Arjan Beqiraj
Full Professor of Geochemistry, Department of Earth Sciences, Geology and Mining Faculty, Polytechnic University of Tirana. Doctoral Thesis from Earth Sciences Department, University of Roma “La Sapienza”.
Main research interest on Environmental Geochemistry, Hydrochemistry and Petrology. Published several papers on scientific journals and proceedings. Member of editorial boards of scientific journals: Geologica Carpathica (2010-2014, Slovakia), Geologica Balkanica (2010-2014, Bulgaria), Bulletin of Technical Sciences (2006-2008, Albania) and Editor in Chief of Bulletin of Geological Sciences (2014-2016, Albania). Chair of the XX Congress of Carpathian Balkan Geological Association - CBGA2014, Tirana Albania. Member and/or Team Leader in several national and international research projects.
Supervisors: Supervisor
Phone: +355686014849
Address: Rruga "Kongresi i Tiranes", N.6, H.1, Ap.3 Njesia administrative nr. 9, 1016 Tirane, Albania
Main research interest on Environmental Geochemistry, Hydrochemistry and Petrology. Published several papers on scientific journals and proceedings. Member of editorial boards of scientific journals: Geologica Carpathica (2010-2014, Slovakia), Geologica Balkanica (2010-2014, Bulgaria), Bulletin of Technical Sciences (2006-2008, Albania) and Editor in Chief of Bulletin of Geological Sciences (2014-2016, Albania). Chair of the XX Congress of Carpathian Balkan Geological Association - CBGA2014, Tirana Albania. Member and/or Team Leader in several national and international research projects.
Supervisors: Supervisor
Phone: +355686014849
Address: Rruga "Kongresi i Tiranes", N.6, H.1, Ap.3 Njesia administrative nr. 9, 1016 Tirane, Albania
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sandstone and conglomerate with impermeable clay layers. This aquifer occurs under typically artesian conditions because of its impermeable clay basement and semi-impermeable Quaternary cover. The groundwater shows variable geochemical composition due to different
mineralogical composition of its medium and vast extension of the aquifer. However, the mainly magmatic – carbonatic mineralogical composition of the water – bearing sandstones and conglomerates has determined a geochemical composition of groundwater consisting mostly of HCO3-Mg-Ca hydrochemical groundwater type. Dissolution of minerals seems to be the major geochemical processes in the formation of the groundwater composition. The general mineralization and general hardness of groundwater range from 500 to 800 mg/l and from 11
to 25ºdH, respectively. The mainly magmatic composition of sandstones and conglomerates is also responsable for the high content of iron in the grounwater of this aquifer. Iron content is higher in sandstone related groundwater where the silt fraction is mainly composed by ironbearing minerals such as magnetite, epidote, granate, sphene, amphibole and pyroxene.
outflow from the lake is present and it is conditioned by the intensively developed fracture system in the lake basement formations. This was also supported by the isotopic analysis (H-2 and O-18) of the sampled waters. Most of water samples taken from hydrologic components of Lake Badovc fall on a linear plot of δ2H versus δ18O showing an isotopic variation typical for waters evaporated from a lake and fits very well with Global Meteoric Water Line (GMWL), while two rain water samples are isotopically lighter (more negative δ values). Water samples taken from water leakages on the right side of the dam, the piezometer, two wells drilled in the valley downstream of dam, Hajvalia mine gallery and the water flow downstream of the dam, have isotopic composition similar with that of the lake water. Water of Hajvalia mine well shows isotopic composition that falls between that of rain water and lake water. Considering δ values of rain water ( δ2H= -129.6‰,
δ18O = -16.56‰) and lake water (δ2H= -67.2‰, δ18O= -9.20‰) and mine water (mixture) (δ2H=-73.3‰, δ18O= -10.15‰) was found that the fraction of rain water in mine water ranges from 6% (according H-2) to 10% (according O-18), while the fraction of lake water in mine
water varies from 94% (according H-2) to 90% (according O-18).
of the Lake is 25,590,000 m³. The average annual rainfall of the basin was 860.7 mm, whereas the overall water inflow into the Lake was 22,577,663 m³. The annual amount of the calculated evaporation from the Lake surface was 849,535 m³ (or 644.50 mm), while an annual infiltration rate of 94,608 m³ through the clay screen was reported. A quantity of 10,550,615 m³ water was abstracted from the lake during
2014. A residual water volume of 11,082,905 was evaluated considering the above cited inflow and outflow quantities (22,577,663 m³ and 11,494,758 m³, respectively). On the other hand, the positive volume (7,344,000 m³) of the Lake in 2014, calculated according to water level variations, was3, 682, 905 m³ less than the above residual water volume. This difference between the above water volumes is considered as “water loss” from the Lake and it represents about 17% of the total
volume of Lake, or 35% of its current water abstraction. This water loss from the lake was attributed to water infiltration through cracks that involved geological formations of the lake bottom and beneath its dam, possibly towards the nearest Hajvalia mine.
