Arsenic species in weathering mine tailings and biogenic solids at the Lava Cap Mine Superfund Site,Nevada City,CA

Background  

A realistic estimation of the health risk of human exposure to solid-phase arsenic (As) derived from historic mining operations is a major challenge to redevelopment of California's famed "Mother Lode" region. Arsenic, a known carcinogen, occurs in multiple solid forms that vary in bioaccessibility. X-ray absorption fine-structure spectroscopy (XAFS) was used to identify and quantify the forms of As in mine wastes and biogenic solids at the Lava Cap Mine Superfund (LCMS) site, a historic "Mother Lode" gold mine. Principal component analysis (PCA) was used to assess variance within water chemistry, solids chemistry, and XAFS spectral datasets. Linear combination, least-squares fits constrained in part by PCA results were then used to quantify arsenic speciation in XAFS spectra of tailings and biogenic solids.     

从滇黔桂“金三角”区域地层地球化学演化特征探讨卡林型金矿的物质来源

选用滇黔桂地区东经103°～110°,北纬22°～26°,面积约20万km2,34幅1∶20万水系沉积物统计结果资料,全面系统地探讨本区及其邻近区域地层地球化学特征及其与成矿的关系。结果表明:(1)与华南地区相比,本区存在Sb、As、Au、Hg等低温元素矿集区的地球化学块体,金具有深源性,而砷、锑、汞则是区域性的高背景,本区金与砷、锑、汞的相伴,既有必然性,又有偶然性;(2)与基性岩浆活动有关的亲基性场元素、氧化物、矿化剂高背景的形成,是本区右江裂谷带、富宁—关岭南北向断裂带、文山—富宁逆冲推覆构造带,特别是峨眉地幔柱所产生的基性岩浆喷溢及火山碎屑浊流沉积的客观地球化学反映;(3)黔西南地区二叠纪峨眉山玄武岩喷发导致二叠系和三叠系金及大量亲基性场元素的突变,右江裂谷活动至少始于寒武纪,随着时间的推移,由桂西往黔西南逐渐裂开;(4)滇黔桂"金三角"地区卡林型金矿的物源与裂谷、特提斯和区域性深大断裂和峨眉地幔柱长期活动相伴的基性火成岩及火山碎屑浊流沉积有关。     

The application of lithogeochemical and alteration index for copper mineralization in the Sonajil area, NW Iran

The Sonajil intrusive is located about 60 km southeast of Ahar, in Azarbaijan province in northwestern Iran, and is intruded into by andesitic trachytic Eocene pyroclastics and agglomerate. To the center, the stock is hydrothermally altered, that contains sub-economic copper mineralization. The 1,248 cells with 100?×?100 m grid were sampled, and measurement of elements by ICP-MS method and major oxides included by X-ray fluorescence method was performed. After statistical interpretations, geochemical anomalies and indices alteration (sericitization, alkali, Spitz–Darling, chloritization, Hashimoto, Hashiguchi) were calculated, and their map distribution was prepared. Based on these maps and other interpretations of data, our study indicated that despite the anomaly of copper and other elements such as gold, molybdenum, lead, arsenic and antimony of not being quite consistent, almost all of them are within the alteration zones.     

Mineralogy and trace element relative solubility patterns of shallow marine sediments affected by submarine tailings disposal and artisanal gold mining,Buyat-Ratototok district,North Sulawesi,Indonesia

Shallow marine sediments of the Buyat-Ratototok district of North Sulawesi, Indonesia, are affected by submarine disposal of industrial gold mine tailings and small-scale gold mining using mercury amalgamation. Industrial mine tailings contained 590–660 ppm arsenic, 490–580 ppm antimony, and 0.8–5.8 ppm mercury. Electron microprobe survey found both colloidal iron–arsenic-phases without sulphur and arsenian pyrite in tailings and sites to which tailings had dispersed, but only arsenopyrite in sediments affected by artisanal mining. Antimony in tailings was present as antimony oxides, colloidal iron–antimony phases, colloidal iron–antimony phases, and stibnite in sediments affected by both types of mining. A sequential extraction found that 2% of arsenic held in tailings and tailings-contaminated sediments was exchangeable, 20–30% was labile, including weakly adsorbed, carbonate- and arsenate bound, 20–30% was metastable, probably incorporated into iron or manganese oxyhydroxides, or strongly adsorbed to silicate minerals, and 40–48% was relatively insoluble, probably incorporated into sulphides or silicates. Arsenic in sediments affected by artisanal gold mining was 75–95% relatively insoluble. Antimony in all sediments was >90% relatively insoluble. Relative solubility patterns of most other metals did not differ between industrial tailings-affected, artisanal-mining affected areas, and fluvial sediments. Results suggest that submarine tailings disposal is not suitable for refractory Carlin-like gold deposits because ore processing converts arsenic to forms unstable in anoxic marine sediments. Electronic supplementary material Supplementary material is available in the online version of this article at and is accessible for authorized users.     

