Recent Submissions

  • Mendota group of mining interests, Clear Creek Co., Colo.

    Milliken, William B. (Colorado School of Mines. Arthur Lakes Library, 1893)
  • Depositional environments and paleogeography of the Lower to Middle Jurassic, Cuyan group, Neuquen Basin, Argentina

    Warme, John E., 1916-; Horne, John C.; Dean, James Scott (Colorado School of Mines. Arthur Lakes Library, 1987)
  • Construction of a standard gauge railroad

    Comstock, Charles W. (Colorado School of Mines. Arthur Lakes Library, 1890)
  • Subsurface reservoir characterization of R sand series, Kern River formation, Bakersfield, southeastern San Joaquin Basin, California

    Wendlandt, Richard F.; Handono, Bambang Wisnu (Colorado School of Mines. Arthur Lakes Library, 1992)
  • Application of fullbore formation micro imager logs for evaluating thin-bedded turbidite strata

    Slatt, Roger M.; Spang, Robert J. (Colorado School of Mines. Arthur Lakes Library, 1997)
  • Preliminary hydrogeologic investigations of the White River alluvial aquifer, Rio Blanco County, Colorado

    Turner, A. Keith, 1941-; Gesink, Marc L. (Colorado School of Mines. Arthur Lakes Library, 1983)
  • Seismic-stratigraphic analysis of Ireton and Nisku depositional environments, northwest of Edmonton, Alberta, Canada

    Davis, Thomas L. (Thomas Leonard), 1947-; Watkins, Gary L. (Colorado School of Mines. Arthur Lakes Library, 1983)
  • Impact of fluvial depositional environments on hydraulic fracture growth in tight gas reservoirs, The

    Miskimins, Jennifer L.; Cuba, Patricia H. (Colorado School of Mines. Arthur Lakes Library, 2011)
  • Seismic-stratigraphic study and analysis of a test line, Patterson field area, San Juan County, Paradox Basin, Utah

    Davis, Thomas L. (Thomas Leonard), 1947-; Jackson, Geoffrey M. (Colorado School of Mines. Arthur Lakes Library, 1984)
  • Geology of the Carter mine, Gunnison County, Colorado

    LeRoy, L. W. (Leslie Walter), 1909-; Carpenter, Robert H.; Rugg, Edwin Stanton (Colorado School of Mines. Arthur Lakes Library, 1956)
  • Probabilistic methods applied to slopes and footings

    Griffiths, D. V.; Schiermeyer, Robert P. (Colorado School of Mines. Arthur Lakes Library, 2009)
  • Description and relationships of the Ophir Valley, Colorado, ore deposits

    Gabelman, John W. (Colorado School of Mines. Arthur Lakes Library, 1943)
  • Insights into lunar magma ocean solidification using machine learning and phase equilibria models

    Palin, Richard M.; Bohrson, Wendy A.; Cone, Kim A.; Wendlandt, Richard F.; Bozdag, Ebru; Cannon, Kevin M. (Colorado School of Mines. Arthur Lakes Library, 2023)
    Magma oceans are a common stage in the evolution of terrestrial bodies in the inner solar system and likely elsewhere. Their early behavior—how they convect, cool, and crystallize—helps determine the initial structure of planets and how evolution might proceed. The Earth’s Moon is believed to have experienced an early global magma ocean stage (a direct result of the Moon-forming impact), and attempts to reconcile the Moon’s current structure with how an ancient lunar magma ocean may have initially solidified have provided only general constraints. Previous investigations into lunar magma ocean solidification and consequent compositional stratification have hinged primarily on high pressure-temperature experimental techniques and joint inversion methods that included various assumed bulk silicate Moon compositions. Although the approaches provide valuable insight into a global lunar structure the resolution of experimentally-based approaches is typically. Numerical modeling using phase equilibria calculators provides an opportunity to investigate magma ocean cooling and crystallization more efficiently than experimental approaches and is one of the primary tools used here, forming one of the three projects in this thesis. The other two projects are intertwined—the creation of a lunar basalt database and unsupervised machine learning employing the database—and semi-quantitatively address the distribution of various basalt characteristics on the lunar nearside in an attempt to gain some insight into the subsurface. In general, this thesis uses numerical modelling to investigate aspects of lunar evolution spanning ~4.5 billion years, starting with an ancient molten Moon of Earth-like composition that cools and solidifies along a high melt-fraction path to the Moon’s current [mostly solid] state which records a history of punctuated nearside volcanism and surface-altering impacts. The machine learning work here is novel and the first of its kind in using lunar basalt characteristics to constrain lunar evolution, and only one other phase equilibria calculator model on lunar magma ocean solidification has been published at the time of this writing. The work in this thesis supports the idea of a cumulate mantle overturn, that some degree of mantle displacement, locally or globally, occurred during or at the very end of lunar magma ocean solidification.
  • U-Pb geochronology of detrital, inherited, and igneous zircon from the Triassic Eurydice formation and underlying basement, offshore southeast Nova Scotia, Canada

