https://jtethys.journals.pnu.ac.ir/ Quarterly Journal of Tethys en daily 1 Wed, 01 Jun 2016 00:00:00 +0430 Wed, 01 Jun 2016 00:00:00 +0430 https://jtethys.journals.pnu.ac.ir/article_2890.html The aim of this study is to investigate drinking water contamination and to identify potential sources of contamination during the water production, delivery process and in water tanks in the kindergartens of Gaza Strip governorates. The samples were taken from water tanks in the kindergartens, water tankers and private desalination facilities in the Gaza Strip and analyzed for chemical and biological investigations. With reference to chemical investigations pH in the desalination plants was mostly below the acceptable level, with an average of 6.26. Conductivity, chloride, calcium and nitrate concentration levels were found to be in agreement with WHO and Palestinian standards whereas fluoride concentrations were found to be lower than WHO and Palestinian standards. Biological contamination in kindergartens water tanks is relatively higher than those detected in water tankers and private desalination facilities. There was no biological contamination in the private desalination plants of North, Gaza, Middle and Rafah governorates. The biological contamination only found in the samples collected from Khanyounis desalination plants with contamination percentage of total coliform (75%) and fecal coliform (66.66%). The contamination of drinking water in the kindergarten tanks and water tankers were due to the unsafe storage system. Water transportation appears to be only one of the potential causes of final contamination. https://jtethys.journals.pnu.ac.ir/article_4807.html Different methods have been developed for mineral exploration so far, amongst which biological-based methods known as geomicrobiological studies are of the most recent ones. Geomicrobiology as an interdisciplinary approach has achieved great progresses during the past two decades and involves the study of microbes in a number of fundamental geological processes, both in the past and present. The primary purpose of this study was to survey the possible relationship between soil bacterial populations with mineral deposit occurrence underground in order to find biogeochemical anomalies in mineral exploration. Irankuh Pb-Zn mining area located in central Iran was selected as the sampling site in order to evaluate the efficiency of geomicrobiology for exploration of blind deposits. Totally 32 soil samples were collected from 10-30 cm depth and then they are characterized by enumeration of total bacteria and microbial respiration, pH and electrical conductivity (EC) measurements. Furthermore, the isolated bacteria were identified using morphological characteristic tests and 16S rRNA technique. The results showed that while there was no significant relationship between most of soil characteristics (e.g. total bacterial count, pH, EC) and the hidden Pb-Zn mineralization, a class of bacterial colonies (identified as Arthrobacter agilis) was corresponded to the position of mineralization  in the depth. Therefore, an effective biogeochemical exploration technique may be developed through targeting the concentration of Arthrobacter agilis counts in exploration of Pb-Zn mineralization for further detailed exploration activities. https://jtethys.journals.pnu.ac.ir/article_4720.html The origin and geodynamic setting of the Maden Complex, which is situated in the Bitlis-Zagros Suture Zone in the Southeast Anatolian Orogenic Belt, is still controversial due to lack of systematic geological and geochemical data. Here we present new whole rock major-trace-rare earth element data from the Middle Eocene volcanic rocks exposed in Maden Complex and discuss their origin in the light of new and old data. The volcanic lithologies are represented mainly by basalt and andesite, and subordinately dacite that vary from low-K tholeiitic, calc-alkaline, high-K calc-alkaline, and shoshonitic in composition. They exhibit enrichments in large ion lithophile and light rare earth elements, with depletions in high field strength elements. These geochemical characteristics indicate that two end-members, a subduction-related mantle source and a continental crust, were involved in the magma genesis. Considering all geological and geochemical data, we suggest that the Eocene Maden magmatism occurred as a post-collisional product by asthenospheric upwelling owing to convective removal of the lithosphere during an extensional collapse of the Southeast Anatolian ranges. https://jtethys.journals.pnu.ac.ir/article_4836.html This study aims to evaluate the efficiency of the concentration-number (C-N) fractal model for discrimination of soil horizon regarding the depth distribution profile. In this regard, soil parameters such as pH, organic carbon content, calcareous mineral content, electrical conductivity and available phosphorus of Ziarat forestland in Golestan Province, north of Iran, has been investigated. The C–N model of all parameters except EC reveals three distinct horizons, while EC indicates 4 horizons. Results of the distribution profile based on fractal thresholds for pH and available phosphorus accurately classified horizons in most of the samples. The result of vertical distribution of EC regarding the fractal method identified horizons correctly except for Z4 and