Mercury in river sediments, floodplains and plants growing thereon in the drainage area of the Idrija mine, Slovenia

Half a millennium mercury production at Idrija is reflected in increased mercury contents in all environmental segments. The bulk of roasting residues from the middle of the 19th century to 1977 was discharged directly into the Idrijca River, and the material was carried at high waters to the Soca River and farther into the Adriatic Sea. It has been estimated that 45500 tons of mercury were emitted into the environment during the operating period of the mine, which ceased production in 1994. In the lower reaches of the Idrijca the riverine deposits with high mercury contents have been, and will be in the future a source of mercury polluted sediment. Stream sediments were monitored at the same locations along the Idrijca and Soca rivers （70 kin） every 5 years since 1991 （1991-2005）. Grain size distribution was determined by dry sieving and fractions for geochemical analysis were prepared （〈0.04 and 〈0.125 mm）. Soils on river terraces were sampled at 5 localities in the lower course of Idrijca. At two locations of the terrace profiles the samples of averaged meadow forage and plantain （Plantago lanceolata） were collected within a 50-meters radius. We found that there was no decrease in mercury concentration in active river sediments during the last 20 years. Upstream from the Idrija Town the mercury concentrations in active river sediments vary from 1 to 10 mg/kg （average 3.3 mg/kg）. From Idrija to Spodnja Idrija the mercury concentrations increase extremely and vary greatly （32-4,121 mg/kg, the average is 734 mg/kg）. From Spodnja ldrija to the Idrijca-Soca confluence is the average 218 mg/kg, and 57 mg/kg downstream in the Soca River sediments.     

Hydrological modeling in the karst area,Rižana spring catchment,Slovenia

Karst aquifers are known for their heterogeneity and irregular complex flow patterns which make them more difficult to model and demand specific modeling approaches. This paper presents one such approach which is based on a conceptual model. The model was applied in a karst area of the catchment of Rižana spring (200 km2). It is based on the MIKE SHE code and incorporates the main hydrological processes and geological features of the karst aquifer (diffuse and concentrated infiltration, allogenic recharge, quick and slow groundwater flow, shifting groundwater divides and groundwater outflow from the catchment area). Modeling of evapotranspiration and flow in the upper part of the unsaturated zone is more detailed. For the modeling of groundwater flow in the karst aquifer, a conceptual model was applied which uses drainage function for the simulation of groundwater flow through large conduits (karst channels and large fissures). The model was calibrated and validated against the observed Rižana spring discharge which represents a measured response of the aquifer. The results of validation show that the model is able to adequately simulate temporal evolution of the spring discharge, measured by Nash–Sutcliffe coefficient (0.82) as well as overall water balance.     

Distribution and speciation of mercury in surface water in Wanshan Hg-mined areas, Guizhou Province, China

Mercury as a toxic element poses environmental concerns, especially in historically Hg-mined districts. The Wanshan Hg mine located in the eastern part of Guizhou Province, southwestern China, ranks the largest Hg-producing district in China. Mining at Wanshan was initiated in 221 B.C., but ceased in 2001. Approximately 22000 tons of Hg, 6000 tons of cinnabar and large quantities of mine-wastes had been produced at Wanshan. Significant quantities of calcines, which were piled irregularly near the old mine processing sites and retorts, continue to impact the local environments in the Wanshan area. In this study, a regional contamination of mercury in surface waters collected from the Meizixi, Dashuixi, Huandao and Gaolouping rivers, whose upstreams or branches originate from the hilly karstic area and receive drainage arising from the calcines, was investigated by determining all Hg species in a base-flow and a flood-flow season. Reactive, dissolved, particulate, and total Hg concentrations in surface water varied from 0.60 to 400 ng/L, 11 to 430 ng/L, 1.4 to 9210 ng/L, and 15 to 9260 ng/L, respectively. Total methylmercury in water samples ranges from 0.31 to 25 ng/L. The concentrations of total Hg and particulate Hg in water samples collected during the flood season are higher than those in the base-flow season, whereas, the concentrations of dissolved and reactive Hg are lower with the peak values observed in water samples collected in the base-flow season. A strong positive correlation between total Hg and particulate Hg is noticed in the water samples collected from Hg-mined areas with the proportion higher than 80%.     