sandstone and conglomerate with impermeable clay layers. This aquifer occurs under typically artesian conditions because of its impermeable clay basement and semi-impermeable Quaternary cover. The groundwater shows variable geochemical composition due to different
mineralogical composition of its medium and vast extension of the aquifer. However, the mainly magmatic – carbonatic mineralogical composition of the water – bearing sandstones and conglomerates has determined a geochemical composition of groundwater consisting mostly of HCO3-Mg-Ca hydrochemical groundwater type. Dissolution of minerals seems to be the major geochemical processes in the formation of the groundwater composition. The general mineralization and general hardness of groundwater range from 500 to 800 mg/l and from 11
to 25ºdH, respectively. The mainly magmatic composition of sandstones and conglomerates is also responsable for the high content of iron in the grounwater of this aquifer. Iron content is higher in sandstone related groundwater where the silt fraction is mainly composed by ironbearing minerals such as magnetite, epidote, granate, sphene, amphibole and pyroxene.
outflow from the lake is present and it is conditioned by the intensively developed fracture system in the lake basement formations. This was also supported by the isotopic analysis (H-2 and O-18) of the sampled waters. Most of water samples taken from hydrologic components of Lake Badovc fall on a linear plot of δ2H versus δ18O showing an isotopic variation typical for waters evaporated from a lake and fits very well with Global Meteoric Water Line (GMWL), while two rain water samples are isotopically lighter (more negative δ values). Water samples taken from water leakages on the right side of the dam, the piezometer, two wells drilled in the valley downstream of dam, Hajvalia mine gallery and the water flow downstream of the dam, have isotopic composition similar with that of the lake water. Water of Hajvalia mine well shows isotopic composition that falls between that of rain water and lake water. Considering δ values of rain water ( δ2H= -129.6‰,
δ18O = -16.56‰) and lake water (δ2H= -67.2‰, δ18O= -9.20‰) and mine water (mixture) (δ2H=-73.3‰, δ18O= -10.15‰) was found that the fraction of rain water in mine water ranges from 6% (according H-2) to 10% (according O-18), while the fraction of lake water in mine
water varies from 94% (according H-2) to 90% (according O-18).
of the Lake is 25,590,000 m³. The average annual rainfall of the basin was 860.7 mm, whereas the overall water inflow into the Lake was 22,577,663 m³. The annual amount of the calculated evaporation from the Lake surface was 849,535 m³ (or 644.50 mm), while an annual infiltration rate of 94,608 m³ through the clay screen was reported. A quantity of 10,550,615 m³ water was abstracted from the lake during
2014. A residual water volume of 11,082,905 was evaluated considering the above cited inflow and outflow quantities (22,577,663 m³ and 11,494,758 m³, respectively). On the other hand, the positive volume (7,344,000 m³) of the Lake in 2014, calculated according to water level variations, was3, 682, 905 m³ less than the above residual water volume. This difference between the above water volumes is considered as “water loss” from the Lake and it represents about 17% of the total
volume of Lake, or 35% of its current water abstraction. This water loss from the lake was attributed to water infiltration through cracks that involved geological formations of the lake bottom and beneath its dam, possibly towards the nearest Hajvalia mine.
The monitoring of hydrologic components of Lake Badovc basin and respective calculations of Lake water balance for the year 2014 found a deficit of 3,738,905 m³ water that was considered as water loss from the Lake (Bublaku and Beqiraj, 2015) and was mostly attributed to water leakages from the bottom of the lake to Hajvalia Mine voids. Water of Hajvalia mine shows similar chemical composition with water of Lake Badovc, whereas its isotopic ( ‰; ‰) composition falls between isotopically lighter ( ‰; ‰) rain water and lake ( ‰; ‰) water. The chemical and isotopic data favor the opinion that a continuous groundwater outflow from the lake is present that is caused by infiltration of lake water through the intensively developed fracture system in the lake basement formations. Considering that Hajvalia mine water is a mixture between rain water and lake water, from the isotopic mass balance of O-18 and H-2 (Cook and Herczeg, 2000) was found that the fraction of rain water in mine water ranges from 6% (according to H-2) to 10% (according to O-18), while the fraction of lake water varies from 94% (according to H-2) to 90% (according to O-18).
Some water leakage from the dam toe of Lake Koman were noticed in 2014 and they were considered to derive either from the lake or from the karst limestone massifs extending in the northwestern regions of the dam. Nine water samples, for both hydro chemical and isotopic analysis, were taken from dam toe water leakage, lake water karst spring near to the dam, grout gallery and from Bena karst spring located about 3 km north of dam. According to their inert and reactive nature the chemical elements may be effectively used to trace physical parameters such as recharge rates and mixing (Herczeg and Edmunds, 2000). The chemical composition of water clearly distinguished two very different hydro chemical water: Ca-Mg-HCO3 hydro-chemical type for the water from lake, dam toe leakage, and grout gallery and Ca-HCO3 hydro-chemical type belonging to Bena karst spring. The isotopic composition of O-18 and D strictly confirmed the results taken from the hydro-chemical data. The water from lake, dam toe leakage and grout gallery show the same isotopic composition ( ‰; ‰) that, in turn, is isotopically lighter (more negative δ values) - than karst water of Bena spring ( ‰; ‰).
