Hydrogeology of a montane headwater groundwater system downgradient of a coal-mine waste rock dump: Elk Valley,British Columbia,Canada

Steelmaking-coal waste rock placed in mountain catchments in the Elk Valley, British Columbia, Canada, drain constituents of interest (CIs) to surface water downgradient of the waste rock dumps. The role of groundwater in transporting CIs in the headwaters of mountain catchments is not well understood. This study characterizes the physical hydrogeology of a portion of a 10-km² headwater catchment (West Line Creek) downgradient of a 2.7-km² waste rock dump placed over a natural headwater valley-bottom groundwater system. The study site was instrumented with 13 monitoring wells. Drill core samples were collected to determine subsurface lithology and geotechnical properties. The groundwater system was characterized using field testing and water-level monitoring. The valley-bottom sediments were composed of unconsolidated glacial and meltwater successions (<64 m thick) deposited as a series of cut and fill structures overlying shale bedrock. An unconfined basal alluvial aquifer located above fractured bedrock was identified as the primary conduit for groundwater flow toward Line Creek (650 m from the toe of the dump). Discharge through the basal alluvial aquifer was estimated using the geometric mean hydraulic conductivity (±1 standard deviation). These calculations suggest groundwater discharge could account for approximately 15% (ranging from 2 to 60%) of the total water discharged from the watershed. The residence time from the base of the waste rock dump to Line Creek was estimated at <3 years. The groundwater system was defined as a snowmelt (i.e., nival) regime dominated by direct recharge (percolation of precipitation) across the catchment.     

Seasonal variations in the composition of mine drainage-contaminated groundwater in Dalarna, Sweden

Groundwater down-gradient from a mine rock dump in Dalarna, Sweden was sampled from the onset of snowmelt runoff (April) until October in order to investigate seasonal variations in groundwater composition. The results demonstrate that considerable variation in solute concentration (Al, Cu, Fe, SO₄²⁻, Zn) and acidity occurs in groundwater; the greatest change in solute concentrations occurs during the melting of the snow cover, when sulfide oxidation products are flushed from the rock dump. During this period, groundwater flow is concentrated near the soil surface with an estimated velocity of 1 m/day. Groundwater acidity varied by a factor of four closest to the rock dump during the sampling period, but these variations were attenuated with distance from the rock dump. Over a distance of 145 m, groundwater pH increases from 2.5 to 4.0 and acidity decreases from 3–13 to 0.8–1.1 meq/L, which is the combined effect of ferric iron precipitation and aluminosilicate weathering. As a result of flushing from the upper soil horizons, peaks in total organic carbon and ammonium concentrations in groundwater are observed at the end of snowmelt. In soils impacted by acidic surface runoff, the sequential extraction of C horizon soils indicates the accumulation of Cu in well-crystallized iron oxyhydroxides in the upper C horizon, while Cu, Fe, Ni and Zn accumulate in a well-crystallized iron oxyhydroxide hardpan that has formed 2.5m below the ground surface. Surface complexation modeling demonstrates that SO₄²⁻ and Cu adsorb to the abundant iron oxyhydroxides at pH < 4, while Zn adsorption in this pH range is minimal.     

Late Holocene sea-level changes and isostatic crustal movements in Atlantic Canada

It has long been recognised that sea levels along the shores of Atlantic Canada have been rising rapidly during the Holocene in response to isostatic crustal movements. New sea-level data for the Bay of Fundy coast of southern New Brunswick (Little Dipper Harbour) and the Atlantic coast of Nova Scotia (Chezzetcook Inlet) show that late Holocene average rates of sea-level rise in these areas have been 1.0 and 2.5 m per 1000 yr, respectively. Numerical model calculations suggest that the high rates of sea-level rise are due to crustal subsidence produced by the combined effects of Laurentide ice loading (forebulge collapse) and ocean loading of the Scotian shelf. Although ice loading is the dominant contributor to the regional sea-level pattern, ocean loading is also important, contributing up to 40% of the total crustal subsidence in some areas. Tide gauges record rates of sea-level rise during the 20^th century that are 0.7–1.9 mm/yr higher than late Holocene trends, with the highest residuals occurring in the Bay of Fundy.     