Environmental impacts of the abandoned mercury mine in Podljubelj, Slovenia

The Podljubelj mercury mine lies in the NW part of Slovenia. The ore is of hydrothermal-vein type. The ore deposit was exploited between the years 1557 and 1902. Total production of the mine was 110000 tons of ore （360 tons of Hg）. A smelter located close to the mine had been in operation since 1855. The waste material from the mine and the smelter was dumped in close vicinity of the mine. Total quantity of the waste has been estimated at 170000 tons. In order to establish environmental impacts, soil and stream sediment samples were investigated. Soil samples were collected at two different depths （horizons A and B） in a 100 m grid within an 88 ha area. In the vast area also 11 samples of stream sediments were considered. Heavy metals were determined by means of cold vapor atomic absorption spectrometry CV-AAS after aqua regia digestion. Based on the chemical analyses of samples, the estimated mercury mean for soils is 3.67 mg/kg （0.35-244 mg/kg） for horizon A and 1.39 mg/kg （0.17-71.7 mg/kg） for horizon B. The estimated mercury mean for stream sediments is 0.64 mg/kg （0.065-1.36 mg/kg）. The concentrations of mercury in soils generally decrease with depth and distance from the mine. The highest content of Hg was determined in a sample taken in the immediate vicinity of the smelter （719 mg/kg）. The results have shown that on the 9 ha of the study area, the contents of Hg in soils exceeded the officially set limit value for soils （10 mg/kg）. High contents of Hg in soil around the abandoned smelter are a consequence of former atmospheric emissions and technological losses. High contents of Hg were also found in the mine and smelter waste dump. At the edges of the study area and in the samples of stream sediments, Hg concentrations are low.     

Effects of human activities on mercury in the environment in Xi’an area, China

Effects of mercury on ecosystems and human health are well documented. Human activities have significant impacts on transport, transformation, and fate of mercury in the natural environment. In this study, a gold mining area (Tongchuan), an urban area (Xi…     

Effects of human activities on mercury in the environment in Xi＇an area, China

Effects of mercury on ecosystems and human health are well documented. Human activities have significant impacts on transport, transformation, and fate of mercury in the natural environment. In this study, a gold mining area （Tongchuan）, an urban area （Xi＇an）, and a historical site （Qinshihuan Tomb） in Shaanxi Province, China, was chosen to study the effects of human activities on the transport, transformation, and fate of mercury in the area. Samples of atmospheric precipitate, soil, sediment, pomegranate, corn and those from wells and the rivers that flow through or flow by the city and from the mining area were collected. The EPA methods were used for sample preparation and analysis of these samples. These methods combine acid digestion, chemical reduction, purge and trap with Cold Vapor Atomic Fluorescence Spectrometry （CVAFS）. Preliminary results showed high total mercury concentrations in the water samples collected from a river in Tongguan County. The total mercury concentrations ranged from 133 to 188 ng/L in the water samples collected from the rivers flowing through Xi＇an City. The amount of total mercury in the soil/sediment samples which were collected in the vicinity of Xi＇an ranged from 31.8 to 83.2 ng/g. The total mercury concentrations in the samples of atmospheric precipitate （including rain and snow collected from Sep. 2005 to Jan. 2006） ranged from 106-298 ng/L.     

