Impact of tailings dam failure on spatial features of copper contamination (Mazraeh mine area,Iran)

Mining activities pose a potential risk of metal contamination around mining sites. On May 6, 2010, a tailings dam failure of the Mazraeh copper mine near Ahar in East Azerbaijan province, Iran, released vast amounts of mine wastes. To better understand the magnitude of copper contamination in the waste-affected soils, it is important to assess the spatial distribution of soil copper content at unsampled points. A total of 30 soil samples and their surficial sediments together with the 6 uncontaminated control samples (0–10 and 10–30 cm) were collected along the stream flow that joined Ahar-Chai River. Some of soil properties as well as total copper concentration were determined in all samples. The mean value of the latter in the surface contaminated soils was found to be approximately two times more than controls. Furthermore, the mean concentration of copper in the surface loaded material was 10 times more than the soils. High copper concentrations were observed in surficial sediments of the soils near the broken tailings dam. The Inverse Distance Weighting (IDW) method was employed in data analysis. The spherical and Gaussian semivariogram models were properly fitted to the data of copper contents in soils and surficial sediments.     

大井矿冶遗址冶炼产物的输出方向

大井矿冶遗址是我国北方发现最早的一处古铜矿遗址。本文利用ICP方法,测试了该遗址的铜矿、炼渣和辽西地区出土的部分青铜器。结果显示,遗址的冶炼金属产品Ag、As、Sb、Bi、Co、Zn等元素含量偏高,Mo含量偏低。同时发现,这批辽西地区出土的青铜器样品微量元素特征明显不同于铜绿山和皖南的铜锭,而与大井铜矿很相似,其铜料来源很可能来自大井古铜矿或其周边铜矿。这一结论,对探讨大井古铜矿冶炼产品的使用范围和辽西地区的冶金历史有重要意义。     

Spatial interpolation of severely skewed data with several peak values by the approach integrating kriging and triangular irregular network interpolation

It was not unusual in soil and environmental studies that the distribution of data is severely skewed with several high peak values, which causes the difficulty for Kriging with data transformation to make a satisfied prediction. This paper tested an approach that integrates kriging and triangular irregular network interpolation to make predictions. A data set consisting of total Copper (Cu) concentrations of 147 soil samples, with a skewness of 4.64 and several high peak values, from a copper smelting contaminated site in Zhejiang Province, China. The original data were partitioned into two parts. One represented the holistic spatial variability, followed by lognormal distribution, and then was interpolated by lognormal ordinary kriging. The other assumed to show the local variability of the area that near to high peak values, and triangular irregular network interpolation was applied. These two predictions were integrated into one map. This map was assessed by comparing with rank-order ordinary kriging and normal score ordinary kriging using another data set consisting of 54 soil samples of Cu in the same region. According to the mean error and root mean square error, the approach integrating lognormal ordinary kriging and triangular irregular network interpolation could make improved predictions over rank-order ordinary kriging and normal score ordinary kriging for the severely skewed data with several high peak values.     

Temporal variation in the arsenic and metal accumulation in the maritime pine tree grown on contaminated soils

The uptake of arsenic and other metals (iron, manganese, copper, zinc, lead, nickel and tungsten) by Pinus pinaster Aiton (the maritime pine tree) growing in soils and tailings around an abandoned mine (northern Portugal) was investigated. Aerial parts of Pinus pinaster trees were sampled from three substrate areas: a background area, in mine contaminated soils and in tailings. Vegetation material was separated into needles and stems and subdivided into tissues of different maturities (1-, 2-, 3- and 4-years-old). The sampling of the substrate in each area was also undertaken. In general, vegetation concentrations were strongly related to substrate concentrations. The results show that the contents of several elements depend as much on the plant organ as on the age of the tissue. For the researched elements, this species shows a great variability in behavior depending on the age of the organ. The data indicate that the older needles constitute the best samples for use in a conjunct biogeochemical analysis of these elements.     

