Dynamic Subsidence Characteristics in Jharia Coalfield,India

Surface ground movements are usually described by a number of characteristic indices such as vertical displacement, horizontal strain and slope, which are an inevitable consequence of underground mining. Every point at the surface over a panel is subjected to strain and slope during mining and its investigation is essential to assess the safety of surface structures. Therefore, the behaviour of dynamic active and residual subsidence was studied for a few panels of Jharia coalfield. The subsidence and slope were linearly related to time. Compressive and tensile strains showed typical fluctuating characteristic behaviour. The rate of mining being a key and controlling parameter for rate of subsidence their inter-relationship was developed, which showed a rational trend. Compressive and tensile strains and slope showed poor correlation with rate of face advance.     

New approach for interpretation of scattered ground magnetic data in a part of Delhi Fold Belt-NW Indian shield

Randomly distributed ground magnetic data sets, collected along parallel and closely spaced profiles, in small blocks, the blocks being separated/distributed widely over a large area, become, sometimes, unamenable for deriving a meaningful geological model. In such a situation, an approach of “Cumulative Total Intensity Magnetic Anomaly Field (CTIMAF)” has been devised to interpret the sparsely distributed magnetic data sets. A case history has been presented from the lead–zinc mineralized provenance of Ajabgarh Formation of Delhi Fold Belt in the northern part of Ajmer Town. Log-normalized radially averaged power spectrum was computed for the Cumulative Total Intensity Magnetic Anomaly data and depth to the basement is derived. The computed depth of 4.5 km is in good agreement with the Deep Seismic Studies.     

Stabilization of Expansive Soil with Cement Kiln Dust and RBI Grade 81 at Subgrade Level

The present research work deals with an expansive high plastic clayey soil with cement kiln dust (CKD) and stabilizer (RBI Grade 81). The physical and engineering properties of soil are plasticity, compaction, unconfined compressive strength (UCS), consolidation and California bearing ratio (CBR) of the clayey soil and clay treated with CKD and stabilizer were determined. Soil chemistry was examined before and after treatment using scanning electron microscope (SEM) and elemental dispersive spectrometer. The clay mixed with CKD, CKD and RBI Grade 81 was found that optimum contents are 10 % (CKD), 15 % CKD with 4 % RBI Grade 81, respectively. The result indicates that CKD alone will decrease maximum dry density and increase optimum moisture content. CKD with RBI Grade 81 slightly increases maximum dry density and decreases optimum moisture content. UCS increased with CKD alone and CKD with RBI Grade 81 from 88.3 to 976 kN/m², respectively. CBR values were increased by the addition of CKD, CKD with RBI Grade 81 from 1.65 to 21.7 %. With the curing time of 3, 14 and 28 days, UCS and CBR values were increased due to pozzolanic reaction from cementations material. The treated soil has considerable reduction in compression index. SEM images clearly indicate the formation of CSH and CAH gel.     

Evaluation of geochemical impact of tsunami on Pichavaram mangrove ecosystem,southeast coast of India

The 26 December 2004-tsunami has deposited sediments in the Pichavaram mangrove ecosystem, east coast of India. Ten surface and three core sediment samples were collected within 30 days of the event and analyzed for nutrients. Water samples were also analyzed to see the impact of tsunami on the geochemical behavior of nutrients. An increase in the concentration of various nutrients namely nitrate and phosphate was observed. The geochemistry of the mangrove forest was observed to be influenced by a number of factors like rapid increase of aquaculture farms, agricultural practices and the anthropogenic discharge from the nearby-inhabited areas. Further the sediment column was disturbed due to energetic tsunami waves, which has caused a sheer increase in the dissolved oxygen in water. As a result, the change in the redox potential has resulted in change in the nutrients absorbed/associated with the sediments. In addition, role of retreating water after tsunami on the nutrient geochemistry was also evaluated.     

The Indus flood of 2010 in Pakistan: a perspective analysis using remote sensing data

The Indus flood in 2010 was one of the greatest river disasters in recent history, which affected more than 14 million people in Pakistan. Although excessive rainfall between July and September 2010 has been cited as the major causative factor for this disaster, the human interventions in the river system over the years made this disaster a catastrophe. Geomorphic analysis suggests that the Indus River has had a very dynamic regime in the past. However, the river has now been constrained by embankments on both sides, and several barrages have been constructed along the river. As a result, the river has been aggrading rapidly during the last few decades due to its exceptionally high sediment load particularly in reaches upstream of the barrages. This in turn has caused significant increase in cross-valley gradient leading to breaches upstream of the barrages and inundation of large areas. Our flow accumulation analysis using SRTM data not only supports this interpretation but also points out that there are several reaches along the Indus River, which are still vulnerable to such breaches and flooding. Even though the Indus flood in 2010 was characterized by exceptionally high discharges, our experience in working on Himalayan rivers and similar recent events in rivers in Nepal and India suggest that such events can occur at relatively low discharges. It is therefore of utmost importance to identify such areas and plan mitigation measures as soon as possible. We emphasize the role of geomorphology in flood analysis and management and urge the river managers to take urgent steps to incorporate the geomorphic understanding of Himalayan rivers in river management plans.     

