Arsenic and lead mobility: From tailing materials to the aqueous compartment

This study concerns the mineralogy of the tailings of a former Ag–Pb mine (Auzelles district, France) and the contribution of the waste materials to the heavy metal dissemination in the environment. Accumulation of metals in fish flesh was reported and this pollution is attributed to past mining activities. Tailings were studied to establish the major transfer schemes of As and Pb in order to understand their mobility that leads to contamination of a whole ecosystem. Mineralogical investigation, solubility and compliance tests were performed to assess the stability of the metal-bearing phases. Among the various metallic elements measured, As and Pb show the highest bulk concentrations (up to 0.7% and 6.3% respectively) especially for samples presenting near neutral pH values. According to X-ray diffraction (XRD), Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM-EDX), Electron Probe Micro-Analysis (EPMA) and micro-Raman spectrometry (μRS), tailings mineralogy still contain primary minerals such as sulfides (e.g., galena, pyrite), phosphates (monazite, apatite) and/or carbonates (e.g., (hydro-)cerussite, dolomite, siderite). Sulfates (e.g., anglesite, lanarkite, plumbojarosite and beudantite) are the main secondary metal-bearing phases with other interesting phases accounting for metals mobility such as Fe and/or Pb and/or Mn oxides (e.g., lepidocrocite, goethite -up to 15 wt% of Pb was measured-, plumboferrite-type phase, mimetite). The lowest Pb solubilities were obtained at pH 8–9 and at a larger range than for As for which the lowest solubilities are reached around pH 6–7. At this minimum solubility pH value, Pb concentrations released still over exceed the National Environmental Quality Standards (NEQS), whatever the samples. The highest solubility is reached at pH 2 for both elements whatever the considered sample. This represents up to 51% of total Pb and up to 46% of total As remobilized and concentrations exceeding the NEQS. As and Pb released mainly depends on the Fe/Mn oxides (e.g., goethite, lepidocrocite) and carbonates (cerussite) which are the less stable phases. Compliance tests also show that Pb concentrations released are higher than the upper limit for hazardous waste landfills. Determination of the mineralogy allows understanding both the solubility and leaching test experiments results, as well as to forecast the impact of the residues on the water quality at a mid-term scale.     

东海内陆架沉积物敏感粒级构成及其地质意义

沉积物粒级包含了大量的沉积环境信息,在古环境恢复和重建中被广泛应用。基于采自东海内陆架的三根沉积物岩芯,作者利用激光粒度分析方法研究了沉积物的粒度组成,确定了敏感性粒级,探讨了搬运机制及其环境意义。研究表明:东海内陆架现代沉积物含有大致相同的三个敏感性粒级,分别是粒级1(12μm)、粒级2(12—225μm)和粒级3(225μm)。从北到南敏感粒级具有逐渐细化的趋势,该趋势与长江入海沉积物向南搬运过程中发生的沉积分异作用有关。粒级1和粒级2分别由均匀悬浮次总体和递变悬浮次总体构成,而粒级3则由生物过程产生。结合该区的海洋动力特征,作者认为,粒级2可较好地用来指示冬季海洋动力强度,并具有揭示东亚冬季风强度的潜在意义。     

曹妃甸近岸及周边海区碎屑矿物组成特征及其环境意义

为探讨曹妃甸近岸及周边海区沉积物碎屑矿物组成特征以及曹妃甸大规模围填海工程对其影响,作者对2013年10月采自曹妃甸及周边海区的表层沉积物样品采用轻重矿物分离的方法进行了鉴定。结果表明:大规模围填海工程在改变曹妃甸岸线形态的同时也改变了其冲淤环境,使得碎屑矿物组分在大规模围填海前后发生一定变化。研究区的沉积物整体以轻矿物为主,平均含量为97.83%,其中曹妃甸近岸平均含量为95.57%;重矿物平均含量为2.17%,其中曹妃甸近岸平均含量为4.43%。研究区的重矿物优势矿物主要有普通角闪石、绿帘石和自生黄铁矿,其中普通角闪石所占比例在曹妃甸近岸达到最高值(36.41%);轻矿物的优势矿物主要有石英、斜长石和风化碎屑,其中石英所占比例也在曹妃甸近岸达到最高值(62.72%)。研究发现,曹妃甸近岸沉积物碎屑矿物相对含量增加而重矿物基本不变,这在一定程度上揭示了大规模人工围填海工程对曹妃甸近岸及周边海区沉积环境的影响。     