    Kuiper, Yvette D.; White, Shawna E.; Germain, Rémi; Frieman, Ben M.; Snyder, Mo; Sharp, Jonathan O. (Colorado School of Mines. Arthur Lakes Library, 2023)
    The purpose of this study was to determine the provenance of the Late Triassic syn-rift sedimentary rocks of the Eurydice Formation, part of the Mesozoic–Cenozoic Scotian Basin, and the metasedimentary and plutonic rocks forming its underlying basement, offshore southeast Nova Scotia. During the Paleozoic, the accretion of multiple exotic terranes to Laurentia was followed by the collision with Gondwana and the formation of Pangea. These events led to the formation of the Appalachians. The Meguma terrane of Nova Scotia, Canada, was the last exotic terrane to collide with composite eastern Laurentia. It consists of latest Ediacaran–Devonian metasedimentary and metavolcanic rocks and Devonian–Carboniferous plutonic rocks. The Eurydice Formation is the oldest sedimentary unit in the Scotian Basin, deposited during the Triassic breakup of Pangea. The nature of the underlying basement has been previously inferred from petrographic, geochemical, and geophysical evidence, but provenance study is key to identify the basement. U-Pb LA-ICPMS zircon geochronology was carried out on 22 rock samples collected from historic petroleum exploration wells in offshore Nova Scotia and was supported by optical microscopy and automated mineralogy. Detrital zircon analyses from five late Ediacaran or younger metasedimentary rocks revealed mid-Paleoproterozoic and/or Cryogenian–Ediacaran populations, consistent with signatures observed in exposed portions of the Meguma terrane on land. Three granitoid rock samples yielded Late Devonian to early Carboniferous crystallization ages, consistent with mid-Paleozoic syn- to post-tectonic peraluminous granitic plutons of the Meguma terrane on land. A granodiorite, with a previously reported whole-rock eNd(370Ma) value of ~ -13, yielded a ~573 Ma crystallization age, predating the deposition of the sedimentary and volcanic rocks of the Meguma terrane. This age is consistent with Pan-African high-K calc-alkaline post-collisional plutonism in Northwest Africa, suggesting a potential genetic link. Significant mid-Paleoproterozoic, Ediacaran, and Late Devonian detrital zircon populations in rock samples from the Eurydice Formation suggest local sources from the metasedimentary Meguma Supergroup and from Late Devonian felsic/intermediate plutonic rocks. Notably, an absence of zircon from the rift-related volcanics of the Silurian White Rock Formation of northwest Nova Scotia is observed. These results support the previous interpretation that the Meguma terrane extends to the southeast in offshore Nova Scotia and has a Northwest African origin. Furthermore, zircon grains of the rift-related volcanic rocks of the White Rock Formation are absent southeast of Nova Scotia, suggesting that these rocks are probably not related to the rifting between the Meguma terrane and Gondwana, but between the Meguma terrane and an outboard terrane.
  • Ore mineralogy of the TV and Jeff volcanogenic massive sulfide deposits in northwestern British Columbia, Canada, The

    Monecke, Thomas; Eck, Edgar Cole; DeDecker, John; Pfaff, Katharina; Frieman, Ben M. (Colorado School of Mines. Arthur Lakes Library, 2023)
    The precious metal-rich TV and Jeff volcanogenic massive sulfide deposits are located about ~10 km south of the world-class Eskay Creek deposit in the Iskut River area of northwestern British Colombia, Canada. The deposits are hosted by volcanic successions that form part of the Jurassic Hazelton Group. Drill core samples were collected from multiple holes intersecting the precious metal mineralization to identify the ore minerology, with particular emphasis being placed on the study of the mineralogical sequestration of the precious metals. A combination of reflected light microscopy, scanning electron microscopy, automated mineralogy, electron microprobe analysis, and laser ablation-inductively coupled plasma-mass spectroscopy was used to study the ore mineralogy. Paragenetic relationships in the ores show that three distinct stages can be distinguished ranging from pre-ore sulfide formation to metamorphic recrystallization. Pyrite is the most abundant sulfide phase at the TV and Jeff deposit occurring as framboidal pyrite, As-poor and As-rich subhedral to euhedral grains, porphyroblasts, and recrystallized pyrite grains affected by brittle deformation. The As-rich pyrite displays complex compositional zoning, with many of the zones containing small mineral inclusions. Brittle and ductile deformation are present in pyrite and base metal sulfides. Gold occurs as invisible Au in pyrite but also forms discrete grains of electrum. Silver is common as electrum and is present in a range of Ag-sulfosalts. The observed mineral association and generally low base metal grades at TV and Jeff suggests that precious metal enrichment at these deposits occurred at relatively low temperatures (<200°C). The mineral associations at TV and Jeff are distinct from other Au-rich volcanogenic massive sulfide deposits that are generally polymetallic in nature and have formed from hydrothermal fluids having higher temperatures.
  • Role of Froude supercritical flow in active margin basin-floor fans, The

