Selected trace elements and metals in groundwater within Permian sediments near Olkusz (Zn-Pb ore mining region, S Poland)

Abstract

The extensive mining of Zn-Pb ores in the Olkusz region resulted in significant changes of both water table level and chemical composition of water in all aquifers in the area. This was caused by intensive dewatering of mining excavations and development of a thick aeration zone reaching 150 m in a central part of the area. That created favorable conditions for oxidation of metal sulfides occurring in the ore-bearing dolomites (Middle Triassic) and started the process of forming readily soluble hydroxysulphates which then migrated to lower aquifers, including the Permian. As a result of those processes, various metals and other elements toxic to the water environment appeared in leaks observed in mine galleries. Changes in concentrations of selected elements (Fe, Mn, Zn, Pb, Cu, Ba, Ni, Co, As, Cr, Hg, Tl, Ag, Cd, B) in mine waters over the period of the last nearly 50 years were described. Water samples were collected from exploratory boreholes, piezometers, and wells located in investigated area inflows and seepages occurring in shafts and drifts excavated in Permian conglomerates. Mean concentrations of metals (Pb, Cd, Cr, Hg, Tl) and other toxic elements were surprisingly low; Pb, 3.94 μg/L; Cd, 0.2 μg/L; Cr, up to 2.26 μg/L; Hg, 0.25 μg/L; Tl, 3.59 μg/L; and As, 6.31 μg/L. However, the observed concentrations varied significantly over time, reaching respectively up to 190 μg Pb/L, 60 μg Cd/L, 15.6 μg Cr/L, 2.67 μg Hg/L, 81.3 μg Tl/L, and 155 μg As/L.

Human Health Risk Assessment and Potentially Harmful Element Contents in the Cereals Cultivated on Agricultural Soils

“…The concentrations of Pb, Zn, and Cd in barley were consistent with the results obtained by Eticha and Hymete [69], who reported that differences in metal contents in barley of different origins might be caused by differences in arable soil types, agrochemical treatment, and environmental pollution. The abovementioned results are in line with the observation that higher PHE concentrations in investigated cereals might be the consequence of the fact that Zn-Pb [70,71] and Cu [72,73] ores are present in the geological background of soils in southern Poland. Moreover, the contents of Pb and Cd reported in wheat and barley grains sampled in northern Poland [74], where non-ferrous geological deposits do not occur, were lower than those identified in this study.…”

Integrated geophysical and geochemical methods applied for recognition of acid waste drainage (AWD) from Zn-Pb post-flotation tailing pile (Olkusz, southern Poland)

“…High buffering properties of post-flotation wastes considerably reduce leaching of SO 4 2− , Zn 2+ , Ca 2+ , Mg 2+ and Fe 2+ ions (Postawa and Motyka 2018), but their quantity transferred from the dump remains high. Motyka et al (2005) showed that about 5.0 m 3 of leachate containing, on average, 1400 mg/dm 3 of sulphates infiltrates per minute from the tailing ponds to the underlying sediments.…”

“…In the hydrogeological system, it is possible to distinguish Quaternary level related to sands, with a filtration coefficient of 2.5 × 10 −4 m/s, which has been drained by carbonate, karstfissure formations of the Triassic level. Fissured and cavernous diplopora and ore-bearing dolomites occurring in the upper Triassic are very well permeable (10 −5 -10 −4 m/s) (Postawa and Motyka 2018). The layers of Olkusz and Gogolin limestones located below contain marl and clay intercalations, hence their permeability is lower-in the order of 10 −7 -10 −5 m/s.…”

“…Over 50 years of the underground exploitation of shallow Zn-Pb ore has resulted in drainage of the Quaternary and Triassic levels. The mines, pumping about 200 m 3 of water/ min, have formed a cone of depression of a diameter of up to 20 km (Motyka et al 2016;Postawa and Motyka 2018).…”

The contents of the potentially harmful elements in the arable soils of southern Poland, with the assessment of ecological and health risks: a case study

“…The described studies were conducted in southern Poland, in the region characterized by a large diversity of geological structures and agricultural and industrial development, as well as anthropogenic pressures. Southern Poland is the area of intense coal mining and processing in the Silesia (Szczepańska and Twardowska 1999;Jończy and Gawor 2017), mining and processing of Zn and Pb ores in the Olkusz area (Krzaklewski et al 2004;Postawa and Motyka 2019), and of Cu ores in the Lower Silesia (Potysz et al 2018). Besides the urban agglomerations of Kraków and Wrocław, the Upper and Lower Silesia Regions are also located in southern Poland, with significant contamination of the environment due to coal-burning heating plant operations, as well as wood and waste burning in poor quality stoves (Kobza et al 2018), not to mention huge local traffic (Adamiec 2017).…”