Economic and financial aspects of mine closure

Today, mine reclamation is a key component to a successful mine plan. Most of the industrialized nations have recognized the need to make mining activities relatively environmentally friendly, if they want to continue to benefit from the economic gains from mineral resource development. Countries such as the United States, Canada, Australia and South Africa are leaders in the field and have implemented relatively sophisticated legislation to ensure environmentally correct mine closure. These countries rely on a combination of strict control strategies and economic penalties to ensure compliance. Yet, from the firm's perspective, reclamation activities are counterproductive as they cut into profits. In order to attract economic development and earn much needed economic capital, most of the rest of the world, particularly the developing countries, lack effective mine closure legislation. The traditional command and control type of legislation that is sometimes used is either vague and therefore avoided, or not enforced appropriately, resulting in an undesirable level of environmental degradation. With the use of case studies from Brazil, this article shows that direct controls are effective in some instances and not in others. It proposes that economic and financial tools may be more effective than the traditional direct controls in getting firms to comply with environmental standards, particularly in developing countries where environmental compliance is more difficult to achieve. It explains the use of performance bonding as one type of economic incentive that has proven to be an effective environmental policy in mine planning and closure. The authors additionally push beyond the typical style of performance bonds to introduce a flexible bonding and insurance system that allows governments to maintain strict environmental standards but limits firms financial exposure during the mining process. Such a system learns from the successes of the industrialized countries that use performance bonding and is sensitive to the needs of developing nations to attract investment yet maintain environmental integrity.     

近十年中国陆地AOD时空分布及与城市化的关系研究

选取2008—2017年MODIS(Moderate-resolution Imaging Spectrometer) Aqua C006气溶胶产品数据,分析近10年中国陆地气溶胶光学厚度(Aerosol optical depth,AOD)时间序列变化规律、空间格局分布特征,同时比较了"三区十群"区域内外的AOD变化差异.同时,通过DMSP/OLS(Defense Meteorological Satellite System/Operational Linescan System)夜间灯光产品与AOD关系研究分析,以反映城市化进程中人类活动对AOD时空分布的影响.结果表明:①中国陆地AOD多年平均、季节分布特征符合"胡焕庸线".在时间尺度上,2008—2017年中国陆地AOD年际变化范围是0.279～0.368,整体呈现下降趋势且变化幅度较小;在空间分布上,2008—2017年高值区为京津冀地区、华中地区、长三角地区、珠三角地区及塔里木盆地,低值区为青藏高原、云贵高原、内蒙古高原等;AOD时空分布呈较强的季节性,春季AOD最高,秋季最低.②中国区域的夜间灯光图与AOD时空分布具有较好的一致性,也符合"胡焕庸线".人口稠密、城市化较快的东部地区出现大片光带,快速发展的城市光斑覆盖明显.2008—2013年间,城市亮度范围有一定程度的扩大,说明人类经济生产活动增加明显.③2010—2013年省级行政区的DMSP/OLS夜间灯光与其AOD表现为显著正相关,二者幂函数拟合度R~2分别为0.8036、0.8263、0.7701、0.8277、0.8331.DMSP/OLS夜间灯光与AOD呈显著正相关,说明城市化发展水平对气溶胶分布的影响作用显著.     

Evaluating the potential of biodiversity offsets to achieve net gain

Evaluating the outcomes and tracking the trajectory of biodiversity offsets is essential to demonstrating their effectiveness as a mechanism to conciliate development and conservation. We reviewed the literature to determine the principles that should underpin biodiversity offset planning and the criteria for offset evaluation at the project level. According to the literature, the core principles of equivalence, additionality, and permanence are used as criteria to evaluate conservation outcomes of offsets. We applied the criteria to evaluate offsets of a large iron ore mining project in the Atlantic Forest in Brazil. We examined equivalence in terms of the amount of area per biodiversity value affected and fauna and flora similarity, additionality in terms of landscape connectivity, and permanence in terms of guarantees to ensure protection and restoration offsets lasting outcomes. We found an offset ratio (amount of affected area:offset area) of 1:1.8 for forests and 1:2 for grasslands. Ecological equivalence (i.e., similarity between affected and offset areas) was found for forested areas, but not for ferruginous rupestrian grasslands or for fauna. Landscape metrics showed that connectivity improved relative to the preproject situation as a result of locating restoration offsets in the largest and best-connected forest patch. Permanence of offsets was addressed by establishing covenants and management measures, but financial guarantees to cover maintenance costs after mine closure were lacking. Offsets should be equivalent in type and size, provide conservation outcomes that would not be obtained without them (additionality), and be lasting (permanence). To monitor and evaluate offsets, it is necessary to determine how well these 3 principles are applied in the planning, implementation, and maintenance of offsets. Achieving measurable conservation outcomes from offsets is a long-term endeavor that requires sustained management support, and is information intensive. Thus, offsets require ongoing monitoring and evaluation as well as adaptive management.     

西北地区气溶胶光学特性的时空变化特征

利用2003-2018年的Aqua-MODIS C6.1气溶胶产品对西北地区气溶胶光学厚度(AOD)和Angstrom波长指数(AE)的时空分布特征进行研究,并结合当地站点气象要素资料,分析了气象要素对AOD的影响.结果表明,西北地区AOD的高值区位于塔克拉玛干沙漠和陕西关中地区;青海南部及新疆北部等是AOD的低值区....     