Effect of contact time,pH, and ionic strength on Cd(II) adsorption from aqueous solution onto bentonite from Gaomiaozi,China

Copper smelting and toxic emissions in Sarcheshmeh Copper Complex have resulted in soil pollution especially in the vicinity of the smelting plant. Calculated geoaccumulation index, contamination factor (C _f), and contamination degree (C _deg) indicate surface soil enrichment in potentially toxic metals (As, Cu, Pb, Zn, Mo, and Cd). The results also indicate that most contaminated areas are located in the prevailing wind directions (N and NE). However, continuous copper smelting can result in extensive pollution in the study area. This is especially alarming for adjacent townships. Since, the sampled sites are also used as grazing land, the soils are likely to become phytotoxic and provide a potential pathway for the toxic elements to enter the food chain. C _f based on distance and direction give more reasonable results; that is, the decrease of contamination degree with distance. This is in agreement with I _geo and also statistical analysis, which show a decreasing trend of metal loadings of soil with distance from the smelter. Statistical analysis reaffirms the polluting role of the smelting plant.     

pH-dependent copper release in acid soils treated with crushed mussel shell

The aim of this study was to assess the influence of pH on copper mobilization in two copper-rich acid soils (from vineyard and mine) amended with crushed mussel shell. Crushed mussel shell amended soils (0–48 Mg ha^?1) were subjected to the effect of several acid and alkali solutions in a batch experiment in order to study their copper release. Copper distribution was studied in decanted soils from batch experiments using a sequential extraction procedure, whereas the effect of crushed mussel shell on copper release kinetics was studied using a stirred flow reactor. When soils were treated with acid solutions, the copper mobilization from non-amended soils was significantly higher than from the amended samples. Major changes in copper fractionation were an increase of the acid soluble fraction in acid-treated vineyard soil samples with shell dose. For the mine soil, the oxidable fraction showed a relevant diminution in acid-treated samples at the highest crushed mussel shell dose. For both soils, copper desorption rates diminished up to 86 % at pH 3 when crushed mussel shell was added. At pH 5, copper release rate was very slow for both soils decreasing up to 98 % for the mine soil amended with the highest shell dose, whereas no differences were observed at pH 7 between amended and non-amended soils. Thus, crushed mussel shell addition could contribute to reduce potential hazard of copper-enriched soils under acidification events.     

典型铜镍矿区周围环境介质中重金属及其化学形态分布特征

重金属污染是金属矿山开采和冶炼所引起的主要环境问题。对甘肃省典型矿业城市金昌市周围农田土壤、废渣堆表面风化物及降尘、尾矿坝尾矿砂和尾矿坝旁排污沟沉积物中Cr、Cu、Ni、Pb、Zn含量及其化学形态进行分析。结果表明:不同区域环境中重金属呈现不同程度累积,其中以Cu、Ni最为显著,含量由高到低依次为尾矿坝排污沟>尾矿坝>废渣堆>农田土壤;尾矿砂和沉积物中重金属分布以Ni含量显著高于Cu含量为特征;而农田土壤和风化物及降尘中重金属分布以Cu含量高于Ni含量为特征,前者Cu、Ni主要来源于尾矿,后者与冶炼烟尘排放有很大关系;样品中除Cr、Zn以残渣态为主外,Cu、Ni、Pb化学形态分布有较大差异,Cu以可氧化态和残渣态为主,Ni以可还原态为主,其次为弱酸提取态,Pb以可还原态为主,其次为残渣态。土壤理化性质是影响重金属化学形态分布的重要因素。     

Mercury, copper and zinc contamination in soils and fluvial sediments from an abandoned gold mining area in southern Minas Gerais State, Brazil

