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Date submitted2024-05-11
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Date accepted2025-01-28
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Date published2025-03-21
Research and development of technology for the construction of snow airfields for accommodating wheeled aircraft in Antarctica
- Authors:
- Sergey P. Polyakov
- Sergey V. Popov
Construction of a new wintering complex at the Antarctic Vostok Station required prompt delivery of builders and mechanics to Progress Station to move them further to the work area. To solve this major logistical issue, a new landing site, later named Zenit, certified for accommodating heavy wheeled aircraft, was prepared in the Progress Station area from March to August 2022. Its snow pavement slab with a total area of 350 thousand m2 is from 100 to 120 cm high. It was made by applying snow layers with their subsequent compaction by a specially designed compaction platform for snow airfields suitable for heavy wheeled aircraft. As a result, the pavement has a surface hardness of at least 1 MPa. The layer from 30 to 60 cm has a hardness of at least 0.8 MPa, and the bottom layer at least 0.6 MPa. The first Il-76TD-90VD aircraft of the Russian company Volga-Dnepr was accommodated to the new runway on 7 November 2022. The aircraft landed in normal mode. The depth of the chassis wheels track after landing did not exceed 3 cm. The research provided in-depth understanding of the mechanisms for forming the supporting base of the runway from snow and ice in Antarctica. The experience gained can be used to solve similar issues in the Far North.
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Date submitted2023-07-07
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Date accepted2023-12-27
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Date published2024-08-26
Landslide hazard assessment in Tinh Tuc town, Cao Bang province, Vietnam using Frequency ratio method and the combined Fractal-frequency ratio method
Landslides are one of the most frequent natural disasters that cause significant damage to property in Vietnam, which is characterized by mountainous terrain covering three-quarters of the territory. In 17 northern mountainous provinces of the country, over 500 communes are at a high to very high landslide hazard. The main goal of this study was to establish landslide hazard maps and conduct a comparative evaluation of the efficiency of the methods employed in Tinh Tuc town, Cao Bang province. The landslide hazard assessment was carried out in this study using the combined Fractal-frequency ratio (FFR) and the Frequency ratio (FR) methods. The FR method is based on the actualist principle, which assumes that future landslides may be caused by the same factors that contributed to slope failure in the past and present. The FFR method is based on the determination of the fractal dimension, which serves as a measure of the landslide filling density in the study area. Eight landslide-related factors were considered and presented in cartographic format: elevation, distance to roads, slope, geology, distance to faults, land use, slope aspect, and distance to drainage. Determining the area under the receiver operating characteristic curve (ROC-AUC) and verification index (LRclass) was performed to assess the performance of prediction models and the accuracy of the obtained maps. As a result, five zones were identified for the study area, characterized by very low, low, moderate, high, and very high landslide hazards. The analysis of the reliability of the obtained landslide hazard maps using the AUC and LRclass indices revealed that the FFR model has a higher degree of reliability (AUC = 86 %, LRclass = 86 %) compared to the FR model (AUC = 72 %, LRclass = 73 %); therefore, its use is more effective.
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Date submitted2024-03-28
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Date accepted2024-06-03
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Date published2024-07-04
Assessing the effectiveness of sewage sludge in the reclamation of disturbed areas in the Kola subarctic zone (a case study of a sand quarry)
An assessment was made of the effectiveness of reclamation using sewage sludge for the accelerated formation of a stable erosion-proof vegetation cover on the unproductive anthropogenic soil of a sand quarry in the context of the Kola North. The experiment, launched in 2017, included three treatments: control – no treatment, experiment 1 – fragmentary (50 %) application of sewage sludge, experiment 2 – continuous application. In the sixth growing season, anthropogenic soil samples were examined, and measurements of CO2 emissions were carried out. It was shown that the application of sewage sludge had a positive effect on the physicochemical and agrochemical properties of the soils: in situ pH and density decreased, hygroscopicity increased, available phosphorus and potassium increased. Significant differences (p < 0.05) were found between CO2 emissions in the control and experimental treatments. The content of organic carbon in the control treatment was lower than in the experimental ones; under fragmentary application of sewage sludge, it was three times lower, and under continuous application, it was nine times lower. Significant (p < 0.05) differences in the content of carbon and nitrogen in cold and hot water extracts between control and treatment samples were found under continuous application of sewage sludge. At the same time, by calculating the C/N ratio, a very low level of nitrogen was found in the humus. The main factors behind the variability of the estimated parameters were identified – the treatment itself and the method of its application, the contribution of the treatment alone was 60 %, the contribution of the application method was 14 %. Taking into account the economic factors, fragmentary application of sewage sludge onto the anthropogenic sand quarry soil is recommended to support the establishment of a stable erosion-proof phytocenosis.
