			Home About us Contact

Quarries

Distribution by Scientific Domains

Earth and Environmental Science	51%
Humanities and Social Sciences	33%
Life Sciences	7%
3 Other Domains	9%

Distribution within Earth and Environmental Science

Paleontology, Paleobiology & Geobiology	31%
Geology & Geophysics	9%

Selected Abstracts

AN ASSESSMENT OF VARIABILITY IN THEROPOD DINOSAUR REMAINS FROM THE BATHONIAN (MIDDLE JURASSIC) OF STONESFIELD AND NEW PARK QUARRY, UK AND TAXONOMIC IMPLICATIONS FOR MEGALOSAURUS BUCKLANDII AND ILIOSUCHUS INCOGNITUS

PALAEONTOLOGY, Issue 4 2009
ROGER B. J. BENSON
Abstract:, The assemblage of large-bodied theropod remains from the Taynton Limestone Formation (middle Bathonian) of Stonesfield, Oxfordshire and the Chipping Norton Limestone Formation (lowest Bathonian) of New Park Quarry, Gloucestershire, UK is interpreted as monospecific. An assessment of morphological variation in theropod fossils from these localities reveals no taxonomically-significant variation among remains representing large-bodied individuals. Previous observations of anatomical variation among femora, ilia and scapulocoracoids are attributed to postmortem damage and deformation. Referral of all such material to the first named dinosaur taxon, Megalosaurus bucklandii Mantell, is therefore justified. ,Iliosuchus incognitus' lacks autapomorphies and is a nomen dubium. However, other remains of small-bodied theropods from Stonesfield indicate a minimum of two small-bodied taxa that are distinct from M. bucklandii. [source]

Soilscape and land-use evolution related to drift sand movements since the bronze age in Eastern Jutland, Denmark

GEOARCHAEOLOGY: AN INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL, Issue 2 2007
Jari Hinsch Mikkelsen
Quarry faces several kilometers long in the Glesborg area in Denmark show that Bronze Age farmers used a sustainable land-use system. Despite nutrient-poor soils, the Glesborg area was under a rotation system in which cropland alternated with grassland. Soil fertility was improved by the addition of household waste and probably also by locally obtained inorganic fertilizer. The soil surface was very stable, and local drift sand movement was limited. Toward the end of the Bronze Age, the landscape changed dramatically with the arrival of overwhelming amounts of drift sand, and farmsteads were abandoned. Subsequent land use on these poor fine sandy soils was no longer capable of maintaining a stable soil surface, and frequent erosion/sedimentation events of more local importance took place. The post-Bronze Age landscape may have been mainly a shifting mosaic of heathland with some temporary arable fields and deflation/accumulation areas. This landscape persisted up to about 200 years ago, when afforestation programs started. © 2007 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. [source]

AN ASSESSMENT OF VARIABILITY IN THEROPOD DINOSAUR REMAINS FROM THE BATHONIAN (MIDDLE JURASSIC) OF STONESFIELD AND NEW PARK QUARRY, UK AND TAXONOMIC IMPLICATIONS FOR MEGALOSAURUS BUCKLANDII AND ILIOSUCHUS INCOGNITUS

A RE-EVALUATION OF SPHENACODONTID SYNAPSID MATERIAL FROM THE LOWER PERMIAN FISSURE FILLS NEAR RICHARDS SPUR, OKLAHOMA

PALAEONTOLOGY, Issue 1 2009
DAVID C. EVANS
Abstract:, Early Permian terrestrial vertebrate faunal assemblages of Laurasia are dominated by large ophiacodontid, sphenacodontid, and edaphosaurid synapsids. This pattern contrasts with the fauna recovered from the Early Permian fissure fill deposits near Richards Spur, Oklahoma, where derived nontherapsid synapsids are rare. The fragmentary remains of Thrausmosaurus serratidens constitute the only published report of Sphenacodontidae from this locality. Here, we re-evaluate T. serratidens in light of new information on the faunal assemblage of this locality. We confirm that the type material of T. serratidens cannot be assigned to Sphenacodontidae and conclude that it pertains to an indeterminate varanopid. We also describe new material, including a partial maxilla, several isolated jaw fragments with teeth, an isolated precaniniform tooth and a posterior cervical vertebra that represents unequivocal sphenacodontid remains from the Richards Spur assemblage. This material is the first definitive record of a eupelycosaurian synapsid other than a varanopid from this important locality. Faunal similarities between Richards Spur and the Bromacker Quarry, Germany, may be reflective of upland terrestrial communities during the Early Permian. [source]

