Mineralogy and heavy metal content in sediments from Rio Gato,Carelmapu and Cucao,Southern Chile

In southern Chile, with a mild and rainy climate, high levels of heavy metals have been detected in many gold placer deposits. Many of the contaminants pose risks to human life, and consequently damage the trofic chain in this environment. The study zones selected correspond to the handicraft gold-bearing sands of Rio Gato (Los Muermos), Carelmapu and Cucao. These are all located in the X Region of “Los Lagos” in Chile. The type of methodology used in the characterization of the associated mineralization consists of testing each representative sample with a grain size distribution, statistical parameter analysis and a mineralogical analysis, using a binocular magnifying glass, a petrographic microscope, XRD and SEM/EDX. The chemical composition was defined by means of X ray fluorescence and micro-chemical analysis. The results of the study about sediments in southern Chile are presented. The major concentrations of heavy minerals are generally located in areas of dynamic river energy. In the samples, more than 70% of the heavy minerals were distributed among grain sizes corresponding to thin sand with good grain selection (meshes of 0.25–0.06 mm). The main mineral phases present in the analysed samples were gold, zircon, olivine, ilmenite, hornblende, hypersthene, hematite, garnet, chromite, chlorite, augite, amphibolitic-epidote, etc. The main heavy metals found as a result of the study were mercury, lead, cadmium, chrome, tellurium, indium, zinc, cobalt, copper, platinum, gold, etc., and as well some less common elements like cerium, praseodymium, gadolinium, neodymium, samarium and lanthanum. This research work is only a starting point for carrying out a risk probability mapping of heavy metals and the mineralogy of the Cucao, Carelmapu and Rio Gato gold-bearing sands.     

XMCD at Fe L<Subscript>2,3</Subscript> edges,Fe and S K edges on Fe<Subscript>7</Subscript>S<Subscript>8</Subscript>

Pyrrhotite (Fe₇S₈) is a natural iron sulphide that can participate in rock magnetisation. Its electronic structure is not yet surely described. X-ray magnetic circular dichroism (XMCD) at Fe L_2,3 edges on Fe₇S₈, coupled with multiplet calculations, shows that iron is present only as Fe²⁺ in this magnetic iron sulphide. It reveals a strong magnetic orbital moment. XMCD at Fe and S K edges shows the quite strong polarization of both Fe and S in Fe₇S₈.     

Advective heat transfer and fabric development in a shallow crustal intrusive granite — the case of Proterozoic Vellaturu granite,south India

Syntectonic plutons emplaced in shallow crust often contain intermediate-to low-temperature deformation microstructures but lack a high-temperature, subsolidus deformation fabric, although the relict magmatic fabric is preserved. The Proterozoic Vellaturu granite emplaced at the eastern margin of the northern Nallamalai fold belt, south India during the late phase of regional deformation has a common occurrence of intermediate-to low-temperature deformation fabric, superimposed over magmatic fabric with an internally complex pattern. But high-T subsolidus deformation microstructure and fabric are absent in this pluton. The main crystal plastic deformation and fluid enhanced reaction softening was concentrated along the margin of the granite body. Resulting granite mylonites show Y-maximum c-axis fabric in completely recrystallized quartz ribbonds, dynamic recrystallization of perthites, and myrmekite indicative of fabric development under intermediate temperature (∼ 500–400°C). The weakly-deformed interior shows myrmekite, feldspar microfracturing and limited bulging recrystallization of quartz. The abundance of prism subgrain boundaries is indicative of continuing deformation through low-temperature (∼ 300°C). The relative rates of cooling influenced by advective heat transfer and deformation of the pluton seem to control the overall subsolidus fabric development. The rapid advective heat transfer from the interior in the early stages of subsolidus cooling was followed by slow cooling through intermediate temperature window as a well-developed phyllosilicate rich mylonitic skin around the granite body slowed down conductive heat loss. Low-T crystal plastic deformation of quartz was effected at a late stage of cooling and deformation of the shallow crustal granite body emplaced within the greenschist facies Nallamlai rocks.     

