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By-products of metal corrosion, when coming into contact with organic matter, have the capacity to preserve it from decay. A pilot study was conducted aiming to explore the potential and limitations of plant remains preserved in by-products of metal corrosion for archaeobotanical research. The organic remains considered come from the surface/immediate proximity of the metal funerary artefacts of two ancient cemeteries—Varna and Messambria, Eastern Bulgaria. Metal corrosion by-products were observed and sampled, under a low magnification stereo microscope. Subsequently, the plant macrofossils recognised were analysed under reflected light and a scanning electron microscope (SEM). Additionally, pollen was extracted from the metal corrosion by-products, using standard acetolysis. The analyses from the graves of both cemeteries allowed identification of textiles and plant fibres, as well as wood (Cornus sp., Pinus sp., Viburnum sp.). At Varna cemetery epidermis fragments of Juncus sp. were recognized, while at Messambria necropolis fruits of almond were found. The pollen analysis from Varna points to use of flowers in the ritual (Daphne tetrads were recorded) and shows a notably open landscape with 77% non-arboreal pollen (NAP). The palynological analysis from the Messambria necropolis revealed the use of flowers in the burial ritual indicated by clusters of Vitis, Cistus and Rosaceae pollen. The surrounding vegetation was dominated by open oak woodland and open habitats (43% NAP) with a strong presence of anthropogenic indicators. The outcome of the study proved to be promising for reconstructing details of the burial rituals including associated plant materials, as well as the surrounding plant habitats during the functioning of the cemeteries.

Dans les bananeraies intensives conventionnelles, la fertilisation, essentiellement minérale, vise à satisfaire les besoins nutritionnels des bananiers mais ne permet pas d'assurer un stock de matière organique suffisant pour maintenir une fertilité des sols optimale. Or, l'utilisation de fertilisants organiques complexifie le raisonnement de la fertilisation puisque les nutriments apportés ne sont disponibles pour la plante qu'après minéralisation de la matière organique par les microorganismes du sol. L'objectif de l'étude est donc de concevoir des stratégies de fertilisation organique qui permettent de restaurer la fertilité sur plusieurs années, en s'appuyant sur un modèle de bilan humique, validé expérimentalement en condition réelles sous culture de banane plantain.

L’océan Arctique est le plus petit océan du monde mais reçoit environ 15% du débit fluvial mondial. Cet apport important en eau douce, chargée en matière organique dissoute (DOM) d’origine terrestre fait en sorte que la DOM y joue un rôle particulièrement important. De plus, la région polaire Arctique est très sensible aux changements climatiques. La DOM est un réservoir de carbone important dans les océans et est composée de plusieurs centaines de molécules ayant des propriétés variées. C’est une source d’énergie pour les microorganismes marins qui la transforment. Par contre, la nature chimique des molécules qui composent la DOM est inconnue et les travaux de cette thèse sont effectués dans l’objectif de comprendre leur comportement et leur composition. C’est l’utilisation de plusieurs techniques d’analyses complémentaires (absorbance, fluorescence et spectrométrie de masse) qui permet de mieux comprendre la composition et la réactivité de la DOM prélevée dans l’Océan Arctique. D’abord, une méthode ciblée de spectrométrie de masse a été utilisée afin de déterminer la concentration et les ratios des phénols de lignine dans des échantillons de plusieurs masses d’eau du Bassin Canada. Cette analyse a révélé que les masses d’eaux ont des signatures de lignine distinctes qui permet de les différencier. Afin de comprendre la réactivité des composants fluorescents de la DOM dans la colonne d’eau, leur intensité a été corrélée avec l’utilisation apparente d’oxygène (AOU). La corrélation la plus importante a été observée dans l’halocline de l’Atlantique (AH), soulignant l’importance du rôle de cette masse d’eau dans la formation de composants fluorescents dans le Bassin Canada. Finalement, les transformations de la DOM ont été étudiées lors d’une incubation à bord du brise-glace. Les mesures de fluorescence et de spectrométrie de masse ont été effectuées afin de déterminer la fraction réfractaire de la DOM dans les masses d’eau du Bassin Canada. La composition moléculaire

Earthworms can increase the solubility of phosphorus (P) in soil, an effect which to a large extent is controlled by mineralisation of organic P. Phosphatases, a class of hydrolytic enzymes, catalyse this mineralisation process. However, a consistent comparison of their activity among earthworm species and for different soil spheres is still missing. Here we aim to better understand the activity of phosphatases in relation to earthworm-enhanced P-availability, and specifically that of phosphomonoesterases (PME) which directly liberate orthophosphate. We conducted a greenhouse pot experiment with five different earthworm species. The PME activity was assessed in earthworm casts, burrows and bulk soil for both single species and mixed communities. Analyses were performed at both the pH-H2O of the bulk soil (6.5) and of the casts (7.5). The PME activity measured at both pH values was highly correlated (R2 = 0.98; p = 2.2x10-16) and was strongly elevated by earthworm activity in the order cast > burrows > bulk soil. The PME activity was particularly high in the casts of A. longa relative to casts of other species. Large variation in PME activity in the drilosphere was observed among earthworm species, but this variation was not related to earthworm ecological categories. Our data also indicate that an elevated P concentration in grass shoots could result from increased PME activity via greater hydrolysis of organic P.

There are many forms of organc fertilizers produced and sold in the EU, and it can be difficult to assess which ones are the best in regards of nutrient content and the rate of mineraliztion. Two separate trials were conducted to assess the mineralization rates of three different organic fertilizers, available for private customers, on the Swedish market. One cow manure mix, one algae-based product and a solid fraction of biogas digestate were the tested fertilizers. The trials revealed that there were many differences in nutrient content and plant availability of said nutrients in the fertilizers. Analyses of the fertilizers’ contents showed both several high values of some elements, as well as some completely depleted valuable elements. It was concluded that the cow manure fertilizer performed best of the treatments, in respect of mass of the model plant. The Algomin fertilizer and the biogas digestate fertilizer had more substrate nutrient content than the cow manure fertilizer, but it did not reflect in the size of the tomato plants grown in those treatments.

