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Mining Area (mining + area)

Distribution by Scientific Domains

Earth and Environmental Science	72%
Life Sciences	27%

Selected Abstracts

SHRIMP U-Pb Zircon Age of the Inishi Migmatite around the Kamioka Mining Area, Hida Metamorphic Complex, Central Japan

RESOURCE GEOLOGY, Issue 1 2006
Masatoshi Sakoda
Abstract. SHRIMP U-Pb ages were determined on single zircons separated from the Inishi migmatite in the Kamioka mining area, Hida metamorphic complex, central Japan. Twenty one determinations were distributed within the age of 234.2±1.8 Ma, excluding one inner core of a grain. As the analyzed crystals were mostly euhedral igneous zircons, the age indicates the crystallization of zircons from granitic melt during the formation of Inishi migmatite. The age of ca. 234 Ma corresponded to the later stage of the major regional metamorphic event in the Hida complex, while the age of ca. 265 Ma determined in a grain suggested the inherited age of the earlier phase of the metamorphism. [source]

Petrochemistry of Volcanic Rocks in the Hishikari Mining Area of Southern Japan, with Implications for the Relative Contribution of Lower Crust and Mantle-derived Basalt

RESOURCE GEOLOGY, Issue 4 2003
Takahiro Hosono
Abstract. This study presents the petrographical, mineralogical, and geochemical characteristics of Late Pliocene-Pleistocene volcanic rocks distributed in the Hishikari gold mining area of southern Kyushu, Japan, and discusses their origin and evolution. The Hishikari volcanic rocks (HVR), on the basis of age and chemical compositions, are divided into the Kurosonsan (2.4,1.0 Ma) and Shishimano (1.7,0.5 Ma) Groups, which occur in the northern and southern part of the area, respectively. Each group is composed of three andesites and one rhyodacite. HVR are characterized by high concentrations of incompatible elements compared with other volcanic rocks in southern Kyushu, and have low Sr/Nd and high Th/U, Th/Pb, and U/Pb ratios compared with typical subduction-related arc volcanic rocks. Modal and whole-rock compositions of the HVR change systematically with the age of the rocks. Mafic mineral and augite/hypersthene ratios of the andesites decrease with decreasing age in the Kurosonsan Group, whereas in the Shishimano Group, these ratios are higher in the youngest andesite. Similarly, major and trace element compositions of the younger andesites in the former group are enriched in felsic components, whereas in the latter group the youngest andesite is more mafic than older andesites. Moreover, the crystallization temperature of phenocryst minerals decreases with younger age in the former group, whereas the opposite trend is seen in the latter group. Another significant feature is that rhyodacite in the Shishimano Group is enriched in felsic minerals and incompatible elements, and exhibits higher crystallization temperatures of phenocryst minerals than the rhyodacite of the Kurosonsan Group. Geochemical attributes of the HVR and other volcanic rocks in southern Kyushu indicate that a lower subcontinental crust, characterized by so-called EMI-type Sr-Nd and DUPAL anomaly-like Pb isotopic compositions, is distributed beneath the upper to middle crust of the Shimanto Supergroup. The HVR would be more enriched in felsic materials derived from the lower crust by high-alumina basaltic magma from the mantle than volcanic rocks in other areas of southern Kyushu. The Kurosonsan Group advanced the degree of the lower crust contribution with decreasing age from 51 %, through 61 and 66 % to 77 %. In the Shishimano Group, the younger rhyodacite and andesite are derived from hotter magmas with smaller amounts of lower crust component (58 and 57 %) than the older two andesites (65 % and 68 %). We suggest that the Shishimano rhyodacite, which is considered to be responsible for gold mineralization, was formed by large degree of fractional crystallization of hot basaltic andesite magma with less lower crustal component. [source]

Assessment and management of air quality in a mining area

ENVIRONMENTAL QUALITY MANAGEMENT, Issue 4 2003
S.K. Chaulya
First page of article [source]

Biological Cycles of Mineral Elements in a Young Mixed Stand in Abandoned Mining Soils

