Table of contents

6^th World Multidisciplinary Earth Sciences Symposium -WMESS 2020

This volume of " IOP Conference Series: Earth and Environmental Science (EES)" contains the papers presented in the "6^th World Multidisciplinary Earth Sciences Symposium" in the city of romance Prague (Czech Republic) during 7-11 September 2020. The aim of the WMESS 2020 is to provide a forum for discussion of the latest findings and technologies in different fields of Earth Sciences, to give opportunities for future collaborations. It is a platform for sharing knowledge and experiences in the fields of Earth Sciences by providing a forum for early career researchers for presentation of their work and discussion of their ideas with experts in different fields of Earth Sciences.

WMESS 2020 (www.mess-earth.org) is the 6th of the Annual series with its main mission to contribute in multidisciplinary studies related with Earth Sciences, and improvment of interactions between researchers. WMESS 2020 also provided a forum for this diverse range of studies which report the latest results and document emerging understanding of related systems and our place in it.

We would like to show our deep gratitude to the honored Scientific Committee and Institutional Scientific Partners of WMESS 2020. The Scientific Committee and Institutional Scientific Partners of WMESS 2020 was completed by paying strict attention, and all members were selected from well-known, very much appreciated, productive and representatives of the different countries. We are deeply grateful to the members of the scientific committee and institutional scientific partners.

All the missions of World Multidisciplinary Earth Sciences Symposium - WMESS 2020 were completed, and 109 peer reviewed articles were published. We would like to thank all reviewers for their great effort to achieve the high quality of published articles.

We thank to the sponsors of WMESS 2020 (as main sponsors LAMA Energy Group, LAMA Gas and Oil, and to be co-sponsor Prague City Tourism) for their very much appreciated supports during the organization of "World Multidisciplinary Earth Science Symposium - WMESS 2020". Of course, we would like to express my sincere gratitude to all participants from different countries all over the world for their interests and contributions in WMESS 2020. Another thank goes to the team of WMESS 2020 for their very much appreciated high workload during year.

Işık YILMAZ

Marian MARSCHALKO

Marian DRUSA

Editors of WMESS 2020

List of Scientific Committee Members are available in this pdf.

All papers published in this volume of IOP Conference Series: Earth and Environmental Science have been peer reviewed through processes administered by the Editors. Reviews were conducted by expert referees to the professional and scientific standards expected of a proceedings journal published by IOP Publishing.

• Type of peer review: Double-blind. All articles (168) had not been sent to the reviewers when they were submitted, and the review process had been completed in 2 rounds. In the 1^st round, the articles were evaluated by means of their originality and suitability. These selected 133 articles were taken under consideration and sent to the reviewers.

• Conference submission management system: On-line submission system of WMESS was used for the submission of the articles. However, the review process was managed by sending the articles to the reviewers by e-mail accounts of the editorial office (editor@mess-earth.org). The chairmen (Prof.Dr. Marian Marschalko, Prof.Dr. Isik Yilmaz, Prof.Dr. Marian Drusa) were responsible for the review process.

• Number of submissions received: 168

• Number of submissions sent for review: 133

• Number of submissions accepted: 109

• Acceptance Rate (Number of Submissions Accepted / Number of Submissions Received X 100): 64%

• Average number of reviews per paper: 2

• Total number of reviewers involved: 63

• Any additional info on review process: No

• Contact person for queries:

Isik YILMAZ

Cumhuriyet University, Faculty of Engineering, Department of Geological Engineering

iyilmaz@cumhuriyet.edu.tr

Prof.Dr. Marian MARSCHALKO

VSB - Technical University of Ostrava, Faculty of Mining and Geology, Department of Geological Engineering

marian.marschalko@vsb.cz

The study aims to analyze the variability of the precipitation character of seasons and years at selected stations in Poland in the 21st century. The work includes six meteorological stations located in specific regions of Poland. The precipitation character of years and climatic seasons was determined using quantile classification, based on the values of 10, 30, 70, and 90% quantile of the empirical distribution of seasonal and annual precipitation. 1971-2010 precipitation data (normal period) were applied to calculate the quantiles values. In spring (MAM), the highest frequency of precipitation anomalies was recorded in Wroclaw station. In the 21st century, precipitation of only one spring period was classified as normal at this station. Seven springs were dry or very dry, and 11 were wet or very wet. The most stable seasonal precipitation in spring was observed in Suwałki station. In the years 2001-2019, the twelve spring seasons had normal rainfall. Three spring seasons in Suwałki were classified as dry or very dry and five as wet or very wet. In the summer season (JJA) Szczecin and Wroclaw recorded a high frequency of precipitation anomalies. At each of these stations, 15 summer seasons were characterized by abnormal rainfall. The frequency of rainfall anomalies in the summer season was the smallest in Suwałki, where ten seasons with abnormal rainfalls were recorded, including three seasons with low or very low rainfall and six seasons with high or very high rainfall. In the autumn season (SON), precipitation was more stable in western and central Poland, where the number of seasons with abnormal precipitation ranged between 9 in Szczecin and Wroclaw to 10 in Lodz. In Lublin, on the other hand, as many as 15 seasons with abnormal rainfall was recorded in the 21st century. In the winter season of 2001-2019, rainfall amounts of unusual nature dominated at all stations, with the frequency being higher at these located in eastern Poland. The analysis of annual sums of precipitation showed that most years were abnormal in terms of precipitation, with a higher frequency of precipitation anomalies at stations located in the eastern part of the country.

The improvement of mineral extraction technology in underground mines to increase productivity has become an important objective of the mining industry in Algeria in the race for price competitiveness, especially after the sharp decline oil prices as the main income of Algeria. But the increase production in underground mines where the deposits do not have good mechanical characteristics is a major challenge for the decision-makers, as the case of the kieselguhr mine of sig (Western Algeria) which uses the Room and pillar mining method that do not fit the condition of soft deposits and do not have sufficient strength, which causes a lot of collapses from time to time. The only way to ensure the increase of production, by improving the method of extraction and efficiency of the equipment used. In this article, we will combine the Room and pillars mining method and use the technology of the longwall mining method to increase the production of the mine and ensures the safety of workers during operation.

The article considers petrographic compositions of the Mesozoic alkaline magmatic rocks of the Medvedey massif. The latter is a part of the Central Aldan ore district and is spatially located in the central part of the Nymnyr block. The massif is a multiphase structure, of the most productive stage of development of the territory – the Mesozoic tectonic-magmatic activation of the Aldan-Stanovoy shield. The main purpose of this work was to identify qualitative quantitative-mineralogical characteristics of the massif rocks, potential for gold mineralization, using crystal-optical methods. As a result of the field works and petrographic studies of the Mesozoic alkaline magmatic rocks, it was determined that, The Medvedev massif has a zonal structure and is represented by three phases of intrusion with distinct contacts between the latter, which rocks differ in structural and material features. The rocks of the first phase of the massif are composed considerably of leucocrate (the content of dark-colored minerals is up to 9%) syenite-porphyry with elements of the monzonite structure. Magmatic formations of the second phase of the massif differ from those of the first phase primarily in structural features and are represented by hypidiomorphic granular differences with an increased content of dark-colored minerals in the rocks up to 15%. The rocks of the final phase have a noticeable difference from the first two phases and are represented by mesocratic monzonite porphyry with a clearly expressed monzonite structure with a dark-colored mineral content up to 20%. Within the Central Aldan ore region, the large Samolazovskoye gold deposit is associated with similar multiphase massifs, in particular with the Yukhtin massif. During field works, it was found that gold-ore mineralization is associated with the massif, which formation is related to an intensively occurred contact-metasomatic effect on the host rocks. Hydrothermal-metasomatic transformations of the latter are the products of multi-stage alkali-silicate metasomatism, associated with the second and especially the first phases of intrusion of the massif, as well as with further weathering processes, disintegration of gold-ore metasomatites and formation of an oxidation zone. Based on the petrographic study of the material composition of the rocks of the massif, it is concluded that gold ore occurrences of commercial scale can be associated with such massifs of multi-phase intrusion.

The study shows chemical composition of the Mesozoic igneous rocks of the Medvedev massif. The massif is a part of the Central Aldan ore region. It is spatially located in the central part of the Nimnyr Block and is a part of the Leglier ore cluster. The massif is a multiphase structure of the most productive stage of the territory development – the Mesozoic tectonic-magmatic activation of the Aldan-Stanovoy shield. According to the materials of previous researchers, the rocks of the massif are represented by the augite hornblende and hornblende syenite porphyry. As a result of field work, we found that the massif has a zonal structure and is represented by three phases of intrusion. The rocks of the selected phases differ in their structural and compositional characteristics. The main objective of the work was to establish compositional characteristics by studying the chemical compositions of potential gold mineralization rocks of the Medvedev massif. In the course of studies and interpretation of chemical analysis of the massif Mesozoic magmatic rocks, we have identified the following characteristics. According to various classification data the following groups of rocks in Medvedev massif are identified – quartz syenites (Phase I), quartz monzodiorites of shoshonite series (Phase II) and monzonites of high-potassium calc-alkaline series (Phase III). The total alkali content (Na₂O+K₂O)>5% in them corresponds to alkaline rocks. All rocks are characterized by high Al₂O₃%>14 and low TiO₂<1%. The potassium type of alkalinity Na2O/K2O<1 is typical for quartz syenites of the massif, while for quartz monzodiorites this indicator is intermediate, and in monzonites of the massif this parameter Na₂O/K₂O>1 corresponds to rocks of the alkaline potassium-sodium series. The massif rocks characteristic feature is the decrease of rocks alumina (al') values from quartz syenites to quartz monzodiorites followed by the increase to monzonites, while the value of the rocks AG coefficient is significantly reduced in the series. Based on these facts, it was suggested that there are two sources of the mantle and mantle-crustal nature. Also, based on the study of the material composition of the Medvedev massif magmatic rocks and the similarity of the geological development with the Mesozoic magmatism of the Samolazovsky and Ryabinovy deposits, it was concluded that gold manifestations can be associated with such multiphase massifs within the Leglier ore cluster.

Iron-Oxide-Copper-Gold (IOCG) are the worldwide economically attractive deposits with significant amount of iron oxides, copper minerals, gold and ± silver and REE. In order to obtain more gold resources in Eastern Yakutia (Russia) we provide a descriptive model for IOCG style mineralization for several new prospective sites, which were initially discovered on satellite images and subsequently certified by prospecting. We allocate three basic Fe-oxide-Cu-Au deposit styles in Eastern Yakutia. First is related to Mesozoic hypabyssal intrusions of granodiorites (Kis-Kuel, Kysyltas and Rep-Yure deposits). As follows from the REE behavior in magmatic rocks, the fractionation of the magmatic melt during cooling was extremely insignificant. Due to this, a substantial part of the iron did not fractionate into high-iron melts, and separated into hydrothermal solutions with rich iron oxide mineralization. Second is related to flows of the basaltic and andesitic lavas of the upper Devonian – lower Carboniferous age (Khurat, Rosomakha and Jalkan deposits). Significant accumulations of hematite with copper and gold are associated with calc-alkaline basalts. The appearance of iron oxides in basaltic lavas is a result of decomposition of ilmenite into hematite and pseudorutile. Third style belongs to magnetite rich lavas of upper Jurassic age (Kildyam deposit). Variolithic lava flows saturated with native iron, magnetite, troilite and pyrite, native iron usually spherical in shape. Intrusion related ore bodies are irregular shaped breccias with arrays of variably mineralized veins and veinlets inside intrusives and veins in the host rocks. Associated with basaltic and andesitic lavas deposits occur as massive, tabular bodies, stratified, pyroclastic ores. The gold grade in IOCG ore varies from less than 1 to more than 50 g/t, base metals are optional. Differences in gold' fineness and admixtures characterize the genetic features of ore formation and is represented by a system of alloys: Au-Ag, Au-Ag-Cu and Au-Fe-Pd. Discovered iron-oxide copper gold mineralization in Eastern Yakutia analogous to several World class deposit types. Related to Mesozoic hypabyssal intrusions of granodiorites Kis-Kuel, Kysyltas and Rep-Yure deposits are close to Olympic Dam type. IOCG mineralization in basaltic and andesitic lavas of the Khurat, Rosomakha and Jalkan deposits looks similar to deposits of the Mount-Isa region (Eastern North-West Queensland, Australia). The Kildyam deposit rich iron-oxide ore bodies resemble lava flows and have share many common features with El Laco deposit in High Andes.

This paper presents the results of an updated from 2008-2019 study of the Kis-Kuel promising area and is devoted to the discovered unusual molybdenite + gold bearing mineralizing system of the Kis-Kuel Iron Oxide Copper-Gold deposit in Eastern Yakutia (Russia). Economic mineralization is localized within the apical zone of a granodiorite-diorite stock and represented by hematite, goethite, quartz, chalcopyrite, molybdenite, arsenopyrite, pyrite, native gold and bismuth (no signs of any ore mineralization were found outside the Kis-Kuel intrusive). The intrusive has a Late Cretaceous crystallization age (K-Ar) of 103 Ma. The Mo-bearing quartz vein yields a mineralization age (Ar-Ar) of 99.9±1.1 Ma and genetically relates to the granodiorite. Kis-Kuel breccia complex (KKBC) consists of a manto-type irregular shaped breccia body with arrays of variably mineralized veins and veinlets inside. The KKBC has a complete gradation from hematite-goethite altered granodiorites and more locally -diorites to intensely brecciated and hematite-goethite breccias. Multiple episodes of brecciating and veining with Fe-oxide-Cu-Au±Ag, porphyry Cu-Au±Bi, Ag-Pb and Mo+REE±Au mineralization occur in Kis-Kuel intrusive. In order to obtain more resources, the research Kis-Kuel target with IOCG mineralization was studied for molybdenum and rare earth minerals. Mainly, ore is quartz-bearing, Mo-Au-mineralized and strongly enriched in the rare earth elements (REE) material. The textures of REE minerals indicate crystallisation of monazite-(Ce) and xenotime as hydrothermal phases together with molybdenite and arsenopyrite. Analysis of quartz-molybdenite ore from the Kis-Kuel diorite-granodiorite intrusive shows previously unknown high concentrations of REE and Y, averaging 4.76 wt percent ∑REE + Y. Ore additionally contains 2.42 wt percent Mo, 8.8 g/t Au and 231 g/t Ag. We propose that one of the basic factors for mineralization styles at Kis-Kuel consists in the granitoids evolution and strongly differs from unevolved and mantle compatible compositions to highly evolved and fractionated intrusive rocks. The calc-alkaline evolution trend of the Kis-Kuel magmatic rocks is influenced by the accumulation of iron in ore. A significant part of the iron did not fractionated into high-iron melts, and separated into hydrothermal solutions with high grade gold concentrations. An extensively revised paragenetic model for Kis-Kuel deposit incorporates next four stages. Stage 1 dominated by widespread brecciating and iron metasomatism, which converted granodiorite rocks to Fe-oxide-Cu-Au ore. Stage 2 comprises chloritic and sericitic alteration and associated systems of linear quartz veins with Cu-Au-porphyry and Au-Bi mineralization. Stage 3 includes sericitic alteration and veining with quartz-molybdenite-native gold-REE minerals. Stage 4 consists of Ag-Pb veins.

The first discovery of hydrated magnesium carbonates, dypingite and nesquehonite, in the kimberlite pipe Obnazhennaya of the Kuoyka field, the Yakutian kimberlite province is described. The pipe is composed of kimberlite breccia with abundant diverse xenoliths of practically intact mantle rocks. Olivine in phenocrysts and mantle rock is generally intact. The main body of the rock is carbonate-serpentine. Nesquehonite and dypingite are rare minerals and have first been observed in relation to kimberlites. The minerals were found in the bedrock outcrop of the Obnazhennaya pipe as white crusts up to 5 mm thick scattered over an area of a few tens of square meters. To identify and study the crusts we used the following methods: powder X-ray diffraction, electron microscopy, and Raman scattering spectroscopy. A comprehensive study suggests that the main minerals of these epigenetic formations are hydrated carbonates: nesquehonite MgCO₃□3H₂O and dypingite Mg₅(CO₃)₄(OH)₂□5H₂O. Also, Raman scattering spectroscopy revealed a small proportion of hydromagnesite Mg₅(CO₃)₄(OH)₂□4H₂O. Hydrated magnesium carbonate minerals we found make a significant contribution to the collection of kimberlites. They are epigenetic in nature, with their origin being related to weathering of silicates, in particular serpentine. Mechanisms of carbonate formation appear to be close to that suggested by Wilson et. al., 2009, with CO₂ being trapped from the atmosphere to form nesquehonite. In the case of the Obnazhennaya pipe, mineral solutions form when rainwater filters through the talus at the top of the outcrop. They are enriched in Mg from minerals and trap CO₂ from the atmosphere. After filtering, solutions reach the vertical wall of kimberlite breccia where modern precipitation of nesquehonite upon evaporation occurs. Further, dypingite and hydromagnesite form via decomposition of nesquehonite. A lip extending over the rock wall significantly contributes to the development and stability of nesquehonite and dypingite aggregates. Crusts of nesquehonite and dypingite are not found on rock outcrops without lips at the top. Thus, despite the fact that intrusion of the kimberlite pipe occurred during the Jurassic (Zaitsev, Smelov, 2010), formation of nesquehonite and dypingite in association with kimberlite rocks continues in the modern time due to favorable environmental factors, first of all, a unique natural outcrop of kimberlite.

The results of studying the typomorphic features of placer gold in the unique diamond-bearing placers of the Ebelakh river basin (Anabar diamond-bearing region) are given. Detailed study of the morphology, micro-relief of the surface and internal structure of the gold and photographing was performed using a scanning electron microscope JEOLJSM-6480LV. The gold fineness was determined using the Camebax-Micro microanalyzer and the JEOL OXFORD INCA-sight energy spectrometer. The internal structure of native gold was studied by etching gold in mounted thin sections using a proven method, using a reagent: HCl + HNO3 + FeCl3 × 6H2O + CrO3 + thiourea + water. It is determined that, modern placer occurrences were formed mainly due to the redeposition of fine high-grade gold from ancient gold-bearing intermediate sources. At the same time, in the placer of the Kamenisty creek a natural amalgam of gold is discovered, which is an aggregate consisting of several cemented rounded gold particles of small size (-0.25 mm) of various morphology. The cement is superimposed medium-grade gold with Hg content of up to 13.3%. Its internal structure is porous, and zoning is noted due to the uneven distribution of Hg. The surface of mercury gold is characterized by a brain-like microsculpture. Along with this, in some placers of the studied area, it was possible to find small (>0.2 mm) gold particles with a specific surface with the thinnest (first microns) fringe of mercury (ртутистого) gold. Obviously, these are single grains of the disintegrated aggregates of auro amalgam. We also found gold particles in an aluminosilicate film of variable Al, Si, K, Fe composition, and the smallest (1-2 microns) mineral phases of gold, sphalerite, galena, zincite and zinc-containing iron are identified on this film. It is assumed that natural amalgamation of placer gold occurred as a result of migration of mercury-containing gold-bearing hydrothermas on fault zones during tectonomagmatic activation. Based on the above-mentioned, it is assumed that there are adjacent sources of supply - low-temperature hydrothermal ore occurrences confined to the faults and formed as a result of tectonomagmatic activation processes. This proposition is confirmed by the identification of hydrothermal-metasomatic formations of K-spar-quartz-pyrite composition with disseminated gold-sulfide mineralization on the studied territory. The similarity of geological conditions of localization and the material composition of apocarbonate hydrothermal-metasomatic formations of the Ebelyakh area with the gold-bearing rocks of the Central Aldan ore district allow to estimate positively the prospects for their further study.

