Arsenic and antimony contamination of waters,stream sediments and soils in the vicinity of abandoned antimony mines in the Western Carpathians,Slovakia

Environmental contamination with As and Sb caused by past mining activities at Sb mines is a significant problem in Slovakia. This study is focused on the environmental effects of the 5 abandoned Sb mines on water, stream sediment and soil since the mines are situated in the close vicinity of residential areas. Samples of mine wastes, various types of waters, stream sediments, soils, and leachates of the mine wastes, stream sediments and selected soils were analyzed for As and Sb to evaluate their geochemical dispersion from the mines. Mine wastes collected at the mine sites contained up to 5166 mg/kg As and 9861 mg/kg Sb. Arsenic in mine wastes was associated mostly with Fe oxides, whereas Sb was present frequently in the form of individual Sb, Sb(Fe) and Fe(Sb) oxides. Waters of different types such as groundwater, surface waters and mine waters, all contained elevated concentrations of As and Sb, reaching up to 2150 μg/L As and 9300 μg/L Sb, and had circum-neutral pH values because of the buffering capacity of abundant Ca- and Mg-carbonates. The concentrations of Sb in several household wells are a cause for concern, exceeding the Sb drinking water limit of 5 μg/L by as much as 25 times. Some attenuation of the As and Sb concentrations in mine and impoundment waters was expected because of the deposition of metalloids onto hydrous ferric oxides built up below adit entrances and impoundment discharges. These HFOs contained >20 wt.% As and 1.5 wt.% Sb. Stream sediments and soils have also been contaminated by As and Sb with the peak concentrations generally found near open adits and mine wastes. In addition to the discharged waters from open adits, the significant source of As and Sb contamination are waste-rock dumps and tailings impoundments. Leachates from mine wastes contained as much as 8400 μg/L As and 4060 μg/L Sb, suggesting that the mine wastes would have a great potential to contaminate the downstream environment. Moreover, the results of water leaching tests showed that Sb was released from the solids more efficiently than As under oxidizing conditions. This might partly explain the predominance of Sb over As in most water samples.     

Lake ecosystem dynamics and links to climate change inferred from a stable isotope and organic palaeorecord from a mountain lake in southwestern China (ca. 22.6–10.5 cal ka BP)

A detailed understanding of long-term climatic and environmental change in southwestern China is hampered by a lack of long-term regional palaeorecords. Organic analysis (%TOC, %TN, C/N ratios and δ¹³C values) of a sediment sequence from Lake Shudu, Yunnan Province (ca. 22.6–10.5 cal ka BP) indicates generally low aquatic palaeoproductivity rates over millennial timescales in response to cold, dry climatic conditions. However, the record is punctuated by two marked phases of increased aquatic productivity from ca. 17.7 to 17.1 cal ka BP and from ca. 11.9 to 10.5 cal ka BP. We hypothesise that these shifts reflect a marked, stepwise lacustrine response to Asian summer monsoon strengthening during the last deglaciation.     

Industrial location in the Nairobi area

The paper opens with a brief examination of the Nairobi City pattern of industrial location (especially in terms of industrial areas), including the enumeration of some of the industries involve (a number of them located outside the city boundary). Industrial structure (cum-location) aspects, both in the city and in the neighbouring districts of Kiambu, Machakos and Kajiado (which together constitute the Nairobi Area), are next discussed in detail. The data used are those from the 1965 and 1975 research surveys, and are presented on a national basis so as to demonstrate the significance or otherwise of the Nairobi Area as the industrial core of Kenya. The discussion of the location factors in the Nairobi Area brings the paper to a close. Incorporated are seven tables and four maps.     

Polyculture and monoculture: Contrast and analysis

Although polyculture or interplanting is a dominant production method used by traditional cultivators in the tropics, there has been increasing emphasis on monoculture in agricultural development planning. Analysis of the economic and ecological consequences of these two cropping alternatives in a densely-populated area of eastern Nigeria suggests that a focus on monoculture as a panacea for increasing productivity and food supply is questionable. Polyculture is held to be ecologically superior to monoculture and, in the field area examined, economically more productive as well. Thus further investigation of polycultural approaches to agricultural development would appear to be warranted.     

Socio-Economic Factors Affecting Agricultural Development in Al-Hassa Oasis,Saudi Arabia

The developmental schemes implemented by the Government in the Al-Hassa Oasis have influenced the social and economic behavior of Al-Hassa farming community. The impact of these socio-economic changes on agricultural practices and water use have been evaluated in this study.A detailed questionnaire was prepared considering social attitude, standard of living, family structure, and occupation, and was distributed among the farmers of the Al-Omran area. Data thus collected were statistically evaluated. The study showed that literacy and social exposure were the major factors for the acceptability of modern agricultural practices in the oasis.     

