Groundwater vulnerability assessment of the SW Trans-Danubian Central Range, Hungary

 The most important karst water reservoir of Hungary is found in the SW Trans-Danubian Central Range, selected as test area for the proposed "system approach" and the application of GIS/ARC-INFO to vulnerability mapping. In addition, a case-study exemplifies the particularities of regional karst-aquifer vulnerability, and moreover the interpretation of data and maps from the very same point of view. The work has resulted in plotting an atlas to be a useful tool in the hands of land-users and waste-disposal managers, helping them to prevent groundwater deterioration. Received: 22 July 1996 · Accepted: 12 September 1997     

Carboniferous subvolcanic activity on the Beara Peninsula,SW Ireland

Magmatic activity associated with the Munster Basin has been more widespread than previously reported. The Munster Basin is a substantial sedimentary basin, and towards the end of its extensional phase of development, at the beginning of the Variscan orogeny in Ireland, numerous intrusions were emplaced into consolidated Upper Devonian and Lower Carboniferous sediments on the Beara Peninsula. One hundred and sixty-four sills and dykes have been mapped which are subalkaline to alkaline in nature. Two separate suites have been identified. The northern suite comprises subalkaline basalts of Cod's Head and Dursey Island which are intruded into Devonian Red Beds, and the southern suite comprises alkali basalts, trachytes and phonolites which crop out along 9 km of the south coast of the Beara Peninsula and are suggested as Brigantian in age. They are intruded into Devonian Red Beds and marine Lower Carboniferous strata and are therefore later than the tholeiitic magmatism on the Iveragh peninsula to the north. The alkaline magmatism on Beara was induced by lithospheric thinning and controlled partly by pre-existing zones of weakness in the Caledonide crust and partly by fracture zones that developed parallel to the Munster Basin margin as it subsided. In contrast to the Iveragh Peninsula, the stretching factor for the Beara lithosphere was never large enough to lead to the production of tholeiitic magmas. © 1997 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Late Dinantian (Lower Carboniferous) platform carbonate stratigraphy of the Buttevant area North Co. Cork,Ireland

A thick sequence of late Dinantian (Asbian–Brigantian) carbonates crop out in the Buttevant area, North Co. Cork, Ireland. A mud-mound unit of early Asbian age (the Hazelwood Formation) is the oldest unit described in this work. This formation is partly laterally equivalent to, and is overlain by, over 500 m of bedded platform carbonates which belong to the Ballyclogh and Liscarroll Limestone Formations. Four new lithostratigraphic units are described within the platform carbonates: (i) the early Asbian Cecilstown Member and (ii) the late Asbian Dromdowney Member in the Ballyclogh Limestone Formation; (iii) the Brigantian Templemary Member and (iv) the Coolbane Member in the Liscarroll Limestone Formation. The Cecilstown Member consists of cherty packstones and wackestones that are inferred to have been deposited below fair-weather wavebase. This unit overlies and is laterally equivalent to the mud-mound build-up facies of the Hazelwood Formation. The Dromdowney Member is typified by cyclic-bedded kamaenid-rich limestones possessing shell bands, capped by palaeokarst surfaces, with alveolar textures below and shales above these surfaces. The carbonates of this unit were deposited at or just below fair-weather wavebase, the top of each cycle culminated in subaerial emergence. The Templemary Member consists of cyclic alternations of subtidal crinoidal limestones capped by subtidal lagoonal crinoid-poor, peloidal limestones possessing coral thickets. Intraclastic cherty packstones and wackestones characterize the Coolbane Member, which is inferred to have been deposited below fair-weather wavebase but above storm wavebase. The early Asbian Cecilstown Member has a relatively sparse micro- and macrofauna, typified by scattered Siphonodendron thickets, archaediscids at angulatus stage and common Vissariotaxis. Conversely, macro- and microfauna is abundant in the late Asbian Dromdowney Member. Typical late Asbian macrofossils include the coral Dibunophyllum bipartitum and the brachiopod Davidsonina septosa. The base of the late Asbian (Cf6γ Subzone) is recognized by the first appearance of the foraminifers Cribrostomum lecompteii, Koskinobigenerina and the alga Ungdarella. The Cf6γ Subzone can be subdivided into two biostratigraphic divisions, Cf6γ1 and Cf6γ2, that can be correlated throughout Ireland. Relatively common gigantoproductid brachiopods and the coral Lonsdaleia duplicata occur in the Brigantian units. The base of the Brigantian stage (Cf6δ Subzone) is marked by an increase in the abundance of stellate archaediscids, the presence of Saccamminopsis-rich horizons, Loeblichia paraammonoides, Howchinia bradyana and the rarity of Koninckopora species. Changes in facies at the Cecilstown/Dromdowney Member and the Ballyclogh/Liscarroll Formation boundaries coincide closely with the changes in fossil assemblages that correspond to the early/late Asbian and the Asbian/Brigantian boundaries. These facies changes are believed to reflect major changes in relative sea-level on the Irish platforms. The sea-level variations that are inferred to have caused the facies changes at lithostratigraphic boundaries also brought in the new taxa that define biostratigraphic boundaries. Moreover, many of the Dinantian stage boundaries that are defined biostratigraphically in Great Britain, Belgium and the Russian Platform also coincide with major facies boundaries caused by regressive and transgressive episodes. The integration of detailed biostratigraphic analyses with facies studies will lead to better stratigraphic correlations of Dinantian rocks in northwest Europe. © 1997 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