Finally, the isotopic composition of the water from the small karst spring near the dam falls between that of karst water and lake water ( ‰; ‰), showing that its water represents a mixture between lake water (57% and/or 51.5%) and karst water (43% and/or 49.5%), according to O-18 and D, respectively.
groundwater than in that hosted by conglomerates [2]. Both the hydrochemical composition and iron content in groundwater are closely related with mineralogical composition of the aquifer medium. To better understand the role of this later on the groundwater chemistry and, especially the uncommon high content of iron in groundwater, five samples were randomly taken: two (Rr-1, Rr-5) from conglomerates and three (Rr-2, Rr-3, Rr-4) from sandstones. The mineralogical composition of silt and clay fractions of the samples were tested by X-Ray Diffraction (XRD) and Scan Electron Microscopy – Energy Dispersive Spectroscopy (SEM-EDS). Chemical analysis of major elements in the silt
and clay fractions were performed, as well. The X-ray diffraction analysis revealed that quartz and Ca-carbonate (less Mg-carbonate) are the major mineral constituents of both silt and clay fractions, while to less contents are feldspar and pyroxene. The semi-quantitative calculations of XRD results made through QUALX2 [3] software found that CaCO3
and SiO2 range from 17 to 56% and from 33 to 63%, respectively. Feldspar and pyroxene together occurs below 20% except in sample Rr-4 where their content reaches up to 30%. Concerning iron phases, the XRD evidenced only the presence of pigeonite (Ca,Mg,Fe)(Mg,Fe)Si2O6, which shows the highest peak for that angle 2θ=29.50°. SEM – EDS
analysis not only reconfirmed the major phases contents in both clay and silt samples, but evidenced the presence of high-iron phyllosilicates like chamosite (Fe2+,Mg)5Al(AlSi3O10)(OH)8) and pigeonite, as well. The presence of limonite was assumed, which was not evidenced by XRD due to its amorphous state. The chemical analysis of major elements fit very well with mineralogical composition found by XRD and SEM-EDS analysis. Thus, higher (29.01wt%) CaO content in the sample RR-1, against 9.00wt% in other samples, correlates with higher calcite found by XRD, whereas higher FeOtot in samples Rr-3 and Rr-5 (10.46wt% and 11.48wt%, respectively) correlate with the presence of iron mineral phases found by SEM-EDS analysis.
This aquifer occurs under typically artesian conditions because of its impermeable clay basement and semi-impermeable Quaternary cover. The groundwater shows variable geochemical composition due to different mineralogical composition of its medium and vast extension of the aquifer. However, the mainly magmatic - carbonatic mineralogical
composition of the water - bearing sandstones and conglomerates has determined a geochemical composition of groundwater consisting mostly of HCO-Mg-Ca hydrochemical groundwater type. Dissolution of minerals seems to be the major geochemical processes in the formation of the groundwater composition. The above mainly magmatic composition of sandstones and conglomerates is also responsable for
the high content of iron in the grounwater of this aquifer. Iron content is higher in sandstone related groundwater where the silt fraction is mainly composed by ironbearing minerals such as magnetite, epidote, granate,
sphene, amphibole and pyroxene. The general mineralization and general hardness of groundwater range from 500 to 800 mg/l and from 11 to 25ºdH, respectively.
being 1,000,000 m less than the initial volume due to the sedimentation on the lake bottom. The average annual rainfall in the dam was 860.7 mm being higher than its historical value (642.0 mm). The overall water inflow into the lake was 22,577,663 m. The calculations of the evaporation rates showed that the annual amount of evaporation from the lake surface was 849,535 m3 or 644.50 mm. During the
dam design an annual infiltration rate of 94,608 m 3 from the clay screen was assessed. Data on water intake showed that a quantity of 10,550,615 m was abstracted from the lake during 2014. Considering the above cited inflow and outflow quantities (22,577,663 m3 11,494,758 m3 , respectively), a residual water volume of 11,082,905 was evaluated. On the other hand, the positive volume of the lake in 2014, calculated according to water level variations, was 7,344,000 m3 . A difference of 3,682,905 m3 between the above water volumes may be considered as “water loss” from the lake. This amount of water represents around 17% of the total volume of lake, or around 35% of its current water abstraction. The hydrologic balance of the lake watershed will further
clarify the factors that are responsible for this “water loose” from the lake. In addition, the results of this study will help the authorities to better manage the water intake.