Dataset Information

Solid-phase partitioning and release-retention mechanisms of copper, lead, zinc and arsenic in soils impacted by artisanal and small-scale gold mining (ASGM) activities.

ABSTRACT: Artisanal and small-scale gold mining (ASGM) operations are major contributors to the Philippines' annual gold (Au) output (at least 60%). Unfortunately, these ASGM activities lacked adequate tailings management strategies, so contamination of the environment is prevalent. In this study, soil contamination with copper (Cu), lead (Pb), zinc (Zn) and arsenic (As) due to ASGM activities in Nabunturan, Davao de Oro, Philippines was investigated. The results showed that ASGM-impacted soils had Cu, Pb, Zn and As up to 3.6, 83, 73 and 68 times higher than background levels, respectively and were classified as 'extremely' polluted (CD = 30-228; PLI = 5.5-34.8). Minerals typically found in porphyry copper-gold ores like pyrite, chalcopyrite, malachite, galena, sphalerite and goethite were identified by XRD and SEM-EDS analyses. Furthermore, sequential extraction results indicate substantial Cu (up to 90%), Pb (up to 50%), Zn (up to 65%) and As (up to 48%) partitioned with strongly adsorbed, weak acid soluble, reducible and oxidisable fractions, which are considered as 'geochemically mobile' phases in the environment. Although very high Pb and Zn were found in ASGM-impacted soils, they were relatively immobile under oxidising conditions around pH 8.5 because of their retention via adsorption to hydrous ferric oxides (HFOs), montmorillonite and kaolinite. In contrast, Cu and As release from the historic ASGM site samples exceeded the environmental limits for Class A and Class C effluents, which could be attributed to the removal of calcite and dolomite by weathering. The enhanced desorption of As at around pH 8.5 also likely contributed to its release from these soils.

SUBMITTER: Tabelin CB

PROVIDER: S-EPMC7351430 | biostudies-literature | 2020 Dec

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature

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Solid-phase partitioning and release-retention mechanisms of copper, lead, zinc and arsenic in soils impacted by artisanal and small-scale gold mining (ASGM) activities.

Tabelin Carlito Baltazar CB Silwamba Marthias M Paglinawan Florifern C FC Mondejar Alissa Jane S AJS Duc Ho Gia HG Resabal Vannie Joy VJ Opiso Einstine M EM Igarashi Toshifumi T Tomiyama Shingo S Ito Mayumi M Hiroyoshi Naoki N Villacorte-Tabelin Mylah M

Chemosphere 20200710

Artisanal and small-scale gold mining (ASGM) operations are major contributors to the Philippines' annual gold (Au) output (at least 60%). Unfortunately, these ASGM activities lacked adequate tailings management strategies, so contamination of the environment is prevalent. In this study, soil contamination with copper (Cu), lead (Pb), zinc (Zn) and arsenic (As) due to ASGM activities in Nabunturan, Davao de Oro, Philippines was investigated. The results showed that ASGM-impacted soils had Cu, Pb ...[more]

PMID: 32688316

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Project description:Gold mining is one of the major problems of contamination of hydric resources in Colombia, this practice generates a high impact on water quality due to the accumulation of waste during its process. In this study water quality was evaluated in five natural stream beds corresponding to four streams with gold mining operations and one in the Cauca River, taking samples before the water inlet and after the outlet in each operation in the streams of Dios Te Dé, Tamboral, Piedra Imán, and Lorenzo affected by artisanal gold mining labor, which drain into the Salvajina Reservoir on the Cauca River in the municipality of Suárez Cauca, Colombia. Characterization of water bodies in the streams was carried out applying contamination indices of Colombia. The IDEAM protocol was used as guide to monitor the water currents. Samples were taken in 15 stations in the natural stream beds with operations and a sampling station on the Cauca River after the reservoir in these lotic ecosystems, during three periods; two from 2018 and one from 2019. The range of the contamination indices according to the environmental variables were considered. Results show that the contaminants associated with TSS, TUR, and Hg are high in the sampling stations in the output of the operations and the sampling stations of the streams with influence on the operations (T3, T4, I2, I3, D2, and D5). The water quality score according to the ICA IDEAM index varied between acceptable and regular in the different sampling stations. However the Hg concentration in sampling station C1 of the Cauca River is due to contributions from the operations in the amalgamation process. This requires strategic interventions by the communities, miners, operation owners, and control organisms as the Regional Autonomous Corporation of Cauca (CRC) and the Ministry of Environment and Sustainable Development (MADS) to minimize the negative impacts on the hydric resource and ecosystemic services associated with this resource.

Dataset Information

Solid-phase partitioning and release-retention mechanisms of copper, lead, zinc and arsenic in soils impacted by artisanal and small-scale gold mining (ASGM) activities.

Publications

Solid-phase partitioning and release-retention mechanisms of copper, lead, zinc and arsenic in soils impacted by artisanal and small-scale gold mining (ASGM) activities.

Similar Datasets

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