The Mountain Pass Rare-Earth Deposits

Rare-earth minerals were discovered near Mountain Pass in northeastern San Bernardino County, Calif., in April 1949, and in the following year the Sulphide Queen carbonate body was found. This body is the world's greatest known concentration of rare-earth metals with a tonnage larger than the total of all rare earths used in the world prior to 1950. The rare earths in the Mountain Pass district are chiefly cerium, lanthanum, and neodymium. These elements occur principally in bastnaesite, a rare-earth fluocarbonate, heretofore reported from only about 10 localities in the world. The bastnaesite was discovered in samples from Mountain Pass obtained by H. E. Woodward and Clarence Watkins of Goodsprings, Nev., and its identity was established in laboratory studies by E . T. Schenk of the U. S. Bureau of Mines and D. F. Hewett of the U. S. Geological Survey. Subsequent prospecting by individuals and geologic investigations by the U. S. Geological Survey resulted in the discovery of bastnaesite in the Sulphide Queen carbonate body and numerous other deposits in a belt 6 miles long. Investigations by the U. S. Geological Survey since 1949 (Olson et al., in preparation) include detailed mapping of the site of the initial discovery-the Birthday claims-by L. C. Pray and W. N. Sharp; geologic mapping of the district by J. C. Olson; detailed mapping of the Sulphide Queen carbonate body and several smaller deposits by D. R. Shawe and W. N. Sharp; and laboratory mineralogic investigations by H. W. Jaffe

The Mountain Pass Rare-Earth Deposits

Rare-earth minerals were discovered near Mountain Pass in northeastern San Bernardino County, Calif., in April 1949, and in the following year the Sulphide Queen carbonate body was found. This body is the world's greatest known concentration of rare-earth metals with a tonnage larger than the total of all rare earths used in the world prior to 1950. The rare earths in the Mountain Pass district are chiefly cerium, lanthanum, and neodymium. These elements occur principally in bastnaesite, a rare-earth fluocarbonate, heretofore reported from only about 10 localities in the world. The bastnaesite was discovered in samples from Mountain Pass obtained by H. E. Woodward and Clarence Watkins of Goodsprings, Nev., and its identity was established in laboratory studies by E . T. Schenk of the U. S. Bureau of Mines and D. F. Hewett of the U. S. Geological Survey. Subsequent prospecting by individuals and geologic investigations by the U. S. Geological Survey resulted in the discovery of bastnaesite in the Sulphide Queen carbonate body and numerous other deposits in a belt 6 miles long. Investigations by the U. S. Geological Survey since 1949 (Olson et al., in preparation) include detailed mapping of the site of the initial discovery-the Birthday claims-by L. C. Pray and W. N. Sharp; geologic mapping of the district by J. C. Olson; detailed mapping of the Sulphide Queen carbonate body and several smaller deposits by D. R. Shawe and W. N. Sharp; and laboratory mineralogic investigations by H. W. Jaffe

Suicide in Eastern Europe, the Commonwealth of Independent States, and the Baltic Countries: Social and Public Health Determinants

While suicide is a major public health problem worldwide, the countries of the former Soviet Union, including the Baltic States and the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS), have some of the highest rates in the world. High suicide rates across Eastern Europe have been correlated with the post-Soviet transitional period and the societal changes associated with that transition. Many scholars have speculated that the sudden collapse of the paternalistic Soviet system and the introduction of a market economy - and the psychosocial distress that ensued.contributed to the suicide mortality crisis that most of the former Soviet republics experienced in the 1990s. It is unclear whether the transitional period has ended or is still ongoing. While suicide mortality rates in many countries have declined since then, they remain alarmingly high. In some countries, such as Belarus, the rates have increased. From September 14 to 15, 2010, suicidologists and other scholars and professionals with expertise in suicide and suicide prevention gathered in Tallinn, Estonia, to discuss the evidence base for social and public health determinants of suicide in the Baltic States, the CIS, and Eastern Europe. The participants identified research and data gaps that, if filled, would strengthen the foundation for developing effective suicide prevention policies and programs. This report summarizes the presentations and discussions that took place during the conference

The Brazilian ethanol industry: an overview of its production, technology, location, land use, regulations, and futures prospects.