Mercury, zinc and copper contamination was evaluated in soils and fluvial sediments from an abandoned gold mining site at Descoberto Municipality (southern Minas Gerais State, Brazil). Metals bioavailability and potential mobility were studied through physical, chemical and mineralogical characterization, geoaccumulation indexes calculations, mercury speciation and determination of potentially bioavailable contents of zinc and copper. Values of pH were in the neutral range, while organic matter concentrations were very low. Mineralogical characterization, in the total samples, indicated the presence of quartz, kaolinite and gibbsite for all samples. Total mercury, zinc and cooper concentrations were higher than the limits recommended by Brazilian documents. Geoaccumulations indexes revealed that most of the sediment samples were low to moderately polluted by zinc and copper, while just one sample was very strongly polluted by mercury. Mercury speciation revealed the predominance of the elementary form for all samples, and low concentrations for exchangeable, strongly bound and residual fractions. Zinc and copper behavior was strongly controlled by iron and aluminum concentrations, while their bioavailable contents were very low in comparison with the total concentrations.     

四川拉拉铜矿床尾矿的综合利用与研究

拉拉铜矿是四川最大的铜矿床,该矿床含有铜、钴、钼、铁、金、银以及多种稀土元素。在分析拉拉铜矿有用组分赋存状态及综合利用情况基础上,对不同期次的尾矿所含有用组分做了具体的分析,根据尾矿的特点和目前拉拉铜矿对尾矿的利用现状,提出了若干适合拉拉铜矿尾矿处理的方法,为矿山的持续发展提供了有力保障。     

Heavy metal contamination of soils and waters in and around the Imcheon Au–Ag mine,Korea

The heavy metal contamination of soils and waters by metalliferous mining activities in an area of Korea was studied. In the study area of the Imcheon Au–Ag mine, soils and waters were sampled and analyzed using AAS for Cd, Cu, Pb and Zn. Analysis of HCO₃⁻, F⁻, NO₃⁻ and SO₄²⁻ in water samples was also undertaken by ion chromatography. Elevated concentrations of the metals were found in tailings. The maximum contents in the tailings were 9.4, 229, 6160 and 1640 mg/kg extracted by aqua regia and 1.35, 26.4, 70.3 and 410 mg/kg extracted by 0.1 N HCl solution for Cd, Cu, Pb and Zn, respectively. These metals are continuously dispersed downstream and downslope from the tailings by clastic movement through wind and water. Because of the existence of sulfides in the tailings, a water sample taken on the tailings site was very acidic with a pH of 2.2, with high total dissolved solids (TDS) of 1845 mg/l and electric conductivity (EC) of 3820 μS/cm. This sample also contained up to 0.27, 1.90, 2.80, 53.4, 4,700 mg/l of Cd, Cu, Pb, Zn and SO₄²⁻, respectively. TDS, EC and concentrations of metals in waters decreased with distance from the tailings. The total amount of pulverized limestone needed for neutralizing the acid tailings was estimated to be 46 metric tons, assuming its volume of 45,000 m³ and its bulk density of 1855 kg/m³.     

大冶李德贵冶炼遗址矿冶遗物分析

采用X射线荧光光谱、X射线衍射等测试手段,对大冶李德贵冶炼遗址矿冶遗物进行了物理测试、成分分析和物相分析。物理测试结果表明,遗址炼渣的熔融温度高于1280℃;成分分析结果表明,李德贵炼渣中铜含量很低,远低于炼铜渣的铜含量;而其铁含量很高,与欧洲早期铁器时代和罗马时代的块炼铁渣相近;物相分析结果表明,李德贵炼渣的主要物相与炼铜渣没有区别,但炼铜渣中发现一些铜氧化矿和硫化矿。结合对其他冶炼遗物的分析,可以初步判断该冶炼遗址是一处炼铁遗址。工作台面上发现的炼渣与铁矿石的混合物,表明古人很可能已将炼渣回收利用,与铁矿石原料一起回炉冶炼。     

Copper contamination of soils and vegetables in the vicinity of Jiuhuashan copper mine,China

