This book focuses on the geological characteristics and genesis of several base metal deposits in the northern margin of the North China Plate, namely the Bainaimiao Cu-Au-Mo, the Huogeqi Cu-Pb-Zn, the Dongshengmiao Zn-Pb-Cu and the Jiashengpan Zn-Pb deposits. These deposits have geological and geochemical affinities with orogenic-type deposits, such as shear zone-controlled mineralization and carbon-rich low-salinitiy ore-forming fluids, and are characterized by multistage ore-forming histories. Remobilization of the pre-enriched (stratabound or porphyry-type) base metals took place as responses to orogenesis and metamorphism, leading to metal redistribution and the formation of orogenic-type orebodies. The formation of orogenic-type base metal deposits is enigmatic, and the case studies presented in this book provide insights into understanding the genesis of this type of deposits. In particular, pre-enrichment of base metals seems to be important, in terms of preconditioning for later shear zone-controlled mineralization, since base metals are believed to have limited solubilities in the low-salinity ore-fluids.

This book presents the first overview of the composition and structure of the Earth's lower mantle. The first part focuses on the study of lower-mantle minerals, identified as inclusions in diamonds from different regions of the world. Three associations are established among the lower-mantle minerals: ultramafic, mafic, and carbonatic. The carbonatic association is of particular interest because it characterizes the media of natural diamond formation. In turn, the second part analyzes the structure of the lower mantle, revealing its heterogeneous composition. It is based on the results of experiments demonstrating phase transitions in lower-mantle minerals, and on seismological data. Deep-seated earthquakes point to the presence within the lower mantle of numerous seismic boundaries caused by mineral structure transitions. In closing, the last part of the book compares observed data with experimental data, highlighting several discrepancies that indicate Earth may have a more complex planetary history than previously assumed, and examining its primarily non-chondritic composition.

Describing the natural state of eight important lakes in Asia and the human impact on these lake ecosystems, this book offers a valuable reference guide. Over the past several decades the Aral Sea, Dead Sea, Lake Balkhash and other major lakes in Asia have undergone significant changes with regard to their size, water level, chemical composition, and flora and fauna. Most of these changes resulted from the loss of water from tributaries (now used for irrigation farming) or increasing consumption in local industries and households. However, significant human impacts may have begun as early as 2000 years ago. In addition to the three lakes mentioned above, Lake Sevan (Armenia), the Caspian Sea (Azerbaijan, Iran, Kazakhstan, Russia, Turkmenistan), Lake Issyk-Kul (Kyrgyzstan), and Lake Lop Nur (China) are discussed as the most prominent examples of changing lake ecosystems. In contrast, an example of an almost pristine lake ecosystem is included with the report on Lake Uvs Nuur (Mongolia). For each lake, the book summarizes its origin and early geological history, and reconstructs its natural state and variability on the basis of proxy records from drilled or exposed lake sediments that have accumulated since the last ice age. The frequently observed reductions in lake level and size during most recent decades led often to significant environmental impacts in the respective lake catchments including vegetation deterioration, soil erosion and badland formation, soil salinization or the formation of sinkholes.

The mining sector is of major importance to the economy of Chile. Although dominated by copper - Chile is the world's leading producer - its production of potassium and sodium nitrate, gold, silver, rhenium, lithium iodine, molybdenum, boron and selenium, for example, is significant. Prominent representatives of the international minerals industry have contributed the papers that appear in Mining Latin America/Mineria Latinoamericana, the volume that lends its name to the conference organized by the Institution of Mining and Metallurgy, in association with the Instituto de Ingenieros de Minas de Chile, the Sociedad Nacional de Mineria Chilena and Latinomineria being held in Santiago de Chile in May, 1994. This book should be of interest to mining engineers, geotechnical engineers, geologists, and mineralogists.

This book addresses students and young researchers who want to learn to use numerical modeling to solve problems in geodynamics. Intended as an easy-to-use and self-learning guide, readers only need a basic background in calculus to approach most of the material. The book difficulty increases very gradually, through four distinct parts. The first is an introduction to the Python techniques necessary to visualize and run vectorial calculations. The second is an overview with several examples on classical Mechanics with examples taken from standard introductory physics books. The third part is a detailed description of how to write Lagrangian, Eulerian and Particles in Cell codes for solving linear and non-linear continuum mechanics problems. Finally the last one address advanced techniques like tree-codes, Boundary Elements, and illustrates several applications to Geodynamics. The entire book is organized around numerous examples in Python, aiming at encouraging the reader to le arn by experimenting and experiencing, not by theory.

Natural Disasters, 12th edition focuses on explaining how the normal processes of Earth concentrate their energies and deal heavy blows to humans and their structures. Students have a natural curiosity about natural disasters and why they occur. This text explains why natural disasters occur by interweaving the themes of Energy sources, Plate tectonics, Climate change, Earth Processes, Geologic time, the complexities of multiple variables operating simultaneously throughout the text.