We have read with interest an opinion paper recently published in the European Journal of Soil Science (Berthelin et al., 2022). This paper presents some interesting considerations, at least one of which is already well known to soil scientists working on soil organic carbon (SOC), that is, a large portion (80%–90%) of fresh carbon inputs to soil is subject to rapid mineralization. The short-term mineralization kinetics of organic inputs is well-known and accounted for in soil organic matter models. Thus, clearly, the long-term predictions based on these models do not overlook short-term mineralization. We point out that many agronomic practices can significantly contribute to SOC sequestration. If conducted responsibly whilst fully recognising the caveats, SOC sequestration can lead to a win-win situation where agriculture can both contribute to the mitigation of climate change and adapt to it, whilst at the same time delivering other co-benefits such as reduced soil erosion and enhanced biodiversity.

Considering the ever-growing global demand for raw materials and the complexity of the geological deposits that are still to be found, high-quality extensive mineralogical information is required. Mineral exploration remains a risk-prone process, with empirical approaches prevailing over data-driven strategy. Amongst the many ways to innovate, hyperspectral imaging sensors for drill-core mineral mapping are one of the disruptive technologies. This potential could be multiplied by implementing machine learning. This dissertation introduces a workflow that allows the use of supervised learning to map minerals by means of ancillary data commonly acquired during exploration campaigns (i.e., mineralogy, geochemistry and core photography). The fusion of hyperspectral with such ancillary data allows not only to upscale to complete boreholes information acquired locally, but also to enhance the spatial resolution of the mineral maps. Thus, the proposed approaches provide digitally archived objective maps that serve as vectors for exploration and support geologists in their decision making.:List of Figures xviii List of Tables xix List of Acronyms xxi 1 Introduction 1 1.1 Mineral resources and the need for innovation . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2 1.2 Spectroscopy and hyperspectral imaging . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5 1.2.1 Imaging spectroscopy ....................... 6 1.2.2 Spectroscopy of minerals ..................... 8 1.2.3 Mineral mapping.......................... 12 1.2.4 Mineral mapping in exploration ................. 15 1.2.5 Drill-core mineral mapping.................... 16 1.3 Machine learning .............................. 19 1.3.1 Supervised learning for drill-core hyperspectral data . . . . . 20 1.4 Motivation and approach ......................... 22 2 Hyperspectral mineral mapping using supervised learning and mineralogical data 25 Preface ....................................... 25 Abstract....................................... 26 2.1 Introduction ......

The present work is concerned with assessing the cancer risk contributed by the studied granite types including valuable metals, such as Cu, Au, and Ba mineralization, as well as radioactive-bearing mineralization, such as monazite and zircon, in south Monqul at Wadi Makhrag El Ebel, north Eastern Desert, Egypt. The mineralization analyses illustrated that copper mineralization containing chrysocolla and tenorite minerals were restricted to the alteration zone, especially (argillic, phyllic, and propylitic) in monzogranite. However, barite veinlets had an ENE–WSW trend, while gold mineralization was confined to quartz veins having NE–SW trends. Monazite and zircon are radioactive-bearing minerals recorded in monzogranite causing high radioactive zones in south Monqul. The radionuclide activity concentrations were detected in the studied monzogranites. The mean values of AU (103 ± 91 Bq kg−1), ATh (78 ± 19 Bq kg−1), and AK (1484 ± 334 Bq kg−1) in the monzogranite samples were higher than the recommended worldwide average. The change in radioactive-transporting minerals found inside granite faults caused the high amounts of radioactivity seen in the samples. Due to the monzogranites being applied in building materials, the radiological hazards were assessed by calculating risk indices such as annual effective dose (AED) and excess lifetime cancer risk (ELCR). The acceptable limit for the ELCR readings was surpassed. As a result, the investigated monzogranite samples are not suitable for use in infrastructure materials. © 2022 by the authors. Licensee MDPI, Basel, Switzerland.

The problem of engineering a biomimetic mineralized layer on the surface of native dental tissue (bio-template) was considered in our work. The formation of the mineralized layer on a biotemplate is achieved with the use of nanocrystalline carbonate-substituted calcium hydroxyapatite (HAp), calcium alkali, and a complex of polyfunctional organic and polar amino acids. By applying the set of structural and spectroscopic methods of analysis we have confirmed the formation of a mineralized biomimetic HAp layer on the surface of bio-template with properties resembling those of natural hard tissue. The thickness of the biomimetic mineralized layer varies from 300 to 500 nm, while the direction of some ncHAp nanocrystals coincides with that of the apatite crystals in the enamel. We also demonstrated that the engineered mineralized HAp layer was characterized by homogeneous micromorphology and enhanced nanohardness in the region of the enamel rods exceeding those of native enamel. The development of a strategy for biomimetic engineering and a technique for enamel surface pre-treatment to enable tissue mineralization has huge potential in dental applications. © 2022 The Authors

The present study aimed to assess the radiological hazards associated with applying the investigated granite in the building materials and the infrastructures applications. The investigated granites are classified into four categories: El-Urf, barren, colourful and opaque. El Urf monzogran-ite intrudes metagabbro diorite complex with sharp contacts. Based on the activity concentrations, the environmental parameters such as absorbed dose rate (Dair), annual effective dose (AED), ra-dium equivalent activity (Raeq), external (Hex) and internal (Hin) hazard indices were measured. The mineralized pegmatite is located in the southwestern foothill of the Gabal El Urf younger granite. It displays well-defined zonation of three zones: outer, middle and inner zones represented by potash feldspar, quartz and mica, respectively. The isorad map showed that El Urf monzogranite is barren (Up to 100 cps) surrounding an excavation of the studied pegmatite that exhibits moderate colorful mineralization (phase-I = 500–1500 cps) and anomalous opaque mineralization (phase-II = 1500– 3500 cps) pegmatites. The obtained results of radionuclides activity concentrations illustrated that the Opaque granites have the highest values of238U (561 ± 127 Bq kg−1),232Th (4289 ± 891 Bq kg−1) and40K (3002 ± 446 Bq kg−1) in the granites, which are higher than the recommended worldwide average. Many of the radiological hazard parameters were lesser than the international limits in the younger granites and barren pegmatites. All of these parameters were higher in the colorful and opaque mineralized pegmatites. The high activity and the elevated radiological hazard parameters in the mineralized pegmatites are revised to the presence of radioactive and radioelements bearing minerals, such as thorite, meta-autunite, kasolite, phurcalite, columbite, fergusonite, Xenotime and fluorapatite. Other instances of mineralization were also recorded as cassiterite, atacamite, galena, pyrite and iron oxide minerals. T

