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Spatial distribution and environmental implications of heavy metals in typical lead (Pb)-zinc (Zn) mine tailings impoundments in Guangdong Province, South China.
Environ Sci Pollut Res Int. 2018 Dec; 25(36):36702-36711.ES

Abstract

Heavy metal pollution from mining tailings has become a serious concern in China. Here, we quantitatively evaluated the accumulation status and environmental risk of the tailings impoundments located in a typical Pb-Zn mining area in Guangdong Province, South China. The distributional characteristics of the heavy metals in the tailings impoundment area were analyzed. The results showed that the spatial distributions of the heavy metals contained in the tailings were dependent on the geochemical characteristics of the mine tailings rather than on their diversified profile depths. Furthermore, the risk assessment of the heavy metal pollution in the soils surrounding the tailings impoundment showed that the comprehensive Nemerow pollution index (NPI) of the tested surface soil samples was higher than 3.0; thus, these values were much greater than those of the deep soil. Meanwhile, multivariate statistical analysis revealed that the heavy metals contained in the surrounding soils, such as Pb, Zn, Cu, Cd, As, and Tl, experienced similar geochemical processes. The analysis of drainage water samples indicated that surface runoff from the tailings impoundment was the main route for the migration of heavy metals. Moreover, the alkaline substances would be consumed by the acid that is continuously generated in the tailings pond, and this increases the risk of heavy metals migrating from the tailings impoundment area. Lastly, resource analysis and process mineralogy analysis showed that the tailings had a high recovery value, and the recovery of tailings would completely eliminate the environmental risks posed by the tailings.

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Publisher Full Text (DOI)

Authors+Show Affiliations

Chen T
The Environmental Research Institute, MOE Key Laboratory of Theoretical Chemistry of Environment, South China Normal University, Guangzhou, 510006, People's Republic of China.
Lei C
College of Chemistry and Environmental Engineering, Shaoguan University, Shaoguan, 512005, China.
Yan B
The Environmental Research Institute, MOE Key Laboratory of Theoretical Chemistry of Environment, South China Normal University, Guangzhou, 510006, People's Republic of China. bo.yan@m.scnu.edu.cn.
Li LL
State Key Laboratory of Organic Geochemistry, Guangzhou Institute of Geochemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Guangzhou, 510640, People's Republic of China.
Xu DM
State Key Laboratory of Organic Geochemistry, Guangzhou Institute of Geochemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Guangzhou, 510640, People's Republic of China.
Ying GG
The Environmental Research Institute, MOE Key Laboratory of Theoretical Chemistry of Environment, South China Normal University, Guangzhou, 510006, People's Republic of China.

MeSH

ChinaEnvironmental MonitoringLeadMetals, HeavyMiningMultivariate AnalysisRisk AssessmentSoilSoil PollutantsSpatial AnalysisZinc

Pub Type(s)

Journal Article

Language

eng

PubMed ID

30377971

Citation

Chen, Tao, et al. "Spatial Distribution and Environmental Implications of Heavy Metals in Typical Lead (Pb)-zinc (Zn) Mine Tailings Impoundments in Guangdong Province, South China." Environmental Science and Pollution Research International, vol. 25, no. 36, 2018, pp. 36702-36711.
Chen T, Lei C, Yan B, et al. Spatial distribution and environmental implications of heavy metals in typical lead (Pb)-zinc (Zn) mine tailings impoundments in Guangdong Province, South China. Environ Sci Pollut Res Int. 2018;25(36):36702-36711.
Chen, T., Lei, C., Yan, B., Li, L. L., Xu, D. M., & Ying, G. G. (2018). Spatial distribution and environmental implications of heavy metals in typical lead (Pb)-zinc (Zn) mine tailings impoundments in Guangdong Province, South China. Environmental Science and Pollution Research International, 25(36), 36702-36711. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11356-018-3493-x
Chen T, et al. Spatial Distribution and Environmental Implications of Heavy Metals in Typical Lead (Pb)-zinc (Zn) Mine Tailings Impoundments in Guangdong Province, South China. Environ Sci Pollut Res Int. 2018;25(36):36702-36711. PubMed PMID: 30377971.
* Article titles in AMA citation format should be in sentence-case
TY - JOUR T1 - Spatial distribution and environmental implications of heavy metals in typical lead (Pb)-zinc (Zn) mine tailings impoundments in Guangdong Province, South China. AU - Chen,Tao, AU - Lei,Chang, AU - Yan,Bo, AU - Li,Li-Li, AU - Xu,Da-Mao, AU - Ying,Guang-Guo, Y1 - 2018/10/30/ PY - 2018/06/19/received PY - 2018/10/16/accepted PY - 2018/11/1/pubmed PY - 2019/2/23/medline PY - 2018/11/1/entrez KW - Environmental implications KW - Heavy metals KW - Mine tailings impoundments KW - Spatial distribution SP - 36702 EP - 36711 JF - Environmental science and pollution research international JO - Environ Sci Pollut Res Int VL - 25 IS - 36 N2 - Heavy metal pollution from mining tailings has become a serious concern in China. Here, we quantitatively evaluated the accumulation status and environmental risk of the tailings impoundments located in a typical Pb-Zn mining area in Guangdong Province, South China. The distributional characteristics of the heavy metals in the tailings impoundment area were analyzed. The results showed that the spatial distributions of the heavy metals contained in the tailings were dependent on the geochemical characteristics of the mine tailings rather than on their diversified profile depths. Furthermore, the risk assessment of the heavy metal pollution in the soils surrounding the tailings impoundment showed that the comprehensive Nemerow pollution index (NPI) of the tested surface soil samples was higher than 3.0; thus, these values were much greater than those of the deep soil. Meanwhile, multivariate statistical analysis revealed that the heavy metals contained in the surrounding soils, such as Pb, Zn, Cu, Cd, As, and Tl, experienced similar geochemical processes. The analysis of drainage water samples indicated that surface runoff from the tailings impoundment was the main route for the migration of heavy metals. Moreover, the alkaline substances would be consumed by the acid that is continuously generated in the tailings pond, and this increases the risk of heavy metals migrating from the tailings impoundment area. Lastly, resource analysis and process mineralogy analysis showed that the tailings had a high recovery value, and the recovery of tailings would completely eliminate the environmental risks posed by the tailings. SN - 1614-7499 UR - https://www.unboundmedicine.com/medline/citation/30377971/Spatial_distribution_and_environmental_implications_of_heavy_metals_in_typical_lead__Pb__zinc__Zn__mine_tailings_impoundments_in_Guangdong_Province_South_China_ DB - PRIME DP - Unbound Medicine ER -