Distribution,stock, and influencing factors of soil organic carbon in an alpine meadow in the hinterland of the Qinghai–Tibetan Plateau

Understanding the spatial distribution, stocks, and influencing factors of soil organic carbon (SOC) is important for understanding the current situation of SOC in alpine meadow ecosystems on the Qinghai–Tibetan Plateau (QTP). We sampled 23 soil profiles to a depth of 50 cm in a 33.5 hm\(^{2}\) plot in a typical meadow on the central QTP. The distribution, stock and influencing factors of SOC was then analyzed. The mean density of soil carbon content (SOCD) was 2.28 kg m\(^{-2}\) with a range of 5.99 kg  m\(^{-2}\). SOCD in the 0–10 cm layer was 3.94 kg m\(^{-2}\) and decreased quadratically with depth. The total stock of SOC to a depth of 50 cm was ca. 2950 t, the 0–10 and 0–30 cm layers accounting for 38 and 80%, respectively. SOCD varied moderately spatially and was distributed more homogeneously in the 0–10 and 40–50 cm layers but was more variable in the middle three layers. SOCD was significantly correlated positively with soil-water content, total porosity, and silt content and negatively with soil pH, bulk density, stone content and sand content. This study provides an important contribution to understanding the role of alpine meadows in the global carbon cycle. It also provides field data for model simulation and the management of alpine meadow ecosystems.     

Distribution of mercury species in water and sediments in Caohai Lake, Guizhou Province

Caohai Lake which is situated in Guizhou Province, has suffered drain project many times since 1958.The main mercury contamination includes industry waste water, litter and waste residue from refine zinc furnace and so on. The water and sediment samples which were collected from Caohai Lake in different seasons using metal clean protocols. Study sites were selected at the upper and down reaches and the tributaries of this lake, respectively. Total mercury （THg）, reactive mercury （RHg） and dissolved mercury （DHg） concentrations were measured by trap pre-concentration and CVAFS detection methods, and the concentrations of particulate mercury （PHg） are equal to difference of THg and DHg. Total methylmercury （MeH） and dissolved methylmercury （DMeHg） concentrations were measured by GC-CVAFS detection method. Mercury in sediment was measured by AAS method. The results in autumn were obtained as follows： the average concentrations of total mercury, reactive mercury,     

Environmental behaviors of mercury and lead in the soil of polymetallic deposit areas in western Hunan Province

Western Hunan Province is one of the most typical assembling areas of cryogenic metallic deposit in China, as well as a main ore-forming zone for some heavy metals. In the region, Hg and Pb pollution was caused by abnormally high concentrations of Hg, Pb in the natural environment and Hg, Pb exploiting/smelting and other human activities, which make the damage to human health more complicated. Generally, heavy metal pollutants in soil are often long-lasting and consequent, with their emission and/or transport into the environment, resulting in growing hazards to human health posed by elevated heavy metal concentrations in air, water, and food. Therefore, monitoring and understanding their behaviors in soil environment is the most important and urgent task. In this paper, the environmental behaviors and pollution characteristics of soil polluted by Hg and Pb in typical Hg and Pb mining areas in western Hunan were studied. Main results are presented as follows： （1） Western Hunan Province is a high regional geochemical abnormal region on Hg and Pb. The concentrations of Hg and Pb in soils in mercury mining areas were 1 315 and 3. l times higher than the average background of soils in China, respectively. While those in soils in lead mining areas are 14.1 and 6.1 times higher. By using the index of geoaccumulation （Igeo）, it was found that either mercury mining area or lead mining area in western Hunan Province has been polluted by the two elements, the majority of soils in mercury mining areas are seriously polluted by Hg, moderately or light polluted by Pb, while the majority of soils in lead mining areas are moderately or moderately-highly polluted by Pb and moderately-highly polluted by Hg. （2） By the BCR extraction procedures, both Hg and Pb in soils are dominated by residual form, followed by organic-sulfide form. Fe-Mn oxides and acid-exchangeable form are rather low. The total concentrations and each species of Hg and Pb in soils show positive correlations with the concentrations of sands, and negative ones with the concentrations of clays in soils.     

