Discussion of (anisotropic hydraulic conductivity and critical hydraulic gradient of a crushed sandstone–mudstone particle mixture)

A discussion is presented here to the work of Wang and Qiu including some notes about the analysis and the correlations of the results. First, we show that there is no clear relationship between the critical hydraulic gradient and the uniformity coefficient. Also we show that the internal erosion mechanism of soils with bimodal structure is different from that for soils with no bimodal structure. Finally, we emphasis that the anisotropy in the hydraulic conductivity is not related to the uneven compaction only but also to the particle arrangements and connectivity between pores.     

Geotechnical properties of dredged marine sediments treated at high water/cement ratio

Cement and lime are widely employed in soil and sediment treatment for an improvement of geotechnical properties, such as an increase in mechanical strength which enables beneficial use in various geotechnical applications. In this study, fine organic-rich dredged harbour sediments of 120% relative water content were treated with dry cement at contents varying between 2% and 10% of bulk sediment wet weight. Tests based on assessments of one-dimensional compression and Atterberg limits were performed on untreated and cement-treated sediments for various curing periods, as well as grain-size, SEM and X-ray diffraction analyses. The results confirm that increasing the cement content improves the geotechnical properties of these harbour sediments. Already in the early phase of curing (first 3 days of curing), particle size increases while sediment plasticity decreases. Changes in the compressibility behaviour include an increase in apparent preconsolidation pressure, in the compression index C _c and in the primary consolidation coefficient C _v, and a decrease in the secondary compression index . This means that the new materials are characterized by a behaviour intermediate between that of fine and that of coarser soils.     

Impact of Lithofacies and Structures on the Hydrogeochemistry of the Lower Miocene Aquifer at Moghra Oasis,North Western Desert,Egypt

Natural Resources Research - The Moghra Oasis is one of the major Egyptian desert-reclamation projects. Understanding the hydrochemistry of the Moghra aquifer is an onus to properly plan and manage...     

Trace and REE element geochemistry of fluorite and its relation to uranium mineralizations,Gabal Gattar Area,Northern Eastern Desert,Egypt

Uranium mineralizations occur and form in a broad range of geologic setting and age, including magmatic to surfacial conditions, and there are numerous controls on their transportation and deposition, such as redox, pH, ligand concentration, complexation, and temperature. These temporal and spatial variations have caused a range of ore deposit mineral assemblages. Consequently, understanding their conditions of formation is still in its infancy. This research reports rare earth elements (REE) and trace elements of fluorite associated with hexavalent uranium mineralizations and tests of genetic models for the deposits. These data contribute to a better understanding of the variables controlling fluorite formation and uranium ore composition through understanding the evolution of these ore-forming hydrothermal systems. Fluorite in Gabal Gattar granite occurs as disseminations and/or thin veinlets and encrustations filling some uranium mineralized fissures and fractures along the northern margin of host granite mass. In the U-poor samples, fluorite forms well-developed large crystals that are commonly zoned. The zones are represented by alternating colorless and violet zones, and the outer zones are frequently dark violet. In the U-rich samples, fluorite is usually anhedral, unzoned, and has a dark violet color. The results of analysis of REE and trace element contents of fluorites using laser ablation inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry indicate that total REE in the anhedral unzoned fluorite are elevated compared to the well developed zoned fluorite, and also total REE in dark violet zones of zoned fluorite are elevated with respect to the colorless zones. The fluorites and host granite are generally characterized by strongly negative Eu anomalies and slightly negative or chondritic Ce anomalies. Accordingly, REE patterns of the fluorite and host granite are roughly alike, indicating that the source of REE and trace elements of hydrothermal fluids is the host granite leached by fluids. Y/Y*, Ce/Ce,* and Eu/Eu* patterns show that fluorite clearly records the compositional evolution of the hydrothermal solutions that have transferred trace and REE from host granite during the fluid–wall rocks interactions. The high uranium contents of fluorite in Gabal Gattar granite suggest that parent fluids bearing fluorine have interacted with host granite to leach uranium from the accessory minerals of granite and tetravalent uranium minerals in reduced or weakly oxidized zones.     