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Date submitted2024-04-22
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Date accepted2024-06-13
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Date published2024-07-04
Lithification of leachate from municipal solid waste landfills with blast furnace slag
- Authors:
- Mariya A. Pashkevich
- Yuliya A. Kulikova
The article presents an alternative method of utilization of blast furnace slag and leachate from solid municipal waste landfills, the formation of which occurs during the infiltration of atmospheric precipitation through the thickness of deposited waste. The method is based on the conversion of leachate from the liquid phase to the solid aggregate state by lithification using blast furnace slag as an astringent material. The hydraulic activity of slag, which depends on the amount of oxides contained in it, has been estimated. The investigated slag belongs to the 3rd grade, which confirms the possibility of its use as an astringent material. The filtrate was analyzed for the content of various elements, and the maximum permissible concentrations for each element were found to be exceeded. Chemical and biological oxygen demand were determined, and critically high values were installed (17200 mgO2/l and 4750 mgO2/l, respectively). The lithification process was divided into two stages. The first stage was to reduce the organic component in the filtrate using a coagulant, aluminum sulfate; the second stage was slag hydration. The optimum ratio of lithificate components in terms of mixture solidification rate was established at 1:0.03:1.25 (leachate, coagulant, blast furnace slag). The obtained material was analyzed for the solubility and content of various forms of metal. It is established that at infiltration of atmospheric precipitations through lithificate only 3 % of material will be washed out; concentrations of gross and mobile forms of heavy metals do not exceed the maximum permissible, except for the gross content of arsenic, mobile, and water-soluble forms of which were not found. The values of chemical (687 mgO2/l) and biological (173 mgO2/l) oxygen demand in the aqueous extract from lithificate decreased more than 25 times in comparison with the initial filtrate. According to the results of toxicological studies, lithificate was assigned an IV class of waste hazard, which confirms the possibility of its use as bulk material at landfills.
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Date submitted2023-07-25
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Date accepted2024-05-02
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Date published2024-08-26
Finite element analysis of slope failure in Ouenza open-pit iron mine, NE Algeria: causes and lessons for stability control
Slope failures in mining engineering pose significant risks to slope stability control, necessitating a thorough investigation into their root causes. This paper focuses on a back analysis of a slope failure in the Zerga section of the Ouenza – Algeria open-pit iron mine. The primary objectives are to identify the causes of slope failure, propose preventive measures, and suggest techniques to enhance stability, thereby providing crucial insights for monitoring slope stability during mining operations. The study commenced with a reconstruction of the slopes in the affected zones, followed by a numerical analysis utilizing the Shear strength reduction method within the Finite element method (SSR-FE). This approach enables the examination of slope stability under both static and dynamic loads. The dynamic load assessment incorporated an evaluation of the vibrations induced by the blasting process during excavation, introducing seismic loading into the finite element analysis. The findings reveal that the primary triggering factor for the landslide was the vibration generated by the blasting process. Furthermore, the slope stability was found to be critically compromised under static loads, highlighting a failure to adhere to exploitation operation norms. The challenging geology, particularly the presence of marl layers where maximum shear strain occurs, contributed to the formation of the landslide surface. The study not only identifies the causes of slope failure but also provides valuable lessons for effective slope stability management in mining operations.
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Date submitted2023-05-31
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Date accepted2023-12-27
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Date published2024-04-25
Velocity structure of the Earth’s crust and upper mantle in the Pechenga ore region and adjacent areas in the northwestern part of the Lapland-Kola orogen by the receiver function technique
- Authors:
- Andrei G. Goev
The article presents a study of the Earth’s crust and upper mantle in the Pechenga ore region, as well as areas adjacent to it in the northwestern part of the Kola region. Applying the receiver function technique to data acquired by three broadband seismic stations, we obtained one-dimensional seismic velocity distribution models to a depth of 300 km. The stations are located in the northern parts of Finland and Norway, as well as in the Pechenga region of the Russian Federation. Despite the stations being in relatively close proximity (within 100 km of each other), the velocity models turned out to be significantly different, which indicates structural discontinuity within the lithosphere. Thus, Finland station data set revealed a gradient crust-mantle transition, which is not present in the other two models. At depths of about 150 km, a low-velocity zone was discovered, associated with mid-lithospheric discontinuity, which was not found beneath the Pechenga ore region. Furthermore, the crustal structure of the Pechenga region has an anomalously high Vp/Vs ratio to a depth of about 20 km. Considering the fact that the Pechenga (Nikel) seismic station was installed in close proximity to major copper-nickel deposits, this anomaly can be interpreted as a relic of Proterozoic plume activity.
