Paleogeography as geological heritage: Developing geosite classification

© 2014 Elsevier B.V. Geological heritage sites (geosites) are sites that contain information about the state and the dynamics of the Earth. Paleogeographical (paleoenvironmental) geosites preserve paleoenvironments, paleoecosystems, and other relevant phenomena. However, the value of these sites can only be fully understood through professional interpretation of the observed features. Description of paleogeographical geosites in terms of the paleospace and the geologic time they encompass is challenging, partially because of many uncertainties in the interpretations of a given geosite and in the paleogeographical, paleobiogeographical, and stratigraphical nomenclature. These geosites can be classified on the basis of facies, paleoecosystems, ichnological value, taphonomic patterns, major events and catastrophes, and geoarcheological potential that they exhibit. Some geosites comprise several subtypes, and some are especially important for construction of paleogeographical maps. Moreover, the paleogeographical geosite type always associates with other types of geosites (20 in total). These combinations form complex geosites that contribute to geodiversity. If information about the Earth's past is especially valuable for a given complex geosite, then the paleogeographical type is dominant

Badania, ocena i zarządzanie zasobami trawertynu ze złóż Banpotoc-Carpinis (South Apuseni Mts., Rumunia)

Romania is not a large country but, due to the very complex geological structure, it has 110 mineral and power substances with identified and quantified resources and reserves. In time, the most numerous from these (82) have been exploited at the ground surface, in over 3,492 identified quarries and open pits. Travertine has been exploited since ancient times in Romania the exploitation of Brezinta (Mehedinti county) has been known since the Roman times. Although resources are found in many other zones, only two travertine deposits are presently exploited by Marmosim S.A.: Banpotoc-Carpinis and Geoagiu. Travertine extraction began at the Banpotoc-Carpinis deposit in 1870 and 9 quarries have functioned during time from which only one is still active today. This paper presents the way in which the research and valuation of the deposit was made, how the exploitation and processing of the travertine is made nowadays and what are its uses.Rumunia nie jest dużym krajem, ale ze względu na bardzo złożoną strukturę geologiczną posiada 110 surowców mineralnych o określonych zasobach. Najwięcej z nich (82) jest eksploatowanych odkrywkowo w ponad 3449 kamieniołomach i odkrywkach. Trawertyn był eksploatowany w Rumunii od czasów starożytnych. Eksploatacja w Brezinta (powiat Mehedinti) jest znana od czasów rzymskich. Chociaż zasoby trawertynu znajdują się w wielu innych rejonach kraju, to tylko dwa złoża trawertynu są obecnie eksploatowane przez Marmosim S.A .: Banpotoc-Carpinis i Geoagiu. Wydobycie trawertynu ze złoża Banpotoc-Carpinis rozpoczęło się w 1870 r. w 9 kamieniołomach, z których obecnie funkcjonuje tylko jeden. W artykule przedstawiono sposób, w jaki przeprowadzono badania i wycenę złoża trawertynu, jego eksploatację i przeróbkę oraz zastosowanie