∼3,850 Ma tonalites in the Nuuk region,Greenland: geochemistry and their reworking within an Eoarchaean gneiss complex

The Eoarchaean (>3,600 Ma) Itsaq Gneiss Complex of southern West Greenland is dominated by polyphase orthogneisses with a complex Archaean tectonothermal history. Some of the orthogneisses have c. 3,850 Ma zircons, and they vary from rare single phase metatonalites to more common complexly banded migmatites. This is due to heterogeneous strain, in situ anatexis and granitic veining superimposed during younger tectonothermal events. In the single-phase tonalites with c. 3,850 Ma zircon, oscillatory-zoned prismatic zircon is all 3,850 Ma old, but shows patchy ancient loss of radiogenic Pb. SHRIMP spot analyses and laser ablation ICP-MS depth profiling show that thin (usually < 10 μm) younger (3,660–3,590 Ma and Neoarchaean) shells of lower Th/U metamorphic zircon are present on these 3,850 Ma zircons. Several samples with this simple zircon population occur on islands near Akilia. In contrast, migmatites usually contain more complex zircon populations, with often more than one generation of igneous zircon present. Additional zircon dating of banded gneisses across the Complex shows that samples with c. 3,850 Ma igneous zircon are not just a phenomenon restricted to Akilia and adjacent islands. For example, migmatites from Itilleq (c. 65 km from Akilia) contain variable amounts of oscillatory-zoned 3,850 Ma and 3,650 Ma zircon, interpreted, respectively, as the rock age and the time of crustal melting under Eoarchaean metamorphism. With only 110–140 ppm Zr in the tonalites and likely magmatic temperatures of >850°C, zircon solubility–melt composition relationships show that they were only one-third saturated in zircon. Any zircon entrained in the precursor magmas would thus have been highly soluble. Combined with the cathodoluminesence imaging, this demonstrates that the c. 3,850 Ma oscillatory zoned zircon crystallised out of the melt and hence gives a magmatic age. Thus the rare well-preserved tonalites and palaeosome in migmatites testify that c. 3,850 Ma quartzo–feldspathic rocks are a widespread (but probably minor) component in the Itsaq Gneiss Complex. C. 3,850 Ma zircon with negative Eu anomalies (showing growth in felsic systems) also occurs as detrital grains in rare c. 3,800 Ma metaquartzites and as inherited grains in some 3,660 Ma granites (sensu stricto). These demonstrate that still more c. 3,850 Ma rocks were present, but were recycled into Eoarchaean sediments and crustally derived granites. The major and trace element characteristics (e.g. LREE enrichment, HREE depletion, low MgO) of the best-preserved c. 3,850 Ma rocks are typical of Archaean TTG suites, and thus argue for crust formation processes involving important contributions from melting of hydrated mafic crust to the earliest Archaean. Five c. 3,850 Ma tonalites were selected as the best preserved on the basis of field criteria and zircon petrology. Four of these samples have overlapping initial ɛ_Nd (3,850 Ma) values from +2.9 to +3.6± 0.5, with the fourth having a slightly lower value of +0.6. These data provide additional evidence for a markedly LREE-depleted early terrestrial mantle reservoir. The role of c. 3,850 Ma crust should be considered in interpreting isotope signatures of the younger (3,800–3,600 Ma) rocks of the Itsaq Gneiss Complex. Electronic supplementary material The online version of this article (doi:) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.     

Analysis of kinematic seismic response of tapered piles

In the present work, a two-phase analysis is used to assess the lateral movement of a tapered pile due to kinematic seismic loading resulted from earthquakes. First, the free-field horizontal displacement of the ground due to earthquake is estimated using available theory of wave propagation. Second, these estimated soil movements are imposed on the taper pile in a closed-form solution to compute the pile response. The governing differential equation for an arbitrary pile segment is obtained, which includes the free-field horizontal movement estimated from the first phase. The equation is solved explicitly to obtain the horizontal deflection. Parametric studies show that tapered piles tend to be more flexible than uniform piles of the same volume and length under earthquake loading, which is soundly interesting.     