JOURNAL OF INTEGRATIVE PLANT BIOLOGY, Issue 9 2007
Da-Lun Tian
Abstract Phytoremediation as a sustainable and inexpensive technology based on the removal of pollutants from the environment by plants is becoming an increasingly important objective in plant research. In this study, biological cycles of five nutrient elements (N, P, K, Ca, and Mg) and eight heavy metal elements (Fe, Cu, Zn, Mn, Cd, Ni, Pb and Co) were examined in young paniculed goldraintree (Koelreuteria paniculata Laxm) and common elaeocarpus (Elaeocarpus decipens) mixed stands in an abandoned mining area. We found that after vegetation restoration in abandoned mining areas, the organic matter and concentrations of nutrient elements were significantly increased and the heavy metal elements were significantly decreased, the annual retention, uptake and return were 75.0, 115.4, and 40.3 kg/hm2 for nutrient elements, and 1 878.0, 3 231.0 and 1 353.0 g/hm2 for heavy metal elements, respectively, with the utilization coefficient, cycling coefficient and turnover rate of 0.92, 0.35 and 0.32 for nutrient elements, and 1.24, 0.42 and 1.92 for heavy metal elements, respectively. Our results suggested that the vegetation restoration in abandoned mining areas had significant effects in improving environmental conditions, enhancing soil available nutrients, and ensuring human health. [source]

Variations in Chemical Composition of Clay Minerals and Magnetic Susceptibility of Hydrothermally Altered Rocks in the Hishikari Epithermal Gold Deposit, SW Kyushu, Japan

RESOURCE GEOLOGY, Issue 1 2008
Hiroyasu Murakami
Abstract Hydrothermal alteration, involving chiefly chlorite and illite, is extensively distributed within host rocks of the Pleistocene Hishikari Lower Andesites (HLA) and the Cretaceous Shimanto Supergroup (SSG) in the underground mining area of the Hishikari epithermal gold deposit, Kagoshima, Japan. Approximately 60% of the mineable auriferous quartz-adularia veins in the Honko vein system occur in sedimentary rocks of the SSG, whereas all the veins of the Yamada vein system occur in volcanic rocks of the HLA. Variations in the abundance and chemical composition of hydrothermal minerals and magnetic susceptibility of the hydrothermally altered rocks of the HLA and SSG were analyzed. In volcanic rocks of the HLA, hydrothermal minerals such as quartz, chlorite, adularia, illite, and pyrite replaced primary minerals. The amount of hydrothermal minerals in the volcanic rocks including chlorite, adularia, illite, and pyrite as well as the altered and/or replaced pyroxenes and plagioclase phenocrysts increases toward the veins in the Honko vein system. The vein-centered variation in mineral assemblage is pronounced within up to 25 m from the veins in the peripheral area of the Honko vein system, whereas it is not as apparent in the Yamada vein system. The hydrothermal minerals in sandstone of the SSG occur mainly as seams less than a few millimeters thick and are sporadically observed in halos along the veins and/or the seams. The alteration halos in sandstone of the SSG are restricted to within 1 m of the veins. In the peripheral area of the Honko vein system, chlorite in volcanic rocks is characterized by increasing in Al in its tetrahedral layer and the Fe/Fe + Mg ratio toward the veins, while illite in volcanic rocks has relatively low K and a restricted range of Fe/Fe + Mg ratios. Temperature estimates derived from chlorite geothermometry rise toward the veins within the volcanic rocks. The magnetic susceptibility of tuff breccia of the HLA varies from 21 to less than 0.01 × 10,3 SI within a span of 40 m from the veins and has significant variation relative to that of andesite (27,0.06 × 10,3 SI). The variation peripheral to the Honko vein system correlates with an increase in the abundance of hematite pseudomorphs after magnetite, the percentage of adularia and chlorite with high Fe/Fe + Mg ratios, and the degree of plagioclase alteration with decreasing distance to the veins. In contrast, sedimentary rocks of the SSG maintain a consistent magnetic susceptibility across the alteration zone, within a narrow range from 0.3 to 0.2 × 10,3 SI. Magnetic susceptibility of volcanic rocks of the HLA, especially tuff breccia, could serve as an effective exploration tool for identifying altered volcanic rocks. [source]

SHRIMP U-Pb Zircon Age of the Inishi Migmatite around the Kamioka Mining Area, Hida Metamorphic Complex, Central Japan

Petrochemistry of Volcanic Rocks in the Hishikari Mining Area of Southern Japan, with Implications for the Relative Contribution of Lower Crust and Mantle-derived Basalt