基于主成分分析的济宁市环境承载力研究

该文以济宁市环境承载力为研究对象,运用主成分分析法,从影响环境污染状况、环境治理状况、人口状况、经济发展状况、自然资源状况、物耗能耗状况等19个指标中,提取出影响环境承载力动态变化的3个主成分,对济宁市环境承载力年际变化进行了综合评价。结果表明:2006—2010年,济宁市环境承载力呈现逐年上升的趋势。该研究评价结果较好,可以为该地区的可持续开发规划提供理论参考。     

Field Evaluation of the Vertical Bearing Capacity of a Screw Pretensioned Spun High-Strength Concrete Pile

This study has evaluated the vertical bearing capacity by conducting static load tests for noise-free and vibration-free screw pretensioned spun high-strength concrete (PHC) piles installed using two different methods (end-squirting shoe and pre-boring methods). Vertical bearing capacity differences seem to occur due to the displacement of soils near the external circumference of a pile, depending on the installation method. A method by which to evaluate the bearing capacity of screw concrete piles is suggested by considering the equations that already have been used to calculate the bearing capacity of piles. Based on static load tests and analysis, the pile installed using the end-squirting shoe method was assumed to be a bored pile and it was reasonable to use the equation proposed by the Japanese Geotechnical Society. At the same time, the pile installed using the pre-boring method was deemed a low soil displacement pile and so it was reasonable to apply the equations proposed for calculating the bearing capacity of the driven pile suggested by the Architectural Institute of Japan.     

Development of Prebored Screw Pile Method and Evaluation of Its Bearing Characteristics

The pile-driving method produces considerable noise and vibrations. Hence, an auger-drilled pile method was developed as a low-noise and -vibration substitute. However, this method does not guarantee the bearing capacity of the pile unless some amount of pile-driving is performed. Therefore, the noise and vibration problems cannot be completely solved. In this study, a prebored screw pile method is proposed to solve these problems. In this method, piles are constructed by the rotary penetration of a screw pile into a prebored hole filled with some cement milk and whose diameter is smaller than that of the screw pile. To determine the shape of the screw pile, laboratory tests with model screw piles were conducted. Also, field load tests were conducted on an actual screw pile fabricated based on the laboratory test result and on a smooth-surfaced pile. In addition, the behavior of the screw pile was estimated by using three-dimensional finite element analysis. The results of the field load test and the numerical simulation showed that the ultimate bearing capacity and the unit skin friction of the screw pile are very superior to those of the smooth-surfaced pile and the cement milk is an important factor in the prebored screw pile method.     

Helical probe tests in residual soils of the Appalachian Piedmont

Helical probe tests (HPT) are a quick and economical means for manual field testing of soils to depths of 1.5 m with readings taken at 0.15-m intervals in only 10 min. The equipment is lightweight (only 2 kg) and thus amenable to deploy on initial site reconnaissance explorations, shallow pavement projects, earth retention walls, and/or compaction of fills. Although suitable for use in a variety of geomaterials: sands, silts, clays, and mixed soils, the specific application to residual fine sandy silts and silty fine sands of the Appalachian Piedmont and Blue Ridge geologic provinces is shown here. Existing relationships for converting the measured HPT torque reading to equivalent cone penetration testing (CPT) tip resistances are reviewed, as well as other trends.     