DDT residue in soil and water in and around the abounded area of DDT manufacturing factory

Due to the persistent nature of DDT, a persistent organic pollutant and its adverse environmental and health impacts, the present study was undertaken to examine the residual DDT in and around DDT manufacturing factory in Amman Gharh, Nowshera, NWFP. The factory was established in 1963 and remained in operation till 1994. Composite samples of soil, sediments and water were collected in and around the factory area, nearby DDT stores, main factory drain leading to river and nearby villages. Standard procedures were used for the collection, transportation and storage of samples for analysis. Physical parameters for the collected water samples measured were temperature, pH and conductance. Extraction of each sample for DDT analyses was carried out in triplicates using soxhlet extraction apparatus. The extract was transferred to well washed, clean; dry glass vial, sealed and put in the refrigerator. Gas Chromatograph with electron capture detector and capillary column was used for analysis. DDT in the samples was identified on the basis of their retention time and quantified on the basis of peak areas. It is evident from the analytical data obtained in the present study that both water and soil in and around the factory area are still contaminated with DDT, despite the closure of the factory since the past few years.     

Geochemical study of pottery sherds from an archaeological site near Mošnje (Slovenia)

This study is a geochemical analytical approach to the characterization of pottery samples from an archaeological site near Mo?nje (Slovenia). Inductively coupled plasma–mass spectrometry and statistical analyses were used to determine detailed geochemical properties of the pottery sherds and to identify potentially individual groups among the samples studied. The geochemical results indicated the existence of four major groups of the pottery sherds: the first and second groups are assembled from eight samples, all generally characterized by their high CaO and TOT/C content; the third group comprised the samples with the highest SiO₂ concentrations; and the fourth group is represented by the samples K3, K5 and K13. The principal component analysis and cluster analysis validated the existing groups and revealed a high degree of chemical similarity between these groups. The geochemical and statistical data confirmed the archaeologists’ hypothesis and interpretation of a similar origin/alteration of source material/probable local ceramic production for the majority of the pottery sherds; the imported origin of samples K3 and K13 was recognized, while sample K5 had been intentionally imported as a sample for comparative purposes.     

Anthropogenic metal loads and their sources in stream sediments of the Me?a River catchment area (NE Slovenia)

The Me?a River Valley has been a center of mining, ore processing and iron- and steel-based metallurgical industry for more than 300 a. This paper deals with stream sediments draining this area. Loads of potentially toxic metals and metal-bearing phases were investigated 10 a after the cessation of Pb and Zn mining. Sediments in the upper Me?a River Valley show significant pollution with Pb and Zn as a consequence of mining and ore processing. The highest contents of Pb and Zn were found in the Me?a tributaries, which directly drain mine waste deposits (maximum values: 19,300 mg/kg Pb and 37,900 mg/kg Zn). These results reflect transport of contaminated material from mine waste sites and indicate that the inactive mine and its mine wastes are sources of metal contamination in the surrounding environment. Contents of Cr, Ni, Cu and Co are increased in the lower Me?a River Valley, in the area of Ravne, as a result of the iron and steel industry. The contribution of the Me?a River to the metal-load in the Drava River is evident.Metal-bearing phases, identified in stream sediments by SEM/EDS, are assigned to three areas, according to their source and genesis. The Me?ica mining district source area is characterized by ore minerals of geogenic/technogenic origin (cerussite, sphalerite, smithsonite and galena), the Ravne source area is characterized by technogenic trace metal-bearing Fe-alloys, Fe-oxides and spherical trace metal-oxides and the Me?a and Drava River catchment areas are represented by geogenic metal-bearing accessory and common rock-forming minerals, such as zircon, ilmenite, rutile, sphene, barite and monazite. SEM/EDS analyses of stream sediments agree well with the results of chemical analyses and they prove to be a very useful tool for identification of metal-bearing phases and their characterization according to source and genesis.     

