International Journal of Economic and Environmental Geology
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Economic Impact Assessment of Brackish Groundwater in Kirana Hills Region, District Chiniot, Pakistan
Get PDFGood quality water is the basic need of every citizen. Contaminated water not only affects our health but also damages household items such as sanitary materials. The purpose of this study is to assess the economic impact of high Total Dissolved Solids (TDS) groundwater in Kirana hills region of district Chiniot. In order to evaluate the economic impact in areas of different TDS levels of water, a survey was conducted. The survey form comprised fifteen questions related to health impact, laundry, cooking and sanitary issues. Results of data collected from the respondents of very hard water area indicated that the water causes digestive, skin and hair related diseases. According to the survey, in very hard water areas, washing clothes with groundwater makes them look rough, dull or stained. However, people living in hard water areas responded that the water is relatively better for laundry. Overall residents of very hard water area and hard water area bear costs of rupees 73,850 and 16,200 per five years respectively. By provision of good quality water and taking measures to clean the groundwater, problems can be resolved as the quality of water is positively correlated with the quality of our lives. A collective effort by government and society can minimize the loss by installing appropriate filtration techniques
Clay Mineralogy and Petrography of Basal Sand Reservoir of Badin Block, Southern Indus Basin, Pakistan: Implications for Diagenesis and Reservoir Damage Potential Assessment
Get PDFLower Goru Basal sand reservoirs of Cretaceous age offer a multiple challenge such as subtle migration, microporosity and diagenesis due to its heterogeneity. Petrography, scanning electron microscopic analysis with energy dispersive spectroscopy and x-ray diffractometry analysis on selected core samples show that it contains quartz, which is a major framework detrital grain associated with authigenic kaolinite, illite and chlorite minerals. Quartz overgrowth is the major cementation phase, whereas calcareous cement also occurs occasionally, although, basal sand is classified as quartz arenite. Major diagenetic events recognized in the area include compaction, cementation, dissolution and clay authigenesis. While basal sand is clean quartz rich sand, while presence of labile clays like kaolinite, illite and chlorite may cause problem during drilling and production operations. By maintaining fluid turbulence, drilling with mud of less than 10 pH and using hydrofluoric acid instead of hydrochloric acid in acidizing may help increasing production and reducing drilling operations related problems
Microfacies Analysis and Source Rock Potential of Nammal Formation, Western Salt Range, Pakistan: Microfacies Analysis and Source Rock Potential of Nammal Formation, Western Salt Range, Pakistan
No full textThe present study investigates the microfacies and source rock potential of the Eocene Nammal Formation in the Nammal Gorge Section, western Salt Range, Pakistan. The Nammal Formation consists of light grey to creamy color limestones, olive green to grey shales and light grey marls. Twelve rock samples of limestone were collected for microfacies analysis and nine samples of limestone and shale were analyzed for determination of Total Organic Carbon (TOC) content and source rock potential of the Nammal Formation. Thin section studies of rock samples revealed four microfacies, i.e., mudstones, wackestones, wackestones to packstones and packstones. Microfacies analysis showed that intraclast, planktons and some small benthic foraminifera, pelecypods and opperculina are present in the Nammal Formation. The type of microfacies and abundance of planktons suggest deposition on a carbonate ramp platform within outer neritic to distal shelf environment in the study area. The Nammal Formation presents a coarsening upwards trend and rise in sea level during its deposition. The average TOC value of nine samples of shale is 0.0812 which shows very little organic matter and poor source rock potential of the Nammal Formation
Heavy Metal Concentration in Groundwater of Kirana Hill Region, Rabwah, District Chiniot, Pakistan