H-O-S-Cu-Pb Isotopic Constraints on the Origin of the Nage Cu-Pb Deposit, Southeast Guizhou Province, SW China

The Nage Cu-Pb deposit,a new found ore deposit in the southeast Guizhou province,southwest China,is located on the southwestern margin of the Jiangnan Orogenic Belt.Ore bodies are hosted in slate and phyllite of Neoproterozoic Jialu and Wuye Formations,and are structurally controlled by EW-trending fault.It contains Cu and Pb metals about 0.12 million tonnes with grades of 0.2 wt% to 3.4 wt% Cu and 1.1 wt% to 9.27 wt% Pb.Massive and disseminated Cu-Pb ores from the Nage deposit occur as either veinlets or disseminations in silicified rocks.The ore minerals include chalcopyrite,galena and pyrite,and gangue minerals are quartz,sericite and chlorite.The H-O isotopic compositions of quartz,S-Cu-Pb isotopic compositions of sulfide minerals,Pb isotopic compositions of whole rocks and ores have been analyzed to trace the sources of ore-forming fluids and metals for the Nage Cu-Pb deposit.The δ65CuNBS values of chalcopyrite range from-0.09% to +0.33‰,similar to basic igneous rocks and chalcopyrite from magmatic deposits.δ65CuNBS values of chalcopyrite from the early,middle and final mineralization stages show an increasing trend due to63Cu prior migrated in gas phase when fluids exsolution from magma.δ34SCDT values of sulfide minerals range from 2.7‰ to +2.8‰,similar to mantle-derived sulfur(0±3‰).The positive correlation between δ65CuNBS and δ34SCDT values of chalcopyrite indicates that a common source of copper metal and sulfur from magma.δDH2OSMOW and δ18OH2O-SMOW values of water in fluid inclusions of quartz range from 60.7‰ to 44.4‰ and +7.9‰ to +9.0‰(T=260°C),respectively and fall in the field for magmatic and metamorphic waters,implicating that mixed sources for H2O in hydrothermal fluids.Ores and sulfide minerals have a small range of Pb isotopic compositions(208Pb/204Pb=38.152 to 38.384,207Pb/204Pb=15.656 to 17.708 and 206Pb/204Pb=17.991 to 18.049) that are close to orogenic belt and upper crust Pb evolution curve,and similar to Neoproterozoic host rocks(208Pb/204Pb=38.201 to 38.6373,207Pb/204Pb=15.648 to 15.673 and 206Pb/204Pb=17.820 to 18.258),but higher than diabase(208Pb/204Pb=37.830 to 38.012,207Pb/204Pb=15.620 to 15.635 and206Pb/204Pb=17.808 to 17.902).These results imply that the Pb metal originated mainly from host rocks.The H-O-S-Cu-Pb isotopes tegather with geology,indicating that the ore genesis of the Nage Cu-Pb deposit is post-magmatic hydrothermal type.     