Copper contamination in soils and vegetables in the vicinity of an abandoned copper mine in China was investigated. The Cu concentrations of 93 soil samples ranged from 30.4 to 3,191 mg kg⁻¹ soil for a mean of 816.8 mg kg⁻¹ soil. Among 15 samples from a 0 to 20-cm soil layer used for the toxicity characteristic leaching procedure (TCLP) test, the highest value of Cu-TCLP was 133.8 mg kg⁻¹ soil and the TCLP values were positively correlated with the total Cu content of the soils. The sequential extraction of soils in the 0–20-, 20–40-, and 40–60-cm soil layers showed that Cu existed mainly in the Fe–Mn oxide fraction, sulfide/organic fraction, and residual fraction. The copper contamination of 21 species of vegetables from in situ sampling was also examined. Cu concentrations in the edible portions of Brassica chinensis and Solanum melongena were higher than the FAO/WHO standard (40 mg kg⁻¹ DW). The health risk of copper for local inhabitants from consuming these vegetables was assessed on the basis of the target hazard quotient. Enriched concentrations of copper were also found in situ in eight cultivars of B. chinensis planted in the fields, with two levels of Cu concentration. The results showed that there is severe copper contamination in this mine area, and the pollutant in soils show a high risk of leaching into the groundwater and diffusing through the food chain.     

Distribution of trace elements in soils surrounding the El Teniente porphyry copper deposit,Chile: the influence of smelter emissions and a tailings deposit

In the area surrounding the El Teniente giant porphyry copper deposit, eight soil sites were sampled at three depth levels in the summer 2004. The sites were selected for their theoretical potential of being influenced by past SO₂ emissions from the smelter and/or seepage from a now idle tailings impoundment. The soil mineralogy, grain size distribution, total organic matter contents, major element composition, cation exchange capacity, and Cu, Mo, Pb, Zn, As and SO₄ ²⁻ concentrations were determined for all samples after nitric acid extraction and separate leaches by ammonium acetate (pH 7) and sodium acetate (pH 5). For water rinses, only Cu could be determined with the analytical set-up used. Cu and SO₄ ²⁻ enrichment in topsoils was found at six sites either downwind from the smelter or within the combined influence of the smelter and the tailings impoundment. Both elements were released partially by ammonium and sodium acetate extractions. Due to the scarce background trace element concentrations of soil and rock outside the immediate mine area, assessment of trace element mobility for Mo, Zn, Pb and As was difficult. Arsenic was found to be concentrated in soil horizons with high smectite and/or organic matter contents. Mo appears to be linked to the presence of windblown tailings sediment in the soils. Mobilization of Mo, Zn, and As for the acetate extractions was minimal or below the detection limits for the AAS technique used. The presence of windblown tailings is considered to be an additional impact on the soils in the foothills of the El Teniente compound, together with the potential of acidity surges and Cu mobilization in topsoils after rainfalls. Two sites located at the western limit of the former SO₂ saturated zone with strongly zeolitized soils and underlying rock did not show any Cu or SO₄ ²⁻ enrichment in the topsoils, and remaining total trace element concentrations were below the known regional background levels.     

Gases and trace elements in soils at the North Silver Bell deposit, Pima County, Arizona

Soil samples were collected over the North Silver Bell porphyry copper deposit near Tucson, Arizona. Volatile elements and compounds in gases derived from the soils and metallic elements in the soils were analyzed in order: (1) to see which volatile constituents of the soils might be indicative of the ore body or the alteration zones; and (2) to distinguish the ore and alteration zones by comparison of trace elements in the soil.Plots of analytical data on trace elements in soils indicated a typical distribution pattern for metals around a porphyry copper deposit, with copper, molybdenum, and arsenic concentrations higher over the ore body, and zinc, lead, and silver concentrations higher over the alteration zones.Higher than average concentrations of helium, carbon disulfide, and sulfur dioxide adsorbed on soils were found over the ore body, whereas higher concentrations of carbon dioxide and carbonyl sulfide were found over the alteration zones.     