The article presents the provisions of the Polish Energy Policy until 2040. The feasibility of achieving the eight basic long-term goals presented in the document was analysed, i.e. optimization of own energy resources, expansion of energy production and infrastructure expansion, diversification of gas and oil supply as well as the development of network infrastructure, development of energy markets, implementation of nuclear energy, development of renewable energy sources, development of heating and cogeneration, improvement of the country's economy energy efficiency. Mathematical models were used to verify the feasibility of these predictions. Forecasts were created whose accuracy was confirmed by the means of an ex post error analysis. The rest of the models were also analysed. Ultimately, the article presents only those forecasts that were subject to the slightest error. Particular attention was paid to renewable energy sources. Obtaining energy using fossil fuels is still more profitable and efficient. However, RES solutions are introduced due to the need to protect the environment and also because fossil fuel reserves will run out in a few decades. If the appropriate measures are not taken today, the demand for primary energy in the world will exceed energy supply in the future. The gradual introduction of renewable energy generation capacity will prevent a drastic jump in prices during the transition period and will allow the extension of the fossil fuels usage time. Renewable energy sources are, therefore, a safeguard for access to energy in the future. It was found that over the next dozen years, Polish energy will continue to produce energy mainly based on coal. It is, therefore, necessary to use technologies that will allow efficient and clean coal burning. Therefore, the solution, in this case, may be the so-called Clean Coal Technologies.

The goal of the contribution is to present possibilities of comprehensive and complex procedures for proper design of flood protection measures in several parts of Slovakia. The complex approach consisted of mutual integration of results of partial mathematical models – rainfall-runoff model, sewage system model, 1-D hydrodynamic modelling of open channel flow together with partially covered flows, 2-D hydrodynamic modelling of flooding the town residential area. All modelling works were been done in DTM coming from aerial photography or in conditions of detailed morphological and geodetic survey of investigated rivers basins. According to the modelling process appropriate preventive flood protection measures have been designed and afterwards realised in the territory, i.e. detention reservoirs in the mountain region above the urban regions. Designed flood protection measures should store the flood wave volume and mitigate the effect of flush floods on residential areas of small and even larger cities. Several case studies are presented in the contribution all over the Slovak Republic to emphasize the variety of flood wave progress, its reduction in discharge and postponing in time in different hydrological, morphological and geological conditions of mountain regions. Most of the presented proposals of flood protection measures have been projected and some of them have been already realized.

Conventional constitutive soil models applied in geotechnical engineering have been developed using the phenomenological approach from macroscopic observations and application of continuum mechanics. Despite the adopted simplification and homogenisation of complex interactions of soil particles, water and air, the phenomenological models and the underlying principles have been proven to satisfactorily describe the stress-strain conditions in most common soils. However, the application of the conventional soil behaviour models has been proven to be difficult in the mining industry and tailings storage facilities in particular, where the structural integrity of the storage facilities often depends on the performance of extensively altered materials (tailings) that are produced as a waste product from ore processing. The difficulties stem from the altered nature of the tailings and the inconsistencies in the tailings deposition, which may result in the formation of porous and brittle matrices of heterogeneous aggregates. Such matrices are susceptible to static and dynamic liquefaction whereby little changes in the stress-strain conditions can result in a sudden collapse of the soil structure. Sampling and preservation of intact delicate tailings is often unachievable, and the analyses of the laboratory tests are obscured by the simplifications, assumed homogenisation of the sample and the inherent influence of the testing apparatus on the measured properties. Therefore, the characterisation of the in situ conditions of the tailings and the prediction of the tailings performance for altering stress-strain conditions using conventional soil behaviour models is very difficult. Yet, understanding the delicate state of the brittle tailings is crucial for upstream and centrally raised tailings storage facilities. This is exemplified by the facility failures which featured devastating consequences in Brazil in 2015 and 2019. These failures were caused by liquefaction of tailings, which acted as foundations for the upstream raised embankments. This paper discusses the influence of the tailings micro-structure on the macroscopically observed behaviour. This paper also shows that, using modern optical and other testing methods, the micro-structure can be measured and then allowed for in the soil behaviour model with the aim to improve the reliability of tailings liquefaction assessment.

The article presents the results of a study of Elikchan granodiorite-granite massif with complex Sn-Au-Ag mineralization. It is shown that the massif localized in the zones of regional fault, where it was preceded and followed by subaerial volcanic outpourings. Considered typomorphic peculiarities of rock-forming, accessory, and restituir minerals of granitoids and petro- and geochemical features of the rocks. A polygenetic nature of the massif is documented, with the origination of parental melts of the amphibole-biotite granodiorites and granites from the lower and upper crustal protoliths, respectively, under the influence of deep heat and fluid fluxes rising from the metasomatized mantle to the magma-generation level. Geochemical specialization of granitoids on a wide range of ore elements characteristic of latite ore-magmatic systems has been established (Bi, As, Sb, Ag, Sn, W). It is shown that the crystallization of the granodiorites took place in conditions close to those of gold-bearing ore-magmatic systems, and the crystallization of the granodiorites took place in conditions close to those of gold-bearing ore-magmatic systems, and the crystallization of granites in the conditions close to those rare-metal ore-magmatic systems, what obyasnyat preformationist associated mineralization. An important criterion for the potential ore content of specific magmatic formations and its possible implementation is the regime of volatile elements.

The article considers the petrology of postorogenic Albian subvolcanic granites of the North-Elikchan and Upper-Elikchan massifs of the South-eastern part of the Polousny synclinorium, which involved Au-Ag and Sn-W mineralization. Structural and textural features of magmatic rocks indicate a multievent pulsation intrusion of a granite melt. Typomorphic features of minerals of the rocks: the presence in rhyolite and granite porphyry of restites of pyroxenes, identical to pyroxenes of derivatives of basite - hyperbasite associations, chromium-containing native iron, zircons of crust-mantle morphotypes D and J, and the presence of globules of rhyolite composition in the matrix of dikes of trachidolerites formed after subvolcanic granites, indicate the interaction of crustal granite melt and alkaline-basic mantle melt in the process of evolution of magmatism. Crystallization of the granite melt at the early magmatic stage under conditions of high activity of oxygen, water and chlorine caused the formation of Au-Ag ore occurrences. During the late-magmatic stage, the crystallization proceeded from water-saturated melt under conditions favorable for the formation of rare-metal mineralization with the leading part of the borum. Subvolcanic and host rocks are transformed into quartz-tourmaline greisen with topaz and fluorite, tourmaline-containing exogreisens and tourmalinites, and are penetrated by quartz veins with cassiterite, wolframite, and arsenopyrite. The sharp increase of the borum content is presumably related to the supply of volatiles from an external mantle source.

Geogrid layers and expanded polystyrene blocks have widely been implemented in geotechnical projects, recently. This paper investigates the behaviour of buried pipelines through experimental and numerical analyses by implementing an expanded polystyrene (EPS or geofoam) block and a geogrid layer over the buried pipe rested in a trench and imposed by trench surface loading. In this regard, a 3-D finite element model was created using ABAQUS software which verification and material characteristics have been derived from experimental results. The results indicate that the behaviour of buried pipelines can be ameliorated by employing EPS geofoam blocks; however, the compressible inclusion character of EPS blocks has a side effect of more surface subsidence of buried pipe trenches. In addition, reinforced soil covers with geogrid and geofoam has a considerable impression on amending the maximum surface settlement and maximum pipe crown displacement values.

Geocell soil reinforcement method is became one of the common improvement method used in different aspects of geotechnical engineering. The experimental investigation using physical modelling is somehow complicated and needs more financial support especially when using saturated or partially saturated soil. That's why nowadays, researchers are trying to use updated numerical methods to simulate the soil behaviour considering above conditions. In this paper, Geocell reinforcement method in embankment construction has been studied using Mohr-Coulomb model. The embankment is overlaid on two layers of soil with different moisture content conditions. The first layer beneath the embankment is a five-meter layer of dry soil and the second layer considered fully saturated soil. The results indicate that embankment reinforcement by Geocell has no significant effect on the excess pore water pressure while the settlement and stress distribution beneath the embankment is highly affected.

The Early Mesozoic clastic rocks the Kular-Nera terrane in the Verkhoyansk-Kolyma orogenic belt, northeast Russia, exhibit regional sulfidation zones. The most abundant mineral of the zones is pyrite. However, its origin (sedimentary-diagenetic, metamorphogenic-hydrothermal, metasomatic) and contribution to the formation of economically important gold deposits remain debatable. The localization of the sulfidation zones is still poorly understood. We have studied geological-structural and mineralogical-geochemical features of pyritization zones in bedrock outcrops on Khara-Yuryakh creek (a right-side tributary of the Nera river) within the Kular-Nera terrane, Verkhoyansk-Kolyma folded area. The pyritization zones are distant from the known gold deposits, and they extend along the Chay-Yureya regional fault. The deformation structure of the clastic rocks of the Chay-Yureya fault is defined by different-aged fold-thrust and strike-slip elements. The early deformations are isoclinal and tight folds up to a few hundred meters wide, with rounded and sharp crests and subhorizontal hinges. The early folds were refolded so that their crests may be seen on the limbs of later folds of the same NW strike. These structures were formed in the conditions of progressive deformation D1 in course of a single continuous (non-stop) tectonic regime during the frontal convergence of the Kolyma-Omolon superterrane with the eastern margin of the Siberian craton. These are commonly inclined or, more rarely, recumbent folds. Also present are late folds associated with dextral and sinistral strike-slip motions on the Chay-Yureya fault. The sulfide mineralization of the Chay-Yureya fault is represented by the disseminated idiomorphic pyrite crystals 1 to 10 mm in size. Metapyrites exhibit a cataclastic microtexture complicated by later corrosion processes. They contain zircon, rutile, and monazite microinclusions entrained in the process of growth. Microinclusions of galena, sphalerite, chalcopyrite, and other late sulfides are confined to defects in the pyrite grains. The chemical composition of pyrite was determined on the Camebax-Micro microanalyzer, using a standard X-ray spectral analysis (DPMGI, SB RAS, Yakutsk). Most of the grains have a stoichiometric composition. 30 percent of the analyses showed excess Fe. Metacrystals of pyrite demonstrate variations in the concentration of trace elements, which often leads to chemical zonality. Our investigations showed that pyritization zones of the rocks are localized in the trans-crustal Chay-Yureya fault which served as a transit path for ascending regional fluid flows. Typomorphic trace elements found in pyrites are Co, Ni, As, Sb, and Cu, with the total amount of 0.1 to 0.4%. They are characterized by the low concentrations and nonuniform distribution. Zonality in the distribution of trace elements is attributable to the poly-

Four heat flow density values and five temperature-depth profiles were obtained in a heterogeneous region considering heat flow by conduction in the vertical direction, and heat sources in the crust due to radioactivity decay. The heat produced in the upper layers of the crust was obtained based on gamma-ray charts and published data of laboratory radioactivity measurements on samples taken from the region. Seismic data were used to obtain the thickness of the different layers of the upper and middle crust and the depth of the Moho discontinuity considered coincident with the crust/mantle boundary. The heat flow at the surface is obtained by adding the heat flow from the mantle with the heat generated by the radioactive sources in the crust. The method was applied to a region with one measured heat flow density value (Ourense) and four points without any heat flow density measurement. A heat flow value from the mantle was obtained with Ourense data. Special attention was given to a region (A) with a seismic anomaly near the surface. The anomaly was explained by mass deficit near the surface that gives rise to an abnormal density value and an increase in seismic wave velocity values. The decrease in density is due to the presence of water in the region forming an aquifer. Geothermometer values obtained from samples of water in the thermal springs of Tuy (Spain) and Monção (Portugal) were used as the water temperature at the bottom of the aquifer. Isostatic balance in the region was considered to obtain density values and the amount of water in the region. Thermal conductivity and radioactivity heat source values in the region were obtained considering the amount of water in the region. Values from 86 to 97 mW/m² were obtained using the same value of heat flow from the mantle. This is due to different values of heat produced in the crust due to different thickness layer values or/and to different heat production values.

Geomagnetic data registered by Geomagnetic Observatories of Almeria, Coimbra, San Fernando and Toledo, located in the Iberian Peninsula and Tenerife in the Canary Islands were used to study geomagnetic field anomalies from August 1968 to March 1969. Data used were obtained in Annals of the Observatories as average hourly values of the magnetic declination and horizontal and vertical components of the magnetic field. Magnetic field disturbances were studied using average monthly values, average daily values and average hourly values. The anomalies were quantified using IGRF model values and monthly average hourly values of the Observatories data. During the time period of our study, four earthquakes of magnitude equal or higher than 3 are registered in the seismic catalogue with two epicentres in the Gibraltar Region and two epicentres in the Gulf of Cadis. In the early hours of February 1969, an earthquake of high magnitude (M=8) was felt in Portugal, Spain and North-Western Morocco. Near two hours later, another earthquake of magnitude 6.5 was recorded. In that day, 32 earthquakes were recorded in the region. In the second part of the work, a special attention is given to the earthquake of February 10^th,1969, due to the location of this epicentre and the temporal proximity of February 28th. The magnetic field in the region suffered three strong magnetic disturbances during the month of February in 1969. The earthquake of February 10^th occurred just before the start of the second interval of intense magnetic perturbations. The third time interval of intense magnetic disturbances occurred before and during the day of February 28th. The analysis made using hourly values to time intervals including the earthquake occurrence (five earthquakes) shows "equal values" of magnetic anomalies occurring in time intervals of three hours. Strong variations of the horizontal field occurred before the earthquakes of February 10^th and February 28th.

This paper focuses on deformational structures seen at macro and mesoscales within the first Mid-Polish lignite seam (MPLS-1) currently exploited by the Konin Lignite Mine. In fact, the majority of examples presented herein come from the Jóźwin IIB and Tomisławice opencasts. The deformations are divided into two groups; they are tectonic and sedimentary ones. The first group includes deformations of the floor, faults, cleats, and seismically-induced structures such as breccia and deformed lamination. The second group covers compactionally-induced deformations of MPLS-1 roof, sedimentary breccia, and slumps. All these deformations are described and then briefly interpreted in this paper. Although in a few cases in the formation of sedimentary deformations, the contribution of the tectonic factor as a trigger mechanism seems obvious. This is supported by the fact that the mentioned lignite seam is mined in the areas of grabens that were tectonically active during the development of the Mid-Miocene mires in the Konin Basin.

The most important factor affecting the economic development of societies is access to electricity at an acceptable price. The constantly developing economy generates an increasing demand for electricity. The energy resources used for energy production are diverse in the European Union countries, hence the assessment of the level of development of energy markets is a multidimensional problem. This article undertakes comparative studies on determining the level of sustainable development of energy markets in selected Member States. Sustainable development of energy markets is a phenomenon characterized by many variables that simultaneously concern various aspects including environmental, economic, technical and technological and social problems, which means that sustainable development can be described by many different variables, the number of which can reach up to several dozen. In this case, comparative analysis using traditional methods becomes impossible. The multidimensional analysis method was used to classify countries into homogeneous clusters in terms of the level of development of energy markets. Multidimensional comparative analysis, or MCA for short, deals with methods and techniques for comparing multi-feature objects. MCA is a formally coherent set of statistical methods for purposeful selection of information about elements of a certain community and detection of regularities in the mutual relations of these elements. MCA is an interdisciplinary method that uses achievements and methods used in other fields. Multivariate comparative analysis is a method in which the analysis is performed in many stages and in many directions. Research results indicate the position of the energy market development in Poland in comparison to selected Member States

The development of the economies of European countries depends on stable and permanent access to various energy sources such as oil, gas, and coal. Securing the certainty of the necessary minimum energy supply in each country is a basic condition for the energy security of the state and its citizens. The current status and the most probable scenario for the power industry sector shows that the global demand for power will increase between 2000 and 2030 at a rate of 1.8% per year. The energy market in the European Union is under the process of internal integration. Energy transformation requires changes in the structure of energy production in the energy balances of member states in order to achieve the assumed environmental goals. Monitoring the transformation process is a scientific problem in which taxonomic methods are used. The aim of the article is to identify diagnostic variables for comparative analysis of the level of development of energy markets in selected European Union member states. International Atomic Energy Agency United Nations Organizations present an original set of 41 indicators for sustainable energy development, which can be divided into groups such as indicators on energy resources, the efficiency of their use, environmental pollution during the exploitation of energy resource and energy production technologies, economic indicators, accessibility to energy for society, energy dependence. Based on forty-one indicators, the availability of data for testing was analyzed. Finally, diagnostic variables were selected for which the available data was collected from the Eurostat database and transformed to the level required in the research. The research results will present the level of development of the Polish energy market in relation to other countries and differences in this respect.

International Architecture Exhibitions reinforce the negative idea of pre-established formal concepts in favour of a discussion rich in alternatives and with different thinking processes. Behutsame Stadterneuerung – 'careful urban renewal' – was established after a long conflict between the political and administrative systems in power and construction cooperatives, which had its decisive moment in 1975. The urbanism of the Modern Movement started to be abandoned and the building industry connected to the promotion of houses, often closely related to political parties, started to decay. The refurbishment and revival of a very specific neighbourhood with a significant plan in Berlin – Kreuzberg – called for measures to interweave and reorganise the old and the new, but also houses and industries. In this area, there was a proposal to create a better ecological quality that preserved the traditional atmosphere and sought ways to incorporate the political efforts to integrate foreign families. The 'careful urban renewal' programme was seen as a planning in close connection to the local situation to harmonise total and individual conditions. The conditions related to the urban space and the built should be connected to the social assumptions of daily life. This research is focused on the process developed in Kreuzberg and provides a general account of the difficulties that occurred in the framework of the 'careful urban renewal' programme. This big district of Berlin used to be a central area of the city but it became a peripheral area of West Berlin due to the political division of the city. The neighbourhood would become one of the areas appointed for IBA, whose role was to regenerate and revive the old substance of Kreuzberg and to rebuild the urban fabric, particularly building houses and social amenities.

The study of the composition of the Precambrian crystalline complexes raised and exposed along the margins of the North Asian craton allows us characterizing the conditions of formation and clarifying metallogenic typification of the geological structures of various stages of evolution of the lithosphere. Based on these data identification of the promising metallogenic zones and local potentially ore-bearing objects can also be achieved. The goal of the research was to characterize the chemical composition features of geological complexes in the Tyrkanda tectonic zone between the granulite terrains of the Aldan-Stanovoy shield in the south of the North Asian craton. The object is interesting due to the presence of a large number of different types of metamorphic and magmatic rocks. Complex geological structures with numerous stages of intensive ductile and brittle deformations of various kinematics are observed. As a part of the research for the rocks of the zone, the petrographic observation was done and chemical composition was studied. Characteristics and typification of rocks were carried out. Reconstruction of the primary (premetamorphic) types of rocks was performed using the methods of Predovsky and Neelov. A cluster analysis of geochemical data was performed. The excess of background concentrations of chemical elements in clusters was calculated. According to the calculation results, metamorphosed ultramafic and mafic rocks of tholeiitic magmatic series form a single cluster. These rocks are richer with indicator elements for diamond and precious metals. A short description of the probable types of mineralization in these rocks was provided. The most promising for precious metals surrounding areas was determined.