A New Jawless Vertebrate from the Middle Devonian of Scotland

PALAEONTOLOGY, Issue 1 2001
M. J. Newman
A new jawless vertebrate, Cornovichthys blaauweni gen. et sp. nov., is described from a single complete specimen from the Achanarras fish bed at Achanarras Quarry in Caithness, northern Scotland. The Achanarras fish bed consists of lacustrine laminites and was deposited in a major deep-water phase of the Orcadian lake during the deposition of the cyclic Caithness Flagstone Group. The Achanarras fish bed is of Middle Devonian (Eifelian) age. The new animal compares closely with Euphanerops, one ofthe Frasnian ,anaspids' (Hyperoartii) of the Escuminac Formation at Miguasha, Quebec, Canada. [source]

THE PROPERTIES AND IDENTIFICATION OF MARBLE FROM PROCONNESOS (MARMARA ISLAND, TURKEY): A NEW DATABASE INCLUDING ISOTOPIC, EPR AND PETROGRAPHIC DATA*

ARCHAEOMETRY, Issue 5 2008
D. ATTANASIO
This paper reports an updated and enlarged archaeometric database of Proconnesos marbles with the aim of attaining more reliable inter- and intra-site identification. Quarry and artefact samples (n = 397) from 23 different quarrying areas were characterized using petrographic, isotopic and EPR results. The most distinct property of Proconnesos marbles is their extremely weak EPR intensity, associated with the low concentration of Mn2+impurities. This feature, supported by the contribution of other important isotopic and petrographic variables, forms the basis for the correct identification of Proconnesos marbles. Within the site the distribution of properties is relatively homogeneous; only limited intra-site discrimination is possible. All the experimental results, as well as the quarry samples are made available to other researchers willing to measure additional experimental properties, thus increasing the rate of within the site discrimination. Extensive survey has proved that, although about 10% of the samples exhibit maximum grain size below 1.0 mm, no locations exist where fine grained marbles could be intentionally quarried. The historical aspects of Proconnesos marble quarrying and usage are also discussed. [source]

Influence of Potsdam sandstone on the trace element signatures of some 19th-century American and Canadian glass: Redwood, Redford, Mallorytown, and Como,Hudson

GEOARCHAEOLOGY: AN INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL, Issue 5 2008
J. Victor Owen
Potsdam sandstone from quarries and outcrops near 19th-century glassworks sites in Redwood, NY, and Saranac, NY, Mallorytown, ON, and Como and Hudson, QC, commonly contains _97% silica, so in terms of its purity can compete with other historical producers of silica sand (e.g., Cheshire quartzite, MA; southern New Jersey sand). Exploratory analysis of trace element data using multidimensional scaling (MDS) shows that geographically distinct sources of Potsdam sandstone can be distinguished from one another and from competing sources of silica sand, particularly in terms of high field strength elements (e.g., Nb, Y, Ti, Zr), the rare earth elements, and radioactive elements (U, Th), and this geochemical signature is carried through to the glass it was used to manufacture. Other trace elements (e.g., Ba, Sr, Rb) are concentrated in various batch ingredients (e.g., limestone, alkali fluxes). The Hf/Nb, La/Ce, Nb/Th, and La/Zr ratios for each type of glass and nearby Potsdam sandstone sources cluster together in distinct fields on MDS plots. These data confirm the use of Potsdam sandstone in these important historical glassworks, and show that except for material sampled from neighboring communities (Mallorytown and Redwood), trace elements can be used to identify specific sources of silica historically used by the glassmaking industry. © 2008 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. [source]

Geochemical comparisons of silicified rhyolites from two prehistoric quarries and 11 prehistoric projectile points, Socorro County, New Mexico, U.S.A.

GEOARCHAEOLOGY: AN INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL, Issue 3 2004
Robert D. Dello-Russo
This paper documents the results of nondestructive X-ray fluorescence (XRF) geochemical analyses and comparisons of silicified rhyolites from the Black Canyon and Sedillo Hill prehistoric quarries near Socorro, New Mexico, and subsequent comparisons of the quarry rhyolites with 11 temporally diagnostic projectile points. At the current level of analysis, findings indicate that (1) the two quarries are chemically distinct and (2) the lithic materials of two projectile points match the silicified rhyolite from the Black Canyon quarry, suggesting quarry use during the Early Archaic period (4800,3200 B.C.) and the Late Archaic period (1800,800 B.C.). A close match between the Black Canyon rhyolite and one other point provides tentative support for use of the quarry during the Clovis Paleoindian period (9500,9000 B.C.). Additional geochemical analyses of the two quarries and other regional sources should be undertaken to verify these results and further expand our understanding of prehistoric mobility in the Southwest. © 2004 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. [source]