Fungal biodegradation of hard coal by a newly reported isolate, Neosartorya fischeri

BIOTECHNOLOGY JOURNAL, Issue 11 2008
Eric E. Igbinigie
Abstract Cynodon dactylon (Bermuda grass) has been observed to grow sporadically on the surface of coal dumps in the Witbank coal mining area of South Africa. Root zone investigation indicated that a number of fungal species may be actively involved in the biodegradation of hard coal, thus enabling the survival of the plant, through mutualistic interaction, in this extreme environment. In an extensive screening program of over two thousand samples, the Deuteromycete, Neosartorya fischeri, was isolated and identified. The biodegradation of coal by N. fischeri was tested in flask studies and in a perfusion fixed-bed bioreactor used to simulate the coal dump environment. The performance of N. fischeri was compared to Phanaerochaete chrysosporium and Trametes (Polyporus) versicolor, previously described in coal biodegradation studies. Fourier transform infrared spectrometry and pyrolysis gas chromatography mass spectrometry of the biodegradation product indicated oxidation of the coal surface and nitration of the condensed aromatic structures of the coal macromolecule as possible reaction mechanisms in N. fischeri coal biodegradation. This is a first report of N. fischeri -mediated coal biodegradation and, in addition to possible applications in coal biotechnology, the findings may enable development of sustainable technologies in coal mine rehabilitation. [source]

U-Pb SHRIMP Dating of Zircon from Quartz Veins of the Yangshan Gold Deposit in Gansu Province and Its Geological Significance

ACTA GEOLOGICA SINICA (ENGLISH EDITION), Issue 2 2004
QI Jinzhong
Abstract, The Yangshan gold deposit is a super-large fine-grained disseminated gold deposit located in southern Gansu Province. Its metallogenic age has been determined by using the cathodoluminescence image and ion probe U-Pb dating techniques. It is found that zircons from quartz veinlet of the fine-grained disseminated gold ore show characters of magmatic origin with prism idiomorphism, oscillatory zoning and dominant Th/U ratios of 0.5,1.5. Three main populations of zircons are obtained, giving average 206Pb/238U ages of 197.6±1.7 Ma, 126.9±3.2 Ma and 51.2±1.3 Ma respectively. The first age corresponds to the K-Ar age of the plagiogranite dike, while the latter two ages indicate that buried Cretaceous and Tertiary intrusives exist in the orefield, suggesting that the Yangshan gold deposit was genetically related to the three magmatic hydrothermal activities. By contrast, zircons from coarse gold-bearing quartz vein in the mining area are much older than the host rock, indicating that the vein was formed earlier and was not contaminated by later magmatic fluids. It is concluded that the coupling of multiperiodic hydrothermal activities in the mining area has contributed a lot to mineralization of the Yangshan gold deposit. [source]

Mobilization of metals from uranium mine waste: the role of pyoverdines produced by Pseudomonas fluorescens

GEOBIOLOGY, Issue 4 2010
F. EDBERG
Microorganisms produce chelating agents, such as siderophores and other ligands, which allow them to mobilize and scavenge essential elements from the environment when bioavailability is low. To better understand the effects of biologically mediated leaching of metals from mine waste, Pseudomonas fluorescens was cultivated in the presence of processed ore from the former uranium mine in Ranstad, southern Sweden. Light conditions, the concentration of the mineral source and oxygen availability were varied. The presence of ore in the culture flasks enhanced bacterial growth and raised the pH of the culture medium. Increasing the amount of ore or enhancing aeration of the medium further encouraged cell growth and pH rise. Bacteria mobilized Fe, Ni and Co from the ore. Fe-siderophore complexes were detected and estimated to be present at approximately 9 ,m. In the presence of bacteria and light, dissolved Fe and U concentrations were higher compared to dark conditions. Increasing the amount of ore resulted in higher dissolved Ni concentrations but lower dissolved Fe, most likely due to precipitate formation. Data from this study support siderophore production by bacteria that allowed mobilization of essential nutrients from the processed ore. However, the availability of potentially toxic metals like Ni and U may also be enhanced. Microbial-promoted mobilization could contribute to leaching of toxic metals in current and historic mining areas. This process should be considered during design and implementation of remediation projects where trace metals are of environmental concern. [source]