Basal flow rate of Changme-Khangpu glacier,Sikkim Himalaya based on32Si and210Pb chronology

Using environmental radioisotopes silicon-32 and lead-210, the radiometric ages of ice at the surface and at 5 m depth at the snout of the Changme-Khangpu (ck) glacier have been calculated to be 100 and >650 years respectively. Based on i) these age estimates, ii) a net uniform accumulation rate of 0·7 m/yr of ice in the accumulation zone; and iii) applying a simple ice flow model assuming melting of ice of 1 cm/yr at the base of the glacier, it is demonstrated that the average basal flow rate of theck glacier is much smaller (at least by a factor of three) than that of 40 m/yr estimated for the surface ice. This observation is in good agreement with the earlier work on basal flow rates and indicates that the deeper ice near the bed rock travels much slower than the surface ice.     

Principal component analysis of lithologic variables in Early Permian Barakar coal-measures,western Singrauli Gondwana sub-basin of central India

The quantitative relationships between lithological variables of Early Permian Barakar coal measures of western Singrauli Gondwana sub-basin are investigated using principal component analysis in an attempt to reveal simple relationships undetected by conventional quantitative methods. The results not only confirm and amplify those of the simple regression analysis described in Casshyap et.al. (1988), but are also interpreted in terms of evolution of coal swamps. If the total thickness of strata, total thickness of clastic sediments, total thickness of coal seams, number of sandstone beds, number of shale beds, number of coal seams and clastic ratio are considered, the first three components accounts for 80% of the total variance and the lithological variables generally fall into two groups. One group contains the first four variables, namely, total thickness of strata, total thickness of sandstone, total thickness of shale and total thickness of coal seams, all of which have basin-like regional patterns of sedimentation linked to net subsidence. The other group of variables, which are somewhat less closely related to net subsidence such as number of sandstone beds, number of shale beds and number of coal seam. The sand/shale ratio and clastic ratio are dependent on the other variables and seem to be unrelated to net subsidence. The principal component results, at best in geological term, may be explained by the to and fro lateral migration of a river channel across its flood plain coupled with a gradual isostatic adjustment of the basin floor in response to the weight of the sediments and differential subsidence through space and time.     

Quaternary Activity of the Monastir and Grombalia Fault Systems in the North‒Eastern Tunisia (Seismotectonic Implication)

The Monastir and Grombalia fault systems consist of three strands that the northern segment corresponds to Hammamet and Grombalia faults. The southern strand represents Monastir Fault also referred to as the Skanes-Khnis Fault. These NW-trends are observed continuously in the major outcropping features of north-eastern Tunisia including both the Cap Bon peninsula and the Sahel domain. Along the Hammamet Fault, the north-eastern strand of Grombalia fault system, left lateral drainage offset of amount 220 m is found in Fawara valley. To the South, the left lateral movement is occurred along the Monastir Fault based on 180 m of Tyrrhenian terrace displacement. Field observations supported by satellite images suggest that the Monastir and Grombalia fault systems appear to slip mostly laterally with components of normal dip slip. Assuming the development of the stream networks during the Riss-Würm interglacial (115000–125000 years) and the age of the Tyrrhenian terrace (121 ± 10 ka), the strike slip rates of the Hammamet and Monastir faults are calculated in the range of 1.5–1.8 mm/yr. There vertical slip rates are estimated to be 0.06 and 0.26 mm/yr, respectively. These data are consistent with the displacement rate in the Pelagian shelf (1–2 mm/yr) but they are below the convergence rate of African-Eurasian plates (8 mm/yr). Our seismotectonics study reveals that a maximum earthquake of Mw = 6.5 could occur every 470 years in the Hammamet fault zone and Mw = 6–every 263 years in the Monastir fault zone.     

