Source component mixing controls the variability in Cu and Au endowment along the strike of the Eastern Andean Cordillera in Peru

Mississippian arc magmatic suites of the Au-rich Pataz and Cu-dominated Montañitas regions in Peru reveal distinct modes of magmatic-hydrothermal petro- and metallogenesis. The distinction is remarkable due to their broad contemporaneity (336–322 Ma), arc-parallel position, and close distance (<?50 km) to each other. In both arc regions, petrography, geochemistry, and the tectonic setting of magmatic suites suggest a rapid switch from syn-collisional/compressional to post-collisional/extensional (with ‘A₂-type’ signature) emplacement regime. Rocks of the Au-rich Pataz region originate from mixed sources with a contribution from the mantle (εHf?>?0 and δ¹⁸O of ~?5.3‰) and assimilated old crust (variously low εHf and δ¹⁸O >?5.3‰). The ultimate source of Au in the mineralised Pataz batholith was oxidised (fO₂ at FMQ buffer; based on zircon trace chemistry) and alkali-, LILE- and HFSE-enriched, most likely represented by the metasomatised mantle. The syn-extensional emplacement of the relatively reduced (ΔFMQ?<?0), but unmineralised, A₂-type suite involved assimilation of reduced crust. Associated, reduced, magmatic-hydrothermal fluids infiltrated the Au-bearing batholith suite and effectively mobilised and transported and concentrated Au. In the Montañitas region, rocks are oxidised (ΔFMQ?>?0) and dominantly mantle derived without significant incorporation of crustal material. Samples from the Cu-mineralised suites indicate the additional contribution of a δ¹⁸O <?5.3‰ source, potentially melted layer-2 gabbro. In addition, the elevated whole-rock La/Yb and Sr/Y ratios are compatible with minor addition of slab-derived material, which may have enhanced Cu endowment in this region. Late-magmatic, oxidised fluids derived from the younger A₂-type suite controlled Cu mobilisation and concentration, while Au behaved largely refractory. In general terms, it is postulated that source mixing in continental arcs is a first-order control of contrasting Cu and Au endowment and that sequential intrusion processes facilitate late-magmatic-hydrothermal mobilisation and concentration of specific metal assemblages.     

KGI-XGIS supporting decision making with knowledge-based techniques

The concept of the King George Island Expert GIS (KGI-XGIS) is introduced. KGI-XGIS is a combination of a rule-based expert system and a GIS meant to form an intelligent spatial decision support system. The system provides the spatial knowledge necessary for the environmental impact assessment process as dictated by the ‘Madrid Protocol’ for King George Island (South Shetland Islands, Antarctica). It also serves as information system to the scientific user community. Topographic maps, remote sensing data, thematic maps based on field surveys and other digital data form the input data to the GIS. Given the sparseness of the available data these must be combined and used in the most efficient way. Therefore expert knowledge of different domains will be coded into a rule-based expert system which is coupled to the GIS. To handle the expert knowledge and the spatial data of different types and different quality the KGI-XGIS incorporates knowledge-based techniques and fuzzy reasoning. The selection of a camp site on the ice free area of Fildes Peninsula and data quality management are used as two examples to demonstrate the capabilities of the system.     

Optimizing the Environmental Performance of In Situ Thermal Remediation Technologies Using Life Cycle Assessment

In situ thermal remediation technologies provide efficient and reliable cleanup of contaminated soil and groundwater, but at a high cost of environmental impacts and resource depletion due to the large amounts of energy and materials consumed. This study provides a detailed investigation of four in situ thermal remediation technologies (steam enhanced extraction, thermal conduction heating, electrical resistance heating, and radio frequency heating) in order to (1) compare the life‐cycle environmental impacts and resource consumption associated with each thermal technology, and (2) identify options to reduce these adverse effects. The study identifies a number of options for environmental optimization of in situ thermal remediation. In general, environmental optimization can be achieved by increasing the percentage of heating supplied in off peak electricity demand periods as this reduces the pressure on coal‐based electricity and thereby reduces the environmental impacts due to electricity production by up to 10%. Furthermore, reducing the amount of concrete in the vapor cap by using a concrete sandwich construction can potentially reduce the environmental impacts due to the vapor cap by up to 75%. Moreover, a number of technology‐specific improvements were identified, for instance by the substitution of stainless steel types in wells, heaters, and liners used in thermal conduction heating, thus reducing the nickel consumption by 45%. The combined effect of introducing all the suggested improvements is a 10 to 21% decrease in environmental impacts and an 8 to 20% decrease in resource depletion depending on the thermal remediation technology considered. The energy consumption was found to be the main contributor to most types of environmental impacts; this will, however, depend on the electricity production mix in the studied region. The combined improvement potential is therefore to a large extent controlled by the reduction/improvement of energy consumption.     