Amplitude versus offset analyses of the deep sedimentary structures at the northern flank of the Porcupine Basin,SW of Ireland

This paper represents an attempt of analysing the amplitude versus offset (AVO) behaviour and specific seismic attributes of sedimentary structures from the Porcupine Basin, SW of Ireland. During the last decade, a huge number of carbonate mounds were investigated in this region in water depths of 600–1,000 m, but the genesis and growth of these mounds are still not clearly identified. The aim of this paper is to give a better understanding of the connection between fluid migration pathways in the deeper underground and surface expressions of their fluid expulsions like gas chimneys and pockmarks through which the mounds may generate themselves. The data used in this study to determine boundary conditions for the physical properties of the underlaying strata were gathered from the northern flank of the Porcupine Basin, where a huge amount of fluid and/or gas chimneys covers the seabed. Marine seismic reflection data contain information about the elastic properties of the underlying earth, mainly based on the observed variations in the seismic reflection amplitude at different shot–receiver offsets. To extract elastic parameters from the data, inversion techniques were used, which presume that input amplitudes are proportional to reflection coefficients for plane wave reflection. To calibrate the AVO analyses with the existing stratigraphy in the working area we have used the well logs from several bore holes in the region. The results of this study show clearly that the investigated and identified pockmarks on the seafloor are the surface expression of hydrocarbon seepage in the deeper sedimentary underground.     

Groundwater pollution due to discharge of industrial effluents in Venkatapuram area, Visakhapatnam, Andhra Pradesh, India

 Hindustan Polymers Limited was established in the Venkatapuram area in the northwestern part of Visakhapatnam urban agglomeration. Untreated industrial effluent from the plant is discharged with total dissolved solids concentrations reaching up to 6500 mg/l. The groundwater pollution was identified as early as 1981 and a hydrogeologic and water-quality database is available from 1981. The groundwater quality in the plant environs is found to be in the range of 3500–4500 mg/l. Major chemical constituents of industrial-waste waters consist of Na, Cl, and SO₄. Some characteristic parameters of the aquifer were estimated. The available hydrogeologic and hydrologic data was analyzed to conceptualize the groundwater regime. A mathematical groundwater flow model was constructed to compute the hydraulic head at the center of finite-difference grid. The computed head distribution and effective porosity of the formations were used to calculate the groundwater flow velocity. The computed velocity field was ultimately used to prognose the pollutant migration in groundwater accounting for the advection and dispersion processes in the mass transport model and for determining the time-dependent pathlines of pollutant. Areal migration of pollutants from the source was predicted up to year 2002. Received: 23 December 1996 · Accepted: 9 September 1997     

平凉南部山区岩溶裂隙水分析

运用构造控水、水化学同位素、地下水动态等方法,对平凉南部岩溶裂隙水进行了深入的分析与讨论。该区储水空间以岩溶裂隙为主,岩溶水的空间分布明显断裂构造控制。裸露岩溶地下水以大气降水起源为主,浅埋型岩溶水多表现为混合水的特征。地下水动态呈现气候型,水岩相互作用形式溶滤-混合型,呈低矿化淡水。根据以上特征,划分了3个相对独立的岩溶水系统。     

攀西地区层状辉长岩体及钒钛磁铁矿床的成因

峨嵋山大岩浆省由大量的溢流玄武岩及其伴生的镁铁和超镁铁侵入岩组成。攀西地区的一些层状辉长岩体形成于260Ma,与早期报道的峨嵋山大岩浆省的年代相同。这些岩体中含有巨大的钒钛磁铁矿床,矿体呈似层状及透镜状产在层状辉长岩体的下部层位,不同于典型的层状岩体(如布什维尔德岩体)的磁铁矿床。地球化学资料表明,攀西地区含磁铁矿的岩体是从高度演化的基性岩浆中结晶而成,因为富硅的岩浆分离使得母岩浆高度富集铁、钛和钒。相对围岩来说,磁铁矿石形成较晚,是从氧化物矿浆中结晶的产物。矿石中有丰富的含水矿物相,流体的参与对氧化物矿浆的形成有重要的作用。     

