mine drainage （AMD） of the railings and the waste rocks are discussed, and the modes of occurrence of heavy metal elements in the mine solid waste are also studied. The Fenghuangshan copper mine hardly produces AMD, whereas the Xinqiao pyrite mine does and there are also differences in the modes of occurrence of heavy metal elements in the railings. For the former, toxic heavy metals such as Cu, Pb, Zn, Cd, As and Hg exist mostly in the slag mode, as compared to the latter, where the deoxidization mode has a much higher content, indicating that large amounts minerals in the waste rocks have begun to oxidize at the earth surface. AMD is proved to promote the migration and spread of the heavy metals in mining waste rocks and lead to environmental pollution of the surroundings of the mine area.     

Symplectite of Pyrite and Magnetite in the Massive Sulphide Ore of the Mashan Mine,Anhui Province

A symplectite of pyrite and magnetite in the massive sulphide ore of the Mashan mine,Anhui Province,is interpreted to have been formed by their replacing earlier pyrrhotite.The compositions of pyrrhotite,pyrite and magnetite related to this texture are given by electron microprobe analysis.Such a texture is likely to be formed when the ore-forming system reaches the three-phase point of pyrrhotite,pyrite and magnetite from the pyrrhotite stability field.The very small probability for the system to reach this point could be used to account for the rare occurrence of such symplectite in natural ores.     

Environmental impacts of the abandoned mercury mine in Podljubelj, Slovenia

The Podljubelj mercury mine lies in the NW part of Slovenia. The ore is of hydrothermal-vein type. The ore deposit was exploited between the years 1557 and 1902. Total production of the mine was 110000 tons of ore （360 tons of Hg）. A smelter located close to the mine had been in operation since 1855. The waste material from the mine and the smelter was dumped in close vicinity of the mine. Total quantity of the waste has been estimated at 170000 tons. In order to establish environmental impacts, soil and stream sediment samples were investigated. Soil samples were collected at two different depths （horizons A and B） in a 100 m grid within an 88 ha area. In the vast area also 11 samples of stream sediments were considered. Heavy metals were determined by means of cold vapor atomic absorption spectrometry CV-AAS after aqua regia digestion. Based on the chemical analyses of samples, the estimated mercury mean for soils is 3.67 mg/kg （0.35-244 mg/kg） for horizon A and 1.39 mg/kg （0.17-71.7 mg/kg） for horizon B. The estimated mercury mean for stream sediments is 0.64 mg/kg （0.065-1.36 mg/kg）. The concentrations of mercury in soils generally decrease with depth and distance from the mine. The highest content of Hg was determined in a sample taken in the immediate vicinity of the smelter （719 mg/kg）. The results have shown that on the 9 ha of the study area, the contents of Hg in soils exceeded the officially set limit value for soils （10 mg/kg）. High contents of Hg in soil around the abandoned smelter are a consequence of former atmospheric emissions and technological losses. High contents of Hg were also found in the mine and smelter waste dump. At the edges of the study area and in the samples of stream sediments, Hg concentrations are low.     

Accessing Multi-Source Geological Data through Network in MORPAS Software System

MORPAS is a special GIS (geographic information system) software system, based on the MAPGIS platform whose aim is to prospect and evaluate mineral resources quantificationally by synthesizing geological, geophysical, geochemical and remote sensing data. It overlays geological database management, geological background and geological abnormality analysis, image processing of remote sensing and comprehensive abnormality analysis, etc.. It puts forward and integrative solution for the application of GIS in basic-level units and the construction of information engineering in the geological field. As the polularization of computer networks and the request of data sharing, it is necessary to extend its funictions in data management so that all its data files can be accessed in the network server. The paper utilizes some MAPGIS functions for the second development and ADO (access data object) technique to qccess multi-source geological data in SQL Server databases. Then remote visiting and congruous management will be realized in the MORPAS system.     

Study on Assessment of Mine Environments

Mine environmental evaluation is the key to mine environmental study. On the basis of the characteristics of the mine environmental problems, they are classified into （1） three wastes problem, （2） ground distortion, （3） contradiction among mine drainage, water supply, ecological environment, （4） desertification, and （5） soil erosion. The evaluation is the basis of mine environmental problem classification and investigation, mine environmental rehabilitation, and the information system constructed can be used for subsequent research of evaluation techniques. A synthetic assessment of the 5 kinds of mine environmental problems can be divided into single-factor or multi-factor synthetic assessments; while by the viewpoint of time, the mine environmental assessment can be classified as the historical assessment, the current status assessment and the forecasting assessment.     

