Tracer Tests in flooded underground mines
Tracer tests are a common means to investigate the hydrogeological conditions in the hydrosphere. Nevertheless, only few successful tracer tests in flooded underground mines have been described. In two flooded German underground mines tracer tests with club moss spores (Lycopodium clavatum) and microspheres had been conducted by the use of the LydiA technique. Both times, effective velocities between 1 and 8 m min could be calculated and a good hydraulic connection between the mines’ parts investigated could be proved. Lycopodium Apparatus (LydiA)
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The term " macroprudential " : origins and evolution 1 In the wake of the recent financial crisis, the term " macroprudential " has become a true buzzword. A core element of international efforts to strengthen the financial system is to enhance the macroprudential orientation of regulatory and supervisory frameworks. Yet the term was little used before the crisis, and its meaning remains obscure. This special feature traces the term's origins to the late 1970s, in the context of work on international bank lending carried out under the aegis of the Euro-currency Standing Committee at the BIS. It then describes its changing fortunes until its recent rise to prominence. The term " macroprudential " has become a true buzzword in the wake of the recent financial crisis, surging to prominence from virtual obscurity in the space of a few months. A quick internet search reveals no fewer than 123,000 references since January 2008. By contrast, there are only around 5,000 hits for the period between 2000 and the end of 2007. The popularity of the term is not surprising: a core element of the international policy response to the crisis is to strengthen the macroprudential orientation of financial regulation and supervision, ie an enhanced focus on the financial system as a whole and its link to the macroeconomy. 2 Yet the term's origins and its exact meaning remain obscure. Against that background, this article traces its origins and evolution to the present day. The origins: concerns over international lending in the late 1970s It is not easy to pinpoint exactly when the term " macroprudential " was first used. BIS records suggest that its first appearance in an international context dates back to 1979, at a meeting of the Cooke Committee (the forerunner of the present Basel Committee on Banking Supervision, BCBS). The meeting, which took place on 28–29 June 1979, discussed the potential collection of Early use of the term " macroprudential " … Upper for helpful comments. The views expressed in this article are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of the BIS.
Routine quantitative phase analysis of niobium-bearing lateritic ores
Routine quantitative analyses by Rietveld full-pattern fitting have been carried out on more than one thousand niobium ore samples originating from four pyrochlore deposits: Lueshe and Bingo (D.R. Congo), Mabounie (Gabon), and Sokli (Finland). The ore samples were characterized by a highly variable mineral content, the presence of mineral phases with a wide range of compositions and a high amorphous content. An analytical procedure was established which addressed several problems: creation of an appropriate crystallographic parameter database, specimen preparation, check for preferred orientation and measurement of the amorphous content by the internal standard method.