The study of the structure of the Precambrian crystalline complexes raised and exposed along the margins of the North Asian craton allows us to characterize the geological features of various stages of the evolution of the lithosphere. Based on these data identification of the promising metallogenic zones and local potentially ore-bearing objects can also be achieved. The goal of the performed research was to create objective models of the areas characterized by the presence of mineral deposits to identify characteristics and promising structures. Using modern geoinformation systems, the maps of the high gradient zones of the local components of geophysical fields have been created. These maps reflect the boundaries of geological complexes with contrasting physical properties. For clarity, the geophysical background was removed from the maps, and only the zones of high gradients of various geophysical fields were left. A combination of maps was performed and it was found that high-gradient zones of the various geophysical fields complement each other along the strike. Based on the obtained geophysical schemes, geological maps and field observations of geological structures, already known and new folds and faults have been deciphered. As a result, models of folds and faults that control the location of mineral resources were created. Models allow finding the common features and evaluating the minerals prospects of areas. In the framing of the Upper-Timpton dome of the Central-Aldan superterrane and in the Shamanikhin fault zone of the Prikolyma terrane, there are many high-gradient zones of the various geophysical fields observed. New ore objects can be expected to be discovered in these areas.

Placers of precious metals and other mineral resources are associated with the uplifted basement of the North-Asian craton and metamorphic terrains near its borders. The complex geological structure of these territories does not allow to make obvious conclusions about the sources of the placers. One of the areas of the southern outcrop of the craton basement, the Evota gold-bearing region of the Aldan-Stanovoy shield was studied. Analysis of the morphology of native gold selected from creeks of the region and eluvium from one of the primary deposits show that grains with similar morphological features occur. Probably, not far from the points of sampling, primary sources are located. Possible erosion and sediment removal should occur in positive forms of relief. Therefore, an attempt to determine the location of primary sources by modeling positive forms of relief, where erosion occurs and removal could be manifested, was made. The methodology for modeling these forms using modern geoinformation systems was considered as an attempt to analyze the obtained results. Digitized relief maps (topographic base) of the area and sample points with discovered gold were a basis for the calculations. Further steps were: building a surface of relief as a regular network of highs, calculating directions and slope angle of the surface, building a map of removal vectors, constructing a path with a maximum slope upward from the point with gold particles discover. Lines of positive forms of relief confined to gold discover points were constructed as a result. Field works for identifying signs of gold content in these lines and point sampling of rock debris were carried out. Microprobe analyses of rock debris were performed. Minerals of gold and silver were discovered in the debris. The obtained data shows that this method of analysis can be useful for deciphering ore-bearing structures and searching for primary sources.

The author investigated the gravitational and the magnetically fields of the Elkon ore unit. The gold-uranium deposits of the Elkon ore district this is unique of his scale and matching with biggest ore units of world. The study of the regularities of forms, location and direction of extension of tectonic ore-controlling structures in magnetic and gravitational fields, the study of their transformation using Surfer 8, Koscad 3D and ArcGIS. As a result, the author obtained get two-dimensional autocorrelation functions, local and regional components of geophysical fields, and their gradients. The most informative transformations of fields are regional component of the magnetically field and local component of the gravitational field by results statistical analysis to study the tectonic structure like Elkon ore unit.

Researched magmatic rocks, which undergone the process of polymetamorphism in granulite, amphibolite and greenschist facies, earlier by some geologist was defined as paragneisses and (or) intrusive rocks. In this paper based on geological and geochemical data argue the magmatic nature of rocks and identity to the calc-alkaline series. The series consists of gabbros, diorites, quartz diorites, granodiorites, tonalites and trondhjemites. Contents of the rock-forming oxides and rare earth elements in these rocks are close to the widely known early Proterozoic gabbro-diorite-tonalite-trondhjemite series of the South-West Finland. These features indicate the probability of formation of the researched rocks with the participation of the subduction. As a results of studies established what in M complex possible inclusion of rocks and bodyes from other sites such as Ust-Timpton, Idzhek-Seym and Upper-Gonam pluton. The features of the MS include the linkage with the long-lived faults and associated dynamometamorphic changes of the bodies, polymetamorphism, superimposed chemical changes in the composition of primary rocks, as well as rarely preserved migmatite veinlets in the host rocks. Geochemical similarity of trondhjemite-, tonalites, granodiorites Mariin series and associated rocks with well-known early Proterozoic differentiated series of southwest Finland typical for the Proterozoic and Paleozoic continental margins suggests that the plutons of the Mariin series formed in an active continental margin setting.

Picroilmenite is one of the most important indicator minerals of kimberlite rocks, which can be used in solving petrological problems and in the search for diamond deposits. The present study shows the results of studying picroilmenite grains from the Manchary and Aprelskaya pipes within the Khompu-May kimberlite field (Central Yakutia). The rocks composing the pipes are represented by porphyritic kimberlite and kimberlite breccia, between which there are gradual transitions. Rocks forming the upper pipe horizons are highly carbonatized and supergenetically altered. Porphyritic segregations are represented by carbonatized serpentine pseudomorphs from macro-, megacrysts and olivine phenocrysts. Pyrope, picroilmenite mega-, macrocrysts and chromospinellide macrocrysts are found in both pipes. Most weakly altered parts of mesostasis are microgranular and formed mostly by phlogopite, with xenomorphic segregations of calcite and serpentine. Picroilmenite in both kimberlite bodies occurs as irregular and rounded macrorysts ranging from 0.7 to 10 mm and megacrysts ranging from 10 to 25 mm. Micrograins of this mineral were not diagnosed in the mesostasis. Individual grains of picroilmenite from the Manchary pipe are surrounded by a polymineral rim composed of either ferrospinel and magnetite, or perovskite and magnetite. High-and low-chromium varieties which correspond to two parageneses are identified among the picroilmenite grains from the Manchary pipe. Crystallization trend of high-chromium ilmenites from the Manchary pipe is clearly seen in the diagram in the coordinates Fe₂O₃-FeTiO₃-MgTiO₃ and associated with the presence of Cr-rich phlogopite from lherzolites xenoliths. Picroilmenite grains from the Aprelskaya kimberlite pipe are more magnesian in comparison with similar grains from the Manchary pipe. Picroilmenite from both pipes in the coordinates Fe₂O₃-FeTiO₃-MgTiO₃ is characterized by a magmatic kimberlite trend of the mineral composition evolution. The distribution of mineral composition points from the studied pipes in the diagram in the coordinates MgO - Cr₂O₃ has form of the "Haggerty parabola" (Haggerty, 1975) - typical for picroilmenites from kimberlites of industrial diamond-bearing middle Paleozoic pipes of Yakutia (Aikhal, Mir, Udachnaya). In general, picroilmenite of Central Yakutia pipes differs from picroilmenite of the Aikhal, Mir and Udachnaya pipes by the presence of the parabola right branch in the Haggerty diagram and an indistinct left branch. The Aikhal, Mir, and Udachnaya pipes are characterized by a clear demonstration of the left branch and a weak right. At the same time, the composition points of the high-chromium picroilmenite variety from the Manchary pipe in the Haggerty diagram coincide with the high-chromium picroilmenite from the Grib kimberlite pipe (Arkhangelsk diamondiferous province). Thus, the study showed the genetic polygeny of picroilmenite from the Manchary and Aprelskaya kimberlite pipes, and also the correlation with mineralogical diamond potential of both pipes traced by comparison with the known industrial ilmenite diamondiferous pipes of Yakutia and Arkhangelsk region.

The surface soil properties control the groundwater aquifers system characterizations. Quantifying and measurements of these parameters are a challenging attempt in arid region like the United Arab Emirates (UAE), Al Ain and Al Suleimei Valleys in Al Ain city. Permeability and hydraulic conductivity of clastic sediments play crucial role in surface water seepage. Soil's permeability depends on number of factors such as the size of soil grains, the properties of pore fluids, the void ratio of the soil, the shapes and arrangement of pores and the degree of saturation. To asses these features, detailed field and laboratory studies such as soil sample collections, sieve analyses and permeability tests (constant head permeameter) were carried out. Hydraulic conductivity of both valleys were approximated from grain size analyses of collected soil samples. The average permeability varies from 0.796 to 2.120 cm/s for Wadi Al Ain and from 0.566 to 2.133 cm/s for Wadi Al Suleimei and the hydraulic conductivity ranges between 0.209 and 6.401 cm/s and 0.348 and 6.401 m/s for wadies Al Ain and Al Suleimei consequently. The results indicate variability of the permeability and hydraulic conductivity in both study areas. On the other hand, both wadies indicate similarities in their lower and upper range of measured and estimated permeability and hydraulic conductivity values. This study reveals changeability of the surface soil characteristics and provides an idea how the surface water moves down to recharge the shallow aquifer. Such an experimental works is unique and certainly supply valuable information for the municipal and decision makers for groundwater resources and their recharge possibility. In addition, this study will minimize or prevent the possible environmental risk and hazards treating for the study area today and/or in the future and offer reliable and practical information to scientists and decision makers.

Directive 2014/34/EU of the European Parliament and of the Council regulates the placing on the market of equipment and protective systems intended for use in potentially explosive atmospheres. The importance of using explosion-proof equipment (certified in compliance with provisions of standards for electrical and non-electrical equipment) is crucial for avoiding catastrophic explosion-type events which may result in human victims, important material losses or may have significant consequences upon the environment. The current paper addresses a possible scenario of a pressure vessel explosion and the computational simulation and analysis of the dispersion of hazardous substances (toxic or explosive) released in the environment following the explosion-type event, in order to highlight the possible consequences. Such computational simulations may be of benefit for employers, who wish to take proactive measures in order to increase the occupational health and safety level within their activity. In this regard, results of computational simulations can be integrated by the companies in the development of emergency response plans, aiming at minimizing the hazardous effects of the releases of toxic/explosive gases upon the workers and surrounding atmosphere.

Nowadays, hydrological rainfall-runoff models are routinely used for modelling hydrological balances, the generation of floods, or droughts. For decades numerous rainfallrunoff models have been tested with many calibration procedures and different model structures. However, for rainfall-runoff, it is challenging to find a particular model structure and parameter set that can correctly describe the complicated flow formation processes in diverse physiographic conditions. Improvements to existing rainfall-runoff modelling concepts and data assimilation are therefore continuously being tested. In recent years, remote sensing has played an increasing role in the surveying of hydrological phenomena. Remote sensing of soil moisture data can be very helpful because soil moisture measurements in field conditions are not always straightforward. The quality of remotely sensed data is rising; nowadays, we can routinely start using data with proper spatial and temporal resolutions. In this paper, we have focused on an evaluation of the parametrisation of the soil moisture submodel of the TUW rainfall-runoff model by remotely sensed soil moisture data. We calibrated the TUW model for three selected catchments in Austria with flat hypsometric characteristics using discharges as a criterion. For the calibration, we used both the lumped and semi-distributed model versions of the model and compared the quality of the soil moisture of both versions. Both the lumped and semi-distributed versions performed well in the discharge simulation. In the case of the soil moisture simulation, we achieved slightly better results with the semi-distributed version of the model. Difficulties with accessing the data from the remote sensing are discussed since remote sensing sensors still have problems when clouds and snow cover the catchments.

Recent rapid developments in the hydrological sciences are markedly related to the development of mathematical modeling and its application in engineering practice, e.g., for the purposes of hydrological forecasting, the extrapolation of hydrological data over time and in space, as well as the estimation of hydrological extremes. Simulation of the water balance is also important for the effective management of water resources. Snow accumulation and melting fundamentally affect the water balance and belong among the most important components of the hydrological cycle. Snowmelt is a significant source of runoff, especially in mountainous regions. The basic snow cover characteristics are the bulk density of the snow, the snow water equivalent, and the height of the snow. This paper is focused on a comparison of snow cover occurrences as simulated by the TUW lumped and semi-distributed conceptual models, with measured values of the snow depths for two selected Austrian river basins. For the comparison, two types of catchments with flat and hilly characters were selected. The results show that the semi-distributed version of the TUW model simulates the occurrence of snow cover more accurately on both flat and hilly catchments. The spatially differentiated model inputs allow for a more representative representation of snow accumulation and melting than using lumped model inputs.

Cross-sectoral partnerships, known as Local Action Groups (LAGs), are a key pillar of the European Union's Community-Led Local Development approach in member states. LAGs prepare bottom-up territorial strategies, having a relatively high degree of freedom to set their own development goals and the scope of the activities for which they receive EU funding. In this sense, there is clear potential for LAGs to implement local scale initiatives around renewable energies (RE). To understand the scope and extent of such bottom-up initiatives in Poland, we analyse the regional diversity of operations in RE in the local development strategies of 324 LAGs prepared for the EU Programming Period 2014–2020. Specifically, we analysed whether local communities planned to undertake educational actions or investments related to RE in their strategies. Content analysis shows a relatively low interest in this subject by the communities analysed at the time their strategies were prepared. Across the country, educational activities related to RE were planned in 13% of strategies and investments related to RE in only 9% of them. Possible reasons for the generally low local interest in RE may relate to the levels of education and income of local communities. However, the regional disparities could be the result of the individual policy of regional authorities. We discuss the possible causes of this apparent lack of interest in RE among local communities in the context of EU-wide efforts for a low-carbon economy. Alternative policy instruments, or more precise targeting of rural development funding to sustainable energy may be needed to accelerate the transition to low-carbon energy sources in Poland.

In recent years the separation of the tails with minimal content of valuable components at the processing of the minerals before expensive enrichment has attracted considerable attention. This will be favourable for increasing the ore enrichability as well as significant reducing the costs of the further operations for enrichment. The samples for investigation have been taken from the gold-containing polymetallic ores of Georgian Bektakari deposit (Bolnisi district) with the content of gold – 5.61g/ton, of lead – 1.65%, of zinc – 2.43%. At the preliminary preparation of the samples the following was taken into consideration: the crushing of the coarsegrained fragments to the classes of +8, 8-3 and 3-0 mm; separation of the 8-3 mm class from the crushed fragments and their enrichment for obtaining of the tails on the modernized high-frequency diaphragm precipitating machine (Georgian Patent #U 2018 1962 Y) of improved construction. The novelty of the machine lies in the fact that together with the main oscillation, frequency of water oscillation, water discharge) the additional controlling parameters are introduced in the process, such as water low-amplitude high-frequency oscillations, velocity of water downflow. The first one is obtained as the result of the impacts of eccentric axis and diaphragm frame. It should be also noted that the above-mentioned oscillations reduce the frictional force between the suspended grains. As the result the minerals of various density freely move in their own layers, increasing the efficiency of the minerals separation. In the second section of the precipitating machine the enhanced velocity of water downflow is obtained by compressing of the spring fixed on the frame which imparts the various accelerations to the minerals of the different densities and is favourable for their efficient separation. Along with it, the compression of the spring enhances the force of the frame impact as well as the frequency of low-amplitude oscillation. In the course of the investigations on the enrichment of 8-3 mm classes, when the amplitude of water main oscillation comprised: A=16 mm, oscillation velocity n = 420 rpm and water discharge was 5.5 l/min, in the second section of the precipitating machine the product was obtained by the yield – 22.3% by gold content Au=0.4 g/ton. On this basis the mentioned product may be isolated. It may be considered as the tails and the investigation on the enrichment may be performed for residual product. On the basis of the analysis of experimental data the action of the controlling and disturbing parameters for the control of precipitation process was revealed. The optimal control of the process is performed by the requirements of technological criterion: retention of such vales of controlling parameters which provide the maximum content of gold (minimum content of gold in the tails) in the concentrate in spite of the variation of distributing actions. For this reason, the goal function and mathematical model were derived on the basis of which the method for automatic control was elaborated.

Among the main innovations in olive growing, the conversion of cultivation practices towards organic agriculture stands out. Since the organic crops are subject to the granting of economic subsidies by the Spanish Ministry of Agriculture, this has given rise to fraudulent situations, masking the use of conventional pesticides in "fake organic" crops. To investigate alternative methods, complementary to analytical chemists that can provide reliable information to discerning organic crops from those subjects to synthetic pesticides is the aim of this research. A new technique is being developed, based on the induction of sublethal effects on the beneficial insects, through the experimental application of a commercial insecticide on a small scale, in the target crop. The effect triggered by the insecticide can be monitored by means of a yellow sticky trap device, installed for each olive tree, which allows to observe deviations in its capture rate from what occurs in the absence of insecticide (control) and finally verifying if the populations of beneficial insects affected in the olive grove, whether or not they are accustomed to the toxic action of the insecticide. Obviously, in order to maintain environmental integrity in the supposed ecological target olive groves, this induction test should be applied on the smallest scale as possible, thus reducing the application area of the pesticide, which implies adjusting the sample size to a minimum, maintaining an acceptable reliability in the estimates. During the autumn of 2017, six plots of 7x7 configuration were selected in an olive grove in the province of Jaén (southern Spain), three of these were treated with Dimethoate, while the remaining were considered as control. After the treatment application, sticky yellow traps were installed (one in each of the olive trees), thus allowing a maximum of 49 repetitions per plot. Among the identified beneficial insects, the most abundant species was Aeolothrips intermedius. Taking this species as a reference, the results indicate that the differences between treated and control parcel were statistically significant from a minimum sample size of 17 replications onwards. In coincidence with the above, the results have allowed determining that the minimum size of the experimental target plot, to obtain acceptable population estimates (relative error of up to 10%), would require a minimum area of at least 100 m2, representing a minimum number of 17 olive trees. These results provide a reasonable statistical basis for suitably adapting the methodology that allows acceptable estimates, therefore, the application of this methodology of detection of organic crops would require a very small area, equivalent to a practically insignificant number of olive trees, so it would not compromise the ecological quality of the target plantation.

The paper presents the results of a study of the anomalous gravitational field of the Verkhoyansk fold-and-thrust belt. The belt is located on the eastern margin of the Siberian craton and represents the frontal part of the accretion-collision Verkhoyansk-Kolyma folded area (Northeastern Russia). The base of the fold-thrust belt is the pre-Mesoproterozoic crystalline basement, overlain by sedimentary strata. The purpose of this study is to clarify the features of the deep structure of the Verkhoyansk fold-and-thrust belt based on an analysis of modern geological and geophysical data. According to the results of the analysis of the gravitational field Δg, the Yana, Tompo-Gornostakh gravity maxima and the West Verkhoyansk, Derbekin and South Verkhoyansk gravity minima are identified. Regional anomalies Δg reflect relatively upstanding and downdip blocks of the Verkhoyansk fold-and-thrust belt basement. The maximum subsidence of the surface of the crystalline basement is observed in the South Verkhoyansk sector, the minimum – in the Sette-Daban tectonic zone. The Adycha-Elgin tectonic zone is characterized by a heterogeneous block structure of the basement. In the area of the Kitchansky uplift, a subvertical scarp is identified in the crystalline basement relief. Gravitational anomalies corresponding to magmatic plutons and regional fault structures are identified. The confinement of anticlinoria of the West Verkhoyansk sector to local gravitational anomalies of a negative sign is noted. The correlation of the boundaries of tectonic zones with linear alternating anomalies Δg is determined.