基于在线高分辨率示踪技术的岩溶泉污染来源及含水介质特征分析——以重庆黔江区鱼泉坎为例

在线高分辨率示踪技术以其精度高、成本低的特点在岩溶地下水文系统研究方面得到较为广泛的应用。重庆市黔江区鱼泉坎岩溶泉的污染问题导致蓬东乡、五里乡及其周边3 000居民饮水困难,为了确定水源地主要的污染源,选取荧光素钠、天来宝2种示踪剂,应用在线高分辨率示踪技术确定了重庆某畜禽养殖有限公司的化粪池与鱼泉坎泉之间存在水力联系。两种示踪剂的回收率均较低,分别为:荧光素钠3.51%,天来宝2.56%,且两回收曲线存在一定差别,可能与天来宝的水溶性较荧光素钠低有关。基于荧光素钠初现时间和首个峰值出现时间计算的地下水最大流速与平均流速分别为27.09 m/h、22.32 m/h,反映鱼泉坎岩溶孔隙、裂隙较小,化粪池污染渗漏缓慢、运移时间长。示踪剂质量浓度历时曲线表现为多峰型,推断化粪池至鱼泉坎泉段至少存在4条较大的径流通道,表明示踪段表层岩溶泉裂隙发育的相对均匀性。欲恢复鱼泉坎泉的水质,须对该养殖场进行防渗处理或勒令关闭。      

Geochemistry, Petrogenesis and Metallogenesis of the Panzhihua Gabbroic Layered Intrusion and Associated Fe-Ti-V Oxide Deposits, Sichuan Province, SW China

The Panzhihua gabbroic layered intrusion is associated withthe 260 Ma Emeishan Large Igneous Province in SW China. Thissill-like body hosts a giant Fe–Ti–V oxide depositwith 1333 million ton ore reserves, which makes China a majorproducer of these metals. The intrusion has a Marginal zoneof fine-grained hornblende-bearing gabbro and olivine gabbro,followed upward by Lower, Middle, and Upper zones. The Lowerand Middle zones consist of layered melanogabbro and gabbrocomposed of cumulate clinopyroxene, plagioclase, and olivine.These zones also contain magnetite layers. The Upper zone consistschiefly of leucogabbro composed of plagioclase and clinopyroxenewith minor olivine. Most rocks in the body show variable-scalerhythmic modal layering in which dark minerals, primarily clinopyroxene,dominate in the lower parts of each layer, and lighter minerals,primarily plagioclase, dominate in the upper parts. The oxideores occur as layers and lenses within the gabbros and are concentratedin the lower parts of the intrusion. Ore textures and associatedmineral assemblages indicate that the ore bodies formed by verylate-stage crystallization of V-rich titanomagnetite from animmiscible oxide liquid in a fluid-rich environment. The rocksof the Panzhihua intrusion become more evolved in chemistryupward and follow a tholeiitic differentiation trend with enrichmentin Fe, Ti, and V. They are enriched in light rare earth elementsrelative to heavy rare earth elements, and exhibit positiveNb, Ta, and Ti anomalies and negative Zr and Hf anomalies. Thesilicate rocks and oxide ores of the Panzhihua intrusion formedfrom highly evolved Fe–Ti–V-rich ferrobasaltic orferropicritic magmas. The textures of the ores and the abundanceof minor hydrous phases indicate that addition of fluids fromupper crustal wall-rocks induced the separation of the immiscibleoxide melts from which the Fe–Ti–V oxide ore bodiesin the lower part of the intrusion crystallized. KEY WORDS: magnetite; Fe–Ti-rich gabbro; layered intrusion; Panzhihua; SW China     

Hydrochemical and isotope characteristics of spring water and travertine in the Baishuitai area (SW China) and their meaning for paleoenvironmental reconstruction

