text:
The copper spoil heap Knappenberg, Austria, as a model for metal habitats - Vegetation, substrate and contamination.
Adlassnig, Wolfram; Weiss, Yasmin S; Sassmann, Stefan; Steinhauser, Georg; Hofhansl, Florian; Baumann, Nils; Lichtscheidl, Irene K; Lang, Ingeborg
Historic mining in the Eastern Alps has left us with a legacy of numerous spoil heaps hosting specific, metal tolerant vegetation. Such habitats are characterized by elevated concentrations of toxic elements but also by high irradiation, a poorly developed substrate or extreme pH of the soil. This study investigates the distribution of vascular plants, mosses and lichens on a copper spoil heap on the ore bearing Knappenberg formed by Prebichl Layers and Werfener Schist in Lower Austria. It serves as a model for discriminating between various ecological traits and their effects on vegetation. Five distinct clusters were distinguished: (1) The bare, metal rich Central Spoil Heap was only colonised by highly resistant specialists. (2) The Northern and (3) Southern Peripheries contained less copper; the contrasting vegetation was best explained by the different microclimate. (4) A forest over acidic bedrock hosted a vegetation overlapping with the periphery of the spoil heap. (5) A forest over calcareous bedrock was similar to the spoil heap with regard to pH and humus content but hosted a vegetation differing strongly to all other habitats. Among the multiple toxic elements at the spoil heap, only Cu seems to exert a crucial influence on the vegetation pattern. Besides metal concentrations, irradiation, humidity, humus, pH and grain size distribution are important for the establishment of a metal tolerant vegetation. The difference between the species poor Northern and the diverse Southern Periphery can be explained by the microclimate rather than by the substrate. All plant species penetrating from the forest into the periphery of the spoil heap originate from the acidic but not from the calcareous bedrock. PMID:27185350
Vegetation and soil condition development on spoil heaps in the Ostrava-Karvina Coal District
Stalmachova, B.; Matysek, D.
This paper discusses both soil and vegetation development on mine spoil heaps of different age, as well as some environmental factors that are involved. The course of natural plant succession fired and unfired mine spoil heaps and the dominant species of several developmental stages (plant communities) are examined. Mainly, the exposure of slopes and the surface temperature are considered in studying the vegetation of spoil heaps. Anemochoral terophytes and hemicryptophytes dominate on south to west slopes in the first stages of development; development of vegetation on north and east slopes is different. Anemochoral phanerophytes dominate in the first developmental stages. Later, the plant cover includes high herbs and grasses, and the tree layer exhibits zoochoral tree species. The final stage on the spoil heaps in the Ostrava-Karvina Coal District is probably the Betulo-Quercetum Tx. 1937 community with complete stratification. The study area, an underground mining area in the Ostrava-Karvina Coal District, lies in the south part of the Silesian Basin. From a phytogeographical point of view, this area is identified as the Ostrava basin--the 83rd district of the Mesophyticum capraticum--phytogeographical province, with the flora of the upper hill country belt (gradus supracollinus).
Breeding habitat of sparrowhawks, Accipiter nisus on spoil heaps after coal mining
NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)
Šálek, Miroslav; Hendrychová, Markéta; Řehoř, Michal
Natural succession of spoil heaps after brown coal mining leads to the development of rich plant and invertebrate communities and therefore has been considered a proper alternative to conventional reclamation practice. Little is known, however, about the effects of these alternative approaches on vertebrate predators. This study analyses nest-site choice of the sparrowhawk, Accipiter nisus on afforested spoil heaps in the brown coal basin of north-west Bohemia, Czech Republic. Nest places of sparrowhawks, numbers of their main prey (small birds) and habitat attributes were investigated in 2007 and 2008 on 28 individual spoil heaps that were either reclaimed by silviculture or spontaneously afforested. Our results revealed preferences of breeding sparrowhawks for spontaneously developed birch growths with diverse mosaics of tree clumps, open patches and edge structures, all providing for opportunities to hunt. In addition, the proximity of large forests positively influenced nest-site choice of sparrowhawks. Although small birds were more abundant on Successions than Reclamations, our results did not suggest that numbers of this main prey were of higher importance for the sparrowhawks than habitat components of prey availability. These results highlight the importance of spontaneous succession as a rehabilitation alternative in post-mining landscapes.
Effective remediation of grossly polluted acidic, and metal-rich, spoil heap drainage using a novel, low-cost, permeable reactive barrier in Northumberland, UK.
Jarvis, A P; Moustafa, M; Orme, P H A; Younger, P L
A permeable reactive barrier (PRB) for remediation of coal spoil heap drainage in Northumberland, UK, is described. The drainage has typical chemical characteristics of pH<4, [acidity]>1400 mg/L as CaCO3, [Fe]>300 mg/L, [Mn]>165 mg/L, [Al]>100mg/L and [SO4]>6500 mg/L. During 2 years of operation the PRB has typically removed 50% of the iron and 40% of the sulphate from this subsurface spoil drainage. Bacterial sulphate reduction appears to be a key process of this remediation. Treatment of the effluent from the PRB results in further attenuation; overall reductions in iron and sulphate concentrations are 95% and 67% respectively, and acidity concentration is reduced by an order of magnitude. The mechanisms of attenuation of these, and other, contaminants in the drainage are discussed. Future research and operational objectives for this novel, low-cost, treatment system are also outlined. PMID:16443312
Initial soils of heaps of Mikhailovsky mining complex, Kurskiy region
NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)
Tatyana, Pigareva
Soil forming processes were investigated on the spoil heaps of one of the biggest mines of Russian European part - Mikhailovsky mining complex. Soils formed on the different heaps were classified as Lithosols or Sod Lithosols and some soil-like bodies with essential features of surface erosion. The heaps physical parameters play a critical role in initial soil formation by regulation of soil thickness increasing rate and biogenic processes intensity. Important indicator for the research of young soils were pH, C, N values and Cha/Cfa ratios. Humification degree in all soils investigated was lower than in natural Luvisols and Luvic Chernozems . The rate of humus accumulation decreases with increasing age of the soil. The humus content where rapidly increases in soil chronosequence. Morphology, soil chemical composition and texture classes described in details in presentation with special reference to the reclamation procedures and ecosystem management.
Persistent heap Management library
PERM is a C library for persistent heap management and is intended for use with a dynamic-memory allocator (e.g. malloc, free). The PERM memory allocator replaces the standard C dynamic memory allocation functions with compatible versions that provide persistent memory to application programs. Memory allocated with the PERM allocatory will persist between program invocations after a call to a checkpoint function. This function essentially saves the state of the heap and registered global variables tomore » a file which may reside in flash memory or other node local storage. A few other functions are also provided by the library to manage checkpoint files. Global variables in an application can be marked persistent and be included in a checkpoint by using a compiler attribute defined as PERM. The PERM checkpoint methof is not dependent on the programming model ans works with distributed memory or shared memory programs.« less
Persistent heap Management library
PERM is a C library for persistent heap management and is intended for use with a dynamic-memory allocator (e.g. malloc, free). The PERM memory allocator replaces the standard C dynamic memory allocation functions with compatible versions that provide persistent memory to application programs. Memory allocated with the PERM allocatory will persist between program invocations after a call to a checkpoint function. This function essentially saves the state of the heap and registered global variables to a file which may reside in flash memory or other node local storage. A few other functions are also provided by the library to manage checkpoint files. Global variables in an application can be marked persistent and be included in a checkpoint by using a compiler attribute defined as PERM. The PERM checkpoint methof is not dependent on the programming model ans works with distributed memory or shared memory programs.
Pumped spoiling experimental program
Sladky, J. Jr.
This report documents a series of wind tunnel tests on a sample airfoil designed to evaluate and quantify the ''pumped spoiling'' concept. The test airfoil was a Sandia National Laboratories natural laminar flow section designated SAND-1850. All tests were operated at a Reynolds Number of 1.5 million with a model having a 1-ft chord and a 9-ft span. The spoiling perforations consisted of 1.6 mm diameter holes on 6.35 mm centers. The pressure in the internal plenum that supplied the spoiling air to the perforations was maintained at the tunnel dynamic head. Test results were consistent and repeatable. Up to an angle of attack of 6/sup 0/, there was very little difference in the lift coefficient among the many test arrangements studied. Past 8/sup 0/, however, the lift coefficient trends were very sensitive to the test configuration of the model. The report includes the test results for 32 combinations of the spoiling arrangements ranging from ''clean'' baseline airfoil to spoiling flow through all perforations. In addition to the section coefficients, the report presents model force data and section pressure profiles. 29 figs., 4 tabs.
Scaling behavior of coarsening Faraday heaps
NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)
van Gerner, Henk Jan; van der Weele, Ko; van der Meer, Devaraj; van der Hoef, Martin A.
When a layer of sand is vertically shaken, the surface spontaneously breaks up in a landscape of small conical "Faraday heaps," which merge into larger ones on an ever increasing time scale. We propose a model for the heap dynamics and show analytically that the mean lifetime of the transient state with N heaps scales as N-2. When there is an abundance of sand, such that the vibrating plate always remains completely covered, this means that the average diameter of the heaps grows as t1 /2. Otherwise, when the sand is less plentiful and parts of the plate get depleted during the coarsening process, the average diameter of the heaps grows more slowly, namely as t1 /3. This result compares well with experimental observations.
Scaling behavior of coarsening Faraday heaps.
van Gerner, Henk Jan; van der Weele, Ko; van der Meer, Devaraj; van der Hoef, Martin A
When a layer of sand is vertically shaken, the surface spontaneously breaks up in a landscape of small conical "Faraday heaps," which merge into larger ones on an ever increasing time scale. We propose a model for the heap dynamics and show analytically that the mean lifetime of the transient state with N heaps scales as N(-2). When there is an abundance of sand, such that the vibrating plate always remains completely covered, this means that the average diameter of the heaps grows as t(1/2). Otherwise, when the sand is less plentiful and parts of the plate get depleted during the coarsening process, the average diameter of the heaps grows more slowly, namely as t(1/3). This result compares well with experimental observations. PMID:26565231
Interaction of plant and earthworm during primary succession in heaps after coal
NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)
Roubíčková, Alena; Frouz, Jan
These results of field manipulation experiment show that earthworms can remarkably influence vegetation succession on spoil heaps, namely promoting grasses and late succession species. This is in agreement with concurrent appearance of earthworms and some plant species typical for late-succession communities of meadows and forests aren't purely coincidental. On the other hand, facilitation of soil conditions by plant communities during succession is an important factor in earthworm distribution on the spoil heaps; earthworms showed a low survival on sites with sparse vegetation cover and thin litter layer, which means that their occurrence in certain stages of succession isn't determined only by migration abilities or passive dispersal. More field experiments are needed to test if earthworms could be used in directed succession management practices to speed up the natural rate of succession. Preliminary results from an experiment with introduction earthworms to a 20- year old, earthworm-free site indicate that colonization of this site from a single deposition of about 100 specimen of epigeic and 100 endogeic earthworms is slow and not very efficient. Results show that interaction between earthworm and vegetation are important in ecosystem development in post mining sites.
Harworth Colliery: Rockbolted support in weak roof at depth
Bigby, D.; Egan, J.
Harworth Colliery, operated by RJB Mining (UK) Ltd, is successfully mining the Deep Soft Seam at a depth of 1000m using single face retreat longwalling. The seam is characterized by a weak roof generally comprising 4 to 6m of well bedded carbonaceous mudstones overlain by weak siltstones. The paper describes the layout and support design strategies which have enabled the colliery to adopt sole support by rock reinforcement techniques for its longwall gateroads. To achieve this success the colliery layout has had to be radically modified to take account of the in-situ horizontal stress field. The layout is also closely controlled by environmental considerations, the seam being one of the gassiest in the UK. Economic support by strata reinforcement has been achieved using a combination of rockbolting of the roof and sides installed at the face of the heading, and systematic double birdcage cable bolting installed on drivage and supplemented ahead of the retreating panel. The layout and support strategies have been developed through a combination of detailed underground measurement of support and stress parameters backed up by numerical modelling using FLAC. The FLAC modelling has paid particular attention to careful representation of bedding properties and validation through underground stress measurement.
The role of topographic structure and soil macrofauna presence at spoil heaps during spontaneous succession.
NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)
Walmsley, Alena; Vachová, Pavla; Vach, Marek
This research was investigating whether topographic features, which determine soil nutrient and moisture distribution, in combination with soil fauna (wireworm and earthworm) presence, affect plant community composition at a spontaneously revegetated post mining area with an undulating surface. Two sites of different age with 3 types of topographic features were selected, soil moisture and nutrient content were measured, plant community composition and soil macrofauna community was sampled at each position. Wireworms were present at all positions and were most abundant at bottoms of waves at the younger site; their presence was correlated with several plant species, but the direction of the interaction isn't clear. Earthworms were only present at the older site and had highest abundance at flat sections. Earthworm presence affected the amount of nitrogen in soil - the most nitrogen content was at the site with highest earthworm density and was followed by higher diversity of plant community. The plant community composition was generally correlated with plant available nutrient content - especially P and N. We infer that topographic features affect nutrient and soil fauna distribution, which consequently influences plant community composition.
Solid speciation and availability of nickel and chromium in Ni mining spoils
NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)
Raous, Sophie; Garnier, Jérémie; Sterckeman, Thibaul; Echevarria, Guillaume; Becquer, Thierry; Thomas, Fabien
Nickel mining of ultramafic laterites generates different types of wastes, topsoils and ores that are too poor in Ni to be currently processed. These are mixed and stored on heaps which could be a potential source of Ni and Cr pollution. Chemical reactivity of the main metal bearing phases present in the mining spoils of Goiás (Brasil) was investigated. Principally a silicated 'saprolite' material and a Fe-oxide rich limonitic material were isolated from the wastes. Their total Ni and Cr content are high, respectively for Ni and Cr : 7,170 and 54,970 mg kg-1 in limonite and 12,200 and 12,650 mg kg-1 in saprolite. The main metal-bearing minerals, identified and localized using XRD, TEM-EDX, Raman spectroscopy and Mossbaüer spectrometry are well-crystallized minerals: goethite (75%), hematite (13%) and chromite in limonite and ferruginous smectite, talc and chromite in saprolite. Single and sequential extractions showed that the amounts of 1M KCl exchangeable Ni and Cr reached respectively 7.1% and 0.03% of total contents in saprolite. Moreover, Cr(VI) extraction by KH2PO4 showed that more than 2% (980 mg kg-1) of total Cr was under this labile toxic form in limonite. This study allowed us to determine the main reactions controlling the Ni and Cr mobility in the spoils i.e. Ni2+ cationic exchange in saprolitic spoil and CrO32- surface complexation in limonitic spoil. This study allowed us to demonstrate the need of chemical rehabilitation of mining wastes in order to avoid the dispersion of the high contents of Ni and Cr available. It constitutes the system definition needed to predict the Cr and Ni mobility in ultramafic mining spoils.
Kinematics of segregating granular mixtures in quasi-2D heaps
NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)
Fan, Yi; Umbanhowar, Paul; Ottino, Julio; Lueptow, Richard
Segregation of granular mixtures of different sized particles in heap flow appears in a variety of contexts. Our recent experiments showed that when bi-disperse mixtures of different sized spherical particles fill a quasi-two dimensional (2D) silo, three different final heap configurations - stratified, segregated, and mixed - occur, depending on either 2D flow rate or heap rise velocity. However, since it is difficult to measure the kinematic details of the segregating granular mixtures in heap flow experimentally, the underlying mechanisms for how 2D flow rate or heap rise velocity influences final particle configurations have not been well understood. In this work, we use the discrete element method (DEM) to simulate heap flow of bi-disperse mixtures in experimental scale quasi-2D heaps. The final particle distributions in the simulations agree quantitatively with experiments. We measure several key kinematic properties of the segregating granular mixtures including the local flow rate, velocity, and flowing layer thickness. We correlate the characteristics of these kinematic properties with the local particle distributions of the mixtures. This provides new insights for understanding the mechanisms of segregation and stratification in heap flow including the linear decrease in flow rate and maximum velocity down the heap as well as the relatively constant flowing layer thickness along the length of the heap. Funded by Dow Chemical Co.
Selenium transformation in coal mine spoils
Atalay, A.; Koll, K.J.
The objective of this part of the study is to investigate the oxidation-reduction (redox) environment that favor the release of selenium from coal mine spoils. It is anticipated that the study will help answer critical questions as to the form, solubility, and mobility of selenium from the spoil site to the surrounding environment. This investigation will evaluate the conditions which favor the speciation of selenium from coal mine spoils as affected by changes in the oxidation states of selenium.
The effect of colliery waste on the feeding of the lugworm Arenicola marina
NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)
Hyslop, Brian T.; Davies, Mark S.
Sandy shores in northeast England that are heavily contaminated by colliery waste (essentially coal particles) have lower species richnesses and diversities than less contaminated shores. Analyses of the sediment utilised putatively as food, the gut contents, and the faecal casts of lugworms Arenicola marina (L.) (Annelida: Polychaeta) from a heavily contaminated site (Newbiggin) and a site lightly contaminated (Seahouses) were performed to determine the effect of colliery waste on the feeding of this deposit-feeder, which has been reported to decline in abundance at contaminated sites. Colliery-waste content of sediment was 10 to 18 times greater at Newbiggin than at Seahouses. At Newbiggin the sediment contained significantly higher levels of colliery waste than did the gut contents or faeces, which were not significantly different from each other. At Seahouses the colliery-waste contents of sediment, gut, and faeces were not significantly different. Particle-size distributions in sediment, gut, and faeces from lugworms at Seahouses were similar, while at Newbiggin the sediment contained a greater proportion of larger particles (>250 μm) than did the gut contents or the faeces. These results suggest that lugworms at heavily contaminated sites are selective feeders, rejecting coal particles perhaps on the basis of particle size. We did not detect selectivity in animals at the less contaminated site. Lugworms from Seahouses, however, avoided burrowing into sediment containing colliery waste both when the waste was on the surface and buried. Lugworms from Newbiggin avoided burrowing into colliery waste only when it was buried. These data suggest a chemosensory response to colliery waste.
Inferring pathogen inactivation from the surface temperatures of compost heaps.
Turner, Claire; Williams, Adrian; White, Rodger; Tillett, Robin
A sufficiently high composting temperature should inactivate many common pathogens likely to be present in solid animal waste. Monitoring core temperatures inside compost heaps is not straightforward, which means that heaps are not generally monitored. An alternative is to monitor surface temperatures and use those data to infer core temperatures, and thus whether pathogen inactivation has occurred. This paper describes two methods (thermal imaging and thermocouples) for the measurement of surface temperature, and a modelling approach using time series analysis to predict the temperatures obtained in the core of aerated heaps of composting pig farmyard manure (FYM) from surface temperature data. The model was able to predict core temperatures in the heap quite closely for a period of time for well insulated parts of the heap, although predictions were further from observed values close to the surface of the heap and the aeration pipe. PMID:15501657
Reclamation of surface-mine spoil
Cross, E.A.
Research being performed on land reclamation at the Corona and Kellerman mines in Alabama is reported. Information is presented under the following headings: effects of topsoiling and mulching treatment on plant growth and soil erosion; preliminary findings on the germination and growth of Southern red oak seedlings on calcareous shale surface mine spoil; some effects of vegetation type and fertilization on growth, survival, and tip moth damage in loblolly pine planted on alkaline shale surface mine spoil; some effects of competition and fertilizer on the growth and survival of selected Christmas tree stock and Virginia pine on alkaline shale spoil; growth and survival of Eastern red cedar on alkaline shale spoil; and, greenhouse studies. The appendixes are entitled: study of the effects of acidification of calcareous shale on the growth of weeping love grass; the effects of competition and spoil mixtures on the growth of perennial ryegrass and weeping lovegrass; and, the effects of delayed fertilization on the growth of weeping lovegrass. (JGB)
Role of lime in salty spoil genesis
Grove, J.H.; Evangelou, V.P.
Acid pyritic spoils are often limed to facilitate revegetation efforts. Substantial quantities of soluble sulfate salts are associated with such spoils, before and after liming. Such salts can cause revegetation attempts to fail at seeding and/or during drought stress periods. As magnesium sulfate (MgSO/sub 4/) is more soluble than gypsum (calcium sulfate) under field conditions, MgSO/sub 4/ has more often been associated with soluble salt problems. Since lime reaction chemistry can influence salt genesis in spoils, this was evaluated in a incubation study using calcite and dolomite amendments to an acid, pyritic spoil. Rates of 0, 14.4, and 28.8 meq/100 g (rate equal to total potential acidity) of lime were used. Amended spoils were maintained at 30/sup 0/C and -100 cm moisture tension. Samples were taken periodically and a portion suspended in water at a soil:solution ratio of 1:20 for two hours. Unamended spoil extract pH dropped from 4.8 to 3.2 in nine weeks. Soluble magnesium sulfate doubled (from 2.9 to 6.1 meq/100 g) in the unlimed spoil between weeks one and sixteen. Dolomite amended spoils generated twice as much magnesium salt as calcite amended spoils. Pyrite oxidation, acid generation, i.e., salt genesis, was reduced when calcitic lime was used at the recommended rate based on a measure of total potential acidity. A prompt liming program with calcitic lime can substantially alter the quantity and quality of soluble salts released. The results suggest that dolomite is unacceptable as a liming material for sandy spoils with an appreciable pyrite content.
Microbial Diversity in Uranium Mine Waste Heaps
Schippers, A.; Hallmann, R.; Wentzien, S.; Sand, W.
Two different uranium mine waste heaps near Ronneburg, Thuringia, Germany, which contain the remains of the activity of the former uranium-mining Soviet-East German company Wismut AG, were analyzed for the occurrence of lithotrophic and chemoorganotropic leach bacteria. A total of 162 ore samples were taken up to a depth of 5 m. Cell counts of ferrous iron-, sulfur-, sulfur compound-, ammonia-, and nitrite-oxidizing bacteria were determined quantitatively by the most-probable-number technique. Sulfate-, nitrate-, ferric iron-, and manganese-reducing bacteria were also detected. In addition, the metabolic activity of sulfur- and iron-oxidizing bacteria was measured by microcalorimetry. Generally, all microorganisms mentioned above were detectable in the heaps. Aerobic and anaerobic microorganisms thrived up to a depth of 1.5 to 2 m. Up to 99% of Thiobacillus ferrooxidans cells, the dominant leaching bacteria, occurred to this depth. Their numbers correlated with the microbial activity measurements. Samples below 1.5 to 2 m exhibited reduced oxygen concentrations and reduced cell counts for all microorganisms. PMID:16535096
Adequate drainage system design for heap leaching structures.
Majdi, Abbas; Amini, Mehdi; Nasab, Saeed Karimi
The paper describes an optimum design of a drainage system for a heap leaching structure which has positive impacts on both mine environment and mine economics. In order to properly design a drainage system the causes of an increase in the acid level of the heap which in turn produces severe problems in the hydrometallurgy processes must be evaluated. One of the most significant negative impacts induced by an increase in the acid level within a heap structure is the increase of pore acid pressure which in turn increases the potential of a heap-slide that may endanger the mine environment. In this paper, initially the thickness of gravelly drainage layer is determined via existing empirical equations. Then by assuming that the calculated thickness is constant throughout the heap structure, an approach has been proposed to calculate the required internal diameter of the slotted polyethylene pipes which are used for auxiliary drainage purposes. In order to adequately design this diameter, the pipe's cross-sectional deformation due to stepped heap structure overburden pressure is taken into account. Finally, a design of an adequate drainage system for the heap structure 2 at Sarcheshmeh copper mine is presented and the results are compared with those calculated by exiting equations. PMID:17321044
Heavy metal concentrations in redeveloping soil of mine spoil under plantations of certain native woody species in dry tropical environment, India.
Singh, Anand N; Zeng, De-hui; Chen, Fu-sheng
Total concentration of heavy metals (Cd, Cr, Cu, Fe, Pb, Ni, Mn and Zn) was estimated in the redeveloping soil of mine spoil under 5-yr old plantations of four woody species namely: Albizia lebbeck, Albizia procera, Tectona grandis and Dendrocalamus strictus. The data recorded in the present study were compared with other unplanted coal mine spoil colliery, which was around to the study site and adjoining area of dry tropical forest. Among all the heavy metals, the maximum concentration was found for Fe and minimum for Cd. However, among all four species, total concentrations of these heavy metals were recorded maximally in the plantation plots of T. grandis except for Fe, while minimally in A. lebbeck except for Zn, whereas, the maximum concentration of Fe and Zn was in the plantation plots of D. strictus and A. procera. Statistical analysis revealed significant differences due to species for all the heavy metals except Cu. Among four species, A. lebbeck, A. procera and D. strictus showed more efficient for reducing heavy metal concentrations whereas T. grandis was not more effective to reduce heavy metal concentrations in redeveloping soil of mine spoil. PMID:15900783
Stress Monitoring during Wonwawilli Extraction in 3 North Panel, Laleham No. 1 Colliery, South Blackwater, Queensland
Wardle, L.J.; McNabb, K.E.
The report describes investigations at the Laleham No. 1 Colliery, South Blackwater, Queensland, involving monitoring of stresses and convergences during Wongawilli (rib pillar) extraction in 3 North Panel. The project involved the installation of 16 vibrating wire stressmeters and 10 telescopic convergence rods. The aim of the project was to monitor changes in the stress distribution during extraction.
Geotechnical characteristics of shallow ocean dredge spoil disposal mounds
Demars, K.R.; Dowling, J.J.; Long, R.P.; Morton, R.W.
This paper summarizes the data obtained from site surveying and sediment sampling of dredge spoil disposal mounds at the Central Long Island Sound site. Emphasis is placed on the geotechnical and geological features of the mound and natural seabed. Since some of the spoil is contaminated, cappings of clean spoil have been used to isolate the spoil mounds from fauna and flora in the water column. Because of the contaminated spoil, improvements in the disposal techniques are needed and methodologies must be developed for evaluating short-term and long-term stability of these shallow ocean deposits which are subjected to loadings from waves, spoil disposal and capping operations.
Efficient Merge and Insert Operations for Binary Heaps and Trees
NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)
Kuszmaul, Christopher Lee; Woo, Alex C. (Technical Monitor)
Binary heaps and binary search trees merge efficiently. We introduce a new amortized analysis that allows us to prove the cost of merging either binary heaps or balanced binary trees is O(l), in the amortized sense. The standard set of other operations (create, insert, delete, extract minimum, in the case of binary heaps, and balanced binary trees, as well as a search operation for balanced binary trees) remain with a cost of O(log n). For binary heaps implemented as arrays, we show a new merge algorithm that has a single operation cost for merging two heaps, a and b, of O(absolute value of a + min(log absolute value of b log log absolute value of b. log absolute value of a log absolute value of b). This is an improvement over O(absolute value of a + log absolute value of a log absolute value of b). The cost of the new merge is so low that it can be used in a new structure which we call shadow heaps. to implement the insert operation to a tunable efficiency. Shadow heaps support the insert operation for simple priority queues in an amortized time of O(f(n)) and other operations in time O((log n log log n)/f (n)), where 1 less than or equal to f (n) less than or equal to log log n. More generally, the results here show that any data structure with operations that change its size by at most one, with the exception of a merge (aka meld) operation, can efficiently amortize the cost of the merge under conditions that are true for most implementations of binary heaps and search trees.
Elastic modulus of solid-like microsphere heaps
NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)
Ortiz, Carlos; Daniels, Karen; Riehn, Robert
We study the elastic modulus of heaps of repulsive microspheres to gain insight into the nature of the rigidity of the material. The heaps are initially created by flowing a colloidal microsphere suspension towards a flat-topped ridge placed within a quasi two-dimensional microfluidic channel. The suspension flow-rate determines the heap size via the angle of repose. Using fluorescence video microscopy, we measure the fluorescent heap size until it reaches steady state. We directly visualize the elastic recoil of these steady state heaps in response to controlled changes in the fluid flow rate. We change the flow rate by an amount Δv in a step-like fashion, and measure the amplitude of the bulk heap deformation ΔA . We investigate both compressions and decompressions of varying amplitudes with respect to the steady state. Three deformation regimes are observed. No deformations are observed below a critical perturbation magnitude Δvc . Above Δvc , deformation amplitudes are linear with Δv . However, for large perturbations, nonlinear deformation amplitudes are observed, and their relationship is asymmetric with respect to compression and decompression.
30 CFR 715.15 - Disposal of excess spoil.
Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR
... 30 Mineral Resources 3 2011-07-01 2011-07-01 false Disposal of excess spoil. 715.15 Section 715.15 Mineral Resources OFFICE OF SURFACE MINING RECLAMATION AND ENFORCEMENT, DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR INITIAL PROGRAM REGULATIONS GENERAL PERFORMANCE STANDARDS § 715.15 Disposal of excess spoil. (a) General requirements. (1) Spoil not required...
Factors controlling water movement in acid spoils
Evangelou, V.P.; Grove, J.H.; Phillips, R.E.
The rate of water movement through toxic spoils plays a major role in reclamation. The toxic chemical constituents found in spoils need to be leached beyond the six inch depth (the usual depth of lime incorporation) since they can easily move upward during periods of high evapotranspiration. The rate of water infiltration plays a role in effective utilization of rain water, and conversely, the amount of surface runoff dictates the degree of surface erosion. Underground water quality may be affected by rates of water movement through a toxic spoil zone. Factors that control water movement through acid spoils were investigated through the use of a column one meter long and 8.0 cm in internal diameter. The maximum hydraulic conductivity was observed in the upper portion of the column where minimum salt buildup occurred. The hydraulic conductivity in this region was 0.5 cm/hr. In the middle portion of the column where a salty (14.0 mmhos/cm) solution was encountered, the hydraulic conductivity was 0.08 cm/hr. In the lower portion of the column where the maximum salt buildup took place (16.8 mmhos/cm), the hydraulic conductivity was found to be 0.03 cm/hr. Similar results were obtained with a small column experiment using calcite and dolomite as different lime sources. The hydraulic conductivity in the dolomitic small column remained relatively unchanged with time and salt depletion.
Deviations in the Zipf and Heaps laws in natural languages
NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)
Bochkarev, Vladimir V.; Lerner, Eduard Yu; Shevlyakova, Anna V.
This paper is devoted to verifying of the empirical Zipf and Hips laws in natural languages using Google Books Ngram corpus data. The connection between the Zipf and Heaps law which predicts the power dependence of the vocabulary size on the text size is discussed. In fact, the Heaps exponent in this dependence varies with the increasing of the text corpus. To explain it, the obtained results are compared with the probability model of text generation. Quasi-periodic variations with characteristic time periods of 60-100 years were also found.
Estimated water requirements for gold heap-leach operations
Bleiwas, Donald I.
This report provides a perspective on the amount of water necessary for conventional gold heap-leach operations. Water is required for drilling and dust suppression during mining, for agglomeration and as leachate during ore processing, to support the workforce (requires water in potable form and for sanitation), for minesite reclamation, and to compensate for water lost to evaporation and leakage. Maintaining an adequate water balance is especially critical in areas where surface and groundwater are difficult to acquire because of unfavorable climatic conditions [arid conditions and (or) a high evaporation rate]; where there is competition with other uses, such as for agriculture, industry, and use by municipalities; and where compliance with regulatory requirements may restrict water usage. Estimating the water consumption of heap-leach operations requires an understanding of the heap-leach process itself. The task is fairly complex because, although they all share some common features, each gold heap-leach operation is unique. Also, estimating the water consumption requires a synthesis of several fields of science, including chemistry, ecology, geology, hydrology, and meteorology, as well as consideration of economic factors.
An Experimental Ecological Study of a Garden Compost Heap.
ERIC Educational Resources Information Center
Curds, Tracy
A quantitative study of the fauna of a garden compost heap shows it to be similar to that of organisms found in soil and leaf litter. Materials, methods, and results are discussed and extensive tables of fauna lists, wet/dry masses, and statistical analyses are presented. (Author/DH)
Vertical Object Layout and Compression for Fixed Heaps
NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)
Titzer, Ben L.; Palsberg, Jens
Research into embedded sensor networks has placed increased focus on the problem of developing reliable and flexible software for microcontroller-class devices. Languages such as nesC [10] and Virgil [20] have brought higher-level programming idioms to this lowest layer of software, thereby adding expressiveness. Both languages are marked by the absence of dynamic memory allocation, which removes the need for a runtime system to manage memory. While nesC offers code modules with statically allocated fields, arrays and structs, Virgil allows the application to allocate and initialize arbitrary objects during compilation, producing a fixed object heap for runtime. This paper explores techniques for compressing fixed object heaps with the goal of reducing the RAM footprint of a program. We explore table-based compression and introduce a novel form of object layout called vertical object layout. We provide experimental results that measure the impact on RAM size, code size, and execution time for a set of Virgil programs. Our results show that compressed vertical layout has better execution time and code size than table-based compression while achieving more than 20% heap reduction on 6 of 12 benchmark programs and 2-17% heap reduction on the remaining 6. We also present a formalization of vertical object layout and prove tight relationships between three styles of object layout.
Selenium transformation in coal mine spoils. Quarterly report
Atalay, A.; Koll, K.J.
The objective of this part of the study is to investigate the oxidation-reduction (redox) environment that favor the release of selenium from coal mine spoils. It is anticipated that the study will help answer critical questions as to the form, solubility, and mobility of selenium from the spoil site to the surrounding environment. This investigation will evaluate the conditions which favor the speciation of selenium from coal mine spoils as affected by changes in the oxidation states of selenium.
Hydrologic modeling of reclaimed strip mine spoil
Edwards, K.B.; Stoertz, M.W.; Turney, D.C.
A numerical groundwater flow model (MODFLOW) of a surface coal mine in southeast Ohio was calibrated under steady state conditions to match measured heads by varying hydraulic conductivity (K) and recharge (R). Sensitivity studies indicated that K was not largely dependent on the poorly quantified underclay elevation or on the lake boundary condition. The baseflow recharge was determined to be between 8 and 60 mm/yr (1 to 6% of annual rainfall) and K between 0.004 and 0.01 cm/s for the spoil aquifer.
30 CFR 77.1002 - Box cuts; spoil material placement.
Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR
... 30 Mineral Resources 1 2011-07-01 2011-07-01 false Box cuts; spoil material placement. 77.1002 Section 77.1002 Mineral Resources MINE SAFETY AND HEALTH ADMINISTRATION, DEPARTMENT OF LABOR COAL MINE... COAL MINES Ground Control § 77.1002 Box cuts; spoil material placement. When box cuts are...
30 CFR 77.1002 - Box cuts; spoil material placement.
Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR
... 30 Mineral Resources 1 2010-07-01 2010-07-01 false Box cuts; spoil material placement. 77.1002 Section 77.1002 Mineral Resources MINE SAFETY AND HEALTH ADMINISTRATION, DEPARTMENT OF LABOR COAL MINE... COAL MINES Ground Control § 77.1002 Box cuts; spoil material placement. When box cuts are...
Flow modulation based control of granular stratification in heaps
NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)
Umbanhowar, Paul B.; Fan, Yi; McDonald, David; Ottino, Julio M.; Lueptow, Richard M.
Gravity driven flows of initially mixed granular media composed of non-monodisperse particles spontaneously segregate for a wide range of particle and flow parameters. For heaps of size-bidisperse particles formed in the quasi-two-dimensional geometry of a vertical Hele-Shaw cell, segregation is in the form of stratified layers of large and small particle-rich bands that are nominally parallel to the free surface of the heap. Stratification occurs at low fill rates where flow down the heap manifests as a series of intermittent and irregularly sized avalanches. This non-steady flow causes variation in stratum thickness and streamwise extent. In this talk we describe how temporal modulation of the fill rate can generate ordered strata at high fill rates. In particular, we show how, for a duty cycle variation of the flow rate, the modulation parameters determine the wavelength and streamwise extent of the layers. We explain our results in terms of the dependence of the dynamic repose angle on flow rate. Finally we describe how the upstream extent of the strata increases with decreasing gap width and is related to the jamming probability of the large particles. Y.F. was funded by The Dow Chemical Company.
Microbiota on spoiled vegetables and their characterization.
Lee, Dong Hwan; Kim, Jin-Beom; Kim, Mihyun; Roh, Eunjung; Jung, Kyusuk; Choi, Minseon; Oh, Changsik; Choi, Jaehyuk; Yun, Jongchul; Heu, Sunggi
Spoilage causes vegetables to deteriorate and develop unpleasant characteristics. Approximately 30 % of fresh vegetables are lost to spoilage, mainly due to colonization by bacteria. In the present study, a total of 44 bacterial isolates were obtained from a number of spoiled vegetables. The isolates were identified and classified into 20 different species of 14 genera based on fatty acid composition, biochemical tests, and 16S rDNA sequence analyses. Pseudomonas spp. were the species most frequently isolated from the spoiled vegetables. To evaluate the spoilage ability of each species, a variety of fresh vegetables were treated with each isolate and their degree of maceration was observed. In addition, the production of plant cell wall-degrading enzymes (PCWDEs), such as cellulase, xylanase, pectate lyase, and polygalacturonase, was compared among isolates to investigate their potential associations with spoilage. Strains that produce more PCWDEs cause spoilage on more diverse plants, and pectinase may be the most important enzyme among PCWDEs for vegetable spoilage. Most gram-negative spoilage bacteria produced acylated homoserine lactone, a quorum-sensing signal molecule, suggesting that it may be possible to use this compound effectively to prevent or slow down the spoilage of vegetables contaminated with diverse bacteria. PMID:23905790
Results for the structural properties of random heaps of hard disks
Bonnier, B. )
The average angle of repose and the packing density of random planar heaps of hard disks falling ballistically onto a sticky base line, where the first layer of disks is quenched in random positions, are computed for heaps with a small fixed number of gaps in the base layer. The results we find appear to be almost independent of the size of the heap and they agree with those obtained from computer simulations of large systems.
Instrumentation of dredge spoil for landfill construction
Byle, M.J.; McCullough, M.L.; Alexander, R.; Vasuki, N.C.; Langer, J.A.
The Delaware Solid Waste Authority's Northern Solid Waste Management Center is located outside of Wilmington Delaware at Cherry Island, a former dredge disposal site. Dredge spoils, of very low permeability, range in depths up to 30 m (100 feet) which form a natural liner and the foundation for the 140 ha (350-acre) municipal solid waste landfill. The soils beneath the landfill have been extensively instrumented to measure pore pressure, settlement and deflections, using inclinometer casings, standpipe piezometers, vibrating wire piezometers, pneumatic piezometers, settlement plates, liquid settlement gages, total pressure cells and thermistors. The nature of the existing waste and anticipated settlements (up to 6 m (19 feet)) have required some unique installation details. The instrumentation data has been integral in planning the landfilling sequence to maintain perimeter slope stability and has provided key geotechnical parameters needed for operation and construction of the landfill. The performance of the instrumentation and monitoring results are discussed.
Lignite mine spoil characterization and approaches for its rehabilitation
Praveen-Kumar; Kumar, S.; Sharma, K.D.; Choudhary, A.; Gehlot, K.
Open cast mining of lignite leaves behind stockpiles of excavated materials (dumps) and refilled mining pits (spoils). Physicochemical and biochemical properties of both kinds of sites were estimated to identify the reasons for their barrenness. Subsequently, surface modifications were attempted, first in a greenhouse and later infield to develop a suitable approach for their rehabilitation. Dumps had low pH (4.8) and high Na{sup +} (2.5 mg g{sup -1}), spoils high pH (8.7) and high Na{sup +} (1.59 mg g{sup -1} soil). Both sites had low available nitrogen and phosphorus and showed very low dehydrogenase and phosphatases activity but no nitrification. The extreme physicochemical conditions and inert nature of damps and spoils explained their barrenness. In the greenhouse experiment, 14 plant species sown in surface materials of dumps and spoils after spreading a 0.15 m thick layer of dune sand, germinated ({gt}85%), and their seedlings survived for two months. This technique was followed at a spoil site (modified spoil site). After three years of stabilization the modified spoil site had only one-fifth Na{sup +} of that in spoil surface in the beginning and also showed higher dehydrogenase and phosphatase activity and nitrification. Pearl millet and Cenchrus ciliaris grown in modified spoil produced 128 to 394 kg and 2.25 to 3.50 Mg dry matter ha{sup -1}. Addition of farmyard manure with N and P fertilizers increased pearl millet yields.
Zipf's Law Leads to Heaps' Law: Analyzing Their Relation in Finite-Size Systems
Lü, Linyuan; Zhang, Zi-Ke; Zhou, Tao
Background Zipf's law and Heaps' law are observed in disparate complex systems. Of particular interests, these two laws often appear together. Many theoretical models and analyses are performed to understand their co-occurrence in real systems, but it still lacks a clear picture about their relation. Methodology/Principal Findings We show that the Heaps' law can be considered as a derivative phenomenon if the system obeys the Zipf's law. Furthermore, we refine the known approximate solution of the Heaps' exponent provided the Zipf's exponent. We show that the approximate solution is indeed an asymptotic solution for infinite systems, while in the finite-size system the Heaps' exponent is sensitive to the system size. Extensive empirical analysis on tens of disparate systems demonstrates that our refined results can better capture the relation between the Zipf's and Heaps' exponents. Conclusions/Significance The present analysis provides a clear picture about the relation between the Zipf's law and Heaps' law without the help of any specific stochastic model, namely the Heaps' law is indeed a derivative phenomenon from the Zipf's law. The presented numerical method gives considerably better estimation of the Heaps' exponent given the Zipf's exponent and the system size. Our analysis provides some insights and implications of real complex systems. For example, one can naturally obtained a better explanation of the accelerated growth of scale-free networks. PMID:21152034
77 FR 17104 - Culturally Significant Objects Imported for Exhibition Determinations: "Ecstatic Alphabets/Heaps...
Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014
... From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office DEPARTMENT OF STATE Culturally Significant Objects Imported for Exhibition Determinations: ``Ecstatic Alphabets/Heaps of Language... determine that the objects to be included in the exhibition ``Ecstatic Alphabets/Heaps of...
Food, Even Water Can Spoil When the Power Goes Out
... medlineplus.gov/news/fullstory_160552.html Food, Even Water Can Spoil When the Power Goes Out A ... They can cause problems with your food and water that could put your family's health at risk. ...
Detecting Heap-Spraying Code Injection Attacks in Malicious Web Pages Using Runtime Execution
NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)
Choi, Younghan; Kim, Hyoungchun; Lee, Donghoon
Life in heaps: a review of microbial responses to variable acidity in sulfide mineral bioleaching heaps for metal extraction.
Shiers, D W; Collinson, D M; Watling, H R
Industrial heap leaching of low grade mineral sulfide ores is catalysed by the use of acidophilic microorganisms. These microorganisms obtain energy for growth from the oxidation of reduced inorganic or organic compounds, including soluble ferrous ion, reduced inorganic sulfur compounds (RISC) and acid-stable organic compounds. By-products of these oxidative processes, such as soluble ferric ion and sulfuric acid create favourable chemical conditions for leaching. This review is focused on the behaviour of common bioleaching microorganisms, their responses to changing pH in an industrial setting, and how both changes and microbial responses can impact the micro and macro environment. PMID:27283362
Arsenic fractionation in mine spoils 10 years after aided phytostabilization.
Kumpiene, Jurate; Fitts, Jeffrey P; Mench, Michel
Aided phytostabilization using a combination of compost, zerovalent iron grit and coal fly ash (CZA) amendments and revegetation effectively promoted the biological recovery of mining spoils generated at a gold mine in Portugal. Selective dissolution of spoil samples in combination with solid phase characterization using microbeam X-ray absorption near edge structure (μXANES) spectroscopy and microbeam X-ray fluorescence (μXRF) mapping were used to assess As associations in spoils ten years after CZA treatment. The results show that As preferentially associates with poorly crystalline Fe-oxyhydroxides as opposed to crystalline Fe-(oxyhydr)oxide phases. The crystalline Fe(III)-phases dominated in the treated spoil and exceeded those of the untreated spoil three-fold, but only 2.6-6.8% of total As was associated with this fraction. Correlation maps of As:Fe reveal that As in the CZA-treated spoils is primarily contained in surface coatings as precipitates and sorbates. Arsenic binding with poorly crystalline Fe-oxyhydroxides did not inhibit As uptake by plants. PMID:22481180
Continuum modeling of dense granular flow down heaps
NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)
Henann, David; Liu, Daren
Dense, dry granular flows display many manifestations of grain-size dependence, or nonlocality, in which the finite-size of grains has an observable impact on flow phenomenology. Such behaviors make the formulation of an accurate continuum model for dense granular flow particularly difficult, since local continuum models are not equipped to describe size-effects. One example of grain-size dependence is seen when avalanches occur on a granular heap - a situation which is frequently encountered in industry, as in rotating drums, as well as in nature, such as in landslides. In this case, flow separates into a thin, quickly flowing surface layer and a slowly creeping bulk. While existing local granular flow models are capable of capturing aspects of the flowing surface layer, they fail to even predict the existence of creeping flow beneath, much less being able to quantitatively describe the flow fields. Recently, we have proposed a new, scale-dependent continuum model - the nonlocal granular fluidity (NGF) model - that successfully predicted steady, slow granular flow fields, including grain-size-dependent shear-band widths in a variety of flow configurations. In this talk, we extend our model to the rapid flow regime and show that the model is capable of quantitatively predicting all aspects of gravity-driven heap flow. In particular, the model predicts the coexistence of a rapidly flowing, rate-dependent top surface layer and a rate-independent, slowly creeping bulk - a feature which is beyond local continuum approaches.
Using Heaps in Recursive Hierarchical Segmentation of Data
NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)
Tilton, James C.
A modification to increase processing speed has been made in the algorithm and implementing software reported in Modified Recursive Hierarchical Segmentation of Data (GSC-14681-1), NASA Tech Briefs, Vol. 30, No. 6 (June 2006), page 51. That software performs recursive hierarchical segmentation of data having spatial characteristics (e.g., spectral-image data). The segmentation process includes an iterative subprocess, in each iteration of which it is necessary to determine a best pair of regions to merge [merges being justified by one or more measure(s) similarity of pixels in the regions]. In the previously reported version of the algorithm and software, the choice of a best pair of regions to merge involved the use of a fully sorted list of regions. That version was computationally inefficient because a fully sorted list is not needed: what is needed is only the identity of the pair of regions characterized by the smallest measure of dissimilarity. The present modification replaces the use of a fully sorted list with the use of data heaps, which are computationally more efficient for performing the required comparisons among dissimilarity measures. The modification includes the incorporation of standard and modified functions for creating and updating data heaps
Control Room operations: an investigation of the task of the operator in a Colliery Control Room. Final report
Simpson, G.C.; Best, C.F.; Ferguson, C.A.; Graveling, R.A.; Nicholl, A.G.M.
A detailed study of the ergonomics aspects of four representative Colliery Control Rooms was carried out. Numerous ergonomics limitations, many common to each of the control rooms studied, were identified particularly in relation to workspace dimensions, console layout and lighting. In order to overcome these limitations in future designs, a report detailing the Ergonomics Principles of Colliery Control Room design and Layout was prepared on the basis of the information obtained. Task analysis carried out during the studies revealed that control room operators could have a direct effect on production and that ergonomics aspects were involved in these situations. Indications of potential ergonomics problems in the wider sphere of job design were also identified particularly in relation to information handling.
Operating parameters of water-only cyclone at washing of steam coal from the Cigel Colliery in Slovakia
Hredzak, S.; Lovas, M.; Jakabsky, S.; Mockovciakova, A.; Lesko, M.
The contribution gives attention to the determination of water-only (WO) cyclone operating parameters. The samples of steam coal and fines from the Cigel colliery have been washed in the laboratory type of WO cyclone. The products of washing were subjected to sink-float analyses. From the results of sink-float analyses the basic separation characteristics of the WO cyclone have been computed.
Groundwater hydrogeochemical characteristics in rehabilitated coalmine spoils
NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)
Gomo, M.; Masemola, E.
The investigation aims to identify and describe hydrogeochemical processes controlling the evolution of groundwater chemistry in rehabilitated coalmine spoils and their overall influence on groundwater quality at a study area located in the Karoo basin of South Africa. A good understanding of the processes that controls the evolution of the mine water quality is vital for the planning, application and management of post-mining remedial actions. The study utilises scatter plots, statistical analysis, PHREEQC hydrogeochemical modelling, stoichiometric reaction ratios analysis, and the expanded Durov diagram as complimentary tools to interpret the groundwater chemistry data collected from monitoring boreholes from 1995 to 2014. Measured pH ranging between 6-8 and arithmetic mean of 7.32 shows that the groundwater system is characterised by circumneutral hydrogeochemical conditions period. Comparison of measured groundwater ion concentrations to theoretical reaction stoichiometry identifies Dolomite-Acid Mine Drainage (AMD) neutralisation as the main hydrogeochemical process controlling the evolution of the groundwater chemistry. Hydrogeochemical modelling shows that, the groundwater has temporal variations of calcite and dolomite saturation indices characterised by alternating cycles of over-saturation and under-saturation that is driven by the release of sulphate, calcium and magnesium ions from the carbonate-AMD neutralization process. Arithmetic mean concentrations of sulphate, calcium and magnesium are in the order of 762 mg/L, 141 mg/L and 108 mg/L. Calcium and magnesium ions contribute to very hard groundwater quality conditions. Classification based on total dissolved solids (TDS), shows the circumneutral water is of poor to unacceptable quality for drinking purposes. Despite its ability to prevent AMD formation and leaching of metals, the dolomite-AMD neutralisation process can still lead to problems of elevated TDS and hardness which mines should be aware of
Nonuniformities in the Angle of Repose and Packing Fraction of Large Heaps of Particles
NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)
Topić, Nikola; Gallas, Jason A. C.; Pöschel, Thorsten
We report a numerical investigation of the structural properties of very large three-dimensional heaps of particles produced by ballistic deposition from extended circular dropping areas. Very large heaps are found to contain three new geometrical characteristics not observed before: they may have two external angles of repose, an internal angle of repose, and four distinct packing fraction (density) regions. Such characteristics are shown to be directly correlated with the size of the dropping zone. In addition, we also describe how noise during the deposition affects the final heap structure.
Nonuniformities in the angle of repose and packing fraction of large heaps of particles.
Topić, Nikola; Gallas, Jason A C; Pöschel, Thorsten
We report a numerical investigation of the structural properties of very large three-dimensional heaps of particles produced by ballistic deposition from extended circular dropping areas. Very large heaps are found to contain three new geometrical characteristics not observed before: they may have two external angles of repose, an internal angle of repose, and four distinct packing fraction (density) regions. Such characteristics are shown to be directly correlated with the size of the dropping zone. In addition, we also describe how noise during the deposition affects the final heap structure. PMID:23005988
Coal fire mapping of East Basuria Colliery, Jharia coalfield using vertical derivative technique of magnetic data
NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)
Pal, S. K.; Vaish, Jitendra; Kumar, Sahadev; Bharti, Abhay Kumar
The present study deals with the coal fire mapping of East Basuria Colliery, Jharia coalfield, India, using the magnetic method. It is based on the fact that rise in temperature would result significant changes in magnetic susceptibility and thermo-remanent magnetization (TRM) of the overlying rocks. Magnetism increases slowly with the rise of temperature until the Curie temperature. Generally, rock/ overburden loses magnetization and becomes paramagnetic due to heating to Curie temperature, which results with significant reduction in magnetic susceptibility. However, magnetism increases significantly after cooling below the Curie temperature. Several data processing methods such as diurnal correction, reduction to pole (RTP), first and second vertical derivatives have been used for analysis of magnetic data and their interpretation. It is observed that the total magnetic field intensity anomaly of the area varies approximately from 44850 to 47460 nT and the residual magnetic anomaly varies approximately from -1323 to 1253 nT. The range of the magnetic anomaly after RTP is approximately 1050-1450 nT. About 20 low magnetic anomaly zones have been identified associated with active coal fire regions and 11 high magnetic anomaly zones have been identified associated with non-coal fire regions using vertical derivative techniques.
Comparison of the Cumulative Incidence Rates of Coal Workers' Pneumoconiosis between 1970 and 2013 among Four State-Owned Colliery Groups in China.
Cui, Kai; Shen, Fuhai; Han, Bing; Yuan, Juxiang; Suo, Xia; Qin, Tianbang; Liu, Hongbo; Chen, Jie
The purpose of this study was to identify differences in the incidence characteristics of coal workers' pneumoconiosis (CWP) based on data from four large state-owned colliery groups of China, by comparing the cumulative incidence rates of CWP. We investigated 87,904 coal workers from the Datong, Kailuan, Fuxin, and Tiefa Colliery Groups, who were exposed to dust for at least 1 year. The cumulative incidence rate of CWP was calculated with the life-table method and stratified analysis among coal workers with different occupational categories during different years of first dust exposure. Our results showed the cumulative incidence rate of Datong was higher than that of any other colliery group among workers with different occupational categories during different years of first dust exposure. For Datong workers who started their dust exposure in the 1970s, the cumulative incidence rates of CWP among tunneling, mining, combining, and helping workers were 34.77%, 10.20%, 34.59%, and 4.91% during the observed time of 34 years, respectively. For those in the 1980s, the cumulative incidence rates were 32.29%, 13.51%, 2.98%, and 0.47%, respectively. The cumulative incidence rates of Fuxin and Tiefa were the lowest. In conclusion, the Datong colliery has the highest cumulative incidence rate of CWP among the four studied collieries, followed by Kailuan. The cumulative incidence rates of Fuxin and Tiefa were the lowest. Additional dust-proofing measures for decreasing dust concentrations are still necessary. PMID:26133134
Measurements and modelling of self-heating in spoil piles from open-cut coal mines
Carras, J.N.; Saghafi, A.; Bainbridge, N.W.
Open-cut coal mining produces large quantities of spoil. Spoil consists of clays, rock, minerals and other carbonaceous materials (including thin coal seams) which have little or no economic value. When exposed to the elements, in spoil piles, the spoil interacts with water and air as part of the weathering process. Some interactions, for example those involving coal, carbonaceous materials, and pyrite are exothermic. If the rate at which heat is generated within the spoil is greater than the rate at which heat is liberated, the temperature of the spoil rises. If the heating remains unchecked spontaneous combustion can occur. This paper describes the major sources of heat in spoil piles from open cut coal mining and presents laboratory and field measurements of spoil heating. A numerical model of self-heating is described and an example of its use is presented.
Growth of Phragmites australis (Cav.) Trin ex. Steudel in mine water treatment wetlands: effects of metal and nutrient uptake.
Batty, Lesley C; Younger, Paul L
The abandoned mine of Shilbottle Colliery, Northumberland, UK is an example of acidic spoil heap discharge that contains elevated levels of many metals. Aerobic wetlands planted with the common reed, Phragmites australis, were constructed at the site to treat surface runoff from the spoil heap. The presence of a perched water table within the spoil heap resulted in the lower wetlands receiving acidic metal contaminated water from within the spoil heap while the upper wetland receives alkaline, uncontaminated surface runoff from the revegetated spoil. This unique situation enabled the comparison of metal uptake and growth of plants used in treatment schemes in two cognate wetlands. Results indicated a significant difference in plant growth between the two wetlands in terms of shoot height and seed production. Analyses of metal and nutrient concentrations within plant tissues provided the basis for three hypotheses to explain these differences: (i) the toxic effects of high levels of metals in shoot tissues, (ii) the inhibition of Ca (an essential nutrient) uptake by the presence of metals and H+ ions, and (iii) low concentrations of bioavailable nitrogen sources resulting in nitrogen deficiency. This has important implications for the engineering of constructed wetlands in terms of the potential success of plant establishment and vegetation development. PMID:15276276
The microscopic structure of mono-disperse granular heaps and sediments of particles on inclined surfaces.
Topic, Nikola; Schaller, Fabian M; Schröder-Turk, Gerd E; Pöschel, Thorsten
Granular heaps of particles created by deposition of mono-disperse particles raining from an extended source of finite size are characterized by a non-homogeneous field of density. It was speculated that this inhomogeneity is due to the transient shape of the sediment during the process of construction of the heap, thus reflecting the history of the creation of the heap. By comparison of structural characteristics of the heap with sediments created on top of inclined planes exploiting the method of Minkowski tensors, we provide further evidence to support this hypothesis. Moreover, for the case of sediments generated by homogeneous rain on surfaces, we provide relationships between the inclination of the surface and the Minkowski measures characterizing the isotropy of local particle environments. PMID:26892630
Event heap: a coordination infrastructure for dynamic heterogeneous application interactions in ubiquitous computing environments
Johanson, Bradley E.; Fox, Armando; Winograd, Terry A.; Hanrahan, Patrick M.
