Magnetic gradient map of the mine tailings in Portman Bay (Murcia, Spain) and its contribution to the understanding of the bay infilling process

Peña, José Antonio; Manteca, José Ignacio; Martínez‐Pagán, Pedro; Teixidó, Teresa

doi:10.1016/j.jappgeo.2013.05.011

Cited by 17 publications

(8 citation statements)

References 4 publications

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“…Once the ores had been separated, the waste materials were discharged directly into the sea, originally in the inner part of the bay, but later on, wastes were discharged farther offshore (Martínez-Sánchez et al 2008;García-Lorenzo et al 2014a). The mine waste composition is related to the original mineral paragenesis that was mined: paragenesis 1 and paragenesis 2 (Peña et al 2013). Up to 1967, magnetite was also recovered, but later this practice ceased, in order to prioritise the recovery of sulphides, so that magnetite became a waste.…”

Section: Portmanmentioning

confidence: 99%

Geochemical characterisation of surface waters, topsoils and efflorescences in a historic metal-mining area in Spain

et al. 2015

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Purpose Mining activities generate large amounts of wastes that may contain potentially toxic elements (PTE), which, if released into the environment, may cause air, water and soil pollution long after mining operations have ceased. This paper describes the environmental relevance of efflorescences, topsoils and surface waters from the abandoned mine of Sierra Minera of Cartagena-La Unión, SE Spain. The exposure of the population to arsenic and the associated risk were also assessed. Materials and methods A total of 10 topsoils and surface waters and 11 efflorescences affected at varying degrees by mining activities were studied. The total potentially toxic element content (As, Cd, Cu, Fe, Pb and Zn) was determined in all samples. In addition, the mineralogical composition of solid samples was determined by X-ray diffraction and some efflorescences were also analysed using a scanning electron microscopy-energy dispersive X-ray spectrometer. Finally, an arsenic-intake risk assessment was carried out, both as regards carcinogenic and non-carcinogenic effects and considering the total and the bioaccesible As content. Results and discussionThe study area is heavily polluted as a result of historical mining and processing activities, during which time great amounts of wastes were produced, characterised by a high PTE content, acidic pH and minerals resulting from supergene alteration. The supergene mineralogical assemblages include soluble metal salts, mainly sulphates, iron hydroxysulphates and iron oxyhydroxides, all of which form ochreous precipitates. Topsoil samples showed risk values and hazard quotients higher than the reference levels, particularly for children. In the efflorescences, these values were lower but still unacceptable. Conclusions The efflorescences are of significance for monitoring purposes because they are involved in cycles of retention release of hydrogen ions, sulphate and potentially toxic elements. In addition, in a semi-arid climate, such as the study area, these minerals contribute to our understanding of the response of the system to episodic rainfall events. In general, it was observed that the arsenic in collected samples represent a potential risk for human health through ingestion.

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Section: Portmanmentioning

confidence: 99%

Geochemical characterisation of surface waters, topsoils and efflorescences in a historic metal-mining area in Spain

et al. 2015

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“…Aerial photograph series taken during the 1970s reveal that sedimentation began on the western flank (including the fishing harbor) (Fig. 2b, c) along successive SW-NE arcuate bands, eventually progressing from there towards east, which spatially coincides with magnetic gradients in the area (Peña et al 2013). This allows interpretation in terms of alternating bands of magnetic black sands and yellowish bands rich in sulfates and clays.…”

Section: Bay Infillmentioning

confidence: 96%

The beach placer iron deposit of Portman Bay, Murcia, SE Spain: the result of 33 years of tailings disposal (1957–1990) to the Mediterranean seaside

et al. 2014

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Between 1957 and 1990, the Peñarroya Mining and Metallurgical Company (SMMPE) disposed about 60 million tonnes of tailings materials directly to the Mediterranean Sea. A substantial part of it (12.5 Mt) was dragged back by the sea currents progressively infilling the Portman Bay (Murcia, SE Spain), thus making the shoreline advance between 500 and 600 m seaward. The Roberto froth flotation plant processed mineral from manto-type deposits belonging to the Sierra de Cartagena-La Unión lead-zinc district. One of the mineral assemblages present in these deposits comprises greenalite, magnetite, sulfides, carbonates, and silica. Despite that magnetite recovery was undertaken by SMMPE between 1959 and 1967, we estimate that magnetite contained in the tailings hosts a substantial resource that could be as large as 2.3 Mt of iron ore. The ore contains magnetite ± hematite ± siderite. Tidal waves and sea currents led to gravimetric classification of the tailings material, with concentration of the dense iron oxides in the sandy fractions, eventually forming a coastal placer iron deposit. A major problem for magnetic separation is the intimate intergrowth between magnetite, hematite, and siderite. Besides, the sands contain large concentrations of Pb (0.27 %), Zn (0.72 %), and As (559 ppm).

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“…In the early days, mining operations were largely unplanned with tailings and other waste materials directly discharged into the sea as a matter of convenience, for example, at Howe Sound (Britannia Mine), British Columbia, Canada (Drysdale 1990;Syvitski and Macdonald 1982); Tilt Cove, Newfoundland, Canada (Kwong and Hynes 2003); Portman Bay (Roberto Mine), and Cartagena, Spain (Pena et al 2013). This often led to contamination of the nearshore environment and adverse impacts on local biota (Castilla and Nealler 1978;Ellis and Hoover 1990).…”

Section: History Of Submarine Tailings Disposalmentioning

confidence: 99%

Comparison of Environmental Impacts of Deep-sea Tailings Placement Versus On-land Disposal

Kwong

Apte

Asmund

et al. 2019

Water Air Soil Pollut

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With increasing metal prices and declining ore grades, new mines are getting larger and mine waste disposal and management have become more difficult, particularly from an environmental perspective. While technologies keep on improving, the available space for terrestrial mine waste disposal is limited. Thus, several coastal countries still consider deep-sea tailings placement (DSTP) as a viable option. This brief review compares the environmental impacts of DSTP versus on-land disposal and suggests several factors to consider in selecting the most suitable options for mine waste disposal.

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Magnetic gradient map of the mine tailings in Portman Bay (Murcia, Spain) and its contribution to the understanding of the bay infilling process

Cited by 17 publications

References 4 publications

Geochemical characterisation of surface waters, topsoils and efflorescences in a historic metal-mining area in Spain

Geochemical characterisation of surface waters, topsoils and efflorescences in a historic metal-mining area in Spain

The beach placer iron deposit of Portman Bay, Murcia, SE Spain: the result of 33 years of tailings disposal (1957–1990) to the Mediterranean seaside

Comparison of Environmental Impacts of Deep-sea Tailings Placement Versus On-land Disposal

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