Some observations on copper yields and ore grades

The paper examines trends in the average copper content of mined ores over the years. It has tended to decline over the long term, but by no means evenly. US averages are not typical of global averages, at least in the past four decades. Those have been both higher, and less volatile than in the US. One reason for falling averages is a change in the type of deposit mined, with a rise in the share of relatively low grade porphyry deposits. The different nature of their deposits is reflected in marked differences in grades between the different continents. African and Australian average grades are higher than the global average, and changes in the share of Central Africa in global output have affected the global average grade. Yields are have been consistently lower in North America than elsewhere, and Latin American average grades have trended downwards, reflecting both the ageing of mines and the rising share of production from porphyry deposits. Typically the yield of mines declines over time as mining proceeds. The average copper content of ore deposits is usually below the average yield of the ore accessed in the early years of production. The initial grades of new mines have not declined over the past forty years, and there has been no perceptible tendency for the average grade of porphyry deposits brought into production to decline over time. There is no apparent correlation between average grade and deposit size, but mine operators tend to exploit economies of scale to offset low grades. The relationship between the annual percentage yields (the head grade) and the reserve grades of deposits is not static. In recent years head grades have fallen closer to reserve grades. The relationship may be affected by movements in metal prices. Although the evidence about the influence of prices is not clear-cut, it does suggest that prices and cut-off grades may be inversely related. As many ores contain other valuable metals besides copper, copper yields will sometimes be subordinated to the extraction of these other metals. Copper equivalent grades have not moved in the same way as copper grades alone.     

钱塘江引水降氮示范工程的构建和运行研究

针对杭州西湖钱塘江引水低碳高氮的特点,提出以改性水草塘—复合垂直流人工湿地(IVCW)相耦合的生物—生态工艺进行引水处理,对该引水降氮示范工程的构建和运行效果进行了跟踪研究。结果表明,整个稳定运行期间(2012年7月19日至11月19日),耦合工艺对COD、TN、硝酸盐氮、TP的平均去除率分别为52.27%、52.49%、53.69%、52.79%,系统出水满足《地表水环境质量标准》(GB 3838—2002)Ⅳ标准;改性水草塘和IVCW单元作为耦合工艺的两个重要组成部分,在脱氮、除磷方面优势互补,从而共同保证出水水质的稳定;在改性水草塘单元,温度与COD的去除效果呈负相关关系,进水C/N与TN去除效果呈正相关关系;而在IVCW单元,温度与COD、TN的去除效果均呈线性正相关关系,进水C/N与两者的去除效果也呈正相关关系,且对COD的影响要大于对TN的影响。     

长江口及其邻近海域表层沉积物分布特征

根据长江口和杭州湾北部沉积物粒度分析数据，研究表层沉积物类型、分布以及分区特征。结果表明：沉积物的分布特征受水动力条件、地貌类型以及泥沙来源等因素的综合影响，长江口表层沉积物在纵向分布上，自西向东粒径从粗到细、分选程度从好至差，在横向上自北港－北槽－南槽，沉积物粒度逐渐变细；水流动力作用强的河槽和波浪作用强的口门浅滩沉积物粒度较粗，水动力较弱的河口边滩及口外海滨区沉积物则较细。根据沉积物分布特征可将长江口及其邻近海域分为河口分汊河段沉积区、河口拦门沙沉积区、口外海滨沉积区和杭州湾北部沉积区等4个沉积区。     

Observations of Atmospheric Nitrogen and Phosphorus Deposition During the Period of Algal Bloom Formation in Northern Lake Taihu,China

Cyanobacterial blooms in Lake Taihu occurred at the end of April 2007 and had crucial impacts on the livelihood of millions of people living there. Excessive nutrients may promote bloom formation. Atmospheric nitrogen (N) and phosphorus (P) deposition appears to play an important role in algal bloom formation. Bulk deposition and rain water samples were collected respectively from May 1 to November 30, 2007, the period of optimal algal growth, to measure the bulk atmospheric deposition rate, wet deposition rate, and dry deposition rate for total nitrogen (TN; i.e., all species of nitrogen), and total phosphorus (TP; i.e., all species of phosphorus), in northern Lake Taihu, China. The trends of the bulk atmospheric deposition rate for TN and the wet deposition rate for TN showed double peaks during the observation period and distinct influence with plum rains and typhoons. Meanwhile, monthly bulk atmospheric deposition rates for TP showed little influence of annual precipitation. However, excessive rain may lead to high atmospheric N and P deposition rates. In bulk deposition samples, the average percentage of total dissolved nitrogen accounting for TN was 91.2% and changed little with time. However, the average percentage of total dissolved phosphorus accounting for TP was 65.6% and changed substantially with time. Annual bulk atmospheric deposition rates of TN and TP during 2007 in Lake Taihu were estimated to be 2,976 and 84 kg km⁻² a⁻¹, respectively. The results showed decreases of 34.4% and 78.7%, respectively, compared to 2002–2003. Annual bulk deposition load of TN for Lake Taihu was estimated at 6,958 t a⁻¹ in 2007 including 4,642 t a⁻¹ of wet deposition, lower than the values obtained in 2002–2003. This may be due to measures taken to save energy and emission control regulations in the Yangtze River Delta. Nevertheless, high atmospheric N and P deposition loads helped support cyanobacterial blooms in northern Lake Taihu during summer and autumn, the period of favorable algal growth.     