Origin of post-Minoan caves and volcaniclastic cave fill, Thera (Santorini), Greece

GEOARCHAEOLOGY: AN INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL, Issue 5 2003
Joan M. Ramage
The Aegean island of Thera (Santorini) was covered by tephra from its cataclysmic Late Bronze Age (ca. 3600 yr B.P.) eruption. Vertical exposures of the eruptive sequence show secondary, nonvolcanic, circular (in cross section) features composed of stratified sediment. Many are inaccessible from the floors of modern quarries and appear to be caves filled with younger sediment, but show no connection to the land surface. A filled cave was found in the wall of a modern gully outside the modern quarries, and a filled cave was found in a terrace scarp, well above the modern gully. Natural (and probably rapid) incision by gullies into the thick tephra deposit left many locations with lateral access to tephra. Inhabitants from post-Minoan to recent times excavated tephra for materials and buildings, and caves were subsequently filled by sporadic (possibly seasonal) flood events that deposited sediment. These gullies may have provided access for modern tephra removal that isolated the filled caves high on the modern quarry walls. © 2003 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. [source]

Hornton Stone: battlefields, buildings and Jurassic seas

GEOLOGY TODAY, Issue 4 2009
Jonathan D. Radley
The Hornton Stone is an unusually pure ooidal ironstone of the Lower Jurassic Marlstone Rock Formation, cropping out on the Edge Hill escarpment and adjacent ironstone plateau in central England. The stone has been quarried for building and ornamental purposes since Medieval times, and more recently as a source of iron ore. Local quarries and buildings provide excellent opportunities to appreciate its fossil content, sedimentary structures and origin. [source]

Spontaneous succession in limestone quarries as an effective restoration tool for endangered arthropods and plants

JOURNAL OF APPLIED ECOLOGY, Issue 1 2010
Robert Tropek
Summary 1. The view of post-mining sites is rapidly changing among ecologists and conservationists, as sensitive restoration using spontaneous succession may turn such sites into biodiversity refuges in human-exploited regions. However, technical reclamation, consisting of covering the sites by topsoil, sowing fast-growing herb mixtures and planting trees, is still commonly adopted. Until now, no multi-taxa study has compared technically reclaimed sites and sites left with spontaneous succession. 2. We sampled communities of vascular plants and 10 arthropod groups in technically reclaimed and spontaneously restored plots in limestone quarries in the Bohemian Karst, Czech Republic. For comparison, we used paired t -tests and multivariate methods, emphasizing red-list status and habitat specialization of individual species. 3. We recorded 692 species of target taxa, with a high proportion of red-listed (10%) and xeric specialist (14%) species, corroborating the great conservation potential of the quarries. 4. Spontaneously restored post-mining sites did not differ in species richness from the technical reclaimed sites but they supported more rare species. The microhabitat cover of leaf litter, herbs and moss, were all directly influenced by the addition of topsoil during reclamation. 5.Synthesis and applications. Our results show that the high conservation potential of limestone quarries could be realized by allowing succession to progress spontaneously with minimal intervention. Given the threat to semi-natural sparsely vegetated habitats in many regions, active restoration measures at post-mining sites should be limited to maintenance of early successional stages, instead of acceleration of succession. [source]

Integration of arbuscular mycorrhiza inoculation in hydroseeding technology: effects on plant growth and inter-species competition

LAND DEGRADATION AND DEVELOPMENT, Issue 6 2007
V. Estaún
Abstract Hydroseeding is a technique increasingly used to establish vegetation on large degraded areas, such as large-scale road construction sites and quarries. Native grasses and legume species are used on rehabilitation and restoration projects as a first step in the recovery of such places, prior to the establishment of native forbs and shrubs that occurs at a slower pace. The effect of mycorrhizal inoculation on the development of nine species of grasses and legumes that can be potentially used in restoration processes in the Mediterranean area was studied, in microcosm experiments under greenhouse conditions. The effect of adding arbuscular mycorrhizal (AM) inoculum to a hydroseeding mixture was also investigated in greenhouse and in field conditions. In the hydroseeding experiments the mycorrhizal inoculum was added to the seed slurry in a jet agitated hydroseeding machine and sprayed to the soil surface with a pressurised spray in a one-step application. The study shows that Glomus intraradices Schenk & Smith BEG72 is able to establish the symbiosis when applied at sowing while Glomus mosseae (Nicol. & Gerd.) Gerdemann & Trappe BEG116 is not. It also confirms that legumes are more highly mycotrophic than grasses. The results of the hydroseeding experiments demonstrate the establishment of the symbiosis using this technology, both in the greenhouse and in the field. Mycorrhizal inoculation improved above ground plant growth and increased the legumes/grasses ratio. Copyright © 2007 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [source]

