Sediment transport by burrowing mammals,Marin County,California

Field observations suggest that burrowing activity is the primary mode of sediment transport currently active in a small grassland drainage basin in Marin County, California. Spatial concentrations of the 1150 gopher mounds surveyed vary from 0-16 mounds m^?2 on interfluves to 0.32 mounds m^?2 on sideslopes and in the topographic hollow, with localized concentrations of up to 2.88 mounds m^?2 on the margins of the colluvial deposit. Simple models of sediment transport by burrowing activity yield estimates of between 0.91 and 2.33 cm³ cm^?1 yr^?1 for the basin as a whole, with absolute minimum and maximum rates of 0.48 and 631 cm³ cm^?1 yr^?1. These values are similar to those previously estimated for this area (Lehre, 1982) and are nearly an order-of-magnitude less than average long-term sediment transport rates at the same site (Reneau, 1988).     

Aggregate resources: Production and environmental constraints

Aggregates are produced from sand and gravel deposits or from bedrock sources. Production sites are numerous to minimize transport and are more and more in a competing land use position. Urbanization, while creating a market, also sterilizes deposits and pressures producers to relocate further from populated areas. Regulating and permitting quarries is an issue in regions with growing populations. This regulatory environment may cause exploitation schemes to evolve towards greater recycling, importing, and marine production, for example. These changes may be entirely attributable to increased environmental constraints on producing operations and not on conventional mining constraints such as overburden, ore grade, and costs of operation.     

从第55届EAEG年会看勘探地球物理发展方向

本文根据笔者在第５５届ＥＡＥＧ会议期间了解到的情况，对勘探地球物理在石油能源、固体矿产、水文地质、工程地质和环境地质等领域的进展作了综述，指出了今后的重点研究课题和发展方向。     

钇易解石族的端员—钛钇易解石的发现

本矿物为新发现的钇易解石族的端员矿物－钛钇易解石，产于江西省龙南县足洞燕山期中粒白云母花岗岩及其风化壳中。矿物属斜方晶系，常呈板状或短柱状，为天然晶质体，浅黄色，粒度为０．０７５ｍｍ，硬度４．７，比重４．７３，二轴正晶，Ｎｇ＝２．２４８，Ｎｍ＝２．２１２，Ｎｐ＝２．１９４，Ｎｇ－Ｎｐ＝０．０５４，２Ｖ＝７０°。空间群为Ｄ＾１６２ｈ－Ｐｍｎｂ，ａ０＝０．７５０ｎｍ，ｂ０＝１．０９２ｎｍ，Ｃ０＝０．５     

风化壳淋积型稀土矿床成矿机理的实验研究

风化壳淋积型稀土矿床是很重要的一种矿床类型。作用采用水析法提取了梧州市区风化壳淋积型稀土矿床中的粘土矿物，并进行了钕和镱的吸附实验研究。实验结果表明，在不同的实验体系中，吸附反应达到平衡的时间是不同的，２％ＨＣ１至少１２ｈ，１％ＨＣ１至少０．１ｈ。影响粘土吸附稀土的物理化学因素有：溶液浓度，溶液酸碱度（ｐＨ值），离子强度，固液比和温度等。在ｐＨ值较低的相同实验条件下，轻稀土的吸附效率要明显高于重稀     

