Geology News - March 2007

Geology articles, earth science news and blogs from around the world. Stories are archived monthly. All links are to external sites and linking does not mean the site or opinions are endorsed by AGS.

March 29, 2007

Trees take the fall as a factor in U.S. 26 landslide
All the basic ingredients -- steep slope, weakened rock, a splash of water -- were in place for cooking up the geological stew that boiled over onto U.S. 26.

March 25, 2007

Indian Real estate boom causing eco doom, says satellite survey
The survey by Lucknow University’s geology department says lack of planning and focus exposes the city to civic problems like water-logging, and eats into the authorities’ dreams to make it at par with the best of metropolitan India.

March 23, 2007

North American Gem Inc. plans exploration on its uranium and molybdenum properties
Alberta Geological Survey Bulletin 55, details the presence and alterations of a saprolite rock unit on the North American Gem Inc. property.

Geology expert upbeat over Jammu's oil-gas potential
Jammu and Kashmir can give the Gulf nations a run for their money if the potential for extraction of oil and natural gas in the state is tapped, said a global geology professor.

March 22, 2007

New tornado scale
The Fujita Scale, also known as the F Scale, was introduced in the 1970's after several devastating tornadoes ripped through parts of the U.S., but new studies show the F Scale isn't as accurate as originally thought.

Canadian environment, economy must balance, PM Harper says
Canada's geography and geology dictate that this country will be one of the world's greatest producers of gas, natural gas, uranium and electrical energy.

Cuba to expand oil drilling program
Cuba says it will see a significant increase in the number of oil wells drilled on land, off-shore and in deep sea areas included within an area of the Gulf of Mexico in which the island has exclusive rights to drill.

March 21, 2007

Oilsands "in every direction"
An Alberta company that has shelled out millions exploring for bitumen in northern Saskatchewan is excited by a deposit that shows fairly conclusively that the Alberta oilsands don't run out at the border.

March 18, 2007

Earthquake shakes Colombia-Panama border
An earthquake measuring 5.1 to 5.9 magnitude on the Richter scale hit northwest Colombia on the border with Panama, geologists in Colombia and the United States said.

Viet Nam coast mired in mysterious oil slicks
With many provinces throughout Viet Nam adversely affected by mysterious oil slicks, recent tests suggest the oil did not come from offshore oil rigs as earlier surmised.

March 16, 2007

No uphill task this: See mountains take shape in 30 minutes flat
A Lucknow University geology teacher has come up with an innovative technique, mountain formation can be witnessed right on your table top, in just half an hour.

Central Viet Nam sits atop vast underground fresh water supply
The least fertile terrain of central Viet Nam still contains a substantial pool of underground water that can be readily tapped, according to the Central Viet Nam Division of Hydrogeology and Geology Engineering.

Massive Astoria, Oregon, landslide breaks water main
A massive landslide broke a water main in Astoria, cutting off water to about 30 homes and businesses for most of the day.

March 15, 2007

18-member geology team kidnapped in western Colombia, 9 freed
An 18-member geology team, comprising nine geologists and their assistants, were seized by the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC). The victims were marched at gunpoint into the jungle Tuesday evening.

March 12, 2007

OneGeology Project – mapping the geology of the planet
Geologists around the world are to bring together all their maps, producing the first truly global resource on rocks.  Known as the OneGeology project, it will pool existing knowledge about what lies under our feet, and present it through one web portal.

Old earthquake faults are like worn brake pads
Earthquake faults are worn smooth over time by friction, like the brake pads of an old car, according to a new study.

Peru’s Ubinas volcano slows down seismic activity
Ubinas volcano, located in Southern Peru’s region of Moquegua, is showing “a considerable activity reduction” during the last six months.

March 8, 2007

Longford Corporation drills and cases third well
The Alberta Geological Survey has estimated that the Mannville coals of Alberta have over 320 Tcf of gas in place, nearly three times the 101 Tcf of gas remaining in Alberta's conventional gas reserves.

March 4, 2007

University of Albany abandons geology program
News of the further dismantling of the University at Albany's geology program has sent shock waves through the scientific community at large.

March 2, 2007

Minnesota's geology reveals road signs to diamond riches
An exhaustive study by University of Minnesota researchers and an Australian mining company discovered geological markers across Minnesota similar to those in Canada that have led to huge diamond strikes over the past 10 years.