New anomalocaridid appendages from the Burgess Shale, Canada

PALAEONTOLOGY, Issue 4 2010
ALLISON C. DALEY
Abstract:, The complex history of description of the anomalocaridids has partly been caused by the fragmentary nature of these fossils. Frontal appendages and mouth parts are more readily preserved than whole-body assemblages, so the earliest work on these animals examined these structures in isolation. After several decades of research, these disarticulated elements were assembled together to reconstruct the anomalocaridid body plan, and a total of three Burgess Shale genera, Anomalocaris, Laggania and Hurdia, were described in full. Here we present new frontal appendage material of additional anomalocaridid taxa from the ,Middle' Cambrian (Series 3) Burgess Shale Formation in Canada, showing that the diversity of anomalocaridids in this locality is even higher than previously thought. Material includes Amplectobelua stephenensis sp. nov., the first known occurrence of this genus outside of China; Caryosyntrips serratus gen. et sp. nov., which is similar to the Anomalocaris appendage but has a straighter outline and a different arrangement of spines; and an appendage that may be either the Laggania appendage or a third morph of the Hurdia appendage. The new anomalocaridid material is contemporaneous with the previously described taxa Anomalocaris, Laggania, and Hurdia, and the differences in morphology between the frontal appendages may reflect different feeding strategies. The stratigraphically lowest locality, S7 on Mount Stephen, yields material from all anomalocaridid taxa, but the assemblages in the younger quarries on Fossil Ridge are dominated by Anomalocaris and Hurdia only. [source]

Smoke, Mulch, and Seed Broadcasting Effects on Woodland Restoration in Western Australia

RESTORATION ECOLOGY, Issue 2 2002
Deanna P. Rokich
Abstract Smoke, canopy-derived mulch, and broadcast seeds were used to maximize the establishment of Banksia woodland species in sand quarries in Western Australia. Smoke, particularly aerosol smoke, had a positive effect on total seedling recruitment. Pre-mined (woodland) sites showed a 42-fold increase in total germinants and a 3-fold increase in the number of species with aerosol smoke application. Post-mined (restored) sites showed only a 3.6-fold increase in total germinants and a 1.4-fold increase in the number of species. Two water-based smoke chemicals, DC10 (pH 4.5) and SC63 (pH 2.5), increased seedling recruitment at both sites but were not as effective in stimulating recruitment as aerosol smoke. Neither of the chemicals were effective in significantly increasing species richness. Application of aerosol smoke directly to seeds as a pretreatment before broadcasting had no effect on seedling recruitment. Broadcasting of seeds onto restoration sites significantly increased seedling abundance and richness. Application of a single layer of mulch from the canopy vegetation after seed broadcasting gave optimum seedling recruitment. Two layers of mulch significantly reduced recruitment, as did applying mulch before seed broadcasting. For broad-scale restoration, the application of smoke on newly restored sites would be more effectively achieved using smoke water sprayed over the soil surface. Species that do not recruit from replaced topsoil could be effectively recovered from broadcast seed rather than from mulch. [source]

Vegetation succession in basalt quarries: Pattern on a landscape scale

APPLIED VEGETATION SCIENCE, Issue 2 2003
Jan Novák
Abstract. A spatio-temporal variation of vegetation during spontaneous succession was studied in 56 basalt quarries spread over 1800 km2 in the ,eské st,edoho,í Hills (NW Czech Republic, Central Europe). Differences in the particular habitats inside a quarry, i.e. steep rocky slopes, bottoms and levels; dumps; and screes were considered. The habitats ranged in age from 1 to 78 yr since abandonment. Macroclimate (mean annual temperature and precipitation) significantly influenced the course of succession, which led to a formation of shrubby grassland, shrubby woodland or tall woodland. Participation of target species typical of steppe-like communities significantly depended on the occurrence of the communities in the vicinity, up to a distance of 30 m from a quarry. Disused quarries may become refugia for rare plant species. Spontaneous successional processes led in the reasonable time of ca. 20 yr to semi-natural vegetation. Thus, they can be successfully exploited in restoration programs scheduled for the disused quarries. [source]

