Geophysical and geochemical investigations over the Long Rake, Haddon Fields, Derbyshire

Geophysical and geochemical investigations were undertaken over the Long Rake at Haddon Fields, Derbyshire in order to establish methods, or combinations of methods, showing the best response to the mineralisation. The mineralised structure carries high concentrations of fluorite with associated lead and zinc minerals and the gangue minerals baryte and calcite. The ground examined was relatively undisturbed with good geological control from drill hole data. Gravity and magnetic anomalies such as those obtained over the Long Rake could have limited applications for the indirect location of veins the approximate position of which is known. Induced polarisation, resistivity and electro-magnetic measurements failed to produce anomalies which could be directly attributed to the mineralisation or its host structure. However, reconnaissance mapping with very low frequency electro-magnetic (VLF-EM) and Radiohm methods showed that, over a large section of the survey area, the fluorspar vein could be mapped by its association with the subdrift shale/limestone contact. The determination of a wide range of elements in soils and tills showed that the more mobile elements such as F and Zn are particularly useful in detecting mineralisation over broad areas. Less mobile elements tend to exhibit localised disperson patterns which have applications in precisely locating an orebody. Elements enriched in soil above the Long Rake, in areas of thin overburden, include Pb, Ba, Sr, Ca, Zn, Rb and Th. Thickening cover towards the west tends to mask anomalies of many elements above the Rake, only Ba, Sr and Pb maintaining significant contrast. The collection of basal till samples was made difficult by the occurrence of large limestone boulders. However, results indicated that the method has no advantage over soil geochemistry in this environment, as geochemical contrast is not improved. Levels of Ba and Ca were highly variable and the concentration of Ba appeared to be directly related to the sampling depth

Researching girls and violence: facing the dilemmas of fieldwork

This paper explores key methodological and analytical issues encountered in an exploratory study of teenage girls' views and experiences of violence, carried out in Scotland. Researching the ways in which girls conceptualize, experience and use violence raises a number of dilemmas due in part to the sensitive nature of the research topic, and the age and gender of those taking part. Drawing on feminist debates about objectivity, the role of the researcher, power relationships in the production of knowledge, and representation, this article highlights the difficulties of adapting such principles to the day-to-day practicalities of conducting empirical research on girls and violence. It shows how the research itself has been enhanced by having to engage with and work through this complexity

'Taking it to heart': girls and the meanings of violence

No abstract available

A geochemical drainage survey of the Fleet granitic complex and its environs

A regional geochemical drainage reconnaissance programme was undertaken over 900 km2 of south-west Scotland centred on the Fleet granitic complex. Rocks of Ordovician and Silurian age outcrop over the area, into which have been intruded the Fleet and Loch Doon plutons. Multi-element analysis of stream sediments and heavy mineral concentrates shows a number of patterns of trace element distribution related to different lithologies and to mineralisation. Broad scale patterns exhibited by some elements denote compositional variations within the Lower Palaeozoic sediments and within the Fleet and Loch Doon plutons. On thebasis of the drainage data the sedimentary rocks have been divided into eight distinct geochemical units each characterised by different element distribution patterns. The Fleet and Loch Doon plutons have been sub-divided on the same basis. Follow-up investigations of drainage anomalies led to the discovery of both structure-controlled and disseminated base metal mineralisation in the Penkiln drainage basin within the salthernaureole of the Loch Doon granite. The distribution of Cu, F’b and Zn to the south and south-west of the Fleet granite suggests a zonation of vein minerahsation, with Cu prominent adjacent to the granite contact and F’b and Zn having a wider dispersion away from the granite. Other anomalies delineate a mineralised lineament that follows the regional strike of the Lower Palaeozoic sediments, southeast of the Fleet granite

A reconnaissance geochemical drainage survey of the Criffel-Dalbeattie granodiorite complex and its environs

Regional geochemical reconnaissance by stream sediments and panned concentrates was undertaken over an area of 850 km 2 of south-west Scotland. Rocks of Ordovician to Permian age are exposed within the area but the major part is occupied by the Criffel-Dalbeattie granodiorite complex. Multi-element analysis of the samples collected demonstrates patterns of trace element distribution related to the geology and Broad-scale patterns in the distribution of some elements reflect compositional anumber of mineralisation. variations in both the Lower Palaeozoic turbidite sequence and the Criffel- Dalbeattie granodiorite complex, both of which may be sub-divided into specific units on the basis of the geochemical data. The follow-up of copper anomalies in drainage samples from the Black Stockarton Moor area led to the discovery of porphyry-style copper mineralisation within an arcuate belt at least 5 km by 1 km within the Black Stockarton Moor subvolcanic complex and of related disseminated copper mineralisation at Screel Burn. The area to the west of the Criffel-Dalbeattie plutonic complex is also characterised by relatively high boron levels in stream sediments reflecting the widespread occurrence of tourmaline both in association with and peripheral to the copper mineralisation. Vein mineralisation, usually containing baryte in addition to base.metals, is also identifiable from the drainage survey at the eastern margin of the Criffel-Dalbeattie granodiorite; in association with the Lower Carboniferous rocks along the Solway coast; and within the Lower Palaeozoic turbidites in the west of the area