Brazilian ethanol has been used as biofuel since the 1970s, and currently is replacing approximately 40% of the gasoline that would be otherwise consumed in the country. Domestic demand for Brazilian ethanol is increasing as well as its exports since the biofuels are being promoted by governments around the world as an alternative to fossil fuel. In this context, the main objective of this paper is to do a descriptive and exploratory analysis of the Brazilian ethanol production system and the potential of biofuels in Brazil. We overview the recent developments in the ethanol industry with regard to ethanol technologies in Brazil (including new varieties, transgenic varieties, cellulosic technology), and the role of the Brazilian Agricultural Research Corporation (EMBRAPA) research in this area. We examine the government promoting policies and their impacts on land use such as the increase across time and space in sugar cane area planted in the states of São Paulo, Paraná, Minas Gerais, Goiás and Mato Grosso do Sul (the main producers) and its consequences for other crops in these producing areas and for food security

CCD and photon-counting photometric observations of asteroids carried out at Padova and Catania observatories

We present the results of observational campaigns of asteroids performed at Asiago Station of Padova Astronomical Observatory and at M.G. Fracastoro Station of Catania Astrophysical Observatory, as part of the large research programme on Solar System minor bodies undertaken since 1979 at the Physics and Astronomy Department of Catania University. Photometric observations of six Main-Belt asteroids (27 Euterpe, 173 Ino, 182 Elsa, 539 Pamina, 849 Ara, and 984 Gretia), one Hungaria (1727 Mette), and two Near-Earth Objects (3199 Nefertiti and 2004 UE) are reported. The first determination of the synodic rotational period of 2004 UE was obtained. For 182 Elsa and 1727 Mette the derived synodic period of 80.23+/-0.08 h and 2.981+/-0.001 h, respectively, represents a significant improvement on the previously published values. For 182 Elsa the first determination of the H-G magnitude relation is also presented.Comment: 19 pages, 11 figures, accepted for publication in Planetary and Space Scienc

Private research and public benefit: The private seed industry for sorghum and pearl millet in India

In contrast to conventional wisdom, private firms are spending substantial amounts of money on research to develop new cultivars for small-farmer, subsistence agriculture. Indian firms spend almost as much as the government on breeding pearl millet and sorghum. The hybrids developed by firms are becoming popular with farmers: about 900,000 ha were planted with private pearl millet and sorghum hybrids in 1987. The higher yields of private hybrids increased grain output by at least 200,000 t. Although prices for seed of private hybrids are higher than seed of cultivars developed by government research, most of the benefits from private breeding research accrue to farmers and consumers. ☆The research for this paper was primarily financed by USAID/New Delhi. We also received support from ICRISAT. We would like to thank the scientists of the AICSIP, A1CPMIP, IARI, officials of the Ministry of Agriculture, NSC, SSCs, and executives of private seed companies, for their cooperation. We also appreciate the comments of John Witcombe, Tom Walker, and Wayne Freeman on earlier drafts of this paper. The opinions expressed in the paper are those of the authors and do not represent the opinions of USAID or ICRISAT

Whole-mount in situ hybridization in the Rotifer Brachionus plicatilis representing a basal branch of lophotrochozoans

In order to broaden the comparative scope of evolutionary developmental biology and to refine our picture of animal macroevolution, it is necessary to establish new model organisms, especially from previously underrepresented groups, like the Lophotrochozoa. We have established the culture and protocols for molecular developmental biology in the rotifer species Brachionus plicatilis Müller (Rotifera, Monogononta). Rotifers are nonsegmented animals with enigmatic basal position within the lophotrochozoans and marked by several evolutionary novelties like the wheel organ (corona), the median eye, and the nonpaired posterior foot. The expression of Bp-Pax-6 is shown using whole-mount in situ hybridization. The inexpensive easy culture and experimental tractability of Brachionus as well as the range of interesting questions to which it holds the key make it a promising addition to the “zoo” of evo-devo model organisms