Structural and geochronological constraints on the tectono-thermal evolution of the Danba domal terrane, eastern margin of the Tibetan plateau

The Songpan-Ganze terrane of the Tibetan plateau is underlain by Neoproterozoic crystalline basement rocks of the Yangtze block. These basement rocks are exposed as a series of extensional tectonic domes that form a nearly north–south trending extensional belt more than 1000 km long in the eastern margin of the Tibetan plateau. In the Danba area, detachment faults separate the basement core complexes (e.g., the Gezong and Gongcai complexes) from the Paleozoic strata which have been thinned or removed completely. The cover sequences have undergone upper greenschist to lower amphibolite facies metamorphism to form the Danba schist and are overlain by the Triassic Xikang Group, a thick flysch sequence. Both the basement rocks and the Paleozoic rocks have undergone multiple stages of deformation and thus provide an excellent opportunity to study the tectono-thermal evolution of the eastern margin of the Tibetan plateau. Two stages of deformation, corresponding to three generations of foliation (S₁, , and ), have been recognized on the basis of structural and microscopic observations. We selected amphibole and biotite separates associated with distinct generations of foliation for ⁴⁰Ar/³⁹Ar dating using laser microprobe incremental heating technique to place numerical constraints on the major tectono-thermal events within the Danba area. The geochronogical results reveal an earliest metamorphic event at 258.6 ± 0.5 Ma (S₁ biotite) and 263.6 ± 0.8 Ma (S₁ amphibole), coinciding temporally with the mantle plume that produced the voluminous Emeishan flood basalts. The second event was a progressive extensional deformation first occurred at 159–166 Ma ( amphibole) responsible for the earlier tectonic doming of the crystalline basement, and then the final tectono-thermal overprint recorded by foliation and metamorphism locally in the core complexes at 47–58 Ma for the Gezong complex and 64–81 Ma for the Gongcai complex. This major post-orogenic extensional event is believed to be a consequence of collision between the North China and South China blocks. The apparent discrepancy of the ⁴⁰Ar/³⁹Ar ages observed between localities suggests a slow cooling process associated with progressive uplift.     

Late Mesozoic magmatism from the Daye region,eastern China: U–Pb ages,petrogenesis, and geodynamic implications

Late Mesozoic dioritic and quartz dioritic plutons are widespread in the Daye region, eastern Yangtze craton, eastern China. Detailed geochronological, geochemical, and Sr–Nd isotopic studies have been undertaken for most of these plutons, in an attempt to provide a comprehensive understanding in the age, genesis and geodynamical control of the extensive magmatism. SHRIMP and LA-ICP-MS zircon U–Pb dating indicate that the plutons were emplaced in the range of latest Jurassic (ca. 152 Ma) to early Cretaceous (ca. 132 Ma), which was followed by dyke emplacement between 127 and 121 Ma and volcanism during the 130–113 Ma interval. Both diorites and quartz diorites are sodic, metaluminous, high-K calc-alkaline, and characterized by strongly fractionated, sub-parallel REE patterns without obvious Eu anomalies. The rocks are enriched in highly incompatible elements and large ion lithophile elements, but depleted in high field strength elements. Samples of diorite and quartz diorite have similar Sr–Nd isotopic compositions that are consistent with the early Cretaceous basalts and mafic intrusions throughout the eastern Yangtze craton. The geochemical and isotopic data, together with results of geochemical modeling, indicate an enriched mantle source for the plutonic rocks. The quartz diorites have geochemical signatures resembling adakites, such as high Al₂O₃ (15–19 wt.%), Sr (630–2,080 ppm), Na₂O (>3.5 wt.%), negative Nb–Ta anomalies, low Y (7–19 ppm), Yb (0.5–1.8 ppm), Sc (5–15 ppm), and resultant high Sr/Y (45–200) and La/Yb (31–63) ratios. Genesis of the adakitic quartz diorites is best explained in terms of low-pressure intracrustal fractional crystallization of cumulates consisting of hornblende, plagioclase, K-feldspar, magnetite, and apatite from mantle-derived dioritic magmas. Mantle-derived magmatism broadly coeval with that of the Daye region also is widespread in other regions of the eastern Yangtze craton, reflecting large-scale melting of the lithospheric mantle during the Late Mesozoic. The large-scale magmatism was most likely driven by lithospheric extension associated with thinning of lithospheric mantle beneath the eastern China continent.     