The vertical capacity of grillage foundations

Grillage foundations may provide an economical alternative to offshore ‘mudmat' foundations for seabed infrastructure, owing to their improved hydrodynamic characteristics, which are important during installation. Grillage foundations consist of a mesh of vertical grilles that penetrate the seabed during loading. Offshore loadings on these types of foundation are likely to consist of vertical (mostly dead weight) loading and horizontal ‘in-service' loads. However, to date there is no accepted method of design, as foundation capacity may differ significantly from that of conventional solid shallow foundations. This paper presents an analytical method designed to calculate the variation of vertical bearing capacity with grille penetration in sand. The results show that grillages are able to achieve the same capacity as solid foundations of the same breadth, but this requires significant penetration of the grillage. Consequently, design choices are likely to depend on the amount of settlement the structure can tolerate. Simplified analytical equations have been presented to allow calculation of the load–settlement response, and to calculate how much settlement is required to mobilise the flat-plate capacity of a solid mudmat of the same overall breadth. The methodology has been validated by comparing results with those from model tests. </jats:p

A study to examine the operation and function of a virtual UK environmental specimen bank (UK-ESB). Final report

Executive Summary: 1. Environmental specimen banking is recognised internationally as an integral part of long-term environmental research and monitoring. Analysis of preserved environmental samples is often needed to detect and quantify patterns and rate of environmental change, and the emergence and progression of environmental hazards and risks. 2. National Environmental Specimen Banks have been established in several countries; they vary in scope and breadth. There are a few specialised environmental specimen holdings in the UK but no national-scale catalogue of holdings, despite an estimated annual spend of £16 million to store specimens. This lack of information results in under-exploitation of archived specimens and is a lost opportunity to facilitate world-class science and identify emerging pressures and threats on the environment. 3. An earlier project had identified key stakeholder organisations either engaged in archiving nationally important environmental specimens or who wished to utilise such specimens. These stakeholders had agreed there was a need for a national metadata catalogue of environmental specimens (subsequently termed a virtual UK-ESB). The objective of the current project was to further develop a virtual UK-ESB. Specifically, the aim was to work with stakeholders to establish the correct metadata entry fields, the search capabilities, the functionality and the nature of the hosting website of a virtual UK-ESB. 4. More than 80 stakeholder organisations that had previously expressed an interest in a UK-ESB were approached to provide feedback either electronically or by attending a stakeholder workshop. Thirty eight organisations responded. All remained interested in the UK-ESB concept and seventeen answered the survey questions. 5. Mock-ups of data entry screens, search screens and ideas around the functionality of a UK-ESB were developed by the CEH project team. These were mailed to stakeholders for feedback. Initial feedback was incorporated into the mock-ups which were then presented for discussion at a workshop comprising 15 attendees from across the specimen archiving community, CEH and the UK-EOF. 6. Workshop participants reviewed and agreed the format of 23 mandatory or optional data-entry fields for a virtual UK-ESB that, in the absence of standard for material samples and archives, were aligned with ISO19115 (geospatial metadata standard) and DublinCore (metadata standard). These fields were sub-divided into the following headings: Sample description, Categorisation, keywords and links, Storage Information and Contact information. Workshop participants also made a number of recommendations as to the format of the data entry screens and inclusion of extra fields. 7. Workshop participants reviewed options for search capabilities and made recommendations as to simple and advanced searching methods and their formats. It was also recommended that search facilities of the ESBs of other countries be examined to determine what is used, ease of use, and how they match the recommendations from the workshop. 8. Workshop participants reviewed options for functionality and agreed a detailed list of prioritised requirements. 9. Workshop participants agreed that a virtual UK-ESB should be hosted through a dedicated website that would also provide wider information, such as recently updated or added specimen holdings, most downloaded information, links to other groups, standard operating procedures, etc. 10. The next step for the development of a virtual UK-ESB is to implement the design and development ideas captured in the current report and build a test version of a virtual UK-ESB. This would be tested and refined, and could then be launched on a specifically designed website. This would need to be accompanied by a communication strategy. There is potential to link and co-brand a virtual UK-ESB with the UK-Environmental Observation Framework (UK-EOF)

Hurst spit stabilisation: a partnering case study

The stabilization of a 2 km shingle spit in southern England was initially planned as a traditional civil engineering contract. However, an unforseen delay at the start meant there was a real danger of not completing the work before winter storms, so a partnering approach was introduced - with successful results. This paper starts off by investigating the potential of partnering to achieve the UK's construction improvement targets. Using Hurst Spit as a case study it demonstrates that partnering can provide significant benefits for a one-off project without the need for formal agreements. It analyses in particular the culture changes which are required to achieve the full benefits of a partnering way of working

BACKUP AND ULTIMATE HEAT SINKS IN CANDU REACTORS FOR PROLONGED SBO ACCIDENTS

In a pressurized heavy water reactor, following loss of the primary coolant, severe core damage would begin with the depletion of the liquid moderator, exposing the top row of internally-voided fuel channels to steam cooling conditions on the inside and outside. The uncovered fuel channels would heat up, deform and disassemble into core debris. Large inventories of water passively reduce the rate of progression of the accident, prolonging the time for complete loss of engineered heat sinks.The efficacy of available backup and ultimate heat sinks, available in a CANDU 6 reactor, in mitigating the consequences of a prolonged station blackout scenario was analysed using the MAAP4-CANDU code. The analysis indicated that the steam generator secondary side water inventory is the most effective heat sink during the accident. Additional heat sinks such as the primary coolant, moderator, calandria vault water and end shield water are also able to remove decay heat; however, a gradually increasing mismatch between heat generation and heat removal occurs over the course of the postulated event. This mismatch is equivalent to an additional water inventory estimated to be 350,000 kg at the time of calandria vessel failure. In the Enhanced CANDU 6 reactor ∼2,040,000 kg of water in the reserve water tank is available for prolonged emergencies requiring heat sinks