Driven by the need to use mineral resources more sustainably, and the increasing complexity of ore deposits still available for commercial exploitation, the acquisition of quantitative data on mineralogy and microfabric has become an important need in the execution of exploration and geometallurgical test programmes. Hyperspectral drill-core scanning has the potential to be an excellent tool for providing such data in a fast, non- destructive and reproducible manner. However, there is a distinct lack of integrated methodologies to make use of these data through-out the exploration and mining chain. This thesis presents a first framework for the use of hyperspectral drill-core scanning as a pillar in exploration and geometallurgical programmes. This is achieved through the development of methods for (1) the automated mapping of alteration minerals and assemblages, (2) the extraction of quantitative mineralogical data with high resolution over the drill-cores, (3) the evaluation of the suitability of hyperspectral sensors for the pre-concentration of ores and (4) the use of hyperspectral drill- core imaging as a basis for geometallurgical domain definition and the population of these domains with mineralogical and microfabric information.:Introduction Materials and methods Assessment of alteration mineralogy and vein types using hyperspectral data Hyperspectral imaging for quasi-quantitative mineralogical studies Hyperspectral sensors for ore beneficiation 3D integration of hyperspectral data for deposit modelling Concluding remarks References

3D cell culture systems based on biological scaffold materials obtainable from both animal and human tissues constitute very interesting tools for cell therapy and personalised medicine applications. The white adipose tissue (AT) extracellular matrix (ECM) is a very promising biomaterial for tissue engineering due to its easy accessibility, malleability and proven biological activity. In the present study, human dental pulp stem cells (hDPSCs) were combined in vitro with ECM scaffolds from porcine and human decellularised adipose tissues (pDAT, hDAT) processed as 3D solid foams, to investigate their effects on the osteogenic differentiation capacity and bone matrix production of hDPSCs, compared to single-protein-based 3D solid foams of collagen type I and conventional 2D tissue-culture-treated polystyrene plates. pDAT solid foams supported the osteogenic differentiation of hDPSCs to similar levels to collagen type I, as assessed by alkaline phosphatase and alizarin red stainings, reverse transcription quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction (RT-qPCR) and osteocalcin/bone gamma-carboxyglutamate protein (BGLAP) immunostaining. Interestingly, hDAT solid foams showed a markedly lower capacity to sustain hDPSC osteogenic differentiation and matrix calcification and a higher capacity to support adipogenesis, as assessed by RT-qPCR and oil red O staining. White ATs from both human and porcine origins are relatively abundant and available sources of raw material to obtain high quality ECM-derived biomedical products. These biomaterials could have promising applications in tissue engineering and personalised clinical therapy for the healing and regeneration of lesions involving not only a loss of calcified bone but also its associated soft non-calcified tissues.

A significant amount of fruit and vegetable wastes is generated annually in markets, supermarkets, restaurants and households. Anaerobic digestion allows their appropriate management and helps to complete the cycle of the circular economy as it converts wastes into resources: biogas, a renewable source of energy, and digestate, rich in nutrients of interest for agriculture. The aim of this study was to define the agronomic value of digestate from fruit and vegetable wastes. Two digestates from fruit and vegetable residues were used in incubation experiments for C and N mineralisation in the soil, and in a pot experiment with crops (cardoon and maize), to calculate their fertiliser potential in comparison with a mineral fertiliser. The digestate quickly mineralised in the soil and nitrification processes led to fast formation of NO3−-N. However, increasing the digestate application rate enhanced N-immobilisation and reduced N-mineralisation in the soil. The addition of digestates to the soil resulted in adequate plant growth and nutrient composition, without any negative effects on the plants or soil. However, special attention should be paid to the salt accumulation in the soil for long-term digestate application. The nutrient recovery efficiency indicated that digestate could replace mineral fertiliser completely in cardoon crops and partially (44.5–82.6%) for maize, with an associated economic benefit. The salinity of the digestates limits their quality and their agricultural use to salt-sensitive crops should be limited.

Présentement, la technique de prélever du tissu osseux d’un site donneur pour une greffe osseuse est bien établie, mais entraines toutes sortes de complications. Les biomatériaux sont considérés comme la prochaine itération pour avancer la médecine régénératrice, et qui peut remplacer la nécessité d’une opération chirurgicale pour prélever l’os, ou d’utiliser l’os d’une source externe, ce qui produit dans une réponse antigénique. La création des biomatériaux qui peuvent incorporer des éléments bioactifs et qui ont des propriétés de guérison significativement plus élevées que les matériaux traditionnels est donc extrêmement désirable. Le but de ce projet est d’incorporer des éléments bioactifs, tels que des polypeptides dérivés de la fibroïne (FDP) de soie et des verres bioactifs (spécifiquement du verre de phosphate, PG), dans des échafaudages de collagène et de chitosan. L’objectif est de créer un échafaud biocompatible avec des propriétés mécaniques et biologiques comparable au tissu osseux et qui peuvent être utilisés pour la réparation des os. En outre, l’utilisation de ces éléments peuvent également être utilisés pour créer des couches bioactives pour les implants biomédicaux (prothèses métalliques). Les éléments bioactifs seront incorporés dans les hydrogels dans le but d’améliorer les propriétés biologiques et mécaniques du gel et la biocompatibilité de l’échafaudage, le rendant plus attirant pour des applications cliniques. La composition, la morphologie et la structure de ces gels et échafaudages, avec et sans additifs bioactifs incorporés, seront analysées. L’objectif final est de caractériser l’effet des additifs dans les hydrogels et les échafaudages en termes de propriétés de matériaux et biologiques. Le chitosan (CTS) est un polymère non toxique, biocompatible et biodégradable qui a suscité un intérêt considérable dans un large éventail d’applications biomédicales et pharmaceutiques, y compris l’administration de médicaments et l’ingénierie des tissus