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Date submitted2023-03-30
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Date accepted2023-09-21
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Date published2023-10-27
Mineral composition and thermobarometry of metamorphic rocks of Western Ny Friesland, Svalbard
The results of the study of mineral composition and microstructure of representative metapelitic and calcic pelitic schist and amphibole-biotite gneiss, occurring in the northern part of the Western Ny Friesland anticlinorium, are reported. Mineral composition was analyzed with a JSM-6510LA scanning electron microscope with a JED-2200 (JEOL) energy dispersive spectrometer. Metamorphic conditions were assessed with various mineral geothermometers (garnet-biotite, Ti-in-biotite, Ti-in-muscovite, Ti-in-amphibole, garnet-amphibole, amphibole-plagioclase, and chlorite) and geothermobarometers (GASP, GBPQ, GRIPS, GBPQ, phengite, etc.). It has been shown that peak temperature and pressure for rocks of the Paleoproterozoic Atomfjella Series forming the western limb of the anticlinorium are consistent with those for the high-pressure part of the upper amphibolite facies (690-720 °С, 9-12 kbar), and the peak temperature and pressure for rocks of the Mossel Series occurring in the eastern limb and rest on the Atomfjella rock sequence, are consistent with the high-pressure part of the lower amphibolite facies (580-600 °С, 9-11 kbar). In addition to the high-temperature parageneses Ms-Bt-Grt-Pl (±Ky, St), Bt-Grt-Pl-Kfs-Cal (±Scp) and Bt-Hbl-Ep-Grt-Pl, the rocks of the both series display the low-temperature assemblage Ms-Chl-Ep-Ab-Prh-Ttn, which was formed upon transition from greenschist to prehnite-pumpellyite facies (260-370 °С).
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Date submitted2021-04-15
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Date accepted2022-09-06
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Date published2023-10-27
Gold-rare metal and associated mineralization in the western part of Bolshevik Island, Severnaya Zemlya archipelago
The presented studies are aimed to determine the formation patterns of the gold-rare metal mineralization within one of the most inaccessible Arctic islands of the Russian Federation, Bolshevik Island of the Severnaya Zemlya archipela-go. The relevance of the work is determined by the high probability of discovering a significant in terms of metal reserves deposit, which is proved by many researchers on the example of known large deposits to be a typical feature of sites with gold-rare metal formation. Obviously, only the possibility of discovering and subsequent development of a deposit of a highly liquid type of mineral, gold, can ensure the profitability of mining production on Severnaya Zemlya. It is established that the main geological, mineralogical, and geochemical features of the gold-rare metal mineralization in the Kropotkinsko-Nikitinskaya metallogenic zone of Bolshevik Island correspond to that of similar ore sites in Russia and the world. The occurrences of other formation types revealed in this metallogenic zone suggest a certain zoning in their distribution: mineralization is located in the apical parts of granitoids and in the nearest halo of hornfelses. At a distance, with an exit from the hornfelsed zone, there are occurrences of a cassiterite-sulphide formation with elevated gold and silver content at the top of the ore column, together with an increased amount of polymetallic ores. Occurrences of gold-quartz and gold-sulphide-quartz formations are localized in fault zones, as a rule, farther from granitoids. The total vertical range of gold mineralization exceeds 300 m. The assignment of all types of mineralization in the Kropotkinsko-Nikitinskaya metallogenic zone of Bolshevik Island to a single hydrothermal process is emphasized by the similar isotope composition of lead galena from heterogeneous occurrences, which determines the age of all mineralization at 200-300 Ma.
