An Attempt to Predict the Failure Time of Abandoned Mine Pillars

Summary  Left in place pillars of abandoned mines are subject to weathering (e.g action of water, bacteria) that degrades their mechanical strength and eventually leads to collapse. A simple weathering model is proposed, that is governed by two parameters: the rate of progression of weathered front and the rate of degradation of the compressive strength with time. Both plane strain and axisymmetric analyses are performed and closed form solutions of the variation with time of the bearing capacity of the pillar are given. Experimental data of the tests conducted on gypsum and anhydrite specimens attacked by water are presented. It is shown that in order to fit the experimental data a third parameter must be introduced. New closed form solutions are given and the data are used for estimating the time to failure of abandoned gypsum mines in Northern Italy. Authors’ address: Dr. Riccardo Castellanza, Research Assistant, Department of Structural Engineering, Milan University of Technology (Politecnico), Piazza Leonardo da Vinci 32, 20133 Milan, Italy     

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.     

西藏搭格架地热区天然水的水化学组成与稳定碳同位素特征

为探究青藏高原搭格架地热区地热水、湖水、河水、冰雪融水等天然水体的水化学组成及物质来源控制因子,于2014年8月对该地区进行了考察和取样。利用紫外-可见光分光光度计和ICP-OES测定了水样中各阴、阳离子含量,利用Gas Bench连接同位素质谱仪测定了水样中溶解无机碳（DIC）同位素比值。结果表明,地热水中总溶解固体（TDS）含量为977.13~1 279.50 mg/L,阳离子以K+和Na+为主,阴离子以HCO3-和Cl-为主,湖水的TDS含量为77.81~810.94 mg/L,阳离子以Na+和Ca2+为主,阴离子以HCO3-(CO32-)和SO42-为主,地热水和湖水的水化学类型为HCO3-Na型;河水和冰雪融水的各离子含量较低,水化学类型为HCO3-Ca型;地热水的DIC浓度范围为9.2~15.4 mmol/L,δ13CDIC值为-9.09‰~-0.95‰;湖水的DIC浓度为1.1~9.7 mmol/L,δ13CDIC值为-8.84‰~-0.27‰。根据水化学Gibbs分布模式图判断出区域水化学特征主要受硅酸盐岩风化控制,以钠长石和钾长石风化为主,但是地热水的水化学组分受到硅酸盐岩和蒸发盐岩共同控制。通过碳同位素比值分析对区域主要风化过程中CO2的来源示踪表明,湖区周围的硅酸盐风化其碳源主要为土壤CO2,热泉区硅酸盐水解其碳源为地球深部CO2输入。      

Chemical Characteristics of Stream Draining fromDudu Glacier: An Alpine Meltwater Stream inGanga Headwater, Garhwal Himalaya

I-DtjcrONAlpine environment enjoys a distinct set of physicochemical conditions asl compared to other aqueous systems. Thehydrochemical characteristics of meltwater draining from thisenvironment are different from the other aqueous ecosystemsdue to their mountainous nature and extreme cold climatic conditions. The high concentration of various chemical constitu.ents in meltwater shows the intensive chemical weathering inthe basin. The rapid physical weathering due tO grinding actionof the gl…     

安徽省庐枞盆地高岭土矿的成矿规律、找矿方向及开发应用问题探讨

庐枞盆地是以中、下侏罗统陆相碎屑岩建造为基底,经燕山运动而发育起来的陆相继承性火山岩盆地,是长江中下游地区重要的矿产地之一。盆地北部高岭土矿化普遍且强烈,具有很好的找矿远景。本文初步探讨了庐枞盆地高岭土成矿规律、矿床成因及找矿方向,提出了下一步开发利用的建议。     

我国热带亚热带部分地区花岗岩和片麻岩中黑云母风化研究

综合应用Ｘ射线衍射、扫描电镜、透射电镜及偏光显微镜等技术手段研究了我国热带、亚热带部分地区花岗岩和片麻岩中黑云母的风化现象。结果表明，化学风化产物主要有黑云母／蛭石不规则间层矿物、水黑云母、蛭石、０．７ｎｍ埃洛石及铁的氢氧化物（氧化物）等。影响黑云母风化及次生产物形成的主要因素包括黑云母的晶体结构和化学成分、气候、风化壳母岩的矿物成分等。     

Selenium and other trace element in phosphorites: A comparison between those of the Bayovar-Sechura and other provenances

Data of trace element composition of phosphorites are scarce and incomplete. Phosphorites of different origins can vary substantially in trace element contents. In this paper 20 trace element concentrations of 35 sample phosphorites are reported. The geographical provenance is: Bayovar-Sechura (Peru), Khouribga, Youssoufia and Boucraa (Morocco), Gafsa (Tunisia), Florida (USA), Idaho and Phosphoria Formation (USA), North Carolina (USA), Algeria, Israel, Senegal, Syria and Togo. Aqua regia extracts were used to estimate the “pseudototal” values, following standard procedures (ISO 11466, 2002) and measured by ICP-AES and ICP-MS.     

