Hostname: page-component-78c5997874-94fs2 Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-11-10T12:10:39.198Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false

Weathering of S. Domingos (Iberian Pyritic Belt) abandoned mine slags

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  05 July 2018

L. Rosado
Affiliation:
Evora Chemistry Centre and University of Évora Chemistry Department, Évora, Portugal
C. Morais
Affiliation:
Evora Chemistry Centre and University of Évora Chemistry Department, Évora, Portugal
A. E. Candeias
Affiliation:
Evora Chemistry Centre and University of Évora Chemistry Department, Évora, Portugal
A. P. Pinto
Affiliation:
Mediterranean and Agricultural Sciences Institute, University of Évora, Évora, Portugal

Abstract

The S. Domingos abandoned mine is a major source of pollutant-metals contamination. Slags from the 19th-20th century contain the most hazardous material. However, the release of pollutant metals depends on the metal-retention capability of weathering products. This work shows that Zn is not effectively retained by these weathering products while As and Pb are partially stored in sulphates. Copper, on the other hand, has a different behaviour and is the most leachable of the elements studied.

Type
Research Article
Copyright
Copyright © The Mineralogical Society of Great Britain and Ireland 2008

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

References

Álvarez-Valero, A.M., Pérez-López, R., Matos, J., Capitan, M.A., Nieto, J.M., Saez, R., Delgado, J. and Caraballo, M. (2008) Potential environmental impact at Sao Domingos mining district (Iberian Pyrite Belt, SW Iberian Peninsula): evidence from a chemical and mineralogical characterization. Environmental Geolog. (in press).CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Buckby, T., Black, S., Coleman, MX. and Hodson, M.E. (2003) Fe-sulphate-rich evaporative mineral precipitates from the Rio Tinto, southwest Spain. Mineralogical Magazine, 67, 263–278.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Chopin, E.I.B. and Alloway, BJ. (2007) Trace element partitioning and soil particle characterisation around mining and smelting areas at Tharsis, Riotinto and Huelva, SW Spain. Science of the Total Environment, 373, 488–500.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Freitas, H., Prasad, M.N.V. and Pratas, J. (2004) Plant community tolerant to trace elements growing on the degraded soils of Sao Domingos mine in the south east of Portugal: environmental implications. Environment International, 30, 65–72.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Galan, E., Gomez-Ariza, J.L., Gonzalez, I., Fernandez-Caliani, J.C., Morales, E. and Giraldez, I. (2003) Heavy metal partitioning in river sediments severely polluted by acid mine drainage in the Iberian Pyrite Belt. Applied Geochemistry, 18, 409–421.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Giere, R., Sidenko, N.V. and Lazareva, E.V. (2003) The role of secondary minerals in controlling the migration of arsenic and metals from high-sulfide wastes (Berikul gold mine, Siberia). Applied Geochemistry, 18, 1347–1359.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Hudson-Edwards, K.A., Schell, C. and Macklin, M.G. (1999) Mineralogy and geochemistry of alluvium contaminated by metal mining in the Rio Tinto area, southwest Spain. Applied Geochemistry, 14, 1015–1030.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Leistel, J.M., Marcoux, E., Thieblemont, D., Quesada, C. Sanchez, A., Almodovar, G.R., Pascual, E. and Saez, R. (1998) The volcanic-hosted massive sulphide deposits of the Iberian Pyrite Belt. Mineralium Deposita, 33, 2–30.Google Scholar
Lottermoser, B.G. (2002) Mobilization of heavy metals from historical smelting slag dumps, north Queensland, Australia. Mineralogical Magazine, 66, 475–490.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Navarro, A., Collado, D., Carbonell, M. and Sanchez, J.A. (2004) Impact of mining activities in a semi-arid environment: Sierra Almagrera district, SE Spain. Environmental Geochemistry and Health, 26, 383–393.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Parsons, M.B., Bird, D.K., Einaudi, M.T. and Alpers, C.N. (2001) Geochemical and mineralogical controls of trace element release from the Penn Mine base-metal slag dump, California. Applied Geochemistry, 16, 1567–1593.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Pereira, R., Ribeiro, R. and Goncalves, F. (2004) Scalp hair analysis as a tool in assessing human exposure to heavy metals (Domingosmine, S., Portugal). Science of the Total Environment, 321, 81–92.Google Scholar
Piatak, N.M., Seal II, R.R. and Hammarstrom, J.H. (2004) Mineralogical and geochemical controls on the release of trace elements from slag produced by base- and precious-metal smelting at abandoned mine sites. Applied Geochemistry, 19, 1039–1064.CrossRefGoogle Scholar