Submerged and emergent aquatic vegetation is a natural and organic component of natural rivers and streams. It plays an important role in all physical, chemical and biological processes in the stream biocoenosis. This type of vegetation has also a non-negligible impact on flow conditions. It influences the discharge, hydraulic roughness, velocity as well as other hydraulic parameters. Important part of the river hydrodynamic processes are also dispersive processes and its parameters, which defines the speed and intensity of the dispersive processes in the natural stream. This paper analyses these aspects of the stream hydrodynamics, which are influenced by aquatic vegetation and analyses the influence of the submerged and emerged vegetation on mixing processes in a river. Presented results are findings of hydrometric measurements and tracer experiments at the Šúrsky kanál stream, located in south-west part of Slovakia. The Šúrsky kanál stream is a typical lowland stream, where significant changes in the vegetation are present during different periods of a year. The hydrometric and tracer experiments were performed on 1700 m long straight reach of the stream with a relatively prismatic cross-section profile during the growing as well as non- growing season of a year. The results show, that the level of vegetative growth has a significant influence on the hydrodynamic parameters of the stream, as well as on the dispersive process. The dispersive process is influenced not only by the velocity and concentration gradients, but also by the fact that the vegetation forms in the stream so-called dead zones. Such dead zones modify the velocity profiles of a stream and affect dispersive mass transport within the stream by collecting and separating parts of the tracer from the main current. Subsequently, the tracer is slowly released and incorporated back to the main current in a stream. This process deforms the shape of the tracer concentration distribution in time. All these facts were confirmed by the experiments results described in this paper, which contains also the analysis of the dead zones effect on the dispersive process.

The objective of this study is the evaluation of permeability of the bed silts located along the Komárňanský channel of the Žitný ostrov, Slovakia. Komárňanský channel is the largest one from three main channels at the Žitný ostrov area – the flat lowland with channel network. The bed silt permeability is expressed by value of saturated hydraulic conductivity. This parameter is one of the key inputs for estimating solute and water movement between surface water channel and surrounding groundwater in the scope of their interaction at this area. The bed silts were obtained by two ways, as disturbed samples and as undisturbed samples. In this study we deal with disturbed samples extracted from the Komárňanský channel and for that reason only the empirical formulas based on the grain size analysis could be used for saturated hydraulic conductivity assessment. The disturbed samples were extracted in three levels of silt - top, middle and bottom part of silt layer and subsequently as mixed samples in each selected profile of the Komárňanský channel. The selection of sampling place was made by thickness of bed silt in the measured profiles. The values of saturated hydraulic conductivity obtained from disturbed samples of bed silt - K_d were calculated according to three empirical formulas: 1. Bayer – Schweiger formula; 2. Špacek I formula and 3. Špacek II formula, firstly for samples from the top, middle and bottom part of the silt layer and then for mixed samples. The valid values K_d from single parts of the silt layers reached from 1.44 x 10⁻⁰⁷ to 1.74 x 10⁻⁰⁵ m s⁻¹, the valid values K_d from mixed samples reached from 2.96 x 10⁻⁰⁷ to 2.05 x 10⁻⁰⁵ m s⁻¹. According to results of comparison of K_d from single parts of silt layers and K_d from mixed samples it is not possible to assess explicitly the reliability of saturated hydraulic conductivity value set by that way. Therefore, in the next step, it will be necessary to compare these results with the values of saturated hydraulic conductivity from undisturbed samples of bed silt determined by the laboratory falling head method.

The paper deals with the effect of various factors on the estimation of designed discharges. As input data, the series of daily discharges and annual peak discharges on the Topľa River at Hanušovce nad Topľou for the period of 1931-2015 were used. The first, maximum annual discharges (AM) approach was applied with the most widely used Log-Pearson III. probability distribution. The second, we analysed the effect of the time series length and the effect of seasonality (winter, summer) on the accuracy of T-year maximum discharges estimation. As an alternative to this approach (AM), the Peak Over Threshold (POT) method was used. We analysed the effect of the threshold level value selection and using of maximum daily discharges on the accuracy of T-year maximum discharges estimation. Results showed that not only the selection of the distribution function to estimate T-year discharges but also the type of used data series may affect the results of the estimation (length or selection of the period). Results also showed that the estimation of designed maximum discharges using by the POT method did not show significant differences at the selected various threshold levels, but for a relatively fast and large increase of discharges during floods, it would be necessary to have peak values for all waves included in the analysis. Determining the specific value of a 500- or 1000-year flood for engineering practice is extremely complex and in interpreting the results, it should be kept in mind that estimated values with very high return periods are extrapolated values. Each statistical method includes some uncertainty that may be caused by the method but also the data may be affected by certain measurement error, therefore, it is also necessary to specify confidence intervals in which the flow of a given 100-, 500-, or 1000-year flood may occur with probability, for example, 90%.

The deficiency of primary raw materials and the difficult processing of sulphide concentrates with low gold content, as well as the long-time use of the dangerous cyanide method, instigated to the search a more effective and environmentally conscious method of acquirement this noble metal. For this reason, this work was focused on gold obtaining from a refractory sulphide complex concentrate (Pezinok, Slovakia) with the application of the non-cyanide mechanochemico-biological process. Gold in this complex concentrate occurs physically enclosed in the intercrystalline space of sulphide minerals, and is also isomorphic and fills structure defects in sulphides. The exclusion of gold from such complex mineral matrices of the concentrate can be achieved by using a mechanochemico-biological process. This innovative process makes possible obtaining of gold using an application of a thiourea solution, which is a convenient alternative opposite to the toxic cyanidation method. The utilized of the biological process with the application of algae has shown that algae with siliceous structures make it possible to obtain of gold from a complex concentrate (Pezinok, Slovakia) with dimension in the nano range. These algae are part of aquatic ecosystems and, in addition, are being food for other animals, utilizing for fuel production and, more recently, they are the important raw material for the production of hydrogen, methane and some types of biofuels. Limnetic algae (diatoms, golden algae) have unique properties, they create the largest mass of biomass of all plants on Earth and at the same time they are able to move. The mechanochemico-biological process is a method that enables to obtain gold nanoparticles 100 nm from the refractory sulphide concentrate (Pezinok, Slovakia). Mechanochemical activation of this concentrate and silica shells of the limnetic algae of tribes (Dinobryon, Surirella) in thiourea solution caused changes in physico-chemical properties of the minerals of gold as well as in the constituents of the algae minerals. These structural changes had under specific conditions a decisive influence on the exclusion of gold nanoparticles to the thiourea solution. The gold nanoparticles had subsequently fixed in the cellular matrix on mechanochemical activated algae shells. The reason for the fixation of gold nanoparticles was the action of biomolecules that algal cells during activation secreted while they defend again the chemical effect of metal ions present in the solution. Nanoparticles of gold were acquirement from the concentrate after less than two hours by described mechanochemico-biological process. In the case of mechanochemical activation of the concentrate, but without the activation of defined algae, the exclusion of gold nanoparticles was not confirmed even after a triple activation time (six hours). Owing to, the algae had to be activated to recover of gold from this sulphide concentrate. It follows, the entire mechanochemico-biological process had to be followed.

The analysis of the cracking of the rock massifs is an important stage in the process of their characterization, as this largely determines their mechanical behavior. This is the main reason the mining engineers, who are angaged with the analysis of rock massifs, to require a most detailed and reliable study of the cracks that have arisen in them. Metric characteristics, such as the direction and angle of collapse of the cracks, roughness and average distances between the individual cracks, are extremely important for the study of the structural disturbance of the massif. In the process of the metrics forming of these characteristics, a few of methods of measurement and graphical representation, different in nature and technological features, have become necessary. Through these traditional methods, it is very often not possible to obtain adequate quantitative data for the complete geomechanical characteristics of the rock mass and for the analysis of the mechanisms for its instability. Here, the effectiveness of the ground laser scanning in the study of the structural disturbance (direction and angle of decay of the cracks) and the area cracking coefficient of the rock mass has been experimentally proved. Through this technology the research of the structural disturbance of the rock massifs acquires new quantitative and qualitative dimensions. On the basis of an extremely detailed 3D model, even of hard-to-reach sections of the rock massif, a realistic clustering of cracks and prerequisites for adequate determination of the area cracking coefficient of the massif are created. Moreover, ground-based laser scanning data are an indisputable source of valuable information about rock surface roughness. For an object of the experiment, was selected part of a rock massif, which has well-developed, clearly visible cracks. The scan was performed, using a ground-based laser scanner "Scan Station 2" of the company "Leica".

This study will give a contemporary method for Quality Assurance or as-build during the construction of a building in Sofia, R. Bulgaria by using High Definition Survey (HDS) or more known as terrestrial Laser Scanning. Analyses were done on concrete casted elements (Floors, Ceiling Slabs and Columns) for the first eight floors which were already constructed during the time of field measurements. As a reference - data are obtained from the original design in native AutoCAD format, while field data were acquired by using 3D laser Scanners and they are represented in a form of Point Cloud. All data (design and measured) are acquired in local coordinate system and were later georeferenced in to the already established object coordinate system. The study will show the workflow for data preparation, post processing, and the results from 3D Inspection and Analyses. All tasks were implemented by two survey crews within 10 working days (four days for field work and 6 days for post processing analyses and reporting). During the laser scanning a total of 3 679 440 634 points were surveyed form 368 stations. After the post processing the number of points was reduced to 2 515 520 148 with relative accuracy after registration of individual scan worlds of +/- 3-4 mm. The accuracy for the data transformation in to the object coordinate system is +/- 7.5 mm. In order to have better data visibility and understanding of the deformations and displacements casted concrete elements were inspected separately floor by floor where ceiling and floor slabs were inspected in 1D (Z direction) while columns were inspected in 2D - (XY) inspection for the position. Thus some will say that the results are within accuracy limits of the classical measuring techniques we should not forget the fact that the percentage of inspected elements/surfaces is more than 95%.

The goal of this study is to determine the mercury content, distribution, and modes of occurrence in high-sulphur coals from the Maritza-West, Maritza-East, and Stanyantsi basins in Bulgaria. The investigation is based on 51 samples representing the whole coal beds. The average concentration of Hg for all studied samples is 0.34 ppm and the values vary from 0.07 to 1.20 ppm; the average is 6.8-times higher than the Hg value in the upper continental crust and 3.4-times higher than the average values for world coals. The highest average Hg concentration (0.57 ppm) was found in the Maritza-West samples, followed by the Maritza-East (0.30 ppm), and the Stanyantsi (0.15 ppm) lignite. These data correspond with the sulphur content, i.e, the highest-Hg lignite has the highest S content. A weak positive correlation between Hg and the total and sulphide S and a negative correlation between Hg and the organic S content for the Maritza-West lignite were observed. It is suggested that the Hg is predominantly incorporated in pyrite, which is present in high amount in these coals. The tendency in the distribution of Hg and S forms for the Maritza-East and Stanyantsi basins shows that Hg may be closely connected with S-bearing organic compounds, especially for the Maritza-East lignite. Consequently, the main part of Hg in the high-S coals from the Maritza-East and Stanyantsi basins is closely connected with organic sulphur complexes and may be with inorganic matter other than sulphide minerals. The data determined from this study partially confirms the results for other high-S world coals reported earlier. For the typical high-S Maritza-West lignite it may be suggested that there is a strong connection between Hg and pyrite and especially with epigenetic pyrite infilling the coal veins and cleats, while for high-S Maritza-East and Stanyantsi lignite the Hg is predominantly incorporated in organic matter and especially in sulphur-bearing organic compounds.

Paper describes key elements of a genetic approach to classification of forest types – one of the original forest typological research directions in Russia summarizes the results of research over the hundred-year period of formation and development of this promising (from the point of view of sustainable management of natural resources) scientific direction. Authors provide a map of current forest type genetic classification use in the Russian Federation, and outline key perspective directions in the development of genetic classifications within a framework of the described approach. Modern genetic forest typology is an interdisciplinary science. It uses forestry, soil science, biogeography, and landscape ecology, allow you to reflect the processes of forest vegetation dynamics in syntaxons and on maps. Therefore, it gives excellent results for systematizing not only primary forests, but also a variety of secondary plant communities with extremely variable composition. Authors believe that there are the following main avenues of genetic approach to forest type classifications development: improvement of forest zoning technologies based upon assessment of environmental factors' quantitative values, including development of spatial models for estimating factor values; development of new automated quantitative assessment methods for forest site conditions and tree stands' parameters using high spatial resolution data obtained from aerial drones; development and verification of the rules for combining forest areas with relatively close parameter values, i.e. with similar forest-growing conditions, in one spatial unit; development and verification of the rules for combining spatial units with relatively different forest-growing conditions into larger units according to applied silvicultural practices; Improvement of existing and development of new forest typological schemes reflecting changes in climate conditions that can be applied for zones with high levels of anthropogenic impacts; development of silvicultural practices and logging technologies considering classification schemes of forest type dynamics; Genetic studies of the populations that compose forest communities. Genetic forest type classification is based upon the origin (genesis) and development of forests. Therefore, genesis studies of forest communities based on genetic analysis of the populations will become the core theme of the future fundamental research in this area.

The 5G era that is about to come will exponentially increase the amount of digital data produced. Already, the giant amount of digital data that is produced every day by sensors, users and digital devices has called for scalable and efficient decentralized approaches to data storage and elaboration and to a Fog/Edge computing paradigm that requires efficient networking and storage for better services related to the compression and security of digital data. In this paper, we will explore a unified approach that merges compression and security in one step, by reviewing the current research in this field and by presenting new experimental evidence and new ideas for secure compression of two-dimensional data (for instance digital images). The purpose of our study is also the masking and unmasking of the sensitive biometric data, i.e. face and eyes, that are contained within a JPEG image that contains human faces.

The article combines the issues of Corporate Social Responsibility in the context of relations with sector indices representing the mining industry or industry related to them. For research purposes, social responsibility is included in the RESPECT Index (RI) and the idea of social investing. In 2009 Warsaw Stock Exchange (WSE), implemented the RESPECT Index, which is a response to a changing reality in a sustainable way. The essence and role of non-financial reporting in the field of Environmental, Social, Governance (ESG) in the context of the new stock index was emphasized. In the paper, the relationships between key sectors of the economy, on the example of selected indices, i.e. WIG-mining, WIG-fuel, WIG-energy in the aspect of socially responsible companies belonging to the RESPECT Index will be discussed. The article refers to stock exchange mechanisms and the rules of companies belonging to sector indices. The main purpose of the research work was to group and estimate the relationship between Polish industry sectors representing mining, energy and fuel sectors, and the RESPECT Index, along with their identification. To achieve this goal, publicly available stock exchange quotations were used in the selected time period as input data 2014 – 2019. Relationships between indices were calculated using a known measure in the form of a correlation coefficient. This matrix presents the relationships of selected sector indices relative not only to RI but also to each other. The presented analysis shows that RI and WIG-mining have the greatest relationship with each other. For a professional investor focused on the activities of an entity within ESG, such an analysis can be used to make a decision about choosing a company for the investment portfolio. The article ends with the presentation of results and summary.

The exploitation and processing of oil resources are factors of regional progress and development; in this regard, the final products resulting from exploitation and subsequent refining can be accidentally spilt on the ground destabilizing the relationships between flora, fauna, water and soil, generating irreversible effects on terrestrial and aquatic ecosystems. The impact of the effects generated by petroleum products on soil and water resources is limiting nature and imposes severe measures to restrict the resources used for economic, administrative and consumption purposes. Experimental research involves the usage of geostatistical methods for modelling the unsaturated area and the usage of specialized applications for estimating the dispersion of pollutants in the studied area based on an accidental pollution scenario. The application of the method used in the areas with a significant risk of contamination (oil fields) it aims to identify the movement of the contaminant at various times and concentrations in order to choose the best measures to reduce and minimize pollution of the unsaturated (vadose) zone. The objectives of the reduction and minimization measures are to limit the transfer of contaminants in the saturated area or to the strategic drinking water reserves. The applied method supports researchers, hydrologists, hydrogeologists, environmental engineers who want to deepen the transition elements of the pollutant in the unsaturated area, the phenomenology and dispersion of pollutants in waters located in the unsaturated area and the problems caused by pollutants on the environment.

The article deals with the data structure required for the Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) of buildings using the Building Information Model (BIM) for implementation in the Czech construction industry. The construction industry produces a significant amount of waste while the capacity of landfills is being limited. The effective management of previously used materials that have the potential to be reused can significantly help to decrease consumption and save natural resources. LCA is a method that can be used to demonstrate the suitability of proposed materials, structures or buildings in terms of their whole life cycle and its environmental impact. For an LCA evaluation, it is crucial to obtain life cycle inventory (LCI) input data, though the structure of this data has not yet been clearly defined for the Czech environment. BIM includes, in addition to geometry, an information component which is applicable to this assessment. The aim of the article is to analyze previous approaches and define a BIM data structure for a particular material for LCI purposes. The new methodology is based on the standardization of a non-graphical information model data structure (SNIM) which was developed for the Czech construction industry. "Markup syntaxes" have been taken from the SNIM database and used to further identify the data for LCI base structure purposes. The MatLab matrix solver was used to classify these data. The advantages of the proposed methodology have been demonstrated via a case study of a monolithic concrete slab structure in which three types of concrete were evaluated. The results indicated the percentage of impact categories for each concrete type. These results are useful for expanding the BIM model with new data necessary for further LCA calculations. The extension of the BIM model via LCA calculations will lead to a reduction in the extraction of natural resources as well as a positive impact on the environment.

We applied factor analysis (FA) for statistical comparison of XRF and XRD data on 198 carbonatite and aluminosilicate rock samples of the Kontozero Devonian paleovolcano. This method helps to identify main, secondary, and some accessory minerals, as well as to estimate the approximate contents of these minerals and to assess their contribution on the distribution of major and trace elements (Fomina et al., 2019). With the view of control purposes, qualitative and semiquantitative analysis of diffraction data were performed. Several dozen factors quickly yielded to mineralogical interpretation. For the studied samples, a functional relationship was established between the calculated mineral content and the score of the factor (FS) corresponding to the mineral. Thus, the FS can serve as a handy tool for assessing the contents of minerals. Thereby we visualise the distribution of minerals in the space of the studied complex. We also found out which mineral phases are ubiquitous, and which present only in certain parts of the section or occur sporadically. These data allowed us to make a mineralogical interpretation of the results of FA, performed solely for the geochemical variables. The main trends in the mineralogical and geochemical evolution of carbonatite and aluminosilicate rocks of the Kontozero Devonian paleovolcano were thus determined and statistically substantiated. All these results were obtained in a short time at the earliest stages of the research. A "blind" statistical method guarantees the independence of the results on a priori hypothesis of the researcher. The time-consuming classical techniques (e.g., petrography, mineralogical studies, and quantitative analysis of diffraction data) verified the geological model described by statistics.

