Geological Quarterly最新文献

We describe the geological context of the Pleistocene strata in the Sosnowica Depression and the Parczew-Kodeń Heights, as well as the main geological processes taking place in that area during the Middle Pleistocene. The stratigraphy of the Pleistocene succession is based on the analysis of new sites with Mazovian Interglacial deposits (MIS 11c) with age determinations obtained from palaeobotanical and palaeofaunal proxies, at Zahajki, Wygnanka, and Sytyta in the Sosnowica Depression, and Podedwórze and Gęś 3 in the Parczew-Kodeń Heights. The interglacial deposits documented occur in the direct subsurface and are not overlain by glacial deposits, which indicates that the study area was not covered by the ice-sheet of the Middle Polish Glaciations (Saalian, MIS 6). They are overlain by Early Liviecian (Fuhne, MIS 11b) lacustrine and bog deposits, or upper Vistulian (MIS 2) clastic and bog deposits. Holocene strata lie above. Therefore, the glacial deposits building the Parczew-Kodeń Heights are considered to derive from the Sanian 2 (Elsterian, MIS 12) Glaciation and not from the Saalian (MIS 6) Glaciation as previously thought. Palaeolakes formed in the late part of the Sanian 2 (Elsterian, MIS 12) Glaciation and remained open during the Mazovian Interglacial (Holsteinian, MIS 11c), with some still existing until the Early Liviecian (Fuhne, MIS 11b) Glaciation. The palaeolakes described were part of an extensive palaeolakeland of the Mazovian Interglacial, stretching from the southern part of Podlasie to the northern part of Western Polesie. The last ice-sheet in Western Polesie represented the Sanian 2 Glaciation.

Południowa Cave is a locality that has been known for more than 500 years, where at least three or even four different faunal assemblages have been found. The oldest faunal elements are represented by the rodent Baranomys loczyi, and the carnivores Baranogale helbingi and Mustela pliocaenica, being the only Pliocene finds in the Sudetes Mts caves. The second faunal assemblage is dated back to the early Middle Pleistocene and consists of the following taxa: Sorex sp., Rhinolophus aff. ferrumequinum, Glis sackdilligensis, Pliomys coronensis, Pliomys episcopalis, Mimomys sp., Lycaon lycaonoides, Canis mosbachensis, Vulpes vulpes, Ursus deningeri, Ursus arctos ssp., Ursus cf. thibetanus, Gulo gulo schlosseri, Meles meles atavus, Martes vetus, Mustela strandi, Mustela palerminea, Mustela praenivalis, Panthera spelaea fossilis, Homotherium latidens latidens, Panthera gombaszoegensis gombaszoegensis, Acinonyx pardinensis intermedius, Felis cf. silvestris, Pachycrocuta brevirostris and Capreolus sp. The third assemblage is dated back to the Late Pleistocene (MIS 3), and consists of Glis glis, Arvicola sp., Canis lupus spealeus, Ursus ex. gr. spelaeus, and Martes martes. Finally, the youngest fauna, dated as MIS 1, is represented by Arvicola sp., Apodemus sp., Lepus sp., Cricetus cricetus, Ursus arctos arctos, Meles meles, Martes martes, and Capreolus capreolus. Possible relationships that may be inferred include the impact of new species in the disappearance of ancient carnivores.

Electrical Resistivity Tomography (ERT) method was applied to study a fragment of the Pieniny Klippen Belt (PKB), which has been investigated for more than 100 years. The study area is located in the Spisz Pieniny Mountains of southern Poland. The PKB in this region includes a characteristic belt of limestone outcrops. ERT turned out to be an effective method to determine the structure of this part of the PKB, revealing its zonal nature and documenting the presence of limestone olistoliths and allowing estimates of their sizes. Moreover, we show that proper planning and conducting of ERT measurements in the field is critical to the effective use of resistivity data for geological inference and interpretation. This has been demonstrated by performing appropriate numerical and analogue ERT modeling that shows possible ambiguous results arising from the field ERT survey. Awareness of this issue can help researchers avoid and minimize false interpretation of ERT data.

Secondary rocks are often found in salt domes. Among these, large halite crystal (LHC) veins and nests are common, as in the Kłodawa Salt Dome of Poland. Mineralogical tests carried out on LHC here showed the presence of fluid and solid inclusions in the halite crystals. The halite itself commonly exhibits birefringence, suggesting lattice stresses. Among the solid inclusions, anhydrite is the most common. Three types of anhydrite crystals have been distinguished as regards their size and occurrence, while small, rounded inclusions of sylvite appear much less frequently. Fluid inclusions are generally rare and mostly of the secondary type. This type of fluid inclusion assemblage (FIA) comprises various kinds as regards their size and shape, as well as in their liquid-to-gas phase ratio. Primary FIAs are of two types: small, chevron-like inclusions containing sylvite daughter minerals, and large liquid-gas inclusions with carnallite and other daughter minerals. The melting temperature of sylvite ranged from 90 to 278°C, and for carnallite from 68 to 142°C. Complete homogenization of the inclusions took place at temperatures between 260 and 471.2°C. This indicates the high-temperature origin of the LHC and the presence of significant amounts of K⁺, Mg⁺², Ca⁺², and SO₄^-2 ions in the solutions.