An efficient and adaptive middleware infrastructure called the Event Heap system dynamically coordinates application interactions and communications in a ubiquitous computing environment, e.g., an interactive workspace, having heterogeneous software applications running on various machines and devices across different platforms. Applications exchange events via the Event Heap. Each event is characterized by a set of unordered, named fields. Events are routed by matching certain attributes in the fields. The source and target versions of each field are automatically set when an event is posted or used as a template. The Event Heap system implements a unique combination of features, both intrinsic to tuplespaces and specific to the Event Heap, including content based addressing, support for routing patterns, standard routing fields, limited data persistence, query persistence/registration, transparent communication, self-description, flexible typing, logical/physical centralization, portable client API, at most once per source first-in-first-out ordering, and modular restartability.
30 CFR 816.73 - Disposal of excess spoil: Durable rock fills.
Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR
... 30 Mineral Resources 3 2010-07-01 2010-07-01 false Disposal of excess spoil: Durable rock fills...-SURFACE MINING ACTIVITIES § 816.73 Disposal of excess spoil: Durable rock fills. The regulatory authority may approve the alternative method of disposal of excess durable rock spoil by gravity placement...
30 CFR 816.73 - Disposal of excess spoil: Durable rock fills.
Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR
... 30 Mineral Resources 3 2011-07-01 2011-07-01 false Disposal of excess spoil: Durable rock fills...-SURFACE MINING ACTIVITIES § 816.73 Disposal of excess spoil: Durable rock fills. The regulatory authority may approve the alternative method of disposal of excess durable rock spoil by gravity placement...
30 CFR 817.73 - Disposal of excess spoil: Durable rock fills.
Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR
... 30 Mineral Resources 3 2010-07-01 2010-07-01 false Disposal of excess spoil: Durable rock fills...-UNDERGROUND MINING ACTIVITIES § 817.73 Disposal of excess spoil: Durable rock fills. The regulatory authority may approve the alternative method of disposal of excess durable rock spoil by gravity placement...
30 CFR 817.73 - Disposal of excess spoil: Durable rock fills.
Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR
... 30 Mineral Resources 3 2011-07-01 2011-07-01 false Disposal of excess spoil: Durable rock fills...-UNDERGROUND MINING ACTIVITIES § 817.73 Disposal of excess spoil: Durable rock fills. The regulatory authority may approve the alternative method of disposal of excess durable rock spoil by gravity placement...
30 CFR 715.15 - Disposal of excess spoil.
Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR
... engineer or other qualified professional specialist experienced in the construction of earth and rockfill... actively mined bench to a lower pre-existing bench by means of gravity transport is permitted provided that... by the operator that the spoil to be disposed of by gravity transport is not necessary...
30 CFR 715.15 - Disposal of excess spoil.
Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR
... engineer or other qualified professional specialist experienced in the construction of earth and rockfill... actively mined bench to a lower pre-existing bench by means of gravity transport is permitted provided that... by the operator that the spoil to be disposed of by gravity transport is not necessary...
30 CFR 715.15 - Disposal of excess spoil.
Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR
... engineer or other qualified professional specialist experienced in the construction of earth and rockfill... actively mined bench to a lower pre-existing bench by means of gravity transport is permitted provided that... by the operator that the spoil to be disposed of by gravity transport is not necessary...
30 CFR 784.19 - Disposal of excess spoil.
Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR
... 30 Mineral Resources 3 2013-07-01 2013-07-01 false Disposal of excess spoil. 784.19 Section 784.19 Mineral Resources OFFICE OF SURFACE MINING RECLAMATION AND ENFORCEMENT, DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR SURFACE COAL MINING AND RECLAMATION OPERATIONS PERMITS AND COAL EXPLORATION SYSTEMS UNDER REGULATORY PROGRAMS UNDERGROUND MINING...
30 CFR 780.35 - Disposal of excess spoil.
Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR
... 30 Mineral Resources 3 2013-07-01 2013-07-01 false Disposal of excess spoil. 780.35 Section 780.35 Mineral Resources OFFICE OF SURFACE MINING RECLAMATION AND ENFORCEMENT, DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR SURFACE COAL MINING AND RECLAMATION OPERATIONS PERMITS AND COAL EXPLORATION SYSTEMS UNDER REGULATORY PROGRAMS SURFACE MINING...
Enteric listeriosis in grazing steers supplemented with spoiled silage.
García, Juan A; Micheloud, Juan F; Campero, Carlos M; Morrell, Eleonora L; Odriozola, Ernesto R; Moreira, Ana R
An outbreak of enteric listeriosis in steers that were fed spoiled silage is reported. The outbreak started 2 days after ~200 animals in a single paddock were given a supplement of spoiled silage. Forty animals (20%) were affected, and 13 (6.5%) died over a period of 10 days. Affected animals were recumbent, depressed, and had diarrhea with mucus and fibrin. Gross and microscopic findings in 3 animals that were subjected to autopsy included excess peritoneal fluid, congestion and edema of abomasum, suppurative enteritis and colitis, and suppurative mesenteric lymphadenitis. Two strains of Listeria monocytogenes were isolated, one of serotype 1/2c from the gallbladder and one of serotype 1/2b from the spoiled silage. Listeria monocytogenes was detected in the mesenteric lymph nodes and intestinal wall of 1 animal by immunohistochemistry (IHC). Clinical history and signs, gross and microscopic findings, bacterial isolation, and IHC results confirmed a diagnosis of enteric listeriosis. The source of infection was likely the spoiled silage. PMID:26699524
Microbial succession and mineral leaching in an artificial coal spoil.
Harrison, A P
An artificial pyritic coal spoil was prepared and examined over a period of 1.5 years for changes in the population of various physiological varieties of bacteria and also for mineral leaching. Heterotrophic bacteria were the first to dominate the spoil, acquiring a population of 10(7) cells per g within 2 weeks. Bacteria capable of utilizing choline sulfate as the sole source of energy comprised approximately 1% of the total heterotrophic bacteria. Sulfur-oxidizing autotrophic bacteria (Thiobacillus) and finally iron-oxidizing bacteria (Thiobacillus ferrooxidans) increased in the population, the latter becoming the dominant species where acidity was greatest. Partition of species paralleled partition of acidity in the spoil. Maximum acidity (pH 2.6) and maximum population of T. ferrooxidans (greater than 10(7) cells per g) occurred at the summit. Molds (notably, Aspergillus), algae (Chlorococcales, Oscillatoria, Navicula), cilliated and flagellated protozoa, an arthropod (Podura aquatica), and a moss (aberrant Physcomitrium pyriforme) were observed. The mineral salts leached from the spoil, in decreasing order, were the sulfates of magnesium (predominantly hexahydrite), calcium (gypsum), sodium, aluminum (alunogenite), and iron. PMID:736542
46 CFR 174.330 - Jettisoning of spoil.
Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR
... COAST GUARD, DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY (CONTINUED) SUBDIVISION AND STABILITY SPECIAL RULES... doors, it may be assumed that the spoil is jettisoned immediately after damage and that the bottom doors... jettisoned immediately after damage if— (1) The hull is designed so that— (i) The complete separation...
46 CFR 174.330 - Jettisoning of spoil.
Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR
... COAST GUARD, DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY (CONTINUED) SUBDIVISION AND STABILITY SPECIAL RULES... doors, it may be assumed that the spoil is jettisoned immediately after damage and that the bottom doors... jettisoned immediately after damage if— (1) The hull is designed so that— (i) The complete separation...
Role of arthropods in developing soils on mine spoils. Final report
Whitford, W.G.; Elkins, N.Z.; Parker, L.W.
In laboratory microcosms of coal mine spoil amended with bark and wood chips, the activity of termites increased organic matter and increased total nitrogen. Termite survival was reduced in microcosms with spoil and paper or straw amendments. Field studies evaluating the efficacy of organic amendments in developing a soil biota showed that decomposition rates of wood chip-bark amended spoil were the same as unmined soil and that decomposition rates were lower than all other mulch-spoil combinations. Wood and bark amended-spoil had the highest density and diversity of soil fauna. Top dressing spoils with borrow soil did not improve any of the soil biological parameters measured. Based on these data it was recommended that reclamation procedures be changed to eliminate borrow soil top-dressing and that wood removed from mined areas be returned to the contoured spoil as wood chip amendment in addition to straw mulch.
Mycobacteria in water used for personal hygiene in heavy industry and collieries: a potential risk for employees.
Ulmann, Vit; Kracalikova, Anna; Dziedzinska, Radka
Environmental mycobacteria (EM) constitute a health risk, particularly for immunocompromised people. Workers in heavy industry and in collieries represent an at-risk group of people as their immunity is often weakened by long-term employment in dusty environments, frequent smoking and an increased occurrence of pulmonary diseases. This study was concerned with the presence of EM in non-drinking water used for the hygiene of employees in six large industrial companies and collieries. Over a period of ten years, 1096 samples of surface water treated for hygiene purposes (treated surface water) and treated surface water diluted with mining water were examined. EM were detected in 63.4 and 41.5% samples of treated surface water and treated surface water diluted with mining water, respectively. Mycobacterium gordonae, M. avium-intracellulare and M. kansasii were the most frequently detected species. Adoption of suitable precautions should be enforced to reduce the incidence of mycobacteria in shower water and to decrease the infectious pressure on employees belonging to an at-risk group of people. PMID:25749321
Mycobacteria in Water Used for Personal Hygiene in Heavy Industry and Collieries: A Potential Risk for Employees
Ulmann, Vit; Kracalikova, Anna; Dziedzinska, Radka
Environmental mycobacteria (EM) constitute a health risk, particularly for immunocompromised people. Workers in heavy industry and in collieries represent an at-risk group of people as their immunity is often weakened by long-term employment in dusty environments, frequent smoking and an increased occurrence of pulmonary diseases. This study was concerned with the presence of EM in non-drinking water used for the hygiene of employees in six large industrial companies and collieries. Over a period of ten years, 1096 samples of surface water treated for hygiene purposes (treated surface water) and treated surface water diluted with mining water were examined. EM were detected in 63.4 and 41.5% samples of treated surface water and treated surface water diluted with mining water, respectively. Mycobacterium gordonae, M. avium-intracellulare and M. kansasii were the most frequently detected species. Adoption of suitable precautions should be enforced to reduce the incidence of mycobacteria in shower water and to decrease the infectious pressure on employees belonging to an at-risk group of people. PMID:25749321
A Numerical Evaluation on the Viability of Heap Thermophilic Bioleaching of Chalcopyrite
NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)
Vilcaez, J.; Suto, K.; Inoue, C.
The present numerical evaluation explores into the interactions among the many variables governing the mass and heat transport processes that take place in a heap thermophilic bioleaching system. The necessity of using mesophiles together with thermophiles is proved by tracing the activity of both microorganisms individually at each point throughout the heap. The role of key variables such as the fraction of FeS2 per CuFeS2 leached was quantified and its importance highlighted. In this evaluation, the heat transfer process plays the main role because of the heat accumulation required to maintain the heap temperature within the range of 60 °C to 80 °C where thermophilic microorganisms are capable of completing the unfinished dissolution of copper started by mesophilic microorganisms at 30 °C. The evaluation was done taking into consideration: biological activity as function of the temperature in the heap, heat loss due to conduction and advection from the top and bottom of the heap, and mass transfer between the gas and liquid phases as a function of temperature. The exothermic nature of the leaching reactions of CuFeS2 and FeS2 makes the system auto-thermal.
Microbial leaching of toxic metals and arsenic from a heap consisting of heavily polluted soil
NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)
Groudev, Stoyan; Georgiev, Plamen; Spasova, Irena; Nicolova, Marina
Soil heavily polluted with toxic heavy metals (mainly Cu, Zn, Cd) and arsenic was subjected to microbial cleanup in a heap specially constructed for this purpose. The heap was located on an impermeable geomembrane, had the shape of a truncated pyramid and contained about 240 tons of soil collected mainly from the horizon A. The soil was highly acidic (with an initial pH of about 3.2) and was preliminarily crushed to minus 2.5 cm particle size. The pollutants were present mainly as the relevant sulphide minerals and the soil was inhabited by different microorganisms, including some acidophilic chemolithotrophic bacteria able to oxidize sulphides and to solubilize the relevant toxic elements. The heap possessed systems for irrigation and aeration and was surrounded by ditches to collect the drainage heap effluents containing the dissolved pollutants. The treatment of the soil was carried out by means of interrupted irrigation with leach solutions containing diluted sulphuric acid (to maintain pH in the heap within the range of about 2.5 - 2.8) and ammonium and phosphate ions to maintain the microbial growth. The treatment was carried out for a period of about two years during different climatic seasons. After the end of leaching the soil was subjected to some conventional melioration procedures such as liming, grassing, moulching, addition of fertilizers and animal manure and periodic ploughing and irrigation to increase its quality to levels suitable for agricultural utilization.
Measuring Dust Exposure with the Thermal Precipitator in Collieries and Foundries
Roach, S. A.
The standard thermal precipitator has been modified for field surveys of airborne dust exposure so as to make it more portable. A microprojector is used when assessing the samples and for coal-mine dusts the counts are restricted to the range 0·5 to 5 microns. In industrial environments the dust concentration appears to vary with a standard deviation of more than 50% of the mean. Part of this variability is due to errors of the thermal precipitator. The standard error of a count of a sample is about 10% to 15% in practical work and the combined effect of this and other errors is that the standard error of a single result is about 15%. However, in practice this can be neglected since the dust concentration itself is so variable. A more important source of error is the bias, due to overlapping among the particles on the cover glasses. The count may give a serious underestimate of the number of airborne particles if high sample densities are used. The product of average concentration and duration of exposure is probably a good index of the dose of dust retained in a man's lungs. The duration of exposure is measured by a simple time study made at the same time as the concentration is measured. Samples are taken near workers chosen at random to give unbiased estimates of the dust exposure. Ideally successive samples are taken alongside different workers. However, in a survey at a colliery it was not possible to do this and each day had to be spent with one collier. The mean dust exposure of the coal-getters was 2,860 particle-hours per shift, of those on stone work 2,250 particle-hours per shift, and the remainder had a mean dust exposure of 1,010 particle-hours per shift. In a survey at a steel works successive samples could be taken alongside different workers. It was found that the dustiness was unrelated to the apparently dusty processes and as the dust was very fine it was suspected that it was the normal atmospheric pollution of the neighbourhood. This was
Stability of spoil piles at two coal mines in Turkey: Geotechnical characterization and design considerations
Kasmer, O.; Ulusay, R.
One of the major problems in surface mining of coal is the stability of disposed overburden materials. Geotechnical considerations are thus very important in rational planning for disposal, reclamation, treatment, and utilization of mine waste material. The subject of this study is the stability of spoil piles at open pit coal mines located in the Central Anatolia, Turkey. The coal is produced from two adjacent open pits. While a large portion of the spoil piles dumped at the Central Pit has experienced slope failure, no spoil pile instability has been experienced at the South Pit. This article outlines the results of field and laboratory investigations to describe the mechanism of the spoil pile failure in the Central Pit and the geotechnical design considerations for the spoil piles at the South Pit based on the experience gained from the previous spoil failures. Limit equilibrium analysis carried out for the large-scale spoil failure indicated that deep-seated sliding along the interface between underclay and dragline spoil piles and rotational slip through the overburden spoil material may be all occurring simultaneously as water migrates through these areas. Sensitivity analyses revealed that spoil pile instability is not expected at the South Pit when the current spoil placement method is used as long as the generation of high water pressures in the spoil piles is not permitted. Comparisons between the results of finite element analysis and long-term monitoring data also confirmed the results of sensitivity analyses and indicated a vertical deformation associated with compaction of the spoil material.
Heaping, secondary flows and broken symmetry in flows of elongated granular particles
NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)
Wortel, Geert; Börzsönyi, Tamás; Somfai, Ellák; Wegner, Sandra; Szabó, Balázs; Stannarius, Ralf; van Hecke, Martin
In this paper we report experiments where we shear granular rods in split-bottom geometries, and find that a significant heap of height of least 40% of the filling height can form at the particle surface. We show that heaping is caused by a significant secondary flow, absent for spherical particles. Flow reversal transiently reverses the secondary flow, leading to a quick collapse and slower regeneration of the heap. We present a symmetry argument and experimental data that show that the generation of the secondary flow is driven by a misalignment of the mean particle orientation with the streamlines of the flow. This general mechanism is expected to be important in all flows of sufficiently anisometric grains.
Fast heap transform-based QR-decomposition of real and complex matrices: algorithms and codes
NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)
Grigoryan, Artyom M.
In this paper, we describe a new look on the application of Givens rotations to the QR-decomposition problem, which is similar to the method of Householder transformations. We apply the concept of the discrete heap transform, or signal-induced unitary transforms which had been introduced by Grigoryan (2006) and used in signal and image processing. Both cases of real and complex nonsingular matrices are considered and examples of performing QR-decomposition of square matrices are given. The proposed method of QR-decomposition for the complex matrix is novel and differs from the known method of complex Givens rotation and is based on analytical equations for the heap transforms. Many examples illustrated the proposed heap transform method of QR-decomposition are given, algorithms are described in detail, and MATLAB-based codes are included.
Environmental impact assessment of selenium from coal mine spoils
Atalay, A.
The development of environmental impact assessment of selenium from coal mine spoils will provide a useful guideline to predict the environmental impact of Se from abandoned coal mine operations. Information obtained from such a study can be applied in areas where coal mining has not yet begun in order to predict and identify the geochemistry of rocks, soils, surface waters and groundwaters likely to be disturbed by coal mining operation.
Accounting for Heaping in Retrospectively Reported Event Data – A Mixture-Model Approach
Bar, Haim Y.; Lillard, Dean R.
When event data are retrospectively reported, more temporally distal events tend to get "heaped" on even multiples of reporting units. Heaping may introduce a type of attenuation bias because it causes researchers to mismatch time-varying right-hand side variables. We develop a model-based approach to estimate the extent of heaping in the data, and how it affects regression parameter estimates. We use smoking cessation data as a motivating example, but our method is general. It facilitates the use of retrospective data from the multitude of cross-sectional and longitudinal studies worldwide that collect and potentially could collect event data. PMID:22733577
Preparation of Aluminum Metal Matrix Composite with Novel In situ Ceramic Composite Particulates, Developed from Waste Colliery Shale Material
NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)
Venkata Siva, S. B.; Sahoo, K. L.; Ganguly, R. I.; Dash, R. R.; Singh, S. K.; Satpathy, B. K.; Srinivasarao, G.
A novel method is adapted to prepare an in situ ceramic composite from waste colliery shale (CS) material. Heat treatment of the shale material, in a plasma reactor and/or in a high temperature furnace at 1673 K (1400 °C) under high vacuum (10-6 Torr), has enabled in situ conversion of SiO2 to SiC in the vicinity of carbon and Al2O3 present in the shale material. The composite has the chemical constituents, SiC-Al2O3-C, as established by XRD/EDX analysis. Particle sizes of the composite range between 50 nm and 200 μm. The shape of the particles vary, presumably rod to spherical shape, distributed preferably in the region of grain boundaries. The CS composite so produced is added to aluminum melt to produce Al-CS composite (12 vol. pct). For comparison of properties, the aluminum metal matrix composite (AMCs) is made with Al2O3 particulates (15 vol. pct) with size <200 μm. The heat-treated Al-CS composite has shown better mechanical properties compared to the Al-Al2O3 composite. The ductility and toughness of the Al-CS composite are greater than that of the Al-Al2O3 composite. Fractographs revealed fine sheared dimples in the Al-CS composite, whereas the same of the Al-Al2O3 composite showed an appearance of cleavage-type facets. Abrasion and frictional behavior of both the composites have been compared. The findings lead to the conclusion that the in situ composite developed from the colliery shale waste material has a good future for its use in AMCs.
The report presents a description of the magnitude and distribution of gold/silver heap leaching, the design and operation of leaching facilities, the potential for environmental impact, and management practices that may be used to minimize potential environmental releases. Curre...
Heaping-Induced Bias in Regression-Discontinuity Designs. NBER Working Paper No. 17408
ERIC Educational Resources Information Center
Barreca, Alan I.; Lindo, Jason M.; Waddell, Glen R.
This study uses Monte Carlo simulations to demonstrate that regression-discontinuity designs arrive at biased estimates when attributes related to outcomes predict heaping in the running variable. After showing that our usual diagnostics are poorly suited to identifying this type of problem, we provide alternatives. We also demonstrate how the…
Community of thermoacidophilic and arsenic resistant microorganisms isolated from a deep profile of mine heaps.
Casas-Flores, S; Gómez-Rodríguez, E Y; García-Meza, J V
Soluble arsenic (As) in acidic feed solution may inhibit the copper (Cu) bioleaching process within mine heaps. To clarify the effect of soluble arsenic on the live biomass and bioxidative activity in heaps, toxicological assays were performed using a synthetic feed solution given by a mine company. The microorganisms had previously been isolated from two heap samples at up to 66 m depth, and cultured using specific media for chemolithotrophic acidophiles (pH 1-2) and moderate thermophiles (48°C), for arsenic tolerance assay. The four media with the highest biomass were selected to assay As-resistance; one culture (Q63h) was chosen to assay biooxidative activity, using a heap sample that contained chalcopyrite and covellite. We found that 0.5 g/L of As does not affect living biomass or biooxidative activity on Cu sulfides, but it dissolves Cu, while As precipitates as arsenic acid (H3AsO4·½H2O). The arsenic tolerant community, as identified by 16S rDNA gene sequence analysis, was composed of three main metabolic groups: chemolithotrophs (Leptospirillum, Sulfobacillus); chemolithoheterotrophs and organoheterotrophs as Acidovorax temperans, Pseudomonas alcaligenes, P. mendocina and Sphingomonas spp. Leptospirillum spp. and S. thermosulfidooxidans were the dominant taxa in the Q63-66 cultures from the deepest sample of the oldest, highest-temperature heap. The results indicated arsenic resistance in the microbial community, therefore specific primers were used to amplify ars (arsenic resistance system), aio (arsenite oxidase), or arr (arsenate respiratory reduction) genes from total sample DNA. Presence of arsB genes in S. thermosulfidooxidans in the Q63-66 cultures permits H3AsO4-As(V) detoxification and strengthens the community's response to As. PMID:26283066
33 CFR 67.15-10 - Spoil banks, artificial islands, and dredged channels.
Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR
... 33 Navigation and Navigable Waters 1 2013-07-01 2013-07-01 false Spoil banks, artificial islands..., DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY AIDS TO NAVIGATION AIDS TO NAVIGATION ON ARTIFICIAL ISLANDS AND FIXED STRUCTURES Miscellaneous Marking Requirements § 67.15-10 Spoil banks, artificial islands, and...
33 CFR 67.15-10 - Spoil banks, artificial islands, and dredged channels.
Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR
... 33 Navigation and Navigable Waters 1 2011-07-01 2011-07-01 false Spoil banks, artificial islands..., DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY AIDS TO NAVIGATION AIDS TO NAVIGATION ON ARTIFICIAL ISLANDS AND FIXED STRUCTURES Miscellaneous Marking Requirements § 67.15-10 Spoil banks, artificial islands, and...
33 CFR 67.15-10 - Spoil banks, artificial islands, and dredged channels.
Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR
... 33 Navigation and Navigable Waters 1 2010-07-01 2010-07-01 false Spoil banks, artificial islands..., DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY AIDS TO NAVIGATION AIDS TO NAVIGATION ON ARTIFICIAL ISLANDS AND FIXED STRUCTURES Miscellaneous Marking Requirements § 67.15-10 Spoil banks, artificial islands, and...
33 CFR 67.15-10 - Spoil banks, artificial islands, and dredged channels.
Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR
... 33 Navigation and Navigable Waters 1 2012-07-01 2012-07-01 false Spoil banks, artificial islands..., DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY AIDS TO NAVIGATION AIDS TO NAVIGATION ON ARTIFICIAL ISLANDS AND FIXED STRUCTURES Miscellaneous Marking Requirements § 67.15-10 Spoil banks, artificial islands, and...
33 CFR 67.15-10 - Spoil banks, artificial islands, and dredged channels.
Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR
... 33 Navigation and Navigable Waters 1 2014-07-01 2014-07-01 false Spoil banks, artificial islands..., DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY AIDS TO NAVIGATION AIDS TO NAVIGATION ON ARTIFICIAL ISLANDS AND FIXED STRUCTURES Miscellaneous Marking Requirements § 67.15-10 Spoil banks, artificial islands, and...
30 CFR 817.73 - Disposal of excess spoil: Durable rock fills.
Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR
... 30 Mineral Resources 3 2014-07-01 2014-07-01 false Disposal of excess spoil: Durable rock fills. 817.73 Section 817.73 Mineral Resources OFFICE OF SURFACE MINING RECLAMATION AND ENFORCEMENT... water and will not degrade to soil material. Where used, noncemented clay shale, clay spoil, soil...
30 CFR 816.73 - Disposal of excess spoil: Durable rock fills.
Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR
... 30 Mineral Resources 3 2014-07-01 2014-07-01 false Disposal of excess spoil: Durable rock fills. 816.73 Section 816.73 Mineral Resources OFFICE OF SURFACE MINING RECLAMATION AND ENFORCEMENT... water and will not degrade to soil material. Where used, noncemented clay shale, clay spoil, soil...
30 CFR 816.73 - Disposal of excess spoil: Durable rock fills.
Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR
... 30 Mineral Resources 3 2012-07-01 2012-07-01 false Disposal of excess spoil: Durable rock fills. 816.73 Section 816.73 Mineral Resources OFFICE OF SURFACE MINING RECLAMATION AND ENFORCEMENT... water and will not degrade to soil material. Where used, noncemented clay shale, clay spoil, soil...
30 CFR 816.73 - Disposal of excess spoil: Durable rock fills.
Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR
... 30 Mineral Resources 3 2013-07-01 2013-07-01 false Disposal of excess spoil: Durable rock fills. 816.73 Section 816.73 Mineral Resources OFFICE OF SURFACE MINING RECLAMATION AND ENFORCEMENT... water and will not degrade to soil material. Where used, noncemented clay shale, clay spoil, soil...
30 CFR 817.73 - Disposal of excess spoil: Durable rock fills.
Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR
... 30 Mineral Resources 3 2013-07-01 2013-07-01 false Disposal of excess spoil: Durable rock fills. 817.73 Section 817.73 Mineral Resources OFFICE OF SURFACE MINING RECLAMATION AND ENFORCEMENT... water and will not degrade to soil material. Where used, noncemented clay shale, clay spoil, soil...
30 CFR 817.73 - Disposal of excess spoil: Durable rock fills.
Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR
... 30 Mineral Resources 3 2012-07-01 2012-07-01 false Disposal of excess spoil: Durable rock fills. 817.73 Section 817.73 Mineral Resources OFFICE OF SURFACE MINING RECLAMATION AND ENFORCEMENT... water and will not degrade to soil material. Where used, noncemented clay shale, clay spoil, soil...
Revegetation of Alaskan coal mine spoils. Progress report
Mitchell, W W; Mitchell, G A; McKendrick, J D
Activities initiated after the start of the revegetation project on Alaskan coal mine spoils on September 1, 1979 have consisted mainly of some fall plantings (dormant seedings) and soil and coal spoil samplings and analyses. Because of the late summer start for the project, only a limited amount of field work could be initiated in plant material studies. This consisted of a fall planting at the Usibelli mine site at Healy in interior Alaska. The planting was intended to test the efficacy of seeding in the frost period following the growing season, requiring the seed to remain dormant over winter and to germinate when conditions become favorable in late spring. It also was intended as a comparison of a number of different grasses. Thirty entries were seeded in three replications. Fifteen species of grasses and a clover were included in the trial. The site provided for the trial was on overburden material along a streambed. Among the entries were eight cultivars of introduced grasses, five cultivars of native Alaskan germplasm, one introduced clover cultivar, and sixteen experimental grasses mainly of Alaskan origin.
Neural Correlates of the Perception of Spoiled Food Stimuli
Becker, Christoph A.; Flaisch, Tobias; Renner, Britta; Schupp, Harald T.
The elicitation of disgust by the view of spoiled and rotten foods is considered as an adaptation preventing the ingestion of harmful microorganisms and pathogens. To provide an effective behavioral defense, inedible food items need to be detected automatically, i.e., in the absence of explicit processing goals, early in the processing stream, and triggering an alarm response, i.e., increased attentional capture. To examine these hypotheses, a set of stimulus material consisting of images of perishable foods (i.e., dairies, meats, fruits, and vegetables) at various stages of natural decay ranging from appetitive to disgusting was developed. In separate sessions, functional imaging and dense sensor event related potential (ERP) data were collected while participants (N = 24) viewed the stimulus materials. Functional imaging data indicated larger activations in the extrastriate visual cortex during the processing of inedible as compared to edible food items. Furthermore, ERP recordings indicated that the processing of inedible food stimuli was associated with a relative positivity over inferior occipital sensor sites already at early stages of processing (<200 ms), and subsequently, an increased late positive potential (LPP) over parieto-occipital sensor regions. Taken together, these findings demonstrate the brain's sensitivity to visual cues of foods that are spoiled or rotten. PMID:27445746
Evaluation of Physical Coverings Used To Control Escherichia coli O157:H7 at the Compost Heap Surface ▿ †
Shepherd, Marion W.; Kim, Jinkyung; Jiang, Xiuping; Doyle, Michael P.; Erickson, Marilyn C.
Throughout four field trials, compost heaps covered with finished compost maintained temperatures under the physical covering that were ca. 7 to 15.5°C higher, resulting in rapid Escherichia coli O157:H7 reduction, than those of the heaps covered with fresh straw or left uncovered. Our results validated recommendations made by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency for covering fresh compost. PMID:21622780
Deviation of Zipf's and Heaps' Laws in Human Languages with Limited Dictionary Sizes
NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)
Lü, Linyuan; Zhang, Zi-Ke; Zhou, Tao
Zipf's law on word frequency and Heaps' law on the growth of distinct words are observed in Indo-European language family, but it does not hold for languages like Chinese, Japanese and Korean. These languages consist of characters, and are of very limited dictionary sizes. Extensive experiments show that: (i) The character frequency distribution follows a power law with exponent close to one, at which the corresponding Zipf's exponent diverges. Indeed, the character frequency decays exponentially in the Zipf's plot. (ii) The number of distinct characters grows with the text length in three stages: It grows linearly in the beginning, then turns to a logarithmical form, and eventually saturates. A theoretical model for writing process is proposed, which embodies the rich-get-richer mechanism and the effects of limited dictionary size. Experiments, simulations and analytical solutions agree well with each other. This work refines the understanding about Zipf's and Heaps' laws in human language systems.
Development of a front end controller/heap manager for PHENIX
Ericson, M.N.; Allen, M.D.; Musrock, M.S.; Walker, J.W.; Britton, C.L. Jr.; Wintenberg, A.L.; Young, G.R.
A controller/heap manager has been designed for applicability to all detector subsystem types of PHENIX. the heap manager performs all functions associated with front end electronics control including ADC and analog memory control, data collection, command interpretation and execution, and data packet forming and communication. Interfaces to the unit consist of a timing and control bus, a serial bus, a parallel data bus, and a trigger interface. The topology developed is modular so that many functional blocks are identical for a number of subsystem types. Programmability is maximized through the use of flexible modular functions and implementation using field programmable gate arrays (FPGAs). Details of unit design and functionality will be discussed with particular detail given to subsystems having analog memory-based front end electronics. In addition, mode control, serial functions, and FPGA implementation details will be presented.
Photochemical changes in cyanide speciation in drainage from a precious metal ore heap.
Johnson, Craig A; Leinz, Reinhard W; Grimes, David J; Rye, Robert O
In drainage from an inactive ore heap at a former gold mine, the speciation of cyanide and the concentrations of several metals were found to follow diurnal cycles. Concentrations of the hexacyanoferrate complex, iron, manganese, and ammonium were higher at night than during the day, whereas weak-acid-dissociable cyanide, silver, gold, copper, nitrite, and pH displayed the reverse behavior. The changes in cyanide speciation, iron, and trace metals can be explained by photodissociation of iron and cobalt cyanocomplexes as the solutions emerged from the heap into sunlight-exposed channels. At midday, environmentally significant concentrations of free cyanide were produced in a matter of minutes, causing trace copper, silver, and gold to be mobilized as cyanocomplexes from solids. Whether rapid photodissociation is a general phenomenon common to other sites will be important to determine in reaching a general understanding of the environmental risks posed by routine or accidental water discharges from precious metal mining facilities. PMID:11918005
Photochemical changes in cyanide speciation in drainage from a precious metal ore heap
Johnson, C.A.; Leinz, R.W.; Grimes, D.J.; Rye, R.O.
In drainage from an inactive ore heap at a former gold mine, the speciation of cyanide and the concentrations of several metals were found to follow diurnal cycles. Concentrations of the hexacyanoferrate complex, iron, manganese, and ammonium were higher at night than during the day, whereas weak-acid-dissociable cyanide, silver, gold, copper, nitrite, and pH displayed the reverse behavior. The changes in cyanide speciation, iron, and trace metals can be explained by photodissociation of iron and cobalt cyanocomplexes as the solutions emerged from the heap into sunlight-exposed channels. At midday, environmentally significant concentrations of free cyanide were produced in a matter of minutes, causing trace copper, silver, and gold to be mobilized as cyanocomplexes from solids. Whether rapid photodissociation is a general phenomenon common to other sites will be important to determine in reaching a general understanding of the environmental risks posed by routine or accidental water discharges from precious metal mining facilities.
Deviation of Zipf's and Heaps' Laws in human languages with limited dictionary sizes.
Lü, Linyuan; Zhang, Zi-Ke; Zhou, Tao
Zipf's law on word frequency and Heaps' law on the growth of distinct words are observed in Indo-European language family, but it does not hold for languages like Chinese, Japanese and Korean. These languages consist of characters, and are of very limited dictionary sizes. Extensive experiments show that: (i) The character frequency distribution follows a power law with exponent close to one, at which the corresponding Zipf's exponent diverges. Indeed, the character frequency decays exponentially in the Zipf's plot. (ii) The number of distinct characters grows with the text length in three stages: It grows linearly in the beginning, then turns to a logarithmical form, and eventually saturates. A theoretical model for writing process is proposed, which embodies the rich-get-richer mechanism and the effects of limited dictionary size. Experiments, simulations and analytical solutions agree well with each other. This work refines the understanding about Zipf's and Heaps' laws in human language systems. PMID:23378896
A column evaluation of Appalachian coal mine spoils' temporal leaching behavior.
Orndorff, Zenah W; Daniels, W Lee; Zipper, Carl E; Eick, Matt; Beck, Mike
Appalachian surface coal mine overburden affects water quality as drainage percolates through spoil disposal fills. This study evaluated leaching potentials of 15 spoils from south-central Appalachia. Most bulk samples were non acid-forming, all were low in total-S, (≤0.34%), and initial saturated paste specific conductance (SC) ranged from 264 to 3560 μS cm(-1). Samples were leached unsaturated (40 cycles) and leachates analyzed for pH, SC, and ion composition. Overall, leachates from unweathered spoils were higher in pH and SC than leachates from weathered spoils. Fine-textured spoils generally produced higher SCs than more coarsely textured spoils. Mean SC for all spoils decreased rapidly from an initial peak of 1468 μS cm(-1) (±150) to 247 μS cm(-1) (±23). Release patterns for most major ions reflected declining SC. Bicarbonate typically increased with successive leaches, replacing sulfate as the dominant anion. Column SC values were comparable to relevant published field data. PMID:25912885
Stratification, segregation and mixing of bi-disperse granular materials in quasi-2D heaps
NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)
Lueptow, Richard; Fan, Yi; Umbanhowar, Paul; Ottino, Julio
Segregation and mixing of granular mixtures during heap formation have important consequences across a range of contexts, from chemical processing to construction to agriculture. This research investigates three different final particle configurations of bi-disperse granular mixtures of spherical particles - stratified, segregated and mixed - during filling of quasi-two dimensional silos. We considered a larger number and relatively wider range of control parameters than previous studies, including particle size ratio, flow rate, system size, and heap rise velocity. The boundary between the stratified and unstratified states is primarily controlled by the two-dimensional flow rate, with the critical flow rate for the transition depending weakly on particle size ratio and flowing layer length. In contrast, the transition from segregated to mixed states is controlled by the rise velocity of the heap, a control parameter not previously considered. The critical rise velocity for the transition from a segregated state to a mixed state depends strongly on the particle size ratio. Funded by Dow Chemical Co.
Comparative metagenomics reveals microbial community differentiation in a biological heap leaching system.
Hu, Qi; Guo, Xue; Liang, Yili; Hao, Xiaodong; Ma, Liyuan; Yin, Huaqun; Liu, Xueduan
The microbial community in a biological heap leaching (BHL) system is crucial for the decomposition of ores. However, the microbial community structure and functional differentiation in different parts of a biological heap leaching system are still unknown. In this study, metagenomic sequencing was used to fully illuminate the microbial community differentiation in the pregnant leach solution (PLS) and leaching heap (LH) of a BHL system. Long-read sequences (1.3 million) were obtained for the two samples, and the MG_RAST server was used to perform further analysis. The taxa analysis results indicated that the dominant genera of PLS is autotrophic bacterium Acidithiobacillus, but heterotrophic bacterium Acidiphilium is predominant in LH. Furthermore, functional annotation and hierarchical comparison with different reference samples showed that the abundant presence of genes was involved in transposition, DNA repair and heavy metal transport. The sequences related to transposase, which is important for the survival of the organism in the hostile environment, were both mainly classified into Acidiphilium for PLS and LH. These results indicated that not only autotrophic bacteria such as Acidithiobacillus, but also heterotrophic bacteria such as Acidiphilium, were essential participants in the bioleaching process. This new meta-view research will further facilitate the effective application of bioleaching. PMID:26117598
Merits of partial shielding in dumping sediment spoils.
Jensen, Jacob Hjelmager; Saremi, Sina; Jimenez, Carlos; Hadjioannou, Louis
The commonly adopted method of dumping dredge spoil at sea using split-hull barges leads to considerable sediment loss to the water column and a subsequent dispersion of fine material that can pose a risk to sensitive "downstream" habitats such as coral reefs. Containing sediment loads using stitched closed geotextile bags is practiced for minimizing loss of contaminated sediment, but is expensive in terms of operational efficiency. Following promising observations from initial laboratory trials, the plunging of partially shielded sediment loads, released on open sea, was studied. The partial shielding was achieved with rigid, open containers as well as flexible, open bags. The loss of sediment from these modes of shielding was measured, and it was observed that even limited and unstitched shielding can be effective in debilitating the entrainment of water into the descending load. In particular, long-sleeved flexible bags practically self-eliminated the exposure of the load and thus losses. PMID:26597564
Spoil hydrology and hydrochemistry at the Battle River site in the plains of Alberta
Trudell, M.R.; Moran, S.R.
The planned expansion of coal strip mining activities in Alberta has prompted research into the hydrogeology and groundwater chemical evolution of reclaimed lands. In the Battle River area of central Alberta, where coal beds occur in the Upper Cretaceous Horseshoe Canyon Formation, the spoil areas of two mines have been intensely instrumented as part of this research. The cast overburden at the Diplomat Mine is derived from calcareous till; at the Vesta Mine the overburden which forms the spoil is a mixture of sodic shale, siltstone and sandstone. Recharge to the spoil at both mines is occurring by leakage from surface ponds and vertical infiltration through the spoil. At Diplomat Mine lateral inflow from the adjacent unmined coal is also contributing to the resaturation of the spoil. Groundwater flow at Diplomat Mine is controlled by a valley that developed during the mining process, and which is acting as a subsurface drain. At Vesta Mine a groundwater mound has developed in the spoil causing migration of spoil water into adjacent unmined areas. In both settings high water table conditions appear to be directly related to the presence of surface ponds in the reclaimed landscape. The chemical makeup of groundwater in the spoil at both mines is characterized by levels of Na/sup +/, SO/sub 4//sup =/ and total dissolved solids that are several times higher than in the unmined coal. In spoil groundwater total dissolved solids concentration up to 12,300 mg/l and SO/sub 4//sup =/ concentration up to 8400 mg/l have been detected.
Settlement of mine spoil fill from water infiltration: Case study in eastern Kentucky
Karem, W.A.; Kalinski, M.E.; Hancher, D.E.
Mine spoil valley fills are a by-product of mountaintop removal mining in the Appalachian coal mining region of the United States. These fills often result in large expanses of relatively flat land covering thousands of acres, which can be used for commercial or industrial development. However, this material is susceptible to damaging settlement, and highly publicized failures of structures built on mine spoil fills have led to reluctance on the part of investors to develop these areas. A key settlement mechanism in mine spoil is water infiltration. Percolating water slakes the shaly, angular spoil material at interparticle stress points, leading to excessive deformation and settlement. A lumber processing facility in Hazard, Ky., is an example of a structure that sustained serious damage as a result of settlement caused by water infiltration. A forensic site investigation of the facility revealed that excavation of existing surface mine spoil beneath the building footprint removed the low-permeability crust that forms on the top of mature mine spoil fill deposits. The removal of the crust allowed the infiltration of surface water. This, coupled with the unique configuration of the storm water drainage system at the facility and surface water drainage toward the building, led to differential settlement up to 1:120 (vertical: horizontal) and angular distortion up to 1: 150 over a period of several months. Foundation underpinning was performed to remedy the situation. For future development on mine spoil sites, recommended mitigating measures include presaturation of the mine spoil, design of drainage systems to adequately convey surface water away from the building, and use of geosynthetic barrier layers to prevent infiltration of surface water into the mine spoil beneath the structure.
Selenium transformation in coal mine spoils: Its environmental impact assessment
Harness, J.; Atalay, A.; Koll, K.J.; Zhang, H.; Maggon, D.
The objective of this program was to conduct an environmental impact assessment study for selenium from coal mine spoils. The use of in-situ lysimetry to predict selenium speciation, transformation, and mobility under natural conditions was evaluated. The scope of the study was to construct and test field-scale lysimeter and laboratory mini-column to assess mobility and speciation of selenium in coal mine overburden and soil systems; to conduct soil and groundwater sampling throughout the state of Oklahoma for an overall environmental impact assessment of selenium; and to conduct an in-depth literature review on the solubility, speciation, mobility, and toxicity of selenium from various sources. Groundwater and surface soil samples were also collected from each county in Oklahoma. Data collected from the lysimeter study indicated that selenium in the overburden of the abandoned mine site was mainly found in the selenite form. The amount of selenite found was too low and immobile to be of concern to the environment. The spoil had equilibrated long enough (over 50 years) that most of the soluble forms of selenium have already been lost. Examination of the overburden indicated the presence of pyrite crystals that precipitated over time. The laboratory mini-column study indicated that selenite is quite immobile and remained on the overburden material even after leaching with dilute acid. Data from groundwater samples indicated that based on the current permissible level for selenium in groundwater (0.01 mg Se/L), Oklahoma groundwater is widely contaminated with the element. However, according to the new regulation (0.05 mg Se/L), which is to be promulgated in 1992, only 9 of the 77 counties in the state exceed the limit.
Effects of contaminated dredge spoils on wetland plant communities: A literature review
Stewart, Paul M.; Garza, Eric L.; Butcher, Jason T.
Contaminated dredge spoil is a national concern due to its scope and effects on biota, water quality, and the physical environment. This literature review discusses the effects of contaminated dredge spoils on wetland plant communities. Plant communities naturally shift over time with changing environmental conditions. Addition of toxins and nutrients and changes in hydrology may influence plant community structure. The storage and disposal of nutrient and metal contaminated dredge spoils may cause shifts in nearby plant communities. Shifts in species composition and diversity may not be observed for decades after nutrient enrichment, causing any disturbance to remain undetected. Plant community shifts often have great amounts of inertia and are difficult to reverse.
30 CFR 816.74 - Disposal of excess spoil: Preexisting benches.
Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR
.... The design will be certified by a registered professional engineer. The spoil shall be placed on the..., natural or manmade water courses, or wet weather seeps, the fill design shall include diversions...
30 CFR 816.74 - Disposal of excess spoil: Preexisting benches.
Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR
.... The design will be certified by a registered professional engineer. The spoil shall be placed on the..., natural or manmade water courses, or wet weather seeps, the fill design shall include diversions...
30 CFR 817.74 - Disposal of excess spoil: Preexisting benches.
Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR
.... The design will be certified by a registered professional engineer. The spoil shall be placed on the..., natural or manmade water courses, or wet weather seeps, the fill design shall include diversions...
30 CFR 817.74 - Disposal of excess spoil: Preexisting benches.
Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR
.... The design will be certified by a registered professional engineer. The spoil shall be placed on the..., natural or manmade water courses, or wet weather seeps, the fill design shall include diversions...
Viability of seed produced on highly sodic coal-mine spoils. Forest Service research note
Richardson, B.Z.; McDonough, W.T.; Farmer, E.E.
An adapted plant species must not only grow on a particular site, but also produce viable seeds capable of germination and establishment on the site. Ten species of rangeland grasses had been successfully used to revegetate sodic mine spoils at the Decker Coal Mine in southeastern Montana. However, the effect of the sodic spoils on seed viability, and hence the potential for regeneration, was unknown. Seeds produced by these plants were tested for viability and germination.
Microbial properties of mine spoil materials in the initial stages of soil development
Machulla, G.; Bruns, M.A.; Scow, K.M.
The early years of soil genesis during mine spoil reclamation are critical for vegetative establishment and may help predict reclamation success. Mine spoils in the Halle-Leipzig region of Germany were analyzed for microbial changes following a hay mulch-seeding treatment without topsoil or fertilizer application. Microbial biomass carbon (C{sub mic}) and dehydrogenase activity (DHA) of spoils were measured each year in the first 3 yr after treatment. In the third year, bacterial community DNA fingerprints were compared with those from a reference soil. Microbial indicators were measured at three depths in the upper 10 cm of spoils at three sites with contrasting parent materials: glacial till (sandy loam), limnic tertiary sediments (high-lignite sandy clay loam), and quaternary sand and gravel (loamy sand). Before reclamation, C{sub mic} means and standard deviations of surface spoils (0-1 cm) were 9{+-}6, 39{+-}11, and 38{+-}16 mg kg{sup -1} for the loamy sand, high-lignite sandy clay loam, and sandy loam spoils, respectively. Within one year, mean C{sub mic} at the surface increased to 148{+-}70, 229{+-}64, and 497{+-}167 mg kg{sup -1}, respectively, and was significantly higher at 0 to 1 cm than at lower depths. Highest DHA and DNA yields were obtained in the 0- to 1-cm depth of the sandy loam spoils. Microbial biomass C values exhibited significant correlations with DHA, DNA yield, and extractable C for all three mine spoils. Soil microbial indices were more responsive than plant measurements to differences in parent materials.
Interactions between properties of amended strip mine spoils and microbial activities
Utsalo, S.J.
Properties of strip mine spoils before and after amendment with varying levels of carbon and nitrogen sources are characterized and compared with properties of similarly amended garden soil samples. Changes in spoils as reflected in the stimulation of microbial populations, rate of nitrate formation, the turnover of microbial biomass and the growth yields of white clover and rye grass are evaluated. Limed spoils and garden soils were fertilized and incubated at 25/sup 0/C following amendments with organic substrates. Changes in parameters related to soil fertility status were analyzed on a weekly basis. The possible identity and the toxic effects on white clover and a Rhizobium of acidity factors present in strip mine spoils were evaluated using soil experiments and pure culture studies in artificial culture media. The results indicate that acid spoils contain low numbers of viable microorganisms which readily respond to soil amendment with substrates. No nitrification occurs in acid spoils but liming and inoculation with compost infusion stimulate active nitrification. Aluminum, manganese and acidity appear to be important factors which inhibit the survival of plants and microbes in spoils. Adequate liming improves rhizobial survival and growth and nodulation of white clover in spoils. Acidity factors have greater impact on Rhizobium than on the white clover host under nutritionally independent conditions. Increase in inoculum size enhances nodulation and growth of clover at low aluminum levels. Reducing the time of exposure of rhizobia to acidity factors outside the symbiotic host does not appear to enhance the growth yield of clover under symbiotic conditions. Molds appear to contribute more to the increased aggregate stability observed in amended soils than bacteria and actinomycetes.
Spoil handling and reclamation costs at a contour surface mine in steep slope Appalachian topography
Zipper, C.E.; Hall, A.T.; Daniels, W.L.
Accurate overburden handling cost estimation methods are essential to effective pre-mining planning for post-mining landforms and land uses. With the aim of developing such methods, the authors have been monitoring costs at a contour surface mine in Wise County, Virginia since January 1, 1984. Early in the monitoring period, the land was being returned to its Approximate Original Contour (AOC) in a manner common to the Appalachian region since implementation of the Surface Mining Control and Reclamation Act of 1977 (SMCRA). More recently, mining has been conducted under an experimental variance from the AOC provisions of SMCRA which allowed a near-level bench to be constructed across the upper surface of two mined points and an intervening filled hollow. All mining operations are being recorded by location. The cost of spoil movement is calculated for each block of coal mined between January 1, 1984, and August 1, 1985. Per cubic yard spoil handling and reclamation costs are compared by mining block. The average cost of spoil handling was $1.90 per bank cubic yard; however, these costs varied widely between blocks. The reasons for those variations included the landscape positions of the mining blocks and spoil handling practices. The average reclamation cost was $0.08 per bank cubic yard of spoil placed in the near level bench on the mined point to $0.20 for spoil placed in the hollow fill. 2 references, 4 figures.
Identification of ecotype-specific marker genes for categorization of beer-spoiling Lactobacillus brevis.
Behr, Jürgen; Geissler, Andreas J; Preissler, Patrick; Ehrenreich, Armin; Angelov, Angel; Vogel, Rudi F
The tolerance to hop compounds, which is mainly associated with inhibition of bacterial growth in beer, is a multi-factorial trait. Any approaches to predict the physiological differences between beer-spoiling and non-spoiling strains on the basis of a single marker gene are limited. We identified ecotype-specific genes related to the ability to grow in Pilsner beer via comparative genome sequencing. The genome sequences of four different strains of Lactobacillus brevis were compared, including newly established genomes of two highly hop tolerant beer isolates, one strain isolated from faeces and one published genome of a silage isolate. Gene fragments exclusively occurring in beer-spoiling strains as well as sequences only occurring in non-spoiling strains were identified. Comparative genomic arrays were established and hybridized with a set of L. brevis strains, which are characterized by their ability to spoil beer. As result, a set of 33 and 4 oligonucleotide probes could be established specifically detecting beer-spoilers and non-spoilers, respectively. The detection of more than one of these marker sequences according to a genetic barcode enables scoring of L. brevis for their beer-spoiling potential and can thus assist in risk evaluation in brewing industry. PMID:26187837
Emissions of ammonia, nitrous oxide and methane from cattle manure heaps: effect of compaction and covering
NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)
Chadwick, D. R.
The effect of compaction and covering during storage of beef cattle ( Bos taurus) farmyard manure (FYM) on ammonia (NH 3), nitrous oxide (N 2O) and methane (CH 4) emissions was determined. Gaseous emission measurements were made over three separate storage periods of between 90 and 109 days. The effect of the different storage treatments on manure chemical composition was also determined. Compaction was carried out as the manure was put into store and the compacted manures covered with plastic sheeting. Compaction and covering significantly reduced NH 3 emissions from manure by over 90% during the first summer storage period (P<0.05). Over the subsequent storage periods NH 3 emissions from the FYM were small and unaffected by storage treatment. However, during the second storage period heavy and persistent rainfall during heap establishment and the following week appeared to reduce NH 3 emissions markedly. The low ammonium-N content of the FYM in the third storage period may have reduced the risk of NH 3 emission and reduced the relative effect of the compaction/covering treatment. Compaction and covering also significantly reduced N 2O emissions from cattle FYM (P<0.05) by ca. 30% during the first storage period. Subsequent N 2O emissions were unaffected by treatment. Methane emissions from cattle FYM were unaffected by treatment over the first storage period and were decreased by compaction in the second storage period yet was increased by compaction during the third storage period. It would appear that compacting and covering manure heaps does have the potential to reduce emissions of both NH 3 and N 2O when the manure contains relatively high ammonium-N contents. Additional benefits are that N and K are retained in the manure heap for agronomic benefit.
Characterization and enhanced production of prodigiosin from the spoiled coconut.
Siva, R; Subha, K; Bhakta, D; Ghosh, A R; Babu, S
Many bacterial secondary products are bioactive substances that play an important role in biotechnology and pharmacology (e.g., as antibiotics or antitumor agents). Over the past few years interest in prodigiosin has been increased due to its promising anti-cancer activity. Prodigiosin is also of potential clinical interest because it is reported to have anti-fungal, anti-bacterial, anti-protozoal/anti-malarial, and immunosuppressive activity. Thus there is a need to develop a high-throughput and cost-effective bioprocess for the production of prodigiosin. In the present study, Serratia rubidaea was isolated from colored portion of a spoiled coconut and further it was authenticated by MTCC, India. The various parameters like temperature, pH, salt concentration, and precursors were optimized for the production of prodigiosin. We now report that the pigment production was higher in our isolated strain than S. marcescens. It was observed that prodigiosin binds with plastic, paper, and fibers and thus in near future, it can also be used as a natural dye. PMID:22072139
Acetobacter oeni sp. nov., isolated from spoiled red wine.
Silva, Luis R; Cleenwerck, Ilse; Rivas, Raúl; Swings, Jean; Trujillo, Martha E; Willems, Anne; Velázquez, Encarna
A bacterial strain, designated B13T, was isolated from spoiled red wine from the Dão region, Portugal. The strain was Gram-negative, strictly aerobic, rod-shaped and motile. Phylogenetic analysis on the basis of 16S rRNA gene sequences indicated that B13T belonged to the genus Acetobacter within the Alphaproteobacteria. The closest related species was Acetobacter aceti, with 98.4 % 16S rRNA gene sequence similarity. DNA-DNA hybridization showed that B13T constituted a taxon separate from the Acetobacter species with validly published names. The DNA G+C content of B13T was 58.1 mol%. Phenotypic characteristics of B13T allowed its differentiation from the recognized Acetobacter species. B13T produced 5-ketogluconic acid from glucose, but no 2-ketogluconic acid. It produced catalase, but no oxidase. It utilized glycerol, but not maltose, ethanol or methanol as carbon sources. On the basis of the results obtained, B13T represents a novel species for which the name Acetobacter oeni sp. nov. is proposed. The type strain is B13T (= LMG 21952T = CECT 5830T). PMID:16403860
Phytoextraction from mine spoils: insights from New Caledonia.
Losfeld, Guillaume; Mathieu, Romain; L'Huillier, Laurent; Fogliani, Bruno; Jaffré, Tanguy; Grison, Claude
Increasing pressure on mineral resources has drawn research efforts into innovative supply and recycling. Metal-rich biomass produced in phytoextraction recently proved an interesting starting material for green chemistry. It allows the production of new catalysts, referred to as ecocatalysts. Ecocatalysts provide increased yields in chemical production and increased regio- and chemo-selectivity, which result in high added value. This new approach to using metal-rich biomass could spur the development of phytoextraction, a technique considered promising for long, yet without credible economic outlets. In this regard, metallophyte biodiversity hotspots, such as New Caledonia, are of particular interest for biomass supply. Potential phytoextraction from mine spoils using two species endemic to New Caledonia is discussed here. Geissois pruinosa, a hypernickelophore, and Grevillea exul, a Mn accumulator, were selected for these original experiments. The results presented here 20 months after plantation of young trees from a nursery show the interest of the approach. Mean Ni concentrations of up to 1513 mg kg(-1) are reported in G. pruinosa, as well as 2000 mg kg(-1) Mn in G. exul. Concentrations of Ni and Mn in the leaves of each species appear to be correlated with leaf age. Plantation of these species may also ensure mine reclamation, and experiments were conducted with the principles of ecological restoration in mind adding a further dimension to the approach. PMID:25427895
Hydraulic properties of surface mine spoils of the northern Appalachian Plateau
Hawkins, J.W.
Aquifer tests were conducted on over 125 mine spoil wells from 18 surface mines located in Pennsylvania, West Virginia, Ohio, and Kentucky. These tests (primarily slug tests) were used to determine the range, variability, and predictability of surface mine spoil hydraulic properties (hydraulic conductivity and transmissivity). Test results show that hydraulic properties of mine spoil aquifers are highly variable and relatively unpredictable. Hydraulic conductivity ranged over 7 orders of magnitude from a very low permeability of 4.45 {times} 10{sup {minus}9} m/s to a highly transmissive 7.58 {times} 10{sup {minus}2} m/s. The hydraulic conductivity measured at mines with 5 or more wells frequently ranged over 3 orders of magnitude and none ranged less than one. A few statistical relationships between geologic and mining conditions and the hydraulic properties were observed. Spoil aquifers that were under 30 months old and those over 100 months old exhibited significantly lower (95% confidence level) hydraulic conductivities than those between 30 and 100 months old. The influence of spoil lithology on the hydraulic conductivity does not appear to be strong, probably because of masking by other factors introduced during reclamation. No significant trends were observed between spoil thickness and hydraulic conductivity. A comparison of hydraulic conductivity derived from slug and constant-discharge tests performed on the same wells indicate that slug tests tend to yield lower values. A few spoil wells exhibited an oscillatory water-level response during slug testing, similar to that observed during testing of some karst and glacial aquifers.
