High-Temperature Mineral Formation after Firing Clay Materials Associated with Mined Coal in Teruel (Spain)

The production of porcelain stoneware has experienced a considerable increase. Therefore, it was necessary to undertake an investigation that would allow knowing the mineralogical evolution that porcelain stoneware undergoes during the firing process, as well as establishing the influence of the formation of mullite and other mineral or vitreous phases and their quantification. The firing transformations of mine spoils associated with mined coal in the Utrillas-Escucha-Estercuel and Ariño-Andorra areas are studied in this paper. The mineralogical composition of the bulk mine spoils is kaolinite, illite, chlorite, and smectites (in traces), with quartz and feldspar, and minor hematite, calcite, and dolomite. The main objective is to understand the generation of high-temperature mineral phases after firing, and their quantification. The formation of mullite and other high-temperature phases are studied from samples that include variable proportions of illite. Samples with a high content of illite generate mullite at 995 °C. Cristobalite was not detected as a high-temperature phase. Mullite is the most abundant mineral. The hercynite content is higher at low temperatures (995 °C), and hematite content is higher at 1150 °C. The vitreous phase represents about 50% of fired bodies. Despite observing a porous microstructure, the non-porous areas are well sintered

Air Quality Trend of PM10. Statistical Models for Assessing the Air Quality Impact of Environmental Policies

A statistical modelling of PM10 concentration (2006–2015) is applied to understand the behaviour, to know the influence of the variables to exposure risk, to treat the missing data to evaluate air quality, and to estimate data for those sites where they are not available. The study area, Castellón region (Spain), is a strategic area in the framework of EU pollution control. A decrease of PM10 is observed for industrial and urban stations. In the case of rural stations, the levels remain constant throughout the study period. The contribution of anthropogenic sources has been estimated through the PM10 background of the study area. The behaviour of PM10 annual trend is tri-modal for industrial and urban stations and bi-modal in the case of rural stations. The EU Normative suggests that 90% of the data per year are necessary to control air quality. Thus, interpolation statistical methods are presented to fill missing data: Linear Interpolation, Exponential Interpolation, and Kalman Smoothing. This study also focuses on testing the goodness of these methods in order to find the ones that better approach the gaps. After analyzing graphically and using the RMSE the last method is confirmed to be the best option

Industrial Limestone Rocks in the Castellón province, Spain

The extracted stone of the Nature is one of the oldest materials used by the humanity as a builder. This material stands out by its big compression mechanical resistance and its resistance to the weathering, apart from its ornamental value, is the raw material of the most building materials, so that, in glass manufacture, environmental impact neutralization process, agriculture, paper manufacture, etc. Castellon province, setting in the oriental sector of the Iberian range, presents a substantial importance by the large amount of carbonate rocks, which belong widely to the Mesozoic era, more specifically to the Jurassic and Cretaceous period, where the tectonic caused the development of platform environments, being the source together with the time of these prized materials. The characterization and the study of these materials, in several ways, pass to be essential in order to get the most favourable and correct way in the use and application of the carbonate rocksLa piedra extraída de la Naturaleza es uno de los materiales más antiguos utilizados por la humanidad, en sus condiciones de constructor. Estos materiales destacan por su gran resistencia mecánica a la compresión y su resistencia a los agentes atmosféricos, además de tener cierto valor ornamental, son la materia prima de casi todos los materiales de construcción, así como de aplicación tan diversa como en la fabricación de vidrio, en procesos de neutralización de impacto ambiental, agricultura, fabricación de papel, etc. La provincia de Castellón, situada en el sector oriental de la Cordillera Ibérica, presenta gran relevancia debido a la gran cantidad de rocas carbonatadas, pertenecientes mayoritariamente al Mesozoico, concretamente dentro del Jurásico y del Cretácico. En el que la tectónica determinó el desarrollo de ambientes de plataforma, originando con el paso del tiempo estos preciados materiales carbonatados. La caracterización y el estudio de estos materiales a diferentes niveles pasa por ser primordial para la óptima y correcta explotación, proceso y utilización de las rocas calizas o de sus derivado

A New Bayesian Inference Methodology for Modeling Geochemical Elements in Soil with Covariates. Characterization of Lithium in South Iberian Range (Spain)