Mobilization and redistribution of elements in soils developed from extreme weathering basalt on Hainan Island

Major, trace and organic elements of a South China were reported to investigate elements laterite profile developed on Neogene basalt on Hainan Island, mobilization and redistribution in tropical regions. The results indicate that strong acid environment and organic matter （OM） can remarkably improve the transfer of insoluble elements. Among all the elements, Th is the least mobile. As for the general conservative elements during incipient chemical weathering, such as Ti, Zr, Hf and Nb, the removals are up to 30%-40% in the upper profile. And for Fe, A1, Cu and Ni, that tend to be combined with secondary minerals and to be retained in temperate zone, they are re- moved from the upper profile, transferred downwards, and then precipitated in the lower profile. In addition, atmos- pheric inputs, including sea salt aerosols and dust, have a profound effect on the budgets of elements that are susceptible to leaching losses （e.g. K, Na and Sr）. Excluding the possibilities of groundwater and erosion, the remarkable increase of K, Na and Sr concentrations in the upper profile, together with dramatically upward increasing trends of the percentage changes of Sr/Th, K/Th and Na/Th ratios, show that atmospheric inputs, especially sea salt aerosols, contribute much extraneous seawater derived elements, such as K, Na and Sr to the soils. The overall elemental be- haviors in this profile suggest that organic matter and atmospheric inputs play a very important role in the mobiliza- tion and redistribution of elements during extreme weathering in tropical regions.     

Engineering characteristics and uses of duricrusts in Australia

The uses and shortcomings of duricrusts (ferricrete, calcrete and silcrete) in engineering construction (as used for road‐base, aggregate, foundation materials and aquifers) are reviewed. Australian production of these materials represents about one‐third of all unprocessed road‐base and they are especially important as pavement courses for lightly trafficked, low‐cost rural and outback roads. However, duricrusts are regarded as marginal materials at best because of their typically poor grading, particle unsoundness, high fines plasticity, and absorption of water and bitumen. These materials are used because they are available locally in areas that are otherwise lacking in hard rock materials, such as deeply weathered and sedimentary rock terrains. The weathering profiles of which they form part are characterized by high permeability (despite being clay‐rich), variable cementation, low compressibility and a tendency to become weaker with depth. Although the more indurated layers are unrippable, they are also difficult to blast. Pedogenic (nodular) duricrusts were formerly sought for natural road‐base, because they occur widely and require only rudimentary processing. However, well‐cemented groundwater (vadose) duricrusts are now the preferred deposits, even though they require crushing and screening. Ferricrete is the most widely exploited of the duricrusts for engineering purposes, especially in northern and southwestern Australia, although calcrete is important in South Australia and in the Murray Basin. Silcrete is only a minor source of aggregate and road‐base, mainly in western Queensland.     

The influence of solar‐induced thermal stresses on the mechanical weathering of rocks in humid mid‐latitudes

The role of solar‐induced thermal stresses in the mechanical breakdown of rock in humid‐temperate climates has remained relatively unexplored. In contrast, numerous studies have demonstrated that cracks in rocks found in more arid mid‐latitude locations exhibit preferred northeast orientations that are interpreted to be a consequence of insolation‐related cracking. Here we hypothesize that similar insolation‐related mechanisms may be efficacious in humid temperate climates, possibly in conjunction with other mechanical weathering processes. To test this hypothesis, we collected rock and crack data from a total of 310 rocks at a forested field site in North Carolina (99 rocks, 266 cracks) and at forested and unforested field sites in Pennsylvania (211 rocks, 664 cracks) in the eastern United States. We find that overall, measured cracks exhibit statistically preferred strike orientations (47° ± 16), as well as dip angles (52° ± 24°), that are similar in most respects to comparable datasets from mid‐latitude deserts. There is less variance in strike orientations for larger cracks suggesting that cracks with certain orientations are preferentially propagated through time. We propose that diurnally repeating geometries of solar‐related stresses result in propagation of those cracks whose orientations are favorably oriented with respect to those stresses. We hypothesize that the result is an oriented rock heterogeneity that acts as a zone of weakness much like bedding or foliation that can, in turn, be exploited by other weathering processes. Observed crack orientations vary somewhat by location, consistent with this hypothesis given the different latitude and solar exposure of the field sites. Crack densities vary between field sites and are generally higher on north‐facing boulder‐faces and in forested sites, suggesting that moisture‐availability also plays a role in dictating cracking rates. These data provide evidence that solar‐induced thermal stresses facilitate mechanical weathering in environments where other processes are also likely at play. Copyright © 2015 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.