We investigated carbonatites and aluminosilicate rocks from the Kontozero Devonian carbonatite paleovolcano complex (198 samples). Some specific features complicate the geological exploration of this object: a) the rocks of the Kontozero complex are predominantly volcanic and therefore exhibit small dimension of mineral grains and the diversity of their structural relationships; b) because breccias are common in many parts of the complex, the rocks are mostly inhomogeneous; c) Kontozero belongs to the alkaline-carbonatite formation, which is typically characterised by mineral diversity and the presence of rare minerals. The purpose of this study was to develop an algorithm for selecting from an extensive collection of rock material the most informative for mineralogical and geochemical studies samples. As a tool for this selection, we chose an original method of statistical comparison of XRD and XRF data using factor analysis (FA). This methodological approach enables mathematical identification of all major, minor, and several accessory minerals and a rough estimation of their contents (Fomina et al., 2019). We carried out the mineralogical interpretation of the factors according to the peak positions on the graphs of factor loadings and qualitative analysis of diffraction data of rock samples with maximum factor scores. For the studied rock collection, this approach allowed us to identify more than 20 rock-forming minerals based only on XRD data. Also, we found about ten mineral phases, the lines of which are low-intensity and/or overlap by more intense peaks of other minerals in the diffraction patterns. The mineralogical interpretation of the factors of these hidden minerals requires verification by an electron microscope investigation of the samples selected with FA. Based on the results of this study, we developed an algorithm that facilitates choosing rock samples that are most contrasted in mineral and chemical composition and contain the entire set of mineral phases characteristic of the rocks of the study object with minimal effort. In the case of our Kontozero rock collection, 30 representative samples were selected, which is about 15% of the initial sample set.

Modern technologies for creating integrated circuit elements offer many innovations, both in terms of the technological cycle and the introduction of new technologies. Stimulated processes in this regard and their mechanism require a thorough study in order to further improve the technology and the parameters of the micro and nano devices made on their basis. We have studied the processes stimulated by ultraviolet radiation, such as Stimulated Plasma Anodizing and Stimulated Magnetron Sputtering. In the study of stimulated mechanism should be considered processes which are going on with ultraviolet irradiation on the sample and plasma. In these processes, the UV light effects on the plasma, on the surface of the synthesized material, its volume, and the interface area of the material. In particular, in the case of plasma anodizing, UV radiation: 1) produces ozone in the plasma that is much more active than oxygen ion. 2) Ionizes interface area of Plasma-oxide, producing additional current carriers, and 3) transferring electrons from the oxidized material bond zone to the anti-bond zone, thereby weakening the bond strength between the oxide atoms. Because of these effects, the process of mixing anions and cations is facilitated and, consequently, the oxygen diffusion coefficient is increased and the oxidation process is accelerated. At the oxide-semiconductor interface happens roasting existing charge trapping levels, which reduces the concentration of charge carriers and improves the oxide parameters. The same processes are observed in the case of Magnetron Sputtering. In the deposited layer excites mechanical tensions and it can be removed by UV irradiation in the same way as in the case of plasma anodizing.

Amorphous substances, including glasses, are very important kind of value materials for numerous applications. Among the glasses the impact matter has especially high fundamental interest and use potential, being formed under extremely high PT conditions - up to hundreds GPa and thousands degrees Celsius. In this direction the detail studies of new natural occurrences with UHPHT impact glasses and their features are very actual fundamentally and probably potentially useful for new ideas for technologies. Our analytical studies of the UHPHT ribbonlike impact glasses of the Ust`-Kara area at the Baydarata Bay (Kara Sea, Arctic Ocean) revealed the presence a number of special features such as multilevel differentiation of impact melt and coesite abundance. The specifics of the Ust`-Kara UHPHT glasses rather point to bottom facies of the suevitic breccia. The observed impactites characteristics allow to see new geological importance of the studied Ust`-Kara suevites, allow to correct geological model of the impact structure.

The unusual natural ultrahigh pressure high temperature (UHPHT) impact glasses have been discovered at the Southern part of the Kara astrobleme (Pay-Khoy, Russia) in 2015. The glasses form a complex of stockwork-like system of thin vein bodies set within suevite breccia at the right bank of the Kara river. The Kara glasses have many specific features pointing to UHPHT origin. For better understanding of the geological position of the UHPHT impact glasses we have provided additional field observation with the use of copter facility to observe the outcrops from the «air-bird high» and collecting data for 3D modeling. Here we present natural topological details for the more complete analysis of the discovered UHPHT complex at the Kara River (Pay-Khoy, Russia) and "bottom flow" suevites with UHPHT impact ribbon-like glasses on the Baydarata Bay shore (Kara Sea, Arctic, Russia).

The Popigai astrobleme is a unique geological object with huge storages of impact diamonds of high hardness quality being perspective as an abrasive material. In spite on very well-known after-graphitic nature of the Popigai diamonds, it was predicted that a part of them might have non-graphitic precursor as the target of the meteorite crater partly consist of sedimentary rocks with coals and bitumens. In this study by use of a complex of modern methods we have analyzed unusual carbon particles from impact melt rocks of the Popigai astrobleme. The studied carbons according to the provided Raman studies belong to high pressure polymers with hydrogenated carbons - hydrogenated amorphous tetrahedral diamond-like carbon (ta-C:H) and rare polymeric a-C:H. A list of typomorphic features of the high pressure non-crystalline carbons are described in the paper on the basis of UV Raman spectroscopy, scanning electron microscopy, microprobe and 8¹³C isotopic composition analysis.

The assessment of water resources and the availability of water in a river basin is one of the main tasks enabling efficient water management. Recent developments in the computer industry and information technology allow us to create powerful computer systems for solving water management balances. Their advantage is in their ability to solve variations with the help of computers, both in the sources and in the water requirements. In Slovakia, at present, the individual elements of the water management balance are divided and evaluated separately, i.e., into the surface and groundwater, and these are further divided into a quantitative and a qualitative component. The paper aims to model the retrospective quantitative water management balance of surface waters using the Water Evaluation and Planning (WEAP) simulation balance software. The water management balance of surface waters is evaluated in a monthly time step in selected profiles in the Hron River basin for the period 2010 - 2015. The data input to the model were flows, abstractions, discharges, and manipulations of reservoirs. The paper is focused on the functionality of the WEAP simulation model with respect to the implementation of the current methodology of water management balances in Slovakia, both in terms of the details of the information input and their amount and also in the time required for their preparation and compatibility. We show that the software does not require very detailed input data and offers an integrated approach to solving various problems in the management of water resources. The WEAP software has a user-friendly graphic user interface (GUI) that provides the ability to present and interpret results in the form of tables and graphs. Its application in a selected pilot river basin showed that it could be an easy-to-use model building tool for optimal and successful development, planning and forecasting in water management and the knowledge of water redistribution in space and over time in Slovakia.

The self-ignition of combustible dusts depends on their chemical composition, on the properties of the substances in the composition, on the granulometry and geometry of the mass of the material and, last but not least, on the ambient temperature. Self-ignition is a complex process that takes place in three successive or simultaneous stages of development. These stages influence each other and are the following: self-heating, evaporation of moisture, and self-ignition itself. The underlying cause of self-heating (or possibly self-ignition) is that molecules on the surface of combustible dust particles are subjected to exothermic reactions with oxygen in the air transported in the free volume between particles, even at normal temperatures. Any amount of heat released will then cause an increase in temperature in the reactive dust-air system, thus accelerating the reaction of other dust molecules with oxygen. Calcium stearate is a carboxylate of calcium, classified as a calcium soap. It is a component of some lubricants, surfactants, as well as many foodstuffs. Due to its large utilization, it was considered important to analyze the flammability properties at bulk depositing to ensure proper safety regulations to avoid unwanted events such as fires or explosions. This paper aims to describe/present the self-ignition behaviour of combustible dust as a function of volume by evaporation tests under constant temperature conditions. The obtained results showed the maximum quantity that can be stored in bulk and the time until an ignition could take place, so that protective measures can be taken to avoid incidents (fires, explosions).

Since the introduction of the term 'geopolymer' by Davidovits in 1978, many works have been published, sometimes providing clear and concise indications, and other times creating confusion about what are a geopolymer. What seems interesting beyond the terminology discourse is the advantage of low CO₂ emissions, the use of waste industrial byproducts in their implementation and the resistance to air pollution and aggressive agents. Playing on the combination of the different precursors and alkaline activators, geopolymers can reach competitive mechanical properties and significant environmental benefits. The materials, with specially designed formulations, can be fireproof, breathable, resistant to rising salts and acid rain, as well as products with low emission of carbon dioxide. Furthermore, a further advantage is the ability to imitate natural, artificial and stone materials. There are hundreds of papers about characteristics, properties both of precursors and final product, but only a few of them about the Cultural Heritage Application. Despite this, the data shown by the few publications present to date give hope for a use of these materials for the consolidation, conservation and restoration of the heritage built within the historical centres, where the low CO₂ emissions and the characteristics shown by the geopolymers could bring a huge benefit to the environment and the protection of the structures themselves. In this work, we briefly review the bibliography available on the applications of these materials to Cultural Heritage, hypothesising future uses aimed at specific urban contexts, where the application could play a key role in the future projects to restore the built heritage.

X-ray fluorescence (XRF) spectroscopy is a technique widely used for the study and conservation of cultural heritage materials. A Microsoft Excel spreadsheet to determine major (Na, Mg, Al, Si, K, Ca, Fe) and minor (P, Ti, Mn) elements in rocks and other materials by XRF is presented. The code is based on the analytical method proposed a few decades ago by Franzini et al., which is based on the algorithm: C_i = I_i . ΣK_i,j C_j, where C_i is the concentration (expressed as wt%) of the chemical element "i", I_i is the intensity of the characteristic line, C_j is the concentration of interfering elements, and K_i,j are experimental coefficients that account for the matrix effects (absorption and enhancement). K_i,j have the dimension of mass absorption coefficients and they may be calculated from a set of N reference samples using multivariate regression methods. The algorithm proposed by these authors is particularly suitable for processing samples prepared in the form of pressed powders. The Microsoft Excel spreadsheet allows you to: a) choose a set of reference samples (international or interlaboratory standards); b) evaluate the expected matrix effects on the basis of the XRF total mass absorption coefficients; c) calculate the correction coefficients K_i,j through multivariable regression; d) calculate the analytical accuracy and graphically represent the results; e) choose five samples (monitors) for the correction of instrumental drift. Based on these steps, the software allows you to: i) enter the analytical intensities of major and minor elements measured on the monitors and on unknown samples (the loss on ignition must be determined separately); ii) calculate the correction of the instrumental drift; iii) determine the concentration of elements and express them as wt%.

The paper focuses on the analysis of future changes in short-term rainfall characteristics in the High Tatras region. The analysis was performed at three climatological stations, namely: Podbanské, Tatranská Lomnica, Javorina. The area is located in the northern part of Slovakia in a mountainous region which belongs to a mountain climate with characteristic long cold winters and short summers with heavy rainfalls (June, July). The future changes were analysed from the predicted short-term rainfall intensities using the Community Land Model. The Community Land Model was a multidisciplinary project between scientists from several working groups in the USA. The model uses ecological climatology concepts, which explains the impacts of changes in vegetation on the climate. The model well relates to the current processes in the atmosphere; it is a semi-pessimistic scenario with a predicted global temperature increase is about 2.9 °C by the year 2100. The focus of the paper was put on the changes in seasonality, trend analysis. The analysed rainfall durations were available from 60 minutes up to 1440 minutes for the future period 2041-2100. The results were compared with the simulated data from the historical period 1961-2020. The analysis is focused on the seasonality changes in extreme rainfall which was analysed by Burn's vector methodology, then the trend testing provided by the Mann-Kendall trend testing method. Results show that there is a change in the short-term rainfall intensities characteristics for the future period, the seasonality of extreme rainfall intensities shows a shift to an earlier time period of the year, future trends are also showing increasing change compared to the historical period.

A Digital Elevation Model (DEM) is a powerful tool for representing the surface of a particular area of interest. The containing data in the DEM is used for determining the characteristics of the surface. The main factor regarding the quality of such data is the resolution of the DEM. In this paper, the authors focus on the impact of the resolution of the two DEMs that were used to calculate a design flood in the Boca River basin. The Boca River basin is a small mountainous catchment located in the Low Tatras National Park in Slovakia. The authors have used digital elevation models of the Boca River basin with a 20 x 20 m and 1 x 1 m resolution of the raster and the S- JTSK coordinate system. The DEMs were downloaded from the Basic Database for GIS (ZBGIS®) which is a part of the spatial database of the cadastral information system in Slovakia. The design values of short-term rainfalls from actual observations from the Kráľová Lehota - Čierny Váh climatological station and the Corine Land Cover land use map for 2018 were used as an input for the calculation of the design floods. The design floods (Qn)were estimated for the return period (N) of 10, 20, 50 and 100 years, using the Soil Conservation Service - Curve Number method, and ArcGIS software and raster tools. The peak design floods were estimated by calculating the time concentration, the maximum potential river basin retention, the design rainfall intensity, the depth of the runoff, and the volume of the flood wave. The aim of the paper was to compare the results of these calculations when the two different quality resolution DEMs are used. The results show that the design floods calculated using the more precise DEM with a 1 x 1 m raster were lower by 3.9% than the design floods calculated using the DEM with the 20 x 20 m raster.

Climate change has become one of the most significant problems of recent years. It results in a higher incidence of extreme events, such as strong winds, heavy precipitation, floods and droughts. Their consequences have a negative impact not only on the environment, but also on the engineering structures and the safety of the population. In this article, the relationship between the built environment and the effects of climate change is characterised in order to propose systemic changes to improve the adaptation of cities to climate change. Weather- and climate-related hazards for the built environment are analysed, and the possibilities to reduce the risk and mitigate the effect of construction disasters, should they occur. Moreover, a case study conducted in Central Europe has been presented. Based on quantitative data from the Central Office of Building Control in Poland from 2006-2018, the occurrence of construction disasters, their causes and consequences were examined. It was found that the main cause of disasters occurring in Poland during this period were random events (73%), which consisted in particular of extreme weather events such as strong wind or strong wind with accompanying heavy precipitation causing floods and landslides. The highest number of construction disasters (1113) was recorded in 2008, and as many as 95.6% were caused by random events. The conclusion indicates the need to prepare the built environment for climate change and to develop appropriate solutions to reduce the risk of climate-related hazards and to mitigate their effects. Based on the conducted analyses, a conceptual framework of improved climate-resilient built environment management was proposed.

The dynamic impact of geotechnical works can affect subsoil, as well as structures and technical devices. In order to prevent hazards resulting from vibration, the monitoring of geotechnical works execution is necessary. This paper presents an analysis of the relationship between the vibration caused by pulling out the sheet pile and the variability of cohesive soil parameters. The authors present the case study of a construction site in Wroclaw (Lower Silesian Province, Poland). The sheet pile profiles were used as a temporary protection of the foundation excavation. After the underground floors were constructed, the sheet piles were pulled out from the ground using vibrating techniques. This is a typical action to recover steel profiles that can be reused. While the sheet piles were being pulled out, the cohesive soil adhered to steel surfaces. In order to analyse the impact of dismantled sheet pile vibration on the variability of soil parameters, laboratory tests of basic soil physical and mechanical properties were carried out. The results were then compared with the primary parameters of soil as specified in the geotechnical documentation, which had been made at the initial stage to determine the geotechnical conditions for the foundation of the designed building. The comparison has shown a negative effect of vibrations on soil properties, including a decrease in the strength parameters, as well as an increase in the liquidity index and compressibility. In this case, an increase in the earth pressure on the existing underground structures and a reduction of the bearing capacity of shallow foundations may occur. Therefore, the vibration monitoring during sheet pile dismantling process is also very important.

This article is focused on utilization of geothermal potential of mining water in the Bílina Mines. The intention to explore geothermal potential in this area of interest based on consideration to use of this type of the Earth´s heat, such an alternative source of energy. Geothermal energy is cost effective, reliable and sustainable. Using of the geothermal energy leads to the production of green energy. Although geothermal energy has many advantages is not so much utilized. Geothermal energy is natural heat of the Earth, which is accessible from the surface. Economically recoverable only in places its accumulation in the anomalies. In terms of geothermal energy, the site, as part of Podkrušnohorské area, and these are to the most promising areas in the Czech Republic sections characterized by high heat flow. In article is presented research of geothermal energy at Bílina Mines, where the temperature of mining water and abundance of four hydro-geological boreholes were monitored in 2009-2010, 2011-2012 and 2018. Over 200 0000 m³ of water is dewatered from the Bílina Mines annually. These boreholes are used for water monitoring from the mine. Due to the large amount of water pumping is area of interest interesting for using geothermal energy. Results showed that although the geothermal potential of the mine water is not so significant, there will be great potential in low-temperature energy source use for heat pumps. Heat pumps are less expensive, they do not drill deep and their installation is easier. For our case study is recommended use water-to-water heat pumps.

The study area is located in the zone of junction of the In'yali-Debin synclinorium and the Omulevka terrane (Kolyma-Omolon microcontinent of the Verkhoyansk-Kolyma fold belt). The main tectonic structure is the Momontai syncline made of Middle Jurassic clastic rocks overlain by Upper Jurassic volcanic and volcaniclastic rocks of the Uyandina-Yasachnaya volcanic arc. The Au and Au-Ag occurrences known here are confined to NE-trending faults and hosted in subvolcanic and volcanogenic rocks, mainly rhyolites and dacites. The studied Middle Jurassic rocks are found to be characteristic of near-shore shelfal environments changing, in certain time intervals, to deltaic conditions of sedimentation. The presence in the conglomerates and sandstones of large poorly rounded quartzite and carbonate fragments and of mudstone and volcanite pebbles indicates a proximal provenance of the clastics. For the first time we established a sharp angular unconformity between the intensely deformed Middle Jurassic and Upper Jurassic rocks in the region. Relations between the Late Jurassic subvolcanic deposits and the host rocks were studied. The carried out structural and tectonophysical investigations showed that folding occurred in two deformation stages. During the first stage, the Middle Jurassic clastic rocks were draped into small recumbent to isoclinal folds, cylindrical and parallel-type, with a NW strike. Cleavage is rare. The structural paragenesis of bedding-plane detachment faults, thrusts, normal faults, and strike slip faults is found to have formed in a single stress field together with the development of folds of the first deformation stage. The intensity of the first-stage folding increases from west to east. Restored are axes of paleostresses responsible for the formation of fold-and-thrust structures of the first deformation stage. The Upper Jurassic volcanogenic-sedimentary strata were deformed into superposed large, simple, open folds of the second stage, which exhibit sublatitudinal orientation. They associate with small-scale thrusts and, rarely, strike-slip faults. It is recognized that in the late Middle Jurassic or the early Late Jurassic the region was affected by intense folding which produced tectonic structures of NW strike. Accumulation of the Late Jurassic volcanogenic rocks and intrusion of subvolcanic deposits occurred on/into the earlier deformed Middle Jurassic rocks.