The Per Geijer iron oxide-apatite deposits are important potential future resources for Luossavaara-Kiirunavaara Aktiebolag (LKAB), which has been continuously mining magnetite/hematite ores in northern Sweden for almost 130 years. The Per Geijer deposits reveal a high phosphorus content and vary from magnetite-dominated to hematite-dominated ores, respectively. The high phosphorus concentration of these ores results from highly elevated content of apatite as gangue mineral. Reliable, robust, and qualitative characterization of the mineralization is required as these ores inherit complex mineralogical and textural features. The precise mineralogical information obtained by optical microscopy, SEM-MLA and Raman improves the characterization of ore types and will benefit future processing strategies for this complex mineralization. The different approaches demonstrate advantages and disadvantages in classification, imaging, discrimination of iron oxides, and time consumption of measurement and processing. A comprehensive mineral-chemical dataset of magnetite, hematite and apatite obtained by electron microprobe analysis (EPMA) and LA-ICP-MS from representative drill core samples is presented. Magnetite, four different types of hematite and five types of apatite constitute the massive orebodies: Primary and pristine magnetite with moderate to high concentrations of Ti (∼61–2180 ppm), Ni (∼11–480 ppm), Co (∼5–300 ppm) and V (∼553–1831 ppm) indicate a magmatic origin for magnetite. The presence of fluorapatite and associated monazite inclusions and disseminated pyrite enclosed by magnetite with high Co:Ni ratios (> 10) in massive magnetite ores are consistent with a high temperature (∼ 800°C) genesis for the deposit. The different and abundant types of hematite, especially hematite type I, state subsequent hydrothermal events. Chromium, Ni, Co and V in both magnetite and hematite have low concentrations in terms of current product regulations and thus no effect on final

This project evaluated several image analysis methods on the irregular morphology of bone defect models in periodontal tissues. The study advanced image improvement technology for visualization of mineralized tissue regeneration. The current work will allow scientists to circumvent the current known limitations in evaluating trabeculae microarchitecture and separate the periodontium's tissue by density value, which will significantly enhance periodontal tissue engineering and regeneration assessment.

Background: Soil N mineralisation is the process by which organic N is converted into plant-available forms, while soil N immobilisation is the transformation of inorganic soil N into organic matter and microbial biomass, thereafter becoming bio-unavailable to plants. Mechanistic models can be used to explore the contribution of mineralised or immobilised N to pasture growth through simulation of plant, soil and environment interactions driven by management. Purpose: Our objectives were (1) to compare the performance of three agro-ecosystems models (APSIM, DayCent and DairyMod) in simulating soil N, pasture biomass and soil water using the same experimental data in three diverse environments (2), to determine if tactical application of N fertiliser in different seasons could be used to leverage seasonal trends in N mineralisation to influence pasture growth and (3), to explore the sensitivity of N mineralisation to changes in N fertilisation, cutting frequency and irrigation rate. Key results: Despite considerable variation in model sophistication, no model consistently outperformed the other models with respect to simulation of soil N, shoot biomass or soil water. Differences in the accuracy of simulated soil NH4 and NO3 were greater between sites than between models and overall, all models simulated cumulative N2O well. While tactical N application had immediate effects on NO3, NH4, N mineralisation and pasture growth, no long-term relationship between mineralisation and pasture growth could be discerned. It was also shown that N mineralisation of DayCent was more sensitive to N fertiliser and cutting frequency compared with the other models. Major conclusions: Our results suggest that while superfluous N fertilisation generally stimulates immobilisation and a pulse of N2O emissions, subsequent effects through N mineralisation/immobilisation effects on pasture growth are variable. We suggest that

This thesis investigates the tectonic and magmatic setting of a Copper-rich seafloor massive sulfide deposit. Integrated multi-scale data analysis produced a regional to deposit-scale framework to constrain how, why and where these types of mineral deposits form. Outcomes from this research advance our understanding of 1) regional tectonic evolution of the East Manus Basin, and 2) volcanic and magmatic processes conducive to seafloor massive sulfide deposit formation.

The advent of unoccupied aerial systems (UAS) as disruptive technology has a lasting impact on remote sensing, geophysics and most geosciences. Small, lightweight, and low-cost UAS enable researchers and surveyors to acquire earth observation data in higher spatial and spectral resolution as compared to airborne and satellite data. UAS-based applications range from rapid topographic mapping using photogrammetric techniques to hyperspectral and geophysical measurements of surface and subsurface geology. UAS surveys contribute to identifying metal deposits, monitoring of mine sites and can reveal arising environmental issues associated with mining. Further, affordable UAS technology will boost exploration data availability and expertise in the global south. This thesis investigates the application of UAS-based multi-sensor data for mineral exploration, in particular the integration of hyperspectral imagers, magnetometers and digital cameras (covering the visible red, green, blue light spectrum). UAS-based research is maturing, however the aforementioned methods are not unified effectively. RGB-based photogrammetry is used to investigate topography and surface texture. Image spectrometers measure mineral-specific surface signatures. Magnetometers detect geomagnetic field changes caused by magnetic minerals at surface and depth. The integration of such UAS sensor-based methods in this thesis augments exploration potential with non-invasive, high-resolution, safe, rapid and practical survey methods. UAS-based surveying acquired, processed and integrated data from three distinct test sites. The sites are located in Finland (Fe-Ti-V at Otanmäki; apatite at Siilinjärvi) and Greenland (Ni-Cu-PGE at Qullissat, Disko Island) and were chosen as geologically diverse areas in subarctic to arctic environments. Restricted accessibility, unfavourable atmospheric conditions, dark rocks, debris and vegetation cover and low solar illumination were common features. While the topography, Ziel dieser Arbeit war es, das Potenzial einer Drohnen-basierten Mineralexploration mit Multisensor-Datenintegration unter Verwendung optisch-spektroskopischer und magnetischer Methoden zu untersuchen, um u. a. übertragbare Arbeitsabläufe zu erstellen. Die untersuchte Literatur legt nahe, dass Drohnen-basierte Bildspektroskopie und magnetische Sensoren ein ausgereiftes technologisches Niveau erreichen und erhebliches Potenzial für die Anwendungsentwicklung bieten, aber es noch keine ausreichende Synergie von hyperspektralen und magnetischen Methoden gibt. Diese Arbeit umfasste drei Fallstudien, bei denen die Drohnengestützte Vermessung von geologischen Zielen in subarktischen bis arktischen Regionen angewendet wurde. Eine Kombination von Drohnen-Technologie mit RGB, Multi- und Hyperspektralkameras und Magnetometern ist vorteilhaft und schuf die Grundlage für eine integrierte Modellierung in den Fallstudien. Die Untersuchungen wurden in einem Gelände mit flacher und zerklüfteter Topografie, verdeckten Zielen und unter oft schlechten Lichtverhältnissen durchgeführt. Unter diesen Bedingungen war es das Ziel, die Anwendbarkeit von Drohnen-basierten Multisensordaten in verschiedenen Explorationsumgebungen zu bewerten. Hochauflösende Oberflächenbilder und Untergrundinformationen aus der Magnetik wurden fusioniert und gemeinsam interpretiert, dabei war eine selektive Gesteinsprobennahme und Analyse ein wesentlicher Bestandteil dieser Arbeit und für die Validierung notwendig. Für eine Eisenerzlagerstätte wurde eine einfache Ressourcenschätzung durchgeführt, indem Magnetik, bildspektroskopisch-basierte Indizes und 2D-Strukturinterpretation integriert wurden. Fotogrammetrische 3D-Modellierung, magnetisches forward-modelling und hyperspektrale Klassifizierungen wurden für eine Karbonatit-Intrusion angewendet, um einen kompletten Explorationsabschnitt zu erfassen. Eine Vektorinversion von magnetischen Daten von Disko Island, Grönland, wurden genutzt, um großräumige 3D-Modelle v

