In general, the term “size effect” refers to the influence of sample size on mechanical characteristics such as strength. Size effects in rock engineering have been of particular interest over the last four decades and many studies have been undertaken to understand the phenomenon. Size effects are not limited to rock. Almost all quasibrittle and brittle materials such as concrete, ceramic, and ice have shown some form of size effect.

Atmospheric exposure of iron sulphide minerals, such as pyrite (FeS2) and arsenopyrite (FeAsS), around mine dumps and waste piles releases large amounts of SO4 2− and Fe2+ into nearby aquatic environments, such as streams and water channels. This leads to severe acidification of the affected water bodies, with pH levels as low as 1.0. Such acidity is a major global concern because it causes the dissolution of nearly all mineral phases. In addition to iron sulphides, similar acidic conditions can develop around other sulphide mines, such as those containing lead (PbS), zinc (ZnS), copper (CuS), and nickel (NiS). Toxic metals, including As, Pb, Cd, Zn, Cu, and Ni, are mobilized due to the dissolution of gangue materials in these extremely acidic environments, resulting in their enrichment in the surrounding ecosystem.

Come with me to the American Museum of Natural History on New York City's Central Park West. We walk up the broad stairs, dominated by the equestrian statue of Theodore Roosevelt, twenty-sixth president of the United States and a great benefactor of the museum. We enter the great Roosevelt Rotunda, where we are awed by one of the most dramatic dinosaur exhibits in the world —the mounted skeletons of a mother Barosaurus protecting her young one from an attacking carnivorous Allosaurus.

During the winter months sea ice plays the most important role in the daily life of coastal communities of the cold regions of the Earth. As for the Arctic regions, especially Canada and Russia, the general trend in its retreat is leading to new opportunities for the extension of the navigational season and exploitation of natural resources. Growing interest in sea ice for socioeconomic purposes has also increased awareness of its role in affecting the global environment, the climate system, and most importantly the human aspects. The advent of remote sensing techniques from Earth observing satellites, as the major tool for obtaining global record of sea ice, is making it necessary to reexamine sea ice as a material with updated knowledge and approaches.