Distribution and chemical speciation of heavy metals in the surficial sediments of the Bak?r?ay and Gediz Rivers, Eastern Aegean

The pollution of aquatic ecosystem by heavy metals has assumed serious proportions due to their toxicity and accumulative behaviour. The toxicity and fate of the water borne metal is dependent on its chemical form and therefore quantification of the different forms of metal is more meaningful than the estimation of its total metal concentrations. A five-step sequential extraction procedure was applied for the determination of the distribution of seven elements (Pb, Cr, Cu, Mn, Zn, Ni, Fe) in sediment samples collected from Bakır?ay and Gediz Rivers. According to this study, the results of metals are mostly retained in the residual, oxidizable and reducible fractions. Based on the chemical distribution of metals, we found that Cr, Zn, Cu and Ni are the most non-mobile metals. Pb is the metal that showed the highest percentages in the residual and reducible fractions. Mn is present in the higher percentages in the reducible and carbonate fractions. However, Fe is present in the greatest percentages in the residual fraction, which implies that these metals are strongly linked to the sediments. The risk assessment code as applied to the present study shows that about 12.3–26.9 and 15.7–33.5% of manganese at most of the sites exist in carbonate fraction in the Bakır?ay and Gediz Rivers, respectively. Therefore, Mn comes under the medium risk category in the Bakır?ay and high-risk category in the Gediz River. Speciation pattern of Cu, Zn, Pb, Cr, Ni, Fe shows low to medium risk to aquatic environment health in both rivers.     

Distribution,occurrence and enrichment mechanism of key metals of selenium,tellurium and cobalt in Wushan copper deposit,Jiurui ore concentration area,Jiangxi ProvinceSCIEI北大核心CSCD

武山铜矿床是长江中下游成矿带九瑞矿集区内典型的层控-接触带矽卡岩型铜多金属矿床,铜资源量达到大型,此外还共生硒、碲、钴、镓、铊等关键金属矿产,具备良好的矿产资源综合利用前景,但矿床中关键金属的分布规律、赋存状态和富集机制等研究尚未开展。本文以武山铜矿床为研究对象,系统采集了矿床南矿带接触带矽卡岩型矿体3条勘探线(W3-2、S4-2、N6-1)、北矿带层控硫化物型矿体3条勘探线(E9-2、E2-1、W4-1)和层控矽卡岩型矿体1条勘探线(E7-3)代表性岩矿石样品。通过光学显微镜和扫描电镜的观察,结合全岩地球化学和矿物原位LA-ICP-MS分析,查明了矿床中硒、碲、钴等关键金属的空间分布规律与赋存状态,初步探讨了硒、碲、钴的迁移沉淀机制。研究结果表明矿床中伴生硒、碲、钴的估算资源量分别为5513t、611t和9597t,均达到大-中型规模;武山矿床是成矿带内硒含量最高、潜在资源量最大的矿床。北矿带矿体中Se、Te、Co含量明显高于南矿带,北矿带中部成矿中心向东西远端,矿体中Se、Te、Co含量规律性增高。矿石中Se、Te、Co含量与S含量具有较强的正相关性,矿石中硫化物的含量是关键金属含量主要控制指标;Se和Co富集于含铜黄铁矿矿石、含铜白云岩矿石、含铜矽卡岩矿石(高硫)中;Te富集于含铜黄铁矿矿石和含铜白云岩矿石中。矿床中硒、碲主要以独立矿物和硫化物中类质同象替换两种赋存形式,钴则主要以Co^(2+)类质同象形式进入黄铁矿矿物晶格。矿床中硒、碲随着成矿流体温度降低、硫逸度升高、氧逸度降低、pH值升高逐渐沉淀富集;钴主要随着硫化物的沉淀富集在黄铁矿中。     

Age of dispersed uranium mineralization in rocks of the framework of the Strel’tsovka uranium ore field and the Yamsky site,Eastern Transbaikal region

An isotopic geochronological study of dispersed uranium mineralization was performed in the granitic rocks of the Urtui pluton in the framework of the Strel’tsovka uranium ore field and in the Yamsky site of the Urov-Uryumkan granite-gneiss arch. Two stages of such mineralization—783 ± 26 Ma in the Urtui granitic pluton and 138.6 ± 2.3 Ma in the Yamsky site—have been established. The emplacement of granite pertaining to the Unda Complex disturbed the U-Pb isotopic system in uraninite from the Urtui granitic pluton and resulted in redeposition of uranium phase dated at 262 ± 34 Ma. The young, probably, recent process gave rise to the redistribution of radiogenic lead in the U-bearing phases developing after uraninite.     

