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Mining is an activity that causes considerable damage to ecosystems. This paper aims to argue the convenience of generalizing the implementation of rehabilitation procedures for open-pit mined areas with a socioenvironmental and economic approach, which is essential to make sustainable development viable. The recommended procedure to be generalized incorporates novel elements in the social, environmental and economic dimensions whose effects transcend the rehabilitation of the affected ecosystem and generate impacts that contribute to sustainability in the broadest sense. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Kaolinitic clays have broad prospects in cement production and as a source of pozzolanic materials. The present paper focused on the petrographic and mineragraphic analysis of the Dumañuecos kaolinitic clay deposit, in the municipality of Manatí, Las Tunas province. In the petrographic and mineragraphic characterization of the rocks, polarized light and reflected light microscopy were used. Petrographic analysis revealed the presence of quartz, feldspars and tourmalines; as well as the predominance of granoblastic and cataclastic textures. It was established, through mineragraphic analysis, that the main mineralogical association is quartz + hematite + goethite + pyrite and cement and zonal textures predominate. The occurrence of feldspar spherules with a fibrous-radial internal structure and traces of feldspar phenocrysts indicate the possibility that the source rock of the reservoir is lava with a rhyolitic composition. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Cojímar Formation, --Lower Miocene (upper part) to Middle Miocene (lower part)--, is a unit in Western Cuba well known for its extensive development and exposure outcrops. It has been widely used in bioestratigraphic studies. However, paleoecological studies on this unit through foraminifera, both planktonic and benthic species, are considered insufficient. The richness and variety of microfossils, especially foraminifera, has allowed us to address the paleoecological aspect. In this paper, the sedimentary environment is established. Besides the systematic classification of these species was updated and the biozonation re-evaluated from planktonic foraminifera. A detailed sampling, from material taken every 15 meters was fulfilled along with a compilation of all species of foraminifera reported for the studied unit. The micropalaeontological analysis allowed the identification of 40 taxa of planktonic foraminifera grouped into 12 genera, being the most representative Globigerina, Globigerinoides, Orbulina, and Globorotalia. Moreover, 226 taxa of benthic foraminifera belonging to 102 genera were determined. These included: Lituolida, Loftusiida, Textulariida, Lagenida, Rotaliida and Miliolida suborders. The main genres represented were Cibicides, Cibicidoides, Cibicobis, Uvigerina, Angulogerina, Anomalinoides, Planulina, Bolivina, Amphistegina, Lenticulina, Nodosaria, and Textularia. Cojímar Formation corresponds to a deep platform, which was determined from the benthic microforaminifera (Uvigerina, Lenticulina, Marginulina) analyzed. Thanatocenoses developed in outer neritic to upper bathyal depths between 100 m - 500m. New reports of both planktonic foraminifera species for that unit as small benthic, such as Anomalinoides flintii, A. trinitatensis, Planulina valued cf. P. mantaensis, Catapsydrax cf. C. dissimilis, Globigerinoides cf. G. obliquus, Globigerinoides primordius, and Hastigerina praesiphonifera were evaluated. As a contribution Gyroidinoides cibaoensis taxon is here first reported to Cuba. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Modeling safety scenarios for dams strengthens effectiveness of disaster risk management plans in this kind of work by reducing risk of failures that can cause considerable damage. The aim of the present paper was a proposal of a modeling methodology for safety scenarios in tailing dams from the Cuban nickel industry, to determine indicators and failure mechanisms, in order to achieve early detection risks and their reduction, as well as to minimize the negative impacts on the economy, the population, and the environment through a risk and disaster management plan. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]