Z7. In addition, horizons of Z1, Z3, Z6, and Z8 have been classified distinctly by using fractal thresholds of organic carbon content in this area. However, vertical distribution of the calcareous mineral content of the study area according to the fractal method was not applicable and soil horizons were not obtainable. In conclusion, based on the combination of results driven by fractal and vertical distribution, the closest model to soil horizons have been created by EC and pH distribution. The 3D model of soil horizon based on thresholds of fractal method shows a SE to NW trend in pH variation from acidic to basic. https://jtethys.journals.pnu.ac.ir/article_4721.html Determining geophysical anomalies from background is a fundamental process in geophysical exploration. In this paper, the threshold value for induced polarization data have been determined by concentration- area (C-A), gap statistics, probability graphs and normal distribution curves. A comparison between the determined thresholds and these methods has been carried out statistically. The fractal method (as well as the other methods) is usually applied in geochemical exploration studies but it has not been widely used in geo-electrical methods so far. In this research, this method has been successfully utilized to process IP data (separating induced polarization anomalies from the background in Hamyj copper deposit). Hamyj deposit is located about 80 kilometres west of Birjand city, South Khorasan province, eastern Iran. In this area, resistivity and induced polarization data have been collected by dipole-dipole array. Finally, it was revealed that the determined threshold by the fractal method is higher than the other three methods. Therefore, the fractal method could lead to reducing the anomaly area and decrease uncertainty significantly. The concentration-area method has determined a threshold with more reliability. https://jtethys.journals.pnu.ac.ir/article_4852.html In this study, the assemblage of calcareous nannofossils has been investigated in long and continuous deposits from a Kafaz section in Eastern Iran. A systematic study of calcareous nannofossils has indicated 39 nannofossils species. In order to the age determination of Kafaz's deposits, a revised zonation for the Eocene is used. Based on it, the Early-Middle Eocene deposits of Kafaz section is divided into 6 zones (NP11-NP16). Eventually, the Paleoecological applications of Eocene nannofossils are considered in this section. Three key factors which are mentioned as the main agents in controlling species distribution include surface water temperature, productivity and fertility. On the basis of three abundant species ( Zhgrhablithus bijugatus, Coccolithus plagicus and Sphenolithus moriformis), Early-Middle Eocene sediments of Kafaz section were deposited in an environment with high temperature, lower productivity and lower depth. https://jtethys.journals.pnu.ac.ir/article_5218.html The Asmari Formation (a giant hydrocarbon reservoir) is a thick carbonate sequence of the Oligocene-Miocene in the Zagros (SW Iran). Biostratigraphic analysis of this Formation (180 meter) at Tang-e-Pirzal in the northeast of Dehdashthas resulted in the recognition of three biozones attributed to the Oligocene (Chattian) to early Miocene (Aquitanian-Burdigalian). In this study, nine different microfacies types have been recognized, which have been deposited from tidal flat, to restricted lagoon, open lagoon, shoal and slope in a carbonated ramp. In this study, porosity types in this Formation were divided into primary (interparticle and intraparticle types) and secondary (vuggy and fructure types) porosity groups. Secondary porosity in this Formation results from the dissolution after of the sedimentation and is caused by a change in the primary porosity. In studied section, cementation lead to decrease porosity, but dissolution process lead to form vugy porosity and tectonic process lead to form fracture porosity. In this section, touching-vug Porosities (intergranular, intercrystalline and brecciate) increase the total porosity and and permeability, on the other side, separated-vug porosities (such as moldic) increase the total porosity But it does not play an important role in the permeability. https://jtethys.journals.pnu.ac.ir/article_4931.html Khondab area is located in western Markazi province, within the Sanandaj-Sirjan Zone. The zone has been previously known to be associated with Pb, Zn, Cu, Fe, Ba and Si elements. The current study is carried out to identify new promising targets for regional exploration. Multiple data sources (e.g., magnetic surveys, faults, geological and satellite data) are processed and then integrated by using Fuzzy Logic modelling to produce a final prospectivity map for regional exploration of MVT deposits in the Khondab area. Finally, resulted prospectivity map is validated by analyzing field derived samples collected over revealed promising zones of the study area and ore-microscopic studies of the collected samples also confirmed MVT mineralization.Validation process indicates that Cretaceous limestone units are in high correlation with MVT mineralization in this area. Based on priority rating of exploration targets, the eastern and the south-eastern parts of the study area are the most promising parts for further exploration of MVT deposits.