The Mangazeya ore cluster is located in the central part of the West Verkhoyansk sector of the Verkhoyansk fold-and-thrust belt, in the zone of junction of the Kuranakh anticlinorium and the Sartang synclinorium. High-tonnage Ag deposits and occurrences are concentrated here, which are thought to be associated with the zones of longitudinal strike-slip faults and bedding-plane thrusts. Structural studies were conducted in the dome and the eastern limb of the Endybal anticline, in the areas of the Nizhne-Endybalskoe, Verkhne-Endybalskoe, Bezymyannoe, Vertikalnoe, Sterzhnevoe, and Semenovskoe ore deposits. The Endybal asymmetric anticline 10-15 km wide and 60 km long, with a wide gentle dome is the major tectonic structure of the territory. The conducted structural and statistical analyses of tectonic structures in the study area allowed better understanding of their specific features and trends in development. Morphology of the fold structures indicates manifestation of concentric-type folding produced by bending of strata as a result of bedding-plane slipping. The same NS orientation of the cleavage and folds gives unanimous evidence for their genetic relationship and formation in the conditions of EW horizontal compression. It is established that the structural paragenesis represented by fractures, normal faults, and extension structures in the hinge zone of the concentric Endybal anticline, which determines the general tectonic pattern of the Mangazeya ore cluster and controls localization of ore bodies, was formed at the first deformation stage or in course of bedding-plane faulting and fold-and-thrust deformations rather than as a result of strike-slip motions. It is shown that strike-slip motions of the second deformation stage not only produced new structures but also inherited disturbances of the previous stage. It is found that normal faults in the study area formed synchronously with the fold-and-thrust structures. A similar orientation of the major faults and the strike-slip faults suggests that the regional faults have strike-slip kinematics. The occurrence of different types of tectonic deformation is controlled by rock lithology.

The Sakandzha gold-ore district occurs in the north-western margin of the Selennyakh allochthonous block of the Omulevka terrane forming part of the Kolyma-Omolon micricontinent (Verkhoyansk-Chersky orogenic belt, NE Asia). Tectonic structures of the Sakandzha ore district were formed in two stages of the Late Mesozoic deformation: thrust and strike-slip fault ones. Formation of the fold-and-thrust structures of the early Late Mesozoic deformation stage within the Selennyakh block and its thrusting, in the form of a thrust sheet, over the fold structures of the Tuostakh-Polousnyi zone in Neocomian time were almost synchronous with the intrusion of large granite plutons (Sakhanya and Syachan) into the fold-and-thrust structures in the northern part of the Verkhoyansk-Chersky orogenic belt. By the end of the Neocomian or in pre-Aptian time, strike-slip deformations of the second Late Mesozoic stage were superposed on the early thrust structures. At that time, the Selennyakh block was divided into smaller blocks by strike-slip faults, among them the Kalychan one. Two ore-bearing segments of different structure, Pologiy and Arbat, are distinguished within the Kalychan dextral strike-slip fault zone. As a result of strike-slip motions, the sedimentary rocks of these segments became steeply inclined, strongly deformed, and were pierced by a network of variably oriented fractures and cracks, which made them highly permeable for the circulating hydrothermal and ore solutions. The major Kalychan, Upper Kalychan and Arbat strike-slip faults are interpreted as the ore-feeding faults. The feathering subsidiary faults as well as strongly fractured zones are considered as ore-controlling and ore-bearing structures. The end of the Neocomian was marked by completion of the collision, and the Aptian-Albian period saw the inception of the Dzhakhtardakh volcanogenic belt of Early to Late Cretaceous age. Its formation is considered to be related to the crustal extension processes preceding the opening of the Eurasian ocean basin.

Rock bursts are one of the most difficult to recognize and assess natural hazards in deep copper ore mines in Poland. The occurrence of rock bursts is conditioned by a number of complex geological and mining factors. The impact of each of the factors on the state of seismic hazard is sometimes impossible to be determined. The correct recognition of the rock mass condition and the causes of rock burst threat gives a chance for advance preparation of adequate prevention, and thus for eliminating or reducing the threat to the level of tolerated risk. In Poland's copper ore mines, continuous observation of seismic activity is carried out, which is expressed in the number of tremors and their energy over a specified period of time. Moreover, the effectiveness of prevention measures and, in particular, of the active ones, which are aimed at provoking seismic energy emissions through properly executed winning blasting works, is calculated and analysed. Reducing the amount of energy accumulated in the rock mass reduces the risk of rock bursts. Exploitation is carried out in a way that avoids parallel approach of the operational front towards the goafs, drifts, and faults with drops greater than the height of the mined deposit. However, over forty years of mining of the copper ore deposit, which has created the large areas of mined-out space mean that mining works are increasingly carried out under restrained conditions. There are unfavourable geological and mining situations in the exploitation fields, disrupting rhythmic development and an even front line. The specific structure of the copper ore deposit in Poland makes it possible to conduct multidirectional cutting and to introduce local changes in the adopted directions of exploitation. Cases of operational fronts approaching goafs occur often in the vicinity of old mining infrastructure and when there is the need to mine remnant parts of the deposit not previously intended for exploitation or not mined yet. Generally, exploitation in the direction of goafs or yielding zones is limited to the cutting and yielding works. The purpose of the study was to analyse the seismic and rock burst hazard in an exploitation field located at a depth of 850 m in a copper ore mine, over a period of 5 years, when mining was carried out towards goafs. Seismic activity and the effectiveness of rock burst prevention measures were assessed and analysed. The active prevention i.e. the group winning blasting works was an inseparable element of the excavation technology. It was found that when the operational front progressed towards adjacent goafs, there were symptoms of an increase in rock mass pressure causing the destruction of roof rocks and, as a consequence, deterioration of roof stability, squeezing of floor, relaxation of the side walls and increase of seismic activity, which posed the potential threat of rock bursts.

Portugal, in the continental and insular territory, has raw geological resources in diversity and quality that are materials for the manufacturing industries, particularly linked to the civil construction, architecture and public works with great weight in its exports, revealing to be one big producer of ornamental stones worldwide. In this industry, the presence of discontinuities, grain size, colour, textural anisotropy and porosity are factors that can determine the economic viability of the exploitations. For this, it is important to develop effective prospecting routines that allow the geological/structural fast analysis and economic potential assessment of the massifs and subsequent correct planning and dimensioning of the exploitations. This work intends to model and integrate data from the ground penetration radar (GPR), together with close-range photogrammetry, derived from an Unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) imagery. The objective is to identify and determine the spatial distribution of the various elements by modelling the acquired data, as well as verifying the feasibility of the technical disassembly option adopted. We have used GPR as it is non-destructive, fast to deploy, survey, process and interpret. The acquired data were processed using the GPR-SLICE, where a 3D final dataset was obtained and interpreted. GPR and photogrammetric model was integrated and interpreted and validated with direct field observations. The model obtained showed in its upper part, an area corresponding to the presence of sludge from the cut of the rock, followed by a strip that corresponds to the oolitic limestone. Further down to the end of the block, the presence of oolitic limestone with crossed stratification is identifiable. There was a textural and structural correspondence between the GPR data and direct field observations. GPR did not reveal any major morphostructural discontinuity, validating the technical option of choosing the places where the cuts were made for their individualization, as the block was cut clean. The GPR and photogrammetry data integration method revealed to be complementary, where results were obtained easily, fast, and with centimeter accuracy. The same methodology presented, revealed to be cheap and effective for both localized studies and optimization of the overall quarry's extraction plan and design.

A Medical Spa in Portugal to work legally needs to be supplied by a groundwater that is classified as natural mineral water. After the referred classification, that water is considered as a geological resource and of the public domain, that is, protected by the Portuguese State. Among several studies, mainly hydrogeological, the quality of that natural resource and its physicochemical and microbiological stability, over a hydrological year, is absolutely crucial to obtain the official classification of the resource. Thus, the main objective of this paper is to present the fundamental elements of that domain, in the sense of presenting a case study, which serves as an example to other situations. The results of physicochemical and microbiological analysis, performed monthly, for 12 consecutive months, as well as, the results of a very complete analysis with trace chemical elements, gases, radiological parameters, mineral oils and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, are presented, analysed and discussed. Finally, the main hydrogeochemical classifications of that natural resource are presented, which led to the new mineral water called as "Termas de São Tiago", and which was responsible for the fact that Portugal can currently count on a new medical spa in operation.

The world is becoming more and more demanding in the quality of life of the common citizen. One way to achieve this quality is to enjoy health tourism. Medical Spa are an excellent equipment in this sense, because they allow practices of health treatment, or relaxation and well-being, aqualudic, focused on the use of natural mineral water, and with direct or indirect monitoring of health professionals (doctors). Thus, in Portugal, for a medical spa to function as such, it must have mineral water of stable quality. For this to be possible, it is necessary to comply with a set of procedures in the exploitation of water, and to impose restrictions on certain types of activities and due limitations on the occupation of the territory, in accordance with the implementation of the Protection Perimeter of groundwater abstraction of the medical spas. The maps of vulnerability to groundwater contamination are excellent instruments to contribute in the elaboration of the aforementioned Protection Perimeter. Thus, this paper presents the fundamental hydro-environmental elements in order to present the vulnerability map of the São Tiago medical spa territory. The General DRASTIC method is used, with a set of adaptations, called Specific DRASTIC, in order to preserve the areas most sensitive to the potential contamination of natural mineral water, and to liberate other areas that are not of potential danger to its contamination. It is also presented the map of occupation of the territory with registration of the main sources of potential pollution, making an analysis of the relationship between the results of the vulnerability map and the types of occupation. Finally, some conclusions are briefly presented.

The article deals with the utilization of energy by-product (EBP) for further processing. The suitability of EBP for ground structures significantly depends on its production process. Its properties are influenced by brown coal flotation and by the usage of desulphurization methods. A comparison of physical-mechanical properties of different types of EBPs was performed. The main goal was to compile an apparent table of utilization and suitability of EBP for ground structures - road earth bodies, dams, and embankments according to the process of their formation.

There was made a comparison of trap formation of two major tectonic structures of the eastern part of the Siberian craton - north-east of the Tunguska syncline and Olenek uplift. Using the analysis of geological data and isotopic age determination by the methods of ⁴⁰Ar/³⁹Ar and U-Pb (also outside the researching area), we can conclude, that the traps of the Tunguska syneclise are 264-240 million years Permo-Triassic age, at the same time, the age of the traps of the Olenek uplift defined as Lower Triassic. The traps of the Tunguska syneclise were formed in three independent intrusion phases, each has its petrochemical specifics, but at the Olenek uplift, there was a single impulse that formed the rocks of the same type, with a well-defined pre-chamber stage of the melt crystallization. The magma that formed the dolerites of the Olenek uplift was more magnesian. The REE distribution patterns for the traps of the Olenek uplift are steeper (La/Ybn=2.4-2.8) in comparison with the Tunguska syneclise traps, the total amount of REE (g/t) in them is within 58-63. A well-defined Sr maximum, promoted by the presence of the early-formed basic plagioclase, is mostly shown in the Olenek uplift traps. In the Nb/Th-Zr/Nb and Nb/Y-Zr/Y diagrams of chemical behavior to incompatible elements, dolerites of the Olenek uplift form composition fields, which are isolated from the Tunguska syneclise traps, thus showing their specific nature. So this information gives us the right to talk about two different sources for the trap forming of the Tunguska syneclise and the Olenek uplift. They resulted from independent plume-induced magmatic events.

A generalization of studies of the chemical composition of dolerites of the Vilyui-Markha dike swarm (VMDS) in the Eastern part of the Siberian Platform is carried out. This belt stretches along the North-Western side of the Vilyui paleorift system (Eastern part of the Siberian platform) for almost 700 km. The formation of VMDS intrusives took place in the interval of 372 million years. The Devonian kimberlites, which formed three kimberlite fields: Malo-Botuobin, Nakyn, Suldyukar, are confined spatially to the VMDS. One is in the Southern part of the belt, and the last two are in its Central part. The formation of kimberlite pipes according to K-Ar, 40Ar / 39Ar, Rb-Sr dating is close to 362 Ma. When studying dolerites, it was found that near the kimberlites, the proportion of TiO2 increases in the first (almost 2 times - up to 4-5% versus 2.2-2.5%) and a number of heavy rare-earth elements, such as Th, Hf, Y, Nd. An increase in the content of these elements proceeds gradually from the edge of the kimberlite field to kimberlites and reaches a maximum of 7% (a single case) directly near kimberlites. The authors suggest that the latter is indirectly associated with kimberlites. The solubility of titanium in a basite melt sharply increases with increasing pressure. The kimberlite-forming system is long-lived, associated with diapir-like kimberlite protrusion, which subsequently produces kimberlite pipes. Long before the formation of kimberlites around the diapir, possibly located in the lower horizons of the earth's crust, excessive stress pressures are created. A basite melt, penetrating through these abnormal (relative to pressure) regions, reacts with an increase in the content of titanium and HREE. Outside the kimberlite field contours, the content of the elements in question in dolerite dikes remains normal, i.e. 2-2.5%. Based on the above stated fact and the study of the geochemistry of dolerites of VMDS, the authors suggest the discovery of two more kimberlite fields within the swarm: Tenkelyakh, located 20-30 km North of the famous Nakyn field, and Orto-Kyulunke, whose location is possible in the North of the VMDS. The authors gave the names of the fields by the names of the rivers flowing through this territory.

A massive manifestation of native iron nodules weighing up to four hundred kilograms was established in a trap intrusive near Aikhal settlement. In addition to large segregations, the native iron occurs as drops in the rock-forming minerals of dolerites rimming the iron nodules. In terms of petrochemical composition, dolerites of the sill belong to typical tholeites of the traps of the Siberian platform, and correspond to low-Ti basites (TiO₂ ∼ 1%) with increased magnesium content (Mg# = 56-63) that have passed through the deep (pre-chamber) stage of melt crystallization. The dominant mineral in the nodules is native iron, with subordinate cohenite (Fe₃C), troilite (FeS) and magnetite (Fe₃O₄). X-ray phase analysis revealed that the native iron has the α-Fe structure with the unit cell parameter a=0.2860 nm. The Brinell hardness is in the range of 110-117 HB units (or 1080-1150 MPa). With regard to the low Ni content (< 1%), the native iron corresponds to the mineral species ferrite. It is assumed that the main condition for the presence of native iron in megascopic quantities in traps is the fractionation of a basaltic melt in the deep-seated intermediate chamber. In this situation, the interaction of the basaltic melt with a high-temperature intratelluric fluid, characterized by highly reducing properties, led to the dispersion of the initially homogeneous basaltic liquid into liquates of silicate and metal composition. It is the finely dispersed state of the fluid-magmatic system that favored the appearance of the native phase, above all of iron.

According to the reports, the European Agency for Safety and Health at Work, millions of employees in Europe are exposed daily to industrial noise and all risks associated with it. About 7% of employees suffer from a hearing problem and noise-induced hearing damage is the most common occupational disease in Europe because it accounts for about one-third of all work-related diseases and is more common than skin and respiratory diseases. The industries with the highest noise emissions in the work environment include heavy industry, mining and construction, although the noise is also increasingly appearing in other sectors of the economy. The research issues discussed in the article introduce the issue of noise in the mining work environment of Polish hard coal mines and identify its causes, effects and threats. The article presents the results of hearing screening tests conducted in 2019 using the Mobile Hearing Diagnosis Center among over 3,000 employees of 37 hard coal mines located in the Slaskie and Malopolskie voivodships and describes the effects of exposure to noise among employees. The article also identifies noise sources and presents the level of their emissions in connection with the operation of machinery and equipment used in Polish hard coal mining. The obtained results of the measurement of the sound intensity of mining machines and devices point to repeatedly exceeding the permissible hygienic standards of Polish and European noise emission. The results of the research presented in the article indicate the urgent need to take action to constantly control the noise level at the workplace and introduce solutions that will enable its reduction and allow better protection of employees against its disastrous consequences. The article is an interesting case study of research conducted in a natural industrial environment that allows you to start a broad discussion on harmful factors in the work environment and look for solutions that increase the level of employee safety during work.

The paper describes the main development trends of methods for determining surface displacements (deformations) resulting from the phenomenon of induced seismicity by mining operations. Due to the unpredictable and sudden nature of induced seismicity, it is difficult to make measurements of displacements by traditional geodetic methods. In order to determine the methods used to determine surface displacements, an extensive review of current scientific literature was carried out. The scope of the analysis included methods for measuring deformations in mining areas during and after mining. Based on the review of over a dozen research papers, geodetic and remote sensing methods are presented, which are used to determine surface displacements at a lower or higher intensity. The analysis of the methods concerned in particular: leveling, Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS), satellite radar interferometry, airborne LiDAR and aerial photogrammetry. As a result of the analysis, it was found that the satellite radar interferometry is presently the predominant displacement detection technique.

The "Panchina" calcarenite widely outcrops along the Tuscan coastline from Livorno to Baratti (western Tuscany). It is a stone, highly porous with medium sized grains rich in organogenic carbonate fragments, mainly consisting in shells of bivalves, gastropods, and echinoderms visible to the naked eye or by using a lens. In the framework of the ongoing research on the building stones and mortars used throughout the Middle Ages in and surrounding the Pisa's city (western Tuscany), this study focuses on the determination of the main physical and mechanical properties of "Panchina" stone samples from Livorno coast (Tuscany, Italy). The "Panchina" stone is no longer quarried and data is collected from unweathered rocks sampled from currently accessible outcrops. The data collected on twenty-eight samples from six outcrops of the Tuscan coast showed that the analysed specimens are made up of abundant calcite, subordinate quartz and feldspars, and traces of phyllosilicates. The analysed samples are characterized by medium-high porosity, highly variable water absorption by both capillarity and total immersion at atmospheric pressure, low uniaxial compressive resistance. Thanks to the good physical and mechanical properties that characterize the stone, the "Panchina" calcarenite is easy to work and extensively used in the necropolis of the Gulf of Baratti since Etruscan times and, in medieval times, in various public and religious buildings in the city of Pisa.

In the Monte Pisano area (north-western Tuscany, Italy) several limestones outcrop and some of them are carbonate-rich rocks that were used for air-hardening lime or hydraulic lime production. Since Roman times, carbonate rocks outcropping in the Monte Pisano area have been used for that purpose. Monte Pisano is a mountainous system of modest size that is part of the Tuscan Apennine, located in the north-western part of Tuscany, and it separates the two cities of Pisa and Lucca. As an obvious consequence of the presence of good source rocks useful for the production of lime, in the surroundings of Monte Pisano there was a great use of carbonate rocks for the production of aerial lime and hydraulic lime. In fact, the monumental buildings in the Middle Ages were built making extensive use of binding materials obtained by firing rocks belonging to formations of the Tuscan metamorphic sequence: the Monte Pisano marble and the Selciferous Limestone. Several famous monuments in Pisa's Miracle Square and in Lucca's historical centre were built by using air-hardening lime and hydraulic lime obtained by firing these rocks. The aim of this work is to characterize samples from the Monte Pisano quarries, where the aforementioned carbonate-rich stones were quarried to produce air-hardening lime and hydraulic lime, by mean of chemical, mineralogical and petrographic studies and by determining their physical and mechanical properties. These same properties will also be determined on handmade mortar samples made up of self-produced binders and normalised sand to evaluate the best uses, and the optimum time and temperature of stone firing.

Former quarries are among the places that are interesting for geotourism: they are mineralogical or paleontological sites; some quarries are valuable from an aesthetic or environmental point of view. In the quarries where mining was stopped centuries ago, traces of earlier mining technologies can be found, having significant historical value. Despite all the listed values, it is a sad fact that most of the quarries in the Czech Republic are revitalized after the end of mining in a way that destroy the values of the geosite. If nature conservation authorities intervene, it is usually because geosite is also a habitat for endangered species of fauna and flora, not for the protection of inanimate nature. The article analyses the process of making former quarries accessible to the public. First, the geosite evaluation methodology is presented, on the basis of which the localities with the greatest tourist potential and the lowest risks are selected. The methodology is based on six synthetic indicators, which are scientific value, cultural-historical value, aesthetic value, educational value, tourist value and vulnerability of the site. The methodology is explained on two examples of former quarries in northern Bohemia: Panská skála and Hamerský Špičák. The purpose of the methodology is to select suitable geosites, whose values should be protected and used to popularize geosciences and for geoeducation. The discussion points to good examples of making former quarries accessible to geotourism from nearby regions (e.g. UNESCO Geopark Muskauer Faltenbogen / Łuk Mużakowa). On the contrary, the issue of safety of visit to the geosite is mentioned too, which is in some cases the biggest obstacle to access to quarries. The conclusion summarizes the strengths and weaknesses of the use of former quarries for geotourism purposes.

