Assessment of cement’s dust impact on the soil using principal component analysis and GIS

To evaluate the impact of the cement’s dust emitted by the eastern Moroccan cement factory (Oujda Holcim) and deposited on the soil of the Ain Lahjar commune, 58 samples of soil were collected around the factory on a radius of 3 km approximately. The physicochemical analyses of the upper 3 cm of the soil surface samples correspond to the pH, electrical conductivity, the chlorides and the oxides of Ca, Al, Fe, K, Mn, S and Si which were analyzed by the fluorescence of X-rays. The preliminary results demonstrate that this dust are especially basic and contain a high free lime (43% CaO). The principal component analysis (applied on the 58 samples of soil) allows deducting that the free lime and the sulfur oxide are the tracer elements of this form of pollution. Furthermore, the spatial projection of the factor scores of the principal component analysis using the geographical information system permits to determine the spatial distribution of more polluted areas of soils as well as to estimate their surface (63.3% of the survey zone).     

Late Pleistocene and Early Holocene lake‐level fluctuations in the Lahontan Basin,Nevada: Implications for the distribution of archaeological sites

The Great Basin of the western U.S. contains a rich record of Late Pleistocene and Holocene lake‐level fluctuations as well as an extensive record of human occupation during the same time frame. We compare spatial‐temporal relationships between these records in the Lahontan basin to consider whether lake‐level fluctuations across the Pleistocene‐Holocene transition controlled distribution of archaeological sites. We use the reasonably well‐dated archaeological record from caves and rockshelters as well as results from new pedestrian surveys to investigate this problem. Although lake levels probably reached maximum elevations of about 1230–1235 m in the different subbasins of Lahontan during the Younger Dryas (YD) period, the duration that the lakes occupied the highest levels was brief. Paleoindian and Early Archaic archaeological sites are concentrated on somewhat lower and slightly younger shorelines (_1220–1225 m) that also date from the Younger Dryas period. This study suggests that Paleoindians often concentrated their activities adjacent to large lakes and wetland resources soon after they first entered the Great Basin. © 2008 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.     

Geology, geochemistry, and age of volcanites of the Tunguda Volcanic Formation: The problem of the Archean-Proterozoic boundary in North Karelia

The geological, geochemical, and isotopic-geochronological data obtained for Sumian moderate-basic metavolcanites of Shombozero and Lekhta structures of the Panayarvi-Vygozero belt shows that the Tunguda Formation is confined to the Paleoproterozoic structural and material complex. This formation is represented by the complex of weakly differentiated andesitobasalts and andesites of calc-alkaline series with higher contents of MgO and moderate contents of Al₂O₃ and rare earth elements. The rocks of the Tunguda Formation are different from the Late Archean basic rocks of the Hiziyarvi Formation represented mainly by tholeiitic basalts with low REE contents and undifferentiated spectrum of REE distribution. The age of volcanites of the Tunguda Formation was determined to be 2439 ± 21 Ma. The xenogenic zircons from metaandesites of the Tunguda Formation have Neoarchean age according to the ²⁰⁷Pb/²⁰⁶Pb ratio (from 2536 ± 4 to 2825 ± 7 Ma). The Neoarchean zircons, a negative value of ?_Nd (?3.8), and indicative geochemical parameters are evidence that the crustal component took part in formation of the protolith of the studied rocks.     

Characteristics of tropical cyclones making landfall on the Pacific coast of Mexico: 1970-2010

This study evaluates impacts from tropical cyclone (TC) landfalls on populated areas located along the Pacific Ocean coast of Mexico. The period of interest is from 1970 through 2010 and an international disaster database is used to identify the impact from the landfalling TCs. More than 30 landfall events occurred during the period; we examined the top 25 TCs based on rainfall accumulation, as well as the top 10 TC-related disasters based on the affected population. Each event resulted in affected population from 20 000 to more than 800 000. Strong winds and heavy rainfall, during periods of one to three days, are associated with property damage and loss of lives. Our results indicate that excessive rainfall accumulations and daily rates, over highly populated areas, are important elements associated with the occurrence of disasters. Six of the top 10 TC-related disasters occurred during El Niño and three during neutral conditions; however, looking at the top 25 events, 10 occurred during El Niño and 10 during neutral conditions. Three case studies that occurred during El Niño events (Liza in 1976, Pauline in 1997, and Lane in 2006) are documented in more detail as they affected areas with different population densities in the southern and northwestern coasts of Mexico.     