No full textThe present study has been undertaken with an objective to evaluate the heavy metals concentration in groundwater of Rabwah town, Pakistan. The area is highly depending on groundwater sources for drinking purpose. Detailed analysis was carried out to understand the contamination level and distribution of heavy metals specifically lead, cadmium, zinc, nickel and transitional metal iron in drinking water during winter and summer. Twenty five surveyed private well sites located in Precambrian Kirana hills region were tested to map the groundwater quality and assess its suitability for drinking purpose. Detected amount of lead, cadmium and nickel were found higher than World Health Organization Standard maximum permissible limits, whereas the Ni levels were observed lower than the acceptable limit in some of the samples in summer. Generally, the mean metal concentration in sampled water sources have a descending order Ni>Pb>Cd>Zn>Cr in winter while Ni>Zn>Pb>Cr>Cd> Fe in summer. Water samples were highly enriched with Ni and Cr during summer and by Pb, Cd and Zn in winter. The quality of the drinking groundwater sources was observed unsafe for drinking; moreover, there is still need to take proactive measures to check the levels of heavy metals. The spatial analysis and distribution of groundwater quality in Rabwah town will make it easier for authorities and decision makers to determine the groundwater quality and recommend most suitable location for boring wells in future
Hypothetical Geological Model Affecting Groundwater Quality in Doabs of Indus Basin, Punjab, Pakistan
Get PDFThe groundwater quality of Indus Basin around Sargodha and adjacent areas of Punjab Plain is known for its poor-quality in multiple aquifers at different depths. The poor-quality water is being used for domestic and irrigation purposes, causing significant health hazards to communities, ecosystem, livestock, and crops. The aquifer water, sediment analysis, and surface drainage system, including river beds and dormant meanders, have been analyzed during different studies. The subsoil data points had not been concluded or established the geological reason or created a model impacting the quality of groundwater. In the past, limited work has been recognized in multiple source areas and remained focused only to Salt Range outcrops. The geological significance of Kirana-Chiniot Hillocks has not been considered and it has remained to its existing localized exposures. The aquifer solvents support the existence of near to far distance geological formations that are consistently charging the aquifers in Doabs (the area between two rivers). The present study comprises subsurface rock data, composition and geometry below the alluvial cover to speculate geological model which is contributing to alter groundwater composition after dilution and distribution to aquifers. The east-west trending zone of 200-220 km length stretches from Lahore to Khisor Range while its width in the north-south direction is about 60-80 km around Sargodha-Chinot-Sangla Hillocks. The hypothetical model is based on sub-crop rock distribution drilled wells for oil and gas, 2D-Seismic reflection data, regional gravity mapping and geology of Kirana-Chinot-Sangla Hillocks. Cambrian and Precambrian lithologies and associated minerals after dilution with recharging waters are controlling the groundwater quality in Doabs. Keywords: Hypothetical Geological Model, Groundwater Quality, Doab, Indus Basin, Punjab, Pakistan
Comparison of Present Coal and Renewable Energy Sources in Turkey
Get PDFIn parallel with the technological development, industrialization and population increase in today's world, the demands of the countries for electricity has also started to increase considerably. In particular, the issues such as climate change and greenhouse gas emissions that create life-threatening hazards to the environment and human health; Coal and fossil fuels are often compared with renewable energy resources (geothermal, solar, wind, biomass, hydraulics, hydrogen, wave etc.). In this context, it is of paramount importance for Turkey providing approximately 41% of its electricity from coal to commission and to activate efficiently alternative energy sources, which are renewable in sustainable energy corridor of Turkey. In the present work, information about coal potential, which plays a key role in Turkey's electricity production, and given this potential in terms of future energy policies are compared with renewable energy sources
Estimation of Cleaning Efficiency of Clay Removal from Bauxite
Get PDFBauxite ore is used as the raw material for the production of alumina in the Bayer hydrometallurgical process. Clay agglomerates on the bauxite surface create lot of complications in the Bayer process. Its concentration in the ore is decreased by washing the ore inside trommels or drums followed by classification and screening in which the agglomerates are detached and are removed with the action of water. The aim of bauxite washing is to increase the concentration of alumina i.e. alumina grade and reduce that of silica (clay) grade in the Bayer process plant feed. Therefore, the ratio of alumina grade to that of silica grade (A/S) is one of the deciding parameters for the bauxite ore processing. The cleaning efficiency of the washing process can be characterized by determination of the amount of silica (clay) agglomerates removed from bauxite surfaces. A semi-empirical model has been developed in which the mass and composition of the washed products and tailings streams can be easily estimated. The model developed is a function of material retention (washing) time in the washing trommels or drums and the amount of silica (clay) in the run-of-mine bauxite ore
