The Hormuz Strait Dam Macroproject— 21st Century Electricity Development Infrastructure Node (EDIN)?

Ocean gulfs offer a means of artificially creating a depression, which can be used for a regionally significant hydroelectric macroproject. We examine here the case for a dam at the Strait of Hormuz that blocks a large gulf situated in an arid region. A 35 m evaporation of this concentration basin will reduce its watery surface area by ~53% and allow generation of ~2.050 MW (or possibly ~ 2.500 MW) of electricity. Our conclusion is that the proposed Electricity Development Infrastructure Node (EDIN) is a feasible and desirable macroproject. If the macroproject starts in the near-term future, it would require a significant change in the logistics of oil and gas transport from this region. Alternatively, it can be considered as an attractive future solution for the energy requirements of the region after the exhaustion of its oil and gas reserves

Climate change and CO2 removal from the atmosphere

Several methods have been proposed in recent years to counteract climate change and ocean acidification by removing CO2 from the atmosphere (Carbon Dioxide Removal). The most versatile and widely applicable of these methods is enhanced weathering of olivine, which is capable of removing billions of tons of CO2 from the atmosphere at moderate cost compared to the high cost of Carbon Capture and Storage (CCS). Despite its disadvantages, CCS is still the favored solution of many governments. Many misunderstandings of the potential of enhanced weathering persist. This paper addresses some of these misunderstandings, mainly caused by models which ignore established facts

Metallogenetic and geochemical provinces : book review

In November 1972 a symposium on metallogenetic and geochemical provinces was organized in Leoben by Prof. W.E. Petrascheck; the proceedings of this symposium have now appeared. The book is recommended to all those who want to combine their interest in economic geology with a somewhat wider outlook in order to place the ore deposits in their geologic context. The quality of the contributions is uneven, but some are outstanding, and Prof. Petrascheck can be proud of his initiative

Troodos: a giant serpentinite diapir

Troodos is a classical ophiolite complex. It is proposed that the serpentinized harzburgites that now form the top of the mountain and represent the originally lowest part of the ophiolite sequence rose as a diapir. This diapiric rise is caused by the pervasive serpentinization of a suboceanic harzburgite, due to rock-sea water interaction. The serpentinization caused a 44% expansion of the rocks. Contrary to salt diapirism, the driving force for this diapiric rise is not so much the difference in density, but the volume increase asscociated with the transformation of harzburgite into serpentinite. The overlying gabbros, sheeted dike complex and pillow lavas were pierced by this serpentinite diapir but barely deformed. Their interaction with sea water was li- mited to some pyroxenes in the gabbros being transformed to amphiboles, and epidotisation of some of the dikes in the sheeted dike complex. The location of steep faults in the Troodos massif is determined by the contrasting expansion behavior of different rock-types on both sides of the fault

Olivine and climate change

The greenhouse effect, thanks mainly to the water vapor in our atmosphere, has created a livable climate on Earth. Climate change, however, may potentially have dire consequences. It is generally assumed that the rise in CO2 levels in the atmosphere is the main culprit, although several other greenhouse gases (GHG) also play a role. Next to limitation of CO2 emissions by higher efficiency, developing alternative energy sources or changing our wasteful style of living, there are two general approaches to combat climate change. Both fall under the heading ‘Geo-engineering the Climate’, a report submitted to the Royal Society in 2009. These include methods to fight: 1. symptoms, or 2. causes. The first group encompasses attempts to change the Earth's albedo, for example by spreading aerosols of SO2 in the stratosphere, or painting all our roofs white. Among methods to remove CO2 from the atmosphere, the best known are CCS (carbon capture and storage) and ‘geological storage’, which has nothing to do with geology, except for the receptacle being of natural origin [1]. There are two processes by which CO2 has been removed from the atmosphere throughout geological time, primarily by weathering reactions of Ca- and Mg-silicates, and to a lesser extent by storage of organic carbon in coal beds, oil and natural gas, and carbonates. Thus, enhanced weathering is a logical step to remove CO2 from the atmosphere. To that purpose, abundant rock types available in large volumes are ground to increase reactivity, possibly mix with pyrolized wood known as ‘biochar’ (Brazil: ‘terra preta’), and spread the mix in climate zones that favor rapid weathering, that is the wet tropics. Industrializing nations like India, China or Brazil would not need to limit their CO2 emissions by restricting industrial production, and thereby slowing their economic development, but could instead compensate their emissions by enhanced weathering