Late Quaternary barrier and fringing reef development of Bora Bora (Society Islands,south Pacific): First subsurface data from the Darwin‐type barrier‐reef system

The universally known subsidence theory of Darwin, based on Bora Bora as a model, was developed without information from the subsurface. To evaluate the influence of environmental factors on reef development, two traverses with three cores, each on the barrier and the fringing reefs of Bora Bora, were drilled and 34 uranium‐series dates obtained and subsequently analysed. Sea‐level rise and, to a lesser degree, subsidence were crucial for Holocene reef development in that they have created accommodation space and controlled reef architecture. Antecedent topography played a role as well, because the Holocene barrier reef is located on a Pleistocene barrier reef forming a topographic high. The pedestal of the fringing reef was Pleistocene soil and basalt. Barrier and fringing reefs developed contemporaneously during the Holocene. The occurrence of five coralgal assemblages indicates an upcore increase in wave energy. Age–depth plots suggest that barrier and fringing reefs have prograded during the Holocene. The Holocene fringing reef is up to 20 m thick and comprises coralgal and microbial reef sections and abundant unconsolidated sediment. Fringing reef growth started 8780 ± 50 yr bp ; accretion rates average 5·65 m kyr^?1. The barrier reef consists of >30 m thick Holocene coralgal and microbial successions. Holocene barrier‐reef growth began 10 030 ± 50 yr bp and accretion rates average 6·15 m kyr^?1. The underlying Pleistocene reef formed 116 900 ± 1100 yr bp , i.e. during marine isotope stage 5e. Based on Pleistocene age, depth and coralgal palaeobathymetry, the subsidence rate of Bora Bora was estimated to be 0·05 to 0·14 m kyr^?1. In addition to subsidence, reef development on shorter timescales like in the late Pleistocene and Holocene has been driven by glacioeustatic sea‐level changes causing alternations of periods of flooding and subaerial exposure. Comparisons with other oceanic barrier‐reef systems in Tahiti and Mayotte exhibit more differences than similarities.     

Rock avalanching into a landslide-dammed lake causing multiple dam failure in Las Conchas valley (NW Argentina) — evidence from surface exposure dating and stratigraphic analyses

Generally landslide dams which exist for several hundreds to thousands of years are considered as stable. We show with an example from the Argentine Andes that such dams can exist for several thousands of years but still may fail catastrophically. Multiple rock avalanches impounded two lakes with surface areas of ~8 km² and ~600 km², respectively, in Las Conchas valley, NW Argentina. Surface exposure dating (SED) by ¹⁰Be of the rock-avalanche deposits or landslide scars indicates that these landslides occurred at 15,300±2,000 yr and 13,550±900 yr. The dams were stable during a strong earthquake, as suggested by seismites within related lake sediments and by multiple coeval landslides in this region, which occurred at ~7.5 kyr. However, when a further rock-avalanche fell into the lower, smaller lake at 4,800±500 yr the dam downriver was destroyed, presumably by the resulting tsunami wave. The resulting flood also destroyed an additional rock-fall dam which had formed at ~5,630 yr ¹⁴C cal BP 30 km downriver. The new dam formed by the second rock avalanche was eroded prior to 3,630 yr ¹⁴C cal BP. This dam erosion coincides with an important climatic shift towards more humid conditions in the Central Andes. Our results show that instead of direct effects of strong seismicity on landslide dams, (1) landsliding into a landslide-dammed lake, (2) abrupt hydrological changes, and (3) climate change towards conditions related to enhanced run-off are processes which can produce failures of quasi-stable natural dams.     

煤矸石山周围地下水污染状况

以焦作市演马矿煤矸石山为对象,采集该处新鲜和风化煤矸石以及附近地下水样品,检测其中Cl^-、SO^2-₄、苯并(a)芘、Mn等22种污染物的含量,并采用超标倍数法和实测浓度法对地下水受污染状况进行分析研究。地下水中污染物含量与煤矸石山距离呈负相关,且在丰水期和枯水期存在一定差异。     

龙滩水电站泥板岩剪切流变力学特性研究

利用岩石剪切流变仪,对龙滩水电站泥板岩进行了剪切流变试验,分析了泥板岩剪切位移随时间的变化规律,探讨了不同应力状态下剪切流变速率的变化趋势,讨论了岩石剪切强度随时间的变化规律。将非线性流变元件(NRC模型)与西原模型串联起来,建立了新的能够描述加速流变特性的岩石非线性流变模型。采用泥板岩剪切流变试验曲线,对建立的黏弹塑性剪切流变模型进行了辨识,获得了岩石黏弹塑性剪切流变模型的材料参数,流变模型与试验结果的比较显示所建模型的正确性与合理性。     