A method of combining hydrochemical data logging and in situ titrating with measurement of stable carbon and oxygen isotopes was used to reveal the hydrochemical and isotopic characteristics in the Baishuitai travertine scenic area of SW China. It was found that the travertine-forming springs have a very high concentration of calcium and bicarbonate, and accordingly very high CO₂ partial pressures, which are not likely to be produced by biological activity in soil alone. Further analysis of the stable carbon isotopes of the springs shows that the high pressure of CO₂ is mainly related to an endogenic CO₂ source. That means the Baishuitai travertine is endogenic in origin. This is contrast to the commonly accepted saying that the travertine deposition in this study simply is a product of warm and humid conditions in a karst ecological environment. Rapid CO₂ degassing from the water is triggered by the much higher partial pressures in water than that of the surrounding air. Consequently, as the waters flow downstream of the spring the pH increases, the waters become supersaturated with respect to calcite, and travertine is deposited. The preferential release of ¹²CO₂ to the atmosphere results in a progressive increase of travertine ¹³C downstream. This is concluded with a preliminary discussion of variation in travertine-forming water temperatures, according to differences in stable oxygen isotopic compositions of the travertine formed in different epochs at Baishuitai. It was found that the change in water temperature is as high as 13 °C, i.e., from 23 °C at about 2500 years b.p., to 10 °C at present. This may mainly reflect that the effect of geothermal source on water temperature is decreasing. The problems involved in paleoenvironmental reconstruction with endogene travertine are also discussed. They are the impacts of "dead carbon" in radiocarbon dating and the enrichment in ¹³C of travertine by endogenic CO₂ and degassing of CO₂ from water, which has to be considered in paleovegetation reconstruction when using ¹³C data of the endogene carbonate deposits.     

Sensitivity analysis for the EPIK method of vulnerability assessment in a small karstic aquifer, southern Belgium

Applying the EPIK parametric method, a vulnerability assessment has been made for a small karstic groundwater system in southern Belgium. The aquifer is a karstified limestone of Devonian age. A map of intrinsic vulnerability of the aquifer and of the local water-supply system shows three vulnerability areas. A parameter-balance study and a sensitivity analysis were performed to evaluate the influence of single parameters on aquifer-vulnerability assessment using the EPIK method. This approach provides a methodology for the evaluation of vulnerability mapping and for more reliable interpretation of vulnerability indices for karst groundwater resources. Received, March 1999/Revised, December 1999, February 2000/Accepted, February 2000     

Stratigraphy of upper Viséan carbonate platform rocks in the Carlow area,southeast Ireland

The stratigraphy of the upper Viséan (Asbian to Brigantian) carbonate succession in southeast Ireland is revised on the basis of seven quarry and two borehole sections. Six lithological units have been distinguished, two units (units 1 and 2) in the upper Asbian Ballyadams Formation, and four units (units 4 to 6) in the Brigantian Clogrenan Formation (both formations are dated precisely using foraminiferans, calcareous algae and rugose corals). The boundary between the Ballyadams and Clogrenan formations is redefined 19 m below the horizon proposed by the Geological Survey of Ireland, and thus, lithological characteristics of both formations are redescribed. The upper part of the Ballyadams Formation is characterized by well‐developed large‐scale cyclicity, with common subaerial exposure surfaces. Fine‐ to medium‐grained thin‐bedded limestones with thin shales occur in the lower part of cycles, passing up into medium‐grained pale grey massive limestones in the upper part. The Clogrenan Formation is composed mainly of medium‐ to coarse‐grained thick limestone beds with variable presence of shales; but no large‐scale cyclicity. There is a decrease in the number of subaerial exposure surfaces towards the top of the formation and common chert nodules; macrofauna occurs mostly concentrated in bands. The six units recognized in the Carlow area are comparable with other units described for the same time interval (Asbian–Brigantian) from south and southwest Ireland, demonstrating the existence of a stable platform for most parts of southern Ireland, controlled principally by glacioeustatics. Copyright © 2004 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Possible correlation between a mantle plume and the evolution of Paleo-Tethys Jinshajiang Ocean: Evidence from a volcanic rifted margin in the Xiaru-Tuoding area, Yunnan, SW China