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Date submitted2023-04-25
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Date accepted2023-04-25
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Date published2023-04-25
Ecological security and sustainability
- Authors:
- Mariya A. Pashkevich
- Alexandr S. Danilov
In 2015, UN Member States adopted the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, aimed at balancing initiatives by the world community and individual countries in the environmental, social, and economic spheres. The global sustainable development goals are to promote the well-being of the world population, preserve the planet’s resources, and maintain ecological security, which is vital in the age of the rapid industrial growth and ever-increasing anthropogenic pressure on the environment. For the successful achievement of sustainability goals in the manufacturing sector, integrated measures should be undertaken for monitoring and assessing the technogenic impact of industrial facilities. Additionally, it is necessary to develop environmentally-friendly technologies in the fields of gas and water treatment, land reclamation, and waste disposal. Therefore, fundamental and applied research in these related spheres is of particular importance. Currently, environmental monitoring of all components of the environment, along with anthropogenic objects and processes, receives considerable attention, which is determined by the vector of development in science and technology. In this regard, the latest innovations in green technology in this area are becoming increasingly significant.
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Date submitted2022-11-11
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Date accepted2023-01-19
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Date published2023-12-25
Evaluation of the efficiency of sorbents for accidental oil spill response in the Arctic waters
The development and operation of new oil fields on the Arctic shelf increases the risks of oil spills, which require the use of oil spill response tools and materials that are efficient in harsh climatic conditions. The question of actual efficiency of sorbents for reducing the level of oil pollution in the conditions of the Arctic and subarctic waters is relevant. The work is aimed at a comparative study of the efficiency of sorbents of mineral and organic origin used by coastal enterprises in the Kola Bay as well as a sorbent based on chitin in model systems simulating real conditions in sea waters. The characteristics of sorption agents were determined applying ASTM F716-18 procedure. Sorption capacity was evaluated in respect of ARCO grade oil, diesel fuel and marine oil. The efficiency of sorbents was estimated in model systems “sea water – oil” at water temperature corresponding to the average annual surface temperature in the Barents Sea. Actual data on sorption capacity of commercial sorbents “Lessorb”, “Novosorb”, a sorbent based on vermiculite and chitin sorbent in relation to potential pollutants of waters were obtained. The dynamics of sea water saturation with oil products at –0.5 (±1) and 10 (±1) °С was determined. It is shown that at higher temperature the concentration of oil products in sea water column (in the presence of an oil film on the surface) is on average four times higher than at low temperature. Kinetic dependences were obtained that describe the content of oil products in water column and near-surface layer of sea water in the presence of the studied sorbents at 5 (±1) °C, corresponding to the average annual temperature in the Kola Bay of the Barents Sea. A method is proposed for evaluating the efficiency of sorbents from the values of regression coefficients characterizing the dependence of oil products content in sea water on the character of sorbent and duration of its action.
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Date submitted2022-03-09
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Date accepted2022-11-17
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Date published2023-02-27
Development of methodology for economic evaluation of land plots for the extraction and processing of solid minerals
The Russian economy has a pronounced resource specialization; in many regions, subsoil use is a backbone or one of the main areas of the economy. In these conditions, the improvement of the methodology for the economic evaluation of lands on which mining enterprises are located is of particular relevance. On the basis of the existing experience in assessing industrial land, the authors present a developed methodology for determining the cadastral value of land plots where mining enterprises are located, taking into account their industry characteristics and the specifics of production and commercial activities. At the same time, cadastral valuation is considered as a specific form of economic valuation. Particular emphasis is placed on the importance of taking into account the cost factors that have the greatest impact on the formation of the cost of land for the extraction and processing of solid minerals, and the method of assessment depending on the characteristics of the object. To carry out theoretical research, the methods of analysis and synthesis of legal and scientific and technical literature in the field of cadastral and market valuation of land were used in the work. The practical part is based on the application of expert methods, including the method of analysis of hierarchies, system and logical analysis. The method of M.A.Svitelskaya was chosen as the basis, which presents a combination of modified methods of statistical (regression) modeling and modeling based on specific indicators of cadastral value. The use of this technique in economic practice contributes to increasing the efficiency of cadastral valuation and the objectivity of its results.
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Date submitted2022-03-17
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Date accepted2022-10-04
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Date published2022-11-10
Improving the reliability of 3D modelling of a landslide slope based on engineering geophysics data
Landslides are among the most dangerous geological processes, posing a threat to all engineering structures. In order to assess the stability of slopes, complex engineering surveys are used, the results of which are necessary to perform computations of the stability of soil masses and assess the risks of landslide development. The results of integ-rated geological and geophysical studies of a typical landslide slope in the North-Western Caucasus spurs, composed of clayey soils, are presented. The purpose of the work is to increase the reliability of assessing the stability of a landslide mass by constructing a 3D model of the slope, including its main structural elements, identified using modern methods of engineering geophysics. Accounting for geophysical data in the formation of the computed 3D model of the slope made it possible to identify important structural elements of the landslide, which significantly affected the correct computation of its stability.