Using high resolution data to reveal depth-dependent mechanisms that drive land subsidence: The Venice coast, Italy

Recent research has provided a high-resolution map that depicts the effect of land subsidence on the Venice coastal plain of Italy. The map, which covers the decade of 1992 to 2002, was obtained by an innovative “Subsidence Integrated Monitoring System” (SIMS), which efficiently merges the different displacement measurements obtained by high precision-leveling, differential and continuous Global Positing System data (GPS), and Synthetic Aperture Radar (SAR)-based interferometry. The displacement rates exhibit significant spatial variability, ranging from a slight 1 to 2 mm/yr uplift, to a serious subsidence of more than 10 mm/yr. This paper aims to describe the many natural and anthropogenic mechanisms that drive the pattern of the ground displacement. The movement sources are presented based on their depth of occurrence. Deep causes act at depths generally greater than 400 m below m.s.l. (mean sea level), and are recognizable in the movement of the pre-Quaternary basement. Medium causes act at depths between 400 and 50 m below m.s.l., and include geological features, such as a major presence of compressible clay layers in the southern and northern portions of the study area and groundwater withdrawals, mainly in the north-eastern coastland and western mainland. Shallow causes, i.e. those occurring from a depth of 50 m up to the ground surface, are related to the architecture and geomechanical properties of the Pleistocene and Holocene deposits, which are more thick and compressible approaching the littoral belt; geochemical compaction, due to the increasing salt concentration in the clayey sediments; and oxidation of the outcropping organic soils drained by land reclamation. These two latter factors primarily involve the southern portion of the Venice coast. The building loads in newly developed areas also cause local compaction of shallow deposits. We conclude that the consolidation of Holocene deposits and anthropogenic activities (groundwater withdrawal, land reclamation, and urban land use) are the major factors that contribute to the present land subsidence in the Venice coastland.     

露天与地下联合开采引起岩层移动规律的模型试验研究

非法开采对矿山开采稳定性具有重要影响,以某铁矿为例,进行了二维物理相似模型试验研究,分析得出了在考虑和不考虑非法开采两种情况下的地表变形规律和矿体围岩移动规律。试验结果表明,从-270 m采至-550 m水平期间,地表沉降和围岩变形呈缓慢增加趋势,但当从-550 m水平继续向下开采时,由于矿体倾角变得平缓,地表沉降、深部围岩变形都急剧增加,非法开采会造成矿体上部岩体的应力重分布,虽没有明显增大地表的沉降范围,但增加了开采点附近的地表沉降量,而且大大增大了地表岩层的水平移动。     

Atmospheric oxidation of the pyritic waste rock in Maardu, Estonia. 1 field study and modelling

 A field survey and modelling of the oxidation and carbonate buffering reactions inside the alum-shale-containing waste rock dumps located in Maardu, Estonia, was accomplished. In the slope areas, the shale has been altered at high temperatures due to the spontaneous combustion and the pyritic acidity has been eliminated through migration of SO_x gases out from the dump. In the central parts of the waste rock plateaus, low temperature pyrite oxidation fronts develop towards the dump depth and towards the centres of individual shale lumps. The main secondary phases precipitating in the weathering profile are gypsum, ferric oxyhydroxide, K-jarosite and smectite. The respective field data made it possible to calibrate the two-stage oxygen diffusion model and the characteristic pyrite oxidation rate 0.06–0.08 mol of pyrite reacted per kg of available water (pyrox/H₂O value) was estimated to describe the first tens of years of dump performance. The model is capable to compare different shale disposal strategies that are illustrated with two case scenarios. The buffering of sulphuric acid by Mg-calcite appears to be an incongruent reaction with gypsum precipitating that leads to the build-up of the high Mg/Ca ratio in the leachate. Application of the Mg/Ca method estimates the pyrox/H₂O value in the range of 0.05–0.14 mol/kg. Received: 26 January 1999 · Accepted: 23. February 1999     

Late Holocene great earthquakes and relative sea‐level change at Kenai,southern Alaska