Petrological characterisation of ,alabaster' from the Marib province in Yemen and its use as an ornamental stone in Sabaean culture

ARABIAN ARCHAEOLOGY AND EPIGRAPHY, Issue 1 2009
Christian Weiss
,Yemen alabaster', a calcareous sinter, is a unique building and ornamental stone of the Sabaean culture (c. 1000 BC to 100 AD). This study characterises the quarries and describes the facies of their stones. Through thin sections, luminescence microscopy and geochemical analyses, ,Yemen alabaster' can be classified and assigned a quarry source. The stone is a calcareous sinter related to volcanism in the Marib province. It can be divided into several microfacies types different in luminescence and trace element contents. During Sabaean times it was mined in highly organised quarries including underground quarries and used extensively in the Sabaean kingdom. [source]

Mission archéologique de Madain Salih (Arabie Saoudite) : Recherches menées de 2001 à 2003 dans l'ancienne Hijrsa des Nabatéens (1)

ARABIAN ARCHAEOLOGY AND EPIGRAPHY, Issue 1 2006
L. Nehmé
This contribution presents the preliminary results of the Madain Salih archaeological project, which started in 2001 and which, in December 2004, completed its fourth field season. The aims of this five-year project are a systematic recording of the archaeological remains at the site as well as an analysis of its agricultural potential. The former include not only the tombs, sanctuaries, wells, quarries, walls, buildings, etc., but also the inscriptions written in various scripts and languages. Parallel to this exploration of what is visible on the surface, an extensive geophysical survey was undertaken in the so-called residential area, in the central part of the site, in order to obtain an image of the sub-surface remains. This contribution begins with a presentation of the sources, followed by a brief history of the exploration of Madain Salih. The focus is on the conditions which allowed this project to be established as well as the problematics which guided it. J.-B. Rigot then presents his analysis of the agricultural potential of the site, demonstrating the existence, in antiquity, of a large oasis. Finally, a preliminary description of the main components of the sites: the necropoleis, the sanctuaries and the residential area, is given. [source]

A GEOARCHAEOLOGICAL STUDY OF THE ANCIENT QUARRIES OF SIDI GHEDAMSY ISLAND (MONASTIR, TUNISIA)

ARCHAEOMETRY, Issue 4 2010
M. E. GAIED
Amongst a large number of ancient quarries scattered along the North African coast, those at Sidi Ghedamsy (Monastir, Tunisia) have supplied building stones of Pliocene age. Two lithofacies have been distinguished in the quarry faces: (i) fine sandy limestone, which has been used in the construction of Roman and Arabic monuments; and (ii) porous and coarse limy sandstone, which is of bad quality for construction. Laboratory analysis results confirm that the exploitation of stone in antiquity was well focused on the levels containing the first type. This is confirmed by geotechnical tests, which show that the fine sandy limestone is harder and less porous than the coarse limy sandstone. Extraction of these stones began in the Roman period. The Romans exploited the quarries using steel tools that permitted the extraction of blocks from several levels. In the eighth century, Arabic quarry workers continued the stone extraction using the same technique, but they produced blocks of small and medium size. Statistical measurements have been done on the quarry faces and on the walls of the Ribat in order to understand the degree of conformity between the dimensions of the extracted blocks and those used for building, and ultimately to attempt to date the quarries and the construction of the Ribat. [source]

SCIENTIFIC CHARACTERIZATION OF THE POHORJE MARBLES, SLOVENIA

ARCHAEOMETRY, Issue 2 2010
S. JARC
As a former part of the great Roman Empire, Slovenia has many archaeological sites featuring buildings and objects entirely or partly constructed from marble whose provenance is doubtful. In Slovenia, the most probable source of such marble is the Pohorje Mountains. For the purpose of supporting further provenance studies, these marbles are fully scientifically characterized. The techniques used are petrographic and geochemical analysis, stable isotope ratio analysis and EPR spectroscopy. The results show that the Pohorje marbles are highly heterogeneous in both their isotopic and geochemical parameters as well as grain sizes. The parameters of the different Pohorje marble outcrops are compared between themselves and with the parameters of known ancient quarries in the Mediterranean and Austria. The use of a multi-technique approach with combined parameters allows the best possible discrimination. [source]