In the complex and constantly changing area of uranium mining, the Republic of Kazakhstan is a world leader. Colmatation deposits adjacent to filters cause wells to lose efficiency over time, so periodic maintenance and repair are required to solve these problems. Our research aims to identify the most effective ways to improve well productivity with the development of science-based recommendations to help plan work in the conditions of the “North and South Karamurun” uranium field, Kazakhstan. The study involved observation, analysis, comparison, and synthesis. The processes of different types of repair and restoration work at the deposits were monitored, and the results obtained were analysed and compared, to determine which were the most effective. Units such as the XRVS Airlift Pumping unit, Wellbore pneumatic wellbore drilling unit, Mobile ammonium bifluoride chemical treatment unit, BA-15V drilling units, and 3A3 prospective drilling unit were analysed. Recommendations for enhancing pumping technology or replacing components were developed for each unit. Extending XRVS airlift pumping duration enhanced efficiency by 40% and improved reliability and radiation safety. Installing a pump with a capacity of 30 m³/hour or higher for the mobile wellbore washing unit helped handle heavy sand fractions effectively.

The Badenian/Sarmatian boundary in the Paratethys basin, that marks the transition from normal marine to restricted semi-marine conditions due to isolation of the basin from the world ocean at the onset of Sarmatian time, is still far from being fully understood. The Kreminna section is located at the northeastern margin of the Carpathian Foreland Basin (Central Paratethys) in the Medobory Hills region. The Miocene deposits that overlie here the Upper Cretaceous substratum comprise the >1 m thick upper Badenian marls and clays passing upwards into ~4 m thick Sarmatian marly limestones with intercalations of marls, clays and limestones, and >2 m thick limestones in the uppermost part of the exposure. Fifty-three species of benthic foraminifera and four species of planktonic foraminifera have been recorded. Six benthic foraminiferal assemblages are composed almost exclusively of calcareous forms; agglutinated taxa are practically lacking. Elphidium spp., miliolids, Lobatula lobatula and Ammonia spp. are the most common calcareous benthic foraminifera in the material studied. Planktonic foraminifera are represented only by species of Globigerina and occur rarely in the lowermost part of the section. A characteristic feature of palynofacies is the very low proportion of land-derived elements – sporomorphs and cuticles, which suggests a sedimentary setting without terrestrial influx, and taxonomical impoverishment of dinoflagellate cyst assemblages, which are either monospecific or consist mainly of two to three species: in a majority of samples, assemblages with Polysphaeridium zoharyi and P. subtile occur. Most δ¹⁸O values range from –1.5 to ~+0.5‰ VPDB and most δ¹³C values are between 0 and +2‰ VPDB. In general, the δ¹³C curve mirrors the δ¹⁸O changes in the section. The Badenian/Sarmatian boundary is placed at the level where the Cibicidoides ungerianus Assemblage is replaced by the Elphidium fichtelianum Assemblage. At the boundary, planktonic foraminifers and most abundant stenohaline benthic foraminifera disappeared. Bottom waters were well-oxygenated both in the latest Badenian and earliest Sarmatian in the Kreminna location.

We provide the first scientific record and the mineralogical characterization of alluvial gold in the Olănești area, Southern Carpathians, Romania, based on field evidence, optical microscopy, and XRD, BSE and EPMA data. Chemical data were acquired on 11 alluvial gold grains from the Olănești and Cheia rivers and revealed a generally continuous variation in gold and silver content with Ag ranging from 7.31 to 19.77 wt.% and Au ranging from 80.26 to 93.16 wt.%. The source of the primary native gold is inferred to be the Cu-Au Valea lui Stan and/or the Costești As-Au shear-zone-related ore deposits located towards the north and west, respectively, of the study area.

The Anthracosia Shales are lacustrine deposits within the volcano-sedimentary Pennsylvanian– Lower Permian succession of the Intra-Sudetic Basin. Core from the Rybnica Leśna PIG 1 borehole, which penetrated the Lower Anthracosia Shales, was analysed to explore the influence of climate on the evolution of the palaeolake, as distinct from tectonic and volcanic forcing. This reconstruction was made using mineralogical and geochemical proxies (elemental and mineralogical composition, TOC values, presence of framboidal pyrite and siderite). Based on the results, three chemically different intervals previously introduced by Wójcik-Tabol et al. (2021) are described. They represent the following stages of lake evolution: transgression (interval I), open lake (interval IIA and IIB), and termination (interval IIC and III). The initial stage of the lake (interval I) was probably related to a rise in humidity in the Late Pennsylvanian, linked to a southern Gondwana interglacial episode. Interval IIA represents the deepest facies of the Anthracosia Basin, where lake-floor anoxia prevailed. This stage was followed by a gradual lake-level fall recorded in interval IIB, with documented seasonality in humid and warm conditions. Interval IIC represents a stepwise lake regression attributed to aridification, as indicated by proxies showing a decrease in chemical weathering. Turbiditic sandy laminae in interval III reflect the terminal stage of lake infill.