Decyzja o środowiskowych uwarunkowaniach i jej znaczenie z punktu widzenia gospodarki złożami kopalin

The decision on environmental conditions is an instrument for assessing the impact of planned investments on the environment. Its importance is especially noticeable in projects significantly affecting the environment, which include investments regulated in the Polish Geological and Mining Law. In administrative proceedings, especially in concession proceedings regulated by this act, the decision on environmental conditions is a preliminary conclusion for the issuance of a concession. In the era of energy transformation changing the priorities in the management of mineral resources, the decision on environmental conditions also becomes an instrument for regulating the management of mineral deposits. Public participation in the environmental impact assessment procedure is also of significant importance in this process.Decyzja o środowiskowych uwarunkowaniach jest instrumentem oceny wpływu planowanych inwestycji na środowisko. Jej waga dostrzegalna jest zwłaszcza w przedsięwzięciach znacznie oddziałujących na środowisko, do których zaliczają się inwestycje regulowane w ustawie z dnia 9 czerwca 2011 roku — Prawo geologiczne i górnicze. W postępowaniach administracyjnych, przede wszystkim koncesyjnych, regulowanych tą ustawą decyzja ta stanowi rozstrzygnięcie prejudycjalne warunkujące wydanie koncesji. W dobie transformacji energetycznej, która zmienia priorytety w gospodarce surowcami mineralnymi, decyzja o środowiskowych uwarunkowaniach zyskuje także funkcję instrumentu regulacji zarządzania złożami kopalin. Istotne znaczenie w tym procesie ma również udział społeczeństwa w postępowaniu o ocenie oddziaływania na środowisko

The European Union non-discriminatory access principle and methods of granting authorizations in Polish geological and mining law

The non-discrimination principle of the European Union has become a core basis of the Directive 94/22/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council of 30 May 1994, which introduced the non-discriminatory access to prospection, exploration and production of hydrocarbons. According to this directive, the EU members were obliged to choose between the non-discriminating methods of granting authorizations of hydrocarbons: either an open door system or a licensing round system. Directive 94/22/WE caused changes in Polish geological and mining law related to introduction of the obligatory tender procedure for licenses (concessions) for prospection, exploration and production of hydrocarbons. As a result of case C-569/10, the Court of Justice of the European Union ordered the next changes in Polish law involving, e.g., the possibility to apply for Polish concessions by entrepreneurs with no legal seat or industrial plant in Poland. This article comments changes in Polish geological and mining law in 1994-2017, caused by Directive 94/22/WE and jurisdiction of the Court of Justice of the EU. It shows that, due to European legislation, the two-sided proceedings have been introduced depending on the type of mineral resources constituting the mining usufruct in Poland. These different procedures for granting authorizations of hydrocarbons and other resources may justify creation of new, distinct hydrocarbons law in Poland or introduction of non-discriminative procedures, irrespective of the type of deposit

Terrigenous organic matter and formation of siderite in the Bathonian Ore-Bearing Clay Formation at Gnaszyn, Poland : a petrochemical study

The Bathonian Ore-Bearing Clay Formation, outcropping in the Gnaszyn open-pit mine at Częstochowa (Poland), includes several horizons of abundant iron carbonate concretions. The cores of the concretionary bodies commonly contain organic matter (OM), dominated by fragments of wood. These organic particles usually display well-preserved primary structures and occur rarely as more deformed and/or completely degraded fragments. Their original structures are frequently replaced by or filled with secondary mineralization, mostly represented by pyrite. The maceral composition of the OM of the wood fragments is dominated by huminite with subordinate inertinite and resinite. Vitrinite reflectance analyses revealed values lower than 0.45%. The total organic carbon content (TOC) displayed variable results between 2% and 18%. Rock-Eval analyses revealed low amounts of hydrogen (< 45 mg HC/g TOC) and relatively high amounts of oxygen (up to 136 mg CO2/g TOC). Analysed samples contained small quantities of free hydrocarbons (S1 peak < 0.26 mg HC/g rock) as well as hydrocarbons, generated during pyrolysis (S2 peak < 7.05 mg HC/g rock). These features are characteristic for immature type IV kerogen of terrigenous origin. However, the maceral composition and frequent occurrence of siderite affecting the Rock-Eval parameters may indicate that the original kerogen belonged to type III. According to previous authors, the OM of terrigenous origin was delivered to well-oxygenated water of the palaeo-basin in the Częstochowa area. The present data indicate that intensive biodegradation of this OM at shallow burial depleted the oxygen supply within the sediment, driving the pore water into dys- or anoxic conditions. The activity of microorganisms in reducing iron and/or sulphates became the dominant biodegradation reaction, introducing Fe2+ and HCO3- ions into the system. Negative δ13C values in the cortex of the concretions analysed indicate that the bicarbonate consumed in siderite precipitation was supplied by this microbial activity. The reducing microenvironments developed in the sediment and wood fragments acted as nucleation sites for siderite precipitation

