The Mazarrón Pb–(Ag)–Zn mining district (SE Spain) as a source of heavy metal contamination in a semiarid realm: Geochemical data from mine wastes, soils, and stream sediments

Oyarzún, Roberto; Lillo, Javier; López‐García, José Ángel; Esbri, J. M.; Cubas, Paloma; Llanos, W.; Higueras, Pablo

doi:10.1016/j.gexplo.2010.04.009

Cited by 48 publications

(46 citation statements)

References 22 publications

Supporting

Mentioning

Contrasting

Unclassified

Order By: Relevance

“…1 and 2). Two previous works on the Mazarrón district (Acosta et al, 2011;Oyarzun et al, 2011) indicate the potential contamination risk associated with the tailing deposits. However, a geomorphological approach (either qualitative or quantitative) is not provided by either of them, and this is the focus of this paper.…”

Section: Accepted M Manuscriptmentioning

confidence: 95%

“…In this regard, the older a tailings dam is the greater and cumulative become the risks, a fact well exemplified by the high heavy metal contents along the Las Moreras seasonal river, which runs alongside the San Cristóbal-Perules mined site in the Mazarrón district (Oyarzun et al, 2011) (see Figs. 1 and 2).…”

Section: Accepted M Manuscriptmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Calcic xerosols, haplic calcisols, and calcaric regosols, typical of semiarid Mediterranean 'caliches', along with lithosols, are common in the slopelands; whereas calcaric fluvisols typify the floodplains of the Las Moreras wadi (IDERM, 2009(IDERM, -2014. The areas affected by mining and metallurgical activities can be classified as anthrosols and technosols (Oyarzun et al, 2011).…”

Section: Aims and Research Questionsmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…These clusters are characterized by the presence of dacitic to rhyodacitic domes that underwent strong and pervasive advanced argillic alteration, with kaolinite, alunite and silica formation. Main ore minerals are pyrite, sphalerite, and Agbearing galena; whereas other sulphides include chalcopyrite, tetrahedrite-tennantite, arsenopyrite, cinnabar, stibnite, and berthierite (e.g., Oyarzun et al, 2011).…”

Section: Accepted Manuscriptmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…We interpret that these predominant erosive characteristics reflect the geomorphic work to reestablish a new steady state between the new landforms (tailings accumulation) and the site environmental conditions (Schumm and Rea, 1995); this fact has important environmental implications. Thus, the main concern of having a dense network of deep gullies on tailings deposits is that harmful heavy metals and metalloids -such as lead or arsenic-are being dispersed into the environment (Oyarzun et al, 2011); this is because gullies transmit ephemeral flows that are very efficient moving sediments off-site. Therefore, this entire geomorphic system works toward the evacuation of sediments from the mined areas to Las Moreras wadi, mobilizing high amounts of sediments within the area.…”

Section: Interpretation Of the Erosive Characteristics Of The Tailingmentioning

confidence: 99%

See 4 more Smart Citations

A descriptive and quantitative approach regarding erosion and development of landforms on abandoned mine tailings: New insights and environmental implications from SE Spain