Soil quality index for evaluation of reclaimed coal mine spoil.
Mukhopadhyay, S; Masto, R E; Yadav, A; George, J; Ram, L C; Shukla, S P
Success in the remediation of mine spoil depends largely on the selection of appropriate tree species. The impacts of remediation on mine soil quality cannot be sufficiently assessed by individual soil properties. However, combination of soil properties into an integrated soil quality index provides a more holistic status of reclamation potentials of tree species. Remediation potentials of four tree species (Acacia auriculiformis, Cassia siamea, Dalbergia sissoo, and Leucaena leucocephala) were studied on reclaimed coal mine overburden dumps of Jharia coalfield, Dhanbad, India. Soil samples were collected under the canopies of the tree species. Comparative studies on the properties of soils in the reclaimed and the reference sites showed improvements in soil quality parameters of the reclaimed site: coarse fraction (-20.4%), bulk density (-12.8%), water holding capacity (+0.92%), pH (+25.4%), EC (+2.9%), cation exchange capacity (+46.6%), organic carbon (+91.5%), N (+60.6%), P (+113%), K (+19.9%), Ca (+49.6%), Mg (+12.2%), Na (+19.6%), S (+46.7%), total polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (-71.4%), dehydrogenase activity (+197%), and microbial biomass carbon (+115%). Principal component analysis (PCA) was used to identify key mine soil quality indicators to develop a soil quality index (SQI). Selected indicators include: coarse fraction, pH, EC, soil organic carbon, P, Ca, S, and dehydrogenase activity. The indicator values were converted into a unitless score (0-1.00) and integrated into SQI. The calculated SQI was significantly (P<0.001) correlated with tree biomass and canopy cover. Reclaimed site has 52-93% higher SQI compared to the reference site. Higher SQI values were obtained for sites reclaimed with D.sissoo (+93.1%) and C.siamea (+86.4%). PMID:26524272
Prenatal correlates of indigent mothers' attitudes about spoiling their young infants: a longitudinal study.
Pascoe, J M; Solomon, R
The purpose of this study was to investigate factors associated with indigent mothers' attitudes about spoiling their young infants. Mothers who believe that young infants can be spoiled may be more likely to misperceive their infants' basic needs for nurturing and thus undermine their infants' sense of security and trust. One hundred twenty-nine consecutive pregnant women who were at approximately 15 weeks' gestation completed measures to assess depressive symptoms (Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depression Scale) and social support (Maternal Social Support Index). One hundred seventeen mothers (91%) completed a simple three-question Spoiling Index when their infants were about 1 month old. Fifty-eight percent were single, never married, 73% multiparous, 66% Euro-American, 28% African-American, and 84% at least 20 years old. Fifty-eight percent of mothers believed infants younger than 5 months old could be spoiled. After including maternal age, race, marital status, prenatal social support, and number of prenatal clinic visits in the hierarchical logistic regression model, "spoilers" were more likely to be primigravida mothers (odds ratio = 2.71; 95% confidence interval, 1.05 to 7.06) and more likely to be depressed during pregnancy (odds ratio = 2.83; 95% confidence interval, 1.29 to 6.19). Primigravida indigent mothers and mothers with higher levels of prenatal depressive symptoms are more likely to believe they can spoil their young infants. PMID:7868705
Mineralogy of weathering processes on the spoil dumps in the Ostrava-Karvina Coal District
Matysek, D.; Bielesz, M.
Exploitation of coal in the Ostrava-Karvina Coal District is accompanies by the accumulation of large amounts of waste materials: spoil rocks from mine works, wastes from processing plants, and coal slurries. This waste often is sued for landscape preparation, or it is deposited on spoil dumps. According to their composition, carboniferous materials (siltstones, silt-claystones with admixtures of coal matter prevailing, and fine-grained feldspathic sandstones and subgraywackes) are considered to be relatively harmless to the environment. Problems resulting from reclaiming spoil dumps have resulted in more detailed study of the relationship between carboniferous materials and the environment, specifically, the relationship between spoil dumps and such factors as the ecosystems and acidification, geochemical reactivity of carboniferous rocks,a nd stability of minerals. Geological processes of environmental concern in this case include the mineralogy of weathering products with production of salts (evaporation) and the degradation of clay fractions. Geochemical and botanical factors of origin of soils on spoil dumps were described by Stalmachova and Matysek. The authors report a study in which changes in the clay minerals from dumps are compared with paragneiss of clay minerals on the carboniferous outcrops.
[Borrelia burgdorferi sensu lato in ixodid ticks from Ostrava slag heaps].
Jarosová, V; Rudolf, I; Halouzka, J; Hubálek, Z
In 2005 and 2006, Ixodes ricinus ticks were collected on two slag (waste rock) heaps from coal mines in the Ostrava area (North Moravia/Silesia, Czech Republic), Oskar (site A) and Emma (site B), partially covered by vegetation including trees, and at a control forest site near Hlucín (site C). The mean numbers of L. ricinus nymphs and imagoes flagged per person-hour were high: 35.3 nymphs and 12.7 imagoes, at site A, 23.3 and 26.0, respectively, at site B, and 25.4 and 16.8, respectively, at control site C. Using dark-field microscopy, 100 nymphs and 100 imagoes (50 females and 50 males) from each site were examined for borreliae. The mean prevalence rates of Borrelia burgdorferi sensu lato in nymphs and imagoes were 10.0% and 12.0%, respectively, at site A, 10.0% and 24.0%, respectively, at site B, and 13.0% and 17.0%, respectively, at site C. Differences in the prevalence of borreliae in nymphal and adult ticks from the slag heaps and control site were insignificant, but adult ticks from site B compared to site A contained borreliae significantly more frequently. The mean numbers of nymphs and imagoes infected with borreliae flagged per person-hour were 3.3 and 1.2, respectively at site A, 1.5 and 2.9, respectively, at site B, and 3.1 and 2.6, respectively, at site C. Isolation experiments for borreliae were carried out only in 16 ticks containing higher numbers of borreliae, with eight of these being culture-positive. The cultured borreliae were identified by PCR-RFLP as B. garinii (3 isolates: two from site B, one from site C), B. afzelii (4 isolates: one from site A, three from site B) and B. burgdorferi s.s. (one isolate from site A). Surprisingly, the results suggest that slag heaps, when covered by woody vegetation and frequented by humans, could theoretically pose roughly the same LB transmission risk to humans as common forest biotopes. PMID:19526923
Understanding the salinity issue of coal mine spoils in the context of salt cycle.
Li, Xiaofang; Park, Jin Hee; Edraki, Mansour; Baumgartl, Thomas
Coal mine spoils (CMSs), the solid wastes originated from the rock formations and soil cover overlying or interbedded with coal seams, are a worldwide environmental management challenge. Previous studies have shown that salinity is of most concern among the CMSs' environmental impacts, especially in Australia. With increasing concerns from both the governments and communities, there is a real need for the coal mining industry to understand the source, dynamics and management options of CMS salinity. We reviewed the general properties of CMSs from coal mine sites worldwide and the current understanding of the CMS salinity, which are in a limited number of available published reports. Properties (e.g., pH, electrical conductivity and hydraulic conductivity) of studied CMSs varied largely due to its complex lithological origination. A conceptual model was proposed to illustrate the origin, dispersion paths and transformations dynamics of salts in spoils, taking the scenario of a coal mine in Australia as an example. The major factors governing the salt dynamics in CMSs are summarized as mineral weatherability and salt leachability of the spoils. Management of CMS salinity is still a vague area awaiting more extensive studies. Three topics related to the management were explored in the review, which are pre-mining planning, spatial variability of spoil properties and remediation including electrokinetics and phytoremediation. Particularly, based on the geological classification of CMSs and the leachate chemistry of spoils of various sources, a clear relationship between salinity and geounits was established. This association has a potential application in pre-mining planning for the management of salinity from coal mine spoils. PMID:24096942
Evaluation of microbial populations, Rhizobium Trifolii, and endomycorrhizal associations in reclamation of surface mine spoils in Texas
Mott, J.B.
The deficiency of nitrogen and phosphorus in mixed overburden mine spoils has resulted in interest in strategies to minimize fertilizer application. In this study, the abundance of microbial populations, with emphasis on those involved in nitrogen cycle transformations was estimated in variously aged spoils. Two beneficial plant-microbe associations, the clover-Rhizobium trifolii symbiosis and endomycorrhizal associations, were investigated in field and laboratory studies. While most groups of microorganisms regained pre-mining levels in revegetated spoils within 1.5 years after disturbance, algal populations were still reduced ten years after mining. Populations of nitrifying bacteria and asymbiotic nitrogen-fixing bacteria were as high in all spoils as in unmined soil. Indigenous populations of ineffective R. trifolii were present in spoil banks and older revegetated spoil. A laboratory study of survival of three commercial strains of R. trifolii for subterranean clover showed lethal effects of high temperature (45/sup 0/C) especially in moist spoil, and superior survival of strain 162X95. Endomycorrhizal associations, evaluated by assessment of root infection in bermudagrass, reached pre-mining levels by three to seven years after disturbance. Growth chamber studies to investigate the effects of the two symbiotic associations on subterranean clover in mine spoil at different fertility levels indicated that dual infection with Rhizobium and VAM fungi was most beneficial for plant growth, nitrogen fixation, and nitrogen and phosphorus contents.
The accumulation of elements in plants growing spontaneously on small heaps left by the historical Zn-Pb ore mining.
Stefanowicz, Anna M; Stanek, Małgorzata; Woch, Marcin W; Kapusta, Paweł
The study evaluated the levels of nine metals, namely Ca, Cd, Fe, K, Mg, Mn, Pb, Tl, and Zn, in soils and tissues of ten plant species growing spontaneously on heaps left by historical mining for Zn-Pb ores. The concentrations of Cd, Pb, Tl, and Zn in heap soils were much higher than in control soils. Plants growing on heaps accumulated excessive amounts of these elements in tissues, on average 1.3-52 mg Cd kg(-1), 9.4-254 mg Pb kg(-1), 0.06-23 mg Tl kg(-1) and 134-1479 mg Zn kg(-1) in comparison to 0.5-1.1 mg Cd kg(-1), 2.1-11 mg Pb kg(-1), 0.02-0.06 mg Tl kg(-1), and 23-124 mg Zn kg(-1) in control plants. The highest concentrations of Cd, Pb, and Zn were found in the roots of Euphorbia cyparissias, Fragaria vesca, and Potentilla arenaria, and Tl in Plantago lanceolata. Many species growing on heaps were enriched in K and Mg, and depleted in Ca, Fe, and Mn. The concentrations of all elements in plant tissues were dependent on species, organ (root vs. shoot), and species-organ interactions. Average concentrations of Ca, K, and Mg were generally higher in shoots than in roots or similar in the two organs, whereas Cd, Fe, Pb, Tl, and Zn were accumulated predominantly in the roots. Our results imply that heaps left by historical mining for Zn-Pb ores may pose a potential threat to the environment and human health. PMID:26635220
Weathering of clean coal technology (CCT) by-products and mine spoil mixtures
Fowler, R.K.; Soto, U.I.; Bigham, J.M.; Traina, S.J.
Three CCT by-products (pH range 10.5 to 12.5) and two mine spoils (pH`s of 3.0 and 5.2) were mixed at four rates of CCT (0, 10, 20, and 40 wt. %) to simulate field application conditions. All samples were sequentially extracted with water at six sampling events over a 132 day period, The effect of by-product rate and mine spoil characteristics on leachate composition and final reaction products will be discussed.
Rhizosphere effect of colonizer plant species on the development of soil microbial community during primary succession on postmining sites
Elhottova, D.; Kristufek, V.; Maly, S.; Frouz, J.
The impact of pioneer plant species Tussilago farfara on structural, functional, and growth characterization of microbial community colonizing the spoil colliery substrate was studied in a laboratory microcosm experiment. Microcosms consisting of spoil substrate (0.7 dm{sup 3} of tertiary alkaline clay sediment from Sokolov brown-coal mine area) from a pioneer site (without vegetation, 5 years after heaping) were cultivated in a greenhouse with one plant of this species. Plant roots substantially increased microbial diversity and biomass after one season (7 months) of cultivation. Roots influenced the microbial community and had nearly twice the size, higher growth, and metabolic potential in comparison to the control. The development of microbial specialists improves the plant nutrient status. Bacterial nitrogen (N{sub 2}) fixators (Bradyrhizobium japonicum, Rhizobium radiobacter) and arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi were confirmed in the rhizosphere of Tussilago farfara.
Heaps of Shapes: Flow-Stabilized Solids with Non-Spherical Colloids
NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)
Lindauer, Scott; Shields, C. Wyatt, IV; Lopez, Gabriel P.; Daniels, Karen E.; Riehn, Robert
Flow-stabilized solids are a class of fragile matter that are formed when a dense suspension of hard colloids is accumulated against a semipermeable barrier. We build a microfluidic device to confine Brownian particles in a quasi-2D channel; a controlled flow rate above a critical value forms flow-stabilized solids against the barrier. We extend prior work on submicron spherical particles, to particles of size 2-5 microns, and of various shapes: circular, rectangular, hexagonal, and triangular prisms. We perform experiments on these flow-stabilized solids to observe the angle of repose, packing fraction, and orientational order as a function of flow rate. We vary the flow rate quasi-statically in order to conduct the experiment at steady state. We find a critical flow rate below which no pile forms. In general, particles with less-circular shape form more stable heaps.
Evaluation of fluorine release from air deposited coal spoil piles: A case study at Yangquan city, northern China.
Gao, Xubo; Hu, Yandi; Li, Chengcheng; Dai, Chong; Li, Liang; Ou, Xiong; Wang, Yanxin
The fluorine content of coal has been well documented, while such data of coal spoil are limited. In the present paper, fluorine in coal spoils and its releasing behavior were studied via leaching and combustion tests, as well as field investigation. Fluoride pollution in groundwater and soil occurred in the air depositing areas of coal spoils. The average content of fluorine in coal spoils was 525 mg/kg with the highest value of 1885 mg/kg. The only XRD detectable inorganic fluorine phase was fluorphlogopite. The absence of major fluorine bearing minerals in coal spoils suggested that bulk fluorine, rather than trace phases, resided in the mineral matrix. The major extracted species were water soluble fluorine and exchangeable fluorine in the coal spoils. Batch leaching tests illustrated that the leachable fluoride in coal spoils was widely distributed, ranging from 2.0 to 108.4 mg/kg. Column leaching tests showed a clear pH-dependent leaching behavior of fluorine: lower pH situation led to fluorine release from the mineral matrix; the loosely bound or easily exchangeable fluorine was also flushed out of the column. The higher ion strength or alkaline bicarbonate/carbonate rich leaching solution tended to free more fluorine into the acidic aqueous solution. The leachable fluorine in coal spoils was estimated as ca. 6%, based on the results of leaching tests. Also, our research found that over 90% of fluorine in coal spoils could be released into the atmosphere as a result of spontaneous combustion, accounting for over 40% of the total atmospheric fluorine emissions in northern China. Our investigation suggests that it is urgent to conduct comprehensive studies to assist the management and control of fluorine pollution at coal spoil banks. PMID:26734816
30 CFR 816.71 - Disposal of excess spoil: General requirements.
Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR
... 30 Mineral Resources 3 2011-07-01 2011-07-01 false Disposal of excess spoil: General requirements. 816.71 Section 816.71 Mineral Resources OFFICE OF SURFACE MINING RECLAMATION AND ENFORCEMENT, DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR PERMANENT PROGRAM PERFORMANCE STANDARDS PERMANENT PROGRAM PERFORMANCE STANDARDS-SURFACE MINING ACTIVITIES § 816.71 Disposal...
30 CFR 816.71 - Disposal of excess spoil: General requirements.
Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR
... outslope of the fill if required for stability, control of erosion, to conserve soil moisture, or to... included in the topsoil to control erosion, promote growth of vegetation or increase the moisture retention of the soil. (2) Excess spoil shall be transported and placed in a controlled manner in...
30 CFR 817.71 - Disposal of excess spoil: General requirements.
Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR
... outslope of the fill if required for stability, control of erosion, to conserve soil moisture, or to... included in the topsoil to control erosion, promote growth of vegetation or increase the moisture retention of the soil. (2) Excess spoil shall be transported and placed in a controlled manner in...
30 CFR 817.71 - Disposal of excess spoil: General requirements.
Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR
... 30 Mineral Resources 3 2011-07-01 2011-07-01 false Disposal of excess spoil: General requirements. 817.71 Section 817.71 Mineral Resources OFFICE OF SURFACE MINING RECLAMATION AND ENFORCEMENT, DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR PERMANENT PROGRAM PERFORMANCE STANDARDS PERMANENT PROGRAM PERFORMANCE STANDARDS-UNDERGROUND MINING ACTIVITIES § 817.71...
30 CFR 816.71 - Disposal of excess spoil: General requirements.
Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR
... 30 Mineral Resources 3 2014-07-01 2014-07-01 false Disposal of excess spoil: General requirements. 816.71 Section 816.71 Mineral Resources OFFICE OF SURFACE MINING RECLAMATION AND ENFORCEMENT, DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR PERMANENT PROGRAM PERFORMANCE STANDARDS PERMANENT PROGRAM PERFORMANCE STANDARDS-SURFACE MINING ACTIVITIES § 816.71 Disposal...
30 CFR 817.71 - Disposal of excess spoil: General requirements.
Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR
... 30 Mineral Resources 3 2014-07-01 2014-07-01 false Disposal of excess spoil: General requirements. 817.71 Section 817.71 Mineral Resources OFFICE OF SURFACE MINING RECLAMATION AND ENFORCEMENT, DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR PERMANENT PROGRAM PERFORMANCE STANDARDS PERMANENT PROGRAM PERFORMANCE STANDARDS-UNDERGROUND MINING ACTIVITIES § 817.71...
30 CFR 817.71 - Disposal of excess spoil: General requirements.
Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR
... 30 Mineral Resources 3 2012-07-01 2012-07-01 false Disposal of excess spoil: General requirements. 817.71 Section 817.71 Mineral Resources OFFICE OF SURFACE MINING RECLAMATION AND ENFORCEMENT, DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR PERMANENT PROGRAM PERFORMANCE STANDARDS PERMANENT PROGRAM PERFORMANCE STANDARDS-UNDERGROUND MINING ACTIVITIES § 817.71...
30 CFR 816.71 - Disposal of excess spoil: General requirements.
Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR
... 30 Mineral Resources 3 2012-07-01 2012-07-01 false Disposal of excess spoil: General requirements. 816.71 Section 816.71 Mineral Resources OFFICE OF SURFACE MINING RECLAMATION AND ENFORCEMENT, DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR PERMANENT PROGRAM PERFORMANCE STANDARDS PERMANENT PROGRAM PERFORMANCE STANDARDS-SURFACE MINING ACTIVITIES § 816.71 Disposal...
Multiple Genome Sequences of the Important Beer-Spoiling Species Lactobacillus backii.
Geissler, Andreas J; Behr, Jürgen; Vogel, Rudi F
Lactobacillus backii is an important beer-spoiling species. Five strains isolated from four different breweries were sequenced using single-molecule real-time sequencing. Five complete genomes were generated, which will help to understand niche adaptation to beer and provide the basis for consecutive analyses. PMID:27563041
Multiple Genome Sequences of the Important Beer-Spoiling Species Lactobacillus backii
Geissler, Andreas J.; Vogel, Rudi F.
Lactobacillus backii is an important beer-spoiling species. Five strains isolated from four different breweries were sequenced using single-molecule real-time sequencing. Five complete genomes were generated, which will help to understand niche adaptation to beer and provide the basis for consecutive analyses. PMID:27563041
Genome Sequence of Rapid Beer-Spoiling Isolate Lactobacillus brevis BSO 464
Bergsveinson, Jordyn; Pittet, Vanessa; Ewen, Emily; Baecker, Nina
The genome of brewery-isolate Lactobacillus brevis BSO 464 was sequenced and assembly produced a chromosome and eight plasmids. This bacterium tolerates dissolved CO2/pressure and can rapidly spoil packaged beer. This genome is useful for analyzing the genetics associated with beer spoilage by lactic acid bacteria. PMID:26634759
Genome Sequence of Rapid Beer-Spoiling Isolate Lactobacillus brevis BSO 464.
Bergsveinson, Jordyn; Pittet, Vanessa; Ewen, Emily; Baecker, Nina; Ziola, Barry
The genome of brewery-isolate Lactobacillus brevis BSO 464 was sequenced and assembly produced a chromosome and eight plasmids. This bacterium tolerates dissolved CO2/pressure and can rapidly spoil packaged beer. This genome is useful for analyzing the genetics associated with beer spoilage by lactic acid bacteria. PMID:26634759
30 CFR 817.74 - Disposal of excess spoil: Preexisting benches.
Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR
... to a lower preexisting bench by means of gravity transport may be approved by the regulatory authority provided that— (1) The gravity transport courses are determined on a site-specific basis by the..., and downslope of the lower bench should excess spoil accidentally move; (2) All gravity...
30 CFR 816.74 - Disposal of excess spoil: Preexisting benches.
Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR
... to a lower preexisting bench by means of gravity transport may be approved by the regulatory authority provided that— (1) The gravity transport courses are determined on a site-specific basis by the..., and downslope of the lower bench should excess spoil accidentally move; (2) All gravity...
Soil quality and carbon sequestration in a reclaimed coal mine spoil of Jharia coalfield, India
NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)
Mukhopadhyay, Sangeeta; Masto, Reginald; Ram, Lal
Revegetation of coal mine spoil helps in carbon storage and the success of remediation depend on the selection of appropriate tree species. A study was conducted at the coalmine overburden dumps of Jharia Coalfield, Dhanbad, India to evaluate the impact of revegetation on the overall soil quality and carbon sequestration. Morphological parameters (tree height, diameter at breast height, tree biomass, wood specific gravity) of the dominant tree species (Acacia auriculiformis, Cassia siamea, Dalbergia sissoo and Leucaena leucocephala) growing on the mine spoil was recorded. Mine spoil samples were collected under the canopy cover of different tree species and analyzed for soil physical, chemical, and biological parameters. In general reclaimed sites had better soil quality than the reference site. For instance, D. sissoo and C. siamea improved soil pH (+28.5%, +27.9%), EC (+15.65%, +19%), cation exchange capacity (+58.7%, +52.3%), organic carbon (+67.5%, +79.5%), N (+97.2%, +75.7%), P (+98.2%, +76.9%), K (+31.8%, +37.4%), microbial biomass carbon (+143%, +164%) and dehydrogenase activity (+228%, +262%) as compared to the unreclaimed reference coal mine site. The concentration of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) decreased significantly in the reclaimed site than the reference spoil, C. siamea was found to be more promising for PAH degradation. The overall impact of tree species on the quality of reclaimed mine spoil cannot be assessed by individual soil parameters, as most of the parameters are interlinked and difficult to interpret. However, combination of soil properties into an integrated soil quality index provides a more meaningful assessment of reclamation potential of tree species. Principal component analysis (PCA) was used to identify key mine soil quality indicators to develop a soil quality index (SQI). Coarse fraction, pH, EC, soil organic carbon, P, Ca, S, and dehydrogenase activity were the most critical properties controlling growth of tree
Remediation of acid mine drainage within strip mine spoil by sulfate reduction using waste organic matter
Stalker, J.; Rose, A.W.; Michaud, L.H.
Many treatment options for AMD, like wetlands and anoxic limestone drains, are limited by acidity, metal loadings, flow rate or areal requirements so as to be inapplicable at many sites. In-situ bacterial sulfate reduction is proposed as a solution for certain settings. Requirements for successful in-situ bacterial sulfate reduction include dissolved sulfate, an organic substrate, permanent anaerobic conditions, a mixed culture of bacteria, appropriate nutrients, and a sufficient AMD contact time. These requirements can be provided within mine spoil by injection of waste organic matter into an extensive zone of saturated spoil. Laboratory experiments on cheese whey, lactate, non-degraded sawdust, partially degraded sawdust, pulped newspaper and mushroom compost have all yielded sulfate reduction, increased alkalinity and iron sulfide precipitate in AMD with pH < 4.0. The addition of a small amount of dolomite to the organic matter creates alkaline microenvironments that facilitate the initiation of sulfate reduction. The rates of sulfate reduction using cellulose materials are slow but the rate for milk products is much more rapid. A field test utilizing partially degraded sawdust is underway. A total of 11.3 tons of sawdust mixed with 5% dolomite, 5% sewage sludge and a mixed bacterial culture was successfully injected into 4 drill holes in mine spoil as 13% w/v suspension, The spoil had enough coarse porosity for injection into the saturated subsurface at about 300 L/min, Data on in-situ SO{sub 4} reduction rates and water quality are being collected in preparation for a full remediation program at the site, which has an extensive zone of saturated spoil 10-20 m thick.
Geochemical assessments and classification of coal mine spoils for better understanding of potential salinity issues at closure.
Park, Jin Hee; Li, Xiaofang; Edraki, Mansour; Baumgartl, Thomas; Kirsch, Bernie
Coal mining wastes in the form of spoils, rejects and tailings deposited on a mine lease can cause various environmental issues including contamination by toxic metals, acid mine drainage and salinity. Dissolution of salt from saline mine spoil, in particular, during rainfall events may result in local or regional dispersion of salts through leaching or in the accumulation of dissolved salts in soil pore water and inhibition of plant growth. The salinity in coal mine environments is from the geogenic salt accumulations and weathering of spoils upon surface exposure. The salts are mainly sulfates and chlorides of calcium, magnesium and sodium. The objective of the research is to investigate and assess the source and mobility of salts and trace elements in various spoil types, thereby predicting the leaching behavior of the salts and trace elements from spoils which have similar geochemical properties. X-ray diffraction analysis, total digestion, sequential extraction and column experiments were conducted to achieve the objectives. Sodium and chloride concentrations best represented salinity of the spoils, which might originate from halite. Electrical conductivity, sodium and chloride concentrations in the leachate decreased sharply with increasing leaching cycles. Leaching of trace elements was not significant in the studied area. Geochemical classification of spoil/waste defined for rehabilitation purposes was useful to predict potential salinity, which corresponded with the classification from cluster analysis based on leaching data of major elements. Certain spoil groups showed high potential salinity by releasing high sodium and chloride concentrations. Therefore, the leaching characteristics of sites having saline susceptible spoils require monitoring, and suitable remediation technologies have to be applied. PMID:23644772
Current scenario of chalcopyrite bioleaching: a review on the recent advances to its heap-leach technology.
Panda, Sandeep; Akcil, Ata; Pradhan, Nilotpala; Deveci, Haci
Chalcopyrite is the primary copper mineral used for production of copper metal. Today, as a result of rapid industrialization, there has been enormous demand to profitably process the low grade chalcopyrite and "dirty" concentrates through bioleaching. In the current scenario, heap bioleaching is the most advanced and preferred eco-friendly technology for processing of low grade, uneconomic/difficult-to-enrich ores for copper extraction. This paper reviews the current status of chalcopyrite bioleaching. Advanced information with the attempts made for understanding the diversity of bioleaching microorganisms; role of OMICs based research for future applications to industrial sectors and chemical/microbial aspects of chalcopyrite bioleaching is discussed. Additionally, the current progress made to overcome the problems of passivation as seen in chalcopyrite bioleaching systems have been conversed. Furthermore, advances in the designing of heap bioleaching plant along with microbial and environmental factors of importance have been reviewed with conclusions into the future prospects of chalcopyrite bioleaching. PMID:26318845
Microbiological and geochemical dynamics in simulated-heap leaching of a polymetallic sulfide ore.
Wakeman, Kathryn; Auvinen, Hannele; Johnson, D Barrie
The evolution of microbial populations involved in simulated-heap leaching of a polymetallic black schist sulfide ore (from the recently-commissioned Talvivaara mine, Finland) was monitored in aerated packed bed column reactors over a period of 40 weeks. The influence of ore particle size (2-6.5 mm and 6.5-12 mm) on changes in composition of the bioleaching microflora and mineral leaching dynamics in columns was investigated and compared to fine-grain (<2 microm) ore that was bioprocessed in shake flask cultures. Both column reactors and shake flasks were inoculated with 24 different species and strains of mineral-oxidizing and other acidophilic micro-organisms, and maintained at 37 degrees C. Mineral oxidation was most rapid in shake flask cultures, with about 80% of both manganese and nickel and 68% of zinc being leached within 6 weeks, though relatively little of the copper present in the ore was solubilised. The microbial consortium that emerged from the original inoculum was relatively simple in shake flasks, and was dominated by the iron-oxidizing autotroph Leptospirillum ferriphilum, with smaller numbers of Acidimicrobium ferrooxidans, Acidithiobacillus caldus and Leptospirillum ferrooxidans. Both metal recovery and (for the most part) total numbers of prokaryotes were greater in the column reactor containing the medium-grain than that containing the coarse-grain ore. The bioleaching communities in the columns displayed temporal changes in composition and differed radically from those in shake flask cultures. While iron-oxidizing chemoautotrophic bacteria were always the most numerically dominant bacteria in the medium-grain column bioreactor, there were major shifts in the most abundant species present, with the type strain of Acidithiobacillus ferrooxidans dominating in the early phase of the experiment and other bacteria (At. ferrooxidans NO37 and L. ferriphilum) dominating from week 4 to week 40. With the coarse-grain column bioreactor, similar
Remedial investigation report on Bear Creek Valley Operable Unit 2 (rust spoil area, spoil area 1, and SY-200 yard) at the Oak Ridge Y-12 Plant, Oak Ridge, Tennessee. Volume 2. Appendixes
Not Available
This document contains the appendices to the Remedial Investigation Report on Bear Creek Valley Operable Unit 2 (Rust Spoil Area, Spoil Area 1, and SY-200 Yard) at the Oak Ridge Y-12 Plant, Oak Ridge, Tennessee. The appendices include Current and historical soil boring and groundwater monitoring well information, well construction logs, and field change orders; Analytical data; Human health risk assessment data; and Data quality.
Bioremediation of a PAH-contaminated gasworks site with the Ebiox vacuum heap system
Eiermann, D.R.; Bolliger, R.
A former gasworks site in the industrial city of Winterthur, Switzerland, was extremely contaminated with polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs); benzene, toluene, ethylbenzene, and xylenes (BTEX); phenols; ammonia; and mineral oils. Three vacuum heaps, with a total volume of 10,500 m{sup 3} of contaminated soil, were bioremediated during 1993/94. Separating excavated soil material into different soil qualities was of particular importance because of the pathway definition of the specific soil material. Excavation of contamination took longer than 10 months, delivering continuously different contaminated soil-type material for bioremediation. Conditioning and subsequent biostimulation of the large soil volumes were the prerequisites for most advanced milieu optimization. The degradation results demonstrated the potential for successful application of bioremediation on former industrial sites. PAH-concentration reductions ranged from 75 to 83% for the soil values and from 87 to 98% for the elution values. Soil and elution target qualities were met within 6 to 12 months, depending on initial PAH-concentration and soil structure. The achieved target quality for the bioremediated soil allowed subsequent reuse as high-value backfill material for the ongoing building project.
MR imaging of ore for heap bioleaching studies using pure phase encode acquisition methods
NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)
Fagan, Marijke A.; Sederman, Andrew J.; Johns, Michael L.
Various MRI techniques were considered with respect to imaging of aqueous flow fields in low grade copper ore. Spin echo frequency encoded techniques were shown to produce unacceptable image distortions which led to pure phase encoded techniques being considered. Single point imaging multiple point acquisition (SPI-MPA) and spin echo single point imaging (SESPI) techniques were applied. By direct comparison with X-ray tomographic images, both techniques were found to be able to produce distortion-free images of the ore packings at 2 T. The signal to noise ratios (SNRs) of the SESPI images were found to be superior to SPI-MPA for equal total acquisition times; this was explained based on NMR relaxation measurements. SESPI was also found to produce suitable images for a range of particles sizes, whereas SPI-MPA SNR deteriorated markedly as particles size was reduced. Comparisons on a 4.7 T magnet showed significant signal loss from the SPI-MPA images, the effect of which was accentuated in the case of unsaturated flowing systems. Hence it was concluded that SESPI was the most robust imaging method for the study of copper ore heap leaching hydrology.
Bioleaching model of a copper-sulfide ore bed in heap and dump configurations
NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)
Casas, J. M.; Vargas, T.; Martinez, J.; Moreno, L.
A two-dimensional (2-D) model for a heap or dump bioleaching of a copper ore containing mainly chalcocite and pyrite has been developed. The rate of the mineral sulfide dissolution was related to the rate of oxidation by bacteria attached onto the ore surface. The latter was calculated using the model of Michaelis-Menten, where both temperature and dissolved oxygen in the leach solution were taken into account by the kinetic equation. Oxygen transport through the ore bed was associated with natural air convection originating from the decrease in gas density inside the ore bed, which was attributable not only to heating, but also to humidification and decrease in the oxygen concentration. The model was used to estimate air-velocity fields and profiles of temperature and oxygen concentrations as well as mineral conversions during the bioleaching operation for ore beds with different pyrite contents, bacterial populations, widths, heights, and permeabilities. The model provides a useful tool for the design, improvement, and optimization of industrial operating conditions.
Hydrogen cyanide in ambient air near a gold heap leach field: Measured vs. modeled concentrations
NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)
Orloff, Kenneth G.; Kaplan, Brian; Kowalski, Peter
To extract gold from low-grade ores, a solution of sodium cyanide is trickled over pads of crushed ore. During this operation, small quantities of hydrogen cyanide gas may escape to the ambient air. To assess these emissions, we collected air samples at monitoring stations located on opposite sides of a gold heap leach field at distances ranging from 1100 to 1500 ft from the center of the field. Hydrogen cyanide was detected in 6 of 18 ambient air samples at concentrations ranging from 0.26 to 1.86 parts per billion (ppb). Ambient air samples collected at residential properties located within 2600 ft of the leach field did not contain detectable concentrations of cyanide (detection level of 0.2 ppb). We used site-specific data and two steady-state air dispersion models, ISCST3 and AERMOD, to predict ambient air concentrations of cyanide at the sampling points. The ISCST3 model over-predicted the measured 8-h concentrations of hydrogen cyanide by a factor of 2.4, on average, and the AERMOD model under-predicted the air concentrations of hydrogen cyanide by a factor of 0.76, on average. The major sources of uncertainty in the model predictions were the complex terrain of the area and the uncertainty in the emission rates of cyanide from the leach field. The measured and predicted concentrations of cyanide in the air samples were not at levels that would pose a human health hazard for acute or chronic exposures.
Assessment of EDTA heap leaching of an agricultural soil highly contaminated with heavy metals.
Hu, Pengjie; Yang, Bingfan; Dong, Changxun; Chen, Like; Cao, Xueying; Zhao, Jie; Wu, Longhua; Luo, Yongming; Christie, Peter
The efficiency of heavy metal removal from soil by EDTA leaching was assessed in a column leaching experiment at the laboratory scale and field heap leaching at the pilot scale using a sandy loam sierozem agricultural soil contaminated with Cd, Cu, Pb, and Zn. Soil amendment and aging were conducted to recover leaching soils. The percentages of Cd, Cu, Pb, and Zn removed by column leaching were 90%, 88%, 90%, and 67%, respectively, when 3.9 bed volumes of 50mM EDTA were used. At the pilot scale, on-site metal removal efficiencies using the selected leaching procedure were 80%, 69%, 73% and 62% for Cd, Cu, Pb and Zn, respectively. EDTA leaching decreased soil CEC, total P, total K and available K concentrations but increased organic matter and total Kjeldahl N concentrations. The subsequent amendment and soil aging further reduced the DTPA-extractable heavy metals in the leached soils. Growth of the first crop of pak choi in the leached soil was inhibited but the second crop grew well after the soil was aged for one year and the concentrations of Cd and Pb in the edible parts were below the Chinese statutory limits. The results demonstrate the potential feasibility of the field leaching technique using EDTA combined with subsequent amendment and soil aging for the remediation of heavy metal-contaminated agricultural soils. PMID:25277965
Population differentiation in Andropogon virginicus L. between abandoned coal strip mine spoil and old field habitats in Ohio
Nellessen, J.E.
Populations of Andropogon virginicus L. from abandoned coal mine spoils and old fields in southeastern Ohio were studied to determine whether ecotypic differentiation had occurred. Three mine spoil and three old field populations were paired for reciprocal transplant studies. A uniform garden was also established. Mine spoil and old field populations were compared for differences in demographic patterns, vegetative growth and phenology, reproductive output, and physiology. There were a greater number of seedlings and smaller individuals in the mine spoils, but seed production was similar between habitats. Seeds disperse farther in mine spoils and there was no or very little seedling establishment in 8 to 35 year old fields. Plants attained greater height in mine spoils. Population differentiation between one of the mine sites and one of the old fields was evident for seed weight, numbers of seeds per plant, and plant biomass. The three old field populations also differed from each other in reproductive characteristics. Mine spoil plants contained significantly more nitrogen within seeds despite the fact that mine soils had only half the available nitrogen as old field soils. Old field plants had a higher magnesium content in leaves. Chlorophyll content of leaves was higher for plants in old fields than for plants in mines. Undisturbed plants from both habitats had significantly higher photosynthetic rates than transplants. Old field plants had significantly greater photosynthetic rates than mine plants when grown in the uniform garden even though transpiration rates were similar. Differentiation between some coal mine spoil and old field populations of A. virginicus was evident for height growth, seed weight, photosynthesis, seed nitrogen content, magnesium content, and seed germination. Local population differentiation in plant height, seed weight, and in the timing of plant maturation was also observed.
Chemical analyses of dredged spoil disposal sites at the Belgian part of the North Sea.
De Witte, Bavo; Ruttens, Ann; Ampe, Bart; Waegeneers, Nadia; Gauquie, Johanna; Devriese, Lisa; Cooreman, Kris; Parmentier, Koen
The chemical status of five dredged spoil disposal sites in the Belgian Part of the North Sea is evaluated. A linear mixed-effect model was applied to PCB, PAH and heavy metal data from 2005 to 2014. No decrease in PCB concentrations was found, with even an increase at two disposal sites. Hg/AL ratios increased with 62% at one disposal site (BR&WS2) from 2005 to 2006 to 2013-2014. Cu and Zn concentrations increased at two disposal sites. Additional harbour sampling suggests that the latter is possibly linked to antifouling paints. Based on OSPAR environmental assessment criteria, the current chemical status of the sites suggests no chronic effect of dredged spoil disposal. However, increasing time trend data for PCB, Hg, Cu and Zn demonstrate the importance of monitoring to identify adverse trends. PMID:27176939
Environmental impact assessment of selenium from coal mine spoils. Quarterly report
Atalay, A.
The development of environmental impact assessment of selenium from coal mine spoils will provide a useful guideline to predict the environmental impact of Se from abandoned coal mine operations. Information obtained from such a study can be applied in areas where coal mining has not yet begun in order to predict and identify the geochemistry of rocks, soils, surface waters and groundwaters likely to be disturbed by coal mining operation.
Flexible control of femtosecond pulse duration and separation using an emittance-spoiling foil in x-ray free-electron lasers
Ding, Y.; Behrens, C.; Coffee, R.; Decker, F. -J.; Emma, P.; Field, C.; Helml, W.; Huang, Z.; Krejcik, P.; Krzywinski, J.; Loos, H.; Lutman, A.; Marinelli, A.; Maxwell, T. J.; Turner, J.
We report experimental studies of generating and controlling femtosecond x-ray pulses in free-electron lasers (FELs) using an emittance spoiling foil. By selectivity spoiling the transverse emittance of the electron beam, the output pulse duration or double-pulse separation is adjusted with a variable size single or double slotted foil. Measurements were performed with an X-band transverse deflector located downstream of the FEL undulator, from which both the FEL lasing and emittance spoiling effects are observed directly.
Management of mine spoil for crop productivity with lignite fly ash and biological amendments.
Ram, L C; Srivastava, N K; Tripathi, R C; Jha, S K; Sinha, A K; Singh, G; Manoharan, V
Long-term field trials using lignite fly ash (LFA) were carried out in rice crops during the period 1996-2000 at Mine I, Neyveli Lignite Corporation, Tamil Nadu. LFA, being alkaline and endowed with an excellent pozzolanic nature, silt loam texture, and plant nutrients, has the potential to improve the texture, fertility, and crop productivity of mine spoil. The rice crops were the first, third, fifth, and sixth crops in rotation. The other crops, such as green gram (second) and sun hemp (fourth), were grown as green manure. For experimental trials, LFA was applied at various dosages (0, 5, 10, 20, 50, 100, and 200 t/ha), with and without press mud (10 t/ha), before cultivation of the first crop. Repeat applications of LFA were made at the same dosages in treatments of up to 50 t/ha (with and without press mud) before cultivation of the third and fifth crops. Press mud, a lightweight organic waste product from the sugar industry, was used as an organic amendment and source of plant nutrients. Also, a recommended dosage of chemical fertilizer, along with gypsum, humic acid, and biofertilizer as supplementing agents, was applied in all the treatments, including control. With one-time and repeat applications of LFA, from 5 to 20 t/ha (with and without press mud), the crop yield (grain and straw) increased significantly (p < 0.05), in the range from 3.0 to 42.0% over the corresponding control. The maximum yield was obtained with repeat applications of 20 t/ha of LFA with press mud in the third crop. The press mud enhanced the yield in the range of 1.5-10.2% with various dosages of LFA. The optimum dosage of LFA was 20 t/ha for both one-time and repeat applications. Repeat applications of LFA at lower dosages of up to 20 t/ha were more effective in increasing the yield than the corresponding one-time applications of up to 20 t/ha and repeat applications at 50 t/ha. One-time and repeat applications of LFA of up to 20 t/ha (with and without press mud), apart from
Spatial variation in spoil and vegetative characteristics of pastures on reclaimed surface mined land
Teutsch, C.D.; Collins, M.; Ditsch, D.C.
Kentucky has large areas of reclaimed surface mined land that could provide grazing for livestock. Research is needed to determine optimal stocking densities and to evaluate the sustainability of such grazing systems for this region. A long-term grazing study was initiated in 1997 on 151 ha of reclaimed land near Chavies, KY to determine spatial and temporal variation with stocking densities of 0, 0.28, 0.42, or 0.83 beef cow-calf units/ha. Global Positioning System and GIS technologies were used to establish pasture boundaries, locate permanent sampling markers at a density of 1 per 0.4 ha, and interpolate maps of physical, spoil, and vegetable pasture characteristics. Herbage and spoil samples were collected around the permanent markers in May of 1997. Stepwise regression was used to determine factors affecting the vegetative characteristics of the sites. Biomass density ranged from 0 to 2500 kg/ha with a mean of 570 kg/ha. Factors affecting biomass included legume and weed proportions in the sward, grazing activity, soil potassium, elevation, and potential acidity, cumulatively accounting for 32% of the variation. Ground cover ranged from 10 to 100% with an average of 74%. Soil pH, potassium, and grass in the sward accounted for 14% of the variation in ground cover. Legumes made up 0 to 61% of the sward with a mean of 13% over the pasture area. Variables affecting the amount of legume in the sward included biomass density, slope, elevation, pH, and stocking density, together accounting for 21% of the variation. Spatial variation in the physical, spoil, and vegetative characteristics of the pastures was large. Overall, regression accounted for a limited amount of the variation in the vegetative characteristics of the site indicating that other important variables exist.
Mineralogy, petrology, and chemistry studies to evaluate oxide copper ores for heap leaching in Sarcheshmeh copper mine, Kerman, Iran.
Shayestehfar, M R; Nasab, S Karimi; Mohammadalizadeh, H
In recent years, as a result of biological, environmental, and economic considerations, available copper in copper oxide ores that could not be recovered by pyrometallurgical methods was accumulated in so-called oxide dumps. Suitable material is treated with dilute sulfuric acid in a heap-leaching process, whereupon the copper content of the rock slowly dissolves in the acidic solution. The performed investigations show that one needs to consider the action of the acid on the copper oxide-containing rocks at the microscopic level. In this paper, we describe research carried out on oxide samples from the western dump of the Sarcheshmeh copper mine. Each sample was split into two parts and a portion of each was exposed to heap-leaching conditions in a column. Subsequently, polished sections, thin sections, and powdered samples were subjected to chemical analysis as well as petrographic and mineralogical considerations. Changes in the weight percentages of non-metal and metal minerals before and after acid treatment were measured. Microscopic studies have indicated that chemical analyses do not provide a complete picture of the effects of acid on the rock. Thus, microscopic studies on sections are shown to be a necessary requirement, neglection of which can have negative economic and environmental effects. PMID:18096317
Evaluation of the toxicity of marine sediments and dredge spoils with the MicrotoxR bioassay
Ankley, G.T.; Hoke, R.A.; Giesy, J.P.; Winger, P.V.
The MicrotoxR bioassay was used to evaluate the toxicity of sediment and dredge spoil elutriates from several potentially-contaminated sites in Mobile and Pascagoula Bays. Elutriates were prepared using either local seawater or distilled deionized water (osmotically adjusted with NaCl prior to testing), and MicrotoxR assays were performed with the elutriates and three reference toxicants. There were marked differences in the toxicity of several elutriates and reference toxicants in the two different waters, with the seawater generally resulting in the same or lesser toxicity than the osmotically-adjusted distilled deionized water.
Modelling the effect of chemical heterogeneity on acidification and solute leaching in overburden mine spoils
NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)
Gerke, Horst H.; Molson, John W.; Frind, Emil O.
The generation of acid mine drainage from overburden spoil piles at open-pit lignite mines is impacting the quality of groundwater and surface water bodies in large parts of the Lusatian mining area in Germany. Values of pH as low as 1 have been observed in the groundwater. After decommissioning, mine pits are generally converted to lakes which may also be acidic owing to the acidic groundwater discharge. The acidic effluent is generated by sulphide oxidation in the unsaturated zone of the spoil pile which generally extends to large depths as a result of dewatering. The long-term evolution of the acidification is still largely unknown. Our research focuses on the effects of physical and chemical heterogeneity caused by mixing of soil materials that may have already been oxidized to different degrees during the deposition of the spoil pile. Processes considered include variably saturated groundwater flow, oxygen diffusion in the soil gas, kinetic pyrite oxidation and acidic effluent generation, advective-dispersive transport of the aqueous components, equilibrium geochemical reactions between the chemical components and the soil minerals, and possible buffering and acid neutralization. Several existing numerical codes were coupled to represent the complete set of processes. Simulations were carried out in one- and two dimensions using representative characteristics of mine spoil piles, with the two-dimensional representation being based on spatially heterogeneous random fields of hydraulic conductivity and sulphide mineral fractions. Results show the long-term evolution of the oxidation front, the mass flux of oxidation products and the effects of system heterogeneity. Under conditions of constant flow, the system is found to return to neutral conditions over a time period on the order of several decades. Further work, including sensitivity analyses with respect to the controlling parameters and model calibration using site-specific field data, will be necessary to
Mine spoil prairies expand critical habitat for endangered and threatened amphibian and reptile species
Lannoo, Michael J.; Kinney, Vanessa C.; Heemeyer, Jennifer L.; Engbrecht, Nathan J.; Gallant, Alisa L.; Klaver, Robert W.
Coal extraction has been occurring in the Midwestern United States for over a century. Despite the pre-mining history of the landscape as woodlands, spent surface coalfields are often reclaimed to grasslands. We assessed amphibian and reptile species on a large tract of coal spoil prairie and found 13 species of amphibians (nine frog and four salamander species) and 19 species of reptiles (one lizard, five turtle, and 13 snake species). Two state-endangered and three state species of special concern were documented. The amphibian diversity at our study site was comparable to the diversity found at a large restored prairie situated 175 km north, within the historic prairie peninsula.
An appraisal of the potential use of fly ash for reclaiming coal mine spoil.
Ram, Lal C; Masto, Reginald E
Growing dependence on coal-fired power plants for electrical generation in many countries presents ongoing environmental challenges. Burning pulverized coal in thermal power plants (TPPs) generates large amounts of fly ash (FA) that must be disposed of or otherwise handled, in an environmentally-sound manner. A possible option for dealing with fly ash is to use it as an amendment for mine spoil or other damaged soil. It has been demonstrated through studies in India and other countries that FA alone or in combination with organic or inorganic materials can be used in a productive manner for reclamation of mine spoil. The characteristics of FA, including silt-sized particles, lighter materials with low bulk density (BD), higher water holding capacity, favorable pH and significant concentrations of many essential plant nutrients, make it a potentially favorable amendment for mine spoil reclamation. Studies have indicated that the application of FA has improved the physical, chemical and biological qualities of soil to which it is applied. The release of trace metals and soluble salts from FA could be a major limitation to its application. This is particularly true of fresh, un-weathered FA or acidic FA, although perhaps not a concern for weathered/pond ash or alkaline FA. Some potential contaminants, especially metals and other salt ions, could be immobilized and rendered biologically inert by the addition of certain inorganic and organic amendments. However, in view of the variability in the characteristics of FAs that are associated with location, feed coal, combustion conditions and other factors, the suitability of a particular FA for a specific soil/mine spoil needs to be critically evaluated before it is applied in order to maximize favorable results and eliminate unexpected consequences. FA generated in India tends to be mostly alkaline, with lower levels of trace elements than are often found in FAs from other countries. The concentrations of potential
Effect of Soil Ameliorators on Ectomycorrhizal Fungal Communities that Colonize Seedlings of Pinus densiflora in Abandoned Coal Mine Spoils
Lee, Eun-Hwa; Eo, Ju-Kyeong; Lee, Chang-Seok
In this study, the effect of soil ameliorators on ectomycorrhizal (ECM) fungal communities in coal mine spoils was investigated. Organic fertilizers and slaked lime were applied as soil ameliorators in 3 abandoned coal mine spoils. One year after the initial treatment, roots of Pinus densiflora seedlings were collected and the number of ECM species, colonization rate, and species diversity were assessed. The results showed that the soil ameliorators significantly increased ECM colonization on the roots of P. densiflora. The results suggest that soil ameliorators can have a positive effect on ECM fungi in terms of growth of host plants and show the potential use of soil ameliorator treatment for revegetation with ECM-colonized pine seedlings in the coal mine spoils. PMID:23115509
Coal-spoil and ground-water chemical data from two coal mines; Hanna Basin and Powder River basin, Wyoming
Larson, L.R.
Data are presented describing chemical and mineralogical composition of spoil material and chemical quality of groundwater at 2 Wyoming mine sites. Samples were collected at Medicine Bow-Seminoe Number 1 mining area in the Hanna basin and at the Cordero Mine in the Powder River basin. The data collected from these sites, along with similar data from other coal-mining states in the West, are used to evaluate methods used in predicting post-mining groundwater quality. The data include mineral-composition analyses, paste-extract analyses, and sulfur-forms analyses of coal spoil, chemical analyses of water from batch-mixing experiments; and analyses of water samples collected from wells in the coal aquifers and from wells in the saturated spoils. (USGS)
Nutrient capital sequestration in pioneer plant communities on surface-mine spoil
Wade, G.L.
Four pioneer plant communities on a surface-mine spoil were compared in terms of biomass production and nutrient capital sequestration. A chenopodium album-dominated community (Treatment 4) produced the greatest amount of biomass. Next were a community derived from a forest topsoil seed bank spread over mine spoil (Treatment 2), a seed bank community with common reclamation species seeded into it (Treatment 3), and a mix of grasses and Lespedeza commonly used in reclamation (Treatment 1). Amounts of nutrients sequestered in vegetation were not strictly proportional to biomass. Community nutrient contents were largely influenced by community biomass and the nutrient uptake characteristics of the species with most biomass. Significant changes in soil chemistry were found after one growing season. Addition of the reclamation mix of grasses and Lespedeza to the seed bank resulted in significantly fewer established native species. Native species lost their normal dominance and exhibited stunted growth and phenological delay in Treatment 3. Nutrient content niche, nutrient content niche share, and niche breadth (Levins; B) were calculated for important species in each community. Native species generally had reduced niche breadths and niche shares when reclamation species were added to the community. Community content niche, the sums of species content niches, varied between different types of pioneer communities.
Possible production of ceramic tiles from marine dredging spoils alone and mixed with other waste materials.
Baruzzo, Daniela; Minichelli, Dino; Bruckner, Sergio; Fedrizzi, Lorenzo; Bachiorrini, Alessandro; Maschio, Stefano
Dredging spoils, due to their composition could be considered a new potential source for the production of monolithic ceramics. Nevertheless, abundance of coloured oxides in these materials preclude the possibility of obtaining white products, but not that of producing ceramics with a good mechanical behaviour. As goal of the present research we have produced and studied samples using not only dredging spoils alone, but also mixtures with other waste materials such as bottom ashes from an incinerator of municipal solid waste, incinerated seawage sludge from a municipal seawage treatment plant and steelworks slag. Blending of different components was done by attrition milling. Powders were pressed into specimens which were air sintered in a muffle furnace and their shrinkage on firing was determined. Water absorption, density, strength, hardness, fracture toughness, thermal expansion coefficient of the fired bodies were measured; XRD and SEM images were also examined. The fired samples were finally tested in acidic environment in order to evaluate their elution behaviour and consequently their environmental compatibility. It is observed that, although the shrinkage on firing is too high for the production of tiles, in all the compositions studied the sintering procedure leads to fine microstructures, good mechanical properties and to a limitation of the release of many of the most hazardous metals contained in the starting powders. PMID:16343751
Acidification-neutralization processes in a lignite mine spoil amended with fly ash or limestone.
Seoane, S; Leirós, M C
A laboratory experiment was conducted to investigate the longterm effects of amending sulfide-rich lignite mine spoil with fly ash (originating from a coal-fired power station and largely comprised of aluminosilicates) and/or agricultural limestone. The experiment was carried out with soil moisture maintained at field capacity or alternate cycles of wetting and drying. Results obtained suggest that the principal acidification processes were oxidation of sulfide and formation of hydroxysulfate (FeOHSO4), whereas the main neutralization processes were weathering of aluminosilicates in fly ash-treated samples and dissolution of calcium carbonate in limestone-treated samples. The highest dose of limestone rapidly raised the pH of the spoil, but this increase was not maintained throughout the one-year experiment. In contrast, fly ash-treated samples showed a more sustained increase in pH, attributable to the gradual weathering of aluminosilicates. The best results (i.e., good short- and long-term neutralization) were obtained in samples treated with both fly ash and limestone. The low liming capacity of the fly ash (47.85 cmol kg(-1)) means that it must be used in large quantities, an advantage in achieving the further aim of disposing of the fly ash. PMID:11476521
Dynamic of active microorganisms inhabiting a bioleaching industrial heap of low‐grade copper sulfide ore monitored by real‐time PCR and oligonucleotide prokaryotic acidophile microarray
Remonsellez, Francisco; Galleguillos, Felipe; Moreno‐Paz, Mercedes; Parro, Víctor; Acosta, Mauricio; Demergasso, Cecilia
Summary The bioleaching of metal sulfide has developed into a very important industrial process and understanding the microbial dynamic is key to advancing commercial bioleaching operations. Here we report the first quantitative description of the dynamic of active communities in an industrial bioleaching heap. Acidithiobacillus ferrooxidans was the most abundant during the first part of the leaching cycle, while the abundance of Leptospirillum ferriphilum and Ferroplasma acidiphilum increased with age of the heap. Acidithiobacillus thiooxidans kept constant throughout the leaching cycle, and Firmicutes group showed a low and a patchy distribution in the heap. The Acidiphilium‐like bacteria reached their highest abundance corresponding to the amount of autotrophs. The active microorganisms in the leaching system were determined using two RNA‐based sensitive techniques. In most cases, the 16S rRNA copy numbers of At. ferrooxidans, L. ferriphilum, At. thiooxidans and F. acidiphilum, was concomitant with the DNA copy numbers, whereas Acidiphilium‐like bacteria and some Firmicutes members did not show a clear correlation between 16S rRNA accumulation and DNA copy numbers. However, the prokaryotic acidophile microarray (PAM) analysis showed active members of Alphaproteobacteria in all samples and of Sulfobacillus genus in older ones. Also, new active groups such as Actinobacteria and Acidobacterium genus were detected by PAM. The results suggest that changes during the leaching cycle in chemical and physical conditions, such as pH and Fe3+/Fe2+ ion rate, are primary factors shaping the microbial dynamic in the heap. PMID:21255296
HEAP---An instrument to measure the elemental abundances above 10 sup 15 eV at a lunar base
Swordy, S.P. )
At {approx}10{sup 15} eV the slope of the energy spectrum of cosmic rays becomes significantly steeper than at lower energies. The measurement of relative elemental abundances at these energies is expected to provide a means to resolve the origin of this feature and greatly contribute to the understanding of the sources of cosmic rays at high energies. We describe a moon based detector, HEAP, for making well-resolved elemental measurements at these energies using hadronic calorimetry. This detector is particularly well suited for a site on the lunar surface because there is no overlying layer of atmosphere and the large mass required can be provided by the lunar regolith.
