Geoelectromagnetic Exploration For Natural Resources: Models, Case Studies And Challenges

This paper presents a tutorial review of electrical and electromagnetic(herein collectively called geoelectromagnetic) methods as applied in the search for natural resources. First, the paper discusses the technical problems and advances in geoelectromagnetic methods in the last decade. A scheme for integrating electrical and electromagnetic depth sounding data is suggested.Then, for natural resources exploration, it focuses on three themes: (1) understandinggeological models of resource targets, their physical properties, and the development of conceptual geoelectromagnetic exploration models, (2) overview of geoelectromagnetic case studies in resourceexploration, and (3) outstanding challenges in exploration. For brevity, model development is restricted to groundwater, geothermal and hydrocarbon resources, metallic ore-bodies (exemplified byvolcanogenic massive sulphides, porphyry coppers, and epithermal and Archaean greenstone belt gold deposits) and diamonds. In the treatment of resource exploration in this paper, the unifying themeis that geochemical processes of weathering and hydrothermal alteration form clayey products that may render natural resource targets directly or indirectly detectable by their resistivity characteristics.Since hydrated clays are an important feature of most resource types and are major causes of low resistivity anomalies in geoelectromagnetic exploration, they may be taken as providing detectable marker horizons or pathfinders and a basis for developing a consistent investigative approachfor natural resources. However, it is recognised that no single resource model or standard approach may be universally applicable. Natural resource systems are inherently 3D and require large numbers of depth soundings at high station densities to image adequately. Thus, developing methodsof increasing the productivity of data acquisition, the development of better 3D software tools and lowering costs are seen as the major challenges facing the use of geoelectromagnetic methods for naturalresource exploration.     

Maar-diatreme phreatomagmatism at Hopi Buttes,Navajo Nation (Arizona), USA

Remnants of an extensive maar-diatreme volcanic field are magnificently exposed at various depths of erosion in the Hopi Buttes volcanic field of northeastern Arizona. Field and petrographic studies of both the maar and diatreme elements of a selection of volcanoes within the field show that: (1) lower sections of the maar rim sequences are typically rich in sandy mudrock derived from the pre-eruptive Mio-Pliocene Bidahochi Formation, and the muddy Bidahochi sediment was soft and wet at the time of maar eruptions; (2) beds higher within the rims contain generally increased proportions of sandstone clasts from the Triassic Wingate Formation. In the diatremes, late-emplaced breccia has deeper-seated lithics than more marginal breccia emplaced earlier; and (3) many vents are topped by megacryst-enriched scoria and spatter, and deep-seated xenoliths are known only from upper diatreme and craterfilling tephra. These observations show that: (1) eruptions at Hopi Buttes involved interaction of magma with unconsolidated mudrock at shallow levels, and the phreatomagmatic processes that provided the bulk of the energy involved in the violent eruptions were driven by the interaction of magma and wet sediment; (2) the locus of explosive activity migrated downward as eruptions progressed; and (3) the closing stage of many eruptions was characterized by rapid magma rise and relative depletion of water.     

Mining-induced microseismicity: Monitoring and applications of imaging and source mechanism techniques

The study of microseismicity in mines provides an ideal method for remote volumetric sampling of rock masses. The nature and uniqueness of microseismic monitoring is outlined in the context of acquisition hardware and software requirements. Several topics are used to highlight the potential for novel applications of microseismicity and to outline areas where further study is required. These topics reflect some of the current interest areas in seismology, namelyb values and source parameters, fault-plane solutions, modes of failure and moment tensor inversion, imaging and seismicityvelocity correlations. These studies suggest potential correlations between zones of high seismic velocity, high microseismic activity and maximal stress drops, which can be interpreted spatially to be the locations of highly stressed ground with a potential for rock bursting. Fault-plane solutions are shown to be useful in determining the slip potential of various joint sets in a rock mass. Source parameter studies and moment tensor analysis clearly show the importance of non-shear components of failure, andb values for microseismicity appear to be magnitude-limited and related to spatial rather than temporal variations in effective stress levels.     

Occurrence and significance of pyrochlorins in a lake sediment

The occurrence of pyrochlorophyll a and pyrophaeophytins a and b in the bottom sediments of a small eutrophic lake (Priest Pot, Cumbria, U.K.) is reported on the basis of HPLC coinjection with standards. Assignment of pyrophaeophytins a and b was confirmed by FAB mass spectrometric and nuclear magnetic resonance studies of the isolated components and comparison with standards. The co-occurrence of pyrochlorins with their non-pyro counterparts, even in a surface sediment, shows that decarbomethoxylation can occur at the very earliest stages of the Treibs diagenetic pathway linking the chlorophylls and sedimentary porphyrins.     