The paper intends to evaluate and analyze the accelerometric data recorded on certain buildings located in the Bucharest metropolitan area, one of the most exposed in Europe, with three strong earthquakes with magnitude M_W>7 in the last century. Starting from information comprised by databases for soils and buildings existing in Bucharest, certain types of structures were selected, according to their specificity (old buildings, retrofitted, etc.) and being continuously seismic monitored. The selected three buildings are equipped with seismic isolators and viscous dampers. The response of these structures, at the ground level, subjected to medium intensity earthquakes will be discussed in terms of peak accelerations and spectral accelerations. Based on the currently accepted standpoint that the dynamic response of certain structures subjected to earthquakes is strongly dependent of the ratio between the natural period of the structure and the dominant period at the construction site, a comparative analysis against free-field data is presented. There would be presented the improvement of seismic response of isolated buildings in Bucharest and the reason these buildings were protected choosing this method. The aim is to provide warnings regarding the severity of seismic events, by means of characteristics of the ground motion, gathered from the response spectra, which may be given soon after the seismic event took place. All the data recorded on instrumented structures during two seismic events (M_W = 5.5 and M_W = 4.8), together with the subsequent analysis, can represent a reference study for future earthquakes with similar magnitude. The integration of near-realtime seismology with performance-based earthquake engineering allows for providing the information useful for earthquake engineers and decision makers and can enhance the mitigation of seismic risk.

Roadheaders are nowadays using both in mining engineering and in civil engineering (tunnelling). They often operate in hard rocks, so it is very important to optimize their performance by the full use of their power in different operating conditions. The coal seams are opened deeper and due to rock compactness and their uniaxial stress compression there increases serious problems with power demand and machine wear. The angular speed of cutting head should be adjusted to the rock hardness (the harder is the rock, the lower should be the speed) Nowadays, most of the produced roadheaders have constant speed driven cutting heads. In these cases, sometimes the rock cutting process is performed in conditions far from optimum. The paper presents a concept of the cutting head speed control system and selected results of research performed on laboratory stand equipped with a special R-130 roadheader with an inverter-fed cutting head drive. The closed-loop speed control is accomplished with a PI-controller. Optimum settings of this controller have been calculated using the model in the loop simulation and ITAE (Integral of Time multiplied by an Absolute value of Error) criterion. This criterion is widely used in electric drive technology. The application of the ITAE criterion for the selection of PI controller parameters usually provides a short settling time and an acceptable overshoot value. Results of the experiment show that the system is capable to maintain demanded speed and to follow commands from the master load controller. The drive operation parameters (motor power utilization and frequency of momentary overloads) are much better with automatic control of inverter frequency than with constant frequency drive operation. It should result in lowering power consumption and knife wear intensity.

Lithological research was conducted on three marine sediment cores ranging in length from 21 to 29 cm that had been collected in the Gulf of Gdansk at depths of 55, 70 and 98 m, which are characterized by the deposits of clayey-silty sediments. The cores were sampled every centimetre, while the corresponding sediment granulometry was established by sieve analysis. The granulometric sediment types and their grain sizes were described by using Shepard's diagram (1954) and Folk and Ward parameters (1957), respectively. The obtained parameters were analyzed in relation to the age of sediment layers and sedimentation rates that was estimated by using two methods of recent sediment dating: the Pb-210 and the Cs-137 method. The results allowed the reconstruction of conditions under which the marine sediments were deposited during the past century. The analyzed cores contained sandy silt, silty sand, silt, clayey silt, silty clay and the mixed sand-silt-clay sediments. For all cores, the grain sizes with the diameters above 4.5 phi dominated. The mean grain diameters varied the most in the sediment core sampled from the area influenced by the spreading inflowing waters of the Vistula River (70 m). The correlation was found between the time-dependent grain size and increased loading of terrigenous material originating from the Vistula River flood waters. In addition, the highest dynamics of sedimentation processes were also noted in this case. The sediment types identified in all the analyzed cores were poorly sorted, and even very poorly sorted at times. The lowest variation of this parameter was observed in the core collected at the lowest depth (98 m). The sediments found in the cores had settled out from homogenous pelagic suspensions. With increasing depth, a noticeable increase in the share of pelagic suspension in the sediment cores was observed. Despite the fact that the analyzed core sediments belong to the same lithological types, they accumulated at different rates (from 1.6 to 2.8 mm/yr) and are characterized by varied compaction levels. This finding is based on the variation analysis of the sediment maximum age, which has been performed on the cores of the same length (from 70 and 98 m depths), as well as on the similar maximum age of the cores differing in length (collected at 56 and 70 m). Similar sedimentation conditions and sedimentation rates were observed at sampling stations located at 55 and 70 m depths. Moreover, increased sedimentation rates were noted in the material from recent decades. The deepest area of the sedimentary basin in the Gulf of Gdansk (98 m depth) is characterized by the least dynamic sedimentary processes.

Modelling of water content and the transport of water in soil has become a useful tool in simulating agricultural productivity or in solving various hydrological analyses. For instance, optimum irrigation management requires a systematic estimation of the soil-moisture to determine both the appropriate amount and timing of irrigation. Soil characteristics appear as an essential input in the numerical simulation of a soil-water regime. A critical physical property used in the description of a soil-water regime in such modelling is a soil water retention curve. This paper aims to evaluate so-called pedotransfer functions, which helps to assess the soil water retention curve easier than by standard complex and lengthy procedure involving both field and laboratory work. As a case study Zahorska Lowland, which is located in central Europe in the western part of Slovakia, was selected. The frequent occurrence of dry years in this area results in the necessity to construct irrigation systems in this area, so modelling water content in the soil is an important task here. This study aims to support such modelling with determining pedotransfer functions. Authors compare linear methods (multiple linear regression, LASSO regularized regression) and CatBoost machine learning model.

This article presents the problem of seismic and rockburst hazard in underground hard rock mines. Types of rockbursts and their mechanisms as well as the causes of dynamic phenomena are discussed. The possibility of using numerical modeling to simulate the occurrence of a high-energy tremor, as a result of sudden shear rupture, is also shown. Results of numerical simulations are presented for a model mining field in a hard rock mine at high depth, in which the deposit is mined in a room-and-pillar mining system. General geological and mining conditions characteristic for Polish underground copper mines in Legnica-Glogow Copper Mining District belongs to KGHM Polska Miedz S.A. were adopted in the models. The typical lithological cross-section of the polish copper mines is characterized by rigid, high-strength rock layers in the roof, capable of accumulating elastic energy, while layers with much lower strength parameters are present in the floor. In the analyzed mining field, the remaining undisturbed rock, with a width of 40 m, was left. Numerical simulations were conducted in a plane strain state by means of Phase2 v. 8.0 software. An elastic-plastic model with softening was accepted for the rock mass. The results of numerical modeling showed that sudden (one computational step in the model) collapse of roof strata may occur over the excavated space on the edge of the remaining undisturbed rock, as a result of exceedance of shear strength, above all. This may cause a very high-energy tremor, and under the appropriate conditions, may result in the rockburst phenomenon.

Scan-to-BIM brings the documentation of existing buildings into line with the modern digital planning methodology called building information modelling (BIM). This article describes how scan-to-BIM uses 3D laser scanning to capture digitally an existing building as a point cloud, for the creation and updating of a BIM model. Renovation of an existing old lattice grid structure, out of service for more than ten years, was a real challenge for investigation, capturing geometry and determining the rest load-carrying capacity. The original structure was calculated and produced in Italy and assembled at Bulgaria during the 80s of 20th century and was covered with a single layer membrane. It was used for 30 years before it was left without service and maintenance for more than 10 years. Strong corrosion processes was investigated for some of the members and almost all applied bolts which reduce seriously the rest load-carrying capacity. Laser scanning technology was chosen for getting the complex 3D geometry of the lattice grid structure. It was a real challenge to find a software for processing the scanned data and extracting the axial geometry of structure. Investigations for determining of the applied steel class and class of bolts was done on the site and at laboratory. Different concepts for rehabilitation was discussed before choosing the double layered stressed textile membrane. Numerical FEM models was used for proofing the adequacy of chosen structural solution. Modelling is a necessary process for converting the point cloud to a useful CAD representation. It provides a complete picture of the as-built situation by filling the gaps coming from occlusions, by averaging the effects of noise and by providing the quality measures about the final results.

When using laser scanning for deformation analysis of a given object, there are no pre-signalled points or identical points to compare between two epochs, so we can judge for whether an object deforms only by modelling the surface of the object. There are a number of challenges in this regard presented in the paper. The first challenge is that for the deformation analysis the configuration of the measurement parameters is no longer set by the surveyor-engineer by the number and position of the observed points, but from the laser scanner. Only the location of the scanner and the scanning density could be controlled. The second challenge is to expand the error model, as the surface modelling is included in the deformation process. This unifies both the metrological and the model errors that arise from the insufficient knowledge of the object and the simplification of its surface. All these challenges are oriented to the created 3D surface model. In addition, the metrological aspects of the use of laser scanners should be considered, especially for applications where the determination of the deformation requires high accuracy. A number of conclusions and recommendations are formulated. The influence of the factors influencing the accuracy of ground laser scanning in the deformation study is summarised, and the influence of the external orientation ang georefering of the point cloud on the accuracy of the digital model is established. Preliminary assessment of the accuracy of the TLS results are given. Justification of the reliability of the determined deformations through TLS is presented. Technological scheme and recommendations for determination of deformations with TLS is shown.

Ultrafiltration (UF) is a membrane separation process by which the particles of mechanical nature are removed from the water. Thanks to the pore diameter that are the order of tenths nm and the material, constructional and chemical properties of UF membranes, this technology represents the final solution for a secured protection against the turbidity that is caused by content of non-soluble and colloid particles of organic and inorganic origin, bacteria and the majority of viruses. Ultrafiltration was investigated within the pilot-plant tests at the WTP Jasná during the treatment of surface water originating from the water source Zadná voda. Water treatment is in this locality focused on turbidity that is caused by storm rainfalls and snow thawing. Fully automated ultrafiltration equipment with the membrane modul UA-640 (Microdyn-Nadir) was used. On the base of filtration cycles, the effectiveness of membraned technology was evaluated. Water was supplied to the UF-device by the pump, so the UF-flow rate was invariably maintained at the 600 L/h Period of filtration cycle was 30 minutes. Following the end of the cycle, washing of membrane by using the back-flushing by water and air was applied. Filtered water accumulated in the tank was used for back-flushing while the air was supplied by the air-pump connected to the device. Any way of washing of the membrane did last for 30 seconds. On the base of filtration cycles, the effectiveness of membraned technology was evaluated. Turbidity removal is the major issue at the WTP Jasná. Limit for turbidity 5 NTU is set by Decree No. 247/2007 Col. Measuring data provided that the turbidity level of water treated by using the ultrafiltration device are compliant with the legal limit for drinking water. By using the ultrafiltration, the decrease by 76,1% has been reached in the first experiment (average turbidity in raw water 1,55 NTU). The efficiency of turbidity removal was 95,2% that was reached by ultrafiltration of water with a higher level of turbidity (average turbidity in raw water 8 NTU). High effectiveness of ultrafiltration was reached also with the water with the turbidity 37 NTU. In all of the three experiments, the turbidity of treated water ranged between 0,37 - 0,38 NTU.

The general characteristics of triazine herbicides and their negative effect on environments and human health are described in this article. Triazine herbicides currently account for more than half of all pesticide formulations. They are intensively used for the protection of field crops, orchards and vineyards, but they are also used in the removal of undesirable stands on non-agricultural land (railway embankments, playgrounds, handling areas, etc.), in water management (in coastal management, destruction of growths in irrigation canals), in forestry, etc. Regular application of herbicides increases their content in the aquatic environment and agricultural products. Their occurrence in water is relatively common and it follows that these substances are used in large quantities. Residues of these substances can persist in soils for 1 to 2 years. Due to their good solubility in water, they are easily transported from the soil to aquifers. Several methods can be used to remove pesticides from water, e.g. coagulation, filtration, precipitation, ozonation, adsorption, ion exchange, nanofiltration, reverse osmosis and advanced oxidation processes. Their effectiveness varies considerably and depends mainly on the chemical nature of the pesticide being removed. This article studies adsorption on the two granular activated carbons Filtrasorb 400 and Norit 1240 W. Model solution of the pesticides, with concentration of approximately 1 µg/L, was prepared by mixing 50 mL of the pesticide's standards with approximately 5 L of drinking water. The pH of drinking water was neutral, and this solution was then properly mixed and was used in the experiments. The experiments were performed in the glass bottles with the volume of 200 mL pesticide solution. On the analytical scales weighed out 200 mg granular activated carbon was used and then it was added to the bottles. Subsequently these bottles were regularly stirred, and the samples were taken out at times 0, 30, 60, 90, 120, 180, 240 and 360 minutes. Samples were taken by pipette into the 40 ml glass vials with added thiosulfate for preservation. After the experiments, these vials were sent to the analytical laboratory, which performed the analysis of the concentration of pesticides. The performed analytical methods were consistent with US EPA 535 and US EPA 1694. Concentration was determined by liquid chromatography using an internal standard method. The triazine herbicides detection analysis results after adsorption process in drinking water spiked with standard of pesticides shows, that the efficiency of selected triazines removal and adsorption capacity for two granular activated carbons used varied. Filtrasorb F400 proved to be a better sorption material than Norit 1240. The efficiency of this material ranged from 18 to 60%, while the efficiency of Norit 1240 was significantly lower.

Study area is situated in 2 km NW part of the world famous travertine deposits of Pamukkale located in the node point of the Büyük Menderes and Gediz rift zones. Geologically, there are two rocks units for reservoirs in the area: (1) the Neogene Sazak formation forms the shallow reservoir and (2) the Paleozoic Iğdecik and Ortaköy formation forms the deep reservoir and are composed of marble, quartzite and schist alternations. In the area, in-situ measurements of temperatures, pH, Eh (mV), electrical conducxgtivity values (&#x03BC;aS/cm), dissolved oxygen values (mg/l) and alkalinity values (mmol/l) were realized. At the same time, 15 samples of geothermal waters and groundwaters in the study area were collected for cation and anion analyses by ICP-OES and IC. The geothermal waters of Gölemezli are of Na-Ca-(SO₄)-HCO₃ type waters whereas the geothermal waters of Pamukkale are classified as Ca-Mg-HCO₃ type waters. In Gölemezli, thera are predominant cations of Na+K>Ca>Mg and predominat anions of SO₄>HCO₃>Cl respectively. The triangular diagram of Na1/1000-K1/100-√Ma indicates an immature water in Gölemezli and environs. Finally, geothermal waters of Gölemezli and environs were represented as a conceptual model due to hydrogeological, hydrogeochemical and isotope geochemical data in this study.

The study deals with hydrogeological modelling of geothermal waters in Yenice located in the southern margin of the continental rift zone of the Büyük Menderes where it incorporates with the rift zone of the Gediz within the Menderes Massif in which hydrogeological, hydrogeochemical andi sotope geochemical methods were used. In Yenice and environs, Paleozoic metamorphic rocks forms the basement overlain by Neogene sedimentary rocks such as Kızılburun formation, Sazak formation, Kolonkaya formation and Tosunlar formation. These rocks are overlain by Quaternary alluviums and travertine deposits. Geothermal waters in the area of Yenice are of meteoric origin and show intense water-rock interaction. These geothermal waters can be considered as Ca-Na-(SO₄)-HCO₃type. Moreover, geothermal waters have an order of cations of Na+K>Ca>Mg and anions of HCO₃>SO₄>Cl. Geothermal waters of the study area are distinguished by surface temperatures from 36 to 70 °C, pH values between 6 and 6.85 and electrical conductivity values ranging from 1950 to 5000 µS/cm. According to calculations of geochemical thermometers, geothermal waters of Yenice show reservoir temperatures between 170 and 230 °C and can be classified as immature waters.

Mobile mapping systems (MMS) are becoming used in standard geodetic tasks more common in the last years. This paper deals with the accuracy evaluation of two types of data acquired by MMS RIEGL VMX-450, and their comparison. The first type is data from mobile laser scanning (MLS). The second type is mobile photogrammetry data. The new high accurate test point field was built in area of Advanced Materials, Structures and Technologies (AdMaS) research centre that is part of Brno University of Technology. Geodetic network and test point field were measured by Trimble R8s GNSS system and Trimble S8 HP total station. The estimate of the 3D standard deviation determined by an adjustment is 2 mm. The accuracy of MLS and mobile photogrammetry data was tested based on the differences between the coordinates of the points determined from the MMS data and determined by before mentioned high precise measurement. The resulting coordinates from photogrammetric data were determined by manual detection of targets in the images. The estimate of the 3D standard deviation is 0.017 m from the MLS data, and 0.061 m from the mobile photogrammetry data. As we supposed, the mobile laser scanning data are significantly more accurate than mobile photogrammetry data. Achieved accuracy of MLS exceeds the original expectations with respect to the GNSS/IMU positioning accuracy, which is according to the manufacturer RIEGL between 0.02-0.05 m. The same scene is often scanned with multiple scanning passes to ensure high quality of the scanned point cloud, therefore we tested the relative accuracy of mobile laser scanning data from two MMS vehicle passes in the same locality of interest. Two different data sets were evaluated, first data set contains points on roads, second data set on buildings. The standard deviation estimate does not exceed 0.008 m and the maximum absolute deviation does not exceed 0.030 m for both data sets. The difference between the two passes is not significant in comparison with the accuracy criteria required for standard mapping purposes. We also compared automatic point cloud production from photogrammetry data processed in Bentley ContextCapture to the point cloud from laser scanning. The MLS data has been used as a reference because it is significantly more accurate as mentioned before. This comparison was done only on the second data set (buildings). The standard deviation estimate is 0.16 m and the maximum absolute deviation is 0.25 m. Our evaluation contains also statistical testing of outliers and stragglers. In contrast to many authors, we don't use the simplified approach 3σ rule, and in 1D. We use more exact approach using critical values of the statistics for significance levels α = 5 % and α = 1 % to stragglers and outliers test in 3D.