Distribution of uranium and thorium in Irtysh River and the upriver wastewater from a rare metal mine impact on it

Uranium and Th are important radioactive elements. Most studies were focused on their environmental impact from uranium deposits and mining sites. But other sorts of mines such as rare metals mines are associated highly with uranium and thorium, too. In China, the Irtysh River is the only river that runs into the Arctic Ocean. The famous Koktokay rare metal pegmatite deposit is located in the headwater region of this river and has been exploited for several decades. The waste ore piled along the riverside as long as several kilometers. The wastewater flom the concentrating plant is discharged into the river directly. In addition, uranium and thorium can be leached from the waste ore into the river in the weathering process. So it is necessary to study the uranium and thorium distribution in the branch and trunk streams of the Irtysh River and the wastewater from the mining site impact on it. In this study, the contents of uranium and thorium in water samples from the Irtysh River and rare metal mine wastewater have been detected directly with ICP-MS. Uranium and thorium distribution and geochemical behaviors in the Irtysh River basin have been studied. The environmental uranium and thorium pollution status in the Irtysh River and wastewater from a rare metal mine impact on it have also been evaluated. The study shows that uranium and thorium contents in wastewater from a rare metal mine are as high as 78.311 μg/L and 0.627 μg/L, respectively, so we should also pay attention to the radioactive pollution from the rare metal mine. The average contents of U and Th in the branch streams of the Irtysh River are 0.572 μg/L and 0.015 μg/L, respectively. At the mean time, in the trunk of the Irtysh River, average thorium content is 0.019 μg/L while U is up to 2.234 μg/L, much higher than the average content （0.0309 μg/L） of the world rivers. From upstream to downstream in the trunk of the Irtysh River, thorium content declines gradually due to dilution by other branches and deposition itself.     

Distribution and behavior of heavy metals in a river polluted by acid mine drainage in the Dabaoshan mine area, China

Acid mine drainage （AMD） has been recognized as a major environmental pollution problem over past decades. This pollutant effluent is complex and is characterized by elevated concentrations of iron and sulfate, low pH, and high concentrations of a wide variety of metals depending on the host rock geology. Massive inadvertent discharges from acid mines have given rise to dramatic cases of ecological damage. These events indicate an improved understanding of the mechanism controlling metal transport to the river is important, since the aquatic ecology will be affected, to some degree, dependent on the phase （dissolved or particulate） in which the metal is transported. In this study, polluted water samples were collected along the Hengshi River near the Dabaoshan mine, Guangdong, China, in April 2005. The concentrations of dissolved Cu, Zn, Cd and Pb have been determined using ICP-MS and the chemical speciation of those metals in suspended particles was examined using BCR methods and SEM/EDX mineralogical analysis. Combining these two sets of data, the intention was to develop geochemical concepts, which explain the behavior of Cu, Zn, Cd and Pb in particle-water interactions of heavy metals in AMD. The results show that the dissolved heavy metals exhibited non-conservative behavior in the Hengshi River. The dissolved and particulate Cu, Zn, Cd and Pb have the similar spatial distribution, which decreased gradually along the river except in the lower reaches because of the absorption-desorption between dissolved and particulate phases. Although the metal concentrations in both phases were elevated, dissolved metals were dominant and had the maximum concentrations in the low pH region.     

Ore Zoning and Dynamics of Ore—Forming Processes of Yinshan Polymetallic Deposit in Dexing,Jiangxi

The Yinshan deposit,one of the large-scale Cu-Pb-Zn-Au-Ag polymetallic deposits,may be named a middle-low temperature subvolcanic hydrothermal deposit and referred to as the “transitional deposit“linking mineralization of the epithermal and porphyry coppertypes.In this paper,the characteristics and structures of ore zoning are briefly described.On the basis of the dynamics of ore-forming processes and applying computer numerical simulation technique,the mechanism of ore zoning is discussed and a concealed igneous body controlling ore deposition at depth of the Yinshan mine is predicted.     

