Geochemical characteristics of mineral air particles emitted inside a clay atomisation plant which introduces waste recycling processes

The objective of this work is to assess the concentrations of three factions of air particles (settable particles, TSP and PM10) and the levels of several toxic elements in a clay atomisation industry through aerosol sampling at several points inside an industrial plant. Mechanical activities, which produce diffuse emissions, are the main process of discharge of particles in both indoor and outdoor workplace environments in the atomisation plant. The levels of As, Cd, Pb, Zn, Ba and Ni increase in the zones with higher concentrations of particles and lower ventilation. The concentrations of As and F are not influenced by the recycling processes. The levels of Cd and Pb do not show great enrichment in air particles collected inside the atomisation plant although the content of both elements is associated with ceramic muck recycling. Finally, the content of B in waste water is mainly transferred in gaseous phase to the atmosphere during the process of drying by atomisation.     

Retrofit-reinforcement of cohesive soil slopes using high strength geotextiles with drainage capability

A series of geotechnical centrifuge physical modeling tests were performed to assess the potential use of a new cost-effective mechanically stabilized earth system for retrofitting marginally stable cohesive slopes. The proposed system utilizes the dual functions of reinforcement and drainage by directly inserting high strength non-woven geotextile strips into slopes, with little or no excavation required behind the slope face. The system significantly increases the factor of safety of potentially unstable cohesive slopes, and can be constructed at less expense and more rapidly than conventional mechanically stabilized earth systems.     

Seasonal records of climatic change in annually laminated tufas: short review and future prospects

Many Recent and fossil freshwater tufa stromatolites contain millimetre‐scale, alternating laminae of dense micrite and more porous or sparry crystalline calcites. These alternating laminae have been interpreted to represent seasonally controlled differences in the biotic activity of microbes, and/or seasonally controlled changes in the rate of calcification. Either way, couplets of these microbially mediated alternating calcified laminae are generally agreed to represent annual seasonality. Combined stable isotope (δ¹⁸O and δ¹³C) and trace element (Mg, Sr, Ba) geochemistry from Recent tufa stromatolites show that seasonal climatic information is available from these calcites. Variability in δ¹⁸O (and in one case Mg concentration) has been shown to be controlled primarily by stream temperature change, usually driven by solar insolation. In arid climates, seasonal evaporation can also cause δ¹⁸O enrichment by at least 1‰. Variability in δ¹³C results potentially from: (1) seasonal change in plant uptake of ¹²C‐enriched CO₂; (2) seasonal change in degassing of ¹²C‐enriched CO₂ in the aquifer system; and (3) precipitation of calcite along the aquifer or river flow path, a process that increases δ¹³C of dissolved inorganic carbon (DIC) in the remaining water. Mechanisms 2 and 3 are linked because calcite precipitates in aquifers where degassing occurs, e.g. air pockets. The latter mechanism for δ¹³C enrichment has also been shown to cause sympathetic variation between trace element/Ca ratios and δ¹³C because trace elements with partition coefficients much greater than 1 (e.g. Sr, Ba) remain preferentially in solution. Since degassing in air pockets will be enhanced during decreased recharge when water saturation of the aquifer is lowest, sympathetic variation in trace element/Ca ratios and δ¹³C is a possible index of recharge and therefore precipitation intensity. High‐resolution geochemical data from well‐dated tufa stromatolites have great potential for Quaternary palaeoclimate reconstructions, possibly allowing recovery of annual seasonal climatic information including water temperature variation and change in rainfall intensity. However, careful consideration of diagenetic effects, particularly aggrading neomorphism, needs to be the next step. Copyright © 2005 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

三峡库区重庆段水土流失的时空格局特征

在TM 解译的三峡库区重庆段1999 年和2004 年水土流失数据及相关辅助数据的支持下, 借助GIS 技术, 分析了研究区5 年来水土流失的时空演变及地理空间分异特征与规律。 研究结果表明: (1) 研究区水土流失总体呈现好转趋势, 极强度和剧烈水土流失面积下降变幅最大。(2) 水土流失主要分布在紫色土、黄壤、石灰(岩) 土、水稻土和黄棕壤分布区。(3) 水 土流失主要发生在受人类活动影响最为剧烈的旱坡地和疏林地。(4) 水土流失表现出明显的垂直分异特征, 主要集中于高程200~1500 m 的低山、丘陵地区。(5) 水土流失与坡度具有很好的相关性, 主要分布在15^o以上的陡坡地。(6) 水土流失与坡向分异无明显的相关关系。各坡向水土流失面积和强度分布基本相当。(7) 水土流失主要集中在300~320 和320~340 j.cm/hm². h 的降雨侵蚀力(R) 值分布区。剧烈水土流失与高降雨侵蚀力具有较好的对应关系。     

Experimental study on pore water pressure dissipation of mucky soil

Pore water pressure has an important influence on mechanical properties of soil. The authors studied the characteristics of pore water pressure dissipating of mucky soil under consolidated-drained condition by using refitted triaxial instrument and analyzed the variation of pore pressure coefficient with consolidation pressure. The results show that the dissipating of pore water pressure behaves in different ways depends on different styles of loading. What is more, the pore water pressure coefficient of mucky soil is less than 1. As the compactness of soil increases and moisture content reduces, the value of B reduces. There is a staggered dissipating in the process of consolidation, in which it is a mutate point when U/P is 80%. It is helpful to establish the pore water pressure model and study the strength-deformation of soil in process of consolidation.     