Distribution and fractionation of rare earth elements in soil–water system and human blood and hair from a mining area in southwest Fujian Province,China

Accumulations of rare earth elements (REEs) in human body through multiple pathways including food ingestion, air inhalation and dermal absorption have received considerable attention due to their chronic toxicity to human health. The distribution and fractionation of 14 REEs were conducted in soil, well water, human blood and hair in the vicinity of a large-scale mining site in southwest Fujian Province, China. The LREEs/HREEs ratios were 9.17 for soil, 2.18 for water, 36.93 for human blood and 7.24 for human hair, respectively. The distribution patterns of REEs in soil, human blood and hair samples were characterized by LREEs enrichment and HREEs depletion, but LREEs depletion and HREEs enrichment in water sample. La_N/Yb_N values of these samples ranged from 0.41 to 1.83, La_N/Sm_N values from 0.43 to 4.92, and Gd_N/Yb_N values from 0.81 to 4.71. Soil and human blood showed enrichments of Ce, Gd and Er, but water showed a depletion of Ce. In addition, the normalized patterns showed a weak negative anomaly of Eu in soil and a weak negative anomaly of Nd in human blood and hair. Consequently, enrichment and depletion of REEs differ significantly among soil, water and human blood and hair, thus the REEs after entering into human body can undergo fractionation effects.     

Explosion breccias of the Vysokogorskoe tin–porphyry deposit: Genesis and role in ore formation (Kavalerovo ore district,Primorye)

Detailed geological observations and analytical studies make it possible to distinguish two groups of fluid-explosion breccias (FEB) in the Vysokogorskoe tin deposit of the Kavalerovo ore district. These breccias are assumed to be related to different stages of geological (geodynamic) evolution and played different roles in ore formation. The earlier breccias (79–69 Ma), which were altered by boron metasomatism and subsequent main tin mineralization, were most probably formed at the Cretaceous subduction stage. The later breccias (55–51 Ma) are syngenetic to the dacite (rhyolite) porphyry dikes of the Paleocene–Eocene transform stage. They were formed after precipitation of the majority of the cassiterite, but prior to the latest quartz–fluorite–carbonate stage of ore formation. According to the Sillitoe classification, the explosion breccias of the Vysokogorskoe deposit correspond to a magmatic–hydrothermal genetic type. They are characterized by multiple brecciation and intersection by small bodies of porphyritic rhyolites.     

Distribution characteristics and differential enrichment mechanism of rhenium in molybdenite in the Dexing copper ore fieldSCIEI北大核心CSCD

世界上绝大部分Re赋存在斑岩型矿床的辉钼矿之中,且分布极不均匀。在矿床-矿石-矿物颗粒等不同尺度上,Re含量均存在较大差异,但造成这些差异的因素目前尚不清楚。本文以德兴矿田中富家坞和铜厂二个矿床的辉钼矿为研究对象,在细致的矿相学研究的基础上,对其开展了EPMA、LA-ICP-MS和XRD分析,同时结合前人研究资料,详细探讨了Re在这两个矿床辉钼矿中的分布规律及差异性富集机制。结果显示:富家坞和铜厂均普遍发育两种形态的辉钼矿(细粒集合体型和粗粒片状型),Re在两种辉钼矿中的分布均极为不均,但细粒集合体型相对更富Re,而同一形态辉钼矿铜厂矿床则具有更高的Re含量;同一矿床中辉钼矿结晶越晚,往往越富集Re;个别辉钼矿可见扭结现象,且扭结部位的Re含量更低,暗示后期构造变形可能导致了Re的丢失;两个矿床高Re辉钼矿和低Re辉钼矿的结构均为2H多型,表明Re含量与辉钼矿晶体结构无关。结合前人资料,本文认为成矿流体性质(如温度、盐度等)是导致铜厂和富家坞辉钼矿Re含量差异的主要因素。