This study aims to use geochemical, mineralogical, ecotoxicological and biological indicators for a comprehensive assessment of the ecological risks related to the mobility, ecotoxicity and bioavailability of potentially harmful elements in the Lousal mining district. Particularly, toxicity was evaluated using four assays: algae, cytotoxicity assays with HaCaT cell line (dermal), earthworms and Daphnia magna. The geochemical and mineralogical characterization of the studied area shows that the mine wastes underwent intense weathering processes, producing important contamination of the adjacent soils, which also led to the release and mobilization of PHEs into nearby water courses. Total PTE results indicate that the soils affected by mining activities were highly contaminated with As and Cu, while Zn and Pb content ranged from low to very high, depending on the analyzed samples. Cadmium levels were found to be very low in most of the soil samples. The test using Daphnia magna was the most sensitive bioassay, while the Eisenia foetida test was the least sensitive. Except for the LOS07 soil sample, the rest of the soils were classified as “High acute toxicity” and “Very high acute toxicity” for aquatic systems. The results in HACaT cells showed results similar to the ecotoxicological bioassays. The application of biotests, together with geochemical and mineralogical characterization, is a very useful tool to establish the degree of contamination and the environmental risk of potentially harmful elements.
Morphological characterization and quantification of gold particles by optical image analysis (OIA) and by compositional analysis of microprobes using scanning electron microscope and electron microprobe analysis techniques were carried out on gold grains from the Minvoul area (Archean greenstone belt in Gabon). Large grains of almost pure gold were found throughout a weathering profile, which consisted of saprolite, mottled clay zone, iron duricrust, pisolitic gravels and yellow latosol. In the deeper horizons, gold was dissolved as shown by corrosion features on the surface of particles with average sizes of 2.6Φ and 2.35Φ in the saprolite and mottled clay zones, respectively. The occurrence of secondary gold in the duricrust was indicated by the larger size of the nuggets (average, 1.8Φ), the high fineness (> 995 in average) and the close textural relationship between gold and neoformed iron oxyhydroxides. The uppermost horizons composed of yellow latosol and pisolitic gravels were interpreted as transported materials based on their size distribution (average 0.85Φ and 1.34Φ), sorting and shape parameters. The best morphological parameter to describe the whole weathering profile was found to be the perimeter/area ratio. The highest ratios were recorded in the saprolite (average 0.192 μm−1), and decreased towards the surface (average 0.057 μm−1). The combination of the OIA technique and the microchemical analysis of gold grains allowed us to define specific morphological and compositional characteristics of the gold particles for each horizon. Both methods proved to be of great utility to understand gold concentration, dissolution and dispersion processes in supergene environments.
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