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Date submitted2022-02-18
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Date accepted2022-05-25
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Date published2022-07-13
Remote sensing techniques in the study of structural and geotectonic features of Iturup Island (the Kuril Islands)
The article presents structural and geotectonic features of Iturup Island, the largest island in the Greater Kuril Ridge, a unique natural site, which can be considered as a geological reference. The structural and geotectonic analysis carried out on the basis of a comprehensive study of the new Earth remote sensing data, maps of anomalous geophysical geophysical fields, and other geological and geophysical materials using modern modelling methods made it possible for the first time to identify or clarify the location of previously discovered discontinuous faults, typify them and determine the kinematics, as well as to establish a more reliable spatial relationship of the identified structures with magmatism with the stages of the geological development of the region. The constructed diagram of the density distribution of the zones with increased tectonic fracturing shows a significant correlation between the distribution of minerals and weakened areas of the Earth's crust and can be used as an alternative method for predicting minerals in the study region, especially in remote and hard-to-reach areas. The presented approach can be extended to the other islands of the Greater Kuril Ridge, thereby bringing research geologists closer to obtaining the answers to questions about the features of the geotectonic structure and evolution of the island arc. The use of customized software products significantly speeds up the process of interpreting a large array of geological and geophysical data.
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Date submitted2021-03-05
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Date accepted2021-09-07
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Date published2021-12-16
Utilization of sewage sludge as an ameliorant for reclamation of technogenically disturbed lands
- Authors:
- Tatyana A. Petrova
- Edelina Rudzisha
When rehabilitating technogenically disturbed lands of mining facilities, fertilizers and ameliorants are to be applied due to the lack of organic matter and nutrients required for the restoration of the soil and vegetation layer. The use of unconventional fertilizers (ameliorants) based on sewage sludge is one of the actual directions of land reclamation at mining sites. The purpose of the work is to summarize and analyze up-to-date information on the effectiveness of the use of sewage sludge for the reclamation of technogenically disturbed lands of mining and processing industries. The analysis is based on a review of recent studies aimed at assessing the impact of introduced sediment on soils, plant communities, and rehabilitated areas. The introduction of sewage sludge has a positive effect on the physical and chemical parameters of the soil (optimizes density and aggregation), saturates it with nutrients, i.e. N, P, K, Ca, Mg, and Na, thus improving plant growth indicators. However, it may contain a number of heavy metals and pathogens; therefore, studies of each sediment and conditions of reclaimed areas are necessary.
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Date submitted2021-03-13
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Date accepted2021-05-21
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Date published2021-09-20
Cadastral valuation of forest lands, taking into account the degree of development of their infrastructure
The article substantiates the need to improve methodology for cadastral valuation of forest lands and change the principles for calculating the rental rate of forest lands, on the basis of which the rent for the use of these lands will be determined in future. The methodology for determining the cadastral value of forest lands, taking into account the degree of development of their infrastructure, is presented. The infrastructure of lands of the forest fund is considered and an algorithm for assessing such infrastructure by means of geoinformation modeling is shown. A method for calculating a complex integral indicator (coefficient of infrastructure development) is presented, which is applicable to differentiate lands covered and not covered with tree vegetation, for their effective and rational management. The complex integral indicator determines the availability of forest plots, as it takes into account location of the forest fund infrastructure in relation to assessment plots, which makes it possible to obtain information about the time spent on covering the required distance. This methodology can be applied to assess the quality and condition of the existing infrastructure of the forestry sector in implementation of measures within the framework of the Strategy for the development of the forestry complex, providing for support and construction of infrastructure facilities on the forest fund lands. The method was tested in the Baltiysky district forestry of the Baltiysko-Belozersky taiga region. The results were as follows: the map of the forest fund infrastructure development within the boundaries of differentiation assessment according to the calculated integral indicator of infrastructure development was obtained; the regression model for calculating the rent rate taking into account the taxation value and integral indicator infrastructure development was received: the cadastral value of forest lands taking into account the developed model was calculated.
