Effects of fracture lineaments and in-situ rock stresses on groundwater flow in hard rocks: a case study from Sunnfjord, western Norway

Systematic field mapping of fracture lineaments observed on aerial photographs shows that almost all of these structures are positively correlated with zones of high macroscopic and mesoscopic fracture frequencies compared with the surroundings. The lineaments are subdivided into zones with different characteristics: (1) a central zone with fault rocks, high fracture frequency and connectivity but commonly with mineral sealed fractures, and (2) a damage zone divided into a proximal zone with a high fracture frequency of lineament parallel, non-mineralized and interconnected fractures, grading into a distal zone with lower fracture frequencies and which is transitional to the surrounding areas with general background fracturing. To examine the possible relations between lineament architecture and in-situ rock stress on groundwater flow, the geological fieldwork was followed up by in-situ stress measurements and test boreholes at selected sites. Geophysical well logging added valuable information about fracture distribution and fracture flow at depths. Based on the studies of in-situ stresses as well as the lineaments and associated fracture systems presented above, two working hypotheses for groundwater flow were formulated: (i) In areas with a general background fracturing and in the distal zone of lineaments, groundwater flow will mainly occur along fractures parallel with the largest in-situ rock stress, unless fractures are critically loaded or reactivated as shear fractures at angles around 30° to σ_H; (ii) In the influence area of lineaments, the largest potential for groundwater abstraction is in the proximal zone, where there is a high fracture frequency and connectivity with negligible fracture fillings. The testing of the two hypotheses does not give a clear and unequivocal answer in support of the two assumptions about groundwater flow in the study area. But most of the observed data are in agreement with the predictions from the models, and can be explained by the action of the present stress field on pre-existing fractures.     

Permeability of Hydraulic Fills and Barricade Bricks

Permeability is one of the most important parameters in the design of hydraulic backfilling of mine stopes. A simple and reproducible method was developed for preparing reconstituted hydraulic fill sample in the laboratory, that is representative of the hydraulic fill in the mine stope, replicating the slurry sedimentation process taking place in the mine. Constant head and falling head permeability tests were carried out on the samples, giving consistent results. A brick permeameter was developed to study the flow characteristics of the porous barricade bricks under one-dimensional flow, simulating the flow conditions in the mine. Three different methods were used to determine the permeability of the brick and the results showed very good agreement. This is the first rational attempt to measure the permeability of the porous barricade bricks that are used to close the horizontal access drives in the mines, thus retaining the hydraulic fill. The measurements show that the permeability of the barricade brick is about two to three orders of magnitude greater than that of the hydraulic fill.     

3D numerical modelling of fluid flow in the Val-d’Or orogenic gold district: major crustal shear zones drain fluids from overpressured vein fields

Fluid flow patterns have been determined using oxygen isotope isopleths in the Val-d’Or orogenic gold district. 3D numerical modelling of fluid flow and oxygen isotope exchange in the vein field shows that the fluid flow patterns can be reproduced if the lower boundary of the model is permeable, which represents middle or lower crustal rocks that are infiltrated by a metamorphic fluid generated at deeper levels. This boundary condition implies that the major crustal faults so conspicuous in vein fields do not act as the only major channel for upward fluid flow. The upper model boundary is impermeable except along the trace of major crustal faults where fluids are allowed to drain out of the vein field. This upper impermeable boundary condition represents a low-permeability layer in the crust that separates the overpressured fluid from the overlying hydrostatic fluid pressure regime. We propose that the role of major crustal faults in overpressured vein fields, independent of tectonic setting, is to drain hydrothermal fluids out of the vein field along a breach across an impermeable layer higher in the crust and above the vein field. This breach is crucial to allow flow out of the vein field and accumulation of metals in the fractures, and this breach has major implications for exploration for mineral resources. We propose that tectonic events that cause episodic metamorphic dehydration create a short-lived pulse of metamorphic fluid to rise along zones of transient permeability. This results in a fluid wave that propagates upward carrying metals to the mineralized area. Earthquakes along crustal shear zones cause dilation near jogs that draw fluids and deposit metals in an interconnected network of subsidiary shear zones. Fluid flow is arrested by an impermeable barrier separating the hydrostatic and lithostatic fluid pressure regimes. Fluids flow through the evolving and interconnected network of shear zones and by advection through the rock matrix. Episodic breaches in the impermeable barrier along the crustal shear zones allow fluid flow out of the vein field.     