TOWARDS A QUANTITATIVE PETROGRAPHIC DATABASE OF KHMER STONE MATERIALS,KOH KER STYLE SCULPTURE

ARCHAEOMETRY, Issue 2 2010
F. CARÒ
A comprehensive quantitative petrographic database of sandstones used by the Khmers for sculptural purposes would be a helpful tool for archaeologists, museum curators and others interested in pursuing research on early stone usage, geological source and provenance. Towards that end, this paper presents quantitative petrographic analysis of stone materials used in the production of some free-standing sculptures and architectural elements in the Koh Ker style of the 10th century from the collections of the National Museum of Cambodia and The Metropolitan Museum of Art. These materials are compared to samples from the quarry of Thmâ Anlong near the foothills of the Phnom Kulen, Sieam Reap province. Primary and secondary detrital modes and key grain-size parameters are used to identify three sandstone types. The free-standing sculptures are carved from feldspathic arenite and feldspato-lithic to litho-feldspathic arenite. Finely carved lintels are worked from a quartz arenite, which is significantly richer in quartz grains and of a finer grain size. The geological source of the two other lithotypes will have to await detailed geological survey of the Koh Ker area accompanied by petrographic study of selected samples from documented quarries. The significance and potentiality of quantitative petrographic study of Khmer stone materials are shown in supporting and integrating archaeological investigations in South-East Asia. [source]

MARBLE PROVENANCE INVESTIGATION OF ROMAN SARCOPHAGI FROM THESSALONIKI*

ARCHAEOMETRY, Issue 1 2010
Y. MANIATIS
The provenance question of the marbles used for making the sarcophagi of local production of Thessaloniki in the Roman period had been posed by archaeologists in the past. The hypothesis was that the material came mainly from the quarries of Thassos Island. This paper presents the scientific analysis of 23 characteristic samples from selected sarcophagi at the Museum of Thessaloniki, using three different techniques: electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR) spectroscopy, stable isotope analysis and maximum grain size measurements, plus in-situ examination. New combinations of parameters were used in order to resolve fully the provenance of all samples. The results showed that the vast majority of the objects were indeed made in Thassian marble but from three different quarries, namely Vathy/Saliara (dolomitic marble), Aliki (calcitic marble) and Acropolis/Phanari (calcitic marble). The calcitic marbles from Aliki and to a lesser degree from Acropolis/Phanari are met in all the basic types of sarcophagi (framed type, plain type, garland sarcophagi). The use of the better quality and snow-white dolomitic marble from Vathy/Saliara quarries is relatively restricted and is often found in works that are above the average regarding the quality of their workmanship. In addition, two sarcophagi were made in Pentlelic marble and one in Proconnesian. The scientific analysis results provide a good confirmation of the archaeological estimates and, furthermore, the conclusions constitute henceforth a secure basis for the study of the entire sculptured works of Thessaloniki. [source]

A NEW METHOD FOR THE DETERMINATION OF THE PROVENANCE OF WHITE MARBLES BY CHEMICAL ANALYSIS OF INCLUSION FLUIDS: THE MARBLES OF THE MAUSOLEUM OF BELEVI/TURKEY*

ARCHAEOMETRY, Issue 1 2010
W. PROCHASKA
A new method is presented in this paper to pinpoint the origin of white marbles using the chemical analysis of fluids occurring as micro-inclusions in calcitic or dolomitic marbles. Beside the conventional methods usually applied for this purpose, the analyses of significant anions and cations in fluids extracted from white marbles were used to characterize different types of marbles. Using this new approach it is possible to distinguish different groups of marbles which cannot be separated isotopically. A case study was performed on the mausoleum of Belevi, close to Ephesus in Turkey, and the quarries in the area of the mausoleum. The marbles used for the architecture of the mausoleum cannot be distinguished isotopically but were split into two groups when using fluid inclusion analysis. The corresponding quarry for the high-quality marble (cella walls, columns etc.) turned out to be the Kentli Çiftli?i quarry, which also supplied the marbles for the classical Artemision. According to the chemical and fluid data it can be shown, however, that neither the adjacent famous antique quarry of Belevi nor the underground mine of Kusini, some 5 km away from the mausoleum, are the sources for the marbles used for the construction or decoration of the mausoleum. [source]

MINERO-PETROGRAPHIC AND GEOCHEMICAL CHARACTERIZATION OF ,GRECO SCRITTO' MARBLE FROM CAP DE GARDE, NEAR HIPPO REGIUS (ANNABA, ALGERIA)*