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Date submitted2020-09-10
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Date accepted2020-11-25
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Date published2021-06-24
Formation conditions of noble metal mineralization in sulfide cobalt-copper-nickel ores of Kamchatka (on the example of Annabergitovaya Schel ore occurrence)
The authors present research results, the purpose of which is to study the specifics of noble metal mineralization and its genesis in sulfide cobalt-copper-nickel ores of the Kamchatka nickel-bearing province. The paper is dedicated to one of its many ore occurrences called Annabergitovaya Schel (Annabergite Gap). The material composition of platinoid, silver, gold, bismuth and tellurium minerals, as well as sulfarsenides in the ores of this occurrence was investigated. Based on the data of mineral formation sequence and the use of geosensors, conclusions were drawn regarding the genesis of noble metal mineralization. Formation of platinoid minerals, silver and gold at the Annabergitovaya Schel ore occurrence is mainly associated with the epigenetic effect of post-ore granitoids on ore-bearing intrusion rocks of the Dukuk complex of the cortlandite-norite formation and on syngenetic ores. An early association of noble metal minerals is represented by sperrylite, irarsite, and rare unnamed phases of Pt + Ir + Te. Irarsite and Pt + Ir + Te phases were formed at the contact-metasomatic stage. Sperrylite can be assumed to be of magmatic origin. Silver sulfides and tellurides, silver and palladium bismuth tellurides, and native gold were formed at the late, hydrothermal-metasomatic, stage. The occurrence conditions of mineral parageneses, associated with noble metal mineralization, correspond to the formation of shallow-depth metasomatic rocks (≤5 km). Sub-developed quartz-feldspar metasomatites, associated with the formation of early platinoid arsenides and sulfarsenides, are in equilibrium with circumneutral solutions (pH of 4.5-6.5) at temperatures of 350-600 °C. Late hydrothermal association with Pd, Ag and Au minerals is close to propylites and was formed at pH values of 4.5-6.5 and temperature of 150-350 °C.
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Date submitted2021-02-05
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Date accepted2021-03-30
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Date published2021-04-26
Assessment of negative infrastructural externalities when determining the land value
- Authors:
- Elena N. Bykova
The work forms and substantiates the concept of land value, based on a new institutional theory. The infrastructural component of the cost of land in the presented concept determines, on the one hand, the efficiency of the use of natural resources, properties, demand for land on the market, on the other hand, the costs, which are determined not only by capital investments in construction of engineering infrastructure, but also by losses associated with restrictions on activities within zones with special conditions for territory use, creation of unfavorable conditions for economic activity, small contours, irregularities and others on a specific land plot, which are external negative infrastructural externalities that create losses of rights holders of land plots that are not compensated by the market, falling within the boundaries of these zones. Methods for assessing the impact of such negative infrastructural externalities on the cost of land encumbered by zones in different conditions of land market activity have been developed and tested, based on an expert-analytical approach (depressed market); the ratio of market values of land plots encumbered and unencumbered by a specific zone, and qualimetric modeling (inactive market); modeling by introducing into the model the factor of presence of zones with special conditions for territory use, based on the grouping of zones according to similar regulations for use, or by introducing the parameters of this factor (active market). Methods for taking into account spatial deficiencies and compensating for restrictions and prohibitions on activities on the territory of land plots with an individual market assessment are proposed.
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Date submitted2020-05-06
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Date accepted2020-05-24
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Date published2020-06-30
Revisiting the evolution of deformation zones under platform conditions in the case study of the Kungur Ice Cave (Cis-Urals)
- Authors:
- Nataliya V. Lavrova
Observations in mining tunnels and caves allow to identify composition and development specifics of fault structures under subsurface conditions at various stages of geological history. Basing on the existing formation model of Kungur Ice Cave karst system, author examines the transformations of deformation zones, occurring in the mass of interlaid sulfate and carbonate rocks under platform conditions. Morphologic specifics of vertical structures – organ pipes, developed within one of the gypsum-anhydrite units, are defined by evolution stages of disjunctive faults, penetrating the entire rock mass of the Ice Cave. Point infiltration of surface waters and formation of a single channel, where rock softening and taluses from overlapping deposits gradually occur, are currently considered to be the initiators of pipe formation. At a later stage a sink forms on the surface, increasing the amount of water coming to the karsting mass. However, the size of debris in the talus, incommensurate with the pipe head, rounded arches of separate pipes, fragments of feeder channels, characteristic for artesian conditions of underground water circulation, faceted rock debris from overlapping deposits, specifics of wall structure all define the priority of pipe formation over grottos and cave galleries. Plastic properties of gypsum sediments and processes of their hydration define secondary modifications of pipe walls up to complete filling of the voids and formation of secondary pillars with subsequent renewed formation of vertical channels – significantly smaller in diameter and formed by infiltration waters when subject to corrosion.
