Diatomaceous rocks of the Jawornik deposit (the Polish Outer Carpathians): petrophysical and petrographical evaluation
Journal Title: Geology, Geophysics & Environment - Year 2015, Vol 41, Issue 4
Abstract
Diatomites belonging to a list of raw materials used in the EU criticality assessment are essential to many industrial applications due to a unique combination of their physical properties, i.e. porous and permeable structure, high specific surface area and adsorption capacity, low density and thermal conductivity, and chemical inertness. The present study was undertaken to analyse the relationships between the pore network characteristics, petrophysical parameters, and mineralogical variability of the Lower Miocene diatomites from the Jawornik deposit (Skole Unit, the Polish Outer Carpathians, SE Poland). Five varieties of the diatomites, distinguished on the basis of the macroscopic features, i.e., colour and fracturing effects, have been investigated by SEM, chemical and XRD analysis, mercury intrusion porosimetry, helium pycnometry, and the Vickers hardness tests. Significantly differing are two varieties. The light-coloured, massive and block-forming diatomites (variety BL) consist mainly of poorly cemented siliceous skeletal remains of diatoms, and represent the rocks with high total porosity (38–43%), low bulk density (1.28–1.38 g/cm3) and low microhardness (10.7 HV0.3). The dark-gray silicified diatomites with a platy or prismatic splitting (variety PD) reveal obscured microfossils of diatoms and are the most compact and hard rocks (80.8 HV0.3), with poor total porosity (17–24%) and higher bulk density (1.70–1.78 g/cm3). The spatial distribution of the field identifiable rock varieties allows selective exploitation of the diatomites with the predictable petrophysical characteristics that define their future use.
Authors and Affiliations
Beata Figarska-Warchoł, G. Stańczak, M. Rembiś, T. Toboła
The importance of salt mines for mining towns
Salt mining is one of the oldest industrial areas of human activity. Composure and evolution of rock salt mining methods were in the past an important factor of the development and prosperity of many European salt cities...
The usage of telemetry measurements methods to determine shaft tube deformations caused by natural and antrophogenic rock mass movements
Mining shaft is the most important element of the underground mine. It determines mine’s ability to work efficiently. Mining shaft is used for transporting employees, equipment and dirt or output. It also allows to perfo...
Geoportal of mining objects in Lesser Poland
Southern Poland is a well developed mining area. There are copper and coal mines in Lower Silesia, huge coal deposits in Silesia and even oil in Subcarpathia. It is not well known that in Lesser Poland you can find almos...
Water chemical composition characteristic in the upper part of the Sztoła River
The Sztoła River crosses Lesser Poland and Silesia voivodships in the region of Olkusz zinc and lead ores mining and sands extraction. It is one of the left-bank tributary of Biała Przemsza. Its sources are located south...
Characterization of perlites from Jastrabá and Lehôtka pod Brehmi deposits
Perlite is an important industrial mineral with unique properties. It is an acid volcanic glass (rhyolitic or rhyodacitic) with a water content between 1 to 5%. The largest industrial use is in the form of expanded pearl...