Trace elements in the Goze Delchev coal deposit, Bulgaria

The geochemistry of trace elements in the underground and open-pit mine of the Goze Delchev subbituminous coal deposit have been studied. The coals in both mines are highly enriched in W, Ge and Be, and at less extent in As, Mn and Y as compared with the world-wide Clarkes for subbituminous coals. Ni and Ti are also enhanced in the underground coals, and Zr, Cr and Mo in the open-pit mine coals.Characteristic for the trace element contents in the deposit is a regular variation with depth. The following patterns were distinguished for profile I: a — the element content decreases from the bottom to the top of the bed paralleling ash distribution (Fe, Co, As, Sb, V, Y, Mo, Cs, REE, Hf, Ta, Th, P and Au); b — Ge and W are enriched in the near-bottom and near-top coals; c — in the middle part of the bed the content of K and Rb is maximal, while that of U is slightly enriched; d — Ba content decreases from the top to the bottom of the bed. In profile II, W and Be contents decrease from the bottom to the top. The near-bottom, and especially the near-roof samples of profile IV are highly enriched in Ge, while for W the highest is the content of the near-bottom sample.Ge, Be, As, Mn, Cl and Br are mainly organically associated. The organic affiliation is still strong for Co, B, Sr, Ba, Sb, U, Th, Mo, La, Ce, Sm, Tb and Yb in the underground coals, and Fe, Co, Na, W, Sr, Y and Ag in the coals from the open-pit mine. K, Rb, Ti, Zr, Hf and Ta are of dominant inorganic affinity. The chalcophile and siderophile elements correlate positively with Fe and each other and may be bound partly with pyrite or other sulphides and iron containing minerals.Compared statistically by the t-criteria, the elements Na, Li, Cu, Zn, Pb, Cr, Ni, Co, Mo, Fe and Be are of higher content in the open-pit mine. Tungsten is the only element of higher concentration in the underground mine. The contents of Ge, As, Sr, V, Mn, Y, Zr and P are not statistically different in both mines.It was supposed that there were multiple sources of the trace elements in the deposit. The source of the highly enriched elements (W, Ge, Be, and As) most probably were the thermal waters in the source area. The contemporary mineral springs are of high content of these elements. Another source were the hosting Mesta volcanic rocks, which are enriched in Sb, Mo, Hf, U, Th, As, Li and Rb. Some of the volcanics were hydrothermally altered and enriched or depleted of many elements. Thus, the hydrothermal solutions were also suppliers of elements for the coals. It is obvious that the contents, distribution and paragenesis, of the trace elements in both Goze Delchev coals reflect the geochemical specialization of the source area, including rocks, paleo- and contemporary thermal waters.     

Control and prevention of gas outbursts in coal mines, Riosa–Olloniego coalfield, Spain

Underground coal mines have always had to control the presence of different gases in the mining environment. Among these gases, methane is the most important one, since it is inherent to coal. Despite of the technical developments in recent decades, methane hazards have not yet been fully avoided. This is partly due to the increasing depths of modern mines, where methane emissions are higher, and also to other mining-related circumstances, such as the increase in production rates and its consequences: difficulties in controlling the increasing methane levels, increasing mechanization, the use of explosives and not paying close attention to methane control systems.The main purposes of this paper are to establish site measurements using some critical parameters that are not part of the standard mining-control methods for risk assessment and to analyze the gas behavior of subvertical coal seams in deep mines in order to prevent gas incidents from occurring. The ultimate goal is the improvement in mining conditions and therefore in safety conditions.For this purpose, two different mines were instrumented for mine control and monitoring. Both mines belong to the Riosa–Olloniego coalfield, in the Asturias Central Basin, Spain and the areas instrumented are mined via subhorizontal sublevels at an actual depth of around 1000 m under the overburden of Mount Lusorio.During this research, a property favoring gas outbursts was site measured for the first time in an outburst-prone coal (8th Coalbed), gas pressure and its variations, which contributed to complete the data available from previous characterizations and to set some guidelines for assessing the potential outburst-prone areas. A gas-measurement-tube set has been designed for measuring gas pressure as well as its variation over time as a result of nearby workings and to calculate permeability.The paper establishes the effect of overlapping of works, but it also shows the efficacy of two preventive measures to be applied: high pressure water infusion and the exploitation of a protective coal seam (7th Coalbed), that must be mined preferably two complete sublevels before commencing the advance in the outburst-prone coalbed. Both measures constitute an improvement in the mining sequence and therefore in safety, and should be completed with a systematic measurement to control the risk: gas pressure in the 8th Coalbed in the area of influence of other workings, to establish the most suitable moment to renew the advance. Further researches could focus on ascertaining the permeability, not only in mined areas but also in areas of the mine that are still not affected by mining work and on tuning more finely the ranges of influence of overstress time and overlap distance of the workings of the 7th Coalbed in the 8th Coalbed.     