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Date submitted2019-07-13
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Date accepted2019-08-31
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Date published2019-12-24
Method for predicting the stress-strain state of the vertical shaft lining at the drift landing section in saliferous rocks
The article proposes a method for predicting the stress-strain state of the vertical shaft lining in saliferous rocks at the drift landing section. The paper considers the development of geomechanical processes in the saliferous rock in the landing area, the support is viewed as a two-layer medium: the inner layer is concrete, the outer layer is compensation material. With this in view, the paper solves the problem of continuum mechanics in a spatial setting, taking into account the long-term deformation of salts and the compressibility of the compensation layer. Long-term deformation of saliferous rocks is described using the viscoplastic model of salt deformation into the numerical model, and the crushable foam model to simulate the deformation of the compensation layer. This approach considers all stages of the deformation of the compensation layer material and the development of long-term deformations of saliferous rocks, which makes it possible to increase the reliability of the forecast of the stress-strain state of the vertical shaft lining.
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Date submitted2018-09-13
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Date accepted2018-11-09
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Date published2019-02-22
Lignin sludge application for for-est land reclamation: feasibility assessment
- Authors:
- M. A. Pashkevich
- T. A. Petrova
- E. Rudzisha
The article analyses waste generation of pulp and paper industry in North-Western Russia. The environmental impact of waste storage facilities of the pulp and paper mill was assessed, the need for utilization of lignin sludge was justified. In North-Western Russia, 1.21 million hectares of disturbed areas are in need for reclamation; they are abandoned quarries and lands alienated for pipeline and road construction. The suitability of lignin sludge for preparation of artificial fertile soils for reclamation purposes is estimated. For this purpose, experiments were carried out to create an artificial mixture with different ratios of lignin sludge and soil, to detect the maldevelopment of several plant species grown on various compositions of lignin sludge and soils. It was revealed that lignin sludge as an organic additive to soils is not toxic to vegetation and living organisms, allowing improving fertility of artificial soils.
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Date submitted2018-01-15
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Date accepted2018-02-28
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Date published2018-06-22
About the role of hydrafed calcium carboaluminates in improving the technology of complex processing of nephelines
- Authors:
- V. M. Sizyakov
- V. N. Brichkin
The scientific justification and development of the method for industrial synthesis of complex aluminates of alkaline earth metals is an innovative solution that determined several directions in the development of technology for complex processing of nepheline raw materials. It ensures the production of high-quality metallurgical alumina, the effective utilization of nepheline sludge and production of new types of multipurpose by-products. The modern development of these technical solutions is associated with ensuring the energy efficiency of the synthesis of hydrafed calcium carboaluminates (HCCA) and increasing the level of purification of aluminate solutions. The conditions for synthesizing HCCA with the use of calcareous materials of natural and technogenic origin have been experimentally determined, which makes it possible to isolate the average particle diameter as one of the determining factors of this process. The effect of the turnover of the hydrogarnet sludge on the removal of kinetic limitations in the process of deep desalination of aluminous solutions is theoretically justified. The conditions of a two-stage dosage of HCCA are experimentally determined. It is shown that the optimum ratio of the amount of the reagent supplied in the first and second stages is about 3: 2. At the same time, the maximum degree of precipitation of silica provides the production of aluminate solutions with a silicon module at the level of 95,000, which is achieved by using a HCCA synthesized based on chemically precipitated calcium carbonate in the processing of wastes from the production of mineral fertilizers.