基于主成分分析的青藏高原多年冻土区高寒草地土壤质量评价

土壤质量评价是提高对土壤质量理解的关键环节。为了了解青藏高原多年冻土区高寒草地土壤质量的基本情况,在青藏高原腹地西大滩至安多地区,根据不同海拔梯度和植被盖度共采集了154个土壤样品。通过主成分分析（PCA）法确定了影响青藏高原多年冻土区高寒草地土壤质量的最小数据集（MDS）：全氮、全磷、全钾。根据影响土壤质量的最小数据集对青藏高原多年冻土区高寒草地土壤质量进行评价,得出了不同海拔、不同植被盖度下的土壤质量指数（SQI）。通过对不同海拔、不同植被盖度的土壤质量指数进行对比研究表明：随着海拔的升高,SQI呈增加的趋势,即海拔4 300～4 600 m（0.270±0.043） < 海拔4 600～4 900 m（0.326±0.061） < 海拔4 900～5 200 m（0.410±0.075）;随着植被盖度的增加,SQI也呈现增加的变化趋势,即植被盖度小于50%（0.262～0.265） < 植被盖度大于50%（0.336～0.344）。在分别考虑了有机质、盐分、土壤水分对土壤质量的影响下得出的土壤质量指数值与基于最小数据集得到的土壤质量指数相一致,说明基于主成分分析的最小数据集可以对青藏高原多年冻土区高寒草地土壤质量做出较准确的评价。     

甘肃省龙首山芨岭铀矿床成矿热液流体特征研究

芨岭铀矿是中国北方最典型的钠交代型铀矿床之一,文章通过对芨岭矿床ZKJ9-4钻孔深部所见含矿蚀变闪长岩、近矿蚀变闪长岩、远矿蚀变闪长岩、闪长岩原岩地球化学特征和组分迁移计算及矿体中心部位的淡粉红色方解石脉流体包裹体特征、均一温度、盐度和激光拉曼光谱研究,认为芨岭钠交代型铀矿床的成矿流体含有大量碳酸铀酰络合物[UO_2(CO_3)_2]~(2–)和[UO_2(CO_3)_2]~(4–)的同时还含有丰富的SiO_2、Na~+、Ca~(2+)、Mg~(2+)、Fe~(2+)、Mn~(2+)、∑REE、U、Th、Ga、Sr、Zr、Ba、Rb、Nb、Mo、Cd、Sn、Hf、Ti、Ta、CO_2、H_2S和CH_4等组分,成矿流体具有较强的还原性,并对MnO、K_2O、Cr和Co具有较强的交代溶蚀作用。成矿流体是起源于岩浆演化晚期的再平衡岩浆水,热液温度为(300±20)℃,盐度为2.99 wt%~4.57 wt%NaCl,密度为0.75~0.77 g/cm~3。流体沸腾是芨岭钠交代型铀矿成矿物质的早期卸载机制,晚期成矿流体中加入了大量的大气降水,流体混合作用进一步促进了成矿物质的卸载。     

Objective Analysis on Large-scale Circulation Type and Its Links to Precipitation over China

Atmospheric circulation anomaly is a direct cause of weather and climate change. In the past, most researches for the relationship between Weather Type (WT) and precipitation have mainly focused on the subjective classification and diagnosis. Compared to the subjective analysis, objective classification uses more consistent index and standard unification, thus, we can get more WTs, and it has been widely used in many areas. By using daily 12UTC Sea Level Pressure (SLP), Precipitable Water (PW), and 700 hPa wind speed (UV700) data from ECMWF’s Interim Reanalysis, the classification of WTs over China was performed with the method of obliquely rotated T-mode principle component analysis. WT and its link to precipitation over China were further analyzed. The results show that the influence of different WTs on precipitation is not uniform over China, and also show distinctly difference in different seasons. A common feature is that WTs great impact on the regions and months with large precipitation, while less impact on regions and months have with less precipitation. In addition, precipitation trends originating from WT intensity changes are much more deterministic, significant, and predictable than trends from WT frequency changes.