Silica fume stabilization of an expansive clay subgrade and the effect of silica fume-stabilised soil cushion on its CBR

ABSTRACT

Expansive soil subgrades, which are subjected to dual swell-shrink problem consequent upon absorption and evaporation of water, need to be improved by chemical stabilization or compacted cushion or geosynthetic reinforcement in order that pavements constructed over them are even, stable and safe. This paper presents extensive experimental data on plasticity, free swell index (FSI) and compaction characteristics of a highly swelling expansive clay stabilized with varying silica fume contents. In another series of tests on a laterite soil to be used as a cushion over the expansive clay subgrade, plasticity properties, compaction characteristics and strength characteristics were determined at varied silica fume contents. Further, CBR of the expansive clay subgrade was determined in the laboratory stabilizing it with varied silica fume contents and providing a cushion of 50 mm thickness of silica fume-stabilized lateritic soil. Liquid limit (LL), plasticity index (PI) and free swell index (FSI) of the expansive clay decreased with increasing silica fume contents. The compaction and strength characteristics of both the soils improved with silica fume stabilization. The CBR of the expansive clay provided with silica fume-stabilized cushion improved significantly.     

应用遥感图像提取煤层自燃信息时必须考虑的几个影响因素

煤层自燃是中国北方煤田中普遍存在的灾害现象,它不但烧掉了大量的煤炭资源,而且还污染了环境。实践证明,利用遥感影像判别火区位置、圈定火区范围和对火区进行动态监测,及时为灭火工程提供信息,是一项经济和社会意义很大的工作。由于受多种因素的制约,不同地区、不同波段、不同时相、不同空间分辨率的遥感图像,其影像特征（含与煤层自燃有关的热异常影像特征）都有较大的差异,因而从图像上分析和提取地物的热红外辐射特征时,需要考虑遥感图像类型、成像时间、地形条件、气象条件和岩性特征等因素的影响。本文着重讨论了地表辐射温度与上述各项因素之间的关系。     

Swelling Behaviour of Expansive Shales from the Middle Region of Saudi Arabia

Severe and widespread damage in residential buildings, sidewalks and pavements in various parts of the middle region of Saudi Arabia is caused by the development of heave and swelling pressure in the expansive shales in the region. This paper presents the problems and the geotechnical and physicochemical properties of the tested shales. The swelling potential was determined using various methods. Swell tests were conducted under different loading conditions and following different procedures to quantify the amount of vertical swell and swelling pressure. The conventional one-dimensional oedometer swell tests were performed using three different procedures, namely, free swell, constant volume swell and swell overburden. In addition, swell tests were performed in the stress path triaxial apparatus. Tests under different vertical stresses and confinements were conducted. Vertical swell and swelling pressure obtained from the various methods were compared. The reliability of the different methods for estimation of swelling potential is discussed.     

Geological factors influencing the concentration of trace elements in the Philippi peatland, eastern Macedonia, Greece

Six peat samples obtained from the Holocene and the Weichselian of the Philippi peat deposit, eastern Macedonia, Greece, were analyzed for 48 trace elements by Inductively Coupled Plasma–Mass Spectrometry (ICP–MS). The ash contents of these samples were also determined. Most of the trace elements are associated with the minerals in the peat, while Ge, Mo, Pb, Se, Ta, Tl, U, and W display a greater affinity with the organic matter. Compared with crustal averages (Clarke concentrations), the Philippi peat is enriched in some elements (Ag, As, Au, Cd, Mo, Se, Te, U, and W) because of the respective mineralizations in the area. The Philippi peat is also enriched in Cr, Cu, Mo, Pb, Sc, Sn, T, V, Y, and Zn in comparison with typical fen peats, as well as in As, Cr, Mo, Se, and U in comparison with typical coals. Climatic and hydrogeological conditions strongly influenced the peat-forming environment resulting in a differentiation between Holocene and Weichselian peat. Generally, the Holocene peat contains lower concentrations of trace elements in the northern and southern part of the fen, than the Weichselian one. The opposite trend is observed in the fen area close to the western basin margins.     

浅论马鞍山地区的膨胀土

膨胀土由于粘土矿物含量较多,在一定气候条件下其体积随含水量的增加而膨胀,随含水一的减少而收缩,以膨胀土为地基的低层建筑物常常成群开裂,笔者首次报道了马鞍山地区的膨胀土,并对该区膨胀土的分布,成因,评价方法和防治措施等提出了初步看法。     

Correlation of T-log with E-log in coal-bearing formations

The profile of temperature gradient versus depth (T-log) has been found to be very useful for correlation with electrical resistivity log (E-log) in coal-bearing formations. A positive correlation between electrical resistivity and thermal resistivity is observed in coal sections whereas a negative correlation is found in sandstone/shale beds, thus helping in coal prospect evaluation. T logs have been used to correct the location of coal bed which had apparently been misinterpreted by the E-log. Hole to hole correlation of T-log and E-log is found to be excellent and it is observed that thermal resistivity characteristics of given formations remain fairly uniform. A rough estimation of coal grade is possible from the detailed study of the T-logs. Abrupt changes of temperature gradient as also its reversals have been observed in burnt coal sections.     

贵州瓮安玉山煤矿煤质特征及其影响因素

玉山煤矿含煤地层为吴家坪组,可采煤层2层,具有中灰、中等挥发分、高硫分、低磷分、特低—低氯,低砷、高氟,中高发热量的煤质特征,煤类丰富,呈条带状分布。通过对区内沉积环境和煤的变质作用2个方面的分析,阐述了形成煤层高硫、中灰特征的影响因素,解释了煤类分带现象,并指出了主要煤质指标的变化规律。