Results from the analysis of aqueous
and solid-phase V speciation
within samples collected from the Hazeltine Creek catchment affected
by the August 2014 Mount Polley mine tailings dam failure in British
Columbia, Canada, are presented. Electron microprobe and X-ray absorption
near-edge structure (XANES) analysis found that V is present as V3+ substituted into magnetite and V3+ and V4+ substituted into titanite, both of which occur in the spilled
Mount Polley tailings. Secondary Fe oxyhydroxides forming in inflow
waters and on creek beds have V K-edge XANES spectra exhibiting E1/2
positions and pre-edge features consistent with the presence of V5+ species, suggesting sorption of this species on these secondary
phases. PHREEQC modeling suggests that the stream waters mostly contain
V5+ and the inflow and pore waters contain a mixture of
V3+ and V5+. These data, and stream, inflow,
and pore water chemical data, suggest that dissolution of V(III)-bearing
magnetite, V(III)- and V(IV)-bearing titanite, V(V)-bearing Fe(-Al-Si-Mn)
oxhydroxides, and V-bearing Al(OH)3 and/or clay minerals
may have occurred. In the circumneutral pH environment of Hazeltine
Creek, elevated V concentrations are likely naturally attenuated by
formation of V(V)-bearing secondary Fe oxyhydroxide, Al(OH)3, or clay mineral colloids, suggesting that the V is not bioavailable.
A conceptual model describing the origin and fate of V in Hazeltine
Creek that is applicable to other river systems is presented.