Evaluation of susceptibility for terrain collapse and subsidence in karst areas,municipality of Iraquara,Chapada Diamantina (BA), Brazil

The morphological evolution of the karstic systems is associated with a set of physical and chemical processes, triggered by the dissolution of the rocks, related to percolation of groundwater and surface water, which consequently open underground voids and carve out peculiar forms of relief. Due to environmental and geotechnical aspects, this system is naturally more fragile and vulnerable than other natural systems and, therefore, has increasingly received the attention of the scientific community over the past decades. The objective of the study was to delimit zones with varying degrees of susceptibility for collapses and subsidence of sinkholes in the municipality of Iraquara, Chapada Diamantina (BA), Brazil, and to understand their geological and morphological determinant factors. Geological data, karst phenomenon map, and visual analysis in the field were used to categorize zones with different types of susceptibilities to the nucleation of new sinkholes based on a Hazard Index. This index was defined from the sum of geological hazard factors, lineament density, and sinkhole density. The areas that presented the highest susceptibility for terrain collapse and subsidence corresponded to regions where carbonate rocks outcrop, with high density of photolineaments and 2.62 sinkholes/km². Processes associated with terrain collapse and subsidence in karst areas consisted of a combination of various factors, hindering precise predictions. However, zones of different types of susceptibilities to terrain collapse and subsidence can be delimited when the relationships between these processes and their factors are understood. The Hazard Index proposed does not provide quantitative values for the probability of hazard susceptibility, but rather indicates areas that are more susceptible to terrain subsidence and collapse.     

Numerical analysis of an embankment on soft soils considering large displacements

The behaviour of an embankment built on a Portuguese soft soil is analysed considering the material and geometric non-linearity associated with a coupled soil–water formulation. The numerical predictions are compared with the field data in terms of settlements, horizontal displacements and excess pore water pressures. The repercussions of including the large displacements formulation are also studied. It is found that the analysis considering large displacements results in a decrease in settlements and an increase in the rate of excess pore pressure dissipation, both of which are related to the reduction of the thickness of a deformable layer.     

Ar/Ar geochronology of gold mineralization in Brasiliano strike-slip shear zones in the Borborema province, NE Brazil

⁴⁰Ar/³⁹Ar geochronology of muscovite and biotite grains genetically related to gold and Be–Ta–Li pegmatites from the Seridó Belt (Borborema province, NE Brazil) yield well-defined, reliable plateau ages. This information, combined with data about paragenetic and field relationships, reveals Cambro-Ordovician mineralization ages (520 and 500–506 Ma) for the orogenic gold deposits in the Seridó Belt. Biotite ages of 525±2 Ma, which represent the mean weighted results of the incremental heating analysis of six biotite single crystals, record the time of pegmatite emplacement and reactivation of Brasiliano/Pan-African strike-slip shear zones. These results, along with previous structural evolution studies, suggest that shear zones formed during the Brasiliano/Pan-African event were reactivated in the Upper Cambrian–Lower Ordovician. Mineralization occurs late in the history of the orogen.     

Determination of Gold in Ores by Isobutyl Methyl Ketone Extraction and Electrothermal Atomic Absorption Spectrometry: A Stability Study of the Metal in Organic Media

A method involving gold extraction into isobutyl methyl ketone (IBMK), after partial dissolution with aqua regia , with determination by electrothermal atomic absorption spectrometry is described. The pyrolysis and atomisation temperatures were optimized using a pyrolytic graphite forked platform. The stability study of gold in isobutyl methyl ketone extract indicated that closed polypropylene containers (3% absorbance measurement changes) were better than both open polypropylene and closed glass containers over periods of up to 22 hr. Satisfactory recoveries of 99 and 102% were obtained when Au, in the IBMK extracts from CH-3 and MA-2 reference materials, were determined after storage of the extracts in closed polypropylene containers for 22 hr, respectively.     