Immiscibilty between silicate magma and aqueous fluids in Egyptian rare-metal granites: melt and fluid inclusions study

Rare-metal granites of Nuweibi and Abu Dabbab, central Eastern Desert of Egypt, have mineralogical and geochemical specialization. These granites are acidic, slightly peraluminous to metaaluminous, Li–F–Na-rich, and Sn–Nb–Ta-mineralized. Snowball textures, homogenous distribution of rock-forming accessory minerals, disseminated mineralization, and melt inclusions in quartz phenocrysts are typical features indicative of their petrographic specialization. Geochemical characterizations are consistent with low-P-rare metal granite derived from highly evolved I-type magma in the late stage of crystallization. Melt and fluid inclusions were studied in granites, mineralized veins, and greisen. The study revealed that at least two stages of liquid immiscibility played an important role in the evolution of magma–hydrothermal transition as well as mineral deposition. The early stage is melt/fluid case. This stage is represented by the coexistence of type-B melt and aqueous-CO₂ inclusions in association with topaz, columbite–tantalite, as well as cassiterite mineral inclusions. This stage seems to have taken place at the late magmatic stage at temperatures between 450 °C and 550 °C. The late magmatic to early hydrothermal stage is represented by vapor-rich H₂O and CO₂ inclusions, sometimes with small crystallized silicic melt in greisen and the outer margins of the mineralized veins. These inclusions are associated with beryl, topaz, and cassiterite mineralization and probably trapped at 400 °C. The last stage of immiscibility is fluid–fluid and represented by the coexisting H₂O-rich and CO₂-rich inclusions. Cassiterite, wolframite ± chalcopyrite, and fluorite are the main mineral assemblage in this stage. The trapping temperature was estimated between 200 °C and 350 °C. The latest phase of fluid is low-saline, low-temperature (100–180 °C), and liquid-rich aqueous fluid.     

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.     

Comprehensive Analysis of Precious Metals in some Geological Standards by Flameless A.A. Spectroscopy

Precious metals (Ag, Au, Pt, Pd, Rh) were determined by flameless absorption atomic spectrornetry. Aqua regia sample decomposition followed by Te coprecipitation was employed to preconcentrate the precious metals in geological materials. With 5 g sample take-up, the limits of determination were 1-2 ppb for Au, Pd and Rh, 5 ppb for Ag and 10-20 ppb for Pt. These elements were determined in some geochemical standards.     

Distribution and immobilization of heavy metals in Pliocene aquifer sediments in Wadi El Natrun depression, Western Desert

The Pliocene aquifer receives inflow of Miocene and Pleistocene aquifer waters in Wadi El Natrun depression. The aquifer also receives inflow from the agricultural activity and septic tanks. Nine sediment samples were collected from the Pliocene aquifer in Wadi E1 Natrun. Heavy metal (Cu, Sr, Zn, Mn, Fe, Al, Ba, Cr, Ni, V, Cd, Co, Mo, and Pb) concentrations of Pliocene aquifer sediments were investigated in bulk, sand, and mud fractions. The determination of extractable trace metals (Cu, Zn, Fe, Mn, and Pb) in Pliocene aquifer sediments using sequential extraction procedure (four steps) has been performed in order to study environmental pathways (e.g., mobility of metals, bounding states). These employ a series of successively stronger chemical leaching reagents which nominally target the different compositional fractions. By analyzing the liquid leachates and the residual solid components, it is possible to determine not only the type and concentration of metals retained in each phase but also their potential ecological significance. Cu, Sr, Zn, Mn, Fe, and Al concentrations are higher in finer sediments than in coarser sediments, while Ba, Cr, Ni, V, Cd, Co, Mo, and Pb are enriched in the coarser fraction. The differences in relative concentrations are attributed to intense anthropogenic inputs from different sources. Heavy metal concentrations are higher than global average concentrations in sandstone, USEPA guidelines, and other local and international aquifer sediments. The order of trace elements in the bulk Pliocene aquifer sediments, from high to low concentrations, is Fe?>?Al?>?Mn?>?Cr?>?Zn?>?Cu?>?Ni?>?V?>?Sr?>?Ba?>?Pb?>?Mo?>?Cd?>?Co. The Pliocene aquifer sediments are highly contaminated for most toxic metals, except Pb and Co which have moderate contamination. The active soluble (F0) and exchangeable (F1) phases are represented by high concentrations of Cu, Zn, Fe, and Mn and relatively higher concentrations of Pb and Cd. This may be due to the increase of silt and clay fractions (mud) in sediments, which act as an adsorbent, retaining metals through ion exchange and other processes. The order of mobility of heavy metals in this phase is found to be Pb?>?Cd?>?Zn?>?Cu?>?Fe?>?Mn. The values of the active phase of most heavy metals are relatively high, indicating that Pliocene sediments are potentially a major sink for heavy metals characterized by high mobility and bioavailability. Fe–Mn oxyhydroxide phase is the most important fraction among labile fractions and represents 22% for Cd, 20% for Fe, 11% for Zn, 8% for Cu, 5% for Pb, and 3% for Mn. The organic matter-bound fraction contains 80% of Mn, 72% of Cu, 68% of Zn, 60% of Fe, 35% of Pb, and 30% of Cd (as mean). Summarizing the sequential extraction, a very good immobilization of the heavy metals by the organic matter-bound fraction is followed by the carbonate-exchangeable-bound fraction. The mobility of the Cd metal in the active and Fe–Mn oxyhydroxide phases is the highest, while the Mn metal had the lowest mobility.     