ARCHAEOMETRY, Issue 3 2009
F. ANTONELLI
This work presents the results of the first mineralogical, petrographical and geochemical characterization of the marble quarried from the Cap de Garde headland, not far from Annaba (Algeria). This site is traditionally held by archaeologists to be the main source of supply of the so-called ,greco scritto' marble, which was much used by the Romans for architectural and decorative,ornamental purposes, locally from the first century bc, and in Rome and central and southern Italy from the late Flavian period until the fourth century ad. The databank relating to the quarried material, created here for the first time, is used to establish the origin of ,greco scritto' found in six important Roman cities of North Africa: Hippo Regius and Cuicul (Djemila), in Algeria; Volubilis, in Morocco; Cyrene, in Libya; and Carthage and Utica in Tunisia. The results of this archaeometric study support the hypothesis (already put forward by authors) that the ,greco scritto'used in the Roman Mediterranean originated from different sites, and suggest the existence of a number of North African quarries, also in the vicinity of Annaba. [source]

AN EPR AND ISOTOPIC STUDY OF THE MARBLES OF THE TRAJAN's ARCH AT ANCONA: AN EXAMPLE OF ALLEGED HYMETTIAN PROVENANCE,

ARCHAEOMETRY, Issue 4 2003
D. Attanasio
The provenance of 20 marble samples drawn from the Trajan's arch at Ancona, which is supposed to be made of Greek, Hymettian marble, has been established on the basis of the independent use of EPR and isotopic data. The results of the two methods are in good agreement and unequivocally indicate a Proconnesian provenance. Sixteen samples are assigned to this site, whereas two are classified as untypical Proconnesian samples and the remaining two are assigned an unlikely Parian provenance. No indication exists for a possible Hymettian origin of the marbles. A multi-method approach, which employs all of the experimental variables simultaneously, demonstrates that the 18 samples identified as Proconnesian belong to several different quarrying areas within the site. This result is taken as an indication that the Proconnesian quarries were run following a highly organized, semi-industrial production model. The origin of the Hymettian/Proconnesian misunderstanding and the possible misclassification of other Roman monuments in Italy are briefly commented on. [source]

Experimental and numerical studies on dynamic crack growth in layered slate rock under wedge impact loads: part II , non-plane strain problem

FATIGUE & FRACTURE OF ENGINEERING MATERIALS AND STRUCTURES, Issue 10 2007
M. R. ALAM
ABSTRACT Dynamic crack propagation in non-plane strain (or 3D) slate blocks under wedge impact loads was investigated numerically in this part of the paper. A parabolic-shaped crack trajectory was taken into consideration to model the crack propagation in slate blocks for analyzing the impact splitting of layered slate rock. Major and minor axes of the parabola were determined from the condition of equal mode I stress intensity factors (SIFs) along the crack front. Mode I SIFs were determined for experimental breaking loads for each increment of crack growth in a manner similar to that mentioned in part I of this paper. These values were compared with the plane strain material fracture toughness value obtained from experimental studies and very good agreement was obtained between them, for the case of actual load applied on the specimen. Numerical analysis of a field problem, i.e., separation of a large-sized slate slab from the rock strata in a slate quarry using wedge impacting, was also carried out in this paper. It can be observed that a large magnitude of load is required to break large-sized slate blocks; but this load is applied through a number of smaller load-capacity actuators-in-parallel, requiring large power capacity for the hydraulic pumps. However, this required power could be reduced considerably if the load applied on the line of hydraulic actuators is cascaded across the (line of) actuators (starting from centrally placed actuators) with a small time delay (equal to the initial crushing time in slate rock). [source]

Geochemical comparisons of silicified rhyolites from two prehistoric quarries and 11 prehistoric projectile points, Socorro County, New Mexico, U.S.A.

Stratigraphy of upper Viséan carbonate platform rocks in the Carlow area, southeast Ireland