When the scientific need to model geochemical elements in soil, is using geostatistical methodologies, for instance krigings, but we can use a new possibility with Bayesian Inference. The models for the analysis were specified by the authors and estimated using Bayesian inference for Gauss ian Markov Random Field (GMRF) through the Integrated Nested Laplace Approximation (INLA) algorithm. The results allow us to quantify and assess possible spatial relationships between the distribution of lithium and other possible explanatory elements. Are these other elements significant to the study? We believe the methods outlined here may help to find elements such as lithium, as well as contributing to the prediction and management of new extractions or prospection in a region in order to find each che mical element. The application for the modeling is to study the spatial variation in the distribution of lithium and its relationship to other geochemical elements is analyzed in terms of the different possibilities offered by geographical and environmenta l factors. All in all, Lithium presents many important and meaningful uses and applications such as: ceramics and glass, electrical and electronics standing out lithium ion batteries, as well as a lubricator for greases, in metallurgy, pyrotechnics, air pu rification, optics, organic and polymer chemistry, and medicine. This study aims to examine the distribution of lithium in sediments from the area of Beceite, in the Iberian Range and the Catalan Coastal Range (Catalànids), within the geological context of the Iberian Plate. The Atlas Geoquímico de España (IGME, 2012) was used as the main geochemical data bank in order to carry out a statistical analysis study

Reliability Validation of a Low-Cost Particulate Matter IoT Sensor in Indoor and Outdoor Environments Using a Reference Sampler

A suitable and quick determination of air quality allows the population to be alerted with respect to high concentrations of pollutants. Recent advances in computer science have led to the development of a high number of low-cost sensors, improving the spatial and temporal resolution of air quality data while increasing the effectiveness of risk assessment. The main objective of this work is to perform a validation of a particulate matter (PM) sensor (HM-3301) in indoor and outdoor environments to study PM2.5 and PM10 concentrations. To date, this sensor has not been evaluated in real-world situations, and its data quality has not been documented. Here, the HM-3301 sensor is integrated into an Internet of things (IoT) platform to establish a permanent Internet connection. The validation is carried out using a reference sampler (LVS3 of Derenda) according to EN12341:2014. It is focused on statistical insight, and environmental conditions are not considered in this study. The ordinary Linear Model, the Generalized Linear Model, Locally Estimated Scatterplot Smoothing, and the Generalized Additive Model have been proposed to compare and contrast the outcomes. The low-cost sensor is highly correlated with the reference measure ( R2 greater than 0.70), especially for PM2.5, with a very high accuracy value. In addition, there is a positive relationship between the two measurements, which can be appropriately fitted through the Locally Estimated Scatterplot Smoothing model

A new styracosternan hadrosauroid (Dinosauria: Ornithischia) from the Early Cretaceous of Portell, Spain

A new styracosternan ornithopod genus and species is described based on the right dentary of a single specimen from the Mirambell Formation (Early Cretaceous, early Barremian) at the locality of Portell, (Castellón, Spain). Portellsaurus sosbaynati gen. et sp. nov. is diagnosed by two autapomorphic features as well as a unique combination of characters. The autapomorphies include: the absence of a bulge along the ventral margin directly ventral to the base of the coronoid process and the presence of a deep oval cavity on the medial surface of the mandibular adductor fossa below the eleventh-twelfth tooth position. Phylogenetic analyses reveal that the new Iberian form is more closely related to the African taxon Ouranosaurus nigeriensis than to its synchronic Iberian taxa Magnamanus soriaensis and Iguanodon galvensis. In addition, Portellsaurus sosbaynati is less related to other Iberian taxa such as Iguanodon bernissartensis and Proa valdearinnoensis than to the other Early Cretaceous Iberian styracosternans Mantellisaurus atherfieldensis and Morelladon beltrani. A new phylogenetic hypothesis is proposed that resolves Iguanodon (I. bernissartensis, I. galvensis) with the Valanginian Barilium dawsoni into a monophyletic clade (Iguanodontoidea). The recognition of Portellsaurus sosbaynati gen. et sp. nov. as the first styracosternan dinosaur species identified from the Margas de Mirambell Formation (early Barremian–early late Barremian) in the Morella sub-basin (Maestrat Basin, eastern Spain) indicates that the Iberian Peninsula was home to a highly diverse assemblage of medium-to-large bodied styracosternan hadrosauriforms during the Early Cretaceous

Properties and possible ceramic uses of clays from lignite mine spoils of NW Spain

Clay spoils from lignite mines are studied to know their industrial possibilities. The clays come from a coal mining area in NW Spain. In relation to their mineralogical composition, clays can be classified into three main groups. Group 1 was characterized by the presence of kaolinite with an average value of 39%, illite with an average value of 28% and quartz with an average value of 30%. Group 2 was characterized to have the lowest content of kaolinite (30%), 12% of illite content, the highest quartz content (47%), an absence of dolomite and calcite. Group 3 shows the highest kaolinite content (72%), illite (10%) and lower quartz content (15%). The chemical and mineralogical composition allows the evaluation of the applicability of the clays studied. The heated samples were composed of bulky particles, predominantly of quartz and hematite, which are agglomerated in a vitreous matrix. An intermediate phase between spinel and hercynite was formed at 950 °C in the Groups 1 and 3, and remains in this series up to a temperature of 1150 °C. At higher temperatures other phases such as mullite was formed in Group 3 series together an abundant amorphous phase. Imported clays (ball-clays) from the UK and France by Spanish ceramic industry have similar characteristics, behaviour and uses that the clays from lignite deposits studied, (i.e. Groups 1 and 3).This research received financial support from the Generalitat Valenciana (AE07/012)