Physico-chemical conditions, zooplankton, and benthos were investigated in coal strip-mine ponds in northwesten Colorado. There were no discernible effects of mine drainage on a variety of physico-chemical parameters. In stark contrast to spoils ponds in the eastern and midwester...
Pisolithus tinctorius, a gasteromycete, associated with Jeffrey and Sierra lodgepole pine on acid mine spoils in the Sierra Nevada
Walker, R.F. )
Basidiocarps of Pisolithus tinctorius, a gasteromycetous fungus adapted to harsh sites, were observed in association with Jeffrey and Sierra lodgepole pine on acid mine spoils in northeastern California. Subterranean mycelial strands were traced from these basidiocarps to the root systems of the two pine species, which had ectomycorrhizae characteristic of those formed by this fungus in symbiotic relationships with conifer hosts.
Geochemistry of batch-extract waters derived from spoil material collected at the Cordero coal mine, Powder River basin, Wyoming
Naftz, D.L.
Batch-mixing experiments to evaluate postmining water quality at the Cordero Mine were conducted by the U.S. Geological Survey during 1984 to 1985. Contact of groundwater from the spoil aquifer with fresh spoil material caused only small changes in major-element concentrations and in pH, unless sulfide oxidation or contact with soluble salts, such as epsomite, occurred. In contrast, large changes in major-element concentration resulted when water from the coal aquifer contacted the spoil material. Only three of seven reaction models considered to explain the water quality changes during the batch-mixing experiments were consistent with the thermodynamic and mineralogical data. The three models used to account for the observed water quality changes derived potassium from potassium feldspar; magnesium from chlorite or epsomite or both; sodium from cation exchange and halite; chloride from halite; silica from potassium feldspar and chlorite; sulfate from gypsum, or epsomite or both, and carbon from carbon dioxide. In general, water quality samples obtained from the batch-mixing experiments using water from the coal aquifer had smaller major-ion concentrations than the actual water quality in the spoil aquifer. These differences can be explained by the limited amount of efflorescent salt dissolution and volume of water used in the experiments. Correction ratios calculated for these experiments may be applied to batch-mixing experiments at other mines in the area, to predict postmining water quality. (USGS)
Microbial communities from different subsystems in biological heap leaching system play different roles in iron and sulfur metabolisms.
Xiao, Yunhua; Liu, Xueduan; Ma, Liyuan; Liang, Yili; Niu, Jiaojiao; Gu, Yabing; Zhang, Xian; Hao, Xiaodong; Dong, Weiling; She, Siyuan; Yin, Huaqun
The microbial communities are important for minerals decomposition in biological heap leaching system. However, the differentiation and relationship of composition and function of microbial communities between leaching heap (LH) and leaching solution (LS) are still unclear. In this study, 16S rRNA gene sequencing was used to assess the microbial communities from the two subsystems in ZiJinShan copper mine (Fujian province, China). Results of PCoA and dissimilarity test showed that microbial communities in LH samples were significantly different from those in LS samples. The dominant genera of LH was Acidithiobacillus (57.2 ∼ 87.9 %), while Leptospirillum (48.6 ∼ 73.7 %) was predominant in LS. Environmental parameters (especially pH) were the major factors to influence the composition and structure of microbial community by analysis of Mantel tests. Results of functional test showed that microbial communities in LH utilized sodium thiosulfate more quickly and utilized ferrous sulfate more slowly than those in LS, which further indicated that the most sulfur-oxidizing processes of bioleaching took place in LH and the most iron-oxidizing processes were in LS. Further study found that microbial communities in LH had stronger pyrite leaching ability, and iron extraction efficiency was significantly positively correlated with Acidithiobacillus (dominated in LH), which suggested that higher abundance ratio of sulfur-oxidizing microbes might in favor of minerals decomposition. Finally, a conceptual model was designed through the above results to better exhibit the sulfur and iron metabolism in bioleaching systems. PMID:27094188
Contribution of arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi to the development of maize (Zea mays L.) grown in three types of coal mine spoils.
Guo, Wei; Zhao, Renxin; Fu, Ruiying; Bi, Na; Wang, Lixin; Zhao, Wenjing; Guo, Jiangyuan; Zhang, Jun
Coal mine spoils are usually unfavorable for plant growth and have different properties according to dumping years, weathering degree, and the occurrence of spontaneous combustion. The establishment of plant cover in mine spoils can be facilitated by arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF). A greenhouse pot experiment was conducted to evaluate the importance of AMF in plant adaptation to different mine spoils and the potential role of AMF for revegetation practices. We investigated the effects of Glomus aggregatum, Rhizophagus intraradices (syn. Glomus intraradices), and Funneliformis mosseae (syn. Glomus mosseae) on the growth, nutritional status, and metal uptake of maize (Zea mays L.) grown in recent discharged (S1), weathered (S2), and spontaneous combusted (S3) coal mine spoils. Symbiotic associations were successfully established between AMF and maize in three substrates. Mycorrhizal colonization effectively promoted plant growth by significantly increasing the uptake of nitrogen (N), phosphorus (P), and potassium (K), adjusting C:N:P stoichiometry and alleviating toxic effects of heavy metals. G. aggregatum, R. intraradices, and F. mosseae exhibited different mycorrhizal effects in response to mine spoil types. F. mosseae was the most effective in the development of maize in S1 and may be the most appropriate for revegetation of this substrate, while R. intraradices played the most beneficial role in S2 and S3. Our results suggest that inoculation with AMF can enhance plant adaptation to different types of coal mine spoils and play a positive role in the revegetation of coal mine spoil banks. PMID:24271733
Dielectrophoresis chips improve PCR detection of the food-spoiling yeast Zygosaccharomyces rouxii in apple juice.
del Carmen Jaramillo, Maria; Huttener, Mario; Alvarez, Juan Manuel; Homs-Corbera, Antoni; Samitier, Josep; Torrents, Eduard; Juárez, Antonio
Dielectrophoretic (DEP) manipulation of cells present in real samples is challenging. We show in this work that an interdigitated DEP chip can be used to trap and wash a population of the food-spoiling yeast Zygosaccharomyces rouxii that contaminates a sample of apple juice. By previously calibrating the chip, the yeast population loaded is efficiently trapped, washed, and recovered in a small-volume fraction that, in turn, can be used for efficient PCR detection of this yeast. DEP washing of yeast cells gets rid of PCR inhibitors present in apple juice and facilitates PCR analysis. This and previous works on the use of DEP chips to improve PCR analysis show that a potential use of DEP is to be used as a treatment of real samples prior to PCR. PMID:25808673
Selenium transformation in coal mine spoils: Its environmental impact assessment. Final report
Harness, J.; Atalay, A.; Koll, K.J.; Zhang, H.; Maggon, D.
The objective of this program was to conduct an environmental impact assessment study for selenium from coal mine spoils. The use of in-situ lysimetry to predict selenium speciation, transformation, and mobility under natural conditions was evaluated. The scope of the study was to construct and test field-scale lysimeter and laboratory mini-column to assess mobility and speciation of selenium in coal mine overburden and soil systems; to conduct soil and groundwater sampling throughout the state of Oklahoma for an overall environmental impact assessment of selenium; and to conduct an in-depth literature review on the solubility, speciation, mobility, and toxicity of selenium from various sources. Groundwater and surface soil samples were also collected from each county in Oklahoma. Data collected from the lysimeter study indicated that selenium in the overburden of the abandoned mine site was mainly found in the selenite form. The amount of selenite found was too low and immobile to be of concern to the environment. The spoil had equilibrated long enough (over 50 years) that most of the soluble forms of selenium have already been lost. Examination of the overburden indicated the presence of pyrite crystals that precipitated over time. The laboratory mini-column study indicated that selenite is quite immobile and remained on the overburden material even after leaching with dilute acid. Data from groundwater samples indicated that based on the current permissible level for selenium in groundwater (0.01 mg Se/L), Oklahoma groundwater is widely contaminated with the element. However, according to the new regulation (0.05 mg Se/L), which is to be promulgated in 1992, only 9 of the 77 counties in the state exceed the limit.
Predicting total dissolved solids release from central Appalachian coal mine spoils.
Daniels, W L; Zipper, C E; Orndorff, Z W; Skousen, J; Barton, C D; McDonald, L M; Beck, M A
Appalachian USA surface coal mines face public and regulatory pressure to reduce total dissolved solids (TDS) in discharge waters, primarily due to effects on sensitive macroinvertebrates. Specific conductance (SC) is an accurate surrogate for TDS and relatively low levels of SC (300-500 μS cm(-1)) have been proposed as regulatory benchmarks for instream water quality. Discharge levels of TDS from regional coal mines are frequently >1000 μS cm(-1). The primary objectives of this study were to (a) determine the effect of rock type and weathering status on SC leaching potentials for a wide range of regional mine spoils; (b) to relate leachate SC from laboratory columns to actual measured discharge SC from field sites; and (c) determine effective rapid lab analyses for SC prediction of overburden materials. We correlated laboratory unsaturated column leaching results for 39 overburden materials with a range of static lab parameters such as total-S, saturated paste SC, and neutralization potential. We also compared column data with available field leaching and valley fill discharge SC data. Leachate SC is strongly related to rock type and pre-disturbance weathering. Fine-textured and non-weathered strata generally produced higher SC and pose greater TDS risk. High-S black shales produced the highest leachate SC. Lab columns generated similar range and overall SC decay response to field observations within 5-10 leaching cycles, while actual reduction in SC in the field occurs over years to decades. Initial peak SC can be reliably predicted (R(2) > 0.850; p < 0.001) by simple lab saturated paste or 1:2 spoil:water SC procedures, but predictions of longer-term SC levels are less reliable and deserve further study. Overall TDS release risk can be accurately predicted by a combination of rock type + S content, weathering extent, and simple rapid SC lab measurements. PMID:27323343
Application of hydrogeochemical modelling in simulating the transportation of elements in fly ash heap under different disposal systems in South Africa
NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)
Mbugua, J. M.; Ngila, J. C.; Kindness, A.; Demlie, M.
Ash heap modelling of South African fly ash from Tutuka was carried out and the duration of transportation projected for 20 years based on two disposal scenarios, namely; irrigation of ash with rainwater, and irrigation with brines. The hydrogeochemical modeling code, PHREEQC, was applied in the study which gave insights into the speciation, release and transport of elements from the water and brines-fly ash long term interactions. Tutuka ash-water heap model showed a general sharp decrease of total elemental concentrations released during the first 2.5 years simulation as the pH value dropped from 12.6 to 8.7, after which it remained constant and their concentration remained constant up to 20 years. The elements showing this trend included Ca, Mg, Al, Fe, Sr, Zn, Na, K, Li and C(4). Generally, brines caused sharp increase in released concentration of the elements Ca, Mg, S(6) and C(4) for the first 3 years of heap irrigation whereas with water irrigation an opposite trend was observed in which the elemental concentrations decreased. Much of the release chemistry of the elements was closely related to the phase dissolution/precipitation and formation as the major controlling factors. Generally therefore, the modelled leachate quality results revealed that many elements are mobile and move through the ash heap in a progressive leaching pathway. The model could therefore be used to provide reasonable leachate quality from the modelled Tutuka ash heap which may be reaching the ground water. Overall, the ash heap modelling enhanced the understanding of the environmental impacts of ash-water-brines interactions and demonstrated that leachate composition is determined by the following factors; (i) the mass flows from the pores of fly ash, (ii) the surface dissolution of the mineral phases, (iii) the various chemical reactions involved during the ash-brine and ash-water interactions, (iv) the interactions with a gas phase (atmospheric CO2), (v) the composition of the
Influence of Turning and Environmental Contamination on the Dynamics of Populations of Lactic Acid and Acetic Acid Bacteria Involved in Spontaneous Cocoa Bean Heap Fermentation in Ghana▿
Camu, Nicholas; González, Ángel; De Winter, Tom; Van Schoor, Ann; De Bruyne, Katrien; Vandamme, Peter; Takrama, Jemmy S.; Addo, Solomon K.; De Vuyst, Luc
The influence of turning and environmental contamination on six spontaneous cocoa bean heap fermentations performed in Ghana was studied through a multiphasic approach, encompassing both microbiological (culture-dependent and culture-independent techniques) and metabolite target analyses. A sensory analysis of chocolate made from the fermented, dried beans was performed as well. Only four clusters were found among the isolates of acetic acid bacteria (AAB) identified: Acetobacter pasteurianus, Acetobacter ghanensis, Acetobacter senegalensis, and a potential new Acetobacter lovaniensis-like species. Two main clusters were identified among the lactic acid bacteria (LAB) isolated, namely, Lactobacillus plantarum and Lactobacillus fermentum. No differences in biodiversity of LAB and AAB were seen for fermentations carried out at the farm and factory sites, indicating the cocoa pod surfaces and not the general environment as the main inoculum for spontaneous cocoa bean heap fermentation. Turning of the heaps enhanced aeration and increased the relative population size of AAB and the production of acetic acid. This in turn gave a more sour taste to chocolate made from these beans. Bitterness was reduced through losses of polyphenols and alkaloids upon fermentation and cocoa bean processing. PMID:17993565
Generating femtosecond X-ray pulses using an emittance-spoiling foil in free-electron lasers
NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)
Ding, Y.; Behrens, C.; Coffee, R.; Decker, F.-J.; Emma, P.; Field, C.; Helml, W.; Huang, Z.; Krejcik, P.; Krzywinski, J.; Loos, H.; Lutman, A.; Marinelli, A.; Maxwell, T. J.; Turner, J.
Generation of femtosecond to sub-femtosecond pulses is attracting much attention in X-ray free-electron laser user community. One method is to use a slotted, emittance-spoiling foil which was proposed before (P. Emma et al., Phys. Rev. Lett. 92, 074801 (2004)) and has been widely used at the Linac Coherent Light Source. Direct experimental characterization of the slotted-foil performance was previously unfeasible due to a lack of appropriate diagnostics. With a recently installed X-band radio-frequency transverse deflector, we are able to characterize the electron bunch spoiling effect and X-ray pulse when using the slotted foil. We show that few-femtosecond X-ray pulses are generated with flexible control of the single-pulse duration or double-pulse separation with comparison to the theoretical model.
Generating femtosecond X-ray pulses using an emittance-spoiling foil in free-electron lasers
Ding, Y. Coffee, R.; Decker, F.-J.; Emma, P.; Field, C.; Huang, Z.; Krejcik, P.; Krzywinski, J.; Loos, H.; Lutman, A.; Marinelli, A.; Maxwell, T. J.; Turner, J.; Behrens, C.; Helml, W.
Generation of femtosecond to sub-femtosecond pulses is attracting much attention in X-ray free-electron laser user community. One method is to use a slotted, emittance-spoiling foil which was proposed before (P. Emma et al., Phys. Rev. Lett. 92, 074801 (2004)) and has been widely used at the Linac Coherent Light Source. Direct experimental characterization of the slotted-foil performance was previously unfeasible due to a lack of appropriate diagnostics. With a recently installed X-band radio-frequency transverse deflector, we are able to characterize the electron bunch spoiling effect and X-ray pulse when using the slotted foil. We show that few-femtosecond X-ray pulses are generated with flexible control of the single-pulse duration or double-pulse separation with comparison to the theoretical model.
The disposal of a lime water treatment residue on soil and spoil material from a coalmine: a glasshouse investigation.
Titshall, L W; Hughes, J C; Morris, C D; Zacharias, P J K
Eragrostis tef (Zucc.), Cenchrus ciliaris L., and Digitaria eriantha Steud. were grown in a soil (Psammentic Haplustalf) and spoil material from a coalmine both treated with a lime water treatment residue (WTR) at rates of 0, 50, 100, 200, and 400 g kg(-1). The yield of the grasses, from the sum of the three harvests, and concentrations of B, Ca, Cu, K, Fe, Mg, Mn, N, Na, P, and Zn in foliage from the second harvest were determined. The yield of grasses grown in the soil decreased exponentially as WTR application increased. The yields of C. ciliaris, D. eriantha, and E. tef (in the 400 g kg(-1) WTR treated soil) decreased by 74.4, 78.7, and 59.8%, respectively, when compared with the control treatments. In the spoil, the yield of E. tef and D. eriantha decreased by 13.6% and and D. eriantha by 23.9%, while an increase was observed for C. ciliaris (45.4%), at the highest WTR application rate. No relationship existed between yield of E. tef and WTR application rate when grown in the spoil, while a weak negative linear relationship (p < 0.05) was found for D. eriantha and a positive linear relationship existed for C. ciliaris. Magnesium concentrations of the grasses were positively correlated to WTR application rate. Grasses grown in the soil had higher Na concentrations, while those grown in the spoil typically had higher B, N, and Zn concentrations. The decreases in yield were attributed to nutrient deficiencies (notably Zn), induced by high WTR application rates that led to high substrate pH. Disposal of high rates of WTR on the mine materials was not recommended. PMID:17332261
Heap leach studies on the removal of uranium from soil. Report of laboratory-scale test results
Turney, W.R.J.R.; York, D.A.; Mason, C.F.V.; Chisholm-Brause, C.J.; Dander, D.C.; Longmire, P.A.; Morris, D.E.; Strait, R.K.; Brewer, J.S.
This report details the initial results of laboratory-scale testing of heap leach that is being developed as a method for removing uranium from uranium-contaminated soil. The soil used was obtained from the site of the Feed Materials Production Center (FMPC) near the village of Fernald in Ohio. The testing is being conducted on a laboratory scale, but it is intended that this methodology will eventually be enlarged to field scale where, millions of cubic meters of uranium-contaminated soil can be remediated. The laboratory scale experiments show that, using carbonate/bicarbonate solutions, uranium can be effectively removed from the soil from initial values of around 600 ppM down to 100 ppM or less. The goal of this research is to selectively remove uranium from the contaminated soil, without causing serious changes in the characteristics of the soil. It is also hoped that the new technologies developed for soil remediation at FEMP will be transferred to other sites that also have uranium-contaminated soil.
A simplified economic filter for open-pit mining and heap-leach recovery of copper in the United States
Long, Keith R.; Singer, Donald A.
Determining the economic viability of mineral deposits of various sizes and grades is a critical task in all phases of mineral supply, from land-use management to mine development. This study evaluates two simple tools for estimating the economic viability of porphyry copper deposits mined by open-pit, heap-leach methods when only limited information on these deposits is available. These two methods are useful for evaluating deposits that either (1) are undiscovered deposits predicted by a mineral resource assessment, or (2) have been discovered but for which little data has been collected or released. The first tool uses ordinary least-squared regression analysis of cost and operating data from selected deposits to estimate a predictive relationship between mining rate, itself estimated from deposit size, and capital and operating costs. The second method uses cost models developed by the U.S. Bureau of Mines (Camm, 1991) updated using appropriate cost indices. We find that the cost model method works best for estimating capital costs and the empirical model works best for estimating operating costs for mines to be developed in the United States.
Lead Tolerance and Accumulation in Hirschfeldia incana, a Mediterranean Brassicaceae from Metalliferous Mine Spoils
Auguy, Florence; Fahr, Mouna; Moulin, Patricia; Brugel, Anaïs; Laplaze, Laurent; Mzibri, Mohamed El; Filali-Maltouf, Abdelkarim; Doumas, Patrick; Smouni, Abdelaziz
Lead is a heavy metal of particular concern with respect to environmental quality and health. The lack of plant species that accumulate and tolerate Pb is a limiting factor to understand the molecular mechanisms involved in Pb tolerance. In this study we identified Hirschfeldia incana, a Brassicaceae collected from metalliferous mine spoils in Morocco, as a Pb accumulator plant. H. incana exhibited high Pb accumulation in mine soils and in hydroponic cultures. Major Pb accumulation occurred in the roots and a part of Pb translocated from the roots to the shoots, even to the siliques. These findings demonstrated that H. incana is a Pb accumulator species. The expression of several candidate genes after Pb-exposure was measured by quantitative PCR and two of them, HiHMA4 and HiMT2a, coding respectively for a P1B-type ATPase and a metallothionein, were particularly induced by Pb-exposure in both roots and leaves. The functional characterization of HiHMA4 and HiMT2a was achieved using Arabidopsis T-DNA insertional mutants. Pb content and primary root growth analysis confirmed the role of these two genes in Pb tolerance and accumulation. H. incana could be considered as a good experimental model to identify genes involved in lead tolerance and accumulation in plants. PMID:23667449
A processing fluency-account of funniness: running gags and spoiling punchlines.
Topolinski, Sascha
Earlier theories on humour assume that funniness stems from the incongruity resolution of the surprising punchline and thus an insight into the joke's meaning. Applying recent psychological theorising that insight itself draws on processing fluency being the ease and speed with which mental content is processed, it is predicted that increasing the fluency of processing the punchline of a joke increases funniness. In Experiments 1 and 2, significant nouns from the punchlines or from the beginnings of jokes were presented before a joke was rated in funniness. Pre-exposing punchline words 15 minutes and even only 1 minute before the eventual joke led to increased funniness ratings. In contrast, pre-exposing punchline words directly before a joke led to decreased funniness ratings. Furthermore, pre-exposing the beginning of a joke 1 minute before the joke had no effects on funniness. Experiment 3 ruled out exposure-facilitated punchline anticipation as alternative mechanism, and Experiment 4 replicated this fluency effect with typing font as manipulation. These findings also show that pre-exposing a punchline, which in common knowledge should spoil a joke, can actually increase funniness under certain conditions. PMID:24320137
A systematic investigation into the extraction of aluminum from coal spoil through kaolinite
X.C. Qiao; P. Si; J.G. Yu
This research has applied kaolin and active carbon (AC) to the investigation of the recovery of aluminium from coal spoil (CS). The kaolin, AC-containing kaolin mixture, and CS have been calcined at 500, 600, 700, 800, and 900{degree}C for 15, 30, 60, and 120 min. The transformation of kaolinite and aluminium extraction that occurred in each calcined sample have been characterized using XRD, TG, IR, and hydrochloric acid leaching methods. The dehydroxylation of kaolinite and the decomposition of metakaolin were influenced by thermal treatment temperature and time. The metakaolin had kept a portion of OH- in its structure until it was calcined at a temperature of 800{degree}C. Under 60 min treatment, new SiO{sub 2} phase was able to be formed at 500{degree}C, kaolinite was totally converted to metakaolin at 600{degree}C, and the SiO{sub 2} rejoined the reaction at 800{degree}C. The decompositions of CS were similar to those of kaolin mixture containing 20 wt % AC (MKC). The combustion of combustible matter accelerated the decomposition of kaolinite in the CS and MKC. Higher AC content led to lower aluminum extraction. The treatment at 600{degree}C was optimal for both CS and MKC. 28 refs., 7 figs., 3 tabs.
Dump Stability and Soil Fertility of a Coal Mine Spoil in Indian Dry Tropical Environment: A Long-Term Study
NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)
Tripathi, Nimisha; Singh, Raj Shekhar; Chaulya, Swadesh K.
Plant available nitrogen, belowground (root) biomass, soil nitrogen (N) mineralization and microbial biomass N (MBN) were studied for 12 years at the interval of 2 years (0, 2, 4, 6, 8, 10 and 12 years) and mine dump stability at the intervals of 6 years (0, 6 and 12 years) after re-vegetation on coal mine spoil site. Plant available nitrogen in revegetated mine spoil ranged from 4.51 to 6.59 μg g-1, net N-mineralization from 1.87 to 13.85 μg g-1 month-1, MBN from 10 to 22.63 μg g-1, and root biomass from 28 to 566 g-2. Mining activity has caused a change in soil characteristics including plant available nutrients like nitrate-N, ammonium-N and phosphate-P by 70, 67, and 76 %, respectively, N-mineralization by 93 %, root biomass values by 97 % and MBN values by 91 % compared to forest ecosystems. Revegetation of mine spoil produced increase in root biomass values by 1.3, 7.6 and 17.2 times, mineral N values by 1.22, 1.43 and 1.79 times, N-mineralization values by 1.8, 5.2 and 12.6 times and MBN values by 1.6, 2.0, and 3.4 times in 2, 6 and 12 years, respectively. Below ground biomass was highly co-related with microbial biomass and plant available nutrients. N-mineralization, plant available nutrients and the clay content were positively correlated with age of revegetation ( P < 0.01). From the numerical modelling it was analyzed that revegetation increased the dump slope stability with a factor of safety of 1.7 and 2.1 after 6 and 12 years of plantation on dump slope, respectively, while it was 1.2 before revegetation. Thus, long term revegetation was found to have direct impact on dump stability and indirect impact on soil fertility status in mine spoil, where plant biomass and microbial biomass provide major contributions in ecological redevelopment of the mine spoil.
Acetobacter ghanensis sp. nov., a novel acetic acid bacterium isolated from traditional heap fermentations of Ghanaian cocoa beans.
Cleenwerck, Ilse; Camu, Nicholas; Engelbeen, Katrien; De Winter, Tom; Vandemeulebroecke, Katrien; De Vos, Paul; De Vuyst, Luc
Twenty-three acetic acid bacteria, isolated from traditional heap fermentations of Ghanaian cocoa beans, were subjected to a polyphasic taxonomic study. The isolates were catalase-positive, oxidase-negative, Gram-negative rods. They oxidized ethanol to acetic acid and were unable to produce 2-ketogluconic acid, 5-ketogluconic acid and 2,5-diketogluconic acid from glucose; therefore, they were tentatively identified as Acetobacter species. 16S rRNA gene sequencing and phylogenetic analysis confirmed their position in the genus Acetobacter, with Acetobacter syzygii and Acetobacter lovaniensis as their closest phylogenetic neighbours. (GTG)(5)-PCR fingerprinting grouped the strains in a cluster that did not contain any type strains of members of the genus Acetobacter. DNA-DNA hybridization with the type strains of all recognized Acetobacter species revealed DNA-DNA relatedness values below the species level. The DNA G+C contents of three selected strains were 56.9-57.3 mol%. The novel strains had phenotypic characteristics that enabled them to be differentiated from phylogenetically related Acetobacter species, i.e. they were motile, did not produce 2-ketogluconic acid or 5-ketogluconic acid from glucose, were catalase-positive and oxidase-negative, grew on yeast extract with 30 % glucose, grew on glycerol (although weakly) but not on maltose or methanol as carbon sources, and did not grow with ammonium as sole nitrogen source and ethanol as carbon source. Based on the genotypic and phenotypic data, the isolates represent a novel species of the genus Acetobacter for which the name Acetobacter ghanensis sp. nov. is proposed. The type strain is R-29337(T) (=430A(T)=LMG 23848(T)=DSM 18895(T)). PMID:17625210
Selenium Adsorption onto Iron Oxide Layers beneath Coal-Mine Overburden Spoil.
Donovan, Joseph J; Ziemkiewicz, Paul F
A field experimental study to determine the feasibility of sequestering dissolved selenium (Se) leached from coal-mine waste rock used an iron (Fe)-oxide amendment obtained from a mine-drainage treatment wetland. Thirty lysimeters (4.9 × 7.3 m), each containing 57.7 t (1.2-1.8 m thickness) of mine-run carbonaceous shale overburden, were installed at the Hobet mine in southeastern West Virginia. The fine-grained Fe-oxide was determined to be primarily metal oxides (91.5% ferric and 4.37% aluminous), with minor (<3%) SO and Ca, perhaps as gypsum. The mineralogy of the Fe was goethite, although residual ferrihydrite may have been present. Various thicknesses of this amendment (0.0064, 0.057, 0.229, and 0.457 m, plus a zero-amendment control) were used, ranging from 0 to 2.2% weight percent of the spoil. The control and each treatment were replicated six times to estimate uncertainty due to compositional and hydrological variation. Infiltration of rainfall created leachate that drained to individual batch-collection tanks that were sampled 46 times at approximately 2-wk intervals from 2010 to 2012. Basal Fe-oxide layers in the three highest amendment categories removed up to 76.1% selenium (in comparison to unamended piles) from leachate by adsorption. Only lysimeters with very thin Fe-oxide layers showed no significant reduction compared with unamended piles. Reproducibility of replicates was within acceptable limits for amended and unamended lysimeters. Results indicate that in situ amendment using Fe-oxide obtained from treatment of mine water can sequester Se by adsorption on surfaces of goethite and possibly also ferrihydrite. This process is demonstrated to substantially reduce dissolved Se in leachate and improve compliance with regulatory discharge limits. PMID:24216418
Fly ash and lime-stabilized biosolid mixtures in mine spoil reclamation: simulated weathering.
Abbott, D E; Essington, M E; Mullen, M D; Ammons, J T
The use of large quantities of neutral coal fly ash (NFA) may be facilitated by co-application with a lime-stabilized biosolid (LSB) for the reclamation of acid mine spoil (AMS). Although NFA may not aid in the mitigation of acid drainage, questions concerning the leachability and mineralogy of native and NFA- and LSB-born metals must be addressed. In this study, the potential long-term influence of LSB and NFA on AMS leachate chemistry and trace element mineralogy was evaluated using laboratory weathering and selective dissolution techniques. The application of LSB at a rate sufficient to neutralize the potential acidity of the AMS increased leachate pH from approximately 3 to 7.5 for the duration of the study. Fly ash rates (1X, 1.5X, and 2X LSB rate) did not affect leachate pH. The dominant electrolytes in all leachates were Ca and SO4, the concentrations of which were mirrored by solution electrical conductivity (EC). Leachate concentrations of Al, Fe, Mn, K, Cu, Ni, and Zn were significantly reduced by LSB application, whereas concentrations of Ca, SO4, Mg, Cl, F, B, and P were increased. Nitrate concentrations were not affected by LSB. With the exception of leachate B, which increased with increasing NFA rate and was regenerated during the weathering study, NFA did not affect leachate composition. Sequential selective dissolution indicated a transformation of Co, Cr, Cu, Ni, Pb, and Zn into less labile mineral pools with weathering. The results of these evaluations suggest that the application of NFA during AMS reclamation would have little effect on leachate chemistry or the mineralogy of trace elements. Thus, the high-volume application of NFA to AMS during reclamation may offer an additional opportunity for the use of this combustion by-product. PMID:11285924
Copper-Adapted Suillus luteus, a Symbiotic Solution for Pines Colonizing Cu Mine Spoils
Adriaensen, K.; Vrålstad, T.; Noben, J.-P.; Vangronsveld, J.; Colpaert, J. V.
Natural populations thriving in heavy-metal-contaminated ecosystems are often subjected to selective pressures for increased resistance to toxic metals. In the present study we describe a population of the ectomycorrhizal fungus Suillus luteus that colonized a toxic Cu mine spoil in Norway. We hypothesized that this population had developed adaptive Cu tolerance and was able to protect pine trees against Cu toxicity. We also tested for the existence of cotolerance to Cu and Zn in S. luteus. Isolates from Cu-polluted, Zn-polluted, and nonpolluted sites were grown in vitro on Cu- or Zn-supplemented medium. The Cu mine isolates exhibited high Cu tolerance, whereas the Zn-tolerant isolates were shown to be Cu sensitive, and vice versa. This indicates the evolution of metal-specific tolerance mechanisms is strongly triggered by the pollution in the local environment. Cotolerance does not occur in the S. luteus isolates studied. In a dose-response experiment, the Cu sensitivity of nonmycorrhizal Pinus sylvestris seedlings was compared to the sensitivity of mycorrhizal seedlings colonized either by a Cu-sensitive or Cu-tolerant S. luteus isolate. In nonmycorrhizal plants and plants colonized by the Cu-sensitive isolate, root growth and nutrient uptake were strongly inhibited under Cu stress conditions. In contrast, plants colonized by the Cu-tolerant isolate were hardly affected. The Cu-adapted S. luteus isolate provided excellent insurance against Cu toxicity in pine seedlings exposed to elevated Cu levels. Such a metal-adapted Suillus-Pinus combination might be suitable for large-scale land reclamation at phytotoxic metalliferous and industrial sites. PMID:16269769
Remedial Investigation Report on Bear Creek Valley Operable Unit 2 (Rust Spoil Area, Spoil Area 1, and SY-200 Yard) at the Oak Ridge Y-12 Plant, Oak Ridge, Tennessee. Volume 1, Main text
This report on the BCV OU 2 at the Y-12 Plant, was prepared in accordance with requirements under the Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act (CERCLA) for reporting the results of a site characterization for public review. It provides the Environmental Restoration Program with information about the results of the 1993 investigation. It includes information on risk assessments that have evaluated impacts to human health and the environment. Field activities included collection of subsurface soil samples, groundwater and surface water samples, and sediments and seep at the Rust Spoil Area (RSA), SY-200 Yard, and SA-1.
Bioavailability and microbial adaptation to elevated levels of uranium in an acid, organic topsoil forming on an old mine spoil.
Joner, Erik Jautris; Munier-Lamy, Colette; Gouget, Barbara
An old mine spoil at a 19th-century mining site with considerable residues of uranium (400-800 mg U/kg) was investigated with respect to U concentrations in soil and plants and tolerance to U in the soil microbial community in order to describe the bioavailability of U. Measurements of soil fractions representing water-soluble U, easily exchangeable U, and U bound to humified organic matter showed that all fractions contained elevated concentrations of U. Plant U concentrations were only 10 times higher at the mine spoil site compared to the reference site (3 mg U/kg vs 0.3 mg U/kg), while the most easily available soil fractions contained 0.18 to 0.86 mg U/kg soil at the mine spoil. An ecotoxicity bioassay using incorporation of [3H]thymidine into the indigenous microbial communities of the two soils in the presence of increasing U concentrations showed that microorganisms at the mining site were sensitive to U but also that they had acquired a substantial tolerance toward U (EC50, the effective concentration reducing activity by 50% of UO2-citrate was approximately 120 microM as compared to 30 microM in the reference soil). In the assay, more than 40% of the microbial activity was maintained in the presence of 1 mM UO2-citrate versus 3% in the reference soil. We conclude that U-enriched mining waste can contain sufficiently elevated concentrations of bioavailable U to affect indigenous microorganisms and that bioavailable U imposes a selection pressure that favors the development of a highly uranium-tolerant microbial community, while plant uptake of U remains low. PMID:17702337
Rehabilitation materials from surface- coal mines in western USA. I. Chemical characteristics of spoil and replaced cover-soil.
Severson, R.C.; Gough, L.P.
A range of at least one order of magnitude was observed for DTPA-extractable Cd, Cu, Fe, Mn, Ni, Pb and Zn and organic matter content of samples of spoil and cover-soil from eleven western USA surface-coal mines. The observed pH of these samples ranged from 3.9 to 8.9; however, most samples were near-neutral to alkaline in reaction. Most constituent levels were found to be below proposed guidelines for maximum permissible levels in mine soil. -from Authors
Fires in Operating or Abandoned Coal Mines or Heaps of Reactive Materials and the Governing Transport and Reaction Processes
NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)
Wuttke, M. W.; Kessels, W.; Wessling, S.; Han, J.
Spontaneous combustion is a world wide problem for technical operations in mining, waste disposal and power plant facilities. The principle driving the combustion is every where the same independent of the different reactive materials: Fresh air with the common oxygen content is getting in contact with the reactive material by human operations. The following reaction process produces heat at a usually low but constant rate. The reactive material in operating or abandoned coal mines, heaps of coal, waste or reactive minerals is most times strongly broken or fractured, such that the atmospheric oxygen can deeply penetrate into the porous or fractured media. Because the strongly broken or fractured medium with air filled pores and fractures is often combined with a low thermal conductivity of the bulk material the produced heat accumulates and the temperature increases with time. If the reactivity strongly increases with temperature, the temperature rise accelerates up to the "combustion temperature". Once the temperature is high enough the combustion process is determined by the oxygen transport to the combustion center rather than the chemical reactivity. Spontaneous combustion is thus a self- amplifying process where an initial small variation in the parameters and the starting conditions can create exploding combustion hot spots in an apparently homogenous material. The phenomenon will be discussed by various examples in the context of the German - Sino coal fire project. A temperature monitoring in hot fracture systems documents the strong influence of the weather conditions on the combustion process. Numerical calculations show the sensitivity of the combustion to the model geometries, the boundary conditions and mainly the permeability. The most used fire fighting operations like covering and water injection are discussed. A new method of using saltwater for fire fighting is presented and discussed. References: Kessels, W., Wessling, S., Li, X., and Wuttke, M
Succession on subalpine placer mine spoil: Effects of revegetation with Alnus viridis, Alaska, U.S.A.
Densmore, R.V.
Alnus viridis seedlings were planted on placer mine spoil in an Alaskan subalpine watershed to bypass a seedling establishment bottleneck for A. viridis, and to evaluate the interaction between A. viridis and the dominant riparian woody plants, Salix alaxensis and Populus balsamifera. The study area was divided into 11 replicate blocks, each on a homogeneous recontoured spoil pile. Blocks were divided into two 0.01 ha plots, and treatments without (control) and with 84 planted A. viridis seedlings were randomly assigned to plots. After 10 years, the Alnus treatment had a dense stand of A. viridis 1-2 m tall, while the control had fewer, smaller seedlings. Compared to the control, planted A. viridis had a neutral effect on S. alaxensis and inhibited P. balsamifera at the seedling establishment stage, but facilitated the growth of established plants of both species, with many plants overtopping the A. viridis canopy. Compared to the control, S. alaxensis plants in the Alnus treatment had higher levels of foliar N and ??15N values closer to those of A. viridis, indicating the importance of N fixation by A. viridis. Planting A. viridis accelerated the rate of succession by stimulating growth of woody dominants. ?? 2005 Regents of the University of Colorado.
Environmental risk evaluation of the use of mine spoils and treated sewage sludge in the ecological restoration of limestone quarries
NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)
Jordán, M. M.; Pina, S.; García-Orenes, F.; Almendro-Candel, M. B.; García-Sánchez, E.
The ecologic restoration criteria in areas degraded from extraction activities require making use of their mine spoils. These materials do not meet fertility conditions to guarantee restoration success and therefore, need the incorporation of organic amendments to obtain efficient substratum. Reducing the deficiencies in the organic material and restoration material nutrients with the contribution of treated sewage sludge is proposed in this work. This experiment was based on a controlled study using columns. The work was conducted with two mine spoils, both very rich in calcium carbonate. The first mineral, of poor quality, came from the formation of aggregates of crushed limestone ( Z). The other residual material examined originated in limestone extraction, formed by the levels of interspersed non-limestone materials and the remains of stripped soils ( D). Two treatments were undertaken (30,000 and 90,000 kg/ha of sewage sludge), in addition to a control treatment. The water contribution was carried out with a device that simulated either short-duration rain or a flooding irrigation system in order to cover the surface and then percolate through the soil. The collection of leached water took place 24 h after the applications. Different parameters of the leached water were determined, including pH, electrical conductivity, nitrate anions, ammonium, phosphates, sulphates and chlorides. The values obtained for each irrigation application are discussed, and the nitrate values obtained were very elevated.
Detection of acid and hop shock induced responses in beer spoiling Lactobacillus brevis by MALDI-TOF MS.
Schurr, Benjamin C; Behr, Jürgen; Vogel, Rudi F
Due to the harsh environment, microorganisms encounter in beer, spoilage bacteria must be able to customise their metabolism and physiology in an order to master various kinds of perturbations. Proteomic approaches have been used to examine differences between various beer spoilage bacteria and between different stress conditions, such as acid and hop (Humulus lupulus) stress. However, these investigations cannot detect changes in low molecular weight (lmw) proteins (<150 amino acids). Therefore, for the first time, we herein present data from a proteomic study of lmw proteins for two Lactobacillus (L.) brevis strains exposed to acid stress or, respectively, two different qualities of hop induced stress. We used MALDI-TOF MS as analytical tool for the detection of lmw stress response proteins due to its high sensitivity and low throughput times. Comparing a hop-sensitive and a hop-tolerant strain, detection of the fatty acid biosynthesis-associated acyl carrier protein varied between different stress conditions and incubation times. The findings coincide with previous studies of our group regarding the fatty acid cell membrane composition of beer spoiling L. brevis. It is demonstrated that MALDI-TOF MS is a fast tool to detect and characterise stress situations in beer spoiling bacteria along the lmw sub-proteome. PMID:25475321
Inactivation of spoiling microorganisms in apple juice by a combination of essential oils' constituents and physical treatments.
Chueca, Beatriz; Ramírez, Nayeli; Arvizu-Medrano, Sofía M; García-Gonzalo, Diego; Pagán, Rafael
A combination of different hurdles, such as mild heat (54 ℃ for 10 min) or pulsed electric field (25 pulses; 25 kV/cm; 3.35 kJ/cm per pulse) treatments and essential oils constituents (carvacrol, citral, and (+)-limonene), to reduce spoiling bacteria and yeasts in apple juice was evaluated. For this purpose, the heat and pulsed electric field resistances of five strains of Leuconostoc spp. and five Saccharomyces spp. strains were assayed, achieving different inactivation levels for each treatment and strain. For instance, Leuconostoc fallax 74, the most heat-resistant strain, was the second-most sensitive strain to pulsed electric field. The most resistant strains were exposed to combined processes of heat or pulsed electric field and 0.2 µl/ml essential oils constituents. The combination of heat and essential oils constituents proved to be synergistic against both microorganisms in apple juice. The most effective was the combination of mild heat and carvacrol, which caused the inactivation of 99% of L. fallax 74 and 99.99% of Saccharomyces cerevisiae CECT 1172 cells. Therefore, this study shows the great potential of carvacrol, citral, and (+)-limonene in combined treatments with mild heat to achieve a higher degree of inactivation of spoiling microorganisms in apple juice, and thus, to extend its shelf life. PMID:26385989
"Keeping Close and Spoiling" Revisited: Exploring the Significance of "Home" for Family Relationships and Educational Trajectories in a Marginalised Estate in Urban South Wales
ERIC Educational Resources Information Center
Mannay, Dawn
This paper revisits Diana Leonard's seminal paper "Keeping close and spoiling in a south Wales town", by drawing on one mother and daughter case study. Leonard focused on geographical closeness and the strategies employed by parents to keep their children living at home, rather than sending them to university. In contrast, this…
The influence of acidic mine and spoil drainage on water quality in the mid-Wales area.
Fuge, R; Laidlaw, I M; Perkins, W T; Rogers, K P
The many abandoned base metal mines of the mid-Wales ore field are sources of extensive pollution. Some of the mineralised veins contain large amounts of pyrite and marcasite and oxidative weathering of these produces sulphuric acid resulting in very acidic mine drainage waters. In addition, the spoil tips associated with these mines can contain abundant iron sulphides. Drainage waters from these sources have pH values as low as 2.6 and are heavily contaminated with metals such as Al, Zn, Cd and Ni.Two of the main rivers of the area, the Rheidol and Ystwyth, intercept heavily contaminated acidic drainage which has a marked effect on water quality. The Rheidol contains over 100 μg L(-1) Zn for 16 km downstream of the acid water influx. This level is over three times the recommended EEC limit for Zn in salmonoid waters of low hardness. PMID:24202839
Rehabilitation of semi-arid coal mine spoil bank soils with mine residues and farm organic by-products
Salazar, M.; Bosch-Serra, A.; Estudillos, G.; Poch, R.M.
A method of rehabilitating coal mine soils was studied under the conditions of a semi-arid climate, lack of topsoil but availability of farm by-products in NE Spain. The objectives of the research were to assess a new method in order to achieve a suitable substrate for the establishment of native vegetation, to evaluate environmental impacts associated with the reclamation process, and to determine the time necessary to integrate the treated area into the surrounding environment. Eight plots (10 x 35 m{sup 2}) were established in September 1997. Substrate combinations of two types of mine spoil (coal dust and coarse-sized material), two levels of pig slurry (39 and 94 Mg ha{sup -1}dry-wt), and cereal straw (0 and 15 Mg ha{sup -1}) were applied. Monitoring of select physical and chemical soil properties and vegetation characteristics was performed from 1997 until 2005. The bulk density and the saturated hydraulic conductivity measured did not limit plant development and water availability. Initial substrate salinity (1.37 S m{sup -1}) decreased with time and in the long term did not limit plant colonization to salinity-adapted species. Initial nitrate concentration was 298 mg kg{sup -1}, but was reduced significantly to acceptable values in 3 years (55 mg kg{sup -1}) and the measured pH (7.6) was maintained at the level of initial spoil values. Vegetation cover reached up to 90%. In the treated area, spontaneous vegetation cover (15 to 70%) colonized the nonsown areas widely. In the medium term, vegetation cover tended to be higher in plots with a thicker layer of coal dust material and the higher slurry rate. Soil rehabilitation and environmental reintegration, taking into account soil and vegetation indicators, was possible in the studied area with low cost inputs using residual materials from mining activities and animal husbandry by-products.
Long-term persistence of seeded grass species: an unwanted side effect of ecological restoration.
Rydgren, Knut; Auestad, Inger; Hamre, Liv Norunn; Hagen, Dagmar; Rosef, Line; Skjerdal, Gudrun
Spoil heaps are the visible footprint of hydropower production, particularly in vulnerable alpine environments. Speeding up vegetation development by seeding commercial grass species has been a common restoration practice for the last 50 years, but we lack information on whether seeded species decline and allow native plant cover to develop. We visually estimated cover of native vascular plants and five seeded grass species (Agrostis capillaris, Festuca ovina, Festuca rubra, Schedonorus pratensis and Phleum pratense) on eight spoil heaps at different elevations (boreal-alpine zone) in western Norway. Spoil heap vegetation was censused twice (9-20 and 24-36 years after spoil heap construction); the undisturbed surrounding vegetation was also censused on the second occasion. Total cover on the spoil heaps showed some increase, but remained far below that in surrounding areas. Cover of seeded grass species in the surroundings was low (but not negligible), indicating suboptimal establishment ability. Seeded species usually covered less than 20 % of the spoil heaps, and only F. rubra, F. ovina and A. capillaris contributed substantially. Proportional cover indicated better initial establishment by seeded species, but their cover decreased between the censuses on all but the highest located spoil heap. The persistence of seeded grass species is problematic, and despite the decrease in proportional cover, they are likely to persist for decades on spoil heaps, posing a risk of invasion of surrounding areas. We therefore recommend replacing the practice of seeding with more appropriate restoration measures. PMID:25687605
Molecular identification and physiological characterization of yeasts, lactic acid bacteria and acetic acid bacteria isolated from heap and box cocoa bean fermentations in West Africa.
Visintin, Simonetta; Alessandria, Valentina; Valente, Antonio; Dolci, Paola; Cocolin, Luca
Yeast, lactic acid bacteria (LAB) and acetic acid bacteria (AAB) populations, isolated from cocoa bean heap and box fermentations in West Africa, have been investigated. The fermentation dynamicswere determined by viable counts, and 106 yeasts, 105 LAB and 82 AAB isolateswere identified by means of rep-PCR grouping and sequencing of the rRNA genes. During the box fermentations, the most abundant species were Saccharomyces cerevisiae, Candida ethanolica, Lactobacillus fermentum, Lactobacillus plantarum, Acetobacter pasteurianus and Acetobacter syzygii, while S. cerevisiae, Schizosaccharomyces pombe, Hanseniaspora guilliermondii, Pichia manshurica, C. ethanolica, Hanseniaspora uvarum, Lb. fermentum, Lb. plantarum, A. pasteurianus and Acetobacter lovaniensis were identified in the heap fermentations. Furthermore, the most abundant species were molecularly characterized by analyzing the rep-PCR profiles. Strains grouped according to the type of fermentations and their progression during the transformation process were also highlighted. The yeast, LAB and AAB isolates were physiologically characterized to determine their ability to grow at different temperatures, as well as at different pH, and ethanol concentrations, tolerance to osmotic stress, and lactic acid and acetic acid inhibition. Temperatures of 45 °C, a pH of 2.5 to 3.5, 12% (v/v) ethanol and high concentrations of lactic and acetic acid have a significant influence on the growth of yeasts, LAB and AAB. Finally, the yeastswere screened for enzymatic activity, and the S. cerevisiae, H. guilliermondii, H. uvarumand C. ethanolica species were shown to possess several enzymes that may impact the quality of the final product. PMID:26425801
Raman spectra of organic compounds kladnoite (C6H4(CO)2NH) and hoelite (C14H8O2)--rare sublimation products crystallising on self-ignited coal heaps.
Jehlicka, J; Zácek, V; Edwards, H G M; Shcherbakova, E; Moroz, T
As minerals, aromatic compounds occur very rarely in nature. Not more than 10 of such minerals are known and most of them were described in the coal deposits where they were formed as a result of coal bed fires or burning of coal waste heaps. Raman spectra of kladnoite C(6)H(4)(CO)(2)NH (natural phthalimide) and hoelite C(14)H(8)O(2), (natural 9,10-anthraquinone) display complex features. Raman microspectroscopy help to detect these phases non-destructively directly in the frame of rare samples. Investigated minerals are transformation products formed from gaseous phase originating in natural pyrolytical process occurring in the frame of coal heaps and coal series outcrops. It is recommended to include Raman spectroscopic characteristics of similar materials in databases for exobiological studies. PMID:17398143
Results of experiments related to contact of mine-spoils water with coal, West Decker and Big Sky Mines, southeastern Montana
Davis, R.E.; Dodge, K.A.
Batch-mixing experiments using spoils water and coal from the West Decker and Big Sky Mines were conducted to determine possible chemical changes in water moving from coal-mine spoils through a coal aquifer. The spoils water was combined with air-dried and oven-dried chunks of coal and air-dried and oven-dried crushed coal at a 1:1 weight ratio, mixed for 2 hr, and separated after a total contact time of 24 hr. The dissolved-solids concentration in water used in the experiments decreased an average 210 mg/liter (5-10%). Other chemical changes included general decreases in the concentrations of magnesium, potassium, and bicarbonate, and general increases in the concentrations of barium and boron. The magnitude of the changes increased as the surface area of the coal increased. The quantity of extractable cations and exchangeable cations on the post-mixing coal was larger than on the pre-mixing coal. Equilibrium and mass-transfer relations indicate that adsorption reactions or ion-exchange and precipitation reactions, or both, probably are the major reactions responsible for the chemical changes observed in the experiments. (Authors ' abstract)
Development of ground vegetation under exotic tree plantations on restored coal mine spoil land in a dry tropical region of India.
Dutta, Raman Kumar; Agrawal, Madhoolika
Restoration of mine spoil is a prime need for coal industry. The study of ground cover vegetation provides essential information about the species diversity and their successional trends during the restoration. The present study was conducted to analyze the structure and biomass accumulation of ground vegetation developing in different plantation stands of an opencast coal mine spoil in a dry tropical region. Different plantation stands showed variations in species diversities. Exotic herbs were more dominant in comparison to native herbs. Pennisetum pedicillatum, an exotic herb showed maximum Importance Value Index in most of the plantation stands. Total number of species varied between 12-18 in different plantation stands. Speces richness and evenness increased with increasing age of the plantations. Variations in total biomass accumulation of ground vegetation were also significant among different plantations. These results suggest that reforestation programme with exotic species on coal mine spoil has been successful in colonization of ground vegetation under different plantations. Gravellia pteridifolia plantations showed most successful ground cover among different plantation stands. PMID:16459550
Pisolithus tinctorius ectomycorrhizae enhance the survival and growth of Pinus taeda on a southern Appalachian coal spoil
Walker, R.F.; West, D.C.; McLaughlin, S.B.
The significance of Pisolithus tinctorius ectomycorrhizae to the establishment and growth of loblolly pine (Pinus taeda) on sites disturbed in surface-mining operations was studied. Nursery-grown seedlings infected with this fungal symbiont were outplanted on coal spoils in Tennessee. Treatments included seedlings infected with a mycelial inoculum of P. tinctorius and fertilized at the rate of 112/kg/ha NPK, control seedlings without P. tinctorius fertilized at an identical rate, seedlings infected with P. tinctorius but without fertilization, and control seedlings without P. tinctorius or fertilization. Seedlings infected with P. tinctorius survived better than control seedlings, but fertilization during the first growing season reduced survival irrespective of mycorrhizal treatment. Infection by P. tinctorius and fertilization resulted in the best seedling growth whereas unfertilized control seedlings exhibited the least growth. Unfertilized seedlings infected with P. tinctorius and fertilized control seedlings exhibited growth intermediate to that of the other treatments. Apparently, an ectomycorrhizal infection of loblolly pine by P. tinctorius can enhance survival and growth on these adverse sites and reduce the need for fertilization.
Spare the rod and spoil the child. Is this a sensible justification for the use of punishment in child rearing?
Carey, T A
This paper examines the validity of the well-used proverb Spare the rod and spoil the child. To do this, the original form of the proverb from the Bible is compared with the modern form, and some significant differences are highlighted. The definition of punishment is considered, and the differences between punishment and corporal punishment are examined. Punishment is explored in some detail with attention given to the criteria that need to be satisfied in order for punishment to be effective. Discrepancies in the literature concerning these criteria are pointed out, making punishment a complex issue. The negative effects of punishment are significant with links to social problems such as teenage delinquency and violence. Reference is made to cultures where corporal punishment has been banned and the effects of this action. Given the problems associated with punishment programs, especially those being used in families, alternatives to punishment are discussed. Finally, an alternative form of the proverb to the current adaptation is offered. PMID:7850608
Response of the Extract-Release Volume and Water-Holding Capacity Phenomena to Microbiologically Spoiled Beef and Aged Beef
Jay, James M.
The aging of ground beef was effected by storing in gas-impermeable, sterile plastic bags with incubation at 7 and 15 C. Control meat from the same preparations was wrapped in aluminum foil and stored at the same temperature. In three experiments where control meat was tested, aged meat did not attain a log bacterial number of ca. 8.4 per gram until an average of 6 days after this level was reached in control meats. This degree of difference was shown in values for both extract-release volume (ERV) and water-holding capacity. The previously reported ERV value of around 25, which was found to correspond to an average log bacterial number of ca. 8.5 per gram for ground beef allowed to spoil in aluminum foil and freezer paper, was approximated for aged meats, which required an average of 9.7 days to attain this number compared with 4.1 days for unaged meats. Plate count methods indicated the predominant flora of aged beef to be gram-negative, facultatively psychrophilic rods. Images Fig. 1 Fig. 2 Fig. 4 Fig. 5 PMID:5927019
Richness, diversity and evenness of vegetation upon rehabilitation of gypsum mine spoiled lands in the Indian arid zone
Kumar, S.; Sharma, K.D.; Sharma, U.K.; Gough, L.P.
Richness, diversity and evenness of vegetation, after rehabilitation of gypsum mine spoils at Barmer were investigated in plots protected and planted one year and four years ago. There were four water harvesting treatments, viz., half-moon terraces, micro-catchments with 5% slope, ridge and furrow and control, wherein, indigenous and exotic trees and shrubs were planted at 5 ?? 5 m spacing. Sampling of the planted and natural vegetation, using quadrats and transacts, revealed much less species richness in unplanted control as compared to all treatments and in all the years. The species richness that increased initially (within one year) gradually declined over time (during four year), though the extent varied in different treatments. The water harvesting treatment showing maximum initial increase in richness also showed maximum decline over time, though decline was more in annual species. Two perennial species increased in richness with time. This was further proved from the trends in diversity and evenness indices. It was concluded that natural successional process was accelerated by rehabilitation providing stability to the habitat.
Uranium ((234)U, (235)U and (238)U) contamination of the environment surrounding phosphogypsum waste heap in Wiślinka (northern Poland).
Olszewski, Grzegorz; Boryło, Alicja; Skwarzec, Bogdan
The aim of this work was to determine the uranium concentration ((234)U, (235)U and (238)U) and values of the activity ratio (234)U/(238)U in soil samples collected near phosphogypsum waste heap in Wiślinka (northern Poland). On the basis of the studies it was found that the values of the (234)U/(238)U activity ratio in the analyzed soils collected in the vicinity of phosphogypsum dump in Wiślinka are in most cases close to one and indicate the phosphogypsum origin of the analyzed nuclides. The obtained results of uranium concentrations are however much lower than in previous years before closing of the phosphogypsum stockpile. After this process and covering the phosphogypsum stockpile in Wiślinka with sewage sludge, phosphogypsum particles are successfully immobilized. In the light of the results the use of phosphate fertilizers seems to be a major problem. Prolonged and heavy rains can cause leaching accumulated uranium isotopes in the phosphogypsum stockpile, which will be washed into the Martwa Wisła and on the fields in the immediate vicinity of this storage. PMID:25913057
Noise analysis in fast magnetic resonance electrical impedance tomography (MREIT) based on spoiled multi gradient echo (SPMGE) pulse sequence
NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)
In Oh, Tong; Jeong, Woo Chul; Kim, Ji Eun; Sajib, Saurav Z. K.; Kim, Hyung Joong; In Kwon, Oh; Woo, Eung Je
Magnetic resonance electrical impedance tomography (MREIT) is a promising non-invasive method to visualize a static cross-sectional conductivity and/or current density image by injecting low frequency currents. MREIT measures one component of the magnetic flux density caused by the injected current using a magnetic resonance (MR) scanner. For practical in vivo implementations of MREIT, especially for soft biological tissues where the MR signal rapidly decays, it is crucial to develop a technique for optimizing the magnetic flux density signal by the injected current while maintaining spatial-resolution and contrast. We design an MREIT pulse sequence by applying a spoiled multi-gradient-echo pulse sequence (SPMGE) to the injected current nonlinear encoding (ICNE), which fully injects the current at the end of the read-out gradient. The applied ICNE-SPMGE pulse sequence maximizes the duration of injected current almost up to a repetition time by measuring multiple magnetic flux density data. We analyze the noise level of measured magnetic flux density with respect to the pulse width of injection current and T_{2}^{*} relaxation time. In due consideration of the ICNE-SPMGE pulse sequence, using a reference information of T_{2}^{*} values in a local region of interest by a short pre-scan data, we predict the noise level of magnetic flux density to be measured for arbitrary repetition time TR. Results from phantom experiment demonstrate that the proposed method can predict the noise level of magnetic flux density for an appropriate TR = 40 ms using a reference scan for TR = 75 ms. The predicted noise level was compared with the noise level of directly measured magnetic flux density data.