Several Paleozoic sutures in Southwestern China provide a record of the history of the Paleo-Tethys Ocean, whose birth and final closure are associated with the breakup and assembly of Gondwanaland. Recent studies indicate that there are widespread OIB-type mafic volcanic rocks within these suture zones and intervening terranes. This paper examines the geology and geochemistry of volcanic rocks in the Xiaruo-Tuoding area, a remnant passive margin succession of the Jinshajiang Paleo-Tethyan Ocean. The sedimentary and volcanic stratigraphy of this area is interpreted as a seaward dipping margin with a few continentward dipping normal faults. The available geochemistry of these volcanic rocks suggest that they are OIB-like basalts, characterised by SiO₂ = 42.78–50.46 wt.%, high TiO₂ contents (TiO₂ = 2.2–3.55 wt.%), moderate MgO = 4.15–6.49 wt.%, Mg# = 0.37–0.50, high Ti/Y ratios (mostly > 450), large ion lithosphere elements enrichment, high strength field elements and rare earth elements, with La/Nb = 1.04–1.39, Ce/Yb = 18.38–30, Sm/Yb = 2.16–3.52, (⁸⁷Sr/⁸⁶Sr)i = 0.705350–0.707867, and Nd(t) = − 1.43–1.90. These geochemical and isotopic signatures are generally similar to those of the Emeishan flood basalts, which together with stratigraphic constraints, demonstrate that these volcanics were formed in a volcanic rifted margin, probably associated with a mantle plume. A new model is proposed to interpret the evolution of the Jinshajiang Paleo-Tethyan Ocean and its possible relationship to the Emeishan mantle plume. In this model, we argue that the opening of the Jinshajiang Paleo-Tethyan Ocean in the Carboniferous was caused by a mantle plume. The mantle plume was active to the east along the western margin of the Yangtze Craton between 300 and 260 Ma, from which the voluminous Emeishan flood basalts were erupted at 260 Ma. The closure of the Jinshajiang Ocean occurred since the Middle Permian. Continuous westward subduction generated the Jiangda-Weixi magmatic arc to the west of the Jinshajiang suture. This subduction also partly destroyed and/or tectonically sliced the volcanic rifted margin. Some seaward dipping volcanic-sedimentary sequences on the east flank of the Jinshajiang Ocean were preserved, but are strongly deformed.     

Groundwater vulnerability assessment and evaluation of human activity impact (HAI) within the Dead Sea groundwater basin,Jordan

Groundwater vulnerability to contamination was determined within the Dead Sea groundwater basin, Jordan, using the DRASTIC model and evaluation of human activity impact (HAI). DRASTIC is an index model composed of several hydrogeological parameters and, in this study, the recharge parameter component was calculated as a function of rainfall, soil permeability, slope percentage, fault system, and the intersection locations between the fault system and the drainage system, based on the hydrogeologic characteristics of hard-rock terrain in an arid region. To evaluate the HAI index, a land use/cover map was produced using an ASTER VNIR image, acquired for September 2004, and combined with the resultant DRASTIC model. By comparing the DRASTIC and HAI indices, it is found that human activity is affecting the groundwater quality and increasing its pollution risk. The land use/cover map was verified using the average nitrate concentrations in groundwater associated with land in each class. A sensitivity analysis was carried out in order to study the model sensitivity. The analyses showed that the depth to water table and hydraulic conductivity parameters have no significant impact on the model, whereas the impact of vadose zone, aquifer media, and recharge parameters have a significant impact on the DRASTIC model.     

The lower carboniferous (dinantian) of the Swords area: Sedimentation and tectonics in the Dublin Basin,Ireland