et al. 2015

Self Cite

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

The San Cristóbal-Perules mining site in Mazarrón in southeast Spain was subjected to about a hundred years of intense mining activity for lead, silver, and zinc. Metallurgical operations (smelting, calcination, gravity concentration) carried out during the late nineteenth centuryearly twentieth century induced significant land transformation, and the most conspicuous wastes of this period consists of a chaotic piling of 'old' tailing deposits. Later on, during the mid-twentieth century, 'modern' tailings resulting from froth flotation were accumulated filling small valleys; these latter valley-fill tailings rose sequentially according to the upstream construction method, progressively raising the level of the dam during the process.Once abandoned, both types of tailing deposits underwent severe erosion, resulting in amosaic of erosional and sedimentary landforms developed upon (e.g., gully formation) and within them (e.g., piping). We made an inventory and classification of these landforms. Our study shows the geomorphic work to reestablish a new steady state between the tailings deposits and the local erosive conditions. This scenario implies several hazards related to the extremely high heavy metal contents of these tailings and the geomorphic instability of the deposits. We also quantified the tailings tonnage and erosion that occurred at one of the tailings dams (El Roble). As shown by an oblique aerial photograph taken in 1968, this dam had a terraced topography, whereas in 2013 this morphology had evolved into a badland-type relief with deep parallel gullies. By recognizing and surveying specific, remnant points along the benches and outslopes of the older terraced topography, we were able to build up a first Abandoned mine tailing deposits are extremely common in the semiarid scenarios of the SW USA, Australia, Chile, and Peru. Given the similarities of these scenarios with SE Spain, the example from Mazarrón may provide useful new insights regarding the erosion and geomorphic evolution of such tailing deposits. These matters should be addressed in key environmental actions such as mine closure plans and land reclamation projects. A solution may come via restoration of these deposits through landform design involving the building up of stable mature landscapes, which in turn can withstand erosion much more easily.

show abstract

Section: Accepted M Manuscriptmentioning

confidence: 95%

Section: Accepted M Manuscriptmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Aims and Research Questionsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Accepted Manuscriptmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Interpretation Of the Erosive Characteristics Of The Tailingmentioning

confidence: 99%

See 3 more Smart Citations

A descriptive and quantitative approach regarding erosion and development of landforms on abandoned mine tailings: New insights and environmental implications from SE Spain

et al. 2015

Self Cite

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

show abstract

Baseline to Evaluate Off‐Site Suspended Sediment‐Related Mining Effects in the Alto Tajo Natural Park, Spain

et al. 2016

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

Mining is a human activity with considerable environmental impact. To evaluate such impacts, international laws require undertaking local studies based on direct sampling to establish baseline conditions of parameters modified by human activities. Mining takes place near the Alto Tajo Natural Park, where a suspended sediment concentration (SSC) baseline is required to determine whether mining affects water quality. To this end, we have monitored the Tajo River and its tributary the Tajuelo following Before–After Control‐Impact (BACI) techniques, recommended by Australian and New Zealand laws, requiring a specific method based on continuous monitoring and sampling to enable evaluation of SSCs. An SSC baseline has been defined at stations situated upstream of the mining area and compared with those downstream. The highest detected SSC upstream of the Tajuelo mines was 24 g l−1 whereas the highest simultaneous downstream value was 391 g l−1, more than one order of magnitude higher than the supposed baseline (24 g l−1). Additionally, this value is 1000 times more than the average concentration of 25 mg l−1, used by the European Union until 2015, to guarantee the quality of salmonid waters. Following a BACI approach, a statistically significant SSC impact has been identified. The mined areas are the only source that can explain this increase. This is the first instance that such an increase and baseline have been found using this method. BACI is a simple and reliable method recommended for studying degraded areas rather than an irrelevant, fixed standard as included in most international laws. Copyright © 2016 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

show abstract

Pb–Zn–Cd–As Pollution in Soils Affected by Mining Activities in Central and Southern Spain: A Scattered Legacy Posing Potential Environmental and Health Concerns

Lillo

Oyarzún

Esbrí

et al. 2014

Environment, Energy and Climate Change I

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

show abstract

The Mazarrón Pb–(Ag)–Zn mining district (SE Spain) as a source of heavy metal contamination in a semiarid realm: Geochemical data from mine wastes, soils, and stream sediments

Cited by 48 publications

References 22 publications

A descriptive and quantitative approach regarding erosion and development of landforms on abandoned mine tailings: New insights and environmental implications from SE Spain

A descriptive and quantitative approach regarding erosion and development of landforms on abandoned mine tailings: New insights and environmental implications from SE Spain

Baseline to Evaluate Off‐Site Suspended Sediment‐Related Mining Effects in the Alto Tajo Natural Park, Spain

Pb–Zn–Cd–As Pollution in Soils Affected by Mining Activities in Central and Southern Spain: A Scattered Legacy Posing Potential Environmental and Health Concerns

Contact Info

Product

Resources

About