We found a match
Your institution may have rights to this item. Sign in to continue.
- Title
ENVIRONMENTAL POLLUTION BY MINING ACTIVITIES -- A CASE STUDY IN THE CRIŞ ALB VALLEY, WESTERN CARPATHIANS, ROMANIA.
- Authors
Sima, Mihaela; Zobrist, Jürg; Senila, Marin; Levei, Erika-Andrea; Abraham, Bela; Dold, Bernhard; Balteanu, Dan
- Abstract
In the region of the Apuseni Mountains, a part of the Western Carpathians in Romania, mining activities have a long-standing tradition. But they also resulted in an apparent major acid mine drainage combined with a heavy metal pollution in surface waters. The acid mine drainage (AMD) production is due to enhanced pyrite oxidation in ore pits and deposits of ore. The CriŞ Alb catchment covers an area of 4200 km². The mining activities are concentrated in the upper basin, in which an open pit and several abandoned under ground mines are producing AMD that is discharged untreated into tributaries. Solid wastes of the mineral processing plants were deposited in several dumps and tailings dams. During several field campaigns, water was collected mainly from surface waters, dug-wells, piezometers and impoundments. Solid samples were taken from river sediments and of the biggest tailings dams. Inputs of tributaries polluted with acid mine waters only slightly increase concentration of heavy metals and sulphate in the upper CriŞ Alb River. Water in the main river water remains neutral. These results contrast with those found in the neighbouring Certej catchment, where mining activities result in a strong acidic and heavy metal pollution. Metal concentrations measured at the upper station and in tributaries upstream mining areas reflect roughly background values. They fall in the range of the environmental quality standards proposed by the EU Water Framework Directive. Outflow of the big tailings dams and tributaries downstream old mines exhibit the first sign of acid mine drainage production. However, most heavy metal concentrations fall nearly to background values. These waters still have an acid neutralizing capacity. Metal concentrations in sediments taken in the active river channel display a decreasing trend downstream. The sequential extraction essay demonstrates that the mineralogy of the primary material deposited and the pH will be changed when waste ore deposits react with oxygen diffusing into the tailings. In general, CriŞ Alb river water exhibits only a small impact by mining activities, although hot spots of acidic mine waters inputs exist in the upper valley and heavy metals in particles accumulate in river sediments. The results of this study can be used by various stakeholders, mainly the mining companies, local municipalities and environmental protection county authority bodies in order to integrate them in their post-mining measures, making them aware by the potential long-term impact of mining on the environment and human health.
- Subjects
CARPATHIAN Mountains; ROMANIA; HEAVY metal toxicology; CASE studies; POLLUTION risk assessment; ACID mine drainage; POLLUTION
- Publication
GeoEcoMarina, 2008, Vol 14, Issue 1, p9
- ISSN
1224-6808
- Publication type
Article