Located at an important intersect between orogenic Au deposits in Sweden’s Gold Line and volcanicmassive sulphide (VMS) deposits in the Skellefte Mining District, the Barsele area is of high interest.Currently, the Barsele deposit consists of the Norra VMS deposit and 3 intrusive-hosted orogenic Audeposits: Avan, Central, and Skiråsen which are hosted in a 1876 ± 10 Ma early orogenic granodiorite(Thomas, et al., 2019). The aim of this thesis is to create a structural and geological model of the Barsele area whilst improvingthe understanding of the structural controls on VMS and intrusive-hosted Au mineralisation in thearea. Furthermore, this thesis aims to highlight prospective areas for future study and targeting inhopes to aid mineral exploration in the region. Geological mapping has been carried out in an area ofaround 440km2, with emphasis on structural measurements. 381 outcrop observations and more than4200 structural features were recorded using a combination of traditional and digital mappingmethods, including the use of Field Move by Petroleum Experts. The area was chosen as part of AgnicoEagle, Sweden’s mineral exploration project. The region has been affected by two dominant, syn-metamorphic cleavage forming events. The eventsdefine the main phase of the Svecofennian Orogeny which has produced ubiquitous slaty cleavage, Ndirected thrusts, and steeply inclined axial surfaces throughout the region. The region is characterisedby important N-S displacements with sinistral movement along major N-S trending transfer faults. Theabsence of strike-slip shearing in D1 structures indicates that D1 deformation was dominantly coaxialin nature and developed due to SW-NE crustal shortening. Along with this, a major ESE-WNW-strikingshear zone is identified with an inferred syn-extensional (D1) origin. D2 involved fault inversion and reactivation of syn-extensional faults as reverse shear zones. E-Wtrending lineations along more brittle SSW-NNE striking shear zones inferr

Three-dimensional (3D) spheroid culture can promote the osteogenic differentiation and bone regeneration capacity of mesenchymal stromal cells (MSC). Gingiva-derived progenitor cells (GPC) represent a less invasive alternative to bone marrow MSC (BMSC) for clinical applications. The aim of this study was to test the in vivo bone forming potential of human GPC and BMSC cultured as 3D spheroids or dissociated cells (2D). 2D and 3D cells encapsulated in constructs of human platelet lysate hydrogels (HPLG) and 3D-printed poly (L-lactide-co-trimethylene carbonate) scaffolds (HPLG-PLATMC) were implanted subcutaneously in nude mice; cell-free HPLG-PLATMC constructs served as a control. Mineralization was assessed using micro-computed tomography (µCT), histology, scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and in situ hybridization (ISH). After 4–8 weeks, µCT revealed greater mineralization in 3D-BMSC vs. 2D-BMSC and 3D-GPC (p < 0.05), and a similar trend in 2D-GPC vs. 2D-BMSC (p > 0.05). After 8 weeks, greater mineralization was observed in cell-free constructs vs. all 2D- and 3D-cell groups (p < 0.05). Histology and SEM revealed an irregular but similar mineralization pattern in all groups. ISH revealed similar numbers of 2D and 3D BMSC/GPC within and/or surrounding the mineralized areas. In summary, spheroid culture promoted ectopic mineralization in constructs of BMSC, while constructs of dissociated GPC and BMSC performed similarly. The combination of HPLG and PLATMC represents a promising scaffold for bone tissue engineering applications., Corrigendum: https://doi.org/10.3389/fbioe.2021.831669 (ISI 000747706000001)

The Fennoscandian Shield as a part of a large Precambrian basement area is located in northern Europe and hosts economically important mineral deposits including base metals and precious metals. Regional geophysical data such as potential field and magnetotelluric data in combination with other geoscientific data contain information of importance for an understanding of the crustal and upper mantle structure. Knowledge about regional-scale structures is important for an optimized search for mineralisation. In order to investigate in more detail the spatial distribution of regional electrically conductive structures and near-surface mineral deposits, complementary magnetotelluric measurements have been done within the Precambrian Shield in the north-eastern part of the Norrbotten ore province. The potential field data provided by the Geological Survey of Sweden have been included in the current study. Processing of magnetotelluric data was performed using a robust multi-remote reference technique. The dimensionality analysis of the phase tensors indicates complex 3D structures in the area. A 3D crustal model of the electrical conductivity structure was derived based on 3D inversion of the data using the ModEM code. The final inversion 3D resistivity model revealed the presence of strong crustal conductors with the conductance of more than 3000 S at depth of tens of kilometres within a generally resistive crust. A significant part of the middle crust conductors is elongated in directions that coincide with major ductile deformation zones that have been mapped from airborne magnetic data and geological fieldwork. Some of these conductors have near-surface expression where they spatially correlate with the locations of known mineralisation. Processing and 3D inversion of the regional magnetic and gravity field data were performed, and the structural information derived from these data by using an open-source object-oriented package code written in Python called SimPEG.