    Plink-Björklund, Piret; Sapardina, Dessy W.; Miskimins, Jennifer L.; Wood, Lesli J.; Jobe, Zane R. (Colorado School of Mines. Arthur Lakes Library, 2023)
    This dissertation focuses on the active margin basin floor fan and tests the hypothesis that whether Froude supercritical flow and a high degree of channelization are common features in basin floor fans, even in a distal part. The Froude supercritical flow may control the architecture and characteristics of basin-floor fan. To test this hypothesis, two main study regions were chosen in California, which are Cretaceous Point Loma Formation in San Diego and Juncal Formation in Santa Barbara. Cretaceous Point Loma Formation previously interpreted as distal fan deposits, exhibit channelized deposits occur intimately interbedded and laterally related to heterolithic as well as muddy lobe facies. The study reveals that the formation of the submarine fan occurred through channel avulsions rather than bifurcations into distributary channels. Juncal formation demonstrates proximal to distal submarine fan environments. The study shows that supercritical flow structures occur at multiple scales and occur across the whole fan. This work further indicates that supercritical flow in deepwater systems is not limited to high gradients, such as expected in slope systems. The outcrop studies were conducted in conjunction with a review of existing literature to comprehensively document the deposits resulting from supercritical flow in both slope and basin-floor fan environments. The comparative analysis reveals that slope deposits formed under supercritical flow conditions display a greater number of erosional characteristics.
  • Modeling, statistical analyses, and life cycle assessment of anaerobic bioreactors for the treatment of organic wastes and resource recovery

    Munakata Marr, Junko; Figueroa, Linda A.; Callahan, Jennie L.; Cath, Tzahi Y.; Pfluger, Andrew; Ranville, James F.; Vanzin, Gary (Colorado School of Mines. Arthur Lakes Library, 2023)
    Increased application of anaerobic bioreactors can accelerate the transformation of wastewater treatment to energy-efficient resource recovery. These technologies are viable alternatives to traditional aerobic wastewater treatment practices due to their ability to generate methane-rich biogas from the microbial decomposition of organic matter within waste without the need for costly aeration. The biogas can be captured and used in heating or electricity production, potentially eliminating the need for consumption of external fossil fuel-based electricity or natural gas. Barriers to implementation of anaerobic treatment methods may include costs associated with upgrading existing facilities, lack of knowledge of how the treatment processes work or not knowing how adoption may benefit a particular facility. To overcome these barriers and bring anaerobic bioreactors into mainstream use, decision support tools are needed. Computer models and simulations, including life-cycle analysis for environmental impacts, can generate predictions regarding treatment abilities, methane production, carbon dioxide emissions, and costs. These predictions can be used by decision makers to help determine if implementation of anaerobic bioreactors is the best decision for them. To address these research needs, this dissertation creates decision support tools through multiple modeling methods of anaerobic bioreactors, including computer simulation, statistical analyses, waste characterization, and life cycle assessment. The bioreactors examined during the research included three pilot-scale anaerobic baffled reactors (ABRs) treating wastewater in Colorado and full-scale anaerobic co-digestion at a water resource recovery facility in New York. Outcomes of the study of the ABRs include successful modeling of constituent removal and methane generation within 9% through identification and modification of key default parameters within a commonly used wastewater treatment computer simulation program. Additionally, statistical analysis of the wastewater characteristics and performance of the three ABRs identified distinct differences between the systems, but also average constituent removal efficiencies, effluent concentrations, and methane generation. These results can be used to assist with the design and operation of future pilot- or full-scale ABRs operating in colder climates. Finally, three waste streams (wastewater sludge, food, and fats, oils, and grease wastes) were characterized and used to develop a stoichiometric model for methane generation, energy production, and environmental impacts associated with anaerobic co-digestion, with adjustable parameters for use in future research.

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