The litho- and biostratigraphy of the Lower Dinantian succession in a deeper part of the Dublin Basin is described. The sub-Waulsortian Malahide Limestone Formation (emended) is described fully for the first time, and has proved to be very much thicker than was previously suspected, in excess of 1200 m. Succeeding the ‘Lower Limestone Shale’ unit, which is transitional from the underlying Old Red Sandstone facies, the following six new members are recognized: Turvey Micrite Member, Swords Argillaceous Bioclastic Member, St. Margaret's Banded Member, Huntstown Laminated Member, Dunsoghly Massive Crinoidal Member and Barberstown Nodular Member (top). The Malahide Limestone Formation is overlain by ‘Waulsortian’ limestones of the Feltrim Limestone Formation (new name) which form overlapping and isolated mudmounds with complex relationships with their enclosing non-mound facies. Though very much thicker, the Courceyan succession is comparable with that elsewhere on the south side of the Basin, and is part of the Kildare Province (Strogen and Somerville 1984). Isopach maps for the region show that this province and the North Midlands are separated by the deepest part of the Dublin Basin, named the ‘East Midlands Depocentre’, in which a shale-dominant facies is present. The top of the ‘Waulsortian’ is of early Chadian age. Formations younger than this are dominated by basinal calcareous shales (Tober Colleen Formation) and by storm deposits and calciturbidites with appreciable terrigenous input from the east (Rush Formation). The Courceyan main shelf conodont biozones are also greatly thickened in this area. The Pseudopolygnathus multistriatus Biozone (> 300 m thick) is succeeded by a very thick (> 900 m) Polygnathus mehli Biozone. The base of the Chadian is considered to occur below the top of the Feltrim Limestone Formation and, although equivocal, may be diagnosed in the Dublin Basin by the first appearance of the problematic microfossil Sphaerinvia piai and a primitive form of the calcareous alga Koninckopora. In the late Courceyan, the Swords area was part of a gently sloping shelf extending northwards into the basin. During deposition of the Feltrim Limestone Formation there was major deepening and there is evidence of initial break up of the Dublin Basin by faulting into separate blocks. By Chadian time the Basin was definitely subsiding by fault displacements and basinal limestones contain shallow water faunas and littoral sand and pebbles derived by turbidite flows from the margins of the higher blocks. The early subsidence was apparently by pure flexure, but in the Viséan the Dublin Basin was fault-controlled, differing from the adjacent Shannon Basin in having both margins strongly faulted.     

西南岩溶区表层岩溶带水脆弱性评价指标体系的探讨

从地下水脆弱性的胁迫应变关系出发,通过对西南岩溶区表层岩溶带发育机理和脆弱性特征的分析,提出了以表层岩溶带发育强度、保护性盖层厚度、补给类型、岩溶网络系统发育程度、土壤类型、植被条件、土地利用程度以及地下水开采程度8个胁迫因子(EPIKSVLG)作为对表层岩溶带水脆弱性进行定量评价的指标,并对各指标进行了详细的分析与分类,初步建立了表层岩溶带水脆弱性评价的指标体系。     

Carbon-oxygen isotopic geochemistry of the Yangla Cu skarn deposit,SW China: Implications for the source and evolution of hydrothermal fluids

The Yangla Cu deposit is the largest Cu skarn deposit in the Jinshajiang tectonic belt. Based on the detailed observation of crosscutting relationships, three mineralization stages (i.e., pre-ore, ore and supergene) have been identified in the Yangla deposit. The pre-ore stage is dominated by prograde skarn. The ore stage is characterized by the precipitation of hydrous silicate minerals, Fe-oxides, Fe-Cu-Mo-sulfides, quartz and calcite, whose mineral assemblages were formed in the early and late sub-ore stages. The early sub-ore stage is marked by retrograde alteration with the deposition of hydrous silicate minerals (e.g., actinolite, epidote and chlorite), Fe-oxides, abundant Fe-Cu-Mo-sulfides, quartz and minor calcite. Whilst, the late sub-ore stage, associated with silicic and carbonate alteration, is represented by widespread thick quartz or calcite veins with disseminated pyrite, chalcopyrite, galena and sphalerite. We present new carbon-oxygen (C-O) isotopic compositions of the ore-hosting marble and hydrothermal calcite of this deposit. The hydrothermal calcite in the Yangla deposit was precipitated from both the early and late sub-ore stages. Calcite I from the early sub-ore stage is anhedral, and occurs as spot in the skarn or locally replaces the skarn minerals. Calcite II from the late sub-ore stage is distinguished by being coarse-grained, subhedral to euhedral and its occurrence in thick veins. Calcite I contains lower δ¹³C_PDB (−7.0‰ to −5.0‰) and δ¹⁸O_SMOW (7.2‰ to 12.7‰) than Calcite II (δ¹³C_PDB = −4.5‰ to −2.3‰; δ¹⁸O_SMOW = 10.7‰ to 19.4‰). In the δ¹³C_PDB vs. δ¹⁸O_SMOW diagram, the Calcite I and Calcite II data fall close to the igneous carbonatite field and between the fields of igneous carbonatite and marine carbonates, respectively. This suggests a dominantly magmatic origin for the early sub-ore fluids, and there might have been increasing carbonate wall rock involvement towards the late sub-ore stage. The ore-hosting marble (δ¹³C_PDB = −4.8‰ to −0.3‰; δ¹⁸O_SMOW = 10.2‰ to 23.9‰) also shows a positive δ¹³C_PDB vs. δ¹⁸O_SMOW correlation, which is interpreted to reflect the decreasing alteration intensity during the interactions between the hydrothermal fluids and ore-hosting carbonates. Simulated calculation suggests that both the Calcite I and Calcite II precipitated at 350 °C to 250 °C and 250 °C to 150 °C, respectively. We proposed that CO₂ degassing and water/rock interactions were likely the two major processes that precipitated the calcite and led to the observed C-O isotopic features of the Yangla Cu deposit.     

