Metal contamination of the environment by placer and primary gold mining in the Adola region of southern Ethiopia

Primary and placer gold mining sites in southern Ethiopia were studied to see the contribution of mining to the accumulation of metals in different environmental media. Sediment, water and plant samples were analyzed for Al, Mn, Fe, As, Ni, Cr, Cu, Co, Pb, W, Sb, Mo, Zn and V. Water parameters (pH, Eh, TDS, anions and cations) were also measured. The sediment analyses results show that the most abundant metals are Ni (average 224.7 mg/kg), Cr (199 mg/kg), Cu (174.2 mg/kg), V (167.3 mg/kg), Zn (105.5 mg/kg), Pb (61.5 mg/kg) and As (59.7 mg/kg) in the primary gold mining sites while the placer sites show high concentration of V (average 301.2 mg/kg), Cr (260.4 mg/kg), Zn (179 mg/kg), Ni (113.4 mg/kg), Cu (46.7 mg/kg), As (32.2 mg/kg) and Co (31 mg/kg). The metals Cu, Ni, W, Cr, As and Pb in primary and Sb, W, Cr, Ni, Zn, As and Mo in placer gold mining sites have geoaccumulation indexes (I _geo) from one to four indicating considerable accumulation of these metals. Waters from both primary and placer mining sites are near neutral to alkaline. Arsenic (average 92.8 μg/l), Ni (276.6 μg/l), Pb (18.7 μg/l), Sb (10.7 μg/l), Mn (1 mg/l), Fe (8.3 mg/l) and Al (23.8 mg/l) exceeded the guideline value for drinking water. Plants show high concentration of Cr (average 174.5 mg/kg), Ni (163.5 mg/kg), Zn (96 mg/kg) and W (48 mg/kg). Zinc, W, Mo, Ni and Cr show the maximum biological absorption coefficient (BAC) ranging 0.4–1.7, 0.1–104.6, 1.1–2.6, 0.2–1.6 and 0.2–3.6, respectively, and the results suggest bioaccumulation of these elements in plants. The minerals especially sulfides in the ore aggregate are the ultimate source of the metals. The release of the metals into the environmental media is facilitated (in addition to normal geologic processes) by human activities related to gold mining.     

Geology and Gold Mineralization in the Pan-African Rocks of the Adola Area, Southern Ethiopia

Primary and placer gold deposits are mined from the Pan-African Adola volcano-sedimentary sequence, in southern Ethiopia. Two major mineralized belts can be recognized: the Megado (‘Gold Belt’) and the Kenticha Belts. The Kenticha Belt is also known for its rare metal mineralization. Extensive exploration of the area resulted in two most important primary gold deposits of Lega Dembi and Sakaro. The primary gold deposits are classified into four classes based on their geological setting:

- auriferous veins, lodes, stockworks and silicified zones disseminated in schistose rocks

- gold associated with quartzite

- gold mineralization confined to conglomerates and meta-arkoses

- auriferous quartz veins in high grade gneiss rocks

This classification provides a useful guide for future exploration programme     

Provenance and Tectonic Setting of the Metasedimentary Rocks of the Neoproterozoic Adola Belt of Southern Ethiopia

The Metasedimentary rocks from the Adola metamorphic belt has been analysed for major, minor, and trace elements, including REEs, in order to investigate the provenance and tectonic setting of these rocks.On the basis of filed work, petrographic data and major element geochemistry the Adola sedimentary rocks are essentially greywackes with subordinate lithic arenite. Among the 27 samples analysed, only two samples are quartz arenite with SiO₂ values above 89%. CaO-Na₂O-K₂O diagrams showed that most sample cluster around the average plots of granites and granodiorites. In order to determine the tectonic setting and provenance of the rocks, the samples are plotted on various binary and ternary diagrams. The plots on Fe₂O₃T+MgO versus TiO₂, K₂O/Na₂O, Al₂O₃/SiO₂ and Al₂O₃/(CaO+Na₂O) plots show that the Adola sediments have Oceanic Island Arc(OIC), Continental Island Arc(CIA), Active Continental Margin(ACM) and Passive Margin(PM) characteristics. Most samples, however, show island arc affinity. Only two samples (the quartz arenites) fall in the Passive Margin (PM) field.The trace element characteristics of these rocks discriminate the rocks only into oceanic and continental arc fields. The relatively high abundance of the transition metals, mainly Co, Ni, Cr and the low concentration of TiO₂ correlates well with the previously determined geochemical affinity of the basic rocks of Adola suggesting the dominance of the low- Ti oceanic tholeiites and even boninites in the source region.The REE patterns show three distinct groupings; a)With strong LREE enrichment, flat HREE and with out Eu anomaly, shows similar patterns with that of the oceanic island arc rocks; b) samples with strong Light REE enrichment, flat HREE pattern and strong negative Eu anomaly showing similar patterns to the Andean type andesites, probably derived from granitic gneisses and are affiliated to Active Continental Margin settings; c) this group is represented by a single plot having an enriched LREE pattern, flat HREE pattern and strong positive Eu anomaly. It is most likely that this pattern is related to a high normative plagioclase content due to local accumulation of feldspar during sedimentation rather than representing excessive Eu content of the precursor rock. The REE pattern represented by this sample is roughly similar to that of the Devonian greywackes of Australia.In conclusion, the use of geochemical characteristics of the sediments coupled with the geological information from the area strengthens the suprasubduction zone (SSZ) ophiolitic tectonic setting interpretation suggested (Yibas 1993) for the Adola belt. The trace element plots and their absolute abundance, and the REE patterns strongly constrain the tectonic setting and the provenance of the metasediments to an arc related setting.