Out-of-sequence thrusts and paleogeography of the Rhenodanubian Flysch Belt (Eastern Alps) revisited

The Oberstdorf nappe of the Western and the Laab nappe of the Eastern Rhenodanubian Flysch (ERF) were independently identified as out-of-sequence thrust units by facies studies (Mattern 1999) and zircon analyses (Trautwein et al. 2001a, b, c), respectively. A new look at both areas reveals mutual similarities and new evidence for the out-of-sequence concept. Paleocurrent and heavy mineral data make it possible to reconstruct the sediment influx directions. From the Barremian to the mid-Campanian, the western and eastern basin segments were fed with south-derived garnet and north-derived zircon/”ZTR” (i.e., zircon, tourmaline, and rutile). Because both out-of-sequence units are relatively rich in zircon/ZTR they must have occupied the northernmost basin position. In the Western Rhenodanubian Flysch segment, the Sigiswang nappe occupied the central and the Üntschen nappe the southernmost basin position. In the ERF segment the central basin is represented by the Greifenstein nappe and the southernmost basin by the Kahlenberg nappe. Both out-of-sequence units do not occur in the northernmost and tectonically lowest position in their respective nappe piles as they were thrust over the other nappes. The reconstructed basin positions of the thrust units are suggested by the observation of a gradient in heavy mineral content in the thrust units. This paleogeographic arrangement is least problematic and renders models with differently positioned thrust units, requiring debris-shedding intrabasinal ridges, as unnecessarily complicated. Instead, we suggest that gradual changes in heavy mineral composition existed in across-basin direction. Garnet may stem from the Central Gneiss Complex of the Tauern window and formerly exposed lateral equivalents, all representing the southern Mid-Penninic zone. We assign the Falknis/Tasna nappe and formerly exposed lateral equivalents to the northern Mid-Penninic zone which served as the zircon/ZTR source. Interpreting Ebbing’s (Ph.D. thesis, Freie Universität Berlin, pp 1-143, 2002; Fig. 6.10) density section, we suggest that Mid-Penninic crust exists beneath the Central Gneiss Complex. During the latest Cretaceous much garnet was also N-derived. This may reflect processes related to the consumption of the North Penninic basin.     

太原盆地农田区大气降尘对土壤重金属元素 累积的影响及其来源探讨

通过研究太原盆地大气干湿沉降中重金属元素的含量分布特征及年输入通量,讨论其对土壤中重金属元素累积的影响。同时采用富集因子法探讨降尘物质的来源。研究结果表明,降尘中重金属元素As、Cd主要来源于人为活动,Pb的来源可能是人为源和自然源。而Hg则主要来源于自然源。     

滇西沘江流域水体中重金属元素的地球化学特征

通过测定流经兰坪金顸铅锌矿区的沘江水体中Pb、Zn、Cd、As的含量和底泥中重金属元素的化学形态的含量,分析了重金属元素的分布和化学形态的变化。结果表明,沘江水遭到了Cd污染,底泥已经成为重金属元素的蓄积库,以国家土壤环境质量标准（Ⅲ级）衡量,Pb、Zn、Cd和舡分别超标3．4倍、15．8倍、106倍和2．6倍。沘江水中重金属元素含量的峰值在矿山附近的下游,而底泥中重金属元素的峰值在矿山下游30-50km的地方,矿业活动、水流变缓、pH等水体环境条件的变化都能影响水和底泥中重金属元素的含量。底泥中的Pb以碳酸盐结合态为主,Zn和Cd以铁锰氧化物结合态为主,而As以残渣态为主。Pb、Cd、Zn三种元素的环境有效态含量比较高,对沘江流域生态环境具有潜在的巨大的危害。     

Trace metals in suspended particulate matter and in sediment trap material from a permanently anoxic fjord — Framvaren, South Norway

