Water quality impacts from mining in the Black Hills,South Dakota,USA

The focus of this research was to determine if abandoned mines constitute a major environmental hazard in the Black Hills. Many abandoned gold mines in the Black Hills contribute acid and heavy metals to streams. In some areas of sulfide mineralization local impacts are severe, but in most areas the impacts are small because most ore deposits consist of small quartz veins with few sulfides. Pegmatite mines appear to have negligible effects on water due to the insoluble nature of pegmatite minerals. Uranium mines in the southern Black Hills contribute some radioactivity to surface water, but the impact is limited because of the dry climate and lack of runoff in that area.     

Porewater pressure increases in soil and rock from underground chemical and nuclear explosions

A review and analysis of chemical and nuclear explosive-induced porewater pressure increases and induced rise in groundwater table elevations (groundwater mounding) is presented. Our analysis indicates that residual pore pressure increases and groundwater mounding can be induced by underground chemical and nuclear explosions to scaled distances of 879 m/(kt)^1/3. This relationship is linear over seven orders of magnitude of explosive energy ranging from a 0.01 kg chemical explosion to a 100 kt nuclear explosion and is valid for a wide variety of saturated geological profiles. Underground chemical explosions, and probably underground nuclear explosions have the potential to induce liquefaction of water-saturated soils to scaled distances of about 260 m/(kt)^1/3.     

武宁陆相红盆沉积特征与演化浅析

本文依据1:5万区调资料,扼要介绍了武宁陆相红盆填图单位的拟定、表示方法及工作原理的应用,重点叙述了红盆内多个冲积扇体特征及其之间的叠覆关系,阐明了盆缘断裂是控制红盆成生、发展演化的主导因素。对红盆成生及演化、时代也作了初步探讨。     

Geohydrological models and earthquake effects at Yucca Mountain, Nevada

 Yucca Mountain, the proposed site for the high-level nuclear waste repository, is located just south of where the present water table begins a sharp rise in elevation. This large hydraulic gradient is a regional feature that extends for over 100 km. Yucca Mountain and its vicinity are underlain by faulted and fractured tuffs with hydraulic conductivities controlled by flow through the fractures. Close to and parallel with the region of large hydraulic gradient, and surrounding the core of the Timber Mountain Caldera, there is a 10- to 20-km-wide zone containing few faults and thus, most likely, few open fractures. Consequently, this zone should have a relatively low hydraulic conductivity, and this inference is supported by the available conductivity measurements in wells near the large hydraulic gradient. Also, slug injection tests indicate significantly higher pressures for fracture opening in wells located near the large hydraulic gradient compared to the opening pressures in wells further to the south, hence implying that lower extensional stresses prevail to the north with consequently fewer open fractures there. Analytical and numerical modeling shows that such a boundary between media of high and low conductivity can produce the observed, large hydraulic gradient, with the high conductivity medium having a lower elevation than the water table. Further, as fractures can close due to tectonic activity, the conductivity of the Yucca Mountain tuffs can be reduced to a value near that for the hydraulic barrier due to strain release by a moderate earthquake. Under these conditions, simulations show that the elevation of the steady-state water table could rise between 150 and 250 m at the repository site. This elevation rise is due to the projected shift in the location of the large hydraulic gradient to the south in response to a moderate earthquake, near magnitude 6, along one of the major normal faults adjacent to Yucca Mountain. As the proposed repository would only be 200–400 m above the present water table, this predicted rise in the water table indicates a potential hazard involving water intrusion. Received: 7 June 1996 / Accepted: 19 November 1996     

华北地台主要花岗岩-绿岩带含金丰度值的研究

近十余年来，在华北地台太古宙花岗岩－绿岩带金矿的研究中，获取了许多有关地层、岩石金丰度值的资料。早期获取的资料因化验分析方法灵敏度不高且样品中常常包含矿化、蚀变和构造破碎的岩石等原因而使其金丰度值偏高。最新的数据采用了高灵敏度化验分析方法且剔除了矿化、蚀变和破碎的岩石样品，计算出的金丰度值均明显低于或接近于地壳金丰度值。结合其它研究成果，提出绿岩带有关金矿矿源是多源的（变质的、岩浆的），甚至是深源的（下地壳或上地幔）认识。     

临沧超大型锗矿床有机质与锗矿化的地球化学特征

临沧锗矿床是一产于第三系含煤岩系中的超大型矿床。矿床的最初锗源与盆地西缘的二云母花岗岩有关。主矿体产于下煤组沉积旋回的早期地层中，每一沉积阶段早期形成的褐煤和碳质泥岩中富含锗，最高含量达１４７０×１０＾－６。褐煤和碳质泥岩在矿化过程中平均富集了１６４－１６９倍。根据锗含量，褐煤和碳质泥岩可分为锗含量小于１２×１０＾－６的低锗煤（泥岩）和大于９０×１０＾－６的高锗煤（泥岩）。高锗煤中有机质富含氧官能     

The identifiability of parameters in a water quality model of the Biebrza River, Poland