江苏省矿山的主要生态环境问题及治理对策

江苏的经济发展较快,对矿产资源的需求量亦大。多年来的无序开采,对生态环境造成很大的破坏和影响,出现了山体植被遭受破坏、土地被占用、环境受污染、诱发地面沉降、地面塌陷等一系列问题,已影响到国民经济的发展。随着省人大和省政府关于限制开山采石和保护环境等政策、法规出台和落实,近几年乱采滥挖现象基本得到了有效的遏制。人们的环保意识得到了加强,不少矿山已逐步开始对环境治理,且初见成效。文章介绍了江苏生态环境现状、存在的主要问题和治理对策,以期引起各级政府和广大民众在对矿产资源开采的同时更要注重环境保护。     

弯道超高法在泥石流流速计算中的应用——以四川省汶川县G317国道磨子沟泥石流为例

选取四川省汶川至马尔康公路线的磨子沟作为试验对象,采用弯道超高法推算其泥石流流速。进而可以计算出该次泥石流的平均流量,为公路的改建工程提供设计依据。经过实地调查,用此方法计算磨子沟2005年8月17日暴发的泥石流流速为4.4m/s。同其他流速方法计算的结果相比较,前者值偏大,且偏向于工程安全值。弯道超高法可以解决泥石流观测的局限性和泥石流发生的不可重复性。此方法简便易行,对泥石流防治工程具有一定的实用价值。     

龙永煤田危机矿山资源接替的几种勘探模式

通过龙永煤田现有煤矿状况调查分析发现：许多矿井已步入“花甲之年”，接近矿井服务年限。为了保障我省能源安全，应当采用有效勘探方法，方能使它们“返老还童”。研究发现危机矿山延长服务年限的几种勘探模式是：其一为扩大（延伸）勘探模式；其二为小型井田（块段）勘探模式；其三为资料分析研究模式。经探采对比发现，采用这三种勘探模式后，产生了巨大的经济效益，使一大批老矿井青春再度焕发。     

吾祠煤矿区构造特征及矿井生产布局探讨

通过对漳平市吾祠煤矿区的煤层地质构造特征分析，探讨了复杂构造条件下的矿井生产布局，主要是煤矿区段水平划分、煤炭采区的巷道布置、采煤方法及有关地质硐探等问题，对矿山开发有一定的指导意义。     

Design of Inclined Covers with Capillary Barrier Effect

A design procedure is proposed to minimize water infiltration into landfills by optimizing the water diversion length of inclined covers with capillary barrier effect (CCBE). This design procedure is based on a conceptual, mathematical and numerical approach and aims at selecting materials and optimizing layer thickness. Selection among candidate materials is made based on their hydraulic conductivity functions and on a threshold infiltration rate imposed on the designer. The capillary break layer (CBL; bottom layer) is characterized by a weak capillarity, while the moisture retention layer (MRL; upper layer) is characterized by a compromise between strong capillarity and high hydraulic conductivity. The thickness of the CBL corresponds to the height where suction reaches its maximum value for a given infiltration rate. This height can be calculated using the Kisch [Géotechnique 9 (1959)] model. The optimal thickness of the MRL is determined by applying an adaptation of the Ross [Water Resources Research 26 (1990)] model. The results obtained using the proposed design procedure were compared to those obtained from numerical simulations performed using a finite element unsaturated seepage software. The procedure was applied for two cover systems; one where deinking by-products (DBP) were used as MRL and sand as CBL and another where sand was used as MRL and gravel as CBL. Using this procedure, it has been shown that an infiltration control system composed of thin layers of sand over gravel is highly efficient in terms of diversion length and that its efficiency can be enhanced by placing a hydraulic barrier – such as a layer of DBP – above the MRL.     

The Alcamayo and Cedrobamba catastrophic debris flow (January, March and April 2004) in Machupicchu area—Peru

A debris flow originating from the Alcamayo River on 10th April 2004 destroyed a part of the town of Aguas Calientes, resulting in 11 victims, and with serious affects to the tourist flow to the Machupicchu inka citadel. On the same day, as well as in January and March 2004, other similar phenomena occurred on the Cedrobamba and Leonchayoq Rivers, affecting the railway and an electrical tower, and disrupting the train service.     

Interpreting tracer breakthrough tailing in a conduit-dominated karstic aquifer

Breakthrough tailing has been observed during dye-tracing recovery tests in the Norville aquifer system (chalk), France. Karst-conduit flow and transport parameters were assessed using two different interpretative methods: the linear graphical method and the Chatwin method (implemented in the Qtracer2 program). The linear graphical method was used to model the observed tailing effects, which was explained by a second smaller delayed breakthrough curve. By comparing the results of tracer-test interpretation for the two methods, it was possible to relate the area of this second curve to the importance of turbulent flow in spring discharge. The more turbulent the flow, the less important the contribution of the second breakthrough curve and the tailing effect. The observed tailing could possibly be controlled by hydrodynamics to a greater extent than usually expected, the tailing effects being mostly attributed to diffusion phenomena. Tailing effects were expected to increase with discharge and the piezometric level, which would have resulted in overpressure in conduits, fissure flooding, etc. Instead, breakthrough tailing tended to disappear with increasing aquifer discharge, which would support the hypothesis of there being mostly hydrodynamic-controlled tailing effects instead of matrix- or fissure-diffusion.An erratum to this article can be found at