Environmental mineralogy and geochemistry of Pb–Zn mine wastes, Northern Tunisia

Tlil, Haifa; Souissi, Radhia; Souissi, Fouad; Lattanzi, Pierfranco; Podda, Francesca; Concas, Sara; Ardau, Carla; Cidu, Rosa

doi:10.1007/s12210-016-0585-8

Cited by 11 publications

(5 citation statements)

References 23 publications

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“…Correlation analysis between total and leachate PTE concentrations (Table 6) showed that their mobilization was proportional to metal(loid)s total content, showing a greater mobility for Cd and Zn compared with other elements in the contaminated soils. Correlation analysis also indicated the presence of a positive correlation between As and Sb (R = 0.90), between Pb and Sb (R = 0.91) and between Pb and As (R = 0.92), suggesting the presence of these elements in the same mineral phase, which is Jordanite [Pb 14 (As, Sb) 6 , S 23 ] [16]. The highest correlation coefficient was observed between Zn and Cd (R = 0.97), which confirms that they originated from the same mineral phases, sphalerite and hemimorphite (Table 6).…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Mobility of Potentially Toxic Elements (Pb, Zn, Cd, As, Sb) in Agricultural Carbonated Soils Contaminated by Mine Tailings (Northern Tunisia): A New Kinetic Leaching Approach with Organic Acids

Achour

Souissi²,

Tlil

et al. 2022

Water

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The present study was carried out to show the potential of root exudates to mobilize potentially toxic elements (PTE) present in rhizospheric carbonated soils. Five different contaminated rhizospheric soils were collected from five former mining districts of northern Tunisia (Jebel Hallouf (H3), Sidi-Bouaouane (B1), Jebel Ghozlane (G7), Hammam Zriba (Z2) and Jalta (J2)). The abundant minerals in these soils are quartz, calcite and clays. These soils contain significant PTE amounts compared to the local geochemical background (LGB). The important concentrations of Pb, Zn, Cd, As and Sb are, respectively, in the order of 17,350 mg·kg−1 in B1, 37,000 mg·kg−1 in G7, 205 mg·kg−1 in G7, 683 mg·kg−1 in B1 and 145 mg·kg−1 in B1. Kinetic leaching tests were conducted with a mixture of low molecular weight organic acids (LMWAOs) for increasing times up to 16 h (initial pH = 2.8) to study the mobility of PTE in the rhizospheric soils. The results showed an increase in the pH of the solution (2.8) to values up to neutrality together with the increase in Ca and Mg concentrations in the leachate, resulting from the dissolution of carbonates (calcite and dolomite). Additionally, leaching tests showed important extractions of Cd and Zn (25% for Cd and 11% for Zn). Pb was also mobilized but to a lesser extent (5%). The extractability of metalloids (As and Sb) was, in contrast, relatively low, except for Jebel Hallouf and Sidi Bouaouane soils, with an extraction percentage of no more than 1% for Sb and 0.1% for As, respectively. The mobility of Zn, Pb and Cd was thought to be controlled by both the solubility of their host minerals (e.g., sphalerite, hemimorphite, cerussite and jordanite) and the high pH. In contrast, As and Sb mobility was dependent on secondary carrier phases such as iron oxyhydroxides.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…In addition, the dominant forms of As are the sulphide forms [Jordanite [Pb 14 (As, Sb) 6 S 23 ], realgar (As 4 S 4 ), mimetite (Pb 5 (AsO 4 ) 3Cl) and arsenopyrite or mispickel (FeAsS), which were found in the tailings resulting from mining activities in the studied area [16].…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Mobility of Potentially Toxic Elements (Pb, Zn, Cd, As, Sb) in Agricultural Carbonated Soils Contaminated by Mine Tailings (Northern Tunisia): A New Kinetic Leaching Approach with Organic Acids