PM2.5 over North China based on MODIS AOD and effect of meteorological elements during 2003‒2015

• The Taihang Mountains was the boundary between high and low pollution areas. • There were one high value center for PM_2.5 pollution and two low value centers. • In 2004, 2009 and after 2013, PM_2.5 concentration was relatively low. Over the past 40 years, PM_2.5 pollution in North China has become increasingly serious and progressively exposes the densely populated areas to pollutants. However, due to limited ground data, it is challenging to estimate accurate PM_2.5 exposure levels, further making it unfavorable for the prediction and prevention of PM_2.5 pollutions. This paper therefore uses the mixed effect model to estimate daily PM_2.5 concentrations of North China between 2003 and 2015 with ground observation data and MODIS AOD satellite data. The tempo-spatial characteristics of PM_2.5 and the influence of meteorological elements on PM_2.5 is discussed with EOF and canonical correlation analysis respectively. Results show that overall R² is 0.36 and the root mean squared predicted error was 30.1 μg/m³ for the model prediction. Our time series analysis showed that, the Taihang Mountains acted as a boundary between the high and low pollution areas in North China; while the northern part of Henan Province, the southern part of Hebei Province and the western part of Shandong Province were the most polluted areas. Although, in 2004, 2009 and dates after 2013, PM_2.5 concentrations were relatively low. Meteorological/topography conditions, that include high surface humidity of area in the range of 34°‒40°N and 119°‒124°E, relatively low boundary layer heights, and southerly and easterly winds from the east and north area were common factors attributed to haze in the most polluted area. Overall, the spatial distribution of increasingly concentrated PM_2.5 pollution in North China are consistent with the local emission level, unfavorable meteorological conditions and topographic changes.     

（R）—酮基布洛芬乙酯对映选择性水解酶产生菌的筛选及其特性

以酮洛芬乙酯为唯一碳源,经过两轮富集培养从土壤中分离得到45株优先生成（S）-酮洛芬和25株优先生成（R）-酮洛芬的菌株,其中产物对映体过量值高于85%的分别有13株和9株。在25株优先选择（R）构型的菌株中,G13号菌的活性较高而且选择性最好,对G13号菌的培养和催化特性研究表明：在培养基中添加吐温-80可以显著提高细菌的催化活力;静息细胞的最适反应温度为40℃,最适pH范围为7.0-8.0,在具有档板和磁力搅拌的三角板中,用G13号菌的静息细胞水解酮洛芬乙酯（50mmol/L）,68h的转化率为33.7%,产物（R）-酮洛芬的对映体过量值达到93%。     

基于光纤光栅的可燃性粉尘浓度测量技术研究

粉尘燃爆等事故的频发,使本质安全型粉尘监测技术的需求越来越迫切。光纤光栅元件以光为传感信号,具有无电监测、抗电磁干扰、精度高、可靠性好、耐高温、耐腐蚀等优点,是本质安全的新一代光无源传感器件,非常适合于恶劣粉尘环境的安全监测。利用一对光纤准直器和一个光纤光栅,构建了一种粉尘浓度探测装置,阐述了测量装置和测量原理,搭建了测试平台,对粉尘浓度与光纤光栅反射谱功率的关系进行了实验研究。测试结果表明,随着粉尘浓度的增大,光功率呈现基本的线性减小趋势,测量技术有望得到推广应用。     

分布式光纤在栈桥监测中的应用分析

为解决传统监测方法在大型基坑支撑结构监测中难度大、效率低、误差大等问题,提出利用分布式传感监测技术对太原火车站调蓄池桁架支撑体系栈桥应力、应变进行监测。基于布里渊光时域反射技术(BOTDR)的测量原理和优点,设计应用一套分布式栈桥监测系统,对栈桥扰动下测试和长期变形监测。结果表明,基于BOTDR技术的栈桥分布式光纤监测系统能够准确地反映支撑体系中栈桥的变形情况,具有显著优势,可满足栈桥变形长期监测和早期安全预警。     

Using the optical properties of aerosols from the AERONET database to calculate surface solar UV-B irradiance in Córdoba, Argentina: Comparison with measurements

The main purpose of this study was to perform an evaluation of the particles’ optical parameters’ influence on surface solar UV-B (280–315 nm) irradiance in Córdoba, Argentina. To achieve this objective UV-B irradiance dataset, AERONET (AErosol RObotic NETwork) database, and TUV (Tropospheric Ultraviolet and Visible) model were used to analyze the effects of aerosols on surface irradiance on cloudless days during specific days of winter and spring of the period 1999–2006. Together with a direct observer, total irradiance (300–3000 nm) measurements were used as an ancillary tool to verify the cloudless condition. Every year, during this period, important reductions in surface irradiance are observed due to the aerosol load. Aerosols were incorporated in the model through the aerosol optical depth at 340 nm, the asymmetry parameter at 440 nm, and the single scattering albedo at 440 nm, all of them provided by AERONET Córdoba-CETT site. These factors vary from near to zero up to 1.4, from 0.56 up to 0.83 and from 0.43 up to 0.99, respectively. The behaviors of these factors along the year are analyzed considering the meteorology of Córdoba. When AERONET data are included in the TUV model they allow an accurate simulation of the UV-B irradiance, making the agreement with the experimental measurements substantially better. Only a small differences (±2%) remains, which can be attributed to diverse factors. As the AERONET site is 20 km away from the irradiance measurement site, these results show the regional character of the aerosols in Córdoba, although small contributions of urban aerosols are not discarded. An episode of high aerosol and pollutants laden due to fires in the surrounding hills is briefly analyzed. A set of additional studies are needed to describe comprehensively the characteristics and behavior of the Córdoba aerosols. Some of them are being already carried out.     

武汉东湖水生植物生态学研究：Ⅲ沉水植被重建的可行性研究

根据武汉东湖水体光学性质,营养状况和东湖现存水生植被的分布状况,对东湖各湖区重建沉水植被的可行性作了探讨,认为东湖大部分湖区恢复沉水植物是可行的。牛巢湖,汤林湖,后湖等湖区一旦停止放养草食性鱼类,加之适当的人工促进措施,沉水植物完全可以恢复。