Characterization of Phosphate Rock of Garhi Habibullah, District Mansehra, Pakistan
Get PDFPhosphate rock is essential and basic raw material for fertilizer and chemical based industries. In this research work, characterization of Ghari Habibullah (GHU) phosphate rock samples, were carried out. Aim of the study is to determine mineralogy of the ore deposits by using thin sections, X-ray Diffraction (XRD) and Scanning Electron Microscope (SEM) techniques. Elemental composition was determined by X-ray Fluorescence (XRF), assay of ore minerals and various gangue minerals were determined by chemical analysis. Mineralogical study results showed that the major gangue minerals present with ore mineral (apatite) are silica, hematite and calcite. The SEM analysis revealed that apatite (fluorapatite) was sandwiched between silica and calcite. X-ray Fluorescence indicated apatite grade is 22.85% which is below the marketable cutoff grade and main gangues are quartz 40% and hematite grade greater >2% is more than the required limit of fertilizer. The iron content should be kept low in the fertilizers, reduces the solubility efficiency of water, which have a diverse effect on the production of Single Super Phosphate
Determination of Oil and Grease in Produced Water and their Effects on Surrounding Soils
Get PDFThis study was conducted to determine the concentrations of oil and grease in produced water from Sadqal oil and gas field in Fateh Jang, Punjab, Pakistan and their impact on surrounding soil. Produced water samples were collected from various locations including inlet of pond A, pond A, inlet of pond B, pond B, outlet of pond B and external stream. Concentration of oil and grease from various locations showed that all values were higher than the permissible limit of Pakistan Environmental Protection Agency (Pak-EPA). Soil samples were collected from the same location points of the produced water. In soil samples oil and grease were found in high amounts due to continuous discharge of produced water in that area. Therefore, produced water should be treated properly before being released into the surrounding environment and Pak-EPA should have regular monitoring programs
Access to Safe Drinking Water and WASH Facilities in Schools of District Chiniot, Pakistan and Awareness on Waterborne Diseases among Teachers and Students
Get PDFThis study assessed the situation of safe drinking water, health and hygiene conditions, and knowledge about waterborne diseases among the teachers and students of 153 selected government and private schools in District Chiniot, Pakistan. The methodology relied on questionnaires and discussion with the school teachers and students. In the survey sample, a total of 153 schools of Tehsil Lalian, District Chiniot, were included. While, total 306 Head Teachers and students of the selected schools including 153 head teachers (males 34 and females 119) and 153 students (boys 62 and girls 91), were interviewed for data collection. The quantitative and qualitative data on the issues related to safe drinking water, WASH (water, sanitation and hygiene) facilities, and waterborne diseases were collected and analyzed using SPSS (Statistical Package for the Social Sciences). The study revealed that the main sources of drinking water in the schools were hand pumps (73%) and about 80% schools have sufficient quantity of available water throughout year. More than 90% head teachers and 92% students reported that water has no smell and color but it has a specific taste. About 86% head teachers and 38% students were not satisfied with existing drinking water services. As reported by 100% respondents, schools have toilets, while 95% students confirmed that students waste water in the schools. Students were asked about the disposal of used water in their schools and in their homes. In response, 23% students said that used water was properly disposed in their schools, while only 10% students told that used water was properly disposed in their homes. 100% teachers and students have knowledge about the diseases caused by drinking unsafe water, but sometimes they don’t take care in using water. About 68% head teachers told that no water treatment methods were used by the people in the area. Lack of knowledge and affordability were the main reasons for not using the water treatment methods. The need for promotion of knowledge among the teachers and students on use of safe drinking water and to improve health and hygiene conditions in schools and homes was also emphasized