Geochemical studies of the trace metal concentrations in suspended particulate matter (SPM) and sediment trap material from a permanently anoxic fjord, Framvaren, South Norway in 1989 and 1993 indicate that extremely high concentrations of zinc (max = 183920 mg/kg), copper (max = 4130 mg/kg), lead (max = 2752 mg/kg), and cadmium (max= 8.1 mg/kg) sometimes (1993) occur in the SPM collected in the anoxic water layer. The highest concentrations of Zn occur just below the redoxcline at 22 m water depth (in 1993), and copper, lead and cadmium have maximum concentrations between 30 and 80 m depth, where the amount of total SPM is at a minimum (about 0.3 mg/L). On a mass per volume (g/L) basis, the maximum concentrations of Cd, Cu and Fe occur at the interface (21m) and those of Zn occur just below the redoxcline (22 m depth). The SPM and sediment trap data suggest that the metals are precipitated as sulfide minerals in the anoxic water. The presence of particulate sulfides was confirmed by SEM studies that show the occurrence of discrete metal (Cu, Fe, Pb, and Zn) sulfide particles in size from 10–20 m as well as framboidal pyrites (1–5 m in size). Higher levels of metal sulfides at intermediate depths rather than in the deep water of Framvaren (> 100 m), may be due to input of trace metals by water exchange over the sill in the upper part of the water column. In the deep water, less metal sulfide precipitation takes place due to depletion of trace metals, and the dilution of particulate metal concentrations by organic matter and by the chemogenic formation of calcite.     

Environmental impact of the former Pb–Zn mining and smelting in East Belgium

In the mining district of Plombières-La Calamine (East Belgium), extensive Pb–Zn mining activities resulted in an important contamination of overbank sediments along the Geul river. Moreover, a huge amount of heavy metals is stored in a dredged mine pond tailing, which is located along the river. In the dredged mine pond tailing sediments, Pb–Zn minerals control the solubility of Zn, Pb and Cd. Although Pb, Zn and Cd display a lower solubility in overbank sediments compared to the mine tailing pond sediments, elevated concentrations of Pb, Zn and Cd are still found in the porewater of the overbank sediments. The considerable ‘actual’ and ‘potential’ mobility of Zn, Pb and Cd indicates that the mine pond tailing sediments and the overbank sediments downstream from the mine pond tailing represent a considerable threat for the environment. Besides the chemical remobilisation of metals from the sediments, the erosion of overbank sediments and the reworking of riverbed sediments act as a secondary source of pollution.     

Environmental impacts from mining at Taojiang Mn ore deposit, central Hunan, China

The Taojiang Mn ore deposit was exploited in the early 1960s, and waste rocks were developed since then. Because the Mn ores were hosted within the metal-enriched black shales （Peng et al., 2004）, the continuous mining has led to the exposure of an immense quality of black shales, which might cause serious impacts on environments. The present study deals with this environmental issue with samples from the waste rocks, and from the surrounding soils and surface water. The mineralogy of the waste rock was studied using EMPA, then a large number of elements in all waste rock, soil, and water samples were analyzed at a wide range of concentrations with high accuracy using an Elan6000 ICP-MS machine at Guangzhou Institute of Geochemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences. The waste rock is composed mostly of black shales, with minor Mn carbonates. Both black shales and Mn carbonates of the waste rock contain many sulfide minerals, mainly pyrite, with minor galena, sphalerite, chalcopyrite, and others. The waste rocks are enriched in many metals including Sc, V, Cr, Co, Ni, Fe, Mn, Cu, Zn, Pb, Th, U, Mo, Sb, Sn, Tl, and others, and the metals are mostly hosted within the sulfides. Weathering of waste rocks might cause emission of the following metals： V, Cd, Ni, Th, U, Mo, Sb, Tl, Sc, Cr, Cu, Zn, Sn, and minor Co, and Pb. The surrounding soils are highly enriched in Cr, Co, Cu, Zn, Mn, Mo, Cd, Tl, and Pb, with the enrichment factors of 2.67.3.8, 7.26, 7.27, 8.2, 5.7, 13, and 5.4, respectively. The element ratios （Rb/Cs, Fe/Mn, Nb/Zr, Hf/Zr, and Ba/Sr） and REE distribution patterns of the soils are similar to those of the waste rocks and bedrocks.     