甘肃省岷县绿沙金矿地质特征

绿沙金矿位于南秦岭褶皱带,合作—鹿儿坝—崖湾金、汞、锑等多金属成矿带上,处于鹿儿坝金矿西北部11 km处。矿区内圈定以Au为主的土壤综合异常4处,异常走向NW向为主,与区域地层展布及构造线方向一致;通过对AT3异常检查圈出金矿体3条,矿体赋存于中三叠统古浪堤组地层中,严格受断裂构造带控制,矿体走向以NW向为主,矿石具较强的褐铁矿化、硅化。本文在对矿区地质及矿体特征客观认识的基础上,分析总结了矿区的控矿因素和找矿标志,并与邻区的鹿儿坝金矿进行了对比。为该区及成矿带找矿工作具有借鉴意义。     

黔西南铊矿床（点）赋矿地层中成矿元素的若干地球化学问题研究

本文以地球化学过程基本定律为指导，根据区域和矿区外围八条剖面１６９件样品的分析数据，采用柯尔莫各洛夫非参数正态检验法，对黔西南铊矿床（点）赋矿地层中成矿元素Ｔｌ、Ａｕ、Ｈｇ、Ｓｂ、Ａｓ、Ｐｂ、Ｚｎ的丰度值进行了研究。     

Heavy metal concentrations in shallow marine sediments affected by submarine tailings disposal and artisanal gold mining,Buyat-Ratototok district,North Sulawesi,Indonesia

Trace element concentrations in shallow marine sediments of the Buyat-Ratototok district of North Sulawesi, Indonesia, are affected by submarine disposal of industrial gold mine tailings and unregulated dumping of tailings and wastewater from small-scale gold mining using mercury amalgamation. Industrial mine tailings contained 590–690 ppm arsenic, 490–580 ppm antimony, and 0.8–5.8 ppm mercury. Tailings-affected sediment As and Sb concentrations were 20–30 times higher than in muddy sediments not contaminated with tailings, and 50–60 times higher than pre-mining average. Highest mercury concentrations were observed in sediments affected by small-scale mining using mercury amalgamation (5–29 ppm). Concentrations of most other trace elements were comparable in sediments affected by both types of mining and were slightly higher than regional averages for sediments collected before the onset of industrial mining. Elevated concentrations of both As and Sb in approximately equal proportions suggest tailings dispersal of at least 3.5 km. Mercury released from artisanal gold mining dispersed up to 4 km from river mouths. Slight increases in concentrations of non-mercury trace elements in areas affected by artisanal mining over pre-industrial mining concentrations were probably caused by increased rates of erosion. Electronic supplementary material Supplementary material is available in the online version of this article at and is accessible for authorized users.     

Trace-metal content of the Pueblo Viejo precious-metal deposits and their relation to other high-sulfidation epithermal systems