Petrographical and petrophysical characteristics of asynchronous beachrocks along Al-Shoaiba Coast, Red Sea, Saudi Arabia

The present study describes the petrographic and petrophysical characteristics of three stratigraphically asynchronous beachrocks (A, B, and C) along the Red Sea coast at Al-Shoaiba area, Saudi Arabia, to identify the compositional, depositional, and diagenetic controls on beachrock formation and their petrophysical properties. The beachrocks at the three locations consist basically of calcareous skeletal remains of different types and grain size reflecting the composition of adjacent beach sediments and the depositional conditions. They were cemented by aragonite and high-Mg calcite (HMC) in intertidal zone. The cement exhibits three major fabrics: (1) micritic coatings, (2) isopachous to asymmetric aragonite rim, and (3) cryptocrystalline pore-fillings HMC. In addition, some intergranular and intragranular pores were partially filled with infiltrated silt-sized carbonate and siliciclastic sediments. The cementation was accomplished by the combination of inorganic and organic processes, and the former was dominant through evaporation of pore-filling seawater under hot and dry climatic conditions. Cementation in the present beachrocks is selective; carbonate grains are cemented, whereas siliciclastic grains are cement free. The cement nucleation on carbonate grains was easier than on siliciclastic grains which do not provide good "seed crystals" for carbonate cement growth. The petrophysical measurements are in agreement with petrographic studies. The degree of cementation is the major control on petrophysical characteristics where the lowest and highest porosity and permeability values were obtained from the least cemented beachrocks of location A and the highest cemented beachrocks of location B, respectively. The thickness of cement seems to be controlled by cement precipitation rate, grain size, and size and shape of pore spaces. The coarse sediments of beachrocks at location B were deposited under higher depositional energy than those at locations A and C, and therefore, their primary pore spaces were large enough to be filled with seawaters. Under hot and dry climate, cement precipitation increases leading to partial to complete occlusion of pore spaces.     

Assessment of hazardous mine waste transport in west central Sinai,using remote sensing and GIS approaches: a case study of Um Bogma area,Egypt

Um Bogma area is the most famous mineralized locality in Sinai, Egypt. It is characterized by the presence of manganese, iron, and copper deposits. Apart from the mill tailings and spoil heaps, the results indicated the decrease of soil contamination downstream. As a result of random manganese mining activity in Um Bogma area, many hazardous elements such as iron, copper, manganese, lead, and zinc as well as many others associating heavy metals such as arsenic, selenium, and sulfur are dispersed in the environment. This study assesses and monitors the environmental impacts of such mining activities in the west central Sinai, using multitemporal spectral remote-sensing sensors (MSS 1972, TM 1986, and ETM+7 2000). The results have shown the very high potential of temporal imagery in mining-related contamination either directly through mineral and rock mapping of the mining waste and residues and related contaminated areas.