Kenai, located on the west coast of the Kenai Peninsula, Alaska, subsided during the great earthquake of AD 1964. Regional land subsidence is recorded within the estuarine stratigraphy as peat overlain by tidal silt and clay. Reconstructions using quantitative diatom transfer functions estimate co‐seismic subsidence (relative sea‐level rise) between 0.28±0.28 m and 0.70±0.28 m followed by rapid post‐seismic recovery. Stratigraphy records an earlier co‐seismic event as a second peat‐silt couplet, dated to ～1500–1400 cal. yr BP with 1.14±0.28 m subsidence. Two decimetre‐scale relative sea‐level rises are more likely the result of glacio‐isostatic responses to late Holocene and Little Ice Age glacier expansions rather than to co‐seismic subsidence during great earthquakes. Comparison with other sites around Cook Inlet, at Girdwood and Ocean View, helps in constructing regional patterns of land‐level change associated with three great earthquakes, AD 1964, ～950–850 cal. yr BP and ～1500–1400 cal. yr BP. Each earthquake has a different spatial pattern of co‐seismic subsidence which indicates that assessment of seismic hazard in southern Alaska requires an understanding of multiple great earthquakes, not only the most recent. All three earthquakes show a pre‐seismic phase of gradual land subsidence that marked the end of relative land uplift caused by inter‐seismic strain accumulation. Copyright © 2005 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Seasonal and environmental variations in sediment accretion in a Long Island salt marsh

Flax Pond is a small (0.5 km²) salt marsh on the north shore of Long Island, New York. Two 1 m² plots within each of the following environments were covered with a marker layer of either brick dust or aluminum glitter: 1) bare mud flats; 2) areas newly colonized by Spartina alterniflora; and 3) high intertidal. S. alterniflora peat surfaces. Monthly cores revealed the amount of sediment that accumulated since placement of the marker. Accretion rates from October, 1974 to February, 1976 were as follows: bare mud flats ?20.5 to 45.5 mm/yr; recently vegetated mud flats ?9.5 to 37.0 mm/yr; and high intertidal peat surfaces ?2.0 to 4.25 mm/yr. Sedimentation rates decrease with increasing elevation because of the reduced tidal submergence time and decreased height of the overlying water column. In areas of low elevation, ice and storms cause either erosion or a reduced rate of accretion during the winter months. The average mud accretion rate over the past 173 years is 3.4 mm/yr. Differences between the short-term rate and the long-term rate indicate substantial annual variation in the accumulation of mud in salt marshes. Short-term rates of peat accretion are similar to long-term estimates, indicating that rates of peat accretion are relatively constant over long intervals.     

Latest Miocene to Quaternary horizontal and vertical displacement rates during simultaneous contraction and extension in the Southern Apennines orogen, Italy

Foreland contraction and hinterland extension in the Southern Apennines orogen of Italy produced a complex spatial and temporal pattern of vertical and horizontal displacement. Remarkably, Late Miocene to mid-Pleistocene foreland migration of the contractional front at ∼16 mm yr⁻¹ was not accompanied by uplift and the frontal thrust belt remained at or below sea level. Only following a mid-Pleistocene reduction in horizontal displacement did the frontal thrust belt and foreland begin uplift at ∼0.5 mm yr⁻¹, a rate that increased to ∼1 mm yr⁻¹ after 125 ka. Although the extensional hinterland experienced net subsidence during formation of the Tyrrhenian basin, an extensional transition zone adjacent to the frontal thrust belt records sustained uplift at ∼0.3 mm yr⁻¹. The interaction of preexisting crustal structure and deep tectonic processes resulted in time-integrated displacement rates suggesting steady-state deformation for periods of 10⁶ years. Displacement rate changes were abrupt and occurred over intervals of 10⁵ years or less.     

宽级配废石的高排土场稳定性研究

宽级配废石的一坡到底的高台阶排土场具有明显的粒径分级特征,传统稳定性分析方法将其简化为多层各向同性的均质土体,却实质性忽略了排土场粗粒土各粒组分布的不均匀性和随机性,导致难以获得其边坡稳定性的合理结论。依托江西某铜矿高台阶排土场,借助自编元胞自动机程序EPOHHM,采用5组窄级配粗粒土表征了高台阶排土场的粒径分级现象,模拟了各粒组散体分布的不均匀性和随机性,分析了不同工况下排土场的位移场及塑性状态,系统地探讨了不同堆排模式下排土场边坡的安全稳定性,提出了一种宽级配废石的高台阶排土场稳定性的精细化分析方法。研究结果表明,排土场发生“拉-剪”破坏;土体中上部有圆弧形滑坡趋势,下部变形表现为沉降,顶部平台产生拉剪裂缝。仅考虑散体力学强度时,底部粗颗粒（ 100 mm）含量的增加对排土场起显著的稳固作用,“单台阶全段高”的堆排模式比“全覆盖式多台阶”更有利于宽级配废石的高排土场安全稳定。研究成果将为保证明显粒径分级的排土场的长期安全稳定提供指导,也为今后分析此类工程问题提供借鉴。     