Remeasurement of weathering rates,St. Paul's Cathedral,London

Remeasurements of weathering rates at six sites on the base of the balustrade of St. Paul's Cathedral gave substantially lower mean results (0.06 mm a^?1, 1980–1985) than for earlier results (0.14 mm a^?1, 1980–1981). Statistical analysis of the data showed that for five of the sites there were no significant differences between the measurement periods. The only significant spatial difference was for the southwest (exposed) site which was greater than the other sites for 1980–1981, but not at later times. This site also showed the only significant decrease over time. If this site is included in the statistical analysis, the whole set shows a significant decrease over time; omitting this site from the data removes any significant differences over time. The results for this one site for 1980–1981 thus have significant bias on the data body as a whole. Methodological problems, such as rock erosion by the probe and temperature effects, are thought to have minimal effect on the interpretation of the data. Calibrations showed that measurements were accurate to ±0.006 mm and that only results of a change ≥ 0.02 mm were reliably interpretable as different. Remeasurements of the Lead Plug Index (LPI) for the top of the balustrade in 1987 gave a mean rate for 1718–1985 of 0.081 mm a^?1. This is not significantly different from the 1718–1980 mean rate of 0.078 mm a^?1 but the data are not directly comparable, the 1987 sample being smaller than the 1980 set. For the 1987 data, the only statistically significant differences are for the southeast rate ≧ northeast and for a rise in rate in the northeast quadrant. The LPI data are comparable to most of the 1980–1985 MEM data. The conclusion is that most erosion rates have neither increased nor decreased significantly in the measurement time, except for a significant decrease at one (southwest) site from 1980–1981 to 1981–1982. Such a sustained level of erosion gives cause for concern in the context of stone conservation. Causative factors of air quality are discussed and while SO₂ levels have decreased, NO₂ and smoke levels show increases. An overall decrease in stone decay in association with the decrease in SO₂ levels is thus not in evidence.     

A preliminary scanning electron microscope study of honeycomb weathering of sandstone in a coastal environment

Honeycomb weathering has been observed in a Carboniferous sandstone at a coastal location near Ballycastle on the north coast of Northern Ireland. Specimens of this sandstone have been analysed by X-ray diffraction, scanning electron microscopy, and energy dispersive spectrometry. Results reveal that calcium sulphate (gypsum) is the only salt present and is found only at and immediately below the rock surface. SEM observations suggest that crystallization of salts in pores could easily dislodge quartz grains to promote granular disintegration, whilst etching of quartz grain surfaces attests to chemical weathering activity within the rock However, the reason for the development of the honeycomb pattern is not known.     

Geochemistry of bauxites of Belgaum (Karnataka) and Yercaud (Tamil Nadu) areas

The major chemical components of bauxite deposits of Belgaum (76° 24′E : 15° 54′N) and Yercaud (78° 14′E : 11° 48′N) areas have been determined. A chemical continuity between parent rocks (zone I) to bauxites (zone IV) via clay (zone II) and laterites (zone III) clearly indicates that bauxites have been derived byin situ weathering of the respective parent rocks.     

Human influence upon sedimentation in Llangorse Lake,Wales

Palaeolimnological studies at Llangorse Lake, Wales, constitute part of the British contribution to IGCP Project 158 (The Palaeohydrology of the Temperate Zone in the Last 15000 Years). The lake has been adopted as the Reference Site for the South Wales region under Subproject 158B (Lake and Mire Environments) and is located in the Reference Area for Britain: the Severn Basin. Results of biological, physical, and multielement chemical analyses on a 12.35 m Livingstone core are presented and compared with previous analyses on short Mackereth cores taken from two troughs in the lake basin. Human impact upon post-glacial sedimentation is assessed with reference to sediment chemistry, physical properties, and sedimentation rates, based on relative pollen, ¹⁴C, and ²¹⁰Pb dating. Vegetational history of the catchment is inferred from a pollen diagram for a section of the core from c. 8 to 6.75 m depth in which evidence for human impact is first apparent. Water content, loss on ignition, and carbonate content are presented for the whole core; density, water content, loss on ignition, carbonates, and elemental analyses of P, Ca, Mg, K, Ti, Al, Fe, and Mn for the interval 6 75 and 8.25 m depth. Sedimentation rates were low during Boreal and Atlantic times (c. 9000- 5000 BP), rose significantly from the time of the elm decline (estimated at 5000 BP) and increased further at c. 1800 BP when nekron muds were succeeded by deposition of silty clay. Inferred rates of erosion of soils from the catchment are discussed and related to sediment chemistry.     

Frost weathering and the saturation of coastal rocks

Measurements were made of the water content in coastal rocks, by simulating tidal oscillations in the laboratory, and by field measurement in eastern Canada. If rapid freezing takes place upon exposure to the air, saturation levels may be high enough to permit frost weathering in fine grained rocks in the lower portions of the intertidal zone. Near the high tidal level, however, it may be dependent upon a supply of water from the ice foot and from melting snow. If freezing is slow, frost action may be inhibited by desorption of the rocks while they are exposed by the ebb tide. There was no evidence of a level of permanent sea water saturation within the intertidal zone. Ambient temperature and humidity may affect the rate of rock desorption.