Investigation of waste disposal areas using electrical methods: a case study from Chania,Crete, Greece

A geophysical investigation of a landfill area was conducted as inextricable phase of a preliminary geotechnical, geological and hydrogeological study of the area under investigation. Electrical resistivity tomography (ERT), one of the most promising prospecting techniques mainly concerning its effective contribution to resolve several environmental problems, was applied for the geophysical modeling. ERT is a robust imaging method the theory and implementation of which are well documented in geophysical research literature. The survey site is located in Akrotirion Peninsula, about 7 km east of Chania city in Crete I. The geological setting comprises Trypalion limestones, marly limestones and a clayed weathered layer. Cavities are also identified at various scales which are recent tectono-karstic voids. Due to the above-mentioned geological singularity and in the light of the requirement for an environmentally safe construction of the landfill, an ERT survey was carried out. Specifically, seven geoelectrical tomographies were conducted reaching the prospecting depth of 36 m. The resulted images conduced, to overcome geotechnical problems since the spatial distribution of karstic voids was determined, to plan the future sites for waste disposal as the geological conditions were studied in detail and to reliably estimate the thickness of the already deposited wastes. The resulted images were confirmed using available borehole logs and ambient noise measurements.     

Application of integrated methods in mapping waste disposal areas

An integrated suite of environmental methods was used to characterize the hydrogeological, geological and tectonic regime of the largest waste disposal landfill of Crete Island, the Fodele municipal solid waste site (MSW), to determine the geometry of the landfill (depth and spatial extent of electrically conductive anomalies), to define the anisotropy caused by bedrock fabric fractures and to locate potential zones of electrically conductive contamination. A combination of geophysical methods and chemical analysis was implemented for the characterization and management of the landfill. Five different types of geophysical surveys were performed: (1) 2D electrical resistance tomography (ERT), (2) electromagnetic measurements using very low frequencies (VLF), (3) electromagnetic conductivity (EM31), (4) seismic refraction measurements (SR), and (5) ambient noise measurements (HVSR). The above geophysical methods were used with the aim of studying the subsurface properties of the landfill and to define the exact geometrical characteristics of the site under investigation.     

Performance of surface footing on geocell-reinforced soft clay beds

This paper presents the results of laboratory model tests carried out to develop an understanding of the behaviour of geocell-reinforced soft clay foundations under circular loading. Natural silty clay was used in this study. The geocells were prepared using biaxial polymer grid. The performance of the reinforced bed is quantified using non-dimensional factors i.e., Bearing capacity improvement factor (I_f) and Percentage reduction in footing settlement (PRS). The test results demonstrate that the geocell mattress redistributes the footing load over a wider area thereby improving the performance of the footing. The load carrying capacity of the clay bed is increased by a factor of up to about 4.5 times that of unreinforced bed. From the pressure-settlement responses, it is observed that the geocell-reinforced foundation bed behaves as a much stiffer system compared to the unreinforced case indicating that a substantial reduction in footing settlement can be achieved by providing geocell reinforcement in the soft clay bed. The maximum reduction in footing settlement obtained with the provision of geocell mattress of optimum size placed close to the footing is around 90%. Further improvement in performance is obtained with provision of an additional planar geogrid layer at the base of the geocell mattress.     

Adsorption characteristics of perchloroethylene in natural sandy materials with low organic carbon content

Laboratory batch tests were conducted to investigate the sorption isotherms and sorption kinetics of the chlorinated hydrocarbon perchloroethylene (PCE) in five natural sandy materials with an organic carbon content (f _oc) in the range 0.080–0.540%. The amended non-linear dual-mode model can describe the sorption isotherms in materials with f _oc in the range 0.080–0.090%. For a sample with a much higher f _oc of 0.54%, the absorption isotherm was found to fit a linear model. These results may indicate that organic carbon is not the main factor influencing the sorption isotherm. The sorption kinetics of PCE in samples with f _oc in the range 0.080–0.090% are not first-order and are different from those observed in the samples with higher f _oc. The sorption process in the materials with lower f _oc involves fast sorption, fast desorption and an equilibrium stage. The results may imply that the factors affecting sorption kinetics of PCE in low f _oc media are pore filling and capillary condensation rather than organic carbon content.