Alicyclobacillus dauci sp. nov., a slightly thermophilic, acidophilic bacterium isolated from a spoiled mixed vegetable and fruit juice product.
Nakano, Chisa; Takahashi, Naoto; Tanaka, Naoto; Okada, Sanae
A novel, moderately thermophilic, acidophilic, Gram-variable, rod-shaped, endospore-forming bacterium was isolated from a spoiled mixed vegetable and fruit juice product that had the off-flavour of guaiacol. The bacterium, strain 4F(T), grew aerobically at 20-50 °C (optimum 40 °C) and pH 3.0-6.0 (optimum pH 4.0) and produced acid from glycerol, d-galactose and d-glucose. It contained menaquinone-7 (MK-7) as the major isoprenoid quinone and the DNA G+C content was 49.6 mol%. The predominant cellular fatty acids of strain 4F(T) were ω-alicyclic (ω-cyclohexane fatty acids), which are characteristic of the genus Alicyclobacillus. Phylogenetic analyses based on 16S rRNA gene sequences showed that the strain belongs to the Alicyclobacillus cluster, and is related most closely to the type strains of Alicyclobacillus acidoterrestris (97.4 % similarity) and Alicyclobacillus fastidiosus (97.3 %). Strain 4F(T) produced guaiacol from vanillic acid. It can be distinguished from related species by its acid production type and guaiacol production. On the basis of phenotypic characteristics, phylogenetic analysis and DNA-DNA relatedness values, it can be concluded that the strain represents a novel species of the genus Alicyclobacillus, for which the name Alicyclobacillus dauci sp. nov. is proposed; the type strain is 4F(T) ( = DSM 28700(T) = NBRC 108949(T) = NRIC 0938(T)). PMID:25505343
Inorganic carbon and fossil organic carbon are source of bias for quantification of sequestered carbon in mine spoil
NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)
Vindušková, Olga; Frouz, Jan
Carbon sequestration in mine soils has been studied as a possibility to mitigate the rising atmospheric CO2 levels and to improve mine soil quality (Vindu\\vsková and Frouz, 2013). Moreover, these soils offer an unique opportunity to study soil carbon dynamics using the chronosequence approach (using a set of sites of different age on similar parent material). However, quantification of sequestered carbon in mine soils is often complicated by fossil organic carbon (e.g., from coal or kerogen) or inorganic carbon present in the spoil. We present a methodology for quantification of both of these common constituents of mine soils. Our recommendations are based on experiments done on post-mining soils in Sokolov basin, Czech Republic. Here, fossil organic carbon is present mainly as kerogen Type I and II and represents 2-6 wt.% C in these soils. Inorganic carbon in these soils is present mainly as siderite (FeCO3), calcite (CaCO3), and dolomite (CaMg(CO3)2). All of these carbonates are often found in the overburden of coal seams thus being a common constituent of post-mining soils in the world. Vindu\\vsková O, Frouz J, 2013. Soil carbon accumulation after open-cast coal and oil shale mining in Northern Hemisphere: a quantitative review. ENVIRONMENTAL EARTH SCIENCES, 69: 1685-1698. Vindu\\vsková O, Dvořáček V, Prohasková A, Frouz J. 2014. Distinguishing recent and fossil organic matter - A critical step in evaluation of post-mining soil development - using near infrared spectroscopy. ECOLOGICAL ENGINEERING. 73: 643-648. Vindu\\vsková O, Sebag D, Cailleau G, Brus J, Frouz J. 2015. Methodological comparison for quantitative analysis of fossil and recently derived carbon in mine soils with high content of aliphatic kerogen. ORGANIC GEOCHEMISTRY, 89-90:14-22.
Rooting-depth of Atriplex canescens (fourwing saltbush) in mine spoils at the Navajo Mine, northwestern New Mexico
Stutz, H.C.; Buchanan, B.A.
The distribution of roots was determined for fourteen mature plants of Atriplex canescens (fourwing saltbush) growing on mine spoils at the Navajo Mine in northwestern New Mexico and for two plants growing in contiguous unmined native soil. In all instances the amount of roots, by length, was negatively correlated with depth and positively correlated with percent water-content of the soils. The majority of roots (59%) were in the upper 100 cm; 72% were in the upper 150 cm; and 84% were in the upper 200 cm. These percentages were higher for plants growing on backslopes (64%, 77% and 88%, respectively) and much higher for those growing in native soils (84%, 93% and 96%, respectively). Most of the roots (83%) were less than 0.1 mm in diameter, and 93% were less than 0.5 mm in diameter. Plants growing in topsoiled sites had more roots per unit volume of soil (1.3 cm per cc of soil) than those growing in non-topsoiled sites (1.1 cm per cc of soil). Those growing in backslopes had more roots (1.3 cm per cc of soil) than growing in swales (1.0 cm per cc of soil) and those growing in soils that contained no fly-ash had more (0.78 cm per cc) than those growing in soils that contain fly ash (0.12 cm per cc of soil). Plants growing in native soils had a greater proportion of their roots near the surface than plants growing in mined soils. Plants growing in swales had a greater proportion of their roots below two meters than plants growing on backslopes.
Absolute Quantification of Human Liver Phosphorus-Containing Metabolites In Vivo Using an Inhomogeneous Spoiling Magnetic Field Gradient
Bashir, Adil; Gropler, Robert; Ackerman, Joseph
Purpose Absolute concentrations of high-energy phosphorus (31P) metabolites in liver provide more important insight into physiologic status of liver disease compared to resonance integral ratios. A simple method for measuring absolute concentrations of 31P metabolites in human liver is described. The approach uses surface spoiling inhomogeneous magnetic field gradient to select signal from liver tissue. The technique avoids issues caused by respiratory motion, chemical shift dispersion associated with linear magnetic field gradients, and increased tissue heat deposition due to radiofrequency absorption, especially at high field strength. Methods A method to localize signal from liver was demonstrated using superficial and highly non-uniform magnetic field gradients, which eliminate signal(s) from surface tissue(s) located between the liver and RF coil. A double standard method was implemented to determine absolute 31P metabolite concentrations in vivo. 8 healthy individuals were examined in a 3 T MR scanner. Results Concentrations of metabolites measured in eight healthy individuals are: γ-adenosine triphosphate (ATP) = 2.44 ± 0.21 (mean ± sd) mmol/l of wet tissue volume, α-ATP = 3.2 ± 0.63 mmol/l, β-ATP = 2.98 ± 0.45 mmol/l, inorganic phosphates (Pi) = 1.87 ± 0.25 mmol/l, phosphodiesters (PDE) = 10.62 ± 2.20 mmol/l and phosphomonoesters (PME) = 2.12 ± 0.51 mmol/l. All are in good agreement with literature values. Conclusions The technique offers robust and fast means to localize signal from liver tissue, allows absolute metabolite concentration determination, and avoids problems associated with constant field gradient (linear field variation) localization methods. PMID:26633549
Soil organic carbon and nitrogen accumulation on coal mine spoils reclaimed with maritime pine (Pinus pinaster Aiton) in Agacli-Istanbul.
Sever, Hakan; Makineci, Ender
Mining operations on open coal mines in Agacli-Istanbul have resulted in the destruction of vast amounts of land. To rehabilitate these degraded lands, plantations on this area began in 1988. Twelve tree species were planted, however, the most planted tree species was maritime pine (Pinus pinaster Aiton). This study performed on 14 sample plots randomly selected in maritime pine plantations on coal mine soil/spoils in 2005. Soil samples were taken from eight different soil layers (0-1, 1-3, 3-5, 5-10, 10-20, 20-30, 30-40 and 40-50 cm) into the soil profile. On soil samples; fine soil fraction (<2 mm), soil acidity (pH), organic carbon (C(org)) and total nitrogen (N(t)) contents were investigated, and results were compared statistically among soil layers. As a result, 17 years after plantations, total forest floor accumulation determined as 17,973.20 kg ha(-1). Total nitrogen and organic matter amounts of forest floor were 113.90 and 14,640.92 kg ha(-1) respectively. Among soil layers, the highest levels of organic carbon (1.77%) and total nitrogen (0.096%) and the lowest pH value (pH 5.38) were found in 0-1 cm soil layer, and the variation differs significantly among soil layers. Both organic carbon and total nitrogen content decreased, pH values increased from 0-1 to 5-10 cm layer. In conclusion, according to results obtained maritime pine plantations on coal mine spoils; slow accumulation and decomposition of forest floor undergo simultaneously. Depending on these changes organic carbon and total nitrogen contents increased in upper layer of soil/spoil. PMID:18604588
Fluorescein Dye Penetration in Round Top Rhyolite (Hudspeth County, Texas, USA) to Reveal Micro-permeability and Optimize Grain Size for Heavy REE Heap Leach
NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)
Negron, L. M.; Clague, J. W.; Gorski, D.; Amaya, M. A.; Pingitore, N. E.
Millimeter- and micrometer-scale permeability of fine-grained igneous rocks has generated limited research interest. Nonetheless, the scale and distribution of such micro-permeability determines fluid penetration and pathways, parameters that define both the ability to heap leach a rock and the optimal grain size for such an operation. Texas Rare Earth Resources is evaluating the possibility of heap leaching of yttrium and heavy rare earth elements (YHREE) from the peraluminous rhyolite laccolith that forms one-mile-diameter Round Top Mountain. The YHREEs in this immense, surface-exposed deposit (minimum 1.6 billion tons, Texas Bureau Economic Geology) are dilute and diffuse, suggesting leaching as the best option for recovery. The REE grade is 0.05% and YHREEs comprise more than 70% of the total REE content. The YHREEs are hosted exclusively in micron-scale yttrofluorite grains, which proved soluble in dilute sulfuric acid. Laboratory experiments showed YHREE recoveries of up to 90%. Within limits, recoveries decrease with larger grain sizes, and increase with acid strength and exposure time. Our research question centers on dissolution effectiveness: Is YHREE recovery, relative to grain size, limited by (1) diffusion time of acid into, and dissolved solids, including YHREEs, out of the micro-permeability paths inherent in the rock particles; (2) the effective lengths of the natural micro-permeability paths in the rock; or (3) the putative role of the acid in dissolving new micro-paths into the grains? The maximum grain size should not exceed twice the typical path length (unless acid creates new paths), lest YHREEs in the core of a larger grain than that not be reached by acid. If instead diffusion time is limiting, longer leach time may prove effective. Rather than perform an extensive and expensive series of laboratory leaching experiments--some of which would be several months in duration--to determine optimal grain size, we developed a technique to
The impact of cemented layers and hardpans on oxygen diffusivity in mining waste heaps: a field study of the Halsbrücke lead-zinc mine tailings (Germany).
Kohfahl, Claus; Graupner, Torsten; Fetzer, Christian; Pekdeger, Asaf
This article reports fibre-optic oxygen measurements on a reactive mine waste heap located in the polymetallic sulphide mine district of Freiberg in south-eastern Germany. The heaped material consists of sulphide-bearing tailings from a processing plant of a lead-zinc mine. Mine waste material was deposited in the water phase after separation of mining ores in a flotation process. The tailing impoundment is partly covered with coarse sand and topsoil. Oxygen profiles were monitored during one year at eleven locations showing different physical and mineralogical compositions. At each location a borehole was drilled where the optic sensors were installed at 2-5 different depths. After installation the oxygen profiles were monitored seven times during one year from 2006-2007 and three to five oxygen profiles at each location were obtained. Oxygen measurements were accompanied by physical, chemical and mineralogical data of the tailing material. Additionally, a detailed mineralogical profile was analysed at a location representative for the central part of the heap, where the cemented layers show lateral continuity. Results showed that cemented layers have a significant influence on natural attenuation of the toxic As and Pb species owing to their capacity of water retention. The measured oxygen profiles are controlled by the zone of active pyrite weathering as well as by the higher water content in the cemented layers which reduces gaseous atmospheric oxygen supply. In contrast, gypsum bearing hardpans detected at three other locations have no detectable influence on oxygen profiles. Furthermore, the grain size distribution was proved to have a major effect on oxygen diffusivity due to its control on the water saturation. Temporal changes of the oxygen profiles were only observed at locations with coarse sediment material indicating also an important advective part of gas flux. PMID:20850166
An experimental study on dredge spoil of estuarine sediments in the bay of seine (France): A morphosedimentary assessment
NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)
Marmin, Stella; Lesueur, Patrick; Dauvin, Jean Claude; Samson, Sandrine; Tournier, Patrice; Gallicher Lavanne, Albert; Dubrulle-Brunaud, Carole; Thouroude, Coralie
Studies on the consequences of dredging on estuarine morphology and its sedimentary dynamics are common, but the impacts of dumping dredge spoil in coastal open settings are rarely found in scientific literature. An experimental study was conducted over the period 2012-2013 to monitor the physical impacts of dredged material dumped at two adjacent sites (one million cubic metres at each) on the inner shelf of the Bay of Seine in France (eastern part of the English Channel, La Manche). As recently reinforced in the EU Marine Strategy Framework Directive (MSFD), knowledge on the location and intensity of human impacts (e.g. on marine ecosystems) is critical for effective marine management and conservation. So, two methods of disposition were tested to evaluate the impacts of dumping on the environment and thus propose recommendations for future dumping. The strategy is based on a Before-After-Control-Impact (BACI) approach, in which the spatio-temporal variability was studied by analysing the morphological and sedimentological characteristics over a period of 28 months, from November 2011 to April 2014, also including recovery of the seafloor after cessation of the dumping activities. The first experimental dumping operation (MASED) was carried out regularly for 8 months at a single point and generating a conical deposit of 5 m in height, while the second dumping (MABIO) lasted for 12 months involving four steps in the dumping process. In the second case, a wider area was covered, leading to the formation of a smaller deposit of 2 m in height. The dumped deposits consisted of muddy fine sand, whereas the inner shelf seafloor in this area is covered with fine to medium sand. As a result, muddy fine sand accumulated at or near the two dumping sites, with a maximum mud (i.e. particles<63 μm or>4 Φ) content of 50% compared to<5% before dumping operations. Videos obtained from a LVB200 Seabotix ROV, highlighted the heterogeneity of the sea floor around the dumping areas
High Energy Astrophysics Program (HEAP)
NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)
Angelini, Lorella; Corcoran, Michael; Drake, Stephen; McGlynn, Thomas A.; Snowden, Stephen; Mukai, Koji; Cannizzo, John; Lochner, James; Rots, Arnold; Christian, Eric; Barthelmy, Scott; Palmer, David; Mitchell, John; Esposito, Joseph; Sreekumar, P.; Hua, Xin-Min; Mandzhavidze, Natalie; Chan, Kai-Wing; Soong, Yang; Barrett, Paul
This report reviews activities performed by the members of the USRA contract team during the 6 months of the reporting period and projected activities during the coming 6 months. Activities take place at the Goddard Space Flight Center, within the Laboratory for High Energy Astrophysics. Developments concern instrumentation, observation, data analysis, and theoretical work in astrophysics. Supported missions include advanced Satellite for Cosmology and Astrophysics (ASCA), X-Ray Timing Experiment (XTE), X-Ray Spectrometer (XRS), Astro-E, High Energy Astrophysics Science Archive Research Center (HEASARC) and others.
High Energy Astrophysics Program (HEAP)
NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)
Angelini, L.; Holdridge, David V.; Norris, J. (Technical Monitor)
This report reviews activities performed by members of the USRA contract team during the six months of the reporting period and projected activities during the coming six months. Activities take place at the Goddard Space Flight Center, within the Laboratory for High Energy Astrophysics. Developments concern instrumentation, observation, data analysis, and theoretical work in Astrophysics Missions supported include: Advanced Satellite for Cosmology and Astrophysics (ASCA), X-ray Timing Experiment (XTE), X-ray Spectrometer (XRS), Astro-E, High Energy Astrophysics Science Archive Research Center (HEASARC), and others.
Many active mine sites, mines in closure stage and some abandoned mines are and have utilized cyanidation to remove and recover precious metals. Discharges from these sites normally contain significant amounts of metal cyanide complexes and concentrations of thiocyanate, soluble...
Insects in relation to black locust culture on surface-mine spoil in Kentucky, with emphasis on the locust twig borer, Ecdytolopha insiticiana Zell. (Lepidoptera: Tortricidae)
Thoeny, W.T.
This research evaluated the impacts of herbivorous insects, emphasizing the locust twig borer, Ecdytolopha insiticiana Zeller, on black locust, Robinia pseudoacacia L., coppice production on a coal surface-mine spoil site in southeastern Kentucky. The natural history of E. insiticiana was also studied. The locust twig borer was a persistent and damaging pest in first-year coppice, which provided suitable larval habitat throughout the growing season. The locust leafminer, Odontota dorsalis (Thunberg), fed minimally on first-year coppice foliage except during 1983, when trees were severely drought-stressed. Soil-applied granular carbofuran significantly reduced infestations. Lindane stem treatments were not effective, but entire-tree applications did reduce herbivory. Stump sprouts with reduced levels of herbivory grew significantly taller than controls at both spacings in 1983, but only at the more dense spacing in 1984. Blacklight trap collections revealed two generations/year, and adults were present from early May until late August. Four species of hymenopterous and two species of dipterous parasitoids were recovered from E. insiticiana larvae.
Evaluation of dioxin mobility and spoils leaching in a surface coal mine reclaimed with bleached kraft pulp and paper mill biosolids
McFadden, D.P.; Krouskop, D.J.; Ayers, K.C.; Proctor, J.L.
A surface coal mine in southeastern Ohio has been reclaimed with approximately 15 to 25 cm thickness of biosolids from a bleached kraft pulp and paper mill wastewater treatment plant. Soil, vegetation, rodents, earthworms, insects, fish, frogs, sediment, and algae samples were collected and analyzed for 2,3,7,8-tetrachlorodibenzo-p-dioxin and 2,3,7,8-tetrachlorodibenzofuran. Water samples from lakes receiving drainage from unreclaimed and biosolids reclaimed areas were collected and analyzed for various parameters, including pH and metals. The trace levels of dioxin and furan in the pulp and paper mill biosolids did not bioaccumulate in rodents, insects, or earthworms or translocate into plants living in the reclaimed area. The trace levels of dioxin and furan in biosolids did not sufficiently migrate to a drainage lake to result in significant concentrations in fish, frogs, algae, or vegetation. The biosolids reclamation resulted in dramatic decreases in spoils leaching of acid, aluminum, calcium, iron, magnesium, manganese, nickel, and zinc. This work supports the thesis that surface mine reclamation with pulp and paper mill biosolids is safe and effective. 4 refs., 6 tabs.
Formulation of an organic carbon trajectory over a 10-year period on a restored spoil island in south-central Florida
NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)
Schafer, T.; Ellis, R.; Osborne, T.; Hicks Pries, C.
Long-term monitoring of restoration projects aims to determine long-term sustainability and stability of restored systems. In coastal wetlands, one indicator of restoration of ecosystem function can be seen with organic matter (specifically carbon) accretion. SL-15, a spoil island in Fort Pierce, Fl was restored in 2005, and has been monitored for return to natural condition over the last 10 years.. To assess sediment carbon accretion, sediment cores were collected in a set of eight plots, located on the SL-15 mangrove island and the surrounding seagrass recruitment area. These were analyzed for organic carbon, microbial biomass carbon, extractable carbon, and total nitrogen. The biogeochemical data collected in the previous year was compared to data collected in 2005-2007. Vegetation surveys were also completed to show the build-up of organic material in accordance with vegetation shift over the 9-year period. From this information, a trajectory has been formulated on organic carbon accretion and vegetation shift from the time of orginal restoration activities. By comparison to control sites nearby, realistic estimates of time required to reach natural levels of carbon and vegetation community structure can be calculated..
Staphylococcus aureus and Zygosaccharomyces bailii as primary microbial contaminants of a spoiled herbal food supplement and evaluation of their survival during shelf life.
Rossi, Franca; Gaio, Elena; Torriani, Sandra
This investigation was carried out to identify the microbiota in a spoiled commercial food supplement consisting of a syrup suspension of a mixture of dried herbs and herb extracts. The product did not contain alkyl-p-hydroxybenzoates (parabens) as preservatives, was kept at room temperature and showed abundant gas formation. Colonies of distinct morphology were recovered on bacteria- and yeast-specific media, and tested for their ability to grow in the product. Genetic differentiation and identification of the microbial contaminants were achieved by RAPD-PCR and rDNA sequence analysis. The bacteria Bacillus megaterium, Bacillus subtilis, Paenibacillus humicus, Paenibacillus glycanilyticus, Staphylococcus aureus, Staphylococcus epidermidis and the yeasts Zygosaccharomyces rouxii and Zygosaccharomyces bailii were detected. Of the two S. aureus strains isolated, one was enterotoxigenic, as indicated by the presence of five SE genes. Quantitative Real-Time PCR tests, specific for this pathogen and for Z. bailii, a microbial agent causing fermentation processes and consequent food spoilage, were carried out to quantify these microorganisms in the product and identify their source among the herbal ingredients and the fructose syrup used as sweetener. Most components appeared to be contaminated by both S. aureus and Z. bailii. These findings indicate the need to improve hygienic practices in the industrial manufacturing of the food supplement, starting with herbal ingredients, to ensure a high quality of the product. PMID:20227600
The Identification of Novel Diagnostic Marker Genes for the Detection of Beer Spoiling Pediococcus damnosus Strains Using the BlAst Diagnostic Gene findEr.
Behr, Jürgen; Geissler, Andreas J; Schmid, Jonas; Zehe, Anja; Vogel, Rudi F
As the number of bacterial genomes increases dramatically, the demand for easy to use tools with transparent functionality and comprehensible output for applied comparative genomics grows as well. We present BlAst Diagnostic Gene findEr (BADGE), a tool for the rapid prediction of diagnostic marker genes (DMGs) for the differentiation of bacterial groups (e.g. pathogenic / nonpathogenic). DMG identification settings can be modified easily and installing and running BADGE does not require specific bioinformatics skills. During the BADGE run the user is informed step by step about the DMG finding process, thus making it easy to evaluate the impact of chosen settings and options. On the basis of an example with relevance for beer brewing, being one of the oldest biotechnological processes known, we show a straightforward procedure, from phenotyping, genome sequencing, assembly and annotation, up to a discriminant marker gene PCR assay, making comparative genomics a means to an end. The value and the functionality of BADGE were thoroughly examined, resulting in the successful identification and validation of an outstanding novel DMG (fabZ) for the discrimination of harmless and harmful contaminations of Pediococcus damnosus, which can be applied for spoilage risk determination in breweries. Concomitantly, we present and compare five complete P. damnosus genomes sequenced in this study, finding that the ability to produce the unwanted, spoilage associated off-flavor diacetyl is a plasmid encoded trait in this important beer spoiling species. PMID:27028007
The Identification of Novel Diagnostic Marker Genes for the Detection of Beer Spoiling Pediococcus damnosus Strains Using the BlAst Diagnostic Gene findEr
Schmid, Jonas; Zehe, Anja; Vogel, Rudi F.
As the number of bacterial genomes increases dramatically, the demand for easy to use tools with transparent functionality and comprehensible output for applied comparative genomics grows as well. We present BlAst Diagnostic Gene findEr (BADGE), a tool for the rapid prediction of diagnostic marker genes (DMGs) for the differentiation of bacterial groups (e.g. pathogenic / nonpathogenic). DMG identification settings can be modified easily and installing and running BADGE does not require specific bioinformatics skills. During the BADGE run the user is informed step by step about the DMG finding process, thus making it easy to evaluate the impact of chosen settings and options. On the basis of an example with relevance for beer brewing, being one of the oldest biotechnological processes known, we show a straightforward procedure, from phenotyping, genome sequencing, assembly and annotation, up to a discriminant marker gene PCR assay, making comparative genomics a means to an end. The value and the functionality of BADGE were thoroughly examined, resulting in the successful identification and validation of an outstanding novel DMG (fabZ) for the discrimination of harmless and harmful contaminations of Pediococcus damnosus, which can be applied for spoilage risk determination in breweries. Concomitantly, we present and compare five complete P. damnosus genomes sequenced in this study, finding that the ability to produce the unwanted, spoilage associated off-flavor diacetyl is a plasmid encoded trait in this important beer spoiling species. PMID:27028007
Geohydrology and water chemistry of abandoned uranium mines and radiochemistry of spoil-material leachate, Monument Valley and Cameron areas, Arizona and Utah
Longsworth, S.A.
Uranium mines in the Monument Valley area were established predominately in channel-fill deposits within the Shinarump Member of the Chinle Formation. The Shinarump Member yields ground water to wells and may yield water to the Moonlight and Radium Hill mines. In the study area near Cameron, uranium was mined from channel-fill deposits within the Petrified Forest Member of the Chinle Formation. Units of the Petrified Forest Member do not yield ground water to wells in the area, but fractures in the lower part of the Petrified Forest Member are probable pathways for upward flow of water from the Shinarump Member. Most of the mines receive water from surface inflow of rainfall runoff, but ground water also may be transmitted to open pits and drill holes in the subsurface through fractures or along faults in the Petrified Forest Member. Uranium-238 activities in shallow ground water from mines ranged from 150 to 14,000 picocuries per liter. Radionuclide activities in well and spring water were less than in shallow ground water near mines; however, in some samples, radionuclide activities in wells and springs were greater than activities in pit water. Uranium concentrations in leachate samples ranged from 20 to 7,700 micrograms per liter. Batch tests were done with material that was 2.00 millimeters and smaller. The radiochemistry of leachate from coarser material was not determined, and the specific rate and magnitude of radionuclide leaching depends on site-specific conditions that include the amounts of oxygen and organic material present, temperature, spoil mineralogy, and local ground-water composition.
Long-term follow-up results of linear accelerator-based radiosurgery for vestibular schwannoma using serial three-dimensional spoiled gradient-echo MRI.
Matsuo, Takayuki; Okunaga, Tomohiro; Kamada, Kensaku; Izumo, Tsuyoshi; Hayashi, Nobuyuki; Nagata, Izumi
We examined the characteristic changes in vestibular schwannoma (VS) volume after treatment with linear accelerator-based radiosurgery (LBRS) and the long-term therapeutic effects, by performing three-dimensional (3D) MRI evaluations of tumor volumes. We included 44 patients in whom tumor volume changes could be observed using 3D-spoiled gradient-echo MRI for at least 5 years. Examinations were performed every 3-4 months for the first 2 years after treatment and every 6-12 months thereafter. Enlargement or shrinkage was determined as a change of at least 20% from the volume at the time of treatment. The median observation period was 13.8 years (range, 5.5-19.5 years). The tumor control rates at 5 and 10 years after treatment and at the final MRI were 90.9%, 90.0%, and 88.6%, respectively. Tumor volume changes were categorized into the following four patterns: enlargement, five patients (11.4%); stable, three patients (6.8%); transient enlargement, 24 patients (54.5%); and direct shrinkage, 12 patients (27.3%). Bimodal peaks were observed in three of the 24 patients with transient enlargement. Tumor volume changes from 5 and 10 years post-LBRS to the final observation point were observed in 27 (64.2%) and 10 patients (33.3%), respectively. The long-term tumor volume changes observed after LBRS suggest that radiation exerts long-term effects on tumors. Furthermore, while transient enlargements in tumor volume were characteristic, true tumor enlargements should be characterized by increased volumes of more than two-fold and continued growth for at least 2 years. PMID:25443082
Bad apples or spoiled barrels? Multilevel modelling analysis of variation in high-risk prescribing in Scotland between general practitioners and between the practices they work in
Guthrie, Bruce; Donnan, Peter T; Murphy, Douglas J; Makubate, Boikanyo; Dreischulte, Tobias
Objectives Primary care high-risk prescribing causes significant harm, but it is unclear if it is largely driven by individuals (a 'bad apple' problem) or by practices having higher or lower risk prescribing cultures (a 'spoiled barrel' problem). The study aimed to examine the extent of variation in high-risk prescribing between individual prescribers and between the practices they work in. Design, setting and participants Multilevel logistic regression modelling of routine cross-sectional data from 38 Scottish general practices for 181 010 encounters between 398 general practitioners (GPs) and 26 539 patients particularly vulnerable to adverse drug events (ADEs) of non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) due to age, comorbidity or co-prescribing. Outcome measure Initiation of a new NSAID prescription in an encounter between GPs and eligible patients. Results A new high-risk NSAID was initiated in 1953 encounters (1.1% of encounters, 7.4% of patients). Older patients, those with more vulnerabilities to NSAID ADEs and those with polypharmacy were less likely to have a high-risk NSAID initiated, consistent with GPs generally recognising the risk of NSAIDs in eligible patients. Male GPs were more likely to initiate a high-risk NSAID than female GPs (OR 1.73, 95% CI 1.39 to 2.16). After accounting for patient characteristics, 4.2% (95% CI 2.1 to 8.3) of the variation in high-risk NSAID prescribing was attributable to variation between practices, and 14.2% (95% CI 11.4 to 17.3) to variation between GPs. Three practices had statistically higher than average high-risk prescribing, but only 15.7% of GPs with higher than average high-risk prescribing and 18.5% of patients receiving such a prescription were in these practices. Conclusions There was much more variation in high-risk prescribing between GPs than between practices, and only targeting practices with higher than average rates will miss most high-risk NSAID prescribing. Primary care prescribing
Development of population structure and spatial distribution patterns of a restored forest during 17-year succession (1993-2010) in Pingshuo opencast mine spoil, China.
Zhao, Zhongqiu; Wang, Lianhua; Bai, Zhongke; Pan, Ziguan; Wang, Yun
Afforestation of native tree species is often recommended for ecological restoration in mining areas, but the understanding of the ecological processes of restored vegetation is quite limited. In order to provide insight of the ecological processes of restored vegetation, in this study, we investigate the development of the population structure and spatial distribution patterns of restored Robinia pseudoacacia (ROPS) and Pinus tabuliformis (PITA) mixed forests during the 17 years of the mine spoil period of the Pingshuo opencast mine, Shanxi Province, China. After a 17-year succession, apart from the two planted species, Ulmus pumila (ULPU), as an invasive species, settled in the plot along with a large number of small diameter at breast height (DBH) size. In total, there are 10,062 living individual plants, much more than that at the plantation (5105), and ROPS had become the dominant species with a section area with a breast height of 9.40 m(2) hm(-2) and a mean DBH of 6.72 cm, much higher than both PITA and ULPU. The DBH size classes of all the total species showed inverted J-shaped distributions, which may have been a result of the large number of small regenerated ULPU trees. The DBH size classes of both ROPS and PITA showed peak-type structures with individuals mainly gathering in the moderate DBH size class, indicating a relatively healthy DBH size class structure. Meanwhile, invasive ULPU were distributed in a clear L shape, concentrating on the small DBH size class, indicating a relatively low survival rate for adult trees. Both ROPS and PITA species survival in the plantation showed uniform and aggregated distribution at small scales and random with scales increasing. ULPU showed a strong aggregation at small scales as well as random with scales increasing. Both the population structure and spatial distribution indicated that ROPS dominates and will continue to dominate the community in the future succession, which should be continuously monitored
An analysis of the uncertainty and bias in DCE-MRI measurements using the spoiled gradient-recalled echo pulse sequence
Subashi, Ergys; Choudhury, Kingshuk R.; Johnson, G. Allan
Purpose: The pharmacokinetic parameters derived from dynamic contrast-enhanced (DCE) MRI have been used in more than 100 phase I trials and investigator led studies. A comparison of the absolute values of these quantities requires an estimation of their respective probability distribution function (PDF). The statistical variation of the DCE-MRI measurement is analyzed by considering the fundamental sources of error in the MR signal intensity acquired with the spoiled gradient-echo (SPGR) pulse sequence. Methods: The variance in the SPGR signal intensity arises from quadrature detection and excitation flip angle inconsistency. The noise power was measured in 11 phantoms of contrast agent concentration in the range [0–1] mM (in steps of 0.1 mM) and in onein vivo acquisition of a tumor-bearing mouse. The distribution of the flip angle was determined in a uniform 10 mM CuSO{sub 4} phantom using the spin echo double angle method. The PDF of a wide range of T1 values measured with the varying flip angle (VFA) technique was estimated through numerical simulations of the SPGR equation. The resultant uncertainty in contrast agent concentration was incorporated in the most common model of tracer exchange kinetics and the PDF of the derived pharmacokinetic parameters was studied numerically. Results: The VFA method is an unbiased technique for measuringT1 only in the absence of bias in excitation flip angle. The time-dependent concentration of the contrast agent measured in vivo is within the theoretically predicted uncertainty. The uncertainty in measuring K{sup trans} with SPGR pulse sequences is of the same order, but always higher than, the uncertainty in measuring the pre-injection longitudinal relaxation time (T1{sub 0}). The lowest achievable bias/uncertainty in estimating this parameter is approximately 20%–70% higher than the bias/uncertainty in the measurement of the pre-injection T1 map. The fractional volume parameters derived from the extended Tofts model
ERIC Educational Resources Information Center
Harris, Rick
In a partnership between several tool companies and vocational high schools, students in construction technology classes give new products a fair and rigorous workout at a fraction of the cost of focus groups. The process allows companies to expose their products to students who, in turn, provide critical evaluation of the tools. (JOW)
Experiments on the survival of six brackish macro-invertebrates from the Baltic Sea after dredged spoil coverage and its implications for the field
NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)
Powilleit, M.; Graf, G.; Kleine, J.; Riethmüller, R.; Stockmann, K.; Wetzel, M. A.; Koop, J. H. E.
the organisms ( N. hombergii and M. arenaria) to reach the sediment surface after burial. This was not observed for the other test species. While crawling upward to the new sediment surfaces burrowing velocities of up to 8 cm d - 1 were observed for the bivalves and up to 20 cm d - 1 for N. hombergii. Between 17 and 79% of the test organisms showed burrowing activity after experimental burial. The survival rate (defined as the ability to regained contact with the sediment surface) ranged from 0 to 33%, depending on species and on burial depth. The organisms reached the sediment surface by burrowing (polychaetes and bivalves) and/or by extending their siphons to the new sediment surface (bivalves). The extrapolation of laboratory survival rates to the two disposal sites was obtained based on the in situ thicknesses of the dredged spoil layers measured by multi-beam echo sounder. This resulted in total average survival rate estimates for the test species of 45 and 43% for the two disposal sites. The results obtained during the laboratory tests and the following extrapolation to the field were verified by the range of results from a previous field study, using grab sampling shortly before and after a disposal event in June 2001. The effect of dredged material disposal on the tested Baltic Sea benthic macrofauna was assessed by extrapolating the verified laboratory results to the field.
Contrast-enhanced three-dimensional fast-spoiled gradient magnetic resonance angiography of the renal arteries for potential living renal transplant donors: a comparative study with digital subtraction angiography.
Al-Saeed, O; Ismail, M; Sheikh, M; Al-Moosawi, M; Al-Khawari, H
Preoperative assessment of the arterial anatomy of prospective renal donors is essential. Various non-invasive techniques are used for such evaluation. We conducted this study using contrast-enhanced 3-D fast-spoiled gradient (CE 3-D FSPGR) magnetic resonance angiography (MRA) on a 1.0 Tesla magnet, for preoperative definition of the renal arteries. Forty-five preoperative living renal donors underwent CE 3-D FSPGR MRA of the renal vessels and the results were compared with conventional digital subtraction angiography (DSA). The renal vascular anatomy, both normal and with variations, was satisfactorily defined in all 45 cases with CE 3-D FSPGR MRA. Fifteen cases showed an accessory or aberrant arterial supply. A small aneurysm was shown in one case. All cases compared well with conventional DSA. Our study revealed that CE 3-D FSPGR MRA on a lower field strength magnet is accurate in defining the renal vascular anatomy and its variations. PMID:15932463
Effects of controlled overburden placement on mine-spoil properties, revegetation, and the growth of Pitch X loblolly pine hybrid seedlings as demonstrated on an abandoned strip bench. Final report
Daniels, W.L.; Burger, J.; Roberts, J.; Moss, S.
Surface coal-mine reclamation efforts depend on a knowledge of soil development and nutrient cycling. Gaining an understanding of soil genesis in various parent materials and in different cultural amendments will aid the success of revegetation and reclamation. Studies in soil genesis are needed to determine if rock-mine spoils are suitable as a topsoil substitute. A knowledge of mechanisms of nutrient cycling in these materials will aid the development of management strategies for successful reclamation. The report summarizes findings from Phase II of the Controlled Overburden Placement Experiment, funded by OSM. The data reported pertain primarily to the second and third growing seasons, 1983 and 1984. The experiment is composed of two parts, a rock-mix experiment and a surface-treatment experiment. Second-year results confirm topsoil substitutes can outperform topsoiled plots in these particular mine soils.
Many active mine sites, mines in the closure stage and some abandoned mines are and have utilized cyanidation to remove and recover precious metals. Discharges from these sites normally contain significant amounts of metal cyanide complexes and concentrations of thiocyanate, solu...
Many active mine sites, mines in closure stage and some abandoned mines are and have utilized cyanidation to remove and recover precious metals. Discharges from these sites normally contain significant amounts of metal cyanide complexes and concentrations of thiocyanate, soluble...
Sunset Specialty Turf: Growing the heap
Heumann, J.M.
Almost a quarter of the municipal solid waste (MSW) generated in the US is compostable. As composting as an industry is growing in the US, entrepreneurs are going where the markets are to expand their facilities and, hopefully, their revenues by making turf and groundcovers from recovered materials. In fact, over the past 20 years, the composting business has grown from a nascent backyard project to a full-fledged industry in the US. According to the US EPA`s recent waste characterization report, food and yard waste generated in the US in 1996 came to almost 53 million tons, or almost a quarter of the total 209 million tons of MSW generated in the US. Of the 28 million tons of yard waste generated in the US in 1996 alone, 38.6% was recycled. Yard trimmings made up about 13.4% of all the materials discarded as MSW. With its warm climate and abundance of foliage that create yard waste year round, the South is a region where composting facilities are thriving. And a Midwestern composting company is looking to reap the benefits of the current growing market for compostable materials in the Southeast while providing an environmentally beneficial end product. Sunset Turf Nursery, Inc. is a company that manufacturers turf products from compost materials. The company already runs a 51-acre facility in St. Louis, where it composts municipal materials and, using its patented process, grows turf grass to make a specialty groundcover which can be used for landscaping applications. Sunset officials plan to expand the company`s composting and turf manufacturing operations to more than 350 acres over the next three years, starting with the St. Louis facility. The company, specifically its division Sunset Specialty Turf, currently has a research and development testing site in Jacksonville, Florida, which it would like to use additional funding to expand to a full fledged manufacturing site similar to the St. Louis site.
Optimization of experimental and modelling parameters for the differentiation of beverage spoiling yeasts by Matrix-Assisted-Laser-Desorption/Ionization-Time-of-Flight Mass Spectrometry (MALDI-TOF MS) in response to varying growth conditions.
Usbeck, Julia C; Kern, Carola C; Vogel, Rudi F; Behr, Jürgen
The growth of spoiling yeasts in beverages results in reduced quality, economic and image losses. Therefore, biochemical and DNA-based identification methods have been developed but are mostly time-consuming and laborious. Matrix-Assisted-Laser-Desorption/Ionization-Time-Of-Flight Mass Spectrometry (MALDI-TOF MS) could deliver discriminative peptide mass fingerprints within minutes and could thus be a rapid and reliable tool for identification and differentiation. However, routine analysis of yeasts by MALDI-TOF MS is yet impaired by low reproducibility and effects of different physiological states of organisms on the reliability of the identification method are still controversial. The aim of this study was to optimize sample preparation and measurement parameterization using three spoilage yeasts (Saccharomyces cerevisiae var. diastaticus, Wickerhamomyces anomalus and Debaryomyces hansenii). The influence of environmental or physiological parameters including oxygen availability, different nutrients, cell density and growth phase were analysed and revealed small differences in mass fingerprints. Yeasts grown in the presence or absence of oxygen were precisely differentiated along these differences in mass fingerprints and a crude classification of growth phase was possible. Cell concentration did not affect the spectra distinctly, neither qualitatively nor quantitatively, and an influence of available nutrients could not be measured in each case. However, core mass peaks remained constant under all tested conditions enabling reliable identification. PMID:24010620
Estimate of the annual per capita surplus dose due to the elevated indoor exposure to 222Rn progeny caused by the use of slag and spoil of uranium rich coal for building purposes in Ajka Town, Hungary.
Papp, Z
Ajka is a mining and industrial town in Hungary. Brown coal rich in uranium (300 to 900 Bq kg(-1)) has been mined by the town since 1865. Slag and spoil of the coal were frequently used in the town for building purposes before 1960. Screening measurements of 222Rn progeny in indoor air were performed in 86 Ajka buildings. Elevated 222Rn progeny levels were found in houses that used the above by-products as building materials or foundations. Annual per capita surplus effective doses due to the exposure to elevated 222Rn progeny levels were estimated from the results of the screening measurements. The possibility of estimating the mean of the annual averages of 222Rn or 222Rn progeny concentration for a group of houses from the results of screening measurements is discussed in detail. The estimated annual surplus dose is 0.64 mSv for the population of the whole town and 1.86 mSv for the 7,000 occupants of family houses built before 1960. PMID:9482606
Scots pine needles macronutrient (N, P, K, CA, MG, and S) supply at different reclaimed mine soil substrates--as an indicator of the stability of developed forest ecosystems.
Pietrzykowski, Marcin; Woś, Bartłomiej; Haus, Nicholas
A main objective of restoration and afforestation at post-mining sites is establishing a long-term sustainable ecosystem which depends on adaptations of tree species and which in turn depends on the soil nutrient flux. The nutrient concentration (nitrogen (N), P, K, Ca, Mg, and sulfur (S)) of Scots pine needles was investigated in reclaimed mine soils (RMS) located at the following post-mining sites: a sand mine pit, spoil heap from a lignite mine, spoil heap from a S mine, and a carbonaceous spoil heap from an underground coal mine. The control plots were arranged on natural forest sites adjacent to the post-mining sites. A higher level of foliar nutrients was noted in the carbonaceous RMS, while lower levels were found in RMS on the spoil heap following lignite mining. The characteristics of the substrate were found to exert greater effect than mineral fertilization (performed at the onset of reclamation) on the tree stand characteristics, needle length and foliar nutrient concentration. While the soils and trees were most deficient in N, negative symptoms have not been noted to this date in tree stands at reclaimed mine sites. Trophic ratings were recommended based on statistical correlations and groupings between N and P contents in needles and needles length (mean length of 300 needles) while nutrient ratings were recommended from statistical differences and groupings of the RMS substrates. PMID:23404547
Can too many copies spoil the broth?
The success of Pichia pastoris as a heterologous expression system lies predominantly in the impressive yields that can be achieved due to high volumetric productivity. However, low specific productivity still inhibits the potential success of this platform. Multi-(gene) copy clones are potentially a quick and convenient method to increase recombinant protein titer, yet they are not without their pitfalls. It has been more than twenty years since the first reported use of multi-copy clones and it is still an active area of research to find the fastest and most efficient method for generating these strains. It has also become apparent that there is not always a linear correlation between copy number and protein titer, leading to in-depth investigations into how to minimize the negative impact of secretory stress and achieve clonal stability. PMID:24354594
Spare the Rigor, Spoil the Learning
ERIC Educational Resources Information Center
Gordon, Michael E.; Palmon, Oded
While American universities garner top honors for research, teaching appears to be in a terrible state. There is widespread agreement among business leaders that graduates of American universities are not prepared to assume jobs in their companies. American education has many critics, and studies indicate that the quality of postsecondary…
Screening for colorectal cancer: spoiled for choice?
Sarfati, Diana; Shaw, Caroline; McLeod, Melissa; Blakely, Tony; Bissett, Ian
There are many different potential screening strategies for colorectal cancer (CRC) that vary both in the likely magnitude of their benefits on CRC mortality and their impact on health services. Many approaches to CRC screening are cost-effective, but there is substantial uncertainty about the optimal approach. Decision models using Markov or microsimulation modelling that compare the cost-effectiveness of different screening strategies are useful in this regard. We have reviewed recent decision models that compare the cost-effectiveness of one-off flexible sigmoidoscopy screening with immunochemical faecal occult blood (FIT) based screening. Models consistently show that any population-based screening is cost-effective compared with no screening, and that FIT-based screening is more effective than one-off sigmoidoscopy screening. The combination of one-off sigmoidoscopy with FIT is more effective in saving lives than either modality alone, but has the greatest impact on health service resources. The recent decision to proceed with biennial FIT-based screening is consistent with current evidence. PMID:27538046
Heap/stack guard pages using a wakeup unit
Gooding, Thomas M; Satterfield, David L; Steinmacher-Burow, Burkhard
A method and system for providing a memory access check on a processor including the steps of detecting accesses to a memory device including level-1 cache using a wakeup unit. The method includes invalidating level-1 cache ranges corresponding to a guard page, and configuring a plurality of wakeup address compare (WAC) registers to allow access to selected WAC registers. The method selects one of the plurality of WAC registers, and sets up a WAC register related to the guard page. The method configures the wakeup unit to interrupt on access of the selected WAC register. The method detects access of the memory device using the wakeup unit when a guard page is violated. The method generates an interrupt to the core using the wakeup unit, and determines the source of the interrupt. The method detects the activated WAC registers assigned to the violated guard page, and initiates a response.
Exponential velocity profile of granular flows down a confined heap
NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)
Martínez, E.; González-Lezcano, A.; Batista-Leyva, A. J.; Altshuler, E.
Thick granular flows are essential to many natural and industrial phenomena. Experimentally, it has been well established that the grain velocity profile is linear from the free surface to a certain depth, after which it decreases exponentially in the so-called "creep region". In this paper we obtain an exponential velocity profile based on the force balance of a grain near a wall, where the Janssen effect and the non-locality of interactions between grains are considered. When experimental parameters such as flow angles and friction coefficients are introduced in our model, it is able to reproduce experimental creep velocity profiles previously reported in the literature.
Global garbage collection for distributed heap storage systems
Ali, K.A.M.; Haridi, S.
The authors present a garbage-collection algorithm, suitable for loosely-coupled multi-processor systems, in which the processing elements (PEs) share only the communication medium. The algorithm is global, i.e., it involves all the PEs in the system. It allows space compaction, and it uses a system-wide marking phase to mark all accessible objects where a combination of parallel breadth-first/depth-first strategies is used for tracing the object-graphs according to a decentralized credit mechanism that regulates the number of garbage collections messages in the system. The credit mechanism is crucial for determining the space requirement of the garbage-collection messages. Also a variation of this algorithm is presented for systems with high locality of reference. It allows each PE to perform first its local garbage collection and only invokes the global garbage collection when the freed space by the local collector is insufficient.
The use of sustainable 'biochar compost' for remediation of contaminated land
NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)
Ryan, Aoife; Street-Perrott, Alayne; Eastwood, Daniel; Brackenbury, Sion
South Wales (UK) has a long industrial history which, since the collapse of the coal-mining industry, has left a large number of contaminated former colliery sites. Bio-remediation of these areas by re-vegetation with native grasses aims to prevent erosion and leaching of pollutants into drainage waters. However, acid pH, low organic-matter content and unsuitable soil structure have limited the success of re-vegetation and prompted research into the development of artificial soils. This study aims to assess the value of creating an artificial soil cover by adding "biochar compost" to the top 10cm of a large volume of contaminated colliery spoil (high in As and Cu) to be moved during construction of a flood-alleviation barrage in Cwm Dulais (Swansea). It is proposed to use biochar, manufactured from chipped biomass sourced from a local stand of invasive Rhododendron ponticum using a BiGchar 1000 fast pyrolysis-gasification unit, in combination with locally produced BSI PAS100-certified Pteridium aquilinum (bracken) compost, to remediate a large area (2.3ha) of landscaped colliery waste and re-establish a cover of native grasses suitable for sheep grazing. Pot and field trials are being used to determine the most appropriate biochar:compost mix. In a 90-day outdoor pot trial, a commercial acid-grassland seed mix was grown in screened (< 20mm) colliery spoil, to which 25%v/v bracken compost (with/without composted manure) was added as a source of organic matter. This application rate of compost (equivalent to 250m3ha-1) was based on a successful coal-tip remediation trial at Ffos-y-Frân (Jarvis & Walton, WRAP Report, 2011). Varying application rates of biochar (0%, 2%, 5%, 10% or 20%v/v) were employed. Additional benefits of adding mycorrhizal inoculant or Trifolium repens (white clover) seed were also tested. Six-fold replication was used, with appropriate controls. The performance of each treatment was assessed from its maximum sward height and final above
Photobiont diversity in lichens from metal-rich substrata based on ITS rDNA sequences.
Backor, Martin; Peksa, Ondrej; Skaloud, Pavel; Backorová, Miriam
The photobiont is considered as the more sensitive partner of lichen symbiosis in metal pollution. For this reason the presence of a metal tolerant photobiont in lichens may be a key factor of ecological success of lichens growing on metal polluted substrata. The photobiont inventory was examined for terricolous lichen community growing in Cu mine-spoil heaps derived by historical mining. Sequences of internal transcribed spacer (ITS) were phylogenetically analyzed using maximum likelihood analyses. A total of 50 ITS algal sequences were obtained from 22 selected lichen taxa collected at three Cu mine-spoil heaps and two control localities. Algae associated with Cladonia and Stereocaulon were identified as members of several Asterochloris lineages, photobionts of cetrarioid lichens clustered with Trebouxia hypogymniae ined. We did not find close relationship between heavy metal content (in localities as well as lichen thalli) and photobiont diversity. Presence of multiple algal genotypes in single lichen thallus has been confirmed. PMID:20031214
Recognition and progression of coal workers' pneumoconiosis in the collieries of northern France.
Gautrin, D; Auburtin, G; Alluin, F; Brice, F M; Chouraki, B; François, P; Marquet, M; Pouré, C; Sénécot, B; Szmacinski, R
In France, both active and retired coal miners take part in medical surveillance programs. Those compensated for pneumoconiosis are registered and receive annual chest X-rays and regular lung function assessments. A longitudinal study was done among 2719 pneumoconiotics from the Nord-Pas de Calais region Compensation Register, who received first compensation between 1942 and 1987 to study progression of CSWP. Chest radiographs taken at time of compensation and in 1987 were examined by three independent readers. There was a change over time in the characteristics of pneumoconiosis at the time of first compensation toward a low profusion of irregular opacities. In the period from 1982 to 1987, 645 pneumoconiotics developed progressive massive fibrosis (PMF). The occurrence of PMF was related to the date of compensation and the profusion of small opacities at detection (after controlling for time to follow-up). Two profiles for changes in coal workers' simple pneumoconiosis (CWSP) were observed: the first in the group of subjects with mild pneumoconiosis at compensation, who did not reach category 2 at follow-up and had a low attack rate of PMF; and the second in the group of those compensated for category 1/2 pneumoconiosis or higher, who reached severe CWSP and had a twofold attack rate for PMF at follow-up. The changes observed in the characteristics of pneumoconiosis at first compensation between 1942 and 1987 suggest a lessening of disease severity. PMID:7843074
Director, OWCP v. Greenwich collieries: The end of the true doubt rule
Because coal miners are exposed to coal dust over long periods of time, hundreds of thousands of miners have contracted pneumoconiosis (black lung), a serious, progressive and crippling illness. In response to the horrible effects of black lung disease, Congress enacted the Federal Black Lung Program through several statutory enactments, which are commonly referred to as the Black Lung Benefits Act (BLBA). The purpose of the BLBA is to compensate coal miners who have contracted black lung disease. It is a humanitarian, remedial statute. Although the BLBA scheme seems quite complicated, a benefits claimant need only prove that: {open_quotes}(a) he or she it totally disabled, (b) the disability was caused, at least in part, by pneumoconiosis, and (c) the disability arose out of coal mine employment. Also, several statutory presumptions aid the BLBA claimant is establishing his or her entitlement to BLBA benefits. The implementation of the BLBA is discussed.
Effect of postmining waters on cyanobacterial photosynthesis.
Medová, Hana; Přikryl, Ivo; Zapomnĕlová, Eliška; Pechar, Libor
New waterbodies have been created in a postmining area of the brown-coal basin in Sokolov, Czech Republic. The former open-cast quarry, Medard, has been filling with water from a local river, the surrounding catchment spoil heaps, and acid mine drainages. The effect of acidic (pH down to 2.5) and high-conductivity water (up to 1400 mS/m) on selected cyanobacteria and the possibility of cyanobacterial water bloom in the newly formed Lake Medard were studied by means of chlorophyll fluorometry (actual photosystem II [PSII] quantum yield, ΔF/Fm', and relative electron transport rate, rETR). The acidic spoil-heap waters caused a decrease in cyanobacterial photosynthetic activity of 52 to 100% of the initial ΔF/Fm' value. The Dolichospermum strains were about 10 times more sensitive than Microcystis viridis. The high concentration of dissolved ions appeared to have less effect on cyanobacterial PSII. Although the bottom meta- and hypolimnion layers were proven to negatively influence the cyanobacteria, the perennial stratification of the lake does not enable the water characteristics of the upper layers to change extensively and thus possibly suppresses the undesirable cyanobacterial bloom. The response of cyanobacteria to spoil-heap waters appears to be species-specific and can promote selection of those resistant to postmining environments. PMID:25790520
Spare the rods and spoil the retina: revisited.
Sivaprasad, S; Arden, G
Visual function improves with oxygen inhalation in people with diabetes even in the absence of visible retinopathy. Rods consume the most oxygen in the retina due to the high metabolic activity required to maintain the dark current. Therefore, Arden hypothesized that in diabetes where oxygen supply may also be affected due to the changes in retinal vasculature, prevention of dark adaptation may be a viable option to prevent or decrease the rate of progression of diabetic retinopathy. Animal experiments have proven that the absence of rods decreases the development of retinal neovascularisation. The same principle applies to panretinal photocoagulation, an established treatment for proliferative diabetic retinopathy. Recently, a few clinical studies have also shown that preventing dark adaptation by suppressing rods with 500-nm light source at night decreases the rate of progression of early diabetic retinopathy and maculopathy in the short-term. We await the results of a large two-year multi-centre trial (CLEOPATRA trial) to evaluate the long-term effects of decreasing dark adaptation by applying a 500nm light source as a mask over eyes with non-central diabetic macular oedema. PMID:26656085
Superconductivity from spoiling magnetism in the Kondo lattice model
NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)
Asadzadeh, Mohammad Zhian; Fabrizio, Michele; Becca, Federico
We find evidence that superconductivity intrudes into the paramagnetic-to-magnetic transition of the Kondo lattice model if magnetic frustration is added. Specifically, we study by the variational method the model on a square lattice in the presence of both nearest-neighbor (t ) and next-nearest-neighbor (t') hopping of the conduction electrons. We find that, when t'/t >0 , a d -wave superconducting dome emerges between the magnetic and paramagnetic metal phases and close to the compensated regime, i.e., the number of conduction electrons equals the number of localized spin-1/2 moments. Superconductivity is further strengthened by a direct antiferromagnetic exchange, JH, between the localized moments, to such an extent that we observe coexistence with magnetic order.
30 CFR 780.35 - Disposal of excess spoil.
Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR
... alternatives for the proposed fill under 40 CFR 230.10 to meet Clean Water Act requirements, you may initially... prevent mass movement. (5) Design plans. Detailed design plans for each structure, prepared in accordance... disposal structure and subsurface conditions. You also must provide the engineering specifications used...
30 CFR 784.19 - Disposal of excess spoil.
Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR
... alternatives for the proposed fill under 40 CFR 230.10 to meet Clean Water Act requirements, you may initially... prevent mass movement. (5) Design plans. Detailed design plans for each structure, prepared in accordance... disposal structure and subsurface conditions. You also must provide the engineering specifications used...
30 CFR 780.35 - Disposal of excess spoil.
Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR
... alternatives for the proposed fill under 40 CFR 230.10 to meet Clean Water Act requirements, you may initially... prevent mass movement. (5) Design plans. Detailed design plans for each structure, prepared in accordance... disposal structure and subsurface conditions. You also must provide the engineering specifications used...