Urban irrigation in the modeling of a semi-arid urban environment: Ballona Creek watershed,Los Angeles,California

ABSTRACT

Ballona Creek watershed in Los Angeles, California provides a unique combination of heterogeneous urban land cover, a semi-arid environment, and a large outdoor water-use flux that presents a challenge for physically-based models. We ran simulations using the Noah Land Surface Model and Parflow-Community Land Model and compared to observations of evapotranspiration (ET), runoff, and land surface temperature (LST) for the entire 11-year study period. Both models were systematically adjusted to test the impact of land cover and urban irrigation on simulation results. Monthly total runoff and ET results are greatly improved when compared to an in-situ stream gauge and meteorological tower data: from 0.64 to 0.81 for the Nash–Sutcliffe efficiency (NSE) for runoff and from a negative NSE to 0.82 for ET. The inclusion of urban irrigation in semi-arid urban environments is found to be vital, but not sufficient, for the accurate simulation of variables in the studied models.     

Molecular parameters of maturation in the Toarcian shales,Paris Basin,France—III. Changes in aromatic steroid hydrocarbons

Three series of monoaromatic steroid hydrocarbons (basepeak = m/z 239, 253 and 267) and four series of triaromatic steroid hydrocarbons (basepeak = m/z 217, 231, 245 and 259) have been recognised by computerised gas chromatography-mass spectrometry in a variety of samples of Lower Toarcian shales from the Paris Basin. An increase in the extent of aromatisation of the monoaromatic steroid hydrocarbons in the m/z 253 series (measured by the abundance of monoaromatic components relative to triaromatic components in the m/z 231 series) is observed with increasing maturity. Variations between reported maximum burial depth and extent of aromatisation are explicable partly in terms of new maximum burial depth information for some of the shales. The extent of carbon-carbon bond cracking in the side chains of the aromatic steroid hydrocarbons has only begun to be significant in certain of the deepest samples.     

Stereochemical studies of acyclic isoprenoid compounds—V. Oxidation products of Green River Formation oil shale kerogen

Gas chromatographic analysis of the major isoprenoid carboxylic acids and the major ketone (6,10,14-trimethylpentadecan-2-one), derived from successive chromic acid oxidations of the kerogen of Green River Formation oil shale, indicates that their stereochemistry is compatible with the hypothesis that phytol or a derivative with the same carbon skeleton and stereochemistry was incorporated into the kerogen matrix.     

Stereochemical studies of acyclic isoprenoid compounds—II The role of chlorophyll in the derivation of isoprenoid-type acids in a lacustrine sediment

The stereochemistries of a series (I)–(IX) of isprenoid-type acids in the lacustrine Green River Shale (Eocene) have been examined. The absolute configurations of five of the acids present in the free-fatty acid fraction have been determined by high resolution gas Chromatographic analysis of the methyl and (?)-menthyl esters and are compatible with an origin from the phytyl moiety of chlorophyll. The results for two other isoprenoid-type acids, 5,9,13-trimethyltetradecanoic acid (IV) and 6,10,14-trimethylpentadecanoic acid (VI), do not at present preclude a chlorophyll derivation. The 4,8,12,16-tetramethylheptadecanoic (VIII) and 5,9,13,17-tetramethyloctadecanoic (IX) acids each comprise two or more stereoisomers. The stereoisomeric composition of the 2,6,10,14-tetramethylpentadecanoic acid (VI) indicates that it is unlikely that 2,6,10,14-tetramethylpentadecane, pristane, is an intermediate in the geochemical pathways presumed to lead from phytol to this acid.     

Development of a biocidal treatment regime to inhibit biological growths on cultural heritage: BIODAM

Existing chemical treatments to prevent biological damage to monuments often involve considerable amounts of potentially dangerous and even poisonous biocides. The scientific approach described in this paper aims at a drastic reduction in the concentration of biocide applications by a polyphasic approach of biocides combined with cell permeabilisers, polysaccharide and pigment inhibitors and a photodynamic treatment. A variety of potential agents were screened to determine the most effective combination. Promising compounds were tested under laboratory conditions with cultures of rock deteriorating bacteria, algae, cyanobacteria and fungi. A subsequent field trial involved two sandstone types with natural biofilms. These were treated with multiple combinations of chemicals and exposed to three different climatic conditions. Although treatments proved successful in the laboratory, field trials were inconclusive and further testing will be required to determine the most effective treatment regime. While the most effective combination of chemicals and their application methodology is still being optimised, results to date indicate that this is a promising and effective treatment for the control of a wide variety of potentially damaging organisms colonising stone substrates.