Ecological risk assessment and early warning of heavy metal cumulation in the soils near the Luanchuan molybdenum polymetallic mine concentration area,Henan Province,central China

The Luanchuan molybdenum polymetallic mine concentration area is rich in mineral resources and has a long history of mining. The environmental impact of long-term mining activities cannot be ignored. It is of great significance to study the ecological risk and the accumulation trends of heavy metals in the soil of mining areas for scientific prevention and control of heavy metal pollution. Taking the Taowanbeigou River Basin in the mine concentration area as the research object, the ecological p...     

Studies on environment protection of vanadium exploitation in open air

Vanadium, improving mechanism and jointing capacity of steel products, is a kind of excellent additive during steel-making and its industry gets support from national industry policy. On account of shallow buried depth and low technique request of exploitation, there is much exploitation by local people lacking system management and technique guidance in area rich in vanadium since years ago, which damages regional environment dramatically. Accordingly, taking stone coal-vanadium as an example, the paper focuses on environment impact on water environment and eco-environment caused by exploitation in open air. Impact of exploitation on surface water mainly includes mining drainage and eluviated water of stock yard. According to civilian exploitation in the area, the rock suffers man-made disturbance, therefore, water quality indicators of mining drainage like heavy metal, permanganate, CI, SO4^2-, F are able to be analogies of ground water quantity in the region since the primary component of drainage is surrounding rock ground water. Water monitoring result of local well shows as follows： pH 6.68, SO4^2- 5.76 mg/L, F- 0.005 mg/L, Fe 0.025 mg/L, Mo 8.08 μg/L, Ni 5.91 μg/L, Co 0.61 μg/L, and all of them reach corresponding standard of water quality. Ground water turns into acid mine water by oxygenation after it discharges and with the help of sulfur the acid water contains nocuous elements which permeate in groundwater and surface water arousing pollution. The value of pH in the range of standard indicates that the acidification of mine water is relatively weak in the diggings. Eco-environment damage is another aspect that cannot be ignored, it acts as： （1） peeling work and establishment construction destroy landform; （2） stack of waste soil and rock occupies amounts of land; （3） various exploitation activities like vegetation peeling, landform change will enlarge the scope or enhance the intensity of soil erosion, which destroys eco-environment by leading water and soil loss;     

Geochemical Baseline and Trace Metal Pollution of Soil in Panzhihua Mining Area

A total of 31 topsoil samples were systematically collected from the Panzhihuaminingarea including steel smelting,coal mining ,urban and rural districts.A normalization procedure was adopted to establish the environmental geochemical baseline models for this area.By using the above baseline models,the regional geochemical baseline values of As,Cr,Cu,Ni,Pb and Zn were determined.On the basis of the baselines,the enrichment factors were used to analyze the mechanism of trace metal pollution in topsoil from anthropogenic sources,and the results showed that the serious trace metal pollution is caused by human activities in coal mine,iron mine,smelting factory,tailing dam and other industrial districts in the Panzhihua area.     

Geological Characteristics and Ore‐forming Time of the Dexing Porphyry Copper Ore Mine in Jiangxi Province

The Dexing porphyry copper ore mine is located in the Qin-Hang metallogenic belt between the Yangtze block and the Cathaysia block. It is a giant porphyry copper mine in China, including 3 ore districts: Tongchang, Fujiawu and Zhushahong. Our analyses of Re in molybdenite indicate that the ore-forming material of the copper ore deposits in Dexing should be mainly mantle-derived. Our study fills in a gap in the study of formation time of the Dexing copper mine, and further proves that the copper ore deposits in the three ore districts should be formed simultaneously, about 170 Ma, belonging to the early Yanshan period, and that the formation time of the copper ore deposits should be consistent with the formation time of granodiorite porphyry in which the copper ore deposits are hosted. Promising areas for seeking porphyry copper ore deposits is predicated to be the west or southwest of Dexing.     