Clay mineralogical studies on Bijawars of the Sonrai basin: Palaeoenvironmental implications and inferences on the uranium mineralization

Clays associated with the Precambrian unconformity-related (sensu lato) uranium mineralization that occur along fractures of Rohini carbonate, Bandai sandstone and clay-organic rich black carbonaceous Gorakalan shale of the Sonrai Formation from Bijawar Group is significant. Nature and structural complexity of these clays have been studied to understand depositional mechanism and palaeoenvironmental conditions responsible for the restricted enrichment of uranium in the Sonrai basin. Clays (<2 μm fraction) separated from indurate sedimentary rocks by disaggregation, chemical treatment and centrifugation were examined using X-ray Diffraction (XRD) and Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM). Presence of tv-1M type illite is inferred from the Rohini and Bandai Members of the Sonrai Formation, indicative of high fluid/rock interaction and super-saturation state of the fluids available in proximity with the uranium mineralization. It is observed that the Sonrai Formation is characterized by kaolinite > chlorite > illite > smectite mineral assemblages, whereas, Solda Formation contains kaolinite > illite > chlorite clays. It has been found that the former mineral assemblage resulted from the alteration process is associated with the uranium mineralization and follow progressive reaction series, indicating palaeoenvironmental (cycles of tropical humid to semi-arid/arid) changes prevailed during maturation of the Sonrai basin. The hydrothermal activity possibly associated with Kurrat volcanics is accountable for the clay mineral alterations.     

Age and geochemistry of the Newania dolomite carbonatites, India: implications for the source of primary carbonatite magma

The Newania carbonatite complex of India is one of the few dolomite-dominated carbonatites of the world. Intruding into Archean basement gneisses, the rocks of the complex have undergone limited diversification and are not associated with any alkaline silicate rock. Although the magmatic nature of the complex was generally accepted, its age of emplacement had remained equivocal because of the disturbed nature of radioisotope systems. Many questions about the nature of its mantle source and mode of origin had remained unanswered because of lack of geochemical and isotopic data. Here, we present results of our effort to date the complex using ¹⁴⁷Sm–¹⁴³Nd, ²⁰⁷Pb–²⁰⁶Pb and ⁴⁰Ar–³⁹Ar dating techniques. We also present mineral chemistry, major and trace element geochemistry and Sr–Nd isotopic ratio data for these carbonatites. Our age data reveal that the complex was emplaced at ~1,473 Ma and parts of it were affected by a thermal event at ~904 Ma. The older ²⁰⁷Pb–²⁰⁶Pb ages reported here (~2.4 Ga) and by one earlier study (~2.3 Ga; Schleicher et al. Chem Geol 140:261–273, 1997) are deemed to be a result of heterogeneous incorporation of crustal Pb during the post-emplacement thermal event. The thermal event had little effect on many magmatic signatures of these rocks, such as its dolomite–magnesite–ankerite–Cr-rich magnetite–magnesio-arfvedsonite–pyrochlore assemblage, mantle like δ¹³C and δ¹⁸O and typical carbonatitic trace element patterns. Newania carbonatites show fractional crystallization trend from high-Mg to high-Fe through high-Ca compositions. The least fractionated dolomite carbonatites of the complex possess very high Mg# (≥80) and have similar major element oxide contents as that of primary carbonatite melts experimentally produced from peridotitic sources. In addition, lower rare earth element (and higher Sr) contents than a typical calcio-carbonatite and mantle like Nb/Ta ratios indicate that the primary magma for the complex was a magnesio-carbonatite melt and that it was derived from a carbonate bearing mantle. The Sr–Nd isotopic data suggest that the primary magma originated from a metasomatized lithospheric mantle. Trace element modelling confirms such an inference and suggests that the source was a phlogopite bearing mantle, located within the garnet stability zone.     

Gravel fabric in a sub-Himalayan braided stream

Data on the fabric properties of gravels have been collected at 10 locations over a distance of 27 km from the Chakki River — a braided channel of the Beas River system. The imbrication of AB-planes reveals a close correspondence with the channel direction; the deviations seldom exceed 30°. Increase in sinuosity and the existence of subsidiary channels contribute, at some locations, to larger deviations. Imbrication directions tend to be modified because of the influence of local channels which develop temporarily on the bar surfaces.A current-normal mode exists for the A-axis orientation data. Bimodal distributions are recognised and attributed to shifting flow conditions. Variance values are low for both the imbrication and A-axis data. The range in mean values of the dip of AB-planes is between 22.6° and 37.6° with s = 8° to 14°. The mean values of plunge of the A-axis vary from 2.9° to 13.2° with s = 3.4° to 12.69°. There is a marked decrease in plunge of the A-axis in the downstream direction in the Chakki River.A particle size versus orientation approach indicates that, irrespective of size, there is a strong upcurrent imbrication. Longitudinal alignment of particles in the smaller size intervals is not supported by the data obtained in this study. A particle shape versus orientation approach reveals that the A-axis orientation is not dependent on particle shape. The A-axis fabric patterns of both tabular and bladed clasts show a peripheral circular arrangement of the maxima, the bisectrix of which points in a current-normal direction. Orientation patterns do not reflect any control in terms of the lithic composition of clasts.