Soil needs to be dried in order to determine water content, soil organic carbon content (SOC) and total nitrogen content (N). Water content is commonly measured using standard methods that involve drying temperatures of 105–110 °C. Recommended drying temperatures differ for the determination of SOC and N. However, at moderate drying temperatures, microbial activity might lead to organic matter mineralisation and nitrification, and thus to an underestimation of SOC and N. Furthermore, low drying temperatures might not dewater soils sufficiently to correctly determine water content or bulk density. Chemical processes such as thermal decomposition and volatilisation might occur at higher temperatures. This raises the question of whether the same sample can be used to determine water content, SOC and N. Further, the effect of drying, especially at different temperatures, on basal respiration of peat soils determined by incubation experiments is so far unknown. Effects of drying temperature might be especially severe for peat soils, which have high SOC and water contents. This study systematically evaluated the effect of different drying temperatures (20, 40, 60, 80 and 105 °C) on the determination of mass loss (proxy for water content), SOC and N over a wide range of 15 different peat soils comprising amorphous, Sphagnum and sedge peat substrate. The investigated peat soils had SOC contents ranging from approximately 16.8–52.5% with different degrees of decomposition. They were thus separated into two ‘peat groups’ (amorphous and weakly decomposed). In a subsequent investigation, an incubation experiment was carried out on a subset of five peat soils to investigate the pre-treatment effect of different drying temperatures on basal respiration. The results showed that amorphous samples should be dried at 105 °C to determine water content. The weakly decomposed peat soils in the study had reliable water contents for drying temperatures above 60 °C. For temperatures below

The capacity of the electro-coagulation (EC) process for the treatment of the wastewater containing Cr3+, resulting from a leather tannery industry placed in Medellin (Colombia), was evaluated. In order to assess the effect of some parameters, such as: the electrode type (Al and/or Fe), the distance between electrodes, the current density, the stirring velocity, and the initial Cr3+ concentration on its efficiency of removal (%RCr+3), a multifactorial experimental design was used. The %RCr3+ was defined as the response variable for the statistical analysis. In order to optimise the operational values for the chosen parameters, the response surface method (RSM) was applied. Additionally, the Biological Oxygen Demand (BOD5), the Chemical Oxygen Demand (COD), and the Total Organic Carbon (TOC) were monitored during the EC process. The electrodes made of aluminium appeared to be the most effective in the chromium removal from the wastewater under study. At pH equal to 4.52 and at 28 degrees C, the optimal conditions of Cr3+ removal using the EC process were found, as follows: the initial Cr3+ concentration=3,596 mg/L, the electrode gap=0.5 cm, the stirring velocity=382.3 rpm, and the current density=57.87 mA/cm2. At those conditions, it was possible to reach 99.76% of Cr3+ removal, and 64% and 61% of mineralisation (TOC) and COD removal, respectively. A kinetic analysis was performed in order to verify the response capacity of the EC process at optimised parameter values.

Background: Peatlands only cover a minor fraction of the global terrestrial surface, but due to drainage, they are major contributors to carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions from soils. Previous studies have shown that hydrological conditions, nutrient availability and anthropogenic disturbance play an important role in the mineralisation of organic matter. Furthermore, microbial turnover depends on peat quality, which is determined by its botanical origin and degree of transformation under natural conditions. Aims: The objective of this study was to shed light on the interdependence between mineralisation rates, secondary transformation of peat and chemical composition by examining the differences between bog and fen peat and between strongly degraded topsoil and well-preserved subsoil. Methods: Bog and fen peat from ten different peatlands under grassland use in Germany were analysed for their chemical composition using standard 13C nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopy and wet chemical extractions for fibre analysis. The radiocarbon age was determined as well. The results were combined with CO2 fluxes from a previous incubation study. Results: Topsoils had higher shares of proteins and lipids, and lower shares of carbohydrates and aromatics than subsoils. Bog peat subsoils were characterised by higher shares of carbohydrates and lower shares of aromatics than fen peat subsoils. Topsoils were more similar to each other in their chemical composition than the subsoils. Considering all samples, aromatics and phenolics were negatively correlated with CO2 fluxes. Measured CO2 fluxes from topsoils were significantly higher than from subsoils. However, no influences of chemical composition on CO2 fluxes were detected when examining topsoils and subsoils separately. Even though aromatics and phenolics showed positive relationships with radiocarbon age, differences in age alone were unable to explain the higher amounts of these compounds in the subsoil. Conclusions: The

Hard tissue engineering has evolved over the past decades, with multiple approaches being explored and developed. Despite the rapid development and success of advanced 3D cell culture, 3D printing technologies and material developments, a gold standard approach to engineering and regenerating hard tissue substitutes such as bone, dentin and cementum, has not yet been realised. One such strategy that differs from conventional regenerative medicine approach of other tissues, is the in vitro mineralisation of collagen templates in the absence of cells. Collagen is the most abundant protein within the human body and forms the basis of all hard tissues. Once mineralised, collagen provides important support and protection to humans, for example in the case of bone tissue. Multiple in vitro fabrication strategies and mineralisation approaches have been developed and their success in facilitating mineral deposition on collagen to achieve bone-like scaffolds evaluated. Critical to the success of such fabrication and biomineralisation approaches is the collagen template, and its chemical composition, organisation, and density. The key factors that influence such properties are the collagen processing and fabrication techniques utilised to create the template, and the mineralisation strategy employed to deposit mineral on and throughout the templates. However, despite its importance, relatively little attention has been placed on these two critical factors. Here, we critically examine the processing, fabrication and mineralisation strategies that have been used to mineralise collagen templates, and offer insights and perspectives on the most promising strategies for creating mineralised collagen scaffolds. Statement of significance: In this review, we highlight the critical need to fabricate collagen templates with advanced processing techniques, in a manner that achieves biomimicry of the hierarchical collagen structure, prior to utilising in vitro mineralisation strategie

Purpose: This study investigated the C and N mineralisation potential of solid fractions (SFs) from co-digestated pig manure after P-stripping (P-POOR SF) in comparison with P-rich SFs, as a means to estimate their organic matter stability in soil. Compost (COMP) and biochar (BCHR) (made from P-POOR SF) were also included in the study as reference biosolids. Methods: The SFs were incubated in a sandy-loam soil under moist conditions to determine production of CO2 and mineral N. At specified intervals, CO2 evolution in the mixtures was measured via the alkali trap method and titration over a period of 81 days, while mineral N was measured using a flow analyser after KCl extraction over a period of 112 days. Results: The various SFs showed similar patterns of C mineralisation (15–26% of added total C in 81 days) that were clearly higher than for COMP and BCHR (6% and 7%, respectively). Temporary N immobilisation was observed in biosolids with a high C/N ratio. The effective organic matter (EOM) of the SFs was calculated based on the C mineralisation data and varied between 130 and 369 kg Mg−1. Conclusions: The SF with a reduced P content had a high EOM/P ratio which is beneficial in areas where P status of the soil is already high. Moreover, the N mineralisation patterns confirm that a high C/N ratio may also reduce risks for N leaching due to temporary N immobilisation.