GEOLOGICAL JOURNAL, Issue 1 2005
P. Cózar
Abstract The stratigraphy of the upper Viséan (Asbian to Brigantian) carbonate succession in southeast Ireland is revised on the basis of seven quarry and two borehole sections. Six lithological units have been distinguished, two units (units 1 and 2) in the upper Asbian Ballyadams Formation, and four units (units 4 to 6) in the Brigantian Clogrenan Formation (both formations are dated precisely using foraminiferans, calcareous algae and rugose corals). The boundary between the Ballyadams and Clogrenan formations is redefined 19,m below the horizon proposed by the Geological Survey of Ireland, and thus, lithological characteristics of both formations are redescribed. The upper part of the Ballyadams Formation is characterized by well-developed large-scale cyclicity, with common subaerial exposure surfaces. Fine- to medium-grained thin-bedded limestones with thin shales occur in the lower part of cycles, passing up into medium-grained pale grey massive limestones in the upper part. The Clogrenan Formation is composed mainly of medium- to coarse-grained thick limestone beds with variable presence of shales; but no large-scale cyclicity. There is a decrease in the number of subaerial exposure surfaces towards the top of the formation and common chert nodules; macrofauna occurs mostly concentrated in bands. The six units recognized in the Carlow area are comparable with other units described for the same time interval (Asbian,Brigantian) from south and southwest Ireland, demonstrating the existence of a stable platform for most parts of southern Ireland, controlled principally by glacioeustatics. Copyright © 2004 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [source]

Biostratigraphical dating of the Thornton Fossil Konservat-Lagerstätte, Silurian, Illinois, USA

GEOLOGICAL JOURNAL, Issue 3 2002
David K. Loydell
Abstract Graptoloid graptolites, conodonts and chitinozoans from the lower part of the Racine Dolomite Formation at the Material Services Corporation quarry at Thornton indicate that the Fossil Konservat-Lagerstätte here is of late Sheinwoodian (early Wenlock) age. It is thus of an age approximately midway between those of the other Midwest Lagerstätten: within the Brandon Bridge Formation at Waukesha (Telychian), and the Mississinewa Shale (Gorstian) and Lecthaylus Shale (Gorstian). Conodonts indicate that the Fossil Konservat-Lagerstätte at Thornton corresponds to the ,post Kockelella walliseri interregnum' sensu Jeppsson (1997, Transactions of the Royal Society of Edinburgh: Earth Sciences88: 91,114). Copyright © 2002 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [source]

Finding the strike direction of fractures using GPR

GEOPHYSICAL PROSPECTING, Issue 3 2001
Soon Jee Seol
GPR reflection energy varies with antenna orientation relative to the strike and dip of the reflector. This directional dependence of GPR responses was investigated through numerical experiments and was used to estimate the azimuth of fractures and joints. Three antenna configurations were considered in this study: perpendicular-broadside (YY mode), parallel-broadside (XX mode) and cross-polarization (YX mode). The reflection energy in the cross-polarization mode shows a shape characteristic similar to the strike, regardless of the dip angle. Those in the other two modes show quite different amplitudes from the strike, depending on the dip angle. We have developed a strike-direction-finding scheme using data obtained from the three different modes for the same survey line. The azimuth angle of each reflector was displayed in colour on the GPR profile. This scheme was applied to a field survey at a granite quarry in southern Korea. The GPR profiles showed different images of the reflectors depending on the antenna configuration. The estimated azimuths of reflectors obtained using our scheme matched fairly well with those of known fractures and joints. [source]

Flocculation analysis and control system by laser diffractometry at industrial scale

AICHE JOURNAL, Issue 1 2008
Mohamed Bizi
Abstract The flocculant injection control system efficiency was evaluated on-site in an aggregate quarry, by means of laser diffraction and analysis of the size and texture of flocs. The configuration of the feed tank and the laser particle size measurement cell installed at the facility (280,000 t/year of aggregates) allowed characterization of flocs with particle size between 4.2 and 3473 ,m under hydrodynamic conditions that were highly favorable for the examination of large and very fragile flocs. Two days of analysis of the floc formation process along the path followed by the slurry showed that flocculation was optimal during standard operation of the facility when the flow rate of waste fines and concentrations of solids were close to those used to calibrate the flocculant injection control system. Conversely, when the concentration of solids in the flocculator feed slurry dropped by 57.3%, the flocculant dosing fluctuated during stabilization of the mechanism, the kinetics of flocculation slowed, the mean size of flocs arriving at the settling tank dropped by 69%, and the mode of smaller flocs shifted from 77.8 to 10.4 ,m in relation to normal operation. On-site analyses confirmed that the measurements made with laser diffraction (using a methodology developed in the laboratory) allow determination of the effects of conditioning on the characteristics of flocs in terms of particle size, porosity, density, and volume fraction in the slurry. Evolution of these characteristics according to the local parameters of conditioning (mean detention time, mean slurry velocity, and mean velocity gradient) provides a significant part of basic information necessary to a diagnosis of the operation of an industrial circuit of flocculation. © 2007 American Institute of Chemical Engineers AIChE J, 2008 [source]