Geotechnical Characteristics of Copper Mine Tailings: A Case Study

Waste management issue in mining industry has become increasingly important. In this regard, construction of tailings dams plays a major role. Most of the tailings dams require some kinds of remedial actions during their operational lifetime, among which heightening is the most common. In the first stage of the remedial provisions for Sarcheshmeh Copper Complex tailings dam in Iran, it has been decided to use hydrocyclone method to provide suitable construction material due to the high cost associated with using borrow materials for heightening of the dam. To undertake this project a series of laboratory experiments was performed to determine the copper ‘original tailings’ and ‘cycloned materials’ geotechnical characteristics to evaluate the applicability of the cycloned materials for construction purposes. Different laboratory experiments were conducted to determine the grain-size distribution, Atterberg limits, specific gravity, maximum density, shear strength parameters, consolidation coefficient, and hydraulic conductivity. The results were compared with those of similar mines to check whether they follow the trends observed in other copper tailing materials elsewhere. Variation of the cohesion and internal friction angle versus different compaction ratios were studied in order to determine realistic shear strength parameters for tailing dam stability analysis. In this study, using oedometer test, a mild linear relation between void ratio and the consolidation coefficient has been found for tailings materials. By considering the effects of void ratio and weight of passing sieve #200 materials, a new relationship is proposed that can be used for estimating the copper slimes hydraulic conductivity in seepage analysis of tailings dams.     

铜同位素地球化学研究及其在矿床学应用的评述和讨论

不同地质条件和成矿环境中的铜同位素组成有显著差异,表明利用含铜矿物的铜同位素组成可以作为成矿物质来源的示踪剂.并且,由于铜是主要成矿元素之一,所以铜同位素对于成矿物质来源和成矿过程的示踪更为直接.文章介绍和评述了铜同位素的测试、研究和应用的进展,认为当前对于铜同位素分馏知识的匮乏严重制约着铜同位素研究和应用.从同位素分馏的基本原理出发,提出了铜同位素分馏研究的思路以及可能的分馏规律,对于已发表的部分地质样品测试数据,给出了新的解释,并预测溶解于海水中的铜离子应亏损65Cu.     

铜尾砂和钨尾砂的抗剪强度及宏细观分析

铜矿和钨矿在经过开采和选矿过程后产生大量的尾砂,尾砂的抗剪强度直接影响到尾砂筑坝的稳定安全性和材料的创新利用。尾矿库现场取回尾砂的级配曲线不同于选矿产生的全尾砂,选用合适的尾砂抗剪强度参数以及对不同尾砂抗剪强度的比较和分析有助于评估尾矿库的溃坝安全性。为了深入研究铜、钨两种尾砂的抗剪强度及异同点,针对不同粒径范围的铜、钨尾砂进行了直剪试验、X射线衍射分析和扫描电镜分析。直剪试验结果表明,干燥尾砂表现出无黏性土的强度性质,相同粒组尺寸的铜尾砂抗剪强度要高于钨尾砂的抗剪强度;铜尾砂和钨尾砂在含水率为15%情况下的抗剪强度表现出一定的黏聚力,使其抗剪强度相对于干燥状态下提高了16.7%~83.8%;随着含水率从10%增加到20%,细粒钨尾砂的内摩擦角变化不大,含水量的增加使得钨尾砂的黏聚力较明显地减小并使得抗剪强度降低。X射线衍射分析结果显示铜尾砂和钨尾砂都以石英为主晶相,其余矿物成分大都是以硅酸盐为主的次生矿物;5000倍扫描电镜照片显示细粒尾砂颗粒的表面附着一定量的黏土矿物,黏土矿物的存在导致了尾砂抗剪强度随含水率增加而发生变化。     