Environmental aspects of selected trace metals in soils and waters surrounding Singaran Nala, Raniganj Coalfield

The Raniganj Coalfield is the oldest coalfield in India that has been continuously and extensively mined since the late eighteenth century. The present study reports a geochemical investigation and environmental quality assessment using soil and water in the area surrounding a stream, locally known as Singaran Nala （Nala means storm water drains in Bengali）, in the Raniganj Coalfield. Soil （top soil, mud, silty clay and laterite） and rock samples （sandstone and shale） were collected from the study area and were analyzed for trace metals （Cr, Cu, Fe, Mn, Ni and Zn）. Surface waters from the stream and the Damodar River as well as ground waters from hand pumps and underground mine pits were collected. Water samples were analyzed for major ions （Na^＋, Ca^2＋, Mg^2＋, Cl^-, HNO3^- and SO4^2-） and trace metals （Cu, Fe, Mn, Ni, and Zn）. Trace metal concentrations in soil samples are found higher than the average world soil composition. Nevertheless, trace metal （Cr, Cu, Ni and Zn） concentrations in soils exceed or reach the maximum allowable concentrations （MAC） proposed by the European Commission for agricultural soils. In particular, Ni concentrations exceed the typical value for cultivated soils. Chromium, Cu and Ni concentrations in laterite and Cr concentration in topsoil exceed the ecotoxicological limit.     

Mobility of heavy metals from tailings to stream waters in local zinc smelting activities contaminated site

It has been found that stream waters were severely contaminated with wastes from a long-time smelting factory in Hezhang, Guizhou, China. The main sources of contamination are the smelting wastes stored in the open air and abandoned in the vicinity of stream. A method of lead isotope was adopted in order to identify relations between tailings and water contamination. Representative samples of tailings and stream sediments were collected. Mineralogical characterizations were conducted using XRD and TEM/SEM, while acid digestion was carried out for determining metal contents. BCR sequential leaching tests were performed in order to assess metal mobility. The tremendous ‘actual＇ and ‘potential＇ mobility of heavy metals indicates that the smelting waste and stream sediments present a considerable threat to the environment. Besides the chemical remobilization of heavy metals from the sediments and the reworking of riverbed sediments act as a secondary source of pollution. Also groundwater and stream water were sampled in specific locations and were measured.     

The effects of carbon dioxide leakage on fractures, and water quality of potable aquifers during geological sequestration of CO2

Since industrial revolution, the ＂greenhouse effect＂ is one of the most important global environmental issues. Of all the greenhouse gases, CO2 is responsible for about 64% of the enhanced ＂greenhouse effect＂, making it the target for mitigation, so reducing anthropogenic discharge of carbon dioxide attracts more and more attention. Geological sequestration of CO2 in deep saline aquifers is one of the most promising options. But because unknown fractures and faults may exist in the caprock layers which can prevent the leakage of CO2, CO2 will leak upward into upper potable aquifers, and lead to adverse impacts on the shallow potable aquifers. In order to assess the potential effect of CO2 leakage from underground storage reservoirs on fractures and water quality of potable aquifers, this study used the non-isothermal reactive geochemical transport code TOUGHREACT developed by Xu et al to establish a simplified 2-D model of CO2 underground sequestration system, which includes deep saline aquifers, caprock layers, and shallow potable aquifers, and study and analyze the changes of mineral and aqueous components. The simulation results indicated that the minerals of deep saline aquifers and fractures should be mainly composed of aluminosilicate and silicate minerals, which not only enhance the mass of CO2 sequestrated by mineral trapping, but also decrease the porosity and permeability of caprock layers and fractures to prevent and reduce CO2 leakage. The results from deep saline aquifers showed that the mass of carbon dioxide trapped by minerals and solution phases is limited, the rest remained as a supercritical phase, and so once the caprock aquifers have some unknown fractures, the free carbon dioxide phase may leak from CO2 geologic sequestration reservoirs by buoyancy.