Debris flow affecting the Cubatão Oil Refinery,Brazil

On February 6, 1994, a large debris flow developed because of intense rains in a 800-m-high mountain range called Serra do Cubatão, the local name for the Serra do Mar, located along the coast of the state of São Paulo, Brazil. It affected the Presidente Bernardes Refinery, owned by Petrobrás, in Cubatão. The damages amounted to about US $40 million because of the muck cleaning, repairs, and 3-week interruption of the operations. This prompted Petrobrás to conduct studies, carried out by the authors, to develop protection works, which were done at a cost of approximately US $12 million. The paper describes the studies conducted on debris flow mechanics. A new criteria to define rainfall intensities that trigger debris flows is presented, as well as a correlation of slipped area with soil porosity and rain intensity. Also presented are (a) an actual grain size distribution of a deposited material, determined by laboratory and a large-scale field test, and (b) the size distribution of large boulders along the river bed. Based on theory, empirical experience and back-analysis of the events, the main parameters as the front velocity, the peak discharge and the volume of the transported sediments were determined in a rational basis for the design of the protection works. Finally, the paper describes the set of the protection works built, emphasizing their concept and function. They also included some low-cost innovative works.     

Collaborative geomatics and the Mushkegowuk Cree First Nations: Fostering adaptive capacity for community-based sub-arctic natural resource management

The remote First Nation (FN) communities of the Mushkegowuk Territory on the west coast of James Bay, Ontario, Canada are currently facing increased development pressures and the imposition of a government land use planning process. The land use planning process is mandated in the Far North Act (received Royal Assent on September 23, 2010). There is a need for capacity enhancement for community-based natural resource planning and management in the Territory. A number of frameworks are emerging for addressing change brought on by resource development and building resilience to such change at the community level. Among these include the concept of adaptive capacity. In collaboration with FN community leaders, we explored the use of “collaborative geomatics” tools to foster adaptive capacity. Our action research suggests that collaborative geomatics technologies should enhance the Mushkegowuk First Nations’ adaptive capacity to address environmental and policy change by allowing them to collect and manage data collaboratively (e.g., traditional environmental knowledge, western science) to create opportunities for innovative community development, including natural resource development and management.     

Hydromechanical Analysis of Masonry Gravity Dams and their Foundations

A numerical model for the hydromechanical analysis of masonry dams based on the discrete element method is presented. The dam and the rock foundation are represented as block assemblies, and a coupled flow-stress analysis is performed in an integrated manner for the entire system. Complex block shapes may be obtained by assembling elementary blocks into macroblocks, allowing the application of the model to situations ranging from equivalent continuum to fully discontinuum analysis. A contact formulation was developed based on an accurate edge–edge approach, incorporating mechanical and hydraulic behavior. The main numerical aspects are described, with an emphasis in the flow analysis explicit algorithm. An application to an existing masonry dam is presented, analyzing its present condition, with excessive seepage, and the proposed rehabilitation intervention. An evaluation of sliding failure mechanisms was also performed, showing the expected improvement in the safety of the structure.     

A multidimensional streamline-based method to simulate reactive solute transport in heterogeneous porous media

We present a new streamline-based numerical method for simulating reactive solute transport in porous media. The key innovation of the method is that both longitudinal and transverse dispersion are incorporated accurately without numerical dispersion. Dispersion is approximated in a flow-oriented grid using a combination of a one-dimensional finite difference scheme and a meshless approximation. In contrast to previous hybrid alternatives to incorporate dispersion in streamline-based simulations, the proposed scheme does not require a grid and, hence, it does not introduce numerical dispersion. In addition, the proposed scheme eliminates numerical oscillations and negative concentration values even when the dispersion tensor includes the off-diagonal coefficients and the flow field is non-uniform. We demonstrate that for a set of two- and three-dimensional benchmark problems, the new proposed streamline-based formulation compares favorably to two state of the art finite volume and hybrid Eulerian–Lagrangian solvers.