We provide here information on the distribution of copper, zinc, lead, gold, silver, barium, arsenic, antimony, mercury, selenium and tellurium in the Moore and Monte Negro high-sulfidation epithermal deposits in the Pueblo Viejo district, Dominican Republic. Moore and Monte Negro are funnel-shaped zones of advanced argillic alteration and precious-metal mineralization which extend to depths of about 350 m below the present surface. The uppermost part of the Moore deposit has been removed by erosion, whereas the Monte Negro deposit is covered by rocks containing low, but still anomalous gold grades. At Moore, concentrations of all elements except copper increase upward through the deposit. At Monte Negro, all elements except barium and zinc show a similar upward increase in concentration to a point near the top of the deposit from which they decrease upward. This difference reflects the fact that the top of the Moore deposit has been removed by erosion. Because the deposits are funnel-shaped and average metal concentrations increase by almost an order of magnitude upward, most of the metals are concentrated in the upper parts of the deposits. The upward increase in concentration of most metals is gradual and similar in magnitude to the prograde temperature dependence in solubilities of many metal complexes, suggesting that the metals were deposited by cooling. By contrast, concentrations of mercury and, to a lesser extent, tellurium increase more abruptly in the upper part of the deposits. This change probably reflects boiling of the hydrothermal solutions and partitioning of mercury and tellurium into a rising vapor phase, and it suggests that host rocks overlying the deposits will be anomalous in mercury and tellurium. Comparison to the Broadlands, New Zealand, hydrothermal system supports these inferred depositional processes. It shows that the behavior of arsenic and antimony at Broadlands was different from that at Pueblo Viejo, possibly because the elements were complexed differently in the two ore fluids. Comparison of trace-element abundances at Pueblo Viejo to other high-sulfidation epithermal systems shows differences in base-metal, arsenic and mercury abundances which may be related to the depths at which the deposits formed. The results of this study highlight the application and need for quantitative trace-element data from epithermal deposits.     

河北省“长城式”金矿矿床地质特征简介

＂长城式＂金矿是产于中元古界长城系碳酸盐岩地层中的一种新类型金矿。含矿带长约50 km,宽4~5km,由多个矿区,几十个矿体构成,一般单个矿体规模较小,矿体厚度变化系数26%,品位变化系数74%,矿体产出受地层和构造控制明显。     

The behavior of arsenic and antimony at Pezinok mining site,southwestern part of the Slovak Republic

Arsenic and antimony contamination is found at the Pezinok mining site in the southwest of the Slovak Republic. Investigation of this site included sampling and analysis of water, mineralogical analyses, sequential extraction, in addition to flow and geochemical modeling. The highest dissolved arsenic concentrations correspond to mine tailings (up to 90,000 μg/L) and the arsenic is present predominately as As(V). The primary source of the arsenic is the dissolution of arsenopyrite. Concentration of antimony reaches 7,500 μg/L and its primary source is the dissolution of stibnite. Pore water in mine tailings is well-buffered by the dissolution of carbonates (pH values between 6.6 and 7.0) and arsenopyrite grains are surrounded by reaction rims composed of ferric iron minerals. Based on sequential extraction results, most solid phase arsenic is in the reducible fraction (i.e. ferric oxyhydroxides), sulfidic fraction, and residual fraction. Distribution of antimony in the solid phase is similar, but contents are lower. The principal attenuation mechanism for As(V) is adsorption to ferric oxide and hydroxides, but the adsorption seems to be limited by the competition with Sb(V) produced by the oxidation of stibnite for adsorption sites. Water in mine tailings is at equilibrium with gypsum and calcite, but far from equilibrium with any arsenic and antimony minerals. The concentrations of arsenic and antimony in the surrounding aquifer are much lower, with maximum values of 215 and 426 μg/L, respectively. Arsenic and antimony are transported by ground water flow towards the Blatina Creek, but their loading from ground water to the creek is much lower compared with the input from the mine adits. In the Blatina Creek, arsenic and antimony are attenuated by dilution and by adsorption on ferric iron minerals in stream sediments with resulting respective concentrations of 93 and 45 μg/L at the site boundary south of mine tailing ponds.     

青海大场金矿床地质特征及成因探讨

青海大场金矿床位于北巴颜喀拉造山带的中段,为区域印支造山过程晚期Au-Sb成矿作用的产物.该矿床为具有层控性和受断裂构造、隐伏岩浆活动控制的金矿床.矿体主要呈脉状、似脉状和透镜状赋存于三叠系巴颜喀拉群砂岩板岩互层组内,并严格受断裂破碎带的控制.大场金矿床先后经历了金、锑2期矿化,矿化平均成矿深度分别为5.9km和6.9 km,锑矿化深度略浅于金矿化.成矿流体总体属中温、较低盐度、低密度的CO2-H2O-N2-H2S-CH4±CO±有机碳氢化合物体系.该矿床与造山型金矿具有相似的地质地球化学特征,其金矿化属造山型金矿的中成矿化,其锑矿化为造山型金矿的浅成矿化.     