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Date submitted2017-09-22
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Date accepted2017-11-17
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Date published2018-02-22
The problem of cadastral appraisal of forest lands taking into account the infrastructure of the forestry fund
- Authors:
- V. F. Kovyazin
- A. Yu. Romanchikov
Forest lands are the main means of production in the forest sector. For the most territories in the Russian Federation there are established methods of cadastral appraisal, but not for the forest regions taking up 2/3 of the country’s area. In 2002 Russian Government made an attempt to solve this problem and recommended a method of cadastral appraisal for the lands of the forestry fund. However, the method did not find practical application and was dismissed in 2010, and no substitution followed. In each subject of the Russian Federation private appraisers offer their own options of forest land valuation, but their results differ significantly even for the lands with comparable species of wood, productivity, site quality and age composition of the stand. Moreover, valuation organizations do not take into account forest infrastructure. Authors propose a universal method suitable for the entire territory of the country, which will allow to calculate specific cadastral value of the forest lands taking into account taxation indices of the wood stands growing there. The method is suitable not only for the objective cadastral valuation of the forest lands – reasonable rental payments will provide an opportunity to develop transport infrastructure in the forestry fund, especially forest roads and bridges, and to make timely arrangements for plant maintenance, forest protection and reproduction, which will have a significant influence on social and economic development of forest regions in Russia.
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Date submitted2016-09-08
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Date accepted2016-11-18
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Date published2017-02-22
Plume tectonics – myth or reality?
- Authors:
- Yu. I. Daragan-Sushchov
The paper is dedicated to the role of mantle plumes in the formation of large igneous provinces. From different regions of the world facts are mentioned that contradict key points of plume tectonics. Closer attention is paid to classical volcanic provinces on Hawaiian islands and in Iceland, as well as to Siberian and Deccan Traps, oceanic plateau Ontong Java, Central Atlantic magmatic province, Alfa and Mendeleev Ridges in the Arctic Ocean. A conclusion is drawn that plumes are a special case of mantle-lithospheric flows, which according to deep geophysics are often located horizontally which leaves out their plume origin. Heated masses of mantle substance under young volcanic regions or rift zones of mid-ocean ridges do not emerge from the depth in the form of a straight column, but rather have arbitrary shapes, skewing to the sides and having outgrowths, offshoots, spherical bulges. Vertically rising flows of hot magma (plumes) are not a cause, but an effect of a lithospheric split and rise of magmatic substance due to decompression. A conclusion is made that it is unproductive to exaggerate the shapes and sizes of plumes and use them to explain all the diversity of endogenous processes.
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Date submitted2014-12-24
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Date accepted2015-02-17
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Date published2015-12-25
Problem of forestfund cadastral value determination
- Authors:
- V. F. Kovyazin
- A. Yu. Romanchikov
For several decades, Russian scientists cannot solve the problem of cadastral valuation of forest lands, which occupy two thirds of the country area. This evaluation is especially important in the terms of market relations for the calculation of charges for use of forest resources, a significant part of which is leased. Originally, cadastral valuation of forestland was planned to be conducted according to Faustmann’s formula, proposed by German economist in the mid-nineteenth century, but it has not found practical application due to the lack of certain data. In the modern period the issue of forestland valuation is escalated and scientists have proposed their own versions of the cadastral value of forestlands. We investigated a number of forestland cadastral evaluation reports from various regions of Russia. Different researchers propose to use a specific indicator of cadastral cost (UPCS), but the methods of calculation of this indicator are different for all the evaluators. Respectively, the UPCS values for each region are significantly different too. Years of research into this problem allowed us to propose a method of forestland cadastral evaluation. In the calculations, the shortcomings of previous research are taken into account and the value of income from harvested timber, its current growth in plantings under the age of ripeness as well as the income from the collection of food resources (mushrooms and berries) are included in the evaluation. In the calculations, lands should be differentiated between coniferous and deciduous forests, as the cost of timber and the yield of food resources are significantly different. The proposed method has allowed establishing the ratio of income of forestland from timber and food resources. Food resources can give more income to the society than the wood itself.
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Date submitted2014-12-16
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Date accepted2015-02-13
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Date published2015-12-25
Mineral resources in arctic islands of Russia
- Authors:
- A. N. Evdokimov
- A. N. Smirnov
- V. I. Fokin
There is an increased interest in the Arctic regions of the planet in recent years. Russia has the longest Arctic shelf with great prospects for hydrocarbons under its jurisdiction. So, the Arctic Islands will play a major role as an infrastructural base for development of oil and gas resources on the shelf in the Arctic Ocean in the near future. Minerals of major islands and archipelagos of the Russian Arctic: Novaya Zemlya, Franz-Josef Land, Severnaya Zemlya, the New Siberian Islands and the Wrangel Island as well as the Spitsbergen archipelago (Norway) where Russia has its own territory formally enshrined for the extraction of coal and other minerals are considered in the article.