Variability of PM10 in industrialized-urban areas. New coefficients to establish significant differences between sampling points

One of the main problems that arise in the assessment of air quality in an area is to estimate the number of representative sampling points of each microenvironment within it. We present a new model that reduces the variability and increases the quality of the comparison of the sampling points. The study is based on the comparison between a city in eastern Spain, Vila-real, a macro city in México, Monterrey and the Piemonte region regarding the assessment of PM10 in microenvironments. Vila-real is located in the province of Castellón. This province is a strategic area in the framework of European Union (EU) pollution control. On the other hand, Monterrey in México, located in the northern state of Nuevo León, has several problems with particulate material in the atmosphere produced by the extraction of building materials in the hill that surround the city. Finally, the Piemonte region, which is located in the north of Italy, has to be in consideration due to higher concentrations of PM10 in the Po river basin. In the case of Vila-real the PM10 samples were collected by a medium volume sampler according to European regulations. Particle concentration levels were determined gravimetrically (EN 12341:1999). In the case of Monterrey the PM10 concentrations were determined by Beta Ray Attenuation according to US-EPA regulations. In the Piemonte region, the average concentration of PM10 was also obtained by means of the Beta Ray Attenuation as well as using gravimetric instruments. The methodology carried out in this paper is a useful tool for developing future Air Quality Plans in other industrialised areas

Prospección geológica, mineralogía y ceramicidad de arcillas blancas de Litueche, VI Región de Chile

El presente trabajo es una aportación al conocimiento de arcillas cerámicas de la VI Región “Libertador General Bernardo O'Higgins” de Chile. Se identifica geológicamente el afloramiento, se dispone de material representativo de la zona de estudio, y se realiza el estudio de caracterización química y mineralógica mediante FRX y DRX, respectivamente. Paralelamente, se estudia la ceramicidad mediante los siguientes ensayos cerámicos: plasticidad, barelatografía, dilatometría, contracción lineal, absorción de agua. Todo ello con el objetivo de proporcionar información para el aprovechamiento rentable de estos recursos, de acuerdo tanto a sus características y propiedades tecnológicas, como a la eventual demanda del mercadoThis paper is a contribution to the knowledge of ceramic clays from the VI Region ‘Libertador General Bernardo O'Higgins’ in Chile. The work identifies the geological outcrop, shows representative material of the area of study, and carries out the study of chemical and mineralogical characterization by XRF and XRD, respectively. In parallel, the work analyses ceramicity using the following tests: plasticity, drying performance, dilatometry, linear shrinkage and water absorption. All with the goal of providing information for the profitable exploitation of these resources, according to both their characteristics and technological properties, and the potential market deman

Primeros fósiles de nodosáuridos (Nodosauridae) del yacimiento ANA, Cretácico Inferior de Cinctorres (Castellón, España)

En el presente trabajo se describen dos elementos aislados del dermatoesqueleto de un dinosaurio nodosáurido de la Formación Arcillas de Morella del Barremiense superior (Cretácico Inferior) de la península Ibérica. Dichos elementos corresponden a una placa dérmica caudal y un osículo dérmico. Todos los fósiles se han recuperado en el yacimiento ANA de Cinctorres (Castellón, España). Los fósiles de anquilosaurios nodosáuridos fuera del Reino Unido son muy escasos en el Cretácico Inferior de Europa, por lo que la descripción de nuevos materiales es de suma importancia para comprender mejor la historia evolutiva del grupo. Los fósiles recuperados han sido identificados como pertenecientes a un anquilosaurio nodosáurido indeterminado, ampliando el registro ibérico de la familia a un nuevo yacimiento (ANA) de la Fm. Arcillas de Morella.En aquest treball es descriuen dos elements aïllats del dermatoesquelet d’un dinosaure nodosàurid de la Formació Argiles de Morella del Barremienc superior (Cretàcic Inferior) de la península Ibèrica. Aquests elements corresponen a una placa dèrmica cabal i un ossícle dèrmic. Tots els fòssils s’han recuperat al jaciment ANA de Cinctorres (Castelló, Espanya). Els fòssils d’anquilosaures nodosàurids fora del Regne Unit són molt escassos al Cretaci Inferior d’Europa, per la qual cosa la descripció de nous materials és molt important per comprendre millor la història evolutiva del grup. Els fòssils recuperats han estat identifi cats com a pertanyents a un anquilosaure nodosàurid indeterminat, ampliant el registre ibèric de la família a un nou jaciment (ANA) de la Fm. Argilles de Morella