Exploration
Naresh Kumar Katariya; Bhanwar Singh Choudhary
Abstract
Slope stability and bench safety in iron ore open-pit mines in western India are comprehensively analysed in this research. To evaluate current mining conditions and identify areas at risk, the study integrates comprehensive field observations, laboratory testing, and advanced slope stability modelling ...
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Slope stability and bench safety in iron ore open-pit mines in western India are comprehensively analysed in this research. To evaluate current mining conditions and identify areas at risk, the study integrates comprehensive field observations, laboratory testing, and advanced slope stability modelling using Slide 6.0 software. Factors of safety (FOS) of various mining sections varied from 0.475 to 1.495, as per limit equilibrium analysis with Slide 6.0. This signifies the presence of possibly unstable slopes that require certain stabilisation measures to ensure operational safety. The research considers how significant environmental factors, like temperature, wind speed, rainfall, and soil moisture, influence slope stability in addition to the geotechnical analysis. Rainfall and soil moisture were found to have a high and statistically significant positive correlation (Pearson correlation = 0.706, p = 0.005), implying that an increase in rainfall results in increased soil moisture content, which in turn affects the behaviour of slopes. Also, a moderate degree of negative relationship between temperature and wind speed was revealed (partial correlation = -0.593, p = 0.042), meaning that smaller wind speeds are characteristically associated with increased temperatures. These findings highlight the importance of continuous monitoring of the environment in open-pit mine operations and the importance of considering environmental factors when assessing slope stability. The information collected in this study provides a solid foundation for developing valuable recommendations intended to enhance safety, better control slopes, and promote the long-term development of mining activities in the region.
Exploration
Ahmed Mahmoud Abdelhameed; Maher Abdelateef El Amawy; Ayman Mahrous; Mohamed El-Khouly; Adel Fathy
Abstract
Hyperspectral imaging (HSI), combined with advanced machine learning algorithms (MLAs), has unlocked novel research opportunities and revolutionized geological mapping by enabling precise lithological classification. Accurately detailed geological mapping is one of the most essential requirements for ...
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Hyperspectral imaging (HSI), combined with advanced machine learning algorithms (MLAs), has unlocked novel research opportunities and revolutionized geological mapping by enabling precise lithological classification. Accurately detailed geological mapping is one of the most essential requirements for targeting mineralization. However, achieving comprehensive lithological mapping remains a challenge, hindering systematic mineral exploration. This work explores the use of PRISMA hyperspectral data and the Support Vector Machine (SVM) and Artificial Neural Network (ANN) algorithms to objectively map the Precambrian rock assemblages at the El Ineigi area in the Central Eastern Desert (CED) of Egypt. For this purpose, PRISMA data in HDF5 format were first pre-processed and subsequently transformed through principal component analysis (PCA). The processed spectral data were then combined with extensive fieldwork and previously existing geological maps and classified using SVM and ANN to achieve enhanced discrimination of the exposed rock units in the study area. Our results conclusively demonstrate the exceptional capability of PRISMA data for detailed lithological mapping. The SVM and ANN classification achieved remarkably high overall accuracy, successfully generating a robust geological map that clearly discriminates between various Neoproterozoic basement rock units in the El Ineigi area. Through the integration of diagnostic spectral signatures with field verification, we confidently identified all major mappable units, including metavolcanics, metagabbro-diorite complexes, younger granites, and Wadi deposits. The proposed integrated approach demonstrates superior performance compared to traditional mapping techniques, offering enhanced discrimination precision and operational efficiency. These findings strongly support the combined use of PRISMA hyperspectral data and MLAs for lithological mapping applications.
Exploration
Mahbubeh Arabzadeh Bani asadi; Habib Ghasemi; Mehdi Rezaei-Kahkhaei; Lambrini Papadopoulou
Abstract
The lower Jurassic (180 ± 1.5 Ma) Gowd-e-Howz granitoid stock, as a part of the Sanandaj-Sirjan Metamorphic-Magmatic Zone (SSMMZ), SE Iran, intruded in the Upper Paleozoic metamorphic and Triassic igneous-sedimentary rocks. It consists of three main rock units including diorite, granodiorite and ...
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The lower Jurassic (180 ± 1.5 Ma) Gowd-e-Howz granitoid stock, as a part of the Sanandaj-Sirjan Metamorphic-Magmatic Zone (SSMMZ), SE Iran, intruded in the Upper Paleozoic metamorphic and Triassic igneous-sedimentary rocks. It consists of three main rock units including diorite, granodiorite and granite/alkali feldspar granite, which accompanied by minor amounts of gabbro. The stock is predominantly composed of medium to coarse-grained granular granitoids consisting of clinopyroxene, amphibole, biotite, plagioclase, alkali feldspar and quartz. Clinopyroxenes exhibit calcic compositions, ranging from diopside to augite and salite, while amphiboles are primarily calcic with hornblende as the dominant phase. Feldspar display compositional ranges from orthoclase and oligoclase to labradorite. Mineralogical and geochemical evidence indicates this I-type calc-alkaline granitic magma produced in an active continental margin arc setting with potential for Cu-Au mineralization. Geothermobarometry estimations based on clinopyroxene (T= 800 to 1300°C and P= ~12 to 4.5 kbar), amphiboles (T= 742 to 769°C and P=4.5- 2 kbar) and biotite (T = 589 to 875°C and P= 0.45- 2.27 kbar), offer three different magma chamber levels for magma storaging and plumbing at the lower (~45 Km), middle (~16 Km) and upper (~5 Km) continental crust in an active continental arc setting in the Late Triassic-Early Jurassic in the southern part of the SSMMZ, SE Iran.