Neue Ergebnisse zur Tektonik der Allgäuer und Vilser Alpen

Zusammenfassung Eine Neuuntersuchung der Tektonik in den Vilser Alpen und im Hochvogelgebiet, wo die Frage seit langer Zeit diskutiert wird, ob dort die Allgäu- und Lechtal-Decke getrennte Einheiten bilden, oder stratigraphisch untrennbar zusammenhängen, erbrachte eine eindeutige Entscheidung für den Deckenbau. Der Verlauf der Deckengrenze konnte zwischen Hochvogel und Hohenschwangauer Alpen präzisiert werden. Der interne Falten- und Schuppenbau der Lechtal-Decke hat nirgends zur Bildung von tektonisch tieferen Teildekken geführt, die internen Verschuppungen besitzen nur ein geringes Ausmaß.

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A new investigation of the tectonics in the Vilser Alps and in the Mt. Hochvogel area where since a long time a discussion was going on if the thrust sheets of Allgäu and Lechtal-Decke are separate units or connected by stratigraphic sequences, a definite decision could be made in favour of the nappe structure in this part of the Northern Calcareous Alps. The internal structure of the Lechtal-Decke thrust sheet is characterized by local imbricate structure which originate from sheared folds.

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Résumé On a dicuté depuis longtemps dans les Vilser Alpen et dans la région du Mont Hochvogel le problème, si les nappes de Allgäu et Lechtal-Decke sont des unités separées ou qu'ils forment une partie inséparable par des séquences stratigraphiques. Une nouvelle examen de la tectonique a affirmé la structure de nappes dans cette région des Alpes Calcaires du Nord. La structure intérieure de la nappe de Lechtal-Decke est caracterisée par une structure écaillée locale, qui se developpe de plis cisaillés.

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Geologische Vorgänge in den Alpen ab Obereozän im Spiegel vor allem der deutschen Molasse

Zusammenfassung Die vorquartäre Geschichte des Molassebeckens nördlich der Alpen läßt sich in 3 Großabschnitte unterteilen, in deren Ablauf sich umrißhaft die jeweils zugehörigen Entwicklungsstadien des aufsteigenden Gebirges widerspiegeln, die bisweilen umgekehrt auch von Ereignissen im Vorland beeinflußt werden. Der 1. Abschnitt (Obereozän bis Aquitan/ Ober-Eger) ist von der in den Westalpen beginnenden Hebung sowie von Bewegungen der savischen Dislokationsphase geprägt, in besonderem Maße ferner an der Rupel/ChattGrenze von der größten Meeresspiegelsenkung seit dem Kambrium. Im 2. Abschnitt (Burdigal/Eggenburg bis Unterpannon) verlagert sich die Hebungsaktivität zu den Ostalpen, womit im Vorland die große, E-W gerichtete Flußschüttung der Oberen Süßwassermolasse ausgelöst wird. In ihr verursacht die gewaltige Erderschütterung des Riesmeteoriten-Einschlags im höheren Baden vermutlich die Flußverlegung der Enns, eines ihrer beiden Hauptzubringer, zum Grazer Becken und damit eine sich u. a. im Schwermineralbestand (als A-Grenze) abzeichnende Änderung der Materialzufuhr aus dem Gebirge. Im 3. Abschnitt (Unterpannon bis Pliozän) geht infolge weiteren Aufsteigens der Alpen samt Vorland bei gleichzeitiger Verlagerung des Hebungszentrums wieder zur Westschweiz die bisherige Akkumulation in Denudation über, die von dem sich nun von Niederösterreich aus ins Molassebecken hineinfressenden Donausystem besorgt wird.Die während des 2. Großabschnitts von der Auflast der vorrückenden kalkalpinen Dekken aus ihrem Ablagerungsraum herausgequetschte ältere Molasse ist zu den alpenparallelen Mulden des gefalteten Bereichs zusammengeschoben, mit einer wohl erst im 3. Abschnitt entstandenen Achsendepression zwischen Iller und Mangfall. In diesen Zeitraum vor allem fällt auch die Verformung der jüngeren ungefalteten Molasse zu einer alpenparallelen Großmulde, deren Achse nach SW und E aushebt.