30 CFR 784.19 - Disposal of excess spoil.
Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR
... alternatives for the proposed fill under 40 CFR 230.10 to meet Clean Water Act requirements, you may initially... prevent mass movement. (5) Design plans. Detailed design plans for each structure, prepared in accordance... disposal structure and subsurface conditions. You also must provide the engineering specifications used...
30 CFR 780.35 - Disposal of excess spoil.
Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR
... alternatives for the proposed fill under 40 CFR 230.10 to meet Clean Water Act requirements, you may initially... prevent mass movement. (5) Design plans. Detailed design plans for each structure, prepared in accordance... disposal structure and subsurface conditions. You also must provide the engineering specifications used...
30 CFR 784.19 - Disposal of excess spoil.
Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR
... alternatives for the proposed fill under 40 CFR 230.10 to meet Clean Water Act requirements, you may initially... prevent mass movement. (5) Design plans. Detailed design plans for each structure, prepared in accordance... disposal structure and subsurface conditions. You also must provide the engineering specifications used...
30 CFR 784.19 - Disposal of excess spoil.
Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR
... alternatives for the proposed fill under 40 CFR 230.10 to meet Clean Water Act requirements, you may initially... prevent mass movement. (5) Design plans. Detailed design plans for each structure, prepared in accordance... disposal structure and subsurface conditions. You also must provide the engineering specifications used...
30 CFR 780.35 - Disposal of excess spoil.
Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR
... alternatives for the proposed fill under 40 CFR 230.10 to meet Clean Water Act requirements, you may initially... prevent mass movement. (5) Design plans. Detailed design plans for each structure, prepared in accordance... disposal structure and subsurface conditions. You also must provide the engineering specifications used...
Inhibition of spoiling yeasts of fruit juices through citrus extracts.
Bevilacqua, Antonio; Speranza, Barbara; Campaniello, Daniela; Corbo, Maria Rosaria; Sinigaglia, Milena
This article reports on the bioactivities of citrus extracts (citrus extract, lemon extract, and neroli) toward Saccharomyces cerevisiae, Zygosaccharomyces bailii, Zygosaccharomyces rouxii, Pichia membranifaciens, and Rhodotorula bacarum. The bioactivities of the extracts (from 10 to 100 ppm) were evaluated through a microdilution method; thereafter, citrus extracts (0 to 80 ppm) were tested in combination with either pH (3.0 to 5.0) or temperature (5 to 25°C). Finally, a confirmatory experiment was run in a commercial drink (referred to as red fruit juice) containing citrus extract (40 ppm) that was inoculated with either S. cerevisiae or Z. bailii (5 log CFU/ml) and stored at 4 and 25°C. Yeasts increased to 7 log CFU/ml (Z. bailii) or 8 log CFU/ml (S. cerevisiae) in the control at 25°C, but the citrus extract addition controlled yeast growth for at least 3 days; under refrigeration, the effect was significant for 10 days. PMID:24112576
Don't Let Painful Blisters Spoil Your Summer Fun
... more problems. To prevent friction, apply powder or petroleum jelly. If you feel pain or your skin ... water after it's drained and cover it with petroleum jelly. "As your blister heals, watch for signs ...
Television Commercials and the Management of Spoiled Identity.
ERIC Educational Resources Information Center
Davis, Richard A.
This paper investigates visible stigmas which make people unacceptable in terms of societal values. Many of these values are presented in television commercials. A content analysis of commercials shows that about 26% of them are stigma-oriented but they are not especially directed toward minority audiences. (VM)
46 CFR 174.330 - Jettisoning of spoil.
Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR
... COAST GUARD, DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY (CONTINUED) SUBDIVISION AND STABILITY SPECIAL RULES... position within two minutes even if the main power source is lost or the bottom door actuating mechanism is... effected within two minutes even if the main power source is lost or the actuating means is damaged;...
46 CFR 174.330 - Jettisoning of spoil.
Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR
... COAST GUARD, DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY (CONTINUED) SUBDIVISION AND STABILITY SPECIAL RULES... position within two minutes even if the main power source is lost or the bottom door actuating mechanism is... effected within two minutes even if the main power source is lost or the actuating means is damaged;...
46 CFR 174.330 - Jettisoning of spoil.
Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR
... COAST GUARD, DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY (CONTINUED) SUBDIVISION AND STABILITY SPECIAL RULES... position within two minutes even if the main power source is lost or the bottom door actuating mechanism is... effected within two minutes even if the main power source is lost or the actuating means is damaged;...
Don't Let Burns Spoil Your Summer Fun
... grill unattended, Gallagher advised. To prevent sunburn, apply sunscreen at least 30 minutes before going outdoors. Reapply ... federal policy. More Health News on: Fire Safety Sun Exposure Recent Health News Related MedlinePlus Health Topics Fire ...
Beam spoiling a reflector antenna with conducting shim.
Doerry, Armin Walter
A horn-fed dish reflector antenna has characteristics including beam pattern that are a function of its mechanical form. The beam pattern can be altered by changing the mechanical configuration of the antenna. One way to do this is with a reflecting insert or shim added to the face of the original dish.
30 CFR 715.15 - Disposal of excess spoil.
Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR
... Sandstone 16 8 Do Shale 16 16 (iv) Underdrains shall consist of nondegradable, non-acid or toxic forming... the fill to the head of the fill, and from the base of the fill to the surface of the fill. A...
Water quality of runoff from revegetated mine spoil.
Trouart, J E; Knight, R W
Permanent vegetation plots were established on mixed overburden and topsoiled overburden on a lignite test pit in eastern Texas in 1982. Vegetative treatments included two grass-legume treatments [switchgrass (panicum virgattun) - sideoats grama (Bouteloua curtipendula) - subterrancan elover (Trifolitun subterranean) and litte bluestem (Schizachyriun scoparium) - sideoats grama (Bouteloua curtipendula) - Illinois hundleflower (Dessmanthus illinoiensis)] and three monocultures [Coastal bermudagrass (Cynodon dactylon), bahia grass (paspalum notatum) and yellow Indiangrass (Sorghastrum nutans)]. Water was applied to the 0.5m(2) plots using a sprinklertype rainfall simulator and quality of runoff was determined for each plot. Parameters analyzed included: settleable solids, total filterable solids, sediment production, infiltration rate, nitrites, nitrates, total iron and total manganese. Topsoiling significantly increased inliltration and significantly decreased filterable sediments, sediment production and settleable solids. The hydrologie qualities of the switchgrass-sideoats grama-subterranean elover mixture coincided closely with those of the Coastal bermudagrass monoculture. PMID:24221679
Coal transformation under high-temperature catagenesis
Melenevsky, V.N.; Sokol, E.V.; Fomin, A.N.
In this paper we consider products of natural pyrolysis of lignite, which resulted from the high-temperature spontaneous combustion of spoil heaps of the Chelyabinsk coal basin. These products were studied by pyrolysis, element and petrographic analyses, chromatomass spectrometry, and X-ray diffraction method. We have established that under reducing conditions, the degree of pyrogenic coal transformation and the composition of pyrolysis products vary greatly, from graphite-like phases to bitumens, and depend on the temperature and degree of the system openness.
HEAP: Heat Energy Analysis Program, a computer model simulating solar receivers. [solving the heat transfer problem
NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)
Lansing, F. L.
A computer program which can distinguish between different receiver designs, and predict transient performance under variable solar flux, or ambient temperatures, etc. has a basic structure that fits a general heat transfer problem, but with specific features that are custom-made for solar receivers. The code is written in MBASIC computer language. The methodology followed in solving the heat transfer problem is explained. A program flow chart, an explanation of input and output tables, and an example of the simulation of a cavity-type solar receiver are included.
Observations on Student Misconceptions--A Case Study of the Build-Heap Algorithm
ERIC Educational Resources Information Center
Seppala, Otto; Malmi, Lauri; Korhonen, Ari
Data structures and algorithms are core issues in computer programming. However, learning them is challenging for most students and many of them have various types of misconceptions on how algorithms work. In this study, we discuss the problem of identifying misconceptions on the principles of how algorithms work. Our context is algorithm…
"At the Bottom of the Social Heap": A Youth Underclass in Inner-City Harare?
ERIC Educational Resources Information Center
Kamete, Amin Y.
In the social sciences, not many theses have been as contentious as the underclass thesis. Nevertheless, whether as a heuristic device to study society or as a target of ideological or academic attack, the underclass thesis has been used a focus of attention by a wide spectrum of researchers, politicians and journalists. In post-industrial…
Programming with non-heap memory in the real time specification for Java
NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)
Bollella, G.; Canham, T.; Carson, V.; Champlin, V.; Dvorak, D.; Giovannoni, B.; Indictor, M.; Meyer, K.; Reinholtz, A.; Murray, K.
The Real-Time Specification for Java (RTSJ) provides facilities for deterministic, real-time execution in a language that is otherwise subject to variable latencies in memory allocation and garbage collection.
Acetobacter fabarum sp. nov., an acetic acid bacterium from a Ghanaian cocoa bean heap fermentation.
Cleenwerck, Ilse; Gonzalez, Angel; Camu, Nicholas; Engelbeen, Katrien; De Vos, Paul; De Vuyst, Luc
Six acetic acid bacterial isolates, obtained during a study of the microbial diversity of spontaneous fermentations of Ghanaian cocoa beans, were subjected to a polyphasic taxonomic study. (GTG)(5)-PCR fingerprinting grouped the isolates together, but they could not be identified using this method. Phylogenetic analysis based on 16S rRNA gene sequences allocated the isolates to the genus Acetobacter and revealed Acetobacter lovaniensis, Acetobacter ghanensis and Acetobacter syzygii to be nearest neighbours. DNA-DNA hybridizations demonstrated that the isolates belonged to a single novel genospecies that could be differentiated from its phylogenetically nearest neighbours by the following phenotypic characteristics: no production of 2-keto-D-gluconic acid from D-glucose; growth on methanol and D-xylose, but not on maltose, as sole carbon sources; no growth on yeast extract with 30% D-glucose; and weak growth at 37 degrees C. The DNA G+C contents of four selected strains were 56.8-58.0 mol%. The results obtained prove that the isolates should be classified as representatives of a novel Acetobacter species, for which the name Acetobacter fabarum sp. nov. is proposed. The type strain is strain 985(T) (=R-36330(T) =LMG 24244(T) =DSM 19596(T)). PMID:18768626
The perspectives, information and conclusions conveyed in research project abstracts, progress reports, final reports, journal abstracts and journal publications convey the viewpoints of the principal investigator and may not represent the views and policies of ORD and EPA. Concl...
The environmental and intrinsic yeast diversity of Cuban cocoa bean heap fermentations.
Fernández Maura, Yurelkys; Balzarini, Tom; Clapé Borges, Pablo; Evrard, Pierre; De Vuyst, Luc; Daniel, H-M
The environmental yeast diversity of spontaneous cocoa bean fermentations in east Cuba was investigated. Seven fermentations, 25 equipment- and handling-related samples, and 115 environmental samples, such as flowers, leaf and cocoa pod surfaces, as well as drosophilid insects, were analysed. The basic fermentation parameters temperature and pH were recorded during five fermentations for at least six days. A total of 435 yeast isolates were identified by a combination of PCR-fingerprinting of genomic DNA with the M13 primer and sequence analysis of DNA from representative isolates, using the internal transcribed spacer region, the D1/D2 region of the large subunit rRNA gene, and an actin gene-encoding fragment, as required. Among 65 yeast species detected, Pichia manshurica and Hanseniaspora opuntiae were the most frequently isolated species, obtained from five and four fermentations, followed in frequency by Pichia kudriavzevii from two fermentations. Saccharomyces cerevisiae was isolated only occasionally. Cocoa fermentation yeast species were also present on processing equipment. The repeated isolation of a preliminarily as Yamadazyma sp. classified species, a group of strains similar to Saccharomycopsis crataegensis from fermentations and equipment, and the isolation of fifteen other potentially novel yeast species in low numbers provides material for further studies. Environmental samples showed higher yeast diversity compared to the fermentations, included the most frequent fermentation species, whereas the most frequently isolated environmental species were Candida carpophila, Candida conglobata, and Candida quercitrusa. Potential selective advantages of the most frequently isolated species were only partly explained by the physiological traits tested. For instance, tolerance to higher ethanol concentrations was more frequent in strains of Pichia spp. and S. cerevisiae compared to Hanseniaspora spp.; the ability to also assimilate ethanol might have conferred a selective advantage to Pichia spp. In contrast, high glucose tolerance was common among strains of Hanseniaspora spp., Torulaspora delbrueckii, and Candida tropicalis, among which only Hanseniaspora spp. were frequently isolated. PMID:27322722
The Solnhofen Limestone: A stony heritage of many uses
NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)
Kölbl-Ebert, Martina; Kramar, Sabina; Cooper, Barry J.
High above the valley of the River Altmühl (Bavaria, Germany), between Solnhofen to the west and Kelheim to the east, numerous quarries give access to thinly plated limestone from the Upper Jurassic, some 150 million years before the present. The main quarry areas lie around the town of Eichstätt and between the villages of Solnhofen, Langenaltheim and Mörnsheim. Here limestone slabs have been quarried for several hundred years, some even in Roman times. Solnhofen Limestone is famous worldwide; not only because it is a beautiful building stone of high quality, but also because of the exceptionally well-preserved fossils it contains -among them the early bird Archaeopteryx. The quarry industry between Solnhofen and Eichstätt has shaped a cultural landscape, with old and new quarries sunk into the plain and numerous spoil heaps rising above it, for the rock is not all economically useful. But many of the spoil heaps and the old quarries are environmentally protected as they provide a habitat for some rare plants and animals. It is not necessary to cut the Solnhofen Limestone with a saw: it is split by hand into thin and even slabs or sheets which are used for flagstones and wall covers, which since centuries are sold world-wide. Locally it also serves as roof tiles for traditional houses. Thick slabs of especially fine quality may be found near Solnhofen and Mörnsheim and are used for lithography printing.
Release of toxic metals and metalloids from Los Rueldos mercury mine (Asturias, Spain).
Loredo, J; Alvarez, R; Ordóñez, A
The abandoned mercury mining works of "Los Rueldos" are located 20 km from Oviedo, along the northwestern border of the Asturian Central Coal Basin, in an area with intense tectonization. Hg mainly appears as cinnabar, but occasionally metacinnabar and native Hg are present; associated with Hg ore appear As-rich minerals (arsenopyrite, As-rich pyrite, realgar and scorodite). In the spoil heap, Hg content ranges from 14 to 2224 mg kg(-1), and As from 4746 to 62,196 mg kg(-1). Mine drainage and spoil heap leachates show acidic conditions (pH: 2.43-2.50), 2900-4600 mg l(-1) sulphate, 1.4-9.2 mg l(-1) As, 0.03-0.48 mg l(-1) Pb, and 3.6-14 microg l(-1) Hg. According to the analytical data and characteristics of the site, the application of corrective measurements to avoid the dispersion of contaminants in the environment must be considered. PMID:15752505
Landscape monitoring of post-industrial areas using LiDAR and GIS technology
NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)
Wężyk, Piotr; Szostak, Marta; Krzaklewski, Wojciech; Pająk, Marek; Pierzchalski, Marcin; Szwed, Piotr; Hawryło, Paweł; Ratajczak, Michał
The quarrying industry is changing the local landscape, forming deep open pits and spoil heaps in close proximity to them, especially lignite mines. The impact can include toxic soil material (low pH, heavy metals, oxidations etc.) which is the basis for further reclamation and afforestation. Forests that stand on spoil heaps have very different growth conditions because of the relief (slope, aspect, wind and rainfall shadows, supply of solar energy, etc.) and type of soil that is deposited. Airborne laser scanning (ALS) technology deliver point clouds (XYZ) and derivatives as raster height models (DTM, DSM, nDSM=CHM) which allow the reception of selected 2D and 3D forest parameters (e.g. height, base of the crown, cover, density, volume, biomass, etc). The automation of ALS point cloud processing and integrating the results into GIS helps forest managers to take appropriate decisions on silvicultural treatments in areas with failed plantations (toxic soil, droughts on south-facing slopes; landslides, etc.) or as regular maintenance. The ISOK country-wide project ongoing in Poland will soon deliver ALS point cloud data which can be successfully used for the monitoring and management of many thousands of hectares of destroyed post-industrial areas which according to the law, have to be afforested and transferred back to the State Forest.
Too Many Cooks Do Not Spoil the Broth: Staffing Schools for Successful Implementation of Technology.
ERIC Educational Resources Information Center
Schulz, Cynthia D.
Argues the need for school districts to provide a number of academically prepared employees to help teachers implement digital technology or to encourage use of technological resources. Presents options for large and small school districts; discusses employee communication and job responsibilities. Describes a program in Washington state where…
30 CFR 817.72 - Disposal of excess spoil: Valley fill/head-of-hollow fills.
Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR
... precipitation event. (b) Rock-core chimney drains. A rock-core chimney drain may be used in a head-of-hollow... not located in an area containing intermittent or perennial streams. A rock-core chimney drain may be... is diverted around the fill. The alternative rock-core chimney drain system shall be...
30 CFR 816.72 - Disposal of excess spoil: Valley fills/head-of-hollow fills.
Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR
..., 6-hour precipitation event. (b) Rock-core chimney drains. A rock-core chimney drain may be used in a... as the fill is not located in an area containing intermittent or perennial streams. A rock-core... upstream drainage is diverted around the fill. The alternative rock-core chimney drain system shall...
Q spoiling in deformed optical microdisks due to resonance-assisted tunneling
NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)
Kullig, Julius; Wiersig, Jan
A recent experiment by Kwak et al. [Sci. Rep. 5, 9010 (2015), 10.1038/srep09010] demonstrated the relevance of resonance-assisted tunneling for optical microcavities where resonance chains emerge in phase space due to boundary deformations. In this paper we adapt the perturbative description of resonance-assisted tunneling to calculate optical modes and the imaginary part of their complex wavenumber which determines the lifetime of the mode. We demonstrate our method at three example cavity shapes and compare our results to numerical data and perturbation theory for weakly deformed microdisk cavities.
Vertical axis wind turbine power regulation through centrifugally pumped lift spoiling
Klimas, P.C.; Sladky, J.F. Jr.
This paper describes an approach for lowering the rated windspeeds of Darrieus-type vertical axis wind turbines (VAWTs) whose blades are hollow aluminum extrusions. The blades, which when rotating act as centrifugal pumps, are fitted with a series of small perforations distributed along a portion of the blades' span. By valving the ends of the hollow blades, flow into the blade ends and out of the perforations may be controlled. This flow can induce premature aerodynamic stall on the blade elements, thereby reducing both the rated power of the turbine and its cost-of-energy. The concept has been proven on the Sandia National Laboratories 5-m diameter research VAWT and force balance and flow visualization wind tunnel tests have been conducted using a blade section designed for the VAWT application.
Reclamation of Bay wetlands and disposal of dredge spoils: meeting two goals simultaneously
Hostettler, Frances D.; Pereira, Wilfred E.; Kvenvolden, Keith A.; Jones, David R.; Murphy, Fred
San Francisco Bay is one of the world's largest urbanized estuarine systems with a watershed that drains about 40 percent of the State of California. Its freshwater and saltwater marshes comprise approximately 125 square kilometers (48 square miles), compared to 2,200 square kilometers (850 square miles) before California began rapid development in 1850. This staggering reduction in tidal wetlands of approximately 95 percent has resulted in significant loss . of habitat for many species of fish and wildlife. The need for wetlands is well documented- healthy and adequate wetlands are critical to the proper functioning of an estuarine ecosystem like San Francisco Bay.
How to spoil a good basis set for Rayleigh-Ritz calculations
Pupyshev, Vladimir I.; Montgomery, H. E. Jr.
For model quantum mechanical systems such as the harmonic oscillator and a particle in an impenetrable box, we consider the set of exact discrete spectrum functions and define the modified basis set by subtraction of the ground state wavefunction from all the other wavefunctions with some real weights. It is demonstrated that the modified set of functions is complete in the space of square integrable functions if and only if the series of the squared weights diverges. A similar, but nonequivalent criterion is derived for convergence of Rayleigh-Ritz ground state energy calculations to the exact ground state energy value with the basis set extension. Some numerical illustrations are provided which demonstrate a wide variety of possible situations for model systems.
30 CFR 816.74 - Disposal of excess spoil: Preexisting benches.
Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR
... erosion and water pollution both on and off the site; and (4) If the disposal area contains springs, natural or manmade water courses, or wet weather seeps, the fill design shall include diversions and underdrains as necessary to control erosion, prevent water infiltration into the fill, and ensure...
30 CFR 817.74 - Disposal of excess spoil: Preexisting benches.
Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR
... erosion and water pollution both on and off the site; and (4) If the disposal area contains springs, natural or manmade water courses, or wet weather seeps, the fill design shall include diversions and underdrains as necessary to control erosion, prevent water infiltration into the fill, and ensure...
Two small-seeded species, Paulownia (Paulownia tomentosa), and European alder (Alnus glutinosa) and three large seeded species, northern red oak (Quercus rubra), pin oak (Quercus palustris), and bur oak (Quercus macrocarpa) were direct-seeded on three aspects on minesoil in easte...
Many reactive pollutants, such as Zn, Cu, Pb, Cs-137, Pu-239, 240 and PCB's appear to be transported and accumulated together in association with fine-grained particles in the Hudson River estuary. Anthropogenic increases of 3-6 times natural levels of Zn, Cu, and Pb were found f...
Q spoiling in deformed optical microdisks due to resonance-assisted tunneling.
Kullig, Julius; Wiersig, Jan
A recent experiment by Kwak et al. [Sci. Rep. 5, 9010 (2015)10.1038/srep09010] demonstrated the relevance of resonance-assisted tunneling for optical microcavities where resonance chains emerge in phase space due to boundary deformations. In this paper we adapt the perturbative description of resonance-assisted tunneling to calculate optical modes and the imaginary part of their complex wavenumber which determines the lifetime of the mode. We demonstrate our method at three example cavity shapes and compare our results to numerical data and perturbation theory for weakly deformed microdisk cavities. PMID:27627293
Succession of insects on unreclaimed coal strip mine spoil banks in Indiana
Schrock, J.R.
Selected sites at a western Indiana unreclaimed coal strip mine and adjacent undisturbed area sampled by Munsee in 1964 were restudied in 1981. Slope and exposure, soil pH and texture, vegetation and tree tallies, on-site rainfall and local weather records were used to characterize 18 spoilbanks and two unmined sites. Surface-active arthropods were sampled by replicated pitfall taps the summer of 1981 at the same locations and dates trapped by Munsee in 1964. Plant cover was sampled by a modified point-contact method. Trees over one inch dbh were tallied and measured for basal area. Clustering by similarity based on chi-square differences was performed for plants, trees, ants, springtails and ground beetles, using the undisturbed forest and a highly acid un-revegetated mined site as the extremes. Soil pH and texture changed rapidly on one moist spoilbank. Soil moisture levels generally decreased between 1964 and 1981 and depth of water penetration generally increased. Ant, springtail and carabid populations changed on revegetating sites. Myrmica spatulata and Smithistruma clypeata were major new ants on the sites in 1981. Iridomyrmex pruinosus analis and Pheidole bicarinata characteristic of barren spoilbanks in 1964 survived on only one remaining barren site in 1981. The collembolan Entomobrya quadrilineata decreased while Hypogastrura denticulata increased on the revegetating sites. Known habitat preference of some of these insects matched their occurrence on the spoilbanks.
Sharing out NASA's spoils. [economic benefits of U.S. space program
NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)
Bezdek, Roger H.; Wendling, Robert M.
The economic benefits of NASA programs are discussed. Emphasis is given to an analysis of indirect economic benefits which estimates the effect of NASA programs on employment, personal income, corporate sales and profits, and government tax revenues in the U.S. and in each state. Data are presented that show that NASA programs have widely varying multipliers by industry and that illustrate the distribution of jobs by industry as well as the distribution of sales.
Soil health, crop productivity, microbial transport, and mine spoil response to biochars
Technology Transfer Automated Retrieval System (TEKTRAN)
Biochar is being evaluated by scientists from the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) Agricultural Research Service (ARS) for its potential to sequester soil C, to improve soil health, and to increase crop yields. ARS scientists from multiple locations such as Florence, SC, Kimberly, ID,...
Application of bacteriophages in post-harvest control of human pathogenic and food spoiling bacteria.
Pérez Pulido, Rubén; Grande Burgos, Maria José; Gálvez, Antonio; Lucas López, Rosario
Bacteriophages have attracted great attention for application in food biopreservation. Lytic bacteriophages specific for human pathogenic bacteria can be isolated from natural sources such as animal feces or industrial wastes where the target bacteria inhabit. Lytic bacteriophages have been tested in different food systems for inactivation of main food-borne pathogens including Listeria monocytogenes, Staphylococcus aureus, Escherichia coli O157:H7, Salmonella enterica, Shigella spp., Campylobacter jejuni and Cronobacter sakazkii, and also for control of spoilage bacteria. Application of lytic bacteriophages could selectively control host populations of concern without interfering with the remaining food microbiota. Bacteriophages could also be applied for inactivation of bacteria attached to food contact surfaces or grown as biofilms. Bacteriophages may receive a generally recognized as safe status based on their lack of toxicity and other detrimental effects to human health. Phage preparations specific for L. monocytogenes, E. coli O157:H7 and S. enterica serotypes have been commercialized and approved for application in foods or as part of surface decontamination protocols. Phage endolysins have a broader host specificity compared to lytic bacteriophages. Cloned endolysins could be used as natural preservatives, singly or in combination with other antimicrobials such as bacteriocins. PMID:26042353
Forest Service revegetation studies on TOSCO II processed shale (beginning in 1976) at Sand Wash, eastern Utah, within the salt desert shrub zone and at Davis Gulch, western Colorado, in the upper mountain brush zone, involved the use of amendments on processed shale without leac...
Spoiled Group Identities and Backstage Work: A Theory of Stigma Management Rehearsals
ERIC Educational Resources Information Center
O'Brien, John
How do persons with a stigmatized identity learn potential responses to discrimination and harassment? Drawing on three and a half years of ethnographic data, this paper demonstrates how members of a group of Muslim American youth are socialized in locally dominant stigma management strategies through stigma management rehearsals. Stigma…
Environmental Studies Center Teacher Books. 7th Grade - Spoil Island Investigation.
ERIC Educational Resources Information Center
Martin County Schools, Jensen Beach, FL. Environmental Studies Center.
This teacher's guide, one of nine teacher packages developed for use in the sequential, hands-on, field-oriented, K-8 environmental education program of the Martin County Schools in Florida, was developed for use with secondary students in grade seven prior to and after a visit to an environmental studies center located near an estuarine area. The…
Nonstandard interactions spoiling the C P violation sensitivity at DUNE and other long baseline experiments
NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)
Masud, Mehedi; Mehta, Poonam
It is by now established that neutrino oscillations occur due to nonzero masses and parameters in the leptonic mixing matrix. The extraction of oscillation parameters may be complicated due to subleading effects such as nonstandard neutrino interactions and one needs to have a fresh look how a particular parameter value is inferred from experimental data. In the present work, we focus on an important parameter entering the oscillation framework-the leptonic C P -violating phase δ , about which we know very little. We demonstrate that the sensitivity to C P violation gets significantly impacted due to nonstandard neutrino interaction effects for the upcoming long baseline experiment, Deep Underground Neutrino Experiment. We also draw a comparison with the sensitivities of other ongoing neutrino beam experiments such as NO ν A and T2K as well as a future generation experiment, T2HK.
30 CFR 816.72 - Disposal of excess spoil: Valley fills/head-of-hollow fills.
Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR
... requirements of this section. (a) Drainage control. (1) The top surface of the completed fill shall be graded... to each area of potential drainage or seepage in the disposal area. The underdrain system and rock... this pocket or sump have a potential capacity for impounding more than 10,000 cubic feet of...
30 CFR 817.72 - Disposal of excess spoil: Valley fill/head-of-hollow fills.
Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR
... requirements of this section. (a) Drainage control. (1) The top surface of the completed fill shall be graded... area of potential drainage or seepage in the disposal area. The underdrain system and rock core shall... sump have a potential capacity for impounding more than 10,000 cubic feet of water. Terraces on...
The Electronic "Scarlet Letter": Criminal Backgrounding and a Perpetual Spoiled Identity
ERIC Educational Resources Information Center
Murphy, Daniel S.; Fuleihan, Brian; Richards, Stephen C.; Jones, Richard S.
Crimes are multifaceted events that are not adequately explained with basic descriptors, yet a considerable amount of significance is afforded to relatively few simplistic labels that make up the contemporary "scarlet letter." Today's criminal records create a lifetime of stigmatization for a person. These public records employ a limited range of…
30 CFR 816.71 - Disposal of excess spoil: General requirements.
Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR
... effects on plant growth and the approved postmining land use. (f) Drainage control. (1) If the disposal... included in the topsoil to control erosion, promote growth of vegetation or increase the moisture...
30 CFR 817.71 - Disposal of excess spoil: General requirements.
Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR
... effects on plant growth and the approved postmining land use. (f) Drainage control. (1) If the disposal... included in the topsoil to control erosion, promote growth of vegetation or increase the moisture...
The objectives and approach of this research project were: (1) to evaluate the properties of coal mine soil, (2) to study the germination of selected plant species in coal mine soil in the greenhouse, (3) to study the growth of selected plant species in coal mine soil on the Blac...
Physico-chemical and biotic parameters were investigated from June 1977 to May 1978 in coal strip-mine ponds in Colorado which differed in age and in the proportion of drainage derived from the mine. There were no discernible effects of mine drainage on temperature, dissolved oxy...
Jeopardizing Christmas: Why spoiled kids and a tight schedule could make Santa Claus fall?
Donath, L; Roth, R; Lichtenstein, E; Elliot, C; Zahner, L; Faude, O
Santa Claus' spatio-temporal gait characteristics, ground reaction forces during treadmill walking as well as postural sway during loaded, unloaded and cognitive interference tasks were examined in order to estimate his fall risk. Seventeen healthy males, disguised as researchers and students (age: 30±10 years; height: 179±6 years; weight: 76±7kg; BMI: 24±2kg/m(2); physical activity: 12±4h/week) and who still believe in Santa Claus randomly underwent balance and gait analyses with and without cognitive interference. The conditions were to be dressed as "Santa Claus" (wearing costume consisting of a beard, cap, robe, heavy sack with a load of 20kg) or dressed in "normal clothing" (no costume). Spatiotemporal gait parameters (walking velocity, gait variability and stride time, length and width), ground reaction forces (GRF) (left- and right-sided heel strike and push off) and postural sway (30s tandem stance on a force plate) were measured. "Santa-effects" (0.001
Creative spoil: Design concepts, construction techniques, and disposal of excavated materials
NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)
McLindon, Gerald J.
The author discusses some of the construction methods used in building the Tennessee-Tombigbee Waterway, the disposal of surplus excavated materials, and the reclamation of disposal areas along the waterway Emphasis is placed on the steps taken to assure protection of natural resources and to promote overall environmental quality.
Will nonlinear peculiar velocity and inhomogeneous reionization spoil 21 cm cosmology from the epoch of reionization?
Shapiro, Paul R; Mao, Yi; Iliev, Ilian T; Mellema, Garrelt; Datta, Kanan K; Ahn, Kyungjin; Koda, Jun
The 21 cm background from the epoch of reionization is a promising cosmological probe: line-of-sight velocity fluctuations distort redshift, so brightness fluctuations in Fourier space depend upon angle, which linear theory shows can separate cosmological from astrophysical information. Nonlinear fluctuations in ionization, density, and velocity change this, however. The validity and accuracy of the separation scheme are tested here for the first time, by detailed reionization simulations. The scheme works reasonably well early in reionization (≲40% ionized), but not late (≳80% ionized). PMID:25167246
Loving without Spoiling: And 100 Other Timeless Tips for Raising Terrific Kids.
ERIC Educational Resources Information Center
Samalin, Nancy
Noting that raising well-behaved, considerate children requires learning how to balance firm discipline with equal doses of love and humor, this book provides parents with effective and realistic solutions to countless parenting challenges. The strategies are organized into the following categories: (1) "Avoid Power Struggles"; (2) "Minimize Daily…
Impact of biochar amendment on enzymatic resilience properties of mine spoils.
Jain, Shilpi; Mishra, Disha; Khare, Puja; Yadav, Vineet; Deshmukh, Y; Meena, Abha
Soil enzymes are crucial for soil nutrient cycling function. Understanding of the factors that control their response to major disturbances such as dumping of environmentally toxic acidic waste remains limited. We evaluated the effect of dumping of overburden (OB) and their amendments using biochar, on the resistance and resilience of soil enzyme activities involved in phosphorus, nitrogen, sulphur and carbon cycling (acid & alkaline phosphatase, urease, arylsulphatase, dehydrogenase, phenol oxidases, cellulase and β-glucosidase). For investigation the soils treated with OB and with the mixture of OB and biochar were used for the cultivation of bacopa were used. We assessed 0 day, 45 day and 90 days activities of the target soil enzymes, available phosphorus, nitrogen, sulphur, soil organic carbon and microbial identification. The resilience and resistance index of all the treatments were calculated. We found that phyto-remediated OB-contaminated soil has its own resilience power. However, biochar addition enhanced the enzyme resistance and resilience of OB contaminated soil. In silico study indicates that biochar-Fe complex play a significant role in enzymatic activities. Overall, the results indicate a significant influence of phytoremediation and biochar addition on soil enzymatic activity that is extremely resistant to OB. This study provides insight on how biochar addition modulates soil biochemical and microbiological response to OB affected soils. PMID:26657386
30 CFR 816.72 - Disposal of excess spoil: Valley fills/head-of-hollow fills.
Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR
... such that the final slope after settlement will be toward properly designed drainage channels.... The maximum slope of the top of the fill shall be 33h:1v (3 percent). A drainage pocket may be... the runoff through or over the rock drain, if stability of the fill is not impaired. In no case...
30 CFR 816.72 - Disposal of excess spoil: Valley fills/head-of-hollow fills.
Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR
... such that the final slope after settlement will be toward properly designed drainage channels.... The maximum slope of the top of the fill shall be 33h:1v (3 percent). A drainage pocket may be... the runoff through or over the rock drain, if stability of the fill is not impaired. In no case...
30 CFR 817.72 - Disposal of excess spoil: Valley fill/head-of-hollow fills.
Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR
... such that the final slope after settlement will be toward properly designed drainage channels... slope of the top of the fill shall be 33h:lv (3 percent). A drainage pocket may be maintained at the... through or over the rock drain, if stability of the fill is not impaired. In no case shall this pocket...
30 CFR 816.72 - Disposal of excess spoil: Valley fills/head-of-hollow fills.
Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR
... such that the final slope after settlement will be toward properly designed drainage channels.... The maximum slope of the top of the fill shall be 33h:1v (3 percent). A drainage pocket may be... the runoff through or over the rock drain, if stability of the fill is not impaired. In no case...
30 CFR 816.74 - Disposal of excess spoil: Preexisting benches.
Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR
... be backfilled and graded to— (1) Achieve the most moderate slope possible which does not exceed the... underdrains as necessary to control erosion, prevent water infiltration into the fill, and ensure stability..., concurrently compacted as necessary to ensure mass stability and to prevent mass movement, and graded to...
30 CFR 817.74 - Disposal of excess spoil: Preexisting benches.
Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR
... be backfilled and graded to— (1) Achieve the most moderate slope possible which does not exceed the... underdrains as necessary to control erosion, prevent water infiltration into the fill, and ensure stability..., concurrently compacted as necessary to ensure mass stability and to prevent mass movement, and graded to...
30 CFR 817.72 - Disposal of excess spoil: Valley fill/head-of-hollow fills.
Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR
... such that the final slope after settlement will be toward properly designed drainage channels... slope of the top of the fill shall be 33h:lv (3 percent). A drainage pocket may be maintained at the... through or over the rock drain, if stability of the fill is not impaired. In no case shall this pocket...
30 CFR 817.72 - Disposal of excess spoil: Valley fill/head-of-hollow fills.
Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR
... such that the final slope after settlement will be toward properly designed drainage channels... slope of the top of the fill shall be 33h:lv (3 percent). A drainage pocket may be maintained at the... through or over the rock drain, if stability of the fill is not impaired. In no case shall this pocket...
"Spare the Rod and Spoil the Child?" The Law and Corporal Punishment
ERIC Educational Resources Information Center
Russo, Charles J.
The use of corporal punishment may be as old as society itself. However, the development of compulsory attendance laws has raised questions about its legality. Under compulsory attendance laws and subject to exceptions for home schooling and nonpublic schools, parents must send their children to public schools or be subject to sanctions. Conflicts…
Heap pumps marketing problems and the role played by the financial incentives provided by the law 308/82
NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)
Dallavalle, E.; Piantoni, E.
The principle techno-economic factors which influence the utilization of heat pumps are examined. Through the analysis of current technology and the economic incentives expected from articles 6-7, 8-9, and 12 of law 308/82, some results are derived which give some indication of the future of the market.
Bottom of the Heap: Having Heavier Competitors Accelerates Early-Life Telomere Loss in the European Starling, Sturnus vulgaris
Nettle, Daniel; Monaghan, Pat; Boner, Winnie; Gillespie, Robert; Bateson, Melissa
Early-life adversity is associated with poorer health and survival in adulthood in humans and other animals. One pathway by which early-life environmental stressors could affect the adult phenotype is via effects on telomere dynamics. Several studies have shown that early-life adversity is associated with relatively short telomeres, but these are often cross-sectional and usually correlational in design. Here, we present a novel experimental system for studying the relationship between early-life adversity and telomere dynamics using a wild bird, the European starling (Sturnus vulgaris). We used cross-fostering to experimentally assign sibling chicks to either small or large broods for twelve days of the growth period. We measured telomere length in red blood cells using quantitative PCR near the beginning of the experimental manipulation (4 days old), at the end of the experimental manipulation (15 days old), and once the birds were independent (55 days old). Being in a larger brood slowed growth and retarded wing development and the timing of fledging. We found no evidence that overall brood size affected telomere dynamics. However, the greater the number of competitors above the focal bird in the within-brood size hierarchy, the greater was the telomere loss during the period of the experimental manipulation. The number of competitors below the focal in the hierarchy had no effect. The effect of heavier competitors was still evident when we controlled for the weight of the focal bird at the end of the manipulation, suggesting it was not due to retarded growth per se. Moreover, the impact of early competition on telomeres was still evident at independence, suggesting persistence beyond early life. Our study provides experimental support for the hypothesis that social stress, in this case induced by the presence of a greater number of dominant competitors, accelerates the rate of telomere loss. PMID:24386235
Legacy soil contamination at abandoned mine sites: making a case for guidance on soil protection.
Kostarelos, Konstantinos; Gavriel, Ifigenia; Stylianou, Marinos; Zissimos, Andreas M; Morisseau, Eleni; Dermatas, Dimitris
Within the European Union, guidance in the form of a uniform Soil Directive does not exist and member states are left to enact their own legislation governing historic soil contamination. Several historic or "legacy" sites exist in Cyprus - an EU member state with a long history of mining and a significant number of abandoned mining sites. The gold-silver enrichment plant of Mitsero village was abandoned 70 years ago, yet soil samples inside and outside the plant were extremely low in pH, exhibited high leachability of heavy metals and high cyanide levels. Water samples collected from an ephemeral stream located down-gradient of the site contained high levels of heavy metals. Two abandoned open-pit mines (Kokkinopezoula and Mathiatis) were investigated, where elevated metal content in soil samples from the surrounding streams and spoil heaps, and extremely low pH and high metal content in water samples from the mine crater were measured. PMID:25600021
Determination of the spatial structure of vegetation on the repository of the mine "Fryderyk" in Tarnowskie Góry, based on airborne laser scanning from the ISOK project and digital orthophotomaps
NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)
Szostak, Marta; Wężyk, Piotr; Pająk, Marek; Haryło, Paweł; Lisańczuk, Marek
The purpose of this study was to determine the spatial structure of vegetation on the repository of the mine "Fryderyk" in Tarnowskie Góry. Tested area was located in the Upper Silesian Industrial Region (a large industrial region in Poland). It was a unique refuge habitat - Natura2000; PLH240008. The main aspect of this elaboration was to investigate the possible use of geotechniques and generally available geodata for mapping LULC changes and determining the spatial structure of vegetation. The presented study focuses on the analysis of a spatial structure of vegetation in the research area. This exploration was based on aerial images and orthophotomaps from 1947, 1998, 2003, 2009, 2011 and airborne laser scanning data (2011, ISOK project). Forest succession changes which occurred between 1947 and 2011 were analysed. The selected features of vegetation overgrowing spoil heap "Fryderyk" was determined. The results demonstrated a gradual succession of greenery on soil heap. In 1947, 84% of this area was covered by low vegetation. Tree expansion was proceeding in the westerly and northwest direction. In 2011 this canopy layer covered almost 50% of the research area. Parameters such as height of vegetation, crowns length and cover density were calculated by an airborne laser scanning data. These analyses indicated significant diversity in vertical and horizontal structures of vegetation. The study presents some capacities to use airborne laser scanning for an impartial evaluation of the structure of vegetation.
Addendum to the remedial investigation report on Bear Creek Valley Operable Unit 2 (Rust Spoil Area, Spoil Area 1, and SY-200 Yard) at the Oak Ridge Y-12 Plant Oak Ridge, Tennessee. Volume 1: Main text
This addendum to the Remedial Investigation (RI) Report on Bear Creek Valley Operable Unit (OU) 2 at the Oak Ridge Y-12 Plant was prepared in accordance with requirements under the Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act (CERCLA) for reporting the results of a site characterization for public review. This addendum is a supplement to a document that was previously issued in January 1995 and that provided the Environmental Restoration Program with information about the results of the 1993 investigation performed at OU 2. The January 1995 D2 version of the RI Report on Bear Creek Valley OU 2 included information on risk assessments that have evaluated impacts to human health and the environment. Information provided in the document formed the basis for the development of the Feasibility Study Report. This addendum includes revisions to four chapters of information that were a part of the document issued in January 1995. Specifically, it includes revisions to Chaps. 2, 3, 4, and 9. Volume 1 of this document is not being reissued in its entirety as a D3 version because only the four chapters just mentioned have been affected by requested changes. Note also that Volume 2 of this RI Report on Bear Creek Valley OU 2 is not being reissued in conjunction with Volume 1 of this document because there have been no changes requested or made to the previously issued version of Volume 2 of this document.
Remedial investigation work plan for Bear Creek Valley Operable Unit 2 (Rust Spoil Area, SY-200 Yard, Spoil Area 1) at the Oak Ridge Y-12 Plant, Oak Ridge, Tennessee. Environmental Restoration Program
Not Available
The enactment of the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA) in 1976 and the Hazardous and Solid Waste Amendments (HSWA) to RCRA in 1984 created management requirements for hazardous waste facilities. The facilities within the Oak Ridge Reservation (ORR) were in the process of meeting the RCRA requirements when ORR was placed on the Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act (CERCLA) National Priorities List (NPL) on November 21, 1989. Under RCRA, the actions typically follow the RCRA Facility Assessment (RFA)/RCRA Facility Investigation (RFI)/Corrective Measures Study (CMS)/Corrective Measures implementation process. Under CERCLA the actions follow the PA/SI/Remedial Investigation (RI)/Feasibility Study (FS)/Remedial Design/Remedial Action process. The development of this document will incorporate requirements under both RCRA and CERCLA into an RI work plan for the characterization of Bear Creek Valley (BCV) Operable Unit (OU) 2.
The perspectives, information and conclusions conveyed in research project abstracts, progress reports, final reports, journal abstracts and journal publications convey the viewpoints of the principal investigator and may not represent the views and policies of ORD and EPA. Concl...
Effect of copper tolerant Elsholtzia splendens on bacterial community associated with Commelina communis on a copper mine spoil.
Yang, Ruyi; Guo, Fuyu; Li, Jing; Su, Nannan; Shao, Zongyuan; Zan, Shuting
Facilitation, or positive plant-plant interaction, has received increasing concern from ecologists over the last two decades. Facilitation may occur through direct mitigation of severe environments or indirect mediation by a third participant from the same or different trophic levels. The copper (Cu) tolerant species Elsholtzia splendens facilitates the establishment and growth of co-occurring Commelina communis through indirect enrichment of microbial activity. However, whether and how E. splendens impacts the microbial community that is associated with C. communis is less known. We characterized the soil bacterial community in the rhizosphere of C. communis in the absence and presence of E. splendens using PCR-DGGE (polymerase chain reaction-denaturing gradient gel electrophoresis) and sequencing. The result showed that the richness of the bacterial community increased, but diversity and evenness remained similar, in the presence of E. splendens. Chloroflexi, Acidobacteria and Proteobacteria were the most dominant bacteria. The relative abundance of dominant and minor bacterial groups showed distinctly different responses to E. splendens. Principal component analysis and redundancy analysis indicated that variation of the bacterial community was determined by multiple factors and might be driven by the tested soil parameters collectively, or alternatively changed through plant root exudates or other microorganisms. Our results enhance the understanding of how the bacterial community associated with a beneficiary plant responds to a benefactor plant and suggests that the changes of bacterial community composition may have far-reaching influence on plant-soil feedback and the aboveground plant community in the long run. PMID:27521948
Land cover transformation in two post-mining landscapes subjected to different ages of reclamation since dumping of spoils.
Antwi, Effah K; Boakye-Danquah, John; Asabere, Stephen B; Takeuchi, Kazuhiko; Wiegleb, Gerhard
Transformation of natural land cover (LC) into modified LC has become inevitable due to growing human needs. Nevertheless, landscape transformational patterns during reclamation of mine damaged lands remain vague. Our hypothesis was that post-mining landscapes with different ages since dumping become more diverse in LC transformation over time. The aim was to study the impact of landscape reclamation on land cover changes (LCC) in two post-mining landscapes. Land cover maps of 1988, 1991, 1995, 1998, 2000 and 2003 were produced from LANDSAT TM images of Schlabendorf Nord and Schlabendorf Süd and used to survey the changing landscape. Change detection extension was used to identify changes among land cover types (LCTs). Detrended correspondence analyses (DCA) ordination technique (CANOCO) aided study of similarity among LC distribution. Soil pH analysis was carried out to study effect of soil and climate conditions on LCC. The results show that visible patterns of increase and decrease in the LCTs occurred in both landscapes. Given two post-mining landscapes subjected to different ages of reclamation, clear differences in vegetation growth and LCC pattern would occur. At early stages of restoration, LCTs often have unstable conditions and experience more acute transformation depending on the level of land use intensity in space and time. LCCs were mostly due to progressive and reversed succession. Due to variation in post-mining landscape soil conditions, soil treatment during reclamation should be site specific. The comparative analysis of LCCs in Schlabendorf provides a framework for prioritizing land use planning options for sustainable management of post-mining landscapes in temperate ecosystems. PMID:26034692
Towards Using NMR to Screen for Spoiled Tomatoes Stored in 1,000 L, Aseptically Sealed, Metal-Lined Totes
Pinter, Michael D.; Harter, Tod; McCarthy, Michael J.; Augustine, Matthew P.
Nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopy is used to track factory relevant tomato paste spoilage. It was found that spoilage in tomato paste test samples leads to longer spin lattice relaxation times T1 using a conventional low magnetic field NMR system. The increase in T1 value for contaminated samples over a five day room temperature exposure period prompted the work to be extended to the study of industry standard, 1,000 L, non-ferrous, metal-lined totes. NMR signals and T1 values were recovered from a large format container with a single-sided NMR sensor. The results of this work suggest that a handheld NMR device can be used to study tomato paste spoilage in factory process environments. PMID:24594611
Towards using NMR to screen for spoiled tomatoes stored in 1,000 L, aseptically sealed, metal-lined totes.
Pinter, Michael D; Harter, Tod; McCarthy, Michael J; Augustine, Matthew P
Nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopy is used to track factory relevant tomato paste spoilage. It was found that spoilage in tomato paste test samples leads to longer spin lattice relaxation times T1 using a conventional low magnetic field NMR system. The increase in T1 value for contaminated samples over a five day room temperature exposure period prompted the work to be extended to the study of industry standard, 1,000 L, non-ferrous, metal-lined totes. NMR signals and T1 values were recovered from a large format container with a single-sided NMR sensor. The results of this work suggest that a handheld NMR device can be used to study tomato paste spoilage in factory process environments. PMID:24594611
[When do bad apples not spoil the barrel? Negative relationships in teams, team performance, and buffering mechanisms].
de Jong, Jeroen P; Curşeu, Petru L; Leenders, Roger Th A J
The study of negative relationships in teams has primarily focused on the impact of negative relationships on individual team member attitudes and performance in teams. The mechanisms and contingencies that can buffer against the damaging effects of negative relationships on team performance have received limited attention. Building on social interdependence theory and the multilevel model of team motivation, we examine in a sample of 73 work teams the team-level attributes that foster the promotive social interaction that can neutralize the adverse effect of negative relationships on team cohesion and, consequently, on team performance. The results indicate that high levels of team-member exchange as well as high task-interdependence attenuate how team cohesion and team performance suffer from negative relationships. Implications for research and practice are discussed. PMID:24661274
Quantifying Effect of Lactic, Acetic, and Propionic Acids on Growth of Molds Isolated from Spoiled Bakery Products.
Dagnas, Stéphane; Gauvry, Emilie; Onno, Bernard; Membré, Jeanne-Marie
The combined effect of undissociated lactic acid (0 to 180 mmol/liter), acetic acid (0 to 60 mmol/liter), and propionic acid (0 to 12 mmol/liter) on growth of the molds Aspergillus niger, Penicillium corylophilum, and Eurotium repens was quantified at pH 3.8 and 25°C on malt extract agar acid medium. The impact of these acids on lag time for growth (λ) was quantified through a gamma model based on the MIC. The impact of these acids on radial growth rate (μ) was analyzed statistically through polynomial regression. Concerning λ, propionic acid exhibited a stronger inhibitory effect (MIC of 8 to 20 mmol/liter depending on the mold species) than did acetic acid (MIC of 23 to 72 mmol/liter). The lactic acid effect was null on E. repens and inhibitory on A. niger and P. corylophilum. These results were validated using independent sets of data for the three acids at pH 3.8 but for only acetic and propionic acids at pH 4.5. Concerning μ, the effect of acetic and propionic acids was slightly inhibitory for A. niger and P. corylophilum but was not significant for E. repens. In contrast, lactic acid promoted radial growth of all three molds. The gamma terms developed here for these acids will be incorporated in a predictive model for temperature, water activity, and acid. More generally, results for μ and λ will be used to identify and evaluate solutions for controlling bakery product spoilage. PMID:26319723
Spoiling Childhood: How Well-Meaning Parents Are Giving Children Too Much-But Not What They Need.
ERIC Educational Resources Information Center
Ehrensaft, Diane
Parents today are tagged as a generation preoccupied with work and themselves but at the same time overly focused on their children. This book attempts to explain this paradox. It explores the ways in which social, cultural, and psychological changes have come together with a new definition of the child to create a situation in which parenthood…
The perspectives, information and conclusions conveyed in research project abstracts, progress reports, final reports, journal abstracts and journal publications convey the viewpoints of the principal investigator and may not represent the views and policies of ORD and EPA. Concl...
Spoiled breast milk and bad water; local understandings of diarrhea causes and prevention in rural Sierra Leone
Background Globally, diarrhea remains a leading killer of young children. In Sierra Leone, one in seven children die before their fifth birthday and diarrhea is a leading cause. Studies that emphasize the demand-side of health interventions -- how caregivers understand causation and prevention of diarrhea -- have been neglected in research and programming. Methods We undertook applied qualitative research including 68 in-depth interviews and 36 focus group discussions with mothers, fathers and older female caretakers to examine the causes and prevention of childhood diarrhea in villages near and far from health facilities across four rural districts. Verbal consent was obtained. Results Respondents reported multiple, co-existing descriptions of causation including: contaminated water and difficulties accessing clean water; exposure to an unclean environment and poor food hygiene; contaminated breast milk due to sexual intercourse, overheated breast milk or bodily maternal conditions such as menstruation or pregnancy; and dietary imbalances and curses. Respondents rarely discussed the role of open defecation or the importance of handwashing with soap in preventing diarrhea. Conclusions Categorizing behaviors as beneficial, harmful, non-existent or benign enables tailored programmatic recommendations. For example, respondents recognized the value of clean water and we correspondingly recommend interventions that reinforce consumption of and access to clean water. Second, respondents report denying "contaminated" breast milk to breastfeeding children. This is a harmful practice that merits attention. Third, the role of open defecation and poor hygiene in causing diarrhea is less understood and warrants introduction or clarification. Finally, the role of exposed feet or curses in causing diarrhea is relatively benign and does not necessitate programmatic attention. Further research supportive of communication and social mobilization strategies building on these findings is required to ensure that improved understanding regarding diarrhea causation translates into improved diarrhea prevention. PMID:24330586
Production of volatile phenols by Pichia manshurica and Pichia membranifaciens isolated from spoiled wines and cellar environment in Patagonia.
Saez, Julieta S; Lopes, Christian A; Kirs, Verónica E; Sangorrín, Marcela
In order to detect spoilage yeast species in wines showing off-odors, different yeast isolation protocols were evaluated. Independently of the isolation method, only Saccharomyces cerevisiae and Pichia manshurica were detected. The spoilage capacity of P. manshurica regional isolates was evaluated in red wine and the production of volatile phenols was evidenced. To evaluate the possible source of contamination, yeasts from both grapes and cellar surfaces were obtained. Hanseniaspora uvarum and Zygoascus hellenicus were detected in both sound and damaged grapes from sunny areas. The most frequent species in cellar surfaces was Candida boidinii, Pichia membranifaciens and P. manshurica were detected in filters. The intra-specific genetic characterization of the P. manshurica isolates by mtDNA-RFLP demonstrated that the same strain was detected in both wine and filter. Most P. membranifaciens isolates produced 4-EP (maximum level of 1.895 mg/L) and particularly high levels of 4-EG (maximum level of 10.260 mg/L) were produced by P. manshurica isolates in synthetic wine-like medium. In this work the capacity of P. manshurica and P. membranifaciens species to produce volatile phenols was shown for the first time. PMID:21356458
Evaluation of peracetic acid sanitizers efficiency against spores isolated from spoiled cans in suspension and on stainless steel surfaces.
André, S; Hédin, S; Remize, F; Zuber, F
The aim of this study was to determine the inactivation effect of industrial formulations of peracetic acid biocides on bacterial spores adhering to stainless steel surfaces. A standardized protocol was used to validate biocide activity against spores in suspension. To validate sporicidal activity under practical conditions, we developed an additional protocol to simulate industrial sanitization of stainless steel surfaces with a foam sanitizer. Spores of three spore-forming bacteria, Clostridium sporogenes PA3679, Geobacillus stearothermophilus, and Moorella thermoacetica/thermoautotrophica, were sprayed onto stainless steel as bioaerosols. Sporicidal activity was high against the C. sporogenes spore suspension, with more than 5 log CFU ml(-1) destroyed at all liquid biocide contact times. Sporicidal activity also was high against G. stearothermophilus and M. thermoacetica/thermoautotrophica spores after 30 min of contact, but we found no population reduction at the 5-min contact time for the highest sporicide concentration tested. The foam biocide effectively inactivated C. sporogenes spores adhered to stainless steel but had a reduced decontamination effect on other species. For G. stearothermophilus spores, sanitization with the foam sporicide was more efficient on horizontal steel than on vertical steel, but foam sanitization was ineffective against M. thermoacetica/thermoautotrophica whatever the position. These results highlight that decontamination efficiency may differ depending on whether spores are suspended in an aqueous solution or adhered to a stainless steel surface. Biocide efficiency must be validated using relevant protocols and bacteria representative of the microbiological challenges and issues affecting each food industry. PMID:22289600
Potential contaminants at a dredged spoil placement site, Charles City County, Virginia, as revealed by sequential extraction
Tang, Jianwu; Whittecar, G Richard; Johannesson, Karen H; Daniels, W Lee
Backfills of dredged sediments onto a former sand and gravel mine site in Charles City County, VA may have the potential to contaminate local groundwater. To evaluate the mobility of trace elements and to identify the potential contaminants from the dredged sediments, a sequential extraction scheme was used to partition trace elements associated with the sediments from the local aquifer and the dredged sediments into five fractions: exchangeable, acidic, reducible, oxidizable, and residual phases. Sequential extractions indicate that, for most of the trace elements examined, the residual phases account for the largest proportion of the total concentrations, and their total extractable fractions are mainly from reducible and oxidizable phases. Only Cd, Pb, and Zn have an appreciable extractable proportion from the acidic phase in the filled dredged sediments. Our groundwater monitoring data suggest that the dredged sediments are mainly subject to a decrease in pH and a series of oxidation reactions, when exposed to the atmosphere. Because the trace elements released by carbonate dissolution and the oxidation (e.g., organic matter degradation, iron sulfide and, ammonia oxidation) are subsequently immobilized by sorption to iron, manganese, and aluminum oxides, no potential contaminants to local groundwater are expected by addition of the dredged sediments to this site.