Environmental geology problems caused by mining activities in Panzhihua iron mine

The Panzhihua iron mine, a famous V-Ti magnetite mine in our country, is composed of the Jianshan, Lanjiahuoshan and Zhujiabaobao ore areas. It has caused many ecological problems in the Panzhihua iron mine after nearly 40 years of mining, which has severe impact on safe mining and has brought huge economic losses. This paper begins with the environmental geological problems caused by unloading （mining） and loading （mine dump） that is then resulted from mining activities. The paper then analyses and studies the cause and development of every environmental geological problem as well as the formation of geological disasters （landslip, coast and landslide） from two aspects： geological disasters and environmental geological problems caused by mining activities. Meanwhile, the paper puts forward suggestions about prevention and management of mine. It is found that material unloading in the Panzhihua iron mine has made the originally stable geological body be less stable, and has formed much disastrous slope. The resulted geological disasters include landslip, landslip, etc. Material loading, i.e. mine dump, has caused a huge artificial loose stack piled up in valleys. The steep slopes can easily result in geological disasters, such as landslip, landslide, debris flow, etc. Till now, there have been over10 times geological disasters caused by material unloading, and over 20 times caused by material loading. The economic loss has been over 0.1 billion yuan RMB. It is also found that the major impact of mining on environment is the pollution of soil and water caused by heavy metals. Besides this, powder is also another source of pollution.     

Weathering and climate change since l820 AD in Hoh Xil, Qinghai-Xizang Plateau, China——Evidence from element geochemistry of lake sediments of Gulug Co Lake

Element geochemistry of lake sediments has been widely used to detect climate change because element composition and ratios can reflect the weathering degree in the source area. Given the dement composition of lake sediments from Gulug Co Lake, Hoh Xil, Qing- hai-Xizang Plateau, chemical index of alteration （CIA）, index of composition variability （ICV） and other element ratios have been used to establish the weathering sequence of this area since 1820 AD. The weathering is so weak that the element composition change is more sensitive to climate change and autochthonous processes. From 1820 to 1984 AD, there were two drier periods with a wetter interval from 1870 to 1945 AD. After 1984 the weather showed a tendency of becoming wet.     

Monitoring Glacial Shrinkage Using Remote Sensing and Site-Observation Method on Southern Slope of Kalik Mountain, Eastern Tian Shan, China

Currently, one of the effective means in monitoring glacier change in regional scale is remote sensing and site-observation method. In this article, we present a study of comparing glacier area in 2005 derived from SPOT5 satellite image with area in 1972 derived from topographic maps. Moreover, Miaoergou (庙儿沟) flat-summit glacier is site observed to verify glacial change in regional scale. During the study period, glaciers located in the southern slope of Kalik (喀尔里克) Mountain re-duced their area by 12.3%. ...     

Evolution of mine-pool chemistry at the Sydney Coalfield, Nova Scotia, Canada, and its implications for mine decommissioning

The Sydney Coalfield is the largest in Atlantic Canada in which about 100 coal mines with varied lifespan have been opened since 1720. In the Glace Bay sub-basin, coal seams subcrop close to the Atlantic coast and dip seaward. Coal has been mined at 〉1200 m depth and 11 km from the coastline. Deposited possibly under a marine influence, the coals are enriched in pyrite. During mining abundant acidic sulfates such as melanterite, rozenite, copiapite and halotrichite have accumulated in the underground workings due to pyrite oxidation. The dissolution of these efflorescent salts upon mine flooding at closure gives rise to acidic mine pools wherever insufficient acid-neutralizing materials are present. A major challenge of mine decommissioning in the area is to prevent the discharge of this acidic water into the open ocean. Water monitoring in the 1B Hydraulic System, which consists of ten mines connected at various depths by natural or man-made conduits, shows that the mine pool chemistry varies with the mining practice employed. Although coal has invariably been mined by the room and pillar method, the extent of pillar removal varies from mine to mine. In mines with minimal pillar removal, coal extraction could be as low as 45%, leaving much pyrite for oxidation prior to eventual flooding and an acidic mine pool occurs. In contrast, in mines with extensive pillar removal, coal extraction could amount to 85%, leaving much less pyrite for oxidation. Moreover, the extensive pillar removal caused the collapse of the overlying strata which in some areas include limestone. The infilling of mine workings with carbonate-rich material offsets the effects of acidic effiorescent salts and a mine pool with near-neutral pH results. Geochemical modeling has affirmed the control of local water chemistry by the prevalent mineral assemblage.     

Migration of nutrients dissolved by precipitation and their role in soil erosion

The aim of this research is to study the change of P and N contents of the surface runoff and subsurface flow caused by rainfall events, from the watershed till the stream. Samples were taken and analyzed from the surface runoff water after each rainfall …