Geochemie : K.H. Wedepohl. Sammlung göschen - Walter de Gruyter, Berlin, 1967, 220 pp., 26 illus., 37 tables, DM.7.80

When a geochemist of international renown like Professor Wedepohl writes a book on geochemistry in the Sammlung Göschen, one logically entertains high hopes that this book will be the long-awaited introductory textbook on geochemistry to be recommended to beginning geochemistry students. Next to this it should give the interested layman a clear understanding of the aims and methods of geochemistry, and still be sufficiently detailed to be of interest to the professional geochemist as well. Maybe all these goals are unattainable in one single volume, and in fact the book falls short of these in several respects.The author has tried to give too much, and instead of limiting himself to a smaller number of problems, he has saved space by merely mentioning several geochemical concepts, without explaining them, or else by presenting many factual data, without trying to bring these together into one framework. The book is therefore inaccessible to laymen without an ample background in geology and petrography. The student who is just beginning his studies in geochemistry might also, on first reading, get the wrong impression that geochemistry is mainly concerned with the collection of analytical facts on all kinds of geological material, without much regard for the ultimate purpose, the unraveling of past or present geological processes. Given these limitations, one should in all fairness point out that Wedepohl has brought together from a prodigious knowledge of the geochemical literature, as well as from his own extensive geochemical work, a wealth of data, touching on all possible fields of geochemistry

Capturing CO₂ from air

Schellnhuber proposed some well-known solutions to the climate problem: •i) Phasing out of CO₂ in the next decades; •ii) Energy efficiency; •iii) Emission reduction; •iv) Systematic decarbonation; •v) Efficiency and renewables. These suggestions are commendable, but their suggested time scheme lacks realism. The emerging economies (China, India, and Brazil) want to develop their economies and raise the standard of living. A prerequisite is access to abundant and cheap energy. They want to realize their objectives by using their large coal reserves

Climate change and CO2 removal from the atmosphere

Several methods have been proposed in recent years to counteract climate change and ocean acidification by removing CO2 from the atmosphere (Carbon Dioxide Removal). The most versatile and widely applicable of these methods is enhanced weathering of olivine, which is capable of removing billions of tons of CO2 from the atmosphere at moderate cost compared to the high cost of Carbon Capture and Storage (CCS). Despite its disadvantages, CCS is still the favored solution of many governments. Many misunderstandings of the potential of enhanced weathering persist. This paper addresses some of these misunderstandings, mainly caused by models which ignore established facts

Farming nickel from non-ore deposits, combined with CO2 sequestration

A new way is described to recover nickel from common rock-types, by the use of nickel hy- peraccumulator plants. The idea of phytomining nickel was suggested earlier, but never imple- mented. This situation may soon change, be- cause the mining sector suffers from a poor image on account of the impact of mining on the environment, and would like to reduce the pol- lution and high energy consumption associated with metal extraction. Once phytomining is es- tablished as a viable way of nickel production, it is likely that governments will impose nickel mines to realize part of their nickel production by this method. This will lead to a considerable decrease of CO2 emissions. Phytomining from rocks rich in olivine or serpentine is CO2-nega- tive. When metal extraction goes hand in hand with CO2 sequestration, it will improve the image of the mining sector. Other advantages include that unproductive soils can serve to grow nickel hyperaccumulator plants and recover nickel. The extensive mining technology can provide em- ployment to many poor farmers/miners. Coun- tries that want to be self-sufficient in strategic materials, and avoid spending foreign currency on importing them can switch to phytomining. This paper treats different aspects of future nickel farming