Cholesterinic granulomas are mass-like lesions that form at the choroid plexus of the ventricular system. Large cholesterinic granulomas within the lateral ventricles have been reported to cause severe neurological signs. However, little data are available about their prevalence or appearance in the overall population. The objective was to report the prevalence of presumed cholesterinic granulomas on CT in a population of horses, and investigate associations between presumed cholesterinic granuloma presence, lateral ventricle size, age, and neurological signs. The study was cross sectional, CT scans of the head were assessed for presumed cholesterinic granuloma presence and size, and lateral ventricle height. Computed tomography findings and clinical information were compared using nonparametric testing. Computed tomography scans of 139 horses were included. Presumed cholesterinic granulomas were found in 22 horses (15.8%), nine were unilateral and 13 bilateral. A significant increase in prevalence was observed with age (P <.0001), with 38% of horses over 15 years old affected. The median volume of presumed cholesterinic granulomas was 242 mm3 with a range from 51 to 2420 mm3. The mean lateral ventricle height was significantly increased in horses with presumed cholesterinic granulomas present (P =.004), with a median of 7.3 mm compared to 4.9 mm without. Neurological signs were not associated with presumed cholesterinic granuloma presence or lateral ventricle height. Fourth ventricle mineralizations were found in seven horses, which may represent cholesterinic granulomas. In conclusion, presumed cholesterinic granulomas occurred in a large proportion of the examined population and are associated with increased lateral ventricle dilation and advanced age.

The Inca uranium deposit is situated about 40 km east of the town Swakopmund in the central Namib Desert within the Erongo region, in western Namibia. It is located within the uranium-endowed Central Zone of the Pan African Damara orogenic belt. The deposit is hosted in amphibolite facies grade metasedimentary rocks of the Lower Swakop Group of the Damara Supergoup. Characterisation of mineralogical and geochemical features of the Inca uranium mineralisation has been conducted to enhance the understanding of formation processes of the deposit. The objectives of the study were to characterise the occurrence of uranium mineralisation and to establish a genetic model of the deposit. This quantitative study has been conducted through whole-rock major and trace element geochemical analytical methods comprising ICP-OES and ICP-MS; and XRD method for mineral identification; as well as scanning electron microscopy and optical petrographic examination of selected drill core samples from three selected boreholes. Major element abundances of most samples are characterised by anomalous silica and iron oxides related to metamorphic and magmatic-hydrothermal alterations. Trace element abundances of some samples such as S, Pb, and Zn depict positive correlation with uranium mineralisation and is postulated to simultaneous and successive distinct processes. REE and uranium enrichment correlation particularly associated with magnetite skarn rocks suggests mobility of REE during hydrothermal uranium mineralisation. Uranium mineralisation is essentially made up of interstitially disseminated euhedral to subeuhedral primary uraninite and secondary, hydrothermal, massive to semi-massive and botryoidal coffinite occurring as fracture infills, veinlets and coatings around grain boundaries of gangue mineral assemblages of host metasedimentary and leucogranite rocks. Uraninite is intimately related to prograde metamorphic assemblages and magnetite skarn rock. Coffinite is derived from parti

The Río Blanco–Los Bronces (Chile) is one of the richest endowed porphyry copper-molybdenum districts worldwide, where about 20% of the known mineralization is hosted by tourmaline-cemented hydrothermal breccia. This work seeks: (1) to find a relationship between tourmaline chemical and/or isotopic composition and the degree of mineralization in the breccia, (2) to constrain the source of the mineralizing fluid in the breccia, and (3) to determine of the composition and age of intrusive units in three new exploration projects and correlate them with the known intrusive rocks of the mine areas. Tourmaline from mineralized and barren breccias has similar boron isotopic compositions but differences in Mg/(Mg+Fe) ratios, Al-contents and Al-Fe correlation, which may have exploration value. Boron and sulfur isotopes results are consistent with a magmatic source of hydrothermal fluids. Results of whole rock geochemistry and U-Pb and 40Ar/39Ar geochronology of intrusive units, breccia and late-stage veins are combined with previous U-Pb, Ar/Ar and Re-Os ages to elucidate the magmatic and hydrothermal history of the district.:1 Introduction 1.1 Motivation of the study and statement of research questions 1.2 Scope of the study 2 Porphyry copper deposits (PCDs) 2.1 Introduction 2.1.1 Global copper inventory 2.1.2 Definition and classification of PCDs 2.2 Regional scale characteristics of PCDs 2.2.1 Tectonic setting 2.2.2 Space and time distribution 2.2.3 Porphyry stocks and their pluton and volcanic connections 2.2.4 Wall-rock Influence 2.3 Deposit-scale characteristics 2.3.1 Porphyry stocks and dikes 2.3.2 Hydrothermal breccia 2.3.3 Alteration-mineralization zoning 2.4 Processes of PCD formation 2.4.1 Arc magmatism 2.4.2 Magmatic volatiles 2.4.3 Genetic models 3 Regional setting of the study area 3.1 Tectono-magmatic setting 3.2 Metallogenic belts 4 Río Blanco – Los Bronces mining district 4.1 Mining history 4.2 District geology 4.2.1 Stratified rocks 4.2.2 Plutonic and hypab