Spare the Rod and Spoil the Child. Is This a Sensible Justification for the Use of Punishment in Child Rearing?
ERIC Educational Resources Information Center
Carey, Timothy A.
This discussion of punishment in child rearing examines the Bible proverb, defines punishment, and identifies criteria necessary for effective punishment. It also considers negative effects of punishment and cultures where corporal punishment has been banned. Alternatives to punishment are discussed, and an alternative form of the proverb is…
Photocatalytic inactivation of bacteria from spoiled raw chicken carcasses in aqueous suspensions by TiO2 nanoparticles
Technology Transfer Automated Retrieval System (TEKTRAN)
Bacterial spoilage is a major cause of reduced shelf life of fresh poultry; therefore, decreasing contamination by spoilage bacteria could increase the shelf life of these products. Titanium dioxide (TiO2) nanoparticles in the presence of UVA light possess antibacterial activities towards several ba...
Transcriptome analysis of beer-spoiling Lactobacillus brevis BSO 464 during growth in degassed and gassed beer.
Bergsveinson, Jordyn; Friesen, Vanessa; Ziola, Barry
Lactobacillus brevis BSO 464 (Lb464) is a beer-spoilage-related (BSR) isolate of interest given its unique physiological attributes; specifically, it is highly hop-tolerant and exhibits very rapid growth in pressurized/gassed beer. RNA sequencing was performed on Lb464 grown in pressurized and non-pressurized beer to determine important genetic mechanisms for growth in these environments. The data generated were compared against data in a previous transcriptional study of another lactic acid bacterium (LAB) during growth in beer, namely, Pediococcus claussenii ATCC BAA-344(T) (Pc344). Results revealed that the most important genetic elements for Lb464 growth in beer are related to biogenic amine metabolism, membrane transport and fortification, nutrient scavenging, and efficient transcriptional regulation. Comparison with the previous transcriptional study of Pc344 indicated that the total coding capacity (plasmid profile and genome size) of a LAB isolate allows for beer-spoilage virulence and adaptation to different beer environments, i.e., the ability to grow in degassed beer (during production) or gassed beer (packaged product). Further, differences in gene expression of Lb464 and Pc344 during mid-exponential growth in beer may dictate how rapidly each isolate exhausts particular carbon sources during. The presence of headspace pressure/dissolved CO2 was found to drive Lb464 transcription during mid-exponential growth in beer towards increasing cell wall and membrane modification, transport, osmoregulation, and DNA metabolism and transposition events. This transcriptional activity resembles transcriptional patterns or signatures observed in a viable, but non-culturable state established by non-related organisms, suggesting that Lb464 overall uses complex cellular regulation to maintain cell division and growth in the stressful beer environment. Additionally, increased expression of several hypothetical proteins, the hop-tolerance gene horC, and DNA repair and recombination genes from plasmids pLb464-2, -4, and -8 were observed in the gassed beer environment. Thus, plasmids can harbor genes with specific (gassed) beer growth advantages, and confirm that plasmid transfer and acquisition as important activities for adaptation to the beer environment. PMID:27394184
24. Photocopy of photograph sketch, Artist and photographer unknown, circa ...
Library of Congress Historic Buildings Survey, Historic Engineering Record, Historic Landscapes Survey
24. Photocopy of photograph sketch, Artist and photographer unknown, circa 1930. Original sketch can be found in Marvine Colliery folder in the archives of the Lackawanna Historical Society, Scranton, Pennsylvania. ARTIST'S RENDERING OF CHANCE CONE, HUDSON COAL COMPANY, SCRANTON, PA. - Marvine Colliery, Breaker No. 2, West side Boulevard Avenue, between East Parker Street & Route 380, Scranton, Lackawanna County, PA
19. Photocopy of photograph. Horgan, 1922. Original photograph can be ...
Library of Congress Historic Buildings Survey, Historic Engineering Record, Historic Landscapes Survey
19. Photocopy of photograph. Horgan, 1922. Original photograph can be found in Marvine Colliery folder in the archives of the Lackawanna Historical Society, Scranton, Pennsylvania. INTERIOR VIEW OF BREAKER, SHOWING SIZED AND WASHED COAL IN COAL CARS, WITH MINING INSPECTORS - Marvine Colliery, Breaker No. 2, West side Boulevard Avenue, between East Parker Street & Route 380, Scranton, Lackawanna County, PA
Are seed and dispersal characteristics of plants capable of predicting colonization of post-mining sites?
Horáčková, Martina; Řehounková, Klára; Prach, Karel
Seed characteristics play an important role in the colonization and subsequent persistence of species during succession in disturbed sites and thus may contribute to being able to predict restoration success. In the present study, we investigated how various seed characteristics participated in 11 spontaneous successional series running in different mining sites (spoil heaps, extracted sand and sand-gravel pits, extracted peatlands, and stone quarries) in the Czech Republic, Central Europe. Using 1864 samples from 1- to 100-years-old successional stages, we tested whether species optimum along the succession gradient could be predicted using 10 basic species traits connected with diaspores and dispersal. Seed longevity, diaspore mass, endozoochory, and autochory appeared to be the best predictors. The results indicate that seed characteristics can predict to a certain degree spontaneous vegetation succession, i.e., passive restoration, in the mining sites. A screening of species available in the given landscape (regional and local species pools) may help to identify those species which would potentially colonize the disturbed sites. Extensive databases of species traits, nowadays available for the Central European flora, enable such screening. PMID:26467252
Feasibility study on the use of soil washing to remediate the As-Hg contamination at an ancient mining and metallurgy area.
Sierra, C; Menéndez-Aguado, J M; Afif, E; Carrero, M; Gallego, J R
Soils in abandoned mining sites generally present high concentrations of trace elements, such as As and Hg. Here we assessed the feasibility of washing procedures to physically separate these toxic elements from soils affected by a considerable amount of mining and metallurgical waste ("La Soterraña", Asturias, NW Spain). After exhaustive soil sampling and subsequent particle-size separation via wet sieving, chemical and mineralogical analysis revealed that the finer fractions held very high concentrations of As (up to 32,500 ppm) and Hg (up to 1600 ppm). These elements were both associated mainly with Fe/Mn oxides and hydroxides. Textural and geochemical data were correlated with the geological substrate by means of a multivariate statistical analysis. In addition, the Hg liberation size (below 200 μm) was determined to be main factor conditioning the selection of suitable soil washing strategies. These studies were finally complemented with a specific-gravity study performed with a C800 Mozley separator together with a grindability test, both novel approaches in soil washing feasibility studies. The results highlighted the difficulties in treating "La Soterraña" soils. These difficulties are attributed to the presence of contaminants embedded in the soil and spoil heap aggregates, caused by the meteorization of gangue and ore minerals. As a result of these two characteristics, high concentrations of the contaminants accumulate in all grain-size fractions. Therefore, the soil washing approach proposed here includes the grinding of particles above 125 μm. PMID:21943924
2D dual permeability modeling of flow and transport in a two-scale structured lignitic mine soil
NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)
Dusek, J.; Gerke, H. H.; Vogel, T.; Maurer, T.; Buczko, U.
Two-dimensional single- and dual-permeability simulations are used to analyze water and solute fluxes in heterogeneous lignitic mine soil at a forest-reclaimed mine spoil heap. The soil heterogeneity on this experimental site "Bärenbrücker Höhe" resulted from inclined dumping structures and sediment mixtures that consist of sand with lignitic dust and embedded lignitic fragments. Observations on undisturbed field suction-cell lysimeters including tracer experiments revealed funneling-type preferential flow with lateral water and bromide movement along inclined sediment structures. The spatial distribution of soil structures and fragment distributions was acquired by a digital camera and identified by a supervised classification of the digital profile image. First, a classical single-domain modeling approach was used, with spatially variable scaling factors inferred from image analyses. In the next step, a two-continuum scenario was constructed to examine additional effects of nonequilibrium on the flow regime. The scaling factors used for the preferential flow domain are here obtained from the gradient of the grayscale images. So far, the single domain scenarios failed to predict the bromide leaching patterns although water effluent could be described. Dual-permeability model allows the incorporation of structural effects and can be used as a tool to further testing other approaches that account for structure effects. The numerical study suggests that additional experiments are required to obtain better understanding of the highly complex transport processes on this experimental site.
Modeling Water Flow and Bromide Transport in a Two-Scale-Structured Lignitic Mine Soil
NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)
Dusek, J.; Gerke, H. H.; Vogel, T.; Maurer, T.; Buczko, U.
Two-dimensional single- and dual-permeability simulations are used to analyze water and solute fluxes in heterogeneous lignitic mine soil at a forest-reclaimed mine spoil heap. The soil heterogeneity on this experimental site "Barenbrucker Hohe" resulted from inclined dumping structures and sediment mixtures that consist of sand with lignitic dust and embedded lignitic fragments. Observations on undisturbed field suction- cell lysimeters including tracer experiments revealed funneling-type preferential flow with lateral water and bromide movement along inclined sediment structures. The spatial distribution of soil structures and fragment distributions was acquired by a digital camera and identified by a supervised classification of the digital profile image. First, a classical single-domain modeling approach was proposed with spatially variable scaling factors inferred from image analyses. In the next step, a two-continuum scenario was constructed to examine additional effects of nonequilibrium on the flow regime. The scaling factors used for the preferential flow domain are here obtained from the gradient of the grayscale images. So far, the single domain scenarios failed to predict the bromide leaching patterns although water effluent could be described. Dual-permeability model allows the incorporation of structural effects and can be used as a tool to further testing other approaches that account for structure effects. The numerical study suggests that additional experiments are required to obtain better understanding of the highly complex transport processes on this experimental site.
An Abandoned Copper Mining Site in Cyprus and Assessment of Metal Concentrations in Plants and Soil.
Baycu, G; Tolunay, D; Ozden, H; Csatari, I; Karadag, S; Agba, T; Rognes, S E
Mining is an important source of metal pollution in the environment and abandoned mines are extremely restricted habitats for plants. Some plant species growing on metalliferous soils around mine tailings and spoil-heaps are metal-tolerant and accumulate high concentrations of metals. In this investigation, we aimed to perform a research in the CMC-abandoned copper mining area in Lefke-North Cyprus to assess the recent metal pollution in soil and plant systems. We collected 16 soil samples and 25 plant species from 8 localities around the vicinity of tailing ponds. Some concentrations of metals in soil samples varied from 185 to 1023 mg kg(-1) Cu, 15.2 to 59.2 mg kg(-1) Ni, 2.3 to 73.6 mg kg(-1) Cd and metals for plants ranged from 0.135 to 283 mg kg(-1) Cu, 0.26 to 31.2 mg kg(-1) Ni, 0.143 to 277 mg kg(-1) Cd. Atriplex semibaccata, Acacia cyanophylla, Erodium spp., Inula viscosa, Juncus sp., Oxalis pes-caprea, Pistacia lentiscus, Senecio vulgaris and Tragopogon sinuatus accumulated higher concentrations. BCF for Atriplex semibaccata was found very high, for this reason this plant can tentatively be considered as a hyperaccumulator of Cu and Cd, but it needs further investigation for its potential in phytoremediation. PMID:25976876
The analysis of spatial and temporal changes of land cover and land use in the reclaimed areas with the application of airborne orthophotomaps and LANDSAT images
NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)
Szostak, Marta; Wężyk, Piotr; Hawryło, Paweł; Pietrzykowski, Marcin
The aim of this study was to investigate the possible use of geoinformatics tools and generally available geodata for mapping land cover/use on the reclaimed areas. The choice of subject was dictated by the growing number of such areas and the related problem of their restoration. Modern technology, including GIS, photogrammetry and remote sensing are relevant in assessing the reclamation effects and monitoring of changes taking place on such sites. The LULC classes mapping, supported with thorough knowledge of the operator, is useful tool for the proper reclamation process evaluation. The study was performed for two post-mine sites: reclaimed external spoil heap of the sulfur mine Machów and areas after exploitation of sulfur mine Jeziórko, which are located in the Tarnobrzeski district. The research materials consisted of aerial orthophotos, which were the basis of on-screen vectorization; LANDSAT satellite images, which were used in the pixel and object based classification; and the CORINE Land Cover database as a general reference to the global maps of land cover and land use.
Identification of oil residues in Roman amphorae (Monte Testaccio, Rome): a comparative FTIR spectroscopic study of archeological and artificially aged samples.
Tarquini, Gabriele; Nunziante Cesaro, Stella; Campanella, Luigi
The application of Fourier Transform InfraRed (FTIR) spectroscopy to the analysis of oil residues in fragments of archeological amphorae (3rd century A.D.) from Monte Testaccio (Rome, Italy) is reported. In order to check the possibility to reveal the presence of oil residues in archeological pottery using microinvasive and\\or not invasive techniques, different approaches have been followed: firstly, FTIR spectroscopy was used to study oil residues extracted from roman amphorae. Secondly, the presence of oil residues was ascertained analyzing microamounts of archeological fragments with the Diffuse Reflectance Infrared Spectroscopy (DRIFT). Finally, the external reflection analysis of the ancient shards was performed without preliminary treatments evidencing the possibility to detect oil traces through the observation of the most intense features of its spectrum. Incidentally, the existence of carboxylate salts of fatty acids was also observed in DRIFT and Reflectance spectra of archeological samples supporting the roman habit of spreading lime over the spoil heaps. The data collected in all steps were always compared with results obtained on purposely made replicas. PMID:24274288
Elimination of surface signals by a surface-spoiling magnetic field gradient. Theoretical optimization and application to human in vivo NMR spectroscopy
NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)
Jehenson, P.; Bloch, G.
W. Chen and J. J. H. Ackerman ( J. Magn. Reson.82, 655, 1989; NMR Biomed.2, 267, 1989) used a superficial magnetic field gradient to eliminate surface signals when observing rat liver in vivo. We have developed a method for computing the optimal gradient coil for a given in vivo application. An analytical solution for the magnetic field created by a planar array of antiparallel current elements was derived for the calculations. The surface-signal suppression obtained by gradient coils of various sizes is presented in a synthetic plot which directly provides the electrical and geometrical parameters of the optimal coil as well as the residual signal in the deep-lying region of interest. This approach was applied to in vivo31P and 31C spectroscopy of the human liver. Hepatic glycogen was detected by natural-abundance 13C NMR without contamination from muscle glycogen, and physiological variation during starvation could be observed.
Characterization of Leuconostoc gasicomitatum sp. nov., Associated with Spoiled Raw Tomato-Marinated Broiler Meat Strips Packaged under Modified-Atmosphere Conditions
Björkroth, K. Johanna; Geisen, Rolf; Schillinger, Ulrich; Weiss, Norbert; De Vos, Paul; Holzapfel, Wilhelm H.; Korkeala, Hannu J.; Vandamme, Peter
Lactic acid bacteria (LAB) associated with gaseous spoilage of modified-atmosphere-packaged, raw, tomato-marinated broiler meat strips were identified on the basis of a restriction fragment length polymorphism (RFLP) (ribotyping) database containing DNAs coding for 16S and 23S rRNAs (rDNAs). A mixed LAB population dominated by a Leuconostoc species resembling Leuconostoc gelidum caused the spoilage of the product. Lactobacillus sakei, Lactobacillus curvatus, and a gram-positive rod phenotypically similar to heterofermentative Lactobacillus species were the other main organisms detected. An increase in pH together with the extreme bulging of packages suggested a rare LAB spoilage type called "protein swell." This spoilage is characterized by excessive production of gas due to amino acid decarboxylation, and the rise in pH is attributed to the subsequent deamination of amino acids. Protein swell has not previously been associated with any kind of meat product. A polyphasic approach, including classical phenotyping, whole-cell protein electrophoresis, 16 and 23S rDNA RFLP, 16S rDNA sequence analysis, and DNA-DNA reassociation analysis, was used for the identification of the dominant Leuconostoc species. In addition to the RFLP analysis, phenotyping, whole-cell protein analysis, and 16S rDNA sequence homology indicated that L. gelidum was most similar to the spoilage-associated species. The two spoilage strains studied possessed 98.8 and 99.0% 16S rDNA sequence homology with the L. gelidum type strain. DNA-DNA reassociation, however, clearly distinguished the two species. The same strains showed only 22 and 34% hybridization with the L. gelidum type strain. These results warrant a separate species status, and we propose the name Leuconostoc gasicomitatum sp. nov. for this spoilage-associated Leuconostoc species. PMID:10966388
Selected portions of test cores from the overburden of the West Moorhead coal deposit in southeastern Montana were examined for possible addition to leach water of toxic substances and for the presence of iron and sulfur bacteria which might contribute to leaching. Leachates were...
Succession of Bacterial Community Structure and Diversity in Soil along a Chronosequence of Reclamation and Re-Vegetation on Coal Mine Spoils in China
Li, Yuanyuan; Wen, Hongyu; Chen, Longqian; Yin, Tingting
The growing concern about the effectiveness of reclamation strategies has motivated the evaluation of soil properties following reclamation. Recovery of belowground microbial community is important for reclamation success, however, the response of soil bacterial communities to reclamation has not been well understood. In this study, PCR-based 454 pyrosequencing was applied to compare bacterial communities in undisturbed soils with those in reclaimed soils using chronosequences ranging in time following reclamation from 1 to 20 year. Bacteria from the Proteobacteria, Chloroflexi, Actinobacteria, Acidobacteria, Planctomycetes and Bacteroidetes were abundant in all soils, while the composition of predominant phyla differed greatly across all sites. Long-term reclamation strongly affected microbial community structure and diversity. Initial effects of reclamation resulted in significant declines in bacterial diversity indices in younger reclaimed sites (1, 8-year-old) compared to the undisturbed site. However, bacterial diversity indices tended to be higher in older reclaimed sites (15, 20-year-old) as recovery time increased, and were more similar to predisturbance levels nearly 20 years after reclamation. Bacterial communities are highly responsive to soil physicochemical properties (pH, soil organic matter, Total N and P), in terms of both their diversity and community composition. Our results suggest that the response of soil microorganisms to reclamation is likely governed by soil characteristics and, indirectly, by the effects of vegetation restoration. Mixture sowing of gramineae and leguminosae herbage largely promoted soil geochemical conditions and bacterial diversity that recovered to those of undisturbed soil, representing an adequate solution for soil remediation and sustainable utilization for agriculture. These results confirm the positive impacts of reclamation and vegetation restoration on soil microbial diversity and suggest that the most important phase of microbial community recovery occurs between 15 and 20 years after reclamation. PMID:25502754
The perspectives, information and conclusions conveyed in research project abstracts, progress reports, final reports, journal abstracts and journal publications convey the viewpoints of the principal investigator and may not represent the views and policies of ORD and EPA. Concl...
Morphostructural Damage in Food-Spoiling Bacteria due to the Lemon Grass Oil and Its Vapour: SEM, TEM, and AFM Investigations
Tyagi, Amit Kumar; Malik, Anushree
In this study, antimicrobial activity and morphostructural damages due to lemon grass oil (LGO) and its vapour (LGOV) against Escherichia coli strains were investigated. Minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) and minimum bactericidal concentration (MBC) of LGO were determined by broth-dilution method to be 0.288 mg/mL and 0.567 mg/mL, respectively. Furthermore, the zone of inhibition (45 mm) due to the vapour phase antimicrobial efficacy evaluated using disc volatilization assay was compared with that using disc diffusion assay (i.e., 13.5 mm for the same dose of oil). The morphological and ultrastructural alterations in LGO- and LGOV-treated E. coli cells were studied using scanning electron microscopy (SEM), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), and atomic-force microscopy (AFM). In SEM observation, LGO-treated cells appeared to be aggregated and partially deformed, while LGOV-treated cells lost their turgidity, and the cytoplasmic material completely leaked from the cells. In TEM observation, extensive intracytoplasmic changes and various abnormalities were observed in LGOV-treated cells more than LGO-treated cells. Significant variations in the height and root mean square values of untreated, LGO-, and LGOV-treated E. coli cells were noticed by AFM. Present results indicate that LGO is highly effective against E. coli in vapour phase. PMID:23082083
Reclamation of acid, toxic coal spoils using wet flue gas desulfurization by-product, fly ash and sewage sludge. Final report
Kost, D.A.; Vimmerstedt, J.P.; Stehouwer, R.C.
Establishment of vegetation on acid abandoned minelands requires modification of soil physical and chemical conditions. Covering the acid minesoil with topsoil or borrow soil is a common practice but this method may be restricted by availability of borrow soil and cause damage to the borrow site. An alternative approach is to use waste materials as soil amendments. There is a long history of using sewage sludge and fly ash as amendments for acid minesoils. Flue gas desulfurization (FGD) by-products are newer materials that are also promising amendments. Most flue gas sludges are mixtures of Calcium sulfate (CaSO{sub 4}), calcium sulfite (CaSO{sub 3}), calcium carbonate (CaCO{sub 3}), calcium hydroxide [Ca(OH){sub 2}], and fly ash. Some scrubbing processes produce almost pure gypsum (CaSO{sub 4}2H{sub 2}O). The primary purpose of the project is to evaluate two wet FGD by-products for effects on vegetation establishment and surface and ground water quality on an acid minesoil. One by-product from the Conesville, OH power plant (American Electric Power Service Corporation) contains primarily calcium sulfite and fly ash. The other by-product (Mg-gypsum FGD) from an experimental scrubber at the Zimmer power plant (Cincinnati Gas and Electric Company) is primarily gypsum with 4% magnesium hydroxide. These materials were compared with borrow soil and sewage sludge as minesoil amendments. Combinations of each FGD sludge with sewage sludge were also tested. This report summarizes two years of measurements of chemical composition of runoff water, ground water at two depths in the subsoil, soil chemical properties, elemental composition and yield of herbaceous ground cover, and elemental composition, survival and height of trees planted on plots treated with the various amendments. The borrow soil is the control for comparison with the other treatments.
Thermophilic spore-forming bacteria isolated from spoiled canned food and their heat resistance. Results of a French ten-year survey.
André, S; Zuber, F; Remize, F
Thermal processing of Low Acid Canned Foods (LACF), which are safe and shelf-stable at ambient temperature for several years, results in heat inactivation of all vegetative microorganisms and the partial or total inactivation of spores. Good Manufacturing Hygienic Practices include stability tests for managing the pathogen risk related to surviving mesophilic bacterial spores. LACF are also often submitted to additional incubation conditions, typically 55 °C for 7 days, to monitor spoilage by thermophiles. In this study we identified the bacterial species responsible for non-stability after prolonged at 55 °C of incubation of LACF from 455 samples collected from 122 French canneries over 10 years. Bacteria were identified by microsequencing or a recent developed tool for group-specific PCR detection (SporeTraQ™). A single species was identified for 93% of examined samples. Three genera were responsible for more than 80% of all non-stability cases: mostly Moorella (36%) and Geobacillus (35%), and less frequently Thermoanaerobacterium (10%). The other most frequent bacterial genera identified were Bacillus, Thermoanaerobacter, Caldanaerobius, Anoxybacillus, Paenibacillus and Clostridium. Species frequency was dependent on food category, i.e. vegetables, ready-made meals containing meat, seafood or other recipes, products containing fatty duck, and related to the intensity of the thermal treatment applied in these food categories. The spore heat resistance parameters (D or δ and z values) from 36 strains isolated in this study were determined. Taken together, our results single out the species most suitable for use as indicators for thermal process settings. This extensively-documented survey of the species that cause non-stability at 55 °C in LACF will help canneries to improve the management of microbial contamination. PMID:23728430
Study of the exposure of British mineworkers to nitrous fumes and the effects on their health. Final report August 77-January 80
Robertson, A.; Collings, P.; Gormley, I.P.; Dodgeon, J.
Shift-average exposures to nitric oxide and nitrogen dioxide have been found to be well within the recommended safety limits in nine British collieries. Differences in the exposures of miners in different collieries and between different locations and occupations within collieries were observed, with diesel locomotive drivers having consistently higher shift-average exposures than other workers. Possible health effects of oxides of nitrogen were investigated by comparing the respiratory health of men with low past exposure against men with higher past exposure to these gases. No differences in forced expired volumes in one second or in the prevalences of cough, phlegm and breathlessness were found between the two population groups.
Mineralogical characterization of tailing dams: incidence of abandoned mining works on soil pollution (Linares, Jaén)
NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)
de la Torre, M. J.; Hidalgo, C.; Rey, J.; Martínez, J.
The metallogenic district of Linares-La Carolina (Jaén, Spain) consists of dyke mineralizations mainly of galena, accompanied by blende, chalcopyrite and barite. Associated to these abandoned mines, relatively extensive areas occupied by spoil heaps and tailing impoundments exist and constitute potential sources of soil pollution by metals and semimetals. In order to analyze the pollution potential of these mining wastes, we have carried out a mineralogical and geochemical study of seven tailing dams and surrounding soils in the area. The mineralogy of the samples was studied by x-ray diffraction (XRD) and scanning electron microscope (SEM). In addition, the total metal content of samples was determined by inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS) analysis. Samples were taken from the first 30 cm of the waste piles and soil deposits and white efflorescences were also obtained from the surface of the tailings. In all analyzed heaps, high to very high total contents in Pb (1220-22890 mg/kg), Zn (150-51280 mg/kg), Mn (2658-4160 mg/kg), Ba (1026-19610 mg/kg) and Fe (19400-138000 mg/kg) were observed. The concentrations for these same elements in the studied soils range from 527-9900 mg/kg for Pb, 27-1700 mg/kg for Zn, 506-2464 mg/kg for Mn, 2832-4306 for Ba and 8642-29753 mg/kg for Fe, and these figures indicate a contamination of the soils, according to the guidelines established by the Spanish law. The XRD and SEM results indicate that the tailings are primarily constituted by gangue of the exploited mineralization: quartz, calcite, ankerite, feldspars and phyllosilicates. They are inherited, primary mineral phases. Galena, also primary, appears in low proportion, as well as lepidocrocite, melanterite and cerussite, being these three last secondary minerals and indicating a certain remobilization of metal cations, especially lead and iron. On the other hand, quartz and phyllosilicates predominate in the soils, in which, in addition, is identified a
Soil-restoration rate and initial soil formation trends on example of anthropogenically affected soils of opencast mine in Kursk region, Russian Federation
NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)
Pigareva, Tatiana
The mining industry is one of the main factors which anthropogenically change the environment. Mining process results in removing of the rocks and mechanical changes of considerable amounts of ground. One of the main results of mining arising of antropic ecosystems as well as increasing of the new created soils total area is technosols. The main factor controlling the soil formation in postmining environment is the quality of spoiled materials. Initial soil formation has been investigated on spoils of the largest iron ore extraction complex in Russia - Mikhailovsky mining and concentration complex which is situated in Kursk region, Russia. Investigated soils are presented by monogenetic weak developed soils of different age (10-15-20 years). Young soils are formed on the loess parent materials (20 year-old soil), or on a mix of sand and clay overburdens (15 and 10-year-old soils). Anthropogenically affected soils are characterized by well-developed humus horizon which is gradually replaced by weakly changed soil-building rocks (profile type A-C for 10-, 15-years old soils, and A-AC-C for 20 years old soils). Gray-humus soils are characterized by presence of diagnostic humus horizon gradually replaced by soil-building rock. The maximum intensity of humus accumulation has been determined in a semi-hydromorphic 10-year-old soil developed on the mixed heaps which is connected with features of water-air conditions complicating mineralization of plant remnants. 20-year-old soil on loess is characterized by rather high rate of organic substances accumulation between all the automorphous soils. It was shown that one of the most effective restoration ways for anthropogenically affected soils is a biological reclamation. Since overburdens once appeared on a day surface are overgrown badly in the first years, they are subject to influence of water and wind erosion. Our researchers have found out that permanent grasses are able to grow quickly; they accumulate a considerable
Library of Congress Historic Buildings Survey, Historic Engineering Record, Historic Landscapes Survey
2. VIEW OF WEST AND SOUTH FACADES WITH SCALE STICK, SHOWING BOILER HOUSE IN BACKGROUND, LOOKING NORTHEAST - Marvine Colliery, Heavy Rail Scales Office, West side Boulevard Avenue, between East Parker Street & Route 380, Scranton, Lackawanna County, PA
Library of Congress Historic Buildings Survey, Historic Engineering Record, Historic Landscapes Survey
1. VIEW OS SOUTH FRONT OF BOILER HOUSE, WITH SCALE STICK, SHOWING HEAVY SCALES OFFICE TO LEFT, LOOKING NORTH - Marvine Colliery, Boiler House No. 2, West side Boulevard Avenue, between East Parker Street & Route 380, Scranton, Lackawanna County, PA
Library of Congress Historic Buildings Survey, Historic Engineering Record, Historic Landscapes Survey
1. VIEW OF EAST FRONT OF BREAKER, WITH SCALE STICK, SHOWING FOUNDATIONS OF RETAIL SCALES IN FOREGROUND, LOOKING WEST - Marvine Colliery, Breaker No. 2, West side Boulevard Avenue, between East Parker Street & Route 380, Scranton, Lackawanna County, PA
Coupling Landform Evolution and Soil Pedogenesis - Initial Results From the SSSPAM5D Model
NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)
Willgoose, G. R.; Welivitiya, W. D. D. P.; Hancock, G. R.; Cohen, S.
Evolution of soil on a dynamic landform is a crucial next step in landscape evolution modelling. Some attempts have been taken such as MILESD by Vanwalleghem et al. to develop a first model which is capable of simultaneously evolving both the soil profile and the landform. In previous work we have presented physically based models for soil pedogenesis, mARM and SSSPAM. In this study we present the results of coupling a landform evolution model with our SSSPAM5D soil pedogenesis model. In previous work the SSSPAM5D soil evolution model was used to identify trends of the soil profile evolution on a static landform. Two pedogenetic processes, namely (1) armouring due to erosion, and (2) physical and chemical weathering were used in those simulations to evolve the soil profile. By incorporating elevation changes (due to erosion and deposition) we have advanced the SSSPAM5D modelling framework into the realm of landscape evolution. Simulations have been run using elevation and soil grading data of the engineered landform (spoil heap) at the Ranger Uranium Mine, Northern Territory, Australia. The results obtained for the coupled landform-soil evolution simulations predict the erosion of high slope areas, development of rudimentary channel networks in the landform and deposition of sediments in lowland areas, and qualitatively consistent with landform evolution models on their own. Examination of the soil profile characteristics revealed that hill crests are weathering dominated and tend to develop a thick soil layer. The steeper hillslopes at the edge of the landform are erosion dominated with shallow soils while the foot slopes are deposition dominated with thick soil layers. The simulation results of our coupled landform and soil evolution model provide qualitatively correct and timely characterization of the soil evolution on a dynamic landscape. Finally we will compare the characteristics of erosion and deposition predicted by the coupled landform-soil SSSPAM
Arsenic contamination and speciation in surrounding waters of three old cinnabar mines.
Larios, Raquel; Fernández-Martínez, Rodolfo; Silva, Verónica; Loredo, Jorge; Rucandio, Isabel
The impact of arsenic pollution in waters from the surroundings of three abandoned Hg mines in Northern Spain, as well as reaching the Caudal River, was evaluated. For assessing the factors controlling arsenic release, an extensive study based on the physicochemical characterization and multivariate statistical analysis of waters upstream and downstream each mine site was performed. Waters downstream of the La Soterraña mine present the highest arsenic concentrations, up to 38.8 mg L(-1), coming mainly from the solubilisation of calcium, magnesium and strontium arsenates at a pH close to neutral. Although arsenic concentrations downstream of La Peña are markedly lower, these values remain too high, indicating that the encapsulation carried out in this spoil heap is insufficient. In addition, the high water flow in this point involves an extremely high input of arsenic to the surroundings (0.3 g s(-1)). Waters close to tailings from Los Rueldos suffer from acid mine drainage, provoking an important solubilisation of arsenic and heavy metals, a situation which is rapidly softened with distance. The study of arsenic speciation reveals the omnipresence of As(v) in waters from the three mines, whereas in La Peña low amounts of As(iii) were also detected. Different preservation methods for As speciation were compared, such as the addition of HCl, EDTA and the storage of samples without any additive, and no alteration of samples in any case up to nine months after the collection was observed. A study of seasonal variations of As and the main parameters affecting its concentration and speciation was completed throughout a year, showing no remarkable dependency with rainfall for any studied variable. PMID:22139034
Preliminary evaluation of a constructed wetland for treating extremely alkaline (pH 12) steel slag drainage.
Mayes, W M; Aumônier, J; Jarvis, A P
High pH (> 12) leachates are an environmental problem associated with drainage from lime (CaO)-rich industrial residues such as steel slags, lime spoil and coal combustion residues. Recent research has highlighted the potential for natural ('volunteer') wetlands to buffer extremely alkaline influent waters. This appears ascribable to high CO(2) partial pressures in the wetland waters from microbial respiration, which accelerates precipitation of calcium carbonate (CaCO(3)), and the high specific surface area for mineral precipitation offered by macrophytes. The research presented here builds on this and provides preliminary evaluation of a constructed wetland built in March 2008 to buffer drainage from steel slag heaps in north-east England. The drainage water from the slag mounds is characterised by a mean pH of 11.9, high concentrations of Ca (up to 700 mg/L), total alkalinity (up to 800 mg/L as CaCO(3)) and are slightly brackish (Na = 300 mg/L; Cl = 400 mg/L) reflecting native groundwaters at this coastal setting. Documented calcite precipitation rates (mean of 5 g CaCO(3)/m(2)/day) from nearby volunteer sites receiving steel slag drainage were used to scale the constructed wetland planted with Phragmites australis; a species found to spontaneously grow in the vicinity of the discharge. Improved performance of the wetland during summer months may at least in part be due to biological activity which enhances rates of calcite precipitation and thus lowering of pH. Secondary Ca-rich precipitates also serve as a sink for some trace elements present at low concentrations in the slag leachate such as Ni and V. The implications for scaling and applying constructed wetlands for highly alkaline drainage are discussed. PMID:19494466
46 CFR 44.340 - Operating restrictions.
Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR
... refuge; and (4) Specific gravity of the spoil carried is not more than the highest specific gravity of... paragraph (a)(1) through (a)(3) of this section; and (2) The maximum specific gravity of the spoils...
46 CFR 44.340 - Operating restrictions.
Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR
... refuge; and (4) Specific gravity of the spoil carried is not more than the highest specific gravity of... paragraph (a)(1) through (a)(3) of this section; and (2) The maximum specific gravity of the spoils...
46 CFR 44.340 - Operating restrictions.
Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR
... refuge; and (4) Specific gravity of the spoil carried is not more than the highest specific gravity of... paragraph (a)(1) through (a)(3) of this section; and (2) The maximum specific gravity of the spoils...
46 CFR 44.340 - Operating restrictions.
Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR
... refuge; and (4) Specific gravity of the spoil carried is not more than the highest specific gravity of... paragraph (a)(1) through (a)(3) of this section; and (2) The maximum specific gravity of the spoils...
46 CFR 44.340 - Operating restrictions.
Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR
... refuge; and (4) Specific gravity of the spoil carried is not more than the highest specific gravity of... paragraph (a)(1) through (a)(3) of this section; and (2) The maximum specific gravity of the spoils...
Hybrid Exploration Agent Platform and Sensor Web System
NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)
Stoffel, A. William; VanSteenberg, Michael E.
A sensor web to collect the scientific data needed to further exploration is a major and efficient asset to any exploration effort. This is true not only for lunar and planetary environments, but also for interplanetary and liquid environments. Such a system would also have myriad direct commercial spin-off applications. The Hybrid Exploration Agent Platform and Sensor Web or HEAP-SW like the ANTS concept is a Sensor Web concept. The HEAP-SW is conceptually and practically a very different system. HEAP-SW is applicable to any environment and a huge range of exploration tasks. It is a very robust, low cost, high return, solution to a complex problem. All of the technology for initial development and implementation is currently available. The HEAP Sensor Web or HEAP-SW consists of three major parts, The Hybrid Exploration Agent Platforms or HEAP, the Sensor Web or SW and the immobile Data collection and Uplink units or DU. The HEAP-SW as a whole will refer to any group of mobile agents or robots where each robot is a mobile data collection unit that spends most of its time acting in concert with all other robots, DUs in the web, and the HEAP-SWs overall Command and Control (CC) system. Each DU and robot is, however, capable of acting independently. The three parts of the HEAP-SW system are discussed in this paper. The Goals of the HEAP-SW system are: 1) To maximize the amount of exploration enhancing science data collected; 2) To minimize data loss due to system malfunctions; 3) To minimize or, possibly, eliminate the risk of total system failure; 4) To minimize the size, weight, and power requirements of each HEAP robot; 5) To minimize HEAP-SW system costs. The rest of this paper discusses how these goals are attained.
Prevention of the formation of acid drainage from high-sulfur coal, coal refuse, and coal spoils by inhibition of iron and sulfur oxidizing microorganisms. Final report, 1 October 1977-30 June 1981
Dugan, P.R.
Acid drainage is a problem associated geographically and geologically with the mining industry and is due to production or sulfuric acid from sulfur-containing minerals. The data presented in the report demonstrate that it is possible to inhibit pyrite-oxidizing bacteria in high sulfur coal refuse with a concurrent reduction in acid drainage formed in the refuse. The most effective inhibitors studied are combinations of sodium lauryl sulfate (SLS) plus sodium benzoate (Bz), both of which are relatively nontoxic to higher organisms.
Cultural Heritage Documentation and Integrated Geomatics Techniques in AN Educational Context: Case Bois-Du (belgium)
NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)
Stal, C.; Goossens, R.; Carlier, L.; Debie, J.; Haoudy, K.; Nuttens, T.; De Wulf, A.
The Walloon Region in Belgium played a leading role in the world economy and in the industrial sciences and engineering since the 19th century. Several relicts, such as important industrial buildings or sites, are spread over a large area and are still dominating the current landscape. Some of these remnants are preserved as monuments, representing the industrial, cultural and ecological transition of the region during the last two centuries. Since 2012, UNESCO recognized the importance of four of the best preserved 19th and 20th century coal mining sites and classified them as World Heritage ("Major Mining Sites of Wallonia", Le Grand-Hornu, Bois-du- Luc, Le Bois du Cazier and Blegny Mine). The four recognised mining sites together form a strip of about 170 km long, containing important examples of the so-called 'neo classical architecture' from the early periods of the industrial era in continental Europe. Motivated by this recognition and by the huge touristic and educational potential of the sites, a partnership between the Walloon government and Ghent University was organized. In this first stage, the collaboration focuses on the site of Bois-du-Luc in the municipality of La Louvière, containing a large series of dwellings, several equipments built between 1853 and 1923 by the Société des Charbonnages du Bois-du-Luc, workshops and heaps. Consisting of numerous buildings dating back to the period between 1838 and 1923, this site is one of Europe's oldest collieries. The collaboration between the Walloon government and Ghent University - Department of Geography fits in the hands-on training which students in land surveying and geomatics receive during their Bachelor studies. For the students it is very interesting that their practical exercises are not limited to the university campus, but that they are involved in a real measurement campaign. The project consists of a series of intensive land surveying campaigns, resulting in highly detailed and accurate
Use of Arbuscular Mycorrhiza and Organic Amendments to Enhance Growth of Macaranga peltata (Roxb.) Müll. Arg. in Iron Ore Mine Wastelands.
Rodrigues, Cassie R; Rodrigues, Bernard F
Macaranga peltata (Roxb.) Mull. Arg. is a disturbance tolerant plant species with potential in mine wasteland reclamation. Our study aims at studying the phyto-extraction potential of M. peltata and determining plant-soil interaction factors effecting plant growth in iron ore mine spoils. Plants were grown in pure mine spoil and spoil amended with Farm Yard Manure (FYM) and Vermicompost (VC) along with arbuscular mycorrhizal (AM) species Rhizophagus irregularis. Pure and amended mine spoils were evaluated for nutrient status. Plant growth parameters and foliar nutrient contents were determined at the end of one year. FYM amendment in spoil significantly increased plant biomass compared to pure mine spoil and VC amended spoil. Foliar Fe accumulation was recorded highest (594.67 μg/g) in pure spoil with no mortality but considerably affecting plant growth, thus proving to exhibit phyto-extraction potential. FYM and VC amendments reduced AM colonization (30.4% and 37% resp.) and plants showed a negative mycorrhizal dependency (-30.35 and -39.83 resp.). Soil pH and P levels and, foliar Fe accumulation are major factors determining plant growth in spoil. FYM amendment was found to be superior to VC as a spoil amendment for hastening plant growth and establishment in iron ore mine spoil. PMID:25495939
Superfund Record of Decision (EPA Region 10): Silver Mountain Mine, WA. (First remedial action), March 1990. Final report
Not Available
The five-acre Silver Mountain Mine site is an abandoned mine dump in Okanogan County, north-central Washington. Land in the site vicinity is used primarily for cattle grazing, and the nearest well, two miles away, is used for cattle watering and irrigation. The nearest residence is three miles south of the site. Operations at the mine were initiated in 1902 to extract silver, gold, and copper from soil and ore. From 1980 to 1981, a cyanide leach heap of previously mined material was constructed in an attempt to extract (leach out) silver and gold. The heap consisted of 5,300 tons of ore on top of a 20 ml plastic liner. About 4,400 pounds of sodium cyanide was mixed with water and sprayed on the top of the heap. The cyanide-laden effluent was then collected in a leachate pond at the base of the heap. The heap leaching operation was abandoned in late 1981 without cleanup of contaminated material. In addition, approximately 5,200 tons of unprocessed mixed material (mine dump) lie to the west of the leach heap. In 1982, the State took action to treat the cyanide at the site using sodium hypochlorite to partially neutralize the leachate pond and heap. In 1985, the State conducted a site stabilization effort, which included removal of liquids from the leachate pond and installation of a 33 ml plastic cover over the heap and pond.
76 FR 52688 - Notice of Intent To Prepare an Environmental Impact Statement for the Sheep Mountain Uranium...
Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014
... underground mining methods to extract the ore. Uranium recovery would be performed on-site using heap leach... underground mining may use diesel-powered equipment and blasting to extract and transport the ore to the heap... of the pit. After being received at the processing facility, ore would be placed on the...
Benthic foraminifera (Protista) as indicators of metal pollution in areas of historic mining: examples from southwest England
NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)
Hart, Malcolm; Smart, Christopher
Southwest England has been, from Roman times, an important mining area supplying a range of important metals, including copper, tin, tungsten, arsenic, zinc, silver, etc. This mining activity virtually disappeared in the twentieth century, although one tungsten mine near Plymouth has recently re-opened. Large areas of Cornwall and West Devon are now inscribed as the 'Cornish Mining World Heritage Site' on the cultural list of UNESCO. Many of the old mines with their spoil heaps and tailings dams are now protected and, together with the mineral-rich local geology, provide many catchments with on-going metal pollution. In January 1992, after a period of prolonged, heavy rainfall Wheal Jane mine flooded and discharged heavily polluted, acidic, water into Restonguet Creek and the Fal Estuary. This event provided the setting for a detailed investigation of the immediate impact of the pollution and the resulting environmental improvements caused by engineering interventions and natural re-adjustment. Benthic foraminifera disappeared from Restronguet Creek for a number of years and while there is now an abundant, though low diversity, estuarine assemblage of foraminifera living in the creek there are still high levels (<15% in 2004) of test deformity recorded (Olugbode et al., 2005). In other parts of the Fal Estuary (a Special Area of Conservation under the EU Habitats Directive, 2000), deformed foraminifera are very rare and the measured levels of pollution can be used to compare with the test deformity data. In other estuarine systems in southwest England, such as the River Fowey and the River Tamar, levels of deformity are less, though still significant for areas no longer being actively mined. This demonstrates that polluted sediments in all these estuaries, which can be disturbed during floods or times of stormy weather, and the background levels of metal elements in the catchments that supply these estuaries, are sufficient to maintain these levels of deformity in
Caves, mines and subterranean spaces: hazard and risk from exposure to radon.
NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)
Crockett, R. G. M.; Gillmore, G. K.
areas (via spoil heaps, settlement lagoons etc. containing uranium and radium). We here present an overview of the potential hazard presented by radon in subterranean spaces and by metalliferous mining activities. We also present some speculation as to evidence of (pre-) historic exposure to radon which might potentially exist in archaeological remains and oral traditions. Keywords: radon; caves; metalliferous mining; cave-dwellers; archaeologists.
Library of Congress Historic Buildings Survey, Historic Engineering Record, Historic Landscapes Survey
17. INTERIOR VIEW OF HILLMAN FAN HOUSE ENGINE ROOM LOOKING EAST The direct-acting 1883 Pittston Engine and Machine Company steam engine was made by George A. Parrish and W. B. Culver of West Pittston, Pennsylvania. - Dorrance Colliery Fan Complex, South side of Susquehanna River at Route 115 & Riechard Street, Wilkes-Barre, Luzerne County, PA
9. EXTERIOR VIEW OF BALTIMORE FAN HOUSE LOOKING NORTHEAST The ...
Library of Congress Historic Buildings Survey, Historic Engineering Record, Historic Landscapes Survey
9. EXTERIOR VIEW OF BALTIMORE FAN HOUSE LOOKING NORTHEAST The brick and concrete construction of the engine room, airways, and chimney are evident. The shaft housing and flywheel of the Allis- Chalmers Corliss steam engine are visible through the window of the engine room. - Dorrance Colliery Fan Complex, South side of Susquehanna River at Route 115 & Riechard Street, Wilkes-Barre, Luzerne County, PA
Root extract of Anacyclus pyrethrum ameliorates seizures, seizure-induced oxidative stress and cognitive impairment in experimental animals.
Pahuja, Monika; Mehla, Jogender; Reeta, K H; Joshi, Sujata; Gupta, Yogendra Kumar
In Ayurveda, Anacyclus pyrethrum has been used as a brain tonic. The present study evaluates the effect of hydroalcoholic extract of A. pyrethrum (HEAP) root against seizures, seizure-induced oxidative stress and cognitive impairment in experimental models of seizures. Male Wistar rats were used in the study. HEAP was administered in doses of 50, 100, 250, 500 in pentylenetetrazole (PTZ) model and 250, 500 and 1000 mg/kg in maximal electroshock (MES) model. Myoclonic jerk latency and generalized tonic clonic seizures (GTCS) were noted in PTZ whereas occurrence of tonic hind limb extension (THLE) was observed in MES seizures. Cognitive deficit was assessed using elevated plus maze and passive avoidance tests. Whole brain reduced glutathione, malondialdehyde levels and cholinesterase activity were measured. HEAP showed 50, 66.7, 83.3 and 100% protection at 50,100, 250 and 500 mg/kg, respectively against GTCS in PTZ induced seizures. In MES induced seizures, HEAP produced 16.7, 33.3 and 50% protection against THLE at 250, 500 and 1000 mg/kg, respectively. HEAP administration significantly prevented seizure induced oxidative stress and cognitive impairment in a dose-dependent manner. HEAP also normalized the decrease in cholinesterase activity caused by seizures. Thus, HEAP showed protective effect against seizures, seizure-induced oxidative stress and cognitive impairment in rats. PMID:21993359
33 CFR 148.725 - What are the design, construction and operational criteria?
Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR
... sound waste disposal, resource recovery, affected area reclamation, and enhanced use of spoil and waste... currents and wave patterns; (e) Avoid groundwater drawdown or saltwater intrusion, and minimizes...
Novel Binders and Methods for Agglomeration of Ore
S. K. Kawatra; T. C. Eisele; K. A. Lewandowski; J. A. Gurtler
Heap leaching is one of the methods being used to recover metal from low grade ore deposits. The main problem faced during heap leaching is the migration of fine grained particles through the heap, forming impermeable beds which result in poor solution flow. The poor solution flow leads to less contact between the leach solution and the ore, resulting in low recovery rates. Agglomeration of ore into coarse, porous masses prevents fine particles from migrating and clogging the spaces and channels between the larger ore particles. Currently, there is one facility in the United States which uses agglomeration. This operation agglomerates their ore using leach solution (raffinate), but is still experiencing undesirable metal recovery from the heaps due to agglomerate breakdown. The use of a binder, in addition to the leach solution, during agglomeration would help to produce stronger agglomerates that did not break down during processing. However, there are no known binders that will work satisfactorily in the acidic environment of a heap, at a reasonable cost. As a result, operators of many facilities see a large loss of process efficiency due to their inability to take advantage of agglomeration. Increasing copper recovery in heap leaching by the use of binders and agglomeration would result in a significant decrease in the amount of energy consumed. Assuming that 70% of all the leaching heaps would convert to using agglomeration technology, as much as 1.64*10{sup 12} BTU per year would be able to be saved if a 25% increase in copper recovery was experienced, which is equivalent to saving approximately 18% of the energy currently being used in leaching heaps. For every week a leach cycle was decreased, a savings of as much as 1.23*10{sup 11} BTU per week would result. This project has identified several acid-resistant binders and agglomeration procedures. These binders and experimental procedures will be able to be used for use in improving the energy efficiency of
Superfund record of decision (EPA Region 8): Summitville Mine Superfund Site, Operable Unit 1, Summitville, CO, December 15, 1994
Not Available
The decision document presents the selected interim remedial action for reducing or eliminating acid mine drainage (AMD) and cyanide contaminated waters from the Heap Leach Pad (HLP) at the Summitville Mine Superfund Site in Rio Grande County, Colorado. The interim remedial action for the HLP addresses the reduction or elimination of acid mine drainage and cyanide contaminated waters from the Heap Leach Pad. The purpose of this interim remedial action is to control the transport of cyanide and toxic metals from the Heap Leach Pad (HLP) into Cropsy Creek and Wightman Fork.
The lightweight heap profiling tool memP Version 1 provides a library that can be used with MPI applications that make use of heap memory allocations to provide profile data based on the per-task high-water-mark of heap allocation. The memP output is generated as a text report that can present summary information or specific detail of the allocation call site data for each task The memP library source code is based on teh mpiP MPI profilingmore » library (http://mpip.sourceforge.net), but is substantially different in functionality and organization.« less
[Biological attestation of the fibrogenic effect of dust from selected coal mines on the lung tissue].
Zyłka-Włoszczyk, M; Ociepiński, M; Szaflarska-Stojko, E
The studies aimed at determining the changes in respiratory system of animals after intratracheal administration of settled dusts sampled from seams 116 and 188 in Janina colliery and seams 314 and 317 in Victoria colliery. For comparison, dusts sampled gravimetrically from a/m seams in Janina and Victoria collieries were intratracheally administered to animals. Crystalline silica concentrations determined by Polezajew method in dusts from Janina and Victoria collieries were 2.4% to 8.1% and 1.6% to 2.8%, respectively. Biological aggressiveness of mine dusts was examined using intraperitoneal, pulmonary and hemolytic tests. Hydroxyproline concentration was determined by Stegemann method using the modification of Hurych and Chvapil (2). The results of biochemical analysis were subjected to a statistical analysis by t-Student's test. Specimens from lungs for histopathological examination were stained with hematoxylin and eosin, while collagen fibres were stained by Van Gieson method. A single intratracheal administration of dust collected gravimetrically from 116 seam and settled dust from seam 118 in Janina colciery caused, after six months, a hypro-increase by more than three times comparing with the control group. No correlations were found between higher hypro-levels in lungs and histological changes. It seems probable that higher hypro-levels in lungs can be caused mainly by SiO2 whose concentration in dusts was 8%. Similar concentrations of aluminium and ferrous compounds may suggest that their influence on the biological activity of silica is mutually eliminated. After a six-month intratracheal administration of dusts from Victoria colliery in Wałbrzych, a hypro-decrease was observed compared to a three-month period of administration.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS) PMID:1667025
How Real are Virtual Rubble Piles?
NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)
Pawar, H.; Singh, S.; Sonar, P.; Bhateja, A.; Sharma, I.; Singh, J. K.
In the current study, we employ Discrete Element Method (DEM) to calculate internal friction angle of granular aggregates via heap formation and triaxial shear tests. The effect of interaction laws on internal friction angle has also been explored.
78 FR 77706 - Notice of Intent To Prepare an Environmental Impact Statement for the Proposed Gemfield Mine...
Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014
... impacts associated with the Gemfield Mine Project, a proposed open pit gold mine and associated processing... pit, heap leach, gold mining operation known as the Gemfield Mine Project. The proposed project...
77 FR 46091 - Notice of Proposed Administrative Settlement Pursuant to the Comprehensive Environmental Response...
Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014
... address releases from the Arimetco heap leach fluid management system (``FMS''). Respondent will conduct a study to assess options to ensure approximately five years of fluid capacity in the FMS, and may...
Influence of fine particles on the stability of a humid granular pile.
Huang, Xixi; Bec, Sandrine; Colombani, Jean
We have investigated by rotating drum experiments the influence of a small amount of fine particles on the stability of a granular heap. The fine particles are shown to have a strong and ambivalent influence. For low fine particle content, the heap destabilizes by avalanches, and the fine particles tend to fluidize the heap. In contrast, for high fine particle content, they increase the cohesion of the heap, which destabilizes through stick-slip at the drum wall. We interpret and model the fluidification in the avalanching regime, which we show is independent of humidity, by granular lubrication considerations, whereas the stick-slip behavior, highly dependent on humidity, is understood by a solid friction model. PMID:25493785
18 CFR 1304.207 - Channel excavation on TVA-owned residential access shoreland.
Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR
... reservoir drawdown periods. (g) Channel excavations must be accomplished during the reservoir drawdown when the reservoir bottom is exposed and dry. (h) Spoil material from channel excavations must be placed in... Risk Profile elevation. For those reservoirs that have no flood control storage, dredge spoil must...
18 CFR 1304.207 - Channel excavation on TVA-owned residential access shoreland.
Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR
... reservoir drawdown periods. (g) Channel excavations must be accomplished during the reservoir drawdown when the reservoir bottom is exposed and dry. (h) Spoil material from channel excavations must be placed in... Risk Profile elevation. For those reservoirs that have no flood control storage, dredge spoil must...
18 CFR 1304.207 - Channel excavation on TVA-owned residential access shoreland.
Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR
... reservoir drawdown periods. (g) Channel excavations must be accomplished during the reservoir drawdown when the reservoir bottom is exposed and dry. (h) Spoil material from channel excavations must be placed in... Risk Profile elevation. For those reservoirs that have no flood control storage, dredge spoil must...
Thread Migration in the Presence of Pointers
NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)
Cronk, David; Haines, Matthew; Mehrotra, Piyush
Dynamic migration of lightweight threads supports both data locality and load balancing. However, migrating threads that contain pointers referencing data in both the stack and heap remains an open problem. In this paper we describe a technique by which threads with pointers referencing both stack and non-shared heap data can be migrated such that the pointers remain valid after migration. As a result, threads containing pointers can now be migrated between processors in a homogeneous distributed memory environment.
Effect of Anacyclus pyrethrum on pentylenetetrazole-induced kindling, spatial memory, oxidative stress and rho-kinase II expression in mice.
Pahuja, Monika; Mehla, Jogender; Reeta, K H; Tripathi, Manjari; Gupta, Yogendra Kumar
Anacyclus pyrethrum (A. pyrethrum) has been reported to exhibit anticonvulsant activity. In the present study, the effect of hydro-alcoholic extract of A. pyrethrum root (HEAP) on pentylenetetrazole (PTZ) induced kindling, spatial memory, oxidative stress and rho kinase (ROCK II) was assessed. Male albino mice (25-30 g) were used in the study. PTZ (35 mg/kg, i.p. on alternate days) was injected to induce kindling and PTZ (70 mg/kg, i.p) challenge was given 7 days post-kindling. HEAP was administered orally daily in the doses of 100, 250 and 500 mg/kg along with PTZ injections during the kindling process and continued till PTZ challenge post kindling. Spatial memory was assessed using Morris water maze test. Oxidative stress parameters [malondialdehyde (MDA) and reduced glutathione (GSH)] and ROCK II expression were estimated in whole brain at the end of the study. Pre-treatment with HEAP (250 and 500 mg/kg) showed significant increase in the myoclonic jerk latency and delay in the development of kindling. A significant decrease in mortality was observed at higher doses of HEAP (250 and 500 mg/kg). Pre-treatment with HEAP significantly increased the number of platform crossings and decreased the escape latency, as opposed to the PTZ group, thus showing protection against memory deficit. HEAP pre-treatment also attenuated the oxidative stress induced by PTZ kindling. PTZ induced kindling increased the ROCK II expression whereas, HEAP pre-treatment attenuated the increase in ROCK II expression. To conclude, HEAP pre-treatment showed antiepileptic effect and also showed protection against cognitive impairment by decreasing oxidative stress and ROCK II expression in PTZ kindled mice. PMID:23242789
Low temperature FTIR, Raman, NMR spectroscopic and theoretical study of hydroxyethylammonium picrate
NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)
Sudharsana, N.; Sharma, A.; Kuş, N.; Fausto, R.; Luísa Ramos, M.; Krishnakumar, V.; Pal, R.; Guru Row, T. N.; Nagalakshmi, R.