近20年华北地区土壤水储量变化趋势及水分管理与调配对策

从35个台站土壤湿度实测资料出发,探讨了近20年华北地区土壤水储量变化趋势及时空特征。结果表明:全区年平均0~50 cm土壤水储量总体呈减少趋势,但区域差异明显。土壤变干最显著的两个中心区域分别为京津塘地区和山西西部,次显著中心为内蒙古东部。在0~50 cm深度范围内,从地表面开始,随深度增加,土壤水储量的减少幅度逐渐增加,且季节特征明显,即春秋季减少幅度大于夏冬季。各分区土壤水储量的变化趋势呈现出显著的年代际特征,就0~50 cm土壤水储量而言,各分区存在一个共同特点:1995~2002年均呈明显的波动下降变化趋势。土壤变干的趋势,对华北地区农业和生态具有一定的不利影响,因此结合区域实际提出相应的水分管理与调配措施。     

Softs of Fildes Peninsula, King George Island, the maritime Antarctic: Part I. Formation processes and pedogenetic particularities

Based on the data obtained from tens of the investigated soil profiles scattered over the Fildes Peninsula, King George Island, the maritime Antarctic, the soil-forming processes were discussed. It was concluded that on the weathering crusts resulted from various physical courses, the strong freeze-thaw action within regolith, significant organic matter accumulation, evident leaching and illuviation, as well as initial argillification dominated the formation and development of the soils on the Fildes Peninsula. Furthermore, this study indicated that the juvenility of genesis, poor profile-expression, variation in column thickness, etc. characterized the pedogenetic features of the soils of the Fildes Peninsula.     

西安地裂缝场地勘察及受损建筑物的治理

结合地裂缝成因、性质及地质环境,提出了西安地裂缝场地勘察行之有效的方法,对拟建场地进行地裂缝监测,可预报地裂灾害。根据地裂缝对建筑物破坏的特点,结合地基处理技术提出了对受地裂缝影响建筑物治理的方法,对因土地紧张而需在地裂缝影响范围内建造的建筑物,从设计上考虑预纠偏方案作为预防措施     

利用探地雷达观测分析早春融雪前后沙丘表层土壤含水量的时空分布

积雪融水是古尔班通古特沙漠春季植物发育的重要水源, 快速获取早春沙丘的土壤水分变化具有十分重要的生态学意义. 2010年3、 4月分别使用探地雷达进行了多次测量实验, 结果显示: 1)融雪初期, 沙丘顶部土壤的自由水含量最大, 阳坡次之, 且融雪水在重力作用下沿坡面侧向缓慢流动, 在坡底汇集, 主导了融雪初期乃至整个春季沙丘表层土壤水分的分布格局; 2)融雪后期, 由于阴坡积雪和冻土消融相对滞后, 表层土壤含水量略高于阳坡, 而沙丘顶部由于融雪最早且融雪期间水分转移最多而表面最为干燥; 3)通过与时域反射仪的同步测量结果对比, 探地雷达的测量精度被有效控制在0.03范围内, 且探地雷达提供的连续数据更有利于从细节上把握土壤含水量的变化趋势, 为中小尺度土壤水分的动态研究提供了一种科学、 有效的技术手段.     

Improved Platinum-Group Element Extraction by NiS Fire Assay from Chromitite Ore Samples Using a Flux Containing Sodium Metaphosphate

Many chromite-rich rocks contain relatively high concentrations of the platinum-group elements (PGE). In many cases, the phases carrying PGE occur as either platinum-group minerals (PGM) or as base metal sulfides in solid solution in sulfides. In some cases, such as the UG-2 unit of the Bushveld Complex, the PGM are occluded inside chromite grains. Chromites are notably difficult to dissolve in most fluxes and if the chromite contains some PGM the possibility exists that not all the PGE will be recovered during fusion. In this work, shortcomings in published methods of analysis based on the nickel sulfide fire assay procedure were investigated and a new procedure developed based on the addition of sodium metaphosphate to the fusion mixture. Optimum composition of the fusion mixture was found to be 10 g sodium metaphosphate and 9 g silica to 10 g sample, 15 g sodium carbonate, 30 g lithium tetraborate, 7.5 g nickel and 4.5 g sulfur to achieve complete dissolution of chromite grains. The new flux mixture was evaluated by the analysis of reference material CHR-Pt+ (which is known to contain PGM inside chromite grains) and no undissolved chromite grains were found in the glassy slag. Analysis of the nickel sulfide beads from this fire assay using neutron activation analysis showed similar results for Rh and Ru when compared with published conventional true (or accepted) values, while Au, Ir, Os, Pd and Pt values determined here were 10 to 30% higher than the corresponding published conventional true values. It was concluded that the addition of sodium metaphosphate improved chromite dissolution in the flux and appears to improve PGE recovery.