Coal combustion in thermal power plants generates huge amounts of solid wastes, including fly ash (FA). The essays of its conversion into value-added products continuously increase. The aim of the study was: (i) to depict organic compounds (if any) present in industrial coal-derived FAs from four thermal power plants (TPPs) in Bulgaria; (ii) to assess the relationship of the compounds present with the feed coals using biomarker proxies; (iii) and, to appreciate biomarkers changes in distribution pattern caused by combustion. Average samples of FAs and samples from electrostatic precipitators of four TPPs feed by different rank coals were analyzed. The study was scheduled in comparison with parent feed coals. The yields of extractable organic matter (EOM) expressed in rel. % were low and comparable, ∼ 0.01%, but normalized to total organic carbon (TOC) depicted some differences. For lower rank coals FAs yields were higher, in the range 10-20 mg/g TOC, all dominated by polar components and an order of magnitude lower for higher rank coal FAs, < 2 mg/g TOC, with considerable portions of neutral compounds. After extensive fractionation of EOM from unburned coal particles in neutral fractions of FAs short chain n-alkanes (nC₁₅-nC₁₉) prevalence was distinguished. The feature was assigned to high temperature of combustion and thermal destruction of long-chain homologues (nC₂₇-nC₃₁). The distribution signatures for low rank coals kept some characteristics of parent coals while in the case of bituminous coal longer homologues were almost absent. The changes in n-alkanes distributions were rank depended and an attempt for explanation by FA particles porosity was done. For organic compounds registered in EOM of coal-derived FAs two provenances are supposed. The first group comes from the feed coals and the second one is formed in combustion processes or has changed distributions under the thermal treatment. Insofar as n-alkanes distribution signature was altered in combustion the origin should rather be assigned to the second group of components.

The Lafarge -M'sila group's cement plant (Algeria) is supplied by the Chouf Amar limestone quarry, which allows great quarrying at the national level with annual productions of 4.2 mt / year, since several sliding in previous years have disrupted the exploitation and production of the quarry, and in the strategy of the Lafarge group increased its production up to 5mt / year in the medium term 2020-2030; a stability study is necessary to ensure production under the right conditions, the aim of our work is to study Chouf Amar stability and identify the important causes of the landslides that have influenced the site in question. We start with an empirical approach through a geomechanical characterization of the massif was put in place to highlight the instability at the level of the various rock formations. then, a stability analysis was carried out using two different approaches: the analytical approach using the limit equilibrium method (Slide 6) and the numerical approach using two methods: the finite element method (Phase 2 ) and the finite difference method (Flac) in the static and dynamic case considering the state of dry and wet marls. The results show an optimal state of stability on the scale of the full profile north flank of the quarry and bad stability on the scale of the bench's of the different levels and the main facies of the potential slide is that of the marls.

Anthropic activities are characterised by benefits and drawbacks for the human being and the environment. In the last few centuries of the humankind, the industrial activity has increased exponentially due to massive industrialisation process. This evolution has augmented the use of land for industrial purposes, which in turn affected the quality of soil by polluting it with high levels of chemical contaminants. On the other hand, intensive agricultural activities involve the use of pesticides and fertilisers, which at the end of the day, also contribute to the contamination of the agricultural land. Soil may be contaminated as well by accidents which occur due to human activity. The land quality is essential to preserve the environment, and it is required to maintain the level of pollution within legal limits. If contaminant levels are above the legal limits, then a soil remediation action plan should take place. Very high costs are usually associated with soil remediation, and the best strategies should be adopted to optimise resources and costs. A methodology to derive remedial targets has been successfully used in the USA and adopted and adapted in various countries inclusive in the EU. Currently, Romania has started to follow specific steps to align with international practices regarding the management of contaminated land. Although this methodology is extensively used in western countries, its application in Romania is in its inception phase. Therefore, this paper intends to present the current situation in Romania regarding the contaminated sites and potentially contaminated sites, the risk assessment approach that should be followed and the related soil remediation strategies that could be implemented.

A possibility to select theoretical signal models for the observed graphs E_obs(t) satisfactorily is shown to be steadily absent while prospecting using the TEM-TDEM method among Western Siberia's high-electroconductive rocks. Examination of this problem showed Western Siberia's rocks have a high reactive (inductive) resistance L alongside with ohmic resistance R. At the same time, thin oil and gas beds' presence in those rocks causes an additional reactive-capacitive resistance C_dep to appear under the influence of the applied electric field. Therefore, the process of field inducing in RLC-medium is completely different from the "classic" one which is described with only specific resistance ρ. Thereupon, transit process theory, based on process modelling with equivalent loops, was applied. In practice, TEM-TDEM method's efficiency turned to be very high as the direct search characteristic – anomalous parameter C_dep appears. All the parameter c's anomaly contours predicted as hydrocarbon deposits are confirmed as such with deep drilling with the success coefficient almost equal 100%.

Summary of the published data has shown that native iron nodules, which are rarely found in the basic intrusions, are characterized by a higher content of low-temperature condensates of the protoplanetary disk (Ge, Ag, Cu) and a lower content of high-temperature condensates (Os, Ir, Ru, Pt, Rh, Pd, Ni, Co, Au) compared to iron meteorites. Such meteorites have signs of formation from the fragments of the cores of minor planets. This fact and obtained evidence of hot heterogeneous accretion of the Earth, the early formation of the Earth's core compared to the mantle and the growth of the primary content of low-temperaGture condensates from the inner parts of the core to the outside suggest the capture and the ascent of substance of outer core by mantle plumes, and basic magmas formed in them. This explains the peculiarities of their composition, their very rare presence in basites, and sometimes a huge mass of nodules (up to tens of tons). In case of such xenogenic origin, nodules of native iron are chemically unequilibrium with basites. This is the reason of the development of reaction cohenite-magnetite and cohenite-sulfide rims on their contact and an increase of ferruginosity of olivine in basites. The formation of the lower mantle material from the earliest high-temperature condensates of the protoplanetary disk explains the decreased content of potassium, sodium, water, and other lithophile components in the nodule-containing basites. The content of volatile components lowers the crystallization temperature of melts. Therefore, the loss of them under the influence of decompression at the low-depth stages of ascent led to rapid solidification of magmas, protected the iron nodules from subsidence, and explains their location mainly in the upper parts of the main intrusions, despite the high density of iron.

Each country has its own spatial planning system comprising a set of instruments and goals focused on the cities issues and territorial development. After a period of administration by the United Nations, on 20 May 2002 East-Timor, officially the Democratic Republic of Timor-Leste, became one of the youngest nations in the 21st century, having become a democratic rule of law. To promote the development of its territorial cohesion, on April 19, 2017, the Basic Law on Spatial Planning was approved in this island country in Southeast Asia. It intends to translate a set of principles contained in the National Constitution that could manage the praxis of spatial planning, focused on cities and territorial improvements. Consequently, there is a framework establishing the basis of public policies for this country whose primary objective is to accomplish the territorial quality, regarding the collective culture that integrates the values of the local culture. Given that East-Timor was part of Portugal until 1975, there is still a strong identity between both countries, sharing not only the same language but also several other aspects of culture, politics, and administrative organization. In this sense, this article aims to present a comparative analysis between spatial planning systems in East-Timor and Portugal, in order to find common features and particular aspects. Among the conclusions, this research shows that the land-use bases in East-Timor are similar to the Portuguese system, although it has fewer levels of intervention regarding the public administration framework. In East Timor, there are only spatial planning figures for national and municipal level, with no regional nor inter-municipal levels such as in Portugal.

The recognized importance of the role of cities for the overall quality of life of citizens involves the preservation of the identity of the places without restricting the capacity to respond to the future requirements of societies and their territories. The current century has been pressing for the urgency of providing adequate urban policies to cities, particularly in developing countries, as is the case with East-Timor. Despite its recent independence, East-Timor doesn't lose its time and the country has been focused in the definition of territorial policies and development strategies, in order to promote territorial cohesion and to specifically define the purposes and the fundamental principles that guarantee equal opportunities for all citizens in access to infrastructures, equipment and urban functions. Therefore, on April 19, 2017, the Basic Law on Spatial Planning was approved by the National Assembly. Efficient public territorial management and organization is only possible with detailed knowledge of the use of its entire territory. Administrative political decisions related to the territory happen more efficiently with the existence of this knowledge. Consequently, the present National Law for Spatial Planning issues provides for the existence of two major types of planning and territorial organization instruments: those of national scope and those of municipal or local scope. A set of several spatial planning instruments are proved to be imperative, for outlining strategic objectives for future interventions in this territory, achieving a territorial, social, economic, and sustainable development. The conclusions show that these objectives towards urban development will be supported by strategies that in turn will be materialized in actions that will enable the public sector individually or in partnership with privates. The main goal is to promote the transformation of the territory and that in a concerted and programmed manner contribute to a harmonious social and economic development supported by a fair and balanced load capacity of the natural environment.

The paper aims to propose ways for enhancing the effect of attenuating shock waves in the water mist. The fulfillment of this task can significantly contribute to the perfection of technologies for protecting from accidental explosions and the design of protective facilities. A series of experiments were carried out to investigate the influence of air gaps on shock wave attenuation in the water mist. A shock tube with hydraulic equipment capable of producing a 3-meter long dispersed water barrier with droplets ranging from 25 to 400 microns and total flow rate 14.5 l/s within a tube was used during testing. The paper analyzes shock wave attenuation within a tube in the water mist with and without air gaps. It has been established that in conditions when a 3-meter long water mist contains four air gaps, every 20 centimeters in width, overpressure reduction coefficient is 1.10-1.15 times higher than the one in the water mist without air gaps.

The paper represents the results of the experimental determination of impact resistance and the principles of assessing the ballistic resistance of organoplastics. Organoplastics are presented as a composite material consisting of unsaturated polyester resin (matrix) and a reinforcing component of organic origin, mainly aramid fiber. Reinforcing components are fabrics of various weaves, canvases, and discrete fiber. The polyester resin contains an additive that provides biodegradability of the binding component. In the case of using a biodegradable reinforcing component or a mineral-based reinforcing component, the organoplastics will cause minimal damage to the environment after the exploitation period. Experimental data on the impact resistance of the material were obtained on a 3 m high impact coper on the basis of fixing the work of destruction of samples of organoplastics of a certain thickness. The essence of the ballistic stability assessment was to compile a system of differential equations describing the degree of change in kinetic energy when a bullet (fragment) hits the material and the nature of the decrease in the speed of their contact in the barrier. To solve the system of equations, initial data are required: time, bullet velocity, length of the non-working part of the bullet, cross-sectional area, and mass of the bullet (fragment). The solution of the problem determines the degree of decrease in the speed of the bullet (fragment) contact with the barrier. The obtained research results are suitable for protecting the object from the impact and designing light armor protection of vehicles and other means.

In the period of 80 and 90^th, the intensive deep drilling and seismic profiling program in the Outer Western Carpathian belt has been realized for confirming the idea about the existence and opening of new promising plays beneath some of these thin-skinned belts. Many trans-Carpathian 2D seismic transects opened discussion on the understanding of the complex structure of thrust belts and its basement. The recent development of exploration, based on the new modern play concepts, has brought new light on this problem. The new 3D and the reprocessed 2D seismic sections from Czech and Slovak part of the Western Carpathian Flysch Belt disclosed several potentially new prospects, combined with the cover of the foreland of European plate. New significant reserves of hydrocarbons may occur in subthrust autochthonous and parautochthonous series buried below the frontal zones of thin-skinned thrust belts. The study of the deepest parts of the Carpathian Flysch belt has been based on the complex geochemical, structural analyses and geophysical Data reprocessing, supplied by verification along the chosen balanced sections. Four examples of 2D seismic transects, with registration up to 9-12 seconds, that present different tectonic style of structures of Flysch Belt and its platform basement, influenced by older large-scale faults, is presented from the western, northern and eastern parts of the Outer Western Carpathians. From point of view of hydrocarbon prospection, the most important features of the seismic profiles are the anticline structures of the North European Platform (NEP) below the thrust stack of the Flysch Belt. From the west to east the Týnec-Cunín, Drietoma, Orava and Zbudza elevations can be distinguished, created by a passive margin of the European plate, in the second and third structures probably by parautochthonous blocks of the same plate.

Fluorescein sodium (FluNa) is an organic xanthene-derivative fluorochrome appearing as crimson powder. In the form of solution, fluorescein absorbs blue light and emits green-to-yellow fluorescence under the incidence of visible or ultra-violet light. In petroleum industry, it is normally used as fluorescent tracer to determine reservoir connectivity between injection and production wells. In this study, fluorescein concentration at 10 ppm was critical concentration that reversed relationship between fluorescence intensity and fluorescence concentration. Emission wavelength at maximum fluorescence intensity became a function of fluorescein concentration until 512 nm at 1 ppm and there was no longer reduction of emission wavelength beyond this value at lower concentration. Fluorescence of fluorescein could not be observed by naked eyes at concentrations below 100 ppb, whereas its detection limit by fluorescence spectrophotometer could be lowered to 1 ppb. Fluorescence spectra of fluorescein concentrations at 10 ppt and 100 ppt were similar to those of tap water, formation water, and deionized water. Therefore, detection limit of fluorescein was determined to be at 1 ppb. Fluorescence of fluorescein was photodegraded by light up to 30% when stored inside transparent glass bottles and being exposed to light for 7 days and fluorescence of the solution became darker with time. On the other hand, fluorescence intensities of FluNa solution stored inside amber-coloured glass bottles in both all-time concealment and normal room conditions were almost identical. Fluorescence spectra of the solution at pH of 3 had lower fluorescence intensity and shorter emission wavelength at maximum fluorescence intensity than the solutions at pH of 7 and 11 that were mostly identical. Fluorescence of fluorescein was not affected by temperature in the range of 30-70°C for 12 days. Hence, the storage conditions for fluorescein solution were recommended to be stored inside amber-coloured glass bottle to prevent photodegradation with pH 7 or above.

Understanding both the concentration and distribution of aluminum (Al) in agricultural soils is essential to provide a benchmark on the productivity of such soils. In this study, a combination of sequential chemical extraction and mineralogical investigation of the fine fraction was used in order to evaluate Al pools in agricultural soils in Galicia (NW Spain), an Atlantic European region where the wet climate favors leaching of soil basic cations. Determination of Al (soluble/exchangeable/specifically adsorbed, bound to manganese oxides, associated with amorphous compounds, bound to oxidizable organic matter, associated with crystalline iron oxides, and residual fraction) in the topsoil samples was performed to evaluate its potential environmental availability in the study area. Aluminum contents were determined by flame atomic absorption spectrophotometry and the mineralogy of the fine fraction of these soils was studied by X-ray diffraction (XRD). The results showed that Al is mainly in the residual phase, which represents Al incorporated in the lattice minerals, and consequently the threat of toxicity to plants and the environment is reduced. The XRD results showed the presence of hydroxy-Al interlayered vermiculites and kaolinite, accompanied by small amounts of goethite, mica, and quartz.

In ancient times, Dobrogea was known as Schythia Minor or Mikra Skythia. In the Ist century BC, the respective territory was under the influence of the Pontic kingdom of Mithridate the VIth Eupator. From 28 BC it was integrated in the Roman province of Moesia Inferior by Emperor Augustus. Most Roman-Byzantine fortresses have been established by the Romans on the site of former Getic settlements: Tropaeum Traiani, Capidava, Carsium, Beroe, Troesmis, Arrubium, Dinogetia, Noviodunum, Ibida, Durostorum. The Roman-Byzantine fortress of Beroe-Ostrov grew around the Roman castrum of Beroe, where the Vth Legion was stationed in the Ist and IInd centuries. One can find here the partially unearthed ruins of a Roman and Byzantine fortress, dating back to the Ist-VIth and Xth-XIIth centuries, and nearby, those of a Paleo- Christian basilica, dating back to the Vth-VIth centuries. The latter is situated aside from the former cemetery, which has been used between the Ist -XIIth centuries. As a result of conflicts between the Dacians of Dobrogea (the Comati) and the Romans, the fortress was destroyed, and was re-inhabited once the Byzantines returned to the Lower Danube, under Emperor Ioan Tzimiskes. The Roman and Byzantine fortress from Beroe is located 3 km to the South of Ostrov village, in North Dobroudja, the north side of Moesia Inferior province. We carried out magnetometric and electrometric measurements in the Beroe archaeological site, located in the Dobrogea region of Romania. We analyzed the results to see if we could find the orientation of the walls or any other evidence of a former human presence within a limited area submerged beneath the Danube River. We showed the estimated depth of the site and the possible orientation of a wall. The geophysical data was acquired on the water (Danube River) within the submerged zone using marine equipment designed for that purpose (G822 device with cesium) with a gradient array and AGI ministing electrometer with 100 m length. The area of investigation was 100 by 50 meters, and it was located in the NE part of the site, having a grid density of 10 by 10 meters. The data we obtained in this study indicates the possible presence of submerged artefacts. Magnetic susceptibility measurements indicate a possible magnetic contrast between the regional geological background (local limestone rocks used in the construction of the fortress walls, mortar, etc.), characterized by low, sometimes even diamagnetic magnetic properties and artifacts such as bricks, backed (fired) adobe, ceramic fragments, showing relatively high magnetic susceptibilities.

Knowledge of the particle size distribution of mined ore enables improvement of the main processes of the whole mining value chain: blasting, ore loading and haulage and ore processing. Photogrammetry with image analysis techniques was proposed for the on-line identification of grain size distribution of conveyed ore. Preliminary laboratory tests were performed on the experimental belt conveyor to evaluate the quality of photographs for various camera settings. Grain size distribution of transported copper ore was determined on the basis of photographs taken over the main haulage conveyor that feeds mined material to the underground ore bin located at skip-filling station of the winding shaft. Size distribution slope was calculated using the Split Desktop 4.0 software package to estimate the degree of rock fragmentation. Fine fractions (<10 mm) accounted for more than 40% of transported bulk material. Such a large portion of fine fraction may be attributed to the lithology of conveyed material. Individual rock lumps 600 mm or larger constituted a minor part of the total amount of mined ore. The actual ore granulation influences ore flow through the bin, which was simulated using a discrete element method model to obtain information about the ore stream leaving the winding shaft.

The article presents the possibilities of using time-domain reflectometry (TDR) to determine the electrical conductivity of mineral soil with biochar addition. The field measurements were provided on test plots in 2 years experiment. The TDR method consists in measuring the time of electromagnetic pulse transmission and reflection from the obstacle back to the source point. The impulse is a step signal of voltage. The reflected signal contains information on the dielectric properties of the material being tested. Therefore, qualitative, and quantitative properties of the material can be detected. The tests were carried out using a mobile reflectometric device as an electronic humidity and conductive meter. Based on the obtained results, the usefulness of reflectometric methods in the study of the water content and electrical conductivity of mineral soil was determined.

The aim of this paper was to investigate the relation of temperature of the soil surface to a biochar dose used in the field cultivation. Material from observations in a vegetation season of 2018 and 2019 was used in the studies. Based on the research that was carried out it was reported that the strongest relations of the temperature of air with the temperature of soil occurred for all biochar doses. In summer, relations of biochar to the soil temperature were stable and statistically significant.

Water is the most important substance which occurs in soils. As a soil solution it is a basis of life for plants, as well as a carrier of mineral salts collected by plants through roots. Ability to collect water by plants depends on the power of its binding with soil and thus on the quality of soil and amount of water. The objective of the article is to determine the water permeability coefficient in the superficial layer of soil in relation to the applied biochar dose. The research was provided in 2018 and 2019 year at agricultural field located in Krakow, Poland. The soil used for test was typical brown clay soil. The lowest value of water permeability was observed for soil where above 60 Mg·ha⁻¹ of biochar was applied. Water permeability is strictly connected with general porosity and is often assumed as such in many papers. It was reported that the water permeability for control soil where no addition of biochar was used indicates up to two times lower permeability in comparison to the soil where biochar was added which indicates that biochar influences the amount of water available for plants which the investigated soils were able to store.