Mine tailings influencing soil contamination by potentially toxic elements

The potentially hazardous contents of mine tailings can pose a serious threat to the environment. Tailings dispersed around the abandoned Monica mine (Bustarviejo) in the Autonomous Region of Madrid (Central Spain) were studied to determine the concentration of several potential toxic elements and their geochemical impact in the surrounding soils. A total of 17 surface soil samples were collected from both mixed sulfide mine tailings sites and unmined soils, within a radius of 1900 m from the mine entrance. The processing of minerals (basically arsenopyrite, matildite and sphalerite) produced tailings with a pH as low as 2.9. Elements such as As, Cu, Zn, Cd, Pb, W, Ag, Fe were found in very high concentrations, contaminating the soil to varying degrees (these elements were sometimes 10- to 20-times higher in the tailings than in the unmined soils). Given its short distance and accessibility from such a large city as Madrid, it is of undeniable environmental and educational interest. Among other factors, there is a need for improvements to tailings management strategies.     

Mercury mobility at the Carson River Superfund Site, west-central Nevada, USA: Interpretation of mercury speciation data in mill tailings, soils, and sediments

The Carson River Superfund Site in west-central Nevada is an area of Hg-contaminated soil, sediment, water, air, and biola resulting from the amalgamation milling of Ag-Au ores of the Comstock lode worked approximately a century ago. In order to develop an understanding of the behavior, transport, and fate of Hg at this site, a technique was developed to estimate the proportions of total, elemental, exchangeable, organic, and sulfide Hg in soils, sediments, and tailings.Results of this analysis performed on active Carson River sediments indicate that Hg is selectively dissolved out of Hg-Au amalgam particles and subsequently adsorbed to fine-grained sediments which are then deposited in downstream, low-energy reaches of the Carson River and Labontan Reservoir. In the relatively more-reducing environment of the reservoir Hg appears to be converted, in large part, to relatively-insoluble HgS.The original elemental form of Hg released to the environment is the chemical form which is still dominant in most highly-contaminated soils, sediments, and tailings. Deeper, more-reducing soil horizons, however, appear to fix a significant portion of the Hg as HgS, analogous to the Lahontan Reservoir example described above. This fixation as HgS is documented to be largely limited to higher-sulfur areas where sulfide minerals from the Comstock ores increase the total sulfur concentrations of contaminated soils, sediments, and tailings.     

Selective chemical extraction of heavy metals in tailings and soils contaminated by mining activity: Environmental implications

Total concentrations of chemical elements in soils may not be enough to understand the mobility and bioavailability of the elements. It is important to characterise the degree of association of chemical elements in different physical and chemical phases of soil. Another geochemical characterisation methodology is to apply sequential selective chemical extraction techniques. A seven-step sequential extraction procedure was used to investigate the mobility and retention behaviour of Al, Fe, Mn, Cu, Zn, Pb, Cr, Co, Ni, Mo, Cd, Bi, Sn, W, Ag, As and U in specific physical–chemical and mineral phases in mine tailings and soils in the surroundings of the abandoned Ervedosa mine. The soil geochemical data show anomalies associated with mineralised veins or influenced by mining. Beyond the tailings, the highest recorded concentrations for most elements are in soils situated in mineralised areas or under the influence of tailings. The application of principal components analysis allowed recognition of (a) element associations according to their geochemical behaviour and (b) distinction between samples representing local geochemical background and samples representing contamination. Some metal cations (Mn, Cd, Cu, Zn, Co, Cr, Ni) showed important enrichment in the most mobilisable and bioavailable (i.e., water-soluble and exchangeable) fractions due likely to the acidic conditions in the area. In contrast, oxy-anions such as Mo and As showed lower mobility because of adsorption to Fe oxy-hydroxides. The residual fraction comprised largest proportions of Sn and Al and to a lesser extent Zn, Pb, Ni, Cr, Bi, W, and Ag, which are also present at low concentrations in the bioavailable fractions. The elements in secondary mineral phases (mainly Fe, Mn, Cu, Zn, Cd, Pb, W, Bi, Mo, Cr, Ni, Co, As and U) as well as in organic matter and sulphides are temporarily withheld, suggesting that they may be released to the environment by changes in physico-chemical conditions.