矿区尺度的品位-吨位模型研究探讨——以崤山金矿区为例

矿床品位-吨位模型属于矿床统计模型,是矿产资源潜力评价的重要组成部分。依据河南省陕县金矿储量核查成果数据,选取崤山金矿区为研究对象,利用SPSS软件及Excel对全矿区75个金矿矿体块段品位、吨位数据进行频率分布分析与处理,然后进行P-P图及Q-Q图正态检验,建立了矿体块段品位模型、吨位模型、品位-吨位联合模型。总结了崤山金矿区矿体块段品位及吨位分布的典型数学地质特征,并探讨了品位-吨位模型在该矿区资源预测评价中的作用,为今后矿区的地质工作提供指导。     

甘肃大桥金矿地球化学异常特征对比

通过对大桥金矿成矿地质特征研究的基础上,对矿区1∶20万区域化探异常特征、1∶5万水系沉积物测量异常特征及1∶1万土壤测量异常特征进行了分析和对比,认为该区化探工作随着比例尺的增大,异常元素增多,异常强度增强,异常浓集中心更加明显,显示出主成矿元素异常和相关伴生元素的继承性和多样性。异常元素组合显示,矿区中、大比例尺化探工作圈定的异常中,金、汞、砷、锑、银等中、低温元素异常发育,成为大桥金矿重要的找矿指示元素和直接找矿指标。原生晕特征标明,金及伴生元素异常展布与矿体产状基本一致,而异常强度在顶、底板明显减弱,说明赋矿层位和岩性对矿体的分布控制作用明显。本文旨在探讨该矿床不同介质系列化探异常特征,为西秦岭区化探找金工作提供新的范例。     

Re-Os geochronology of gold mineralization in the Fawakhir area,Eastern Desert,Egypt

We report the first Re-Os data on gold-associated arsenopyrite from mesothermal gold-quartz veins in the ancient Egyptian Fawakhir–El Sid gold mining district in the central Eastern Desert. This mining district has an ~5000-year-old history and is displayed in the Turin Papyrus Map (about 1150 BC), which is widely acclaimed as the world’s oldest geographic map, as well as the oldest geologic and mine map. The Fawakhir–El Sid district is part of a regional NNW-trending shear corridor (15 km wide) that hosts several other historic gold mines associated with left-lateral wrench structures and related granite intrusions. Vein-style gold mineralization is hosted within and at the margin of an I-type and magnetite-series monzogranite, the Fawakhir granite intrusion, and a Pan-African (~740 Ma) ophiolite sequence. The ore mineralogy of the mineralized quartz veins includes pyrite-arsenopyrite-pyrrhotite-sphalerite-galena-chalcopyrite-electrum plus a number of tellurides of Ag, Au, and Bi. The ¹⁸⁷Re/¹⁸⁸Os versus ¹⁸⁷Os/¹⁸⁸Os regression on 5 points of arsenopyrite gives an age of 601 ± 17 Ma with an initial ¹⁸⁷Os/¹⁸⁸Os of 0.24 ± 0.07 (2 σ; MSWD = 17). This age coincides within error with the U-Pb age on zircon from the Fawakhir monzogranite (598 ± 3 Ma). The age coincidence and the hydrothermal Te and Bi metal signature suggest a foremost role of granite-related fluids in the quartz-vein system.     