The identifiability of model parameters of a steady state water quality model of the Biebrza River and the resulting variation in model results was examined by applying the Monte Carlo method which combines calibration, identifiability analysis, uncertainty analysis, and sensitivity analysis. The water quality model simulates the steady state concentration profiles of chloride, phosphate, ammonium, and nitrate as a function of distance along a river. The water quality model with the best combination of parameter values simulates the observed concentrations very well. However, the range of possible modelled concentrations obtained for other more or less equally eligible combinations of parameter values is rather wide. This range in model outcomes reflects possible errors in the model parameters. Discrepancies between the range in model outcomes and the validation data set are only caused by errors in model structure, or (measurement) errors in boundary conditions or input variables. In this sense the validation procedure is a test of model capability, where the effects of calibration errors are filtered out. It is concluded that, despite some slight deviations between model outcome and observations, the model is successful in simulating the spatial pattern of nutrient concentrations in the Biebrza River.     

Qualitätsanforderungen an Oberflächengewässer: Zielvorgaben,Qualitätsziele und chemische Gewässergüteklassifizierung

Quality Requirements for Fresh Waters: Water Quality Targets, Water Quality Objectives, and Chemical Water Quality Classification In the Federal Republic of Germany, water quality requirements for the protection of inland surface waters against hazardous substances are formulated on the basis of a quality targets derivation concept developed jointly by the Federal Government and the Federal States. The quality requirements were termed “water quality targets” in order to make it clear that the values derived are orientational values rather than legally binding limit values. The international comparison of quality requirements for surface waters shows that, on the whole, the national quality targets ensure a high level of protection. According to present scientific knowledge, impairments of uses, such as supply of drinking water, or risks to aquatic communities need not to be expected if the quality targets are complied with. A comparison of water quality data with the water quality targets makes it possible, on the one hand, to identify those substances whose inputs must be further reduced; on the other hand, it also shows that, for a number of substances, there is no need at present for concern over their adversely water quality. A further differentiation of the aquatic hazard potential of pollutants allows a water quality classification system to be developed on the basis of the quality targets derivation concept. The basic elements of this water quality classification system are presented, and its application is explained by way of examples.     

Gaschromatographische Bestimmung von polychlorierten Biphenylen in Wasser nach Headspace-Festphasenmikroextraktion

Gas-chromatographic Determination of Polychlorinated Biphenyls in Water after Headspace Solid-phase Microextraction Headspace-analytical techniques are usually applied to the determination of easily volatile substances in water, whereas semivolatiles are generally isolated by liquid-liquid or solid-phase extraction. In the present paper, a method is presented for isolating high boiling polychlorinated biphenyls (PCB) using headspace solid-phase microextraction at elevated temperature. In spite of their low vapor pressure, the analytes are adsorbed very efficiently on a poly-dimethylsiloxane-coated fiber. Thus, in combination with GC/ECD, a very simple and sensitive solventless determination of PCB is accomplished. Using the simplest possible standard conditions, limits of determination in the lowest nanogram-per-liter range are achieved. Further increased sensitivity down to the ppq (parts per quadrillion) range is possible by stirring and increasing the sample volume and adsorption time. Moderate matrix effects have been observed in some surface and groundwaters.     

Untersuchung der Sorptionseigenschaften des Kationenaustauschers KB-2M mit Makronetzstruktur zur Abtrennung von Zinkionen aus Ab- und Spülwässern

Study of Sorptional Properties of the Cation Exchanger KB-2M with Macroreticular Structure for Recovery of Zinc Ions from Sewage and Rinsing Water Although a number of ion-exchange methods have been employed for the recovery of some transition metals from industrial effluents, knowledge about ion-exchange resins with macroreticular structure is poor. The present paper describes the mechanism of sorption on such exchangers and their application for recovery of zinc from sewage rinsing water. Ion exchanger of macroreticular structure are polymers with long-chained cross-linking agents. We have synthesized carboxylic ion-exchange resins by hydrolysis of copolymerisates of methyl acrylate with different cross-linking agents: divinylbenzene, divinyl sulfide, divinyl ester of ethylene glycol and divinyl ester of di- or triethylene glycol. The sorption process on modifications of the carboxylic resins KB-2 of various structure was studied with different methods: potentiometric titration, infrared spectroscopy, electron microscopy, X-ray structural analysis. The initial zinc concentration in rinsing water was 0.05 mol/L at pH from 3 to 6. For the sorption, 0.2…1.0 g of resin were equilibrated with 100 mL of zinc solution. After equilibrium (12 h), the resin was separated from solution. The zinc ions were determined by atomic absorption spectrometry after stripping with 100 mL of 10% sulfuric acid. The distribution ratio D was calculated (D: mmole of Zn sorbed per gram of resin divided by mmole of Zn per millilitre of solution). By means of infrared spectroscopy, the mechanism of sorption of zinc ions from rinsing water was determined. There may be a possibility of the formation of complexes in the cation-exchange resin phase. It was found out in this paper that the cation-exchanger KB-2M of macroreticular structure is the most effective for the sorption of the Zn²⁺-ions from sewage and rinsing water.