Podiform chromitites from the Variscan ophiolite serpentinites of Lower Silesia (SW Poland) : petrologic and tectonic setting implications

The Gogołów-Jordanów Serpentinite Massif (GJSM) and the Braszowice-Brzeźnica Massif (BBM) are the largest serpentinite outcrops in the Fore-Sudetic Block (NE part of the Bohemian Massif, Central Europe). The GJSM is a peridotitic member of the Variscan Ślęża Ophiolite (SW Poland). Podiform bodies (veins and pockets) of chromitite are found on the Czernica Hill (GJSM) and on the Grochowiec Hill (BBM) within strongly serpentinized harzburgites which occur several hundred metres below Paleo-Moho. Chromitites consist of rounded chromite grains up to 3 cm across, and of chlorite filling the interstices. The veins are embedded in serpentine-olivine-chlorite aggregates. Relics of Mg-rich olivine (Fo95-96) occur in massive chromitite in the BBM. The bulk-rock total PGEs content is very low (42-166 ppm) and the PGE pattern is negatively sloped towards Pt and Pd and depleted relative to chondrite. The primary chromite I is aluminous (Cr# 0.50-0.52, Mg# 0.60-0.70). The highly aluminous and magnesian (Cr# 0.38, Mg# 0.80) chromite Ia occurs locally in the BBM. The secondary chromite II is enriched in Cr and impoverished in Al (Cr# 0.57-0.69), it replaces chromite I. Both chromite I and II contain small amounts of Ti (<0.14 wt% TiO2). Silicate inclusions in chromite are scarce. The composition and mode of occurrence of both the GJSM and the BBM chromitites are similar, thus they were formed probably under the same conditions. Textures of the chromitites suggest their magmatic origin. Their current geological position indicates their emplacement and crystallization in the uppermost mantle harzburgites occurring below the Moho Transition Zone (MTZ). The chromitites and hosting harzburgites were subjected to the greenschist-facies metamorphic overprint. The moderate Cr# and low PGEs contents suggest that the chromitites originated in the arc setting, thus their host ophiolite is of supra-subduction type

Czy choroba Hashimoto może być przyczyną zawrotów głowy?

Vertigo and balance disorders are common symptoms reported by approximately 15–20% of the adult population worldwide. For many years thyroid diseases have been suspected as the cause of vertigo by ENT physicians. Almost every patient hospitalised due to severe vertigo is investigated for thyroid disease as a suspected cause of acute vestibulopathy. The issue presented in this paper is related to a difficult and poorly understood relationship between autoimmune thyroid disease and peripheral vertigo

A case of syphilis with high bone arsenic concentration from early modern cemetery (Wroclaw, Poland)

Venereal syphilis is a sexually transmitted disease caused by Treponema pallidum – Gram-negative, slowly growing bacteria. The spread of the disease in the Old World was due to increased birth rate, urban population growth, migration and lack of knowledge concerning the epidemiology. In the past, the treatment was mainly symptomatic and included application of mercury compounds. The goal of the study was to present the case of advanced venereal syphilis found in early modern (16th–18thc) graveyard localized in Wroclaw, Poland. The object of the study is a cranium of a male whose age at death has been estimated to be over 55. In order to observe the morphological and paleopathological characteristics of the examined material, anthropometrics, computed tomography, spectrometry and microscopic methods were incorporated. Microscopic analysis revealed the presence of the extensive inflammatory lesions. Analyses indicate tertiary stage of venereal syphilis as the most probable cause of the observed lesions. Concentration of arsenic (16.17±0.58 μg/g) in examined bone samples was about hundred times bigger than average arsenic concentration in bones reported in other studies. Advanced stage of observed lesions along with high arsenic level may suggest long-lasting palliative care and usage of arsenic compound in therapeutic treatment of this chronic disease