新疆包古图地区金矿床矿化类型和与围岩关系研究

西准噶尔包古图地区是新疆北部重要的金铜产地,已发现中型金矿床1处,金矿点20余处,大型斑岩铜（金、钼）矿床1处。金矿床按矿化类型可分为石英脉-蚀变岩型、蚀变岩型、辉锑矿-石英脉型、富硫化物型以及产于斑岩型铜矿中的伴生金。石英脉-蚀变岩型是最主要的矿石类型,构成包古图地区最主要的经济矿体。蚀变岩型是包古图地区近年来发现的新矿化类型,矿体由就位于NW向断裂中的蚀变凝灰质细砂岩和蚀变凝灰岩组成。辉锑矿-石英脉型矿石中含自然砷、自然锑、Paakkonenite、方锑金矿和硫锑金银矿等罕见矿物,这些矿物都与金矿化直接相关。富硫化物型矿石中,自然铋和辉铋矿与金矿化紧密相关。这些金矿化在空间上与中酸性岩体和岩体附近的岩脉关系紧密,成因上金矿化与岩体密切相关,而与岩脉关系不大。成矿元素在岩体中含量最高,其次为岩体附近的火山碎屑沉积岩,同一区域内岩脉的成矿元素含量最低,离岩体越远,成矿元素含量越低。Au与As、Sb、Bi之间具有不同程度的正相关性,As、Sb、Bi异常是该区找金的重要化探标志。中酸性岩体是最重要的找矿标志,岩体附近的断裂系统是金矿最有利的就位空间。     

萨尔布拉克金矿床成因及其找矿前景

从大地构造背景、赋矿围岩、矿体特征、矿石物质组分、蚀变特征和流体包裹体等几方面,将萨尔布拉克金矿和穆龙套金矿进行了对比,二者有着相近的地质特征,提出萨尔布拉克金矿属于穆龙套型.该矿床矿化规模巨大,但已发现的金矿储量不大,矿体开采深度也较小.认为现在出露的只是矿床的浅部,向深部应该有品位更富、更加连续的矿体.     

贵州省盘县架底金矿床成矿地质条件及找矿方向

架底金矿床位于贵州省莲花山背斜南东翼,距背斜核部3 km,是近年来在国内发现的与峨眉山玄武岩密切相关的第一个大型原生金矿床。架底金矿床与黔西南其他金矿床类似,属微细粒浸染型,成矿流体来源具有岩浆水的特点。玄武岩是矿区最主要的赋矿地层,玄武质火山角砾岩是矿区最主要的容矿岩石。矿化趋势分析显示：莲花山背斜（次级揉褶）与近东西向复式背斜的叠加区是有利的成矿部位,控制矿床中各矿体的分布规律及产出特征;近东西向复式背斜直接控制了矿体近东西向展布的特点,且越靠近莲花山背斜核部,矿体品位越高、厚度越大。原生晕地球化学分析指示：在矿区目前已发现矿体的顶部可能还存在断控型或层控型金矿体;源自深部的含金热液沿深大断裂上涌至一定位置后沿层间破碎带由东向西运移,且至少经历了2次主要的成矿作用阶段。综合研究认为整个莲花山地区具有较好的找矿远景,区内金矿床在南北方向可能按一定规律呈等距、不等距分布,推测东西方向受叠加褶皱控制的有利成矿区距莲花山背斜核部超过5 km。区内除峨眉山玄武岩外,在上二叠统龙潭组以及三叠系中都有可能在构造有利、岩性适宜的部位形成层控型或断控型金矿体。     

Arsenic in soil and vegetation of a contaminated area

Plant and soil samples were collected from one uncontaminated and four contaminated sites (in the Dashkasan mining area western Iran). Total and water-soluble arsenic in the soil ranged from 7 to 795 and from 0.007 to 2.32 mg/kg, respectively. The highest arsenic concentration in soil was found at the ore dressing area (up to 1,180 mg/kg) and lowest at an uncontaminated area (up to 11 mg/kg). A total of 49 plant species belonging to 15 families were collected from four sampling sites. A significant positive correlation was detected between the concentrations of arsenic in plant dry matter and those in soils. The highest arsenic concentrations were found in Hyoscyamus kurdicus Bornm. (up to 205 mg/kg) and Helichrysum oligocephalum DC. (up to 162 mg/kg). These two accumulator species could have potential for soil clean-up by phytoextraction. The data have been compared with those for the Zarshuran mining area (north-western Iran) obtained in a former study.     

Mineralization Ages of Gold-Hydrothermal Deposits in Northern Zone of Eastern Kunlun Mountains based on Fission Track Analysis

MINERALIZATION AGES OF GOLD-HYDROTHERMAL DEPOSITS IN NORTHERN ZONE OF EASTERN KUNLUN MOUNTAINS BASED ON FISSION TRACK ANALYSIStheOpenLaboratoryofNuclearAnalysisTechniques;;ChineseAcademyofSciences