Development of a long-term wellbore sealing concept based on numerical simulations and in situ-testing in the Altmark natural gas field

This paper presents an innovative well abandonment concept developed for the long-term containment of CO₂ in depleted Rotliegend gas reservoirs. The new concept aims at amending the conventional standard well abandonment procedure, taking advantage of the natural creeping ability of the thick, homogeneous Zechstein rock salt formation located around 3,000?m in depth (Altmark area) and consists of four main sealing units: (1) a standard sealing element with cement from the reservoir to the impermeable caprock, (2) a salt plug created in the formerly reamed section of casing within the plastic Zechstein (Upper Permian) rock salt formation, (3) two bridge plugs at the bottom and top of the salt plug and (4) a standard sealing element with cement from the top bridge plug until the ground surface. This site-specific study mainly lays emphasis on the development and field testing of the naturally created salt plug, as a key component of the long-term wellbore sealing concept. Comprehensive numerical simulations conducted prior to and during the field test in 2010 and 2011 successfully predicted the evolution of convergence using downhole measurement data. Preliminary results comprise (1) proven convergence of the rock salt formation, (2) a successful coring and (3) restored integrity of Zechstein salt formation, as proven by the formation integrity test. Based on these results, the new long-term sealing concept has been successfully tested at the Altmark natural gas field and successful application of the concept on other sites with similar geological conditions is foreseen to be likely.     

Comparison of stable carbon and oxygen isotopes in Picea glauca tree rings and Sphagnum fuscum moss remains from subarctic Canada

Stable isotope ratios from tree rings and peatland mosses have become important proxies of past climate variations. We here compare recent stable carbon and oxygen isotope ratios in cellulose of tree rings from white spruce (Picea glauca), growing near the arctic tree line; and cellulose of Sphagnum fuscum stems, growing in a hummock of a subarctic peatland, in west-central Canada. Results show that carbon isotopes in S. fuscum correlate significantly with July temperatures over the past ~20 yr. The oxygen isotopes correlate with both summer temperature and precipitation. Analyses of the tree-ring isotopes revealed summer temperatures to be the main controlling factor for carbon isotope variations, whereas tree-ring oxygen isotope ratios are controlled by a combination of spring temperatures and precipitation totals. We also explore the potential of combining high-frequency (annual) climate signals derived from long tree-ring series with low-frequency (decadal to centennial) climate signals derived from the moss remains in peat deposits. This cross-archive comparison revealed no association between the oxygen isotopes, which likely results from the varying sensitivity of the archives to different seasons. For the carbon isotopes, common variance could be achieved through adjustments of the Sphagnum age model within dating error.     

Sclerochronological oxygen and carbon isotope ratios in Radix (Gastropoda) shells indicate changes of glacial meltwater flux and temperature since 4,200 cal yr BP at Lake Karakul,eastern Pamirs (Tajikistan)

We report δ¹⁸O and δ¹³C values of 21 fossil shells from the aquatic gastropod Radix from a sediment core taken in the eastern basin of Lake Karakul, Tajikistan (38.86–39.16°N, 73.26–73.56°E, 3,928 m above sea level) and covering the last 4,200 cal yr BP. The lake is surrounded by many palaeoshorelines evidencing former lake-level changes, most likely triggered by changes in meltwater flux. This hypothesis was tested by interpreting the isotope ratios of Radix shells together with δ¹⁸O values of Ostracoda and of authigenic aragonite. The mean δ¹⁸O values of Radix and Ostracoda fall along the same long-term trend indicating a change in the isotopic composition of precipitation, which contributed to the glaciers in the catchment as snow and finally as melt water to the lake. The sclerochronological δ¹⁸O and δ¹³C patterns in Radix shells provide seasonal weather information, which is discussed in context with previously proposed climatic changes during the last 4,200 cal yr BP. The period between ~4,200 and 3,000 cal yr BP was characterized by stepwise glacier advance in the catchment most likely due to a precipitation surplus. Subsequently the climate remained relatively cold but the lake level fluctuated, as indicated by ostracod shell isotope data. From ~1,800 cal yr BP the sclerochronological patterns provide evidence for increasing melt water flux and transport of allochthonous carbon into the lake, most likely due to an accelerated glacier retreat. The period around 1,500 cal yr BP was characterized by strong warming, increasing meltwater flux, glacier retreat and an increasing lake level. Warm conditions continued until ~500 cal yr ΒP probably representing the end of the Medieval Warm Period. A short relatively cold (dry?) period and a lower lake level are assumed for ~350 cal yr BP, possibly an analogue to the Maunder Minimum cooling in the North Atlantic region. Our results show that the lake system is complex, and that changes were triggered by external forcing and feedbacks. The similarity of δ¹⁸O values in Radix and ostracod shells demonstrates that both archives provide complementary information.