催化裂解法处理有机硅高沸物

采用催化裂解法处理有机硅高沸物,解决高沸物储存过程中的安全、环保问题。研究了催化剂种类、HCl加入量和精馏高沸物加入量对高沸物转化率的影响。实验结果表明:在以N,N-二丁基-1-丁胺为催化剂、合成高沸物为原料、HCl加入量为13%(w)的条件下,高沸物转化率为83.10%,二甲基二氯硅烷收率为23.78%;合成高沸物中精馏高沸物加入量为9.0%(w)时,高沸物转化率最高,为85.58%。     

Tissue S/N ratios and stable isotopes (δS and δN) of epilithic mosses (Haplocladium microphyllum) for showing air pollution in urban cities in Southern China

In urban cities in Southern China, the tissue S/N ratios of epilithic mosses (Haplocladium microphyllum), varied widely from 0.11 to 0.19, are strongly related to some atmospheric chemical parameters (e.g. rainwater SO₄²⁻/NH₄⁺ ratios, each people SO₂ emission). If tissue S/N ratios in the healthy moss species tend to maintain a constant ratio of 0.15 in unpolluted area, our study cities can be divided into two classes: class I (S/N > 0.15, S excess) and class II (S/N < 0.15, N excess), possibly indicative of stronger industrial activity and higher density of population, respectively. Mosses in all these cities obtained S and N from rainwater at a similar ratio. Sulphur and N isotope ratios in mosses are found significantly linearly correlated with local coal δ³⁴S and NH₄⁺-N wet deposition, respectively, indicating that local coal and animal NH₃ are the major atmospheric S and N sources.     

Testing hypotheses on shape and distribution of ecological response curves

Niche theory with hypotheses on shape and distribution of ecological response curves is used in the studies of resource sharing of competing plant species. Predictions based on theory should be applicable when, e.g., effects of competing species on the ecological tolerances are assessed or species’ diversity along a resource gradient is evaluated. We studied the ecological response curves of competing plant species along a resource gradient in boreal forests. The study was based on nation-wide soil and vegetation data collected from 455 sample plots on boreal forests in Finland. Species response curves along a soil fertility gradient (in terms of C/N ratio) were estimated using generalized additive models. Distribution of species optima and the relationship of niche width and skewness to the location of the optimum were analyzed with new bootstrap tests. The developed tests can account for the effects of truncation observed in the response curves of several species and for the uneven distribution of observations on the gradient.The estimated response curves of the major field layer species of boreal forests were not evenly distributed along soil C/N gradient. The density of optima peaked with relatively high nitrogen availability. Species with optima at low nitrogen availability had relatively broad realized niches. Niche width was negatively correlated with the density of optima. Species optima were packed and niches were narrow at high resource levels. This result suggests that a greater number of more specialized species can occur and interspecific competition decreases niche widths at high resource levels. Species were packed in the gradient where the C/N ratio was lower than 25, i.e., in conditions where nitrification can take place. This indicates that the majority of the vascular plants of boreal forests are favoured by the availability of NO₃⁻. Those few species thriving at high C/N ratios have broader realized niches.     

Deposition of reactive nitrogen during the Rocky Mountain Airborne Nitrogen and Sulfur (RoMANS) study

Increases in reactive nitrogen deposition are a growing concern in the U.S. Rocky Mountain west. The Rocky Mountain Airborne Nitrogen and Sulfur (RoMANS) study was designed to improve understanding of the species and pathways that contribute to nitrogen deposition in Rocky Mountain National Park (RMNP). During two 5-week field campaigns in spring and summer of 2006, the largest contributor to reactive nitrogen deposition in RMNP was found to be wet deposition of ammonium (34% spring and summer), followed by wet deposition of nitrate (24% spring, 28% summer). The third and fourth most important reactive nitrogen deposition pathways were found to be wet deposition of organic nitrogen (17%, 12%) and dry deposition of ammonia (14%, 16%), neither of which is routinely measured by air quality/deposition networks operating in the region. Total reactive nitrogen deposition during the spring campaign was determined to be 0.45 kg ha⁻¹ and more than doubled to 0.95 kg ha⁻¹ during the summer campaign.     

Enclave development and ‘offshore corporate social responsibility’: Implications for oil-rich sub-Saharan Africa

This paper critically reflects on the challenges of engaging, proactively, in Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) in oil-rich sub-Saharan Africa. Most of the region's oil production takes place in enclave-type environments offshore and in countries ruled by autocratic governments which generally exert minimal pressure on companies to embrace CSR. With companies having little sense of who to target in their local economic development policies and programs, there is always a possibility of ‘offshore CSR’ – recognized here as potentially-effective ideas for improving social welfare that linger within the enclave and never fully materialize – surfacing. The aim is to conceptualize and broaden understanding of the challenge of developing CSR programs in these settings, where there are no clear linkages to communities or local economies more generally.     

C/N和pH值对高温好氧反硝化菌产N2O的影响研究

以50℃高温、好氧条件下能进行高效好氧反硝化的菌株TAD1为研究对象,在不同C/N和pH值培养条件下,对其24 h的反硝化效率和反硝化过程中N2O的逸出量进行了研究。结果显示,C/N和pH值对菌株TAD1的反硝化效率和N2O产生量有明显影响.菌株TAD1最适宜的C/N为9,pH值为7,此时反硝化效率达到99.12%,N2O产生量仅为3.35×10-2 mg/L,N2 O转化率为0.045%,反硝化产物以氮气为主。另外,菌株TAD1不适宜在酸性条件下生长,pH值为6时反硝化效率为83.18%,N2O产生量为13.88×10-2 mg/L,是pH值为7时的4.14倍,是pH值为8时的5.07倍。