Environmental geochemistry of Zarshuran Au-As deposit, NW Iran

Zarshuran deposit is the most famous and important As-Au mine in Iran. However, there is no information on the impact of mining activity on the surrounding environment, especially on water systems. This paper attempts to document the concentration of arsenic and associated elements in waters and sediments resulting from the mining history of Zarshuran, a period covering hundreds of years. Water and sediment samples collected from Zarshuran Stream indicate high content of some potentially toxic elements, especially of As which ranges from 0.028 to 40 ng/l in water and 182 to 36,000 mg/kg in sediment samples. Mining activity, exposure of a large volume of mining wastes to weathering, and the anomalously high background of trace metals in the mining area are considered to be the main sources of heavy metal pollution.