Influence of hydrology on heavy metal speciation and mobility in a Pb–Zn mine tailing

Kovács, Elza; Dubbin, William E.; Tamás, János

doi:10.1016/j.envpol.2005.08.043

Cited by 35 publications

(8 citation statements)

References 26 publications

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“…Thus the concentrations of Pb and Zn in tailings from the Upper Moulouya district are below those recently reported in tailings from the Spanish mining sites of Almagrera and Cabezo Rajao (Álvarez-Valero et al, 2009;Navarro et al, 2008), and, in regard to Pb, higher than the values measured by Kovács et al (2006) in the Gyöngyösoroszi mine (Hungary) ( Table 7). Whereas the average content of both elements in soils corresponds to maximum values measured by Boularbah et al (2006) in a polymetallic mines near Marrakech (Morocco) and by Ullrich et al (1999) in Pb/Zn mining and smelting contaminated soils around the town of Bytom (Poland).…”

Section: Tablecontrasting

confidence: 65%

Mineralogy and chemical forms of lead and zinc in abandoned mine wastes and soils: An example from Morocco

Iavazzo

Adamo

Boni

et al. 2012

Journal of Geochemical Exploration

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Section: Tablecontrasting

confidence: 65%

Mineralogy and chemical forms of lead and zinc in abandoned mine wastes and soils: An example from Morocco

Iavazzo

Adamo

Boni

et al. 2012

Journal of Geochemical Exploration

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“…Upon release into the environment, galena, sphalerite and related sulfides oxidize, decompose and release H + , SO 2− 4 and metals. Mobile Pb, Zn, Cd and other metals then move into adjacent water bodies, soils, and plants, where they directly or indirectly threaten human health (Wu et al 2001;Ye et al 2006;Kovacs et al 2006;Rodriguez et al 2009). …”

Section: Results: Environmental and Human Health Effectsmentioning

confidence: 97%

Impacts of lead/zinc mining and smelting on the environment and human health in China

Zhang

Yang

et al. 2011

Environ Monit Assess

453

136

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Mining and smelting are important economic activities. However, mining-related industries are also some of the largest sources of environmental pollution from heavy metals. China is one of the largest producers and consumers of lead and zinc in the world. A large amount of lead, zinc, and related elements, such as cadmium, have been released into the environment due to mineral processing activities and have impacted water resources, soils, vegetables, and crops. In some areas, this pollution is hazardous to human health. This article reviews studies published in the past 10 years (2000-2009), on the environmental and human health consequences of lead/zinc mineral exploitation in China. Polluted areas are concentrated in the following areas: the junction of Yunnan, Guizhou and Sichuan provinces, west-central Hunan province, central Guangxi province, northern Guangdong, northwestern Henan province, the border between Shanxi and Gansu provinces, and the region of Liaoning province near Bohai. Lead (Pb) and cadmium (Cd) are the main pollutants and are associated with human health effects such as high lead blood levels in children, arthralgia, osteomalacia, and excessive cadmium in urine.

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“…In agreement with previous studies El Hachimi 2006), the main metallic contaminants are Pb and Zn, which in several samples are associated to high values of As, Cd, Co, Cu, Sb, Sn, and V (Table 5). Similar contaminants have also been found in many Pb-Zn mining and smelting areas all over the world: in Derbyshire and Somerset, UK (Li and Thornton 1993), in contaminated soils around the town of Bytom, Poland (Ullrich et al 1999) Gyöngyösoroszi mine, Hungary (Kovács et al 2006), and in Cabezo Rajao, Spain (Navarro et al 2008). The PTM content, with huge differences between the minimum and maximum values, supports the heterogeneous nature of the materials: Tailings and soils from the processing sites of all mining areas were contaminated, while soils from the exploitation areas and from those in the outskirts did not show any evidence of severe contamination.…”

Section: Soilmentioning

confidence: 90%

Impact of Past Mining Activity on the Quality of Water and Soil in the High Moulouya Valley (Morocco)

Iavazzo

Ducci

Adamo

et al. 2011

Water Air Soil Pollut

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Physical and chemical properties and the total content of potentially toxic metals (PTMs) in waters and soils were studied from the High Moulouya Valley (Morocco) in order to assess the impact of the past mining activity on their quality and to lay the foundations of a potential reclamation of the area. Surface water and groundwater samples were collected from the Moulouya River and mine pit lakes; tailings and soils were sampled inside and outside the mine sites of Ze < da, Mibladen, and Aouli. Both waters and soils were alkaline, due to the limestone environment, and contained Pb and Zn as main metallic contaminants. Pollution levels were highest within the Mibladen mining site, and soil pollution was mainly restricted to the areas where activities of metal concentration were carried out. Tailings and soils from these areas besides Pb and Zn were also polluted by As, Cd, and Cu showing clay fraction highly enriched in metal contaminants. At the time of study, all soils and wastes (including the highly polluted tailings) were in advanced stage of spontaneous herbaceous and arbustive revegetation. It is concluded that, in the High Moulouya Valley, the processes governing PTM transfer from the element-rich sites to the nearby environment are strongly influenced by pH, carbonate content, and semi-arid climate reducing metal mobility from the mining waste impoundments by dissolution. The transfer by wind and water erosion of metal-enriched fine waste particles is likely to be a much more important vector for metal dispersion. In this perspective, among a range of land remediation techniques available, natural and oriented revegetation could represent a low-cost and possible permanent solution

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Influence of hydrology on heavy metal speciation and mobility in a Pb–Zn mine tailing

Cited by 35 publications

References 26 publications

Mineralogy and chemical forms of lead and zinc in abandoned mine wastes and soils: An example from Morocco

Mineralogy and chemical forms of lead and zinc in abandoned mine wastes and soils: An example from Morocco

Impacts of lead/zinc mining and smelting on the environment and human health in China

Impact of Past Mining Activity on the Quality of Water and Soil in the High Moulouya Valley (Morocco)

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