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The pre-Quaternary history of the Molasse basin north of the Alps can be subdivided into three major phases, in the course of which the respective associated evolutional stages of the rising mountains are reflected in outline. On the other hand, these stages are occasionally also influenced by events in the foreland. The first phase (Upper Eocene to Aquitanian/Upper Egerian) ist characterized by the uplifting beginning in the Western Alps and movements of the Savic dislocation phase, and in particular also at the Rupelian/Chattian boundary by the greatest eustatic lowering of the sea level since the Cambrian period. During the second phase (Burdigalian/Eggenburgian to Lower Pannonian) the uplifting shifts to the Eastern Alps, bringing about in the foreland the large E-W directed fluvial accretion of the Upper Fresh-water-Molasse. During its progress the enormous earth-tremor of the Ries meteoric impact in the upper Badenian presumably leads to the diversion of the Enns river, being one of the two main tributaries, to the Graz basin, resulting in a change in the material supply from the mountains, which is reflected in the heavy mineral content (designated as A-boundary). In the third phase (Lower Pannonian to Pliocene) the previous accumulation, as a result of the continuing uplifting of the Alps and the foreland with simultaneous shifting of the uplift centre back to Western Switzerland, turns to denudation which is effected by the Danube system extending from Lower Austria into the Molasse basin.The older Molasse squeezed out of its deposition area by the overburden of the advancing Austroalpine nappes has been compressed to the throughs of the folded zone along the Alps, with an axis depression between the rivers Iller and Mangfall, which has presumably not developed until the third phase. Above all, during this period the deformation of the younger unfolded Molasse to a large trough paralleling the Alps also took place; its axis rises to the SW and E.

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Résumé L'histoire préquaternaire du bassin molassique au nord des Alpes peut se diviser en trois périodes principales dont le déroulement reflète à grands traits les phases de développement corrélatives de la chaîne en voie de soulèvement. D'autre part, ces phases de développement sont de temps en temps influencées par des événements intervenus dans le bassin. La première période (Eocène supérieur à Aquitanien/Egerien supérieur) est marquée par le soulèvement commençant dans les Alpes occidentales, ainsi que par des mouvements de la phase de dislocation savique et, en particulier à la limite du Rupélien/Chattien, par le plus grand abaissement eustatique du niveau de la mer depuis le Cambrien. Pendant la seconde période (Burdigalien/Eggenburgien à Pannonien inférieur) l'activité de soulèvement se déplace vers les Alpes orientales, provoquant dans le bassin préalpin la grande accrétion fluviale de la Süßwassermolasse (Molasse d'eau douce) supérieure dirigée de l'est vers l'ouest. Le violent ébranlement terrestre produit dans celle-ci par l'impact de la météorite dans le Ries pendant le Badénien supérieur mène probablement le détournement de l'Enns, l'un des deux fleuves tributaires principaux, vers le bassin de Graz, donnant lieu à un changement dans le transport de matériaux venant des montagnes, ce qui se reflète dans la teneur en minerais lourds (dénommé « limite A »). Pendant la troisième période (Pannonien inférieur à Pliocène), l'accumulation antérieure, par suite du soulèvement continu des Alpes et du bassin préalpin, accompagné de la retraite du centre du soulèvement vers la Suisse occidentale, tourne à la dénudation qui est effectuée par le système danubien s'étendant dès lors de la Basse-Autriche au bassin molassique.La Molasse plus ancienne expulsée pendant la seconde période principale de son milieu de sedimentation par la pression des nappes austroalpines susjacentes en progression a été comprimée en auges de la zone pliée le long des Alpes, avec un abaissement axial entre l'Iller et le Mangfall, qui ne s'est probablement formé que dans la troisième période. Dans cette période surtout intervient la déformation de la Molasse plus récente non plissée qui prend la forme d'une grande auge parallèle aux Alpes, dont l'axe s'élève vers le sud-ouest et l'est.

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Herrn Dr. Dr. h. c. Artur Roll (Tübingen) gewidmet

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Nach einem Vortrag auf der 73. Jahrestagung der Geologischen Vereinigung in Berchtesgaden am 25. Februar 1983.     

Gelification of victorian tertiary soft brown coal wood. II. Changes in chemical structure associated with variation in the degree of gelification

The gross chemical structures of xylites and gelified soft brown coal woods, Latrobe Valley, Victoria, Australia, as determined by solid state nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy, are compared with those of present-day wood-derived materials prepared from an angiosperm, Eucalyptus regnans, and a gymnosperm (conifer), Pinus radiata. Also examined are the changes in the gross chemical structures of soft brown coal woods with increase in their degree of gelification and the relationship between these changes and variations in their chemical composition and microscopic appearance.The Victorian xylites exhibit greater affinities with the present-day gymnosperm than the present-day angiosperm. The progressive removal of cellulose with increasing degree of gelification can be equated with an increase in huminite reflectance, elimination of humotelinite autofluorescence and changes in the relative proportions of the humotelinite submacerals. The lignin structure of xylite is also modified during the gelification process, including the progressive loss of methoxyl groups and evidence of minor oxidation.