Achour

Souissi²,

Tlil

et al. 2022

Water

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“…The element association consists of Pb-Zn-Fe-Ba-F, with Cd, As, Sb, and other elements serving as subordinates. Carbonates (calcite and dolomite) make up the majority of the gangue minerals, with silica, clays, and gypsum appearing less frequently [6][7][8][9][10][11]. Many abandoned tailings resulting from the exploitation of these deposits within the district of Zaghouan (NE Tunisia) have been the subject of environmental impact studies [11][12][13][14][15][16][17].…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Carbonates (calcite and dolomite) make up the majority of the gangue minerals, with silica, clays, and gypsum appearing less frequently [6][7][8][9][10][11]. Many abandoned tailings resulting from the exploitation of these deposits within the district of Zaghouan (NE Tunisia) have been the subject of environmental impact studies [11][12][13][14][15][16][17]. The studies of these former mining wastes were conducted according to different disciplines, such as mineralogy, geochemistry, heavy metal mobility, and environment (soil, atmosphere, and watercourse contamination).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…The exploitation of the F-(Ba-Pb-Zn) deposit of the Zaghouan district (north-eastern Tunisia) has generated more than one million tons of mine (flotation) tailings (Hammam Zriba, Hammam Jedidi, Jebel Ressas) [11][12][13][14][15][16][17], stored in the open air and exposed to atmospheric oxygen and rainfall. According to Lettermoser [28], metals, metalloids, acid, and salts released into tailing pore waters as a product of oxidation and weathering reactions can: (a) be retained within the tailings impoundment; (b) enter surface and groundwater systems; or (c) be precipitated at the particulate level of the tailings impoundment.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Mineral Weathering and Metal Leaching under Meteoric Conditions in F-(Ba-Pb-Zn) Mining Waste of Hammam Zriba (NE Tunisia)

Kaba,

Souissi,

Keita

et al. 2023

Materials

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Mining waste is an obvious source of environmental pollution due to the presence of heavy metals, which can contaminate soils, water resources, sediments, air, and people living nearby. The F-(Ba-Pb-Zn) deposit of Hammam Zriba located in northeast Tunisia, 8 km southeast of Zaghouan was intensively exploited from 1970 to 1992. More than 250,000 m3 of flotation tailings were produced and stored in the open air in three dumps without any measure of environmental protection. Thus, in this paper, mineralogical and chemical characterization, especially the sulfide and carbonate phases, were carried out to evaluate the potential for acid mining drainage (AMD) and metal leaching (ML). Conventional analytical methods (XRD, XRF, SEM) have revealed that this mining waste contains on average 34.8% barite–celestine series, 26.6% calcite, 23% quartz, 6.3% anglesite, 4.8% fluorite, 2.1% pyrite, and 0.4% sphalerite. The content of sulfides is less important. The tailing leaching tests (AFNOR NFX 31-210 standard) did not generate acidic leachate (pH: 8.3). The acidity produced by sulfide oxidation was neutralized by calcite present in abundance. Furthermore, the leaching tests yielded leachates with high concentrations of heavy metals, above the authorized thresholds. This high mobilization rate in potential toxic elements (PTE) represents a contamination risk for the environment.

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Environmental Geochemistry

2021

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Environmental mineralogy and geochemistry of Pb–Zn mine wastes, Northern Tunisia

Cited by 11 publications

References 23 publications

Mobility of Potentially Toxic Elements (Pb, Zn, Cd, As, Sb) in Agricultural Carbonated Soils Contaminated by Mine Tailings (Northern Tunisia): A New Kinetic Leaching Approach with Organic Acids

Mobility of Potentially Toxic Elements (Pb, Zn, Cd, As, Sb) in Agricultural Carbonated Soils Contaminated by Mine Tailings (Northern Tunisia): A New Kinetic Leaching Approach with Organic Acids

Mineral Weathering and Metal Leaching under Meteoric Conditions in F-(Ba-Pb-Zn) Mining Waste of Hammam Zriba (NE Tunisia)

Environmental Geochemistry

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