Continuing the tradition of International Dyke Conference, this book is largely based on contributions from the IDC7 but also includes some chapters by invitation. It focuses on mafic dyke swarms and related associations: e.g. links with sills, kimberlites, syenites, carbonatites, and volcanics, discussing the following themes: (i) regional maps/reviews of dyke swarms and related units, (ii) the role of giant dyke swarms in the reconstruction of supercontinents/paleocontinents, (iii) mapping of dykes using remote sensing techniques, (iv) geochronology of dyke swarms, (v) petrology, geochemistry and petrogenesis of dykes, (vi) emplacement mechanism of dykes, (vii) dyke swarms and planetary bodies, and (viii) links to mineralization and resources.

The Tide-Dominated Han River Delta provides a thorough analysis of a river delta in which tidal currents have reworked the river-borne sediment, generating characteristic geomorphological and sedimentological signatures in the process. Such "tide-dominated" deltas are common in the modern ocean, forming the substrate upon which entire populations are built. Furthermore, ancient examples contain enormous volumes of hydrocarbon. Despite this, tide-dominated deltas remain less well understood than their wave- and river-dominated counterparts, largely because processes within them are inherently more complex and fewer modern examples have been investigated in detail. This multi-year study by a team of experts in coastal geoscience represents the most complete documentation of a tide-dominated delta to date. Results help advance, and are applicable to, a broad range of fields within sedimentary geology, including clastic sedimentology, seismic and sequence stratigraphy, and coastal geomorphology, in addition to petroleum geology and reservoir engineering.

Rapid Penetration into Granular Media: Visualizing the Fundamental Physics of Rapid Penetration introduces readers to the variety of methods developed to visualize, observe, and model the rapid penetration of natural and man-made projectiles into earth materials while providing seasoned practitioners with a standard reference that showcases the topic's most recent developments in research and application. There has been a flurry of recently funded research both in the U.S. and Europe on studying the behavior of projectiles in granular media. This book compiles the findings of recent research on the subject and outlines the fundamental physics of rapid earth penetration, and assembles a comprehensive collection of experimental and numerical techniques to study the problem.

The world is changing. Human population is surging towards 10 billion, food, water, climate and energy security are all at risk. Nitrogen could be our life raft in this global 'perfect storm'. Get it right and it can help to feed billions, fuel our cars and put a dent in global warming. Get it wrong and it will make things a whole lot worse.

Every rock has a story tell, and none more so than those which have fallen from the sky: meteorites. Originating in the Asteroid Belt between Mars and Jupiter, these rocky fragments offer clues not just to the earliest origins of the Solar System but also to Earth's very survival into the future. Sky at Night presenter, Dr Tim Gregory takes us on a journey through the very earliest days of our Solar System to the spectacular meteorite falls that produced 'fiery rain' in 1792, to the pre-solar grains (literally stardust) that were blown in from other solar systems and are the oldest solid objects ever discovered on earth. Meteorites reveal a story much bigger than ourselves or our planet. As Tim says, 'it is an epic beyond compare'.

Geofluids: Developments in Microthermometry, Spectroscopy, Thermodynamics, and Stable Isotopes is the definitive source on paleofluids and the migration of hydrocarbons in sedimentary basins-ideal for researchers in oil and gas exploration. There's been a rapid development of new non-destructive analytical methods and interdisciplinary research that makes it difficult to find a single source of content on the subject of geofluids. Geoscience researchers commonly use multiple tools to interpret geologic problems, particularly if the problems involve fluid-rock interaction. This book perfectly combines the techniques of fluid inclusion microthermometry, stable isotope analyses, and various types of spectroscopy, including Raman analysis, to contribute to a thorough approach to research. Through a practical and intuitive step-by-step approach, the authors explain sample preparation, measurements, and the interpretation and analysis of data related to thermodynamics and mineral-fluid equilibria.

This book begins with the dynamic characteristics of the covering layerbedrock type slope, containing monitoring data of the seismic array, shaking table tests, numerical analysis and theoretical derivation. Then it focuses on the landslide mechanism and assessment method. It also proposes a model that assessing the hazard area based on the field investigations. Many questions, exercises and solutions are given. Researchers and engineers in the field of Geotechnical Engineering and Anti-seismic Engineering can benefit from it.

This book presents the findings of recent theoretical and experimental studies of processes in the atmosphere, oceans and lithosphere, discussing their interactions, environmental issues, geology, problems related to human impacts on the environment, and methods of geophysical research. It particularly focuses on the geomechanical aspects of the production of hydrocarbons, including the laborious extraction of oils. Furthermore, it includes contributions on ecological problems of the biosphere. This book corresponds to the English edition of the "Processes in GeoMedia," a Russian academic journal focused on new theoretical and experimental studies of the Earth's processes.

This book gives background information why shale formations in the world are important both for storage capacity and enhanced gas recovery (EGR). Part of this book investigates the sequestration capacity in geological formations and the mechanisms for the enhanced storage rate of CO2 in an underlying saline aquifer. The growing concern about global warming has increased interest in geological storage of carbon dioxide (CO2). The main mechanism of the enhancement, viz., the occurrence of gravity fingers, which are the vehicles of enhanced transport in saline aquifers, can be visualized using the Schlieren technique. In addition high pressure experiments confirmed that the storage rate is indeed enhanced in porous media. The book is appropriate for graduate students, researchers and advanced professionals in petroleum and chemical engineering. It provides the interested reader with in-depth insights into the possibilities and challenges of CO2 storage and the EGR prospect.