A combined experimental (infrared, Raman and NMR) and theoretical quantum chemical study is performed on the charge-transfer complex hydroxyethylammonium picrate (HEAP). The infrared (IR) spectra for HEAP were recorded at various temperatures, ranging from 16 K to 299 K, and the Raman spectrum was recorded at room temperature. A comparison of the experimental IR and Raman spectra with the corresponding calculated spectra was done, in order to facilitate interpretation of the experimental data. Formation of the HEAP complex is evidenced by the presence of the most prominent characteristic bands of the constituting groups of the charge-transfer complex [e.g., NH3+, CO- and NO2]. Vibrational spectroscopic analysis, together with natural bond orbital (NBO) and theoretical charge density analysis in the crystalline phase, was used to shed light on relevant structural details of HEAP resulting from deprotonation of picric acid followed by formation of a hydrogen bond of the N-H⋯OC type between the hydroxyethylammonium cation and the picrate. 13C and 1H NMR spectroscopic analysis are also presented for the DMSO-d6 solution of the compound revealing that in that medium the HEAP crystal dissolves forming the free picrate and hydroxyethylammonium ions. Finally, the electron excitation analysis of HEAP was performed in an attempt to determine the nature of the most important excited states responsible for the NLO properties exhibited by the compound.
Cyanide hazards to plants and animals from gold mining and related water issues
Eisler, R.; Wiemeyer, Stanley N.
Highly toxic sodium cyanide (NaCN) is used by the international mining community to extract gold and other precious metals through milling of high-grade ores and heap leaching of low-grade ores (Korte et al. 2000). The process to concentrate gold using cyanide was developed in Scotland in 1887 and was used almost immediately in the Witwatersrand gold fields of the Republic of South Africa. Heap leaching with cyanide was proposed by the U.S. Bureau of Mines in 1969 as a means of extracting gold from low-grade ores. The gold industry adopted the technique in the 1970s, soon making heap leaching the dominant technology in gold extraction (Da Rosa and Lyon 1997). The heap leach and milling processes, which involve dewatering of gold-bearing ores, spraying of dilute cyanide solutions on extremely large heaps of ores containing low concentrations of gold, or the milling of ores with the use of cyanide and subsequent recovery of the gold-cyanide complex, have created a number of serious environmental problems affecting wildlife and water management. In this account, we review the history of cyanide use in gold mining with emphasis on heap leach gold mining, cyanide hazards to plants and animals, water management issues associated with gold mining, and proposed mitigation and research needs.
Ground-water movement and effects of coal strip mining on water quality of high-wall lakes and aquifers in the Macon-Huntsville area, north- central Missouri
Hall, D.C.; Davis, R.E.
Glacial drift and Pennsylvanian bedrock were mixed together forming spoil during pre-reclamation strip mining for coal in north-central Missouri. This restructuring of the land increases the porosity of the material, and increases aqueous concentrations of many dissolved constituents. Median sodium and bicarbonate concentrations were slightly greater, calcium 5 times greater, magnesium 6 times greater, manganese 15 times greater, iron 19 times greater, and sulfate 24 times greater in water from spoil than in water from glacial drift. Median potassium concentrations were slightly greater, and chloride concentrations were two times greater in water from glacial drift than in water from spoil. Water types in glacial drift and bedrock were mostly sodium bicarbonate and calcium bicarbonate; in spoil and lakes in the spoil, the water types were mostly calcium sulfate. Median pH values in water from spoil were 6.6, as compared to 7.4 in water from glacial drift and 9.0 in water from bedrock. Neutralization of acid by carbonate rocks causes the moderate pH values in water from spoil; a carbonate system closed to the atmosphere may result in alkaline pH values in bedrock. Transmissivities generally are greatest for spoil, and decrease in the following order: alluvium, glacial drift, and bedrock. Recharge to spoil is from precipitation, lateral flow from glacial drift, and lateral and vertical flow from bedrock. The rate of recharge to the aquifers is unknown, but probably is small. Groundwater discharge from the glacial drift, bedrock, and spoil is to alluvium. The direction of flow generally was from high-wall lakes in the spoil toward East Fork Little Chariton River or South Fork Claybank Creek. Significant differences (95% confidence level) in values and concentrations of aqueous constituents between spoil areas mined at different times (1940, 1952, and 1968) were obtained for pH, calcium, magnesium, manganese, sulfate, chloride, and dissolved solids, but not for iron
4. EXTERIOR VIEW OF HILLMAN FAN HOUSE LOOKING NORTHEAST This ...
Library of Congress Historic Buildings Survey, Historic Engineering Record, Historic Landscapes Survey
4. EXTERIOR VIEW OF HILLMAN FAN HOUSE LOOKING NORTHEAST This view shows the concrete roof covering the airways and the engine room. The reinforced concrete roof is supported by metal beams. Note how the airshaft, in the foreground, widens to create an airway on either side for the double inlet fan. The brick fan housing is capped by a curved sheet metal roof whose segments are bolted together. The brick updraft chimney, capped with concrete, is to the rear (northeast). Also evident on the wall is the cover over the air velocity indicator. The Hollenback Cemetery, which adjoins the Dorrance Colliery property is in the background. - Dorrance Colliery Fan Complex, South side of Susquehanna River at Route 115 & Riechard Street, Wilkes-Barre, Luzerne County, PA
Ecological bases of land reclamation in the mining regions of Ukraine
NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)
Kharytonov, Mykola; Gumentyk, Myhailo; Heilmeier, Hermann
The mining production is situated in the several provinces of Ukraine. Specification of the problem coal and mixed sulfide mining activities in Ukraine have resulted in the generation of hundreds of millions of tons of hazardous wastes consisting of rest of manganese and iron oxides, traces of rare elements, sulphur bearing minerals, such as pyrite. These wastes have been / are still deposited, throughout the years, in huge stockpiles and dams. Land restoration in the mining region takes several forms. One of the ways is land reclamation. This way includes forest, recreation and agricultural reclamation. Land reclamation in industrial regions is conducted in one technological cycle with the process of ore mining. The soil mass is taken off, piled up and heaped onto the land after the rock has been replaced. The ecohydrogeological background of reclaimed lands forming and exploration was worked out. It foresee an environment restoration of disturbed lands to manage flow down, atmospheric precipitations taking aside, the process of the reclaimed profile biogenetic horizons formation and promotion with total depth 1.0-1.2 m and involvement of more suitable rocks and artificial drainage building. The effectiveness of different models of land reclamation and heavy metals migration through the rock-soil-plant system was investigated. Field experiments were carried out to study the adaptive potential of plants having different requirements for substrate fertility, with the main task to assess the prospects of land management for the rocks of the Nikopol manganese basin. The rocks exposed to the surface after manganese ore mining, first technical stage of landscape restoration, and plant melioration stages pass into other geochemical conditions and change their physical-chemical properties. During long-term melioration crops have dramatically improved some processes as following: bioweathering of rocks, phytomeliorated rocks fertility growth, etc. Meantime some rocks
Multidisciplinary studies on ancient sandstone quarries of Western Sardinia (Italy).
NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)
Grillo, Silvana Maria; Del Vais, Carla; Naitza, Stefano
The ancient coastal quarries of Mediterranean are increasingly considered geosites of multidisciplinary relevance. They are sites of historical-archaeological interest that show ancient techniques of stone extraction; they are significant for cultural heritage conservation and restoration, as sources of the stones used in ancient buildings and monuments; they are sites of geological relevance, as often retain important stratigraphic sections; they are also useful markers of secular changes in the sea level. A multisciplinary study is in progress on the ancient quarries of the Sinis region (western Sardinia island), integrating archaeological, geological, minero-petrographical data. In Sardinia, coastal quarries have been established from Punic and Roman times. Many of them exploited Quaternary sediments along the southern and western coasts of the island. They consist of middle-late Pleistocene marine conglomerates and carbonate sandstones, and of coastal (aeolian) carbonate sandstones. Sandstone blocks of different sizes have been widely used in ancient cities for buildings, defensive works, harbours, etc. Three main areas of stone extraction (San Giovanni di Sinis, Punta Maimoni, Is Arutas) have been so far recognized in the Sinis. GIS-supported mapping and documentation of the sites includes their geology and stratigraphy, the extension and layout of the quarries, and an evaluation of volumes of extracted rocks. Documented archaeological evidences include ancient extraction fronts, spoil heaps, working areas, working traces in the old fronts, transport routes of blocks, and traces of loading facilities. The study is aimed at reconstructing the relationships of the quarries with the urban areas of Sinis, as the ancient Punic-Roman city of Tharros. Consequently, a minero-petrographical characterization (optical microscopy, XRD) is performed on sandstones sampled in each quarry, and in historical buildings in Tharros and other centres of the region (Cabras
Library of Congress Historic Buildings Survey, Historic Engineering Record, Historic Landscapes Survey
18. INTERIOR VIEW OF BALTIMORE FAN HOUSE ENGINE ROOM LOOKING EAST The flywheel of the 1908 Allis-Chalmers Corliss steam engine and flywheel are in the foreground. The engine is a horizontal slide valve type with a 24 inch bore and 48 inch stroke. It was direct connected to the Dickson Guibal fan which rotated at 69 revolutions per minute. - Dorrance Colliery Fan Complex, South side of Susquehanna River at Route 115 & Riechard Street, Wilkes-Barre, Luzerne County, PA
A comparative study of removal of fluoride from contaminated water using shale collected from different coal mines in India.
Biswas, Gargi; Dutta, Manjari; Dutta, Susmita; Adhikari, Kalyan
Low-cost water defluoridation technique is one of the most important issues throughout the world. In the present study, shale, a coal mine waste, is employed as novel and low-cost adsorbent to abate fluoride from simulated solution. Shale samples were collected from Mahabir colliery (MBS) and Sonepur Bazari colliery (SBS) of Raniganj coalfield in West Bengal, India, and used to remove fluoride. To increase the adsorption efficiency, shale samples were heat activated at a higher temperature and samples obtained at 550 °C are denoted as heat-activated Mahabir colliery shale (HAMBS550) and heat-activated Sonepur Bazari colliery shale (HASBS550), respectively. To prove the fluoride adsorption onto different shale samples and ascertain its mechanism, natural shale samples, heat-activated shale samples, and their fluoride-loaded forms were characterized using scanning electron microscopy, energy dispersive X-ray analysis, X-ray diffraction study, and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy. The effect of different parameters such as pH, adsorbent dose, size of particles, and initial concentration of fluoride was investigated during fluoride removal in a batch contactor. Lower pH shows better adsorption in batch study, but it is acidic in nature and not suitable for direct consumption. However, increase of pH of the solution from 3.2 to 6.8 and 7.2 during fluoride removal process with HAMBS550 and HASBS550, respectively, confirms the applicability of the treated water for domestic purposes. HAMBS550 and HASBS550 show maximum removal of 88.3 and 88.5 %, respectively, at initial fluoride concentration of 10 mg/L, pH 3, and adsorbent dose of 70 g/L. PMID:26620857
Prospects for use of lean coking coal from the Kuznetsk coalfield for coking
Sulimov, G.I.; Agafonov, A.A.; Ol'shanetskii, L.G.
Coals suitable for opencast working in the southern Kuzbass form a transitional stage between low-volatile caking and lean coal and have been incorporated satisfactorily in layer coking charges together with conventional coking coal. Strength tests showed a reasonably strong metallurgical product. Two collieries in particular offered promising coals with a narrow range of vitrinite contents and varying only in rank. These have been blended with a fat coal from Pechora to produce an exceptional metallurgical coke.
Contracting out of clinical services in Zimbabwe.
McPake, B; Hongoro, C
Contracting is increasingly recommended to developing countries as a way of improving the efficiency of the health sector. However, empirical evidence regarding its effectiveness in this respect is almost completely absent. In Zimbabwe, a long standing contract exists between the Ministry of Health and Wankie Colliery to provide clinical services in the Colliery's 400 bed hospital. This paper details a study of the Zimbabweans' experience with the contract. Its success is assessed using comparisons with a neighbouring government hospital of the price of services (vs the cost in the government hospital); the situation of hospital workers; and the quality of services delivered. The Colliery has established a monopoly position for hospital services in the district. However, it appears to offer services of at least as good quality at prices which are lower than the unit costs of the government hospital when capital costs are included. Nevertheless, the contract cannot be considered a success due to the failure to contain its total cost. Approximately 70% of provincial non-salary recurrent expenditure is consumed by the contract while only a minority of the province's population have access to the Colliery hospital. Screening patients, both with respect to their ability to pay and to their need for secondary level services does not take place with the result that utilization levels are not controlled. The study highlights a number of important issues affecting contracting in developing country setting: First, contracted institutions attain powerful bargaining positions if there are no viable competitors and the government does not itself retain capacity to offer an alternative service. Second, specific skills are needed for the management of contracts at all levels. If the process of contract development responds to a crisis driven agenda resulting from civil service retrenchment and public expenditure cuts, it is unlikely that adequate consideration will be given to
Improved intersection design and monitoring in the Sydney Coalfield
Corbett, G.R.; Payne, D.A.
The introduction of roof bolts to Phalen Colliery in the Sydney Coalfield, Nova Scotia (annual output of 2Mt) has been successfully implemented in maingate and tailgate entries over the last four years. Monitoring of the roof bolted areas continues to be an integral part of the quality control program as the results are utilized to maintain safety and to aid in long-term design strategies. Although all gateroads in the Phalen Colliery have converted to roof bolts as their primary means of support, the majority of intersections which intersect the main slopes remain supported by large steel structures. Several intersections within the Phalen Colliery were monitored as they were created by the mining process. A comparison is made between intersections supported with only traditional 6.4 to 6.7 m steel structure and intersections supported by 2.44 m fully resin encapsulated roof bolts in conjunction with 7.6 m fully cement grouted cable bolts. Detailed monitoring was conducted using CANMET`s intrinsically safe sonic probe extensometers data logger which has the ability to read up to sixteen probes simultaneously at programmed intervals. The density of the data from the data logger has allowed a better understanding of the deformation of cable bolted intersections than was possible with manual monitoring. Test results have helped mine operators to design safer cable bolted intersections.
Mortality in an extended follow-up of British coal workers
NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)
MacCalman; L; Miller; G, B.
The Pneumoconiosis Field Research (PFR) programme was established in the 1950s, to evaluate effects of coal mining exposures on the health and mortality of British coal workers. Surveys of working miners were carried out at 5-yearly intervals, initially in 24 collieries but later concentrating on 10, collecting detailed work histories and health information for each recruit. Here we report on cause-specific mortality in a cohort of almost 18,000 men from 10 British collieries, followed up for periods up to 47 years, yielding over 516,000 life-years of follow-up. External analyses compared cause-specific death rates in the cohort to those of the population of the regions in which the collieries were situated, using Standardised Mortality Ratios (SMRs). The causes investigated included lung cancer, stomach cancer, non-malignant respiratory disorders and cardiovascular disorders. SMRs showed evidence of an initial healthy worker effect diminishing over time. Several causes, including non-malignant respiratory disease and lung cancer, showed a significant deficit of mortality at the start of the study period with an excess in the latter part of the follow-up period. In these results, effects of working conditions are likely to be confounded with smoking habits. Overall, we believe our results may be generalised to the British coal industry since nationalisation.
The microbiology of biomining: development and optimization of mineral-oxidizing microbial consortia.
Rawlings, Douglas E; Johnson, D Barrie
Biomining, the use of micro-organisms to recover precious and base metals from mineral ores and concentrates, has developed into a successful and expanding area of biotechnology. While careful considerations are made in the design and engineering of biomining operations, microbiological aspects have been subjected to far less scrutiny and control. Biomining processes employ microbial consortia that are dominated by acidophilic, autotrophic iron- or sulfur-oxidizing prokaryotes. Mineral biooxidation takes place in highly aerated, continuous-flow, stirred-tank reactors or in irrigated dump or heap reactors, both of which provide an open, non-sterile environment. Continuous-flow, stirred tanks are characterized by homogeneous and constant growth conditions where the selection is for rapid growth, and consequently tank consortia tend to be dominated by two or three species of micro-organisms. In contrast, heap reactors provide highly heterogeneous growth environments that change with the age of the heap, and these tend to be colonized by a much greater variety of micro-organisms. Heap micro-organisms grow as biofilms that are not subject to washout and the major challenge is to provide sufficient biodiversity for optimum performance throughout the life of a heap. This review discusses theoretical and pragmatic aspects of assembling microbial consortia to process different mineral ores and concentrates, and the challenges for using constructed consortia in non-sterile industrial-scale operations. PMID:17259603
3D modeling of density and substratum topography effects in a heterogeneous aquifer: the case of the hundred year saline pollution in the Upper Rhine valley
NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)
Lucas, Yann; Younes, Anis; Ackerer, Philippe
Knowing the distribution of fresh and saline groundwater is an important issue of the sustainable management of water resources. Here we deal with groundwater plume pollution coming from brines of salted waste heaps in the Upper Rhine aquifer, one of the most important groundwater resources for Western Europe. It has been contaminated in its upstream part by mining brine infiltration coming from potash extraction which started at the beginning of the twentieth century. The salty residues were stored in waste heaps near the mine shafts, and, due to rainwater percolation through the heaps, saline aqueous solutions mixed with groundwater and then progressed in the flow direction, forming high salinity plumes. In the present case, it is proved that density effects are all the more necessary to be considered in a modeling approach that brines density can reach high values just below waste heaps. For this purpose a 3D model is developed using the SEAWAT option of Modflow in a 30 layers model. Simulations are performed on about one hundred years, where chlorine concentration data on the last thirty years are used to constrain the model. In our case, conjugated to a heckled substratum topography, heterogeneous hydrodynamical conditions and the fact that pollution history alternates high pollution phases with relatively low pollution phases, density driven flows lead salted water into original directions downstream waste heaps. From a numerical point of view, it is also shown that discretization degree plays a major role in the density effect modeling.
... rummaging or searching through cabinets, drawers, closets, the refrigerator, and other places where things are stored. He ... sight and reach. • Remove spoiled food from the refrigerator and cabinets. Someone with Alzheimer's may look for ...
Library of Congress Historic Buildings Survey, Historic Engineering Record, Historic Landscapes Survey
39. TUNNEL BORE UNDER CONSTRUCTION. VIEW SHOWS LIGHT CONSTRUCTION RAILWAY FOR HAULING MUCK AND SPOIL - Zion-Mount Carmel Highway, Tunnel, Two miles east of Zion Canyon Scenic Drive, Springdale, Washington County, UT
... benzocaine Benzene Certain antibiotics (including dapsone and chloroquine) Nitrites (used as additives to prevent meat from spoiling) The condition may also occur in infants who are very ill or who are fed too many vegetables containing nitrates (such as beets).
18 CFR 1304.207 - Channel excavation on TVA-owned residential access shoreland.
Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR
... accordance with any applicable local, State, and Federal regulations at an upland site above the TVA Flood Risk Profile elevation. For those reservoirs that have no flood control storage, dredge spoil must...
Draft Whole-Genome Sequences of Three Lactobacillus plantarum Food Isolates
Fernández Ramírez, Mónica D.; Boekhorst, Jos; de Jong, Anne; Kuipers, Oscar P.; Abee, Tjakko
Lactobacillus plantarum is a widespread member of the Lactobacillus genus and frequently isolated from spoiled acidified food products. Here, we report the draft genome sequences of three L. plantarum food isolates. PMID:27313301
The report examines the relationships among hydraulic elements in the Atchafalaya Basin floodway system in terms of discharge regime, sediment load, channel form and size, flood control, water surface slope, bank elevation, overbank capacity, dredging requirements, and spoil disp...
The Jouissance of English Department Politics: A Tale of Shem and Shaun.
ERIC Educational Resources Information Center
Harrington, Henry R.
Considers the role of the English department malcontent, who constantly seems to spoil any chance of departmental consensus. Discusses the typical life of the English department. Analyzes departmental disputes with the aid of Jacques Lacan's notion of "jouissance." (HB)
30 CFR 816.105 - Backfilling and grading: Thick overburden.
Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR
... to restore the disturbed area to its approximate original contour. More than sufficient spoil and... permittee at a minimum shall: (1) Restore the approximate original contour and then use the remaining...
30 CFR 816.105 - Backfilling and grading: Thick overburden.
Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR
... to restore the disturbed area to its approximate original contour. More than sufficient spoil and... permittee at a minimum shall: (1) Restore the approximate original contour and then use the remaining...
30 CFR 816.105 - Backfilling and grading: Thick overburden.
Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR
... to restore the disturbed area to its approximate original contour. More than sufficient spoil and... permittee at a minimum shall: (1) Restore the approximate original contour and then use the remaining...
30 CFR 816.105 - Backfilling and grading: Thick overburden.
Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR
... to restore the disturbed area to its approximate original contour. More than sufficient spoil and... permittee at a minimum shall: (1) Restore the approximate original contour and then use the remaining...
30 CFR 816.105 - Backfilling and grading: Thick overburden.
Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR
... to restore the disturbed area to its approximate original contour. More than sufficient spoil and... permittee at a minimum shall: (1) Restore the approximate original contour and then use the remaining...
Nonlocal charge of the CP/sup n/-1 model and its supersymmetric extension to all orders
Abdalla, E.; Abdalla, M.C.B.; Gomes, M.
We prove that the conservation of quantum nonlocal charge of the CP/sup n/-1 model is spoiled by an anomaly calculable to all orders in the 1/n expansion, while for its supersymmetric extension it is restored.
Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR
... most severe loading condition, and the: (1) Specific gravity of the dredge spoil, from 1.02 up to and... with a maximum specific gravity for the areas of operation. (2) When calculating the vessel's...
The release of contaminants from sediments is an important problem facing environmental managers concerned with issues such as maintenance dredging, habitat restoration and dredge spoil placement. While there are laboratory methods to assess the remobilization of contaminants fro...
Effect of sewage sludge on formation of acidic ground water at a reclaimed coal mine
Cravotta, C.A., III
Data on rock, ground water, vadose water, and vadose gas chemistry were collected for two years after sewage sludge was applied at a reclaimed surface coal mine in Pennsylvania to determine if surface-applied sludge is an effective barrier to oxygen influx, contributes metals and nutrients to ground water, and promotes the acidification of ground water. Acidity, sulfate, and metals concentrations were elevated in the ground water (6- to 21-m depth) from spoil relative to unmined rock because of active oxidation of pyrite and dissolution of aluminosilicate, carbonate, and Mn-Fe-oxide minerals in the spoil. Concentrations of acidity, sulfate, metals (Fe, Mn, Al, Cd, Cu, Cr, Ni, Zn), and nitrate, and abundances of iron-oxidizing bacteria were elevated in the ground water from sludge-treated spoil relative to untreated spoil having a similar mineral composition; however, gaseous and dissolved oxygen concentrations did not differ between the treatments. Abundances of iron-oxidizing bacteria in the ground water samples were positively correlated with concentrations of ammonia, nitrate, acidity, metals, and sulfate. Concentrations of metals in vadose water samples (<5-m depth) from sludge-treated spoil (pH 5.9) were not elevated relative to untreated spoil (pH 4.4). In contrast, concentrations of nitrate were elevated in vadose water samples from sludge-treated spoil, frequently exceeding 10 mg/L. Downgradient decreases in nitrate to less than 3 mg/L and increases in sulfate concentrations in underlying ground water could result from oxidation of pyrite by nitrate. Thus, sewage sludge added to pyritic spoil can increase the growth of iron-oxidizing bacteria, the oxidation of pyrite, and the acidification of ground water. Nevertheless, the overall effects on ground water chemistry from the sludge were small and probably short-lived relative to the effects from mining only.
Application of ameliorative and adaptive approaches to revegetation of historic high altitude mining waste
Bellitto, M.W.; Williams, H.T.; Ward, J.N.
High altitude, historic, gold and silver tailings deposits, which included a more recent cyanide heap leach operation, were decommissioned, detoxified, re-contoured and revegetated. Detoxification of the heap included rinsing with hydrogen peroxide, lime and ferric chloride, followed by evaporation and land application of remaining solution. Grading included the removal of solution ponds, construction of a geosynthetic/clay lined pond, heap removal and site drainage development. Ameliorative and adaptive revegetation methodologies were utilized. Revegetation was complicated by limited access, lack of topsoil, low pH and evaluated metals concentrations in the tailings, and a harsh climate. Water quality sampling results for the first year following revegetation, indicate reclamation activities have contributed to a decrease in metals and sediment loading to surface waters downgradient of the site. Procedures, methodologies and results, following the first year of vegetation growth, are provided.
Hydraulic theory for a debris flow supported on a collisional shear layer.
Jenkins, J. T.; Askari, E.
We consider a heap of grains driven by gravity down an incline. We assume that the heap is supported at its base on a relatively thin carpet of intensely sheared, highly agitated grains that interact through collisions. We adopt the balance laws, constitutive relations, and boundary conditions of a kinetic theory for dense granular flows and determine the relationship between the shear stress, normal stress, and relative velocity of the boundaries in the shear layer in an analysis of a steady shearing flow between identical bumpy boundaries. This relationship permits us to close the hydraulic equations governing the evolution of the shape of the heap and the velocity distribution at its base. We integrate the resulting equations numerically for typical values of the parameters for glass spheres. (c) 1999 American Institute of Physics. PMID:12779861
Front-end module readout and control electronics for the PHENIX Multiplicity Vertex Detector
Ericson, M.N.; Allen, M.D.; Boissevain, J.
Front-end module (FEM) readout and control are implemented as modular, high-density, reprogrammable functions in the PHENIX Multiplicity Vertex Detector. FEM control is performed by the heap manager, an FPGA-based circuit in the FEM unit. Each FEM has 256 channels of front-end electronics, readout, and control, all located on an MCM. Data readout, formatting, and control are performed by the heap manager along with 4 interface units that reside outside the MVD detector cylinder. This paper discusses the application of a generic heap manager and the addition of 4 interface module types to meet the specific control and data readout needs of the MVD. Unit functioning, interfaces, timing, data format, and communication rates will be discussed in detail. In addition, subsystem issues regarding mode control, serial architecture and functions, error handling, and FPGA implementation and programming will be presented.
Impacts of dredged-material disposal on the coastal soft-bottom macrofauna, Saronikos Gulf, Greece.
Katsiaras, N; Simboura, N; Tsangaris, C; Hatzianestis, I; Pavlidou, A; Kapsimalis, V
Dredged sediments derived by the low course and estuary of the metropolitan river of Athens (Kifissos River) were dumped every day for 21 months to an open-sea site in the Saronikos Gulf. The spoil-ground and surrounding area was monitored prior, during and post to dumping for 24 months, over 6-month intervals. Dumping significantly changed the granulometry of the pre-existing superficial sediments to finer-grained only in the spoil ground and increased the sediment contamination load (aliphatic, polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons and heavy metals) throughout the study area. Microtox® SPT showed that sediment toxicity levels were high at almost all sampling stations. During dumping, burial of natural soft-bottom habitats degraded severely the communities of the spoil-ground resulting in an almost azoic state, as well as significantly declined the species number and abundance of benthic communities in locations up to 3.2 km away from the spoil-ground, due to dispersion of the spoil and smothering. Benthic indices on the surrounding sites were significantly correlated with hydrocarbon concentrations and sediment toxicity levels. Post to dumping, the macrofauna communities of the spoil-ground were still significantly degraded, but the surrounding areas showed patterns of recovery. However, the high concentrations of aliphatic, polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons and levels of toxicity persisted in the sediments after the ceasing of dumping operations in the study area, implying the ecological hazard imposed on the area. PMID:25497354
Hydrologic investigation and remediation of a post-remining acidic seep
Aljoe, W.W.; Linberg, N.A.
Surface remining of coal pillars in abandoned underground workings in the Pittsburgh seam in southwestern Pennsylvania has often resulted in post-remining discharges whose water quality is the same or better than the pre-existing discharges. However, at one such operation in Washington County, PA, an increase in contaminant loading occurred at an outcrop seep after remining. This problem was believed to be at least partly related to a small unstrapped area of the old deep mine workings immediately upgradient from the seep. A hydrologic investigation that included a chemical tracer test, slug tests in the remined spoil, and water quality monitoring indicated that the mine pool in the old workings discharged through the seep. However, the water in the mine pool and much of the remined spoil was consistently alkaline; this suggested that the acidic water may have originated in other areas of the spoil and old workings, and passed rapidly to the seep through a highly transmissive portion of the spoil. Acting on this assumption, the mine operator successfully implemented a remediation scheme in which the spoil was excavated to intercept the acidic spoil water. The excavation was then re-emplaced with an anoxic limestone drain at its base. The drain now serves both to add alkalinity to the water and to divert the seep to an area where metals can be removed easily via precipitation in wetlands.
Study on fire-extinguishing of spontaneous combustion wastes and reclamation
Wu, P.; Chai, X.
Spoil banks of coal mining have become an important aspect for environmental pollution. Toxic and pernicious gases resulting from the spontaneous combustion of wastes are much more serious pollutants. The authors have gained certain experience in preventing the spontaneous combustion of spoil banks and in fighting fires. The paper describes a revegetation test for the spoil bank. Using a spoil bank in the frigid and arid area in Shanxi, the paper describes the tests and results of the physical and chemical characteristics of the wastes and thoroughly analyzes the influence these characteristics have on the revegetation of the spoil bank. Revegetation promotes weathering of the wastes and mitigates erosion of the spoil bank. It was found that the wastes do not store adequate water, so that in the early stage of planting, irrigation is recommended. The pH of the wastes is suitable for plant growth, but in the case of fire fighting, care should be taken to mitigate the damage to lime emulsion alkalinity.
Environmental impacts and regulatory policy implications of spray disposal of dredged material in Louisiana wetlands
Cahoon, D.R.; Cowan, J.H., Jr.
The capabilities of a new wetland dredging technology were assessed along with associated newly developed state and federal regulatory policies to determine if policy expectations realistically match the technological achievement. Current regulatory practices require amelioration of spoil bank impacts upon abandonment of an oil/gas well, but this may not occur for many years or decades, if at all. Recently, a dreding method (high-pressure spray spoil disposal) was developed that does not create a spoil bank in the traditional sense. Its potential for reducing environmental impacts was recognized immediately by regulatory agencies for whom minimizing spoil bank impacts is a major concern. The use of high-pressure spray disposal as a suitable alternative to traditional dreding technology has been adopted as policy even though its value as a management tool has never been tested or verified. A qualitative evaluation at two spoil disposal sites in saline marsh indicates that high-pressure spray disposal may indeed have great potential to minimize impacts, but most of this potential remains unverified. Also, some aspects of current regulatory policy may be based on unrealistic expectations as to the ability of this new technology to minimize or eliminate spoil bank impacts.
Coarse grained models, bond orientational order, and the structural characterization of residue networks
NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)
Ortiz, Carlos Pompeyo
Rigidity emerges in a broad class of soft matter systems, relevant to many industrial and biological processes. In our experiments, we study a model soft matter system, hard-sphere Brownian suspensions of submicron particles. Brownian suspensions lack rigidity in the absence of external driving, but form flow-stabilized solid-like microsphere heaps under the influence of hydrodynamic forces. The overarching question driving my dissertation is "What is the nature of the rigidity of these microsphere heaps?" Does the rigidity of the heaps follow from mechanical stability driven by a sufficiently interconnected network of particle contacts? Or, does the rigidity of the heaps follow from a kinetic glass transition characterized by a diverging resistance to flow such that the time necessary to observe rearrangements grows prohibitively large? We expect that insights into the mechanism of rigidity of Brownian microsphere heaps are applicable to a wide class of soft matter systems. In this thesis,we have overcome the limitations of previous experimental approaches. Namely, we show that the rigidity of our heaps does not emerge from the effects of gravity, inertia, static friction, or van der Waals sticking. In Chapter 1 of thesis, we review the background literature. In Chapter 2, we present the experimental, analytical, and computational methods used in the remainder of the thesis. In Chapter 3, we investigate the onset of rigidity by characterizing the steady-state size of the heap versus the imposed flow conditions. We show that thermal fluctuations and repulsive interparticle interactions, the dominant forces at the single-particle scale, suppress the development of a rigid phase. These conditions imply that the onset of rigidity in involves many-body collective interactions. In Chapter 4, we measure the response of the heap to external perturbations, which allows us to measure their elastic modulus and compare our results to hard sphere theoretical expectations. We
Log-Log Convexity of Type-Token Growth in Zipf's Systems
NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)
Font-Clos, Francesc; Corral, Álvaro
It is traditionally assumed that Zipf's law implies the power-law growth of the number of different elements with the total number of elements in a system—the so-called Heaps' law. We show that a careful definition of Zipf's law leads to the violation of Heaps' law in random systems, with growth curves that have a convex shape in log-log scale. These curves fulfill universal data collapse that only depends on the value of Zipf's exponent. We observe that real books behave very much in the same way as random systems, despite the presence of burstiness in word occurrence. We advance an explanation for this unexpected correspondence.
NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)
Eliazar, Iddo
In this communication we establish stochastic limit laws leading from Zipf's law to Pareto's and Heaps' laws. We consider finite ensembles governed by Zipf's law and study their asymptotic statistics as the ensemble size tends to infinity. A Lorenz-curve analysis establishes three types of limit laws for the ensembles' statistical structure: 'communist', 'monarchic', and Paretian. Further considering a dynamic setting in which the ensembles grow stochastically in time, a functional central limit theorem analysis establishes a Gaussian approximation for the ensembles' stochastic growth. The Gaussian approximation provides a generalized and corrected formulation of Heaps' law.
Restoring coastal wetlands that were ditched for mosquito control: a preliminary assessment of hydro-leveling as a restoration technique
Smith, Thomas J., III; Tiling, Ginger; Leasure, Pamela S.
The wetlands surrounding Tampa Bay, Florida were extensively ditched for mosquito control in the 1950s. Spoil from ditch construction was placed adjacent to the wetlands ditches creating mound-like features (spoil-mounds). These mounds represent a loss of 14% of the wetland area in Tampa Bay. Spoil mounds interfere with tidal flow and are locations for non-native plants to colonize (e.g., Schinus terebinthifolius). Removal of the spoil mounds to eliminate exotic plants, restore native vegetation, and re-establish natural hydrology is a restoration priority for environmental managers. Hydro-leveling, a new technique, was tested in a mangrove forest restoration project in 2004. Hydro-leveling uses a high pressure stream of water to wash sediment from the spoil mound into the adjacent wetland and ditch. To assess the effectiveness of this technique, we conducted vegetation surveys in areas that were hydro-leveled and in non-hydro-leveled areas 3 years post-project. Adult Schinus were reduced but not eliminated from hydro-leveled mounds. Schinus seedlings however were absent from hydro-leveled sites. Colonization by native species was sparse. Mangrove seedlings were essentially absent (≈2 m−2) from the centers of hydro-leveled mounds and were in low density on their edges (17 m−2) in comparison to surrounding mangrove forests (105 m−2). Hydro-leveling resulted in mortality of mangroves adjacent to the mounds being leveled. This was probably caused by burial of pneumatophores during the hydro-leveling process. For hydro-leveling to be a useful and successful restoration technique several requirements must be met. Spoil mounds must be lowered to the level of the surrounding wetlands. Spoil must be distributed further into the adjacent wetland to prevent burial of nearby native vegetation. Finally, native species may need to be planted on hydro-leveled areas to speed up the re-vegetation process.
Evaluation of reclaimed abandoned bentonite mine lands
Edinger, K.D.; Schuman, G.E.; Vance, G.F.
In 1985, the Abandoned Mined Land Division of the Wyoming Department of Environmental Quality began reclamation of 4,148 ha of abandoned bentonite mined lands. Calcium amendments and sawmill wood wastes were applied to the regraded spoils to enhance water infiltration, displacement of Na on the clay spoil, and leaching of the displaced Na and other soluble salts. Revegetation of these lands was generally successful, but after several years small areas (0.1--0.2 ha) began to show signs of vegetation die-back and to prescribe corrective treatment options. A randomized block design was imposed on study areas near Upton, Colony, and Greybull, Wyoming to characterize spoil chemical properties of good, moderate, and dead vegetation zones, which were subjectively delineated by visual vegetation cover and density differences. Spoil analyses indicated exchangeable-sodium (Na) concentrations were high and the dead vegetation zones exhibited exchangeable-sodium-percentages (ESP) above 50%, while surrounding good vegetation zones exhibited ESP values <10%. This coupled with low soluble-Na concentrations (<2 cmol/kg) suggests insufficient calcium (Ca) amendments were initially applied to ameliorate the sodic conditions of the spoil. The sampling design used to determine Ca amendment rates, which consisted of a composite of 5 spoil cores taken from each 0.8 ha area, was apparently insufficient to account for the highly heterogeneous spoil material that occurred throughout these abandoned bentonite reclamation sites. To revegetate these small degraded sites, additional Ca amendment would be necessary and reseeding would be required. However, the authors recommend further monitoring of the affected sites to determine if unfavorable conditions continue to degrade the reclaimed landscape before any attempt is made to rehabilitate the affected sites. If the degraded sites are stable, further Remediation efforts are not warranted because small areas of little or no vegetation are
Vertical stress redistribution around a retreating longwall face end
Payne, D.A.; DeMarco, M.
Large excavations, such as longwall panels, result in extensive vertical stress redistribution in the surrounding strata. The large abutment stresses developed may produce damage to pre-existing or planned excavations in the same seam or in seams above and below the workings. Knowledge of the magnitude and location of these stress is therefore important in the design of mine openings; pillar sizes for panel and pillar layouts, roof supports in longwall gateroads and workings over or above pre-existing or planned extracting in adjacent seams. In an attempt to reduce costs, the Cape Breton Development Corporation (CBDC), a Federal Crown Corporation responsible for operating two retreat longwall coal mines, examined the potential for either interpanel barrier pillar width reduction or entire pillar elimination by the adoption of dual life gateroads for the longwall panels. In order to assess the potential for reduced interpanel barrier widths or total elimination, an investigation of the redistribution of vertical stresses around longwall panels in the Sydney Coalfield was established. The study was conducted jointly by the Cape Breton Coal Research Laboratory (CBCRL), of CANMET (a division of Natural Resources Canada) and the Denver Research Center (DRC) of the United States Bureau of Mines. The program included monitoring of vertical stress changes around longwall panels and gateroad behavior in two seams. USBM-style hydraulic borehole pressure cells connected to chart recorders for continuous monitoring were deployed at four sites, two at Lingan Colliery and two at Phalen Colliery. This report describes the investigations conducted at Phalen Colliery. Contoured plots of stress redistribution around two sites are presented.
Investigation of relationship between barometric pressure and coal and gas outburst events in underground coal mining
NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)
Yönet, Sinem; Esen, Olgun; Fişne, Abdullah
Coal and gas outburst is a serious risk which occurs during the mine production. This accident results both ejection of high volumes of gas and high amount of coal into the mine production area, and death of mining workers for many years in Turkey. Outburst of gas, coal and rock can be defined as sudden release of coal and rock accompanied by large quantities of gas into the working face or other mine workings. It is a phenomena that influenced by geological structure such as folds, joints of rocks or coal seams, is also still investigated for many years. Zonguldak Coal Basin is the main part of the Upper Carboniferous bituminous coal basin of Turkey. Much of the bituminous coal mining has thus been concentrated in the Zonguldak Basin which is located on the Black Sea coast. The coal field has been disturbed by tectonic activity, first by Hercynian and later by Alpine orogenesis resulting in folding and faulting of strata. This formation has a complex structural geology which consists mostly fault zones, anticlinal and syncline strata and because of this a large amount of methane gases are adsorbed or accumulated in strata or in coal fractures, pores and micropores. There are 5 Collieries exists in Zonguldak Coalfield and coal and gas outbursts were occurred only in two collieries such as Karadon and Kozlu Mines. In addition at a number of 90 coal and gas outburst events were experienced in these collieries. Based on the analysis of data, oscillation at barometric pressure and temperature values at the location of Kozlu and Karadon Mines were seen when coal and gas outburst events were occurred. In this study, barometric pressure and temperature changes are investigated at Kozlu and Karadon Mines. Also the relationship between the variation at temperature with barometric pressure and coal and gas outbursts are evaluated. It can be understand that this investigation depends to field observations and macroscopic considerations and on the purpose of predicting the
117. Photocopied August 1978. VIEW OF EAST FOREBAY SHOWING COMPLETED ...
Library of Congress Historic Buildings Survey, Historic Engineering Record, Historic Landscapes Survey
117. Photocopied August 1978. VIEW OF EAST FOREBAY SHOWING COMPLETED APRON. NOVEMBER 24, 1926. CLAY LEFT OVER FROM REFILLING THE AREA BETWEEN FOREBAY FLOOR SILLS IS SHOWN HEAPED AGAINST THE FOREBAY WALL TO PROVIDE AN EXTRA MEASURE OF PROTECTION. (1051) - Michigan Lake Superior Power Company, Portage Street, Sault Ste. Marie, Chippewa County, MI
Teaching Pablo Neruda and Bei Dao: The Lens of Leaving.
ERIC Educational Resources Information Center
Lichtenstein, Amanda Leigh
Explains how the author invites young poets to tromp through the landscape of their minds in search of all things broken by using two of her favorite poems: Pablo Neruda's "Ode to Broken Things" and Bei Dao's "Comet." Outlines how the students write their own poems dealing with loss. Notes that for poets, a heap of broken images becomes an immense…
Kindling: The Amazon e-Reader as an Educational Tool
ERIC Educational Resources Information Center
Brezicki, Colin
The revolutionary electronic reading device, Amazon's Kindle, is already obsolete. Such is the breakneck speed of technology that the machine touted to spell the death of printed books is already heading for the scrap heap, replaced by e-readers like the iPad that access the Internet, make phone calls, download movies, and connect users with all…
Introducing Middle School Students to a Study of the Holocaust.
ERIC Educational Resources Information Center
Christensen, Lois
Believes that students will understand the evils of hatred and prejudice by studying the children of the Holocaust. Provides an introductory lesson to this topic that focuses on comprehending the number of victims killed during the Holocaust by examining photographs of victims' shoes heaped in a huge pile. Gives a list of references. (CMK)
Bully, Bullied, Bystander...and beyond
ERIC Educational Resources Information Center
Coloroso, Barbara
Bullying is seldom the only factor in a teenager's suicide. Often, mental illness and family stresses are involved. But bullying does plainly play a role in many cases. These students feel that they have no way out of the pain heaped on them by their tormentors so they turn the violence inward with a tragic and final exit. Bullying involves three…
ERIC Educational Resources Information Center
Noll, Brandi
The Response to Intervention initiative is in danger of failing and being thrown on the ash heaps of countless education reform initiatives, but not because it is poorly structured, rather on account of poor implementation. Among the implementation mistakes are seven that can be watched for and avoided. (Contains 3 tables.)
ERIC Educational Resources Information Center
Alexander, Benjamin H.
College is a place for students who really want to earn an education--that is, for students willing to move toward academic excellence and to excell. Lowering standards for any ethnic group dooms that group to the "junk heap of no success." Today, at great cost to the nation, America keeps too many students who are not university material in the…
Methanolic Extract of Asterina pectinifera inhibits LPS-Induced Inflammatory Mediators in Murine Macrophage
Jo, Wol-Soon; Choi, Yoo Jin; Kim, Hyoun Ji; Nam, Byung Hyouk; Lee, Gye An; Seo, Su Yeong; Lee, Sang Wha
This study aimed to elucidate anti-inflammatory activities from extracts of Asterina pectinifera on nitric oxide (NO) production, TNF-α and IL-6 release in lipopolysaccharide (LPS) -stimulated murine macrophage cell, RAW264.7. We prepared the methanolic extracts (60-MAP, 70-MAP, 80-MAP and 90-MAP) , aqueous extract (W-AP) and functional bioactive compound fraction (He-AP and EA-AP) from Asterina pectinifera according to extract method. The 60-MAP, 70-MAP, 80-MAP, 90-MAP and W-AP were significantly suppressed LPS-induced production NO, TNF-α and IL-6 secretion in a concentration-dependent manner (P < 0.05) . Especially, 80-MAP by extracted 80% methanol had the strongest activity in reduction of inflammatory mediators among these extracts. Indeed, to identify active fraction, which contained potential bioactive compounds, from 80-MAP of Asterina pectinifera, we tested anti-inflammatory activity of the He-AP or the EA-AP. The He-AP was next extracted from 80-MAP and the EA-AP were extracted from the other methanol layer except the He-AP. The EA-AP demonstrated a strong anti-inflammatory effect through its ability to reduce NO production and it also inhibited the production of proinflammatory cytokines such as IL-6 and TNF-α at low concentration. These results suggested that the methanolic extract from Asterina pectinifera had the potential inhibitory effects on the production of these inflammatory mediators. PMID:24278504
76 FR 60941 - Policy Regarding Submittal of Amendments for Processing of Equivalent Feed at Licensed Uranium...
Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014
... treated as alternate feed at conventional mills (57 FR 20532). These license amendments were required... industry. \\1\\ For the purposes of this RIS, equivalent feed is: ion exchange (IX) resin that is loaded with... conventional mills/heap leach facilities using ion exchange circuits). In the ISR method, ore is not...
Neoliberalism, Immiseration Capitalism and the Historical Urgency of a Socialist Education
ERIC Educational Resources Information Center
Malott, Curry; Hill, Dave; Banfield, Grant
In this paper we employ the concept of "Immiseration Capitalism" to indicate a systematic tendency of Capital to heap the "accumulation of misery" on the lives of the producing class while at the same time delivering great wealth to the hands of its own appropriating class. Neoliberalism is described as a specific political…
Geonets have become a popular component of leak detection systems at surface impoundments, waste piles, landfills and heap leach systems. hey provide a reasonable alternative to gravel drainage designs which become costly when large quantities of leachate are anticipated. This pa...
Hutchinson, I.P.G.; Ellison, R.D.
This book reports on mine waste management. Topics covered include: Performance review of modern mine waste management units; Mine waste management requirements; Prediction of acid generation potential; Attenuation of chemical constituents; Climatic considerations; Liner system design; Closure requirements; Heap leaching; Ground water monitoring; and Economic impact evaluation.
ERIC Educational Resources Information Center
Smith-Hagadone, Perky
The happy chatter and clatter of students bounce off the lunchroom walls at a Northside Elementary School in Sandpoint, Idaho as children eagerly gobble their food and slurp their drinks. Boys and girls with crinkled brown bag lunches filled with disposable products sit next to students with trays heaped with hot lunch and all manner of synthetic…
Schooling for Humanity: When Big Brother Isn't Watching.
ERIC Educational Resources Information Center
Solmitz, David O.
Most educational reform initiatives of the past 20 years are geared towards ensuring that the United States dominates the emerging global economy. What is lost in this rush to the top of the materialist heap is an education for the more enduring human values: creativity, intellectual development, care, social justice, and democracy. In this book,…
ERIC Educational Resources Information Center
Slavitt, David R.
Most novels are trash. Most books are trash. But there is a delight in trash heaps, which were once a great source of pleasure to small-town America and are disappearing as refuse collection and treatment become more and more sophisticated. (Author)
Project Golden Gate: towards real-time Java in space missions
NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)
Dvorak, Daniel; Bollella, Greg; Canham, Tim; Carson, Vanessa; Champlin, Virgil; Giovannoni, Brian; Indictor, Mark; Meyer, Kenny; Murray, Alex; Reinholtz, Kirk
This paper describes the problem domain and our experimentation with the first commercial implementation of the Real Time Specification for Java. The two main issues explored in this report are: (1) the effect of RTSJ's non-heap memory on the programming model, and (2) performance benchmarking of RTSJ/Linux relative to C++/VxWorks.
Smelter and mill wastewater outfalls, receiving water, biota, slag heaps, tailings ponds, streams, and coal-burning fly ash dumps were sampled as part of this effort to determine the effect of effluent or residual spillage on aquatic systems. Up to 17% lead, 0.1% cadmium and 5 pp...
Heat-Energy Analysis for Solar Receivers
NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)
Lansing, F. L.
Heat-energy analysis program (HEAP) solves general heat-transfer problems, with some specific features that are "custom made" for analyzing solar receivers. Can be utilized not only to predict receiver performance under varying solar flux, ambient temperature and local heat-transfer rates but also to detect locations of hotspots and metallurgical difficulties and to predict performance sensitivity of neighboring component parameters.
Cultural Science and Qualitative Educational Research: Work "in the First Place" on the Morality of Classroom Life
ERIC Educational Resources Information Center
Freebody, Peter; Freiberg, Jill
The state of qualitative research in education is addressed in this paper in terms of three categories of scientific inquiry (following Heap, 1992) and the varying place and function of qualitative work in each of these categories. The argument is put that one of these categories of inquiry, specifically cultural human sciences, offers the…
A Democratic Structure for School Discipline: Reflections from Two New York City High Schools
ERIC Educational Resources Information Center
Hawkes, T. Elijah
Given the way that student, teacher, principal, and school testing and accountability measures are currently leaning, it is understandable why a child's moral development sometimes gets less attention than her aptitude in algebra. Yet even with nearly all major accountability incentives heaped upon the tests in math and English, there are still…
CSTutor: A Sketch-Based Tool for Visualizing Data Structures
ERIC Educational Resources Information Center
Buchanan, Sarah; Laviola, Joseph J., Jr.
We present CSTutor, a sketch-based interface designed to help students understand data structures, specifically Linked Lists, Binary Search Trees, AVL Trees, and Heaps. CSTutor creates an environment that seamlessly combines a user's sketched diagram and code. In each of these data structure modes, the user can naturally sketch a data…
NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)
Burleigh, Scott C.
Sptrace is a general-purpose space utilization tracing system that is conceptually similar to the commercial Purify product used to detect leaks and other memory usage errors. It is designed to monitor space utilization in any sort of heap, i.e., a region of data storage on some device (nominally memory; possibly shared and possibly persistent) with a flat address space. This software can trace usage of shared and/or non-volatile storage in addition to private RAM (random access memory). Sptrace is implemented as a set of C function calls that are invoked from within the software that is being examined. The function calls fall into two broad classes: (1) functions that are embedded within the heap management software [e.g., JPL's SDR (Simple Data Recorder) and PSM (Personal Space Management) systems] to enable heap usage analysis by populating a virtual time-sequenced log of usage activity, and (2) reporting functions that are embedded within the application program whose behavior is suspect. For ease of use, these functions may be wrapped privately inside public functions offered by the heap management software. Sptrace can be used for VxWorks or RTEMS realtime systems as easily as for Linux or OS/X systems.
Using Data to Guide Action for School Improvement: Facilitator's Guide
ERIC Educational Resources Information Center
North Central Comprehensive Center, 2012
Schools and school districts are data-rich environments, with heaps of data on student demographics, achievement, outcomes, and perceptions. With so much data available, it can be easy to get caught up in the sheer enormity of the data sets. A cohesive data analysis and decision-making process can help schools, districts, and additional…
Using Data to Guide Action for School Improvement
ERIC Educational Resources Information Center
North Central Comprehensive Center, 2012
Schools and school districts are data-rich environments, with heaps of data on student demographics, achievement, outcomes, and perceptions. With so much data available, it can be easy to get caught up in the sheer enormity of the data sets. A cohesive data analysis and decision-making process can help schools, districts, and additional…
Exploring the Properties of Liquids. Grade 5. Revised. Anchorage School District Elementary Science Program.
ERIC Educational Resources Information Center
Defendorf, Jean, Ed.
This unit contains 14 lessons on the properties of liquids for fifth graders. It describes materials, supplementary materials, use of process skill terminology, unit objectives, vocabulary, and background information for teachers. Lessons are: (1) "Heaping and Drops/Cohesion"; (2) "Beading of Liquid Columns/Cohesion"; (3) "Reducing the Cohesive…
The Falling Chain of Hopkins, Tait, Steele and Cayley
ERIC Educational Resources Information Center
Wong, Chun Wa; Youn, Seo Ho; Yasui, Kosuke
A uniform, flexible and frictionless chain falling link by link from a heap by the edge of a table falls with an acceleration g/3 if the motion is nonconservative, but g/2 if the motion is conservative, g being the acceleration due to gravity. Unable to construct such a falling chain, we use instead higher-dimensional versions of it. A home…
Found and Missed: Failing to Recognize a Search Target despite Moving It
ERIC Educational Resources Information Center
Solman, Grayden J. F.; Cheyne, J. Allan; Smilek, Daniel
We present results from five search experiments using a novel "unpacking" paradigm in which participants use a mouse to sort through random heaps of distractors to locate the target. We report that during this task participants often fail to recognize the target despite moving it, and despite having looked at the item. Additionally, the missed…
Gold mining wastes treated by heap leaching cyanidization typically contain several metallo-cyanide species. Accurate measurement of total cyanide by the most common methods in such a case may be hampered by the inadequate recoveries that occur for certain cyanide compounds (e.g....
UK mining invests, suppliers profit
In the midst of a major economic crisis in the United Kingdom, equipment suppliers have been reporting a number of considerable purchases by British coal mining companies. In December 2008, Liebherr-Great Britain delivered the first two of four Rq350 Litronic hydraulic excavators for use at the Broken Cross opencast coal site in Lanarkshire, Scotland. Ten Terex TR100 rigid haulers were delivered to the site in late 2008. Hatfield Colliery at Stainforth, South Yorkshire, has been reopened by PowerFuel. The main equipment for two longwall faces was supplied by Joy Mining Machinery UK Ltd. 2 photos.
Autopsy studies of coal miners' lungs. Phase 2. Final report August 77-July 80
Ruckley, V.A.; Chapman, J.S.; Collings, P.L.; Douglas, A.N.; Fernie, J.M.
This report is based on a post mortem study of the lungs and hearts of various groups of coal workers drawn from an original cohort of 500 men. The men had worked in collieries which took part in Pneumoconiosis Field Research and which covered the range of mining conditions in Britain. The aim of the study was to relate pathological evidence of pneumoconiosis, emphysema and bronchitis and the radiographic appearances of pneumoconiosis to both the dust retained in the lung and the respirable dust to which the men were exposed. Also included were studies of right-sided heart disease and respiratory function during life in relation to lung pathology.
6. EXTERIOR VIEW OF HILLMAN FAN HOUSE LOOKING WEST The ...
Library of Congress Historic Buildings Survey, Historic Engineering Record, Historic Landscapes Survey
6. EXTERIOR VIEW OF HILLMAN FAN HOUSE LOOKING WEST The engine house is on the right. The end of the 1883 Pittston Steam Engine cylinder head and steam chest is visible in the doorway. Although its stairs are missing, the iron framing of a porch stands in front of what was a doorway. The entrance door to the north airlock is visible inside the enlarged window. The end view of the upshaft chimney shows the brick ribbing for support, the brick corbelling, and concrete capstones. - Dorrance Colliery Fan Complex, South side of Susquehanna River at Route 115 & Riechard Street, Wilkes-Barre, Luzerne County, PA
Library of Congress Historic Buildings Survey, Historic Engineering Record, Historic Landscapes Survey
16. INTERIOR VIEW OF HILLMAN FAN HOUSE ENGINE ROOM LOOKING EAST This overview of the 1883 Pittston Engine and Machine Company steam engine includes the flywheel and pillowblock in the foreground, with the shaft and cylinder in the background. The engine is a horizontal, slide valve type of 30 inch bore and 60 inch stroke that turned the fan at 49 revolutions per minute. - Dorrance Colliery Fan Complex, South side of Susquehanna River at Route 115 & Riechard Street, Wilkes-Barre, Luzerne County, PA
11. EXTERIOR VIEW OF NEW FAN HOUSE LOOKING EAST The ...
Library of Congress Historic Buildings Survey, Historic Engineering Record, Historic Landscapes Survey
11. EXTERIOR VIEW OF NEW FAN HOUSE LOOKING EAST The airway (on the left) leads from the Baltimore shaft to the New Fan House. The metal housing (center foreground) encases a single entry Duplex Conoidal fan, made by the Buffalo Forge Company. The Duplex Conoidal fan had two parts: a disk fan which drew air up the airway and a centrifugal fan set at a right angle to it which exhausted the air. The engine house (on the right) contains a direct connected Corliss engine. - Dorrance Colliery Fan Complex, South side of Susquehanna River at Route 115 & Riechard Street, Wilkes-Barre, Luzerne County, PA
Library of Congress Historic Buildings Survey, Historic Engineering Record, Historic Landscapes Survey
22. INTERIOR VIEW OF NEW FAN HOUSE UPSHAFT CHIMNEY LOOKING WEST The Duplex Conoidal Fan is a single entry disk fan (see PA 61-21 and PA 61-22) which drew air from the No. 4 (Baltimore) shaft up the air-way through the cone, seen on the right, into the centrifugal fan, pictured here. The curved metal blades forced the air from the center of the fan to the tips of the blades and out the sheet metal exhaust chimney. - Dorrance Colliery Fan Complex, South side of Susquehanna River at Route 115 & Riechard Street, Wilkes-Barre, Luzerne County, PA