Diflufenican is used in both agricultural and urban areas to control weeds. However, in Europe pesticides are regulated using agricultural soil data only. Urban soils where the top layer is replaced by gravel (e.g. driveways, outdoor tiled areas) can evidently differ from agricultural soils in many biotic and physical properties. In the present study, we compared the degradation, mineralization, sorption and aging of diflufenican between an agricultural sandy soil to a gravel used in urban areas. Both diflufenican and its two main aerobic metabolites were investigated. Diflufenican and the metabolites degraded slower in gravel than in agricultural soil. One of the metabolites, 2-[3-(Trifluoromethyl)phenoxy]nicolinic add (AE B107137 as identified by EISA: further abbreviated as AE-B), was formed from the incubation of diflufenican in both soil and gravel, however, showing different formation patterns in the two materials: No accumulation of AE-B was determined in the soil, whereas in gravel, an accumulation of AE-B was determined over the full study period of 150 days. After 150 days, approximately 10% of the applied diflufenican was mineralised in the soil (cumulative), while it was not mineralised in the gravel. Diflufenican showed much stronger sorption to the soil than to the gravel, while the sorption of the metabolites was weaker than diflufenican in both soil and gravel. Within the experimental period, the influence of aging on the fate of diflufenican in soil and gravel is limited (

Accurate estimates of the quantity and rate of soil nitrogen supply (SNS) are essential to increase soil and farm N use efficiencies, in particular for soils high in organic matter. The objective of this work was to enhance the empirical understanding of the SNS of dairy grasslands on peat soils, using soil properties and weather variables. Data were collected from studies on herbage N uptake carried out between 1992 and 2017 in the western peat district of the Netherlands. For the period between March to mid October, SNS was estimated from the sum of mean growing season daily temperatures, soil organic matter (SOM) and applied calcium ammonium nitrate (CAN) N with a residual standard error of 25–27 kg ha−1. Each °C growing season temperature sum affected SNS by 78–90 g ha−1 and each g SOM per 100 g dry soil affected SNS by 3.6–3.9 kg ha−1, respectively. SNS was equally estimated for conditions with and without CAN fertilisation. Validation with data from independent field trials showed similar impacts of SOM and growing season temperature sum on SNS. The error of prediction of the presented models, however, was still too large for direct on-farm application and led to underestimations for a specific site. Nevertheless, the obtained models allow for an increased understanding of soil and farm N balances. The models can therefore be used for improved temporal and spatial SNS-adapted farming practice advice, which can potentially lead to reduced soil and farm N surpluses.

The presence of the critical and sought-after (semi-)metals gallium (Ga) and germanium (Ge) has previously been reported from mineralisations in the Bergslagen ore province, south central Sweden. Some of these reports were however recently shown to be questionable or erroneous. Here we summarise early analytical work on these metals in mineral deposits of the Bergslagen province, as well as briefly report new analytical data for Ga and Ge from recent, in part on-going work on different mineralisation types. The new data show that the sampled sulphide and iron oxide mineralisations in the Bergslagen province are overall not particularly enriched in Ga, and even less so with regards to Ge. One major exception is the significant Ga enrichment observed in skarn-hosted Fe-REE(-polymetallic) deposits of Bastnas type. Notably, these mineralisations also host increased contents of Ge. Based on this broader suite of sampled deposits, the suggested correlation between Ga and Al contents in previously studied material with relatively increased Ga grades, is in part contradicted, indicating that Ga is only in part sequestered through straightforward Al-substitution into aluminium silicate and oxide minerals. The mineralisations that do exhibit significantly increased Ge contents, in addition to the Bastnas-type deposits, are represented by both sulphide-dominated ones and Fe (-Mn) oxide-rich systems.

Die hyperspektrale Bildgebung stellt eine Schlüsseltechnologie in der nicht-invasiven Mineralanalyse dar, sei es im Labormaßstab oder als fernerkundliche Methode. Rasante Entwicklungen im Sensordesign und in der Computertechnik hinsichtlich Miniaturisierung, Bildauflösung und Datenqualität ermöglichen neue Einsatzgebiete in der Erkundung mineralischer Rohstoffe, wie die drohnen-gestützte Datenaufnahme oder digitale Aufschluss- und Bohrkernkartierung. Allgemeingültige Datenverarbeitungsroutinen fehlen jedoch meist und erschweren die Etablierung dieser vielversprechenden Ansätze. Besondere Herausforderungen bestehen hinsichtlich notwendiger radiometrischer und geometrischer Datenkorrekturen, der räumlichen Georeferenzierung sowie der Integration mit anderen Datenquellen. Die vorliegende Arbeit beschreibt innovative Arbeitsabläufe zur Lösung dieser Problemstellungen und demonstriert die Wichtigkeit der einzelnen Schritte. Sie zeigt das Potenzial entsprechend prozessierter spektraler Bilddaten für komplexe Aufgaben in Mineralexploration und Geowissenschaften., Hyperspectral imaging (HSI) is one of the key technologies in current non-invasive material analysis. Recent developments in sensor design and computer technology allow the acquisition and processing of high spectral and spatial resolution datasets. In contrast to active spectroscopic approaches such as X-ray fluorescence or laser-induced breakdown spectroscopy, passive hyperspectral reflectance measurements in the visible and infrared parts of the electromagnetic spectrum are considered rapid, non-destructive, and safe. Compared to true color or multi-spectral imagery, a much larger range and even small compositional changes of substances can be differentiated and analyzed. Applications of hyperspectral reflectance imaging can be found in a wide range of scientific and industrial fields, especially when physically inaccessible or sensitive samples and processes need to be analyzed. In geosciences, this method offers a possibility to obtain spatially continuous compositional information of samples, outcrops, or regions that might be otherwise inaccessible or too large, dangerous, or environmentally valuable for a traditional exploration at reasonable expenditure. Depending on the spectral range and resolution of the deployed sensor, HSI can provide information about the distribution of rock-forming and alteration minerals, specific chemical compounds and ions. Traditional operational applications comprise space-, airborne, and lab-scale measurements with a usually (near-)nadir viewing angle. The diversity of available sensors, in particular the ongoing miniaturization, enables their usage from a wide range of distances and viewing angles on a large variety of platforms. Many recent approaches focus on the application of hyperspectral sensors in an intermediate to close sensor-target distance (one to several hundred meters) between airborne and lab-scale, usually implying exceptional acquisition parameters. These comprise unusual viewing angles as for the imaging of