Thermoelastic properties of minerals

The simple theory of equation of state recently developed by Kumar is used to investigate the temperature and pressure dependence of elastic moduli of MgO. The results are found to present good agreement with the experimental data. It is concluded that the Kumar formulation is far better than the Suzuki theory of thermal expansivity, and the Shanker formulation is not a new relation.     

Fluid inclusion and cathodoluminescence studies on fluorite from the Kerio valley, Kenya

The Kerio valley lies between the Elgeyo escarpment and the Tugen hills which mark the western margin of the Kenya rift valley. The main fluorite deposits are located in the southern part of the valley at Kimwarer, Choff and Kamnaon.Three types of inclusion fillings were identified: Liquid+Vapour, Liquid+Daughter Minerals and Liquid. The L+V type is dominant. Inclusions occur as clusters, trails along the crystal growth zones and as isolated ones. Low salinities, apparently lower than the 5% wt. NaCl equivalent, were established. Homogenization temperatures suggest that fluorite mineralization took place at different stages and at temperatures between 120 and 180 °C. Isolated readings above 180°C may be referring to the original inclusions in limestone. These measurements and the absence of CO₂ in the inclusions, as well as the occurrence of vugs and crustifications with fluorite, suggest that mineralization took place at relatively shallow depths.Emission spectrum lines representing Eu²⁺, Dy³⁺, Tb³⁺ and Sm³⁺ in fluorite were identified. Sm³⁺ was detected only in the pinkish luminescence of veined fluorite, whereas the pinkish zone in banded fluorite contains Tb³⁺. Eu²⁺ which gives the strongest emission lines in the blue part of the visible spectrum, apparently is responsible for the strong blue cathodoluminescence (CL) in fluorite. The dominance of Eu²⁺ peaks further points to the fact that fluorite mineralization in the Kerio valley took place in an environment that was enriched in Lanthanide Rare Earth Elements (LREE). The presence of rare earths and radioactive elements in fluorite points towards their enrichment in the environment of fluorite mineralization. A juvenile origin of mineral forming solutions is proposed.Two generations of fluorite were established: allotriomorphic fluorite, forming the matrix, and the idiomorphic variety, occurring either in barite or in druzes in early fluorite. Barite in turn forms idiomorphic crystals in allotriomorphic fluorite. Relics of calcite occur in both K-feldspars and in early fluorite. Oxides and hydroxides of Fe, Mn, Ti and Al commonly occur in open spaces in fluorite. Of significance is the presence of gold in fluorite. Fluorite mineralization is of hydrothermal origin in the post-Miocene era and was formed as a result of metasomatic replacement of marble and open space fillings.     

Lahnsteinite, Zn4(SO4)(OH)6 · 3H2O, a new mineral from the Friedrichssegen Mine, Germany

A new mineral, lahnsteinite, has been found in the dump of the Friedrichssegen Mine, Bad Ems district, Rhineland-Palatinate (Rheinland-Pfalz), Germany. Lahnsteinite, occurring as colorless tabular crystals in the cavities of goethite, is associated with pyromorphite, hydrozincite, quartz, and native copper. The Mohs’ hardness is 1.5; the cleavage is perfect parallel to (001). D _calc = 2.995 g/cm³, D _meas = 2.98(2) g/cm³. The IR spectrum is given. The new mineral is optically biaxial, negative, α = 1.568(2), β = 1.612(2), γ = 1.613(2), 2V _meas = 18(3)°, 2V _calc = 17°. The chemical composition (wt %, electron microprobe data; H₂O was determined by gas chromatography of ignition products) is as follows: 3.87 FeO, 1.68 CuO, 57.85 ZnO, 15.83 SO₃, 22.3 H₂O, total is 101.53. The empirical formula is (Zn_3.3Fe_0.27Cu_0.11)_Σ3.91(S_0.98O₄)(OH)₅ · 3H_2.10O. The crystal structure has been studied on a single crystal. Lahnsteinite is triclinic, space group P1, a = 8.3125(6), b = 14.545(1), c = 18.504(2) Å, α = 89.71(1), β = 90.05(1), γ = 90.13(1)°, V = 2237.2(3) ų, Z = 8. The strong reflections in the X-ray powder diffraction pattern [d, Å (I, %)] are: 9.30 (100), 4.175 (18), 3.476 (19), 3.290 (19), 2.723 (57), 2.624 (36), 2.503 (35), 1.574 (23). The mineral has been named after its type locality near the town of Lahnstein. The type specimen of lahnsteinite is deposited in the Fersman Mineralogical Museum of the Russian Academy of Sciences, Moscow, registration number 4252/1.