Research on soil multi-media environmental pollution around a Pb-Zn mining and smelting plant in the karst area of Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region,Southwest China

The method of principal component analysis was applied to systematical research on the soil multi-media environment, including soil, surface water, ground water, waterbody sediment and agricultural crops, as well as pollution-inducing wastewater, mullock (or waste ore) and slag in the periphery of a large-sized Pb-Zn mining and smelting plant in a karst area of Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region. The results revealed that soils in the area studied have been heavily polluted by Cd, Zn, Pb and Hg, and the levels of these metals in the samples of agricultural crop greatly exceed the standards. The above-mentioned pollutants exist in all soil-multi-media environments. The mullock, slag, wastewater, surface water, ground water, soil, and agricultural crops constitute a composite ecological chain. Therefore, the improper disposal of mullock and slag, and the use of polluted wastewater for agricultural irrigation are the main causes of soil pollution. Heavy metals in the soil have three transition progresses: point (improved soil with slag, ground water inflow plot), linear (river transition) and non-point transition (regional pollution by slag) patterns, and the tailing yard is the most important locus for heavy metals to release into the environment.     

The influence of transgression and regression on the spatial and temporal distribution of diagenetic kaolin in the Upper Ordovician glaciogenic sandstones within a sequence stratigraphic framework, Murzuq Basin, SW Libya

Linking diagenesis to depositional facies and sequence stratigraphy can provide a better understanding of some of the parameters that control the spatial and temporal distribution of diagenetic alterations and of their impact on reservoir quality. A study of the paralic, glaciogenic sandstones of the Melaz Shuqran and Mamunyiat formations (Late Ordovician) of the Murzuq Basin, SW Libya, reveals that the distribution of diagenetic kaolin can be constrained within depositional facies and sequence stratigraphy. Eogenetic kaolinite was formed by the dissolution of unstable detrital grains as a result of influx of meteoric waters into: (i) glacial, fluvial incised-valley lowstand systems tract (LST), glacial, tide-dominated estuarine transgressive systems tract (TST) during formation of overlying sequence boundary, (ii) paraglacial, tide-dominated deltaìc highstand systems tract (HST), paraglacial, foreshore to shoreface HST during progradation and basinward shift of the shoreline and/or formation of overlying sequence boundary, (iii) postglacial, Gilbert-type deltaic LST sandstones during relative sea level fall. On the other hand, formation of kaolinite immediately below maximum flooding surfaces is attributed to dissolution of unstable detrital grains by organic acids that were presumably derived from thermal alterations of organic matter, possibly during mesodiagenesis. The transformation of eogenetic kaolinite into dickite during mesodiagenesis is probably a consequence of low α_K⁺ / α_H⁺ ratio in the pore waters due to the scarcity of detrital K-feldspars.