Impact of slate quarrying on soil properties in semi-arid Mahendragarh in India |
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Authors: | Anil Kumar Haritash Ramanathan Baskar Nirmal Sharma Sumit Paliwal |
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Institution: | (1) Department of Environmental Science and Engineering, Guru Jambheshwar University of Science and Technology, Hisar, 125001, Haryana, India |
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Abstract: | Slate quarrying in Mahendragarh district of Haryana state has resulted in changes in soil properties. Most of the mining area
is devoid of vegetation. The soil in and around the mining area (0–1 km) is alkaline (pH 11.2–11.7) but non-saline (electrical
conductivity < 4). The alkaline nature of the soil was attributed to the high concentrations of hydroxyl (OH−), carbonate (CO32−) and bicarbonate (HCO3
−) present in minerals of mined materials. Biotite, limonite, kaolinite, gibbsite, muscovite, geothite, dolomite and so on
were the chief minerals added to soil through mining. The physical properties of soil, i.e. porosity, water-holding capacity
(WHC), bulk density and particle density represented poor soil health in mining area (34.4, 29.8%, 1.636, 2.496 g/cc, respectively)
and they improved with distance away from it (46.4, 38.3%, 1.070, 2.180 g/cc, respectively, at a distance of 1 km). Porosity
and WHC were found to be a function of increased organic matter away from the mining area. CO32−, HCO3−, phosphate (PO43−), lead (Pb) and iron (Fe) were more in mining area and decreased with distance. On the other hand, sodium (Na+), potassium (K+), chloride (Cl−), sulphate (SO42−), organic carbon, total Kjeldahl’s nitrogen, cation exchange capacity, chromium (Cr) and cadmium (Cd) increased with distance
from mining area. High concentration of heavy metals in mining area was a cause of concern (0.93 μg/g Cd, 22.35 μg/g Cr, 26.25 μg/g
Pb, 1,383.75 μg/g Fe). The change in physico-chemical properties could be because of the addition of chemical constituents
that are a part of major minerals present in mined material. The soil away from mining area represented comparatively better
properties. |
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