非常规源岩层系油气形成分布与前景展望

经过十余年理论技术持续攻关,中国陆上实现了致密砂岩气规模发展、页岩气快速发展、煤层气持续发展、致密油稳步发展和页岩油加快探索,源岩层系油气已成为中国非常规油气增储上产的主要组成部分.源岩层系油气包括源岩油气和致密油气2种资源类型,普遍具备有效配置的烃源岩、储集层和聚集保存3个方面基础地质形成条件,展现出源内或近源大面积连续分布标志特征,海相页岩气主要分布于深水陆棚区,致密砂岩气和煤层气一般分布于主要聚煤期煤系,页岩层系石油一般主要发育于长期持续沉降的富油湖盆.源岩层系油气开发追求“平面甜点区”“纵向甜点段”较好经济资源条件,页岩气需含气量高、孔隙度高、TOC含量高、热演化程度适中、气层埋藏适中、保存条件好、储层可压性好、储量规模大,致密砂岩气需全天候气源、中粗粒砂岩、含气层系多、大面积聚集、稳定斜坡区、中浅层埋藏,致密油甜点区段一般具有烃源性、储集性、含油性、流动性、成缝性和经济性“六特性”经济资源条件.中国非常规源岩层系油气资源丰富,源岩层系天然气是天然气上产的“主力”,源岩层系石油是石油稳产的“砝码”,实现地下原位“煤岩燃烧气化、页岩熟化气化”“2个革命性领域”突破是推进源岩层系油气领域“跨越式”发展的关键路径.      

开采倾斜近地表矿体地表及围岩变形陷落的模型试验研究

以某铜矿矿山一典型地质剖面为原型,运用物理概化模型试验,采用网格数字摄影测量方法量测模型剖面全场位移,分析了开采倾斜近地表矿体地表及围岩变形陷落随不同开挖步的变化规律。在模型试验中,开挖-75 m～-45 m之间的矿体,围岩扰动范围及地表下沉位移逐渐增大,第7步开挖完成后,采空区上方岩体开始出现离层,第9步开挖完成后,地表1～4测点之间形成一明显沉陷盆地,最大下沉位移达825 mm。模型试验研究的结果与现场及离散元数值计算结果基本吻合。     

Buoyancy-driven propagation of an isolated fluid-filled crack in rock: implication for fluid transport in metamorphism

A new model for upward transport of buoyant fluid released during metamorphism is proposed. The model is fluid transport by buoyancy-driven propagation of isolated fluid-filled cracks. The mechanical behavior of a two-dimensional, isolated, vertical, and fluid-filled crack in impermeable rock is investigated using linear fractire mechanics and fluid dynamics. The results show that steady-state crack propagation which causes long-distance transport of the fluid occurs when the vertical cross-sectional area of the crack exceeds a critical value. Propagation velocity and average thickness of the crack under the steady-state propagation regime are expressed explicitly by the following seven parameters: vertical crack length; rigidity, Poisson's ratio, and fracture toughness of the rock; fluid viscosity; density difference between the rock and the fluid; gravitational acceleration. An isolated H₂O-filled crack of vertical length 100 m, for example, propagates upwards in the crust at 0.3 m/s with the average thickness 0.2 mm when the following likely values are assumed: 0.1 mPa s for the H₂O viscosity; 3 MPa m^1/2 for the fracture toughness of the crustal rock. The application of the obtained results to the transport of H₂O released during metamorphism suggests that the number density of isolated cracks propagating in the crust is very low. Since the propagation velocity is high, our model is suitable particularly for fluid transport through hot quartz-rich rock where fluid-filled cracks have geologically short lifetimes.