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Assessment of Trace Elements in Soils and Mine Water Surrounding a Closed Manganese Mine (Anti Atlas, Morocco)

Bewertung von Spurenelementen in Böden und Grubenwasser eines stillgelegten Manganbergwerks (Anti Atlas, Marokko)

Relevamiento de elementos traza en suelos y en el agua de mina cercana a la mina de manganeso actualmente cerrada (Anti Atlas, Marruecos)

闭坑锰矿周围土壤及矿井水微量元素分析(小阿特拉斯山脉,摩洛哥)

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Abstract

Five mine water samples, 23 topsoil samples, and four mine waste (tailings) samples were collected to assess the effects of a closed Moroccan Mn mine. Based on the pH, electrical conductivity, and concentrations of sulphate, Cu, Zn, As, Cd, Pb, and Mn, mining has not adversely influenced mine water quality. Soil samples were analyzed for 23 chemical elements and the results were interpreted by univariate and multivariate statistical techniques. Based on an enrichment factor (EF) calculation, only Cd, As, V, and Mn were selected for further study. Geochemical background (GB) and geoaccumulation index (Igeo) were determined for these elements to differentiate between geogenic and anthropogenic enrichment. The GB values showed that the Tiwiyyine soils contained a high geogenic content of Cd, As, V, and Mn that reflected the geochemistry of the parental rocks in this mineralized region. The Igeo calculation revealed that these soils were moderately influenced by anthropogenic activity, which had increased the concentrations of those elements. Finally, geochemical maps revealed that mining was likely responsible for the anthropogenic soil pollution.

Zusammenfassung

5 Grubenwasserproben, 23 Proben des Oberbodens und 4 Tailingsproben wurden genommen, um die Auswirkungen eines marokkanischen Manganbergwerks zu bewerten. Ausgehend von pH-Wert, elektrischer Leitfähigkeit und den Konzentrationen von Sulfat, Cu, Zn, As, Cd, Pb und Mn hat der Bergbau die Wasserqualität nicht negativ beeinflusst. Die Bodenproben wurden auf 23 chemische Elemente untersucht. Die Ergebnisse wurden mittels uni- und multivariater statistischer Methoden bewertet. Basierend auf der Berechnung eines Anreicherungsfaktors (EF) wurden nur Cd, As, V und Mn in die weiteren Betrachtungen einbezogen. Um zwischen geogener und anthropogener Anreicherung zu unterscheiden, wurden der geologische Hintergrund (GB) und der Geoakkumulalationsindex (Igeo) für diese Elemente bestimmt. Die geogenen Hintergrundwerte zeigten, dass die Böden von Tiwiyyine hohe geogene Gehalte an Cd, As, V und Mn haben, die die Geochemie des Muttergesteins in dieser erzreichen Gegend widerspiegeln. Die Berechnung des Igeo erbrachte, dass menschliche Aktivität diese Böden mäßig beeinflusst und die Konzentrationen der genannten Elemente erhöht haben. Geochemische Karten zeigten, dass diese anthropogene Bodenkontamination wahrscheinlich durch den Bergbau verursacht wurde.

Resumen

Se colectaron 5 muestras de agua de mina, 23 muestras de suelo superficial y 4 muestras de colas para analizar los efectos de una mina de manganeso actualmente cerrada. En base a las medidas de pH, de conductividad eléctrica y de las concentraciones de sulfato, Cu, Zn, As, Cd, Pb y Mn, se puede concluir que la minería no ha afectado la calidad del agua de mina. Se analizaron 23 elementos quimicos en las muestras de suelos y los resultados fueron interpretados por técnicas estadísticas univariantes y multivariantes. Basados en los cálculos del factor de enriquecimiento (EF), sólo Cd, As, V y Mn fueron seleccionados para estudios posteriores. El fondo geoquímico (GB) y el índice de geoacumulación (Igeo) fueron determinados para estos elementos para diferenciar entre enriquecimiento geogénico y antropogénico. Los valores GB mostraron que los suelos Tiwiyyine contenían un alto contenido geogénico de Cd, As, V y Mn que reflejaban la geoquímica de las rocas en esta región mineralizada. El cálculo Igeo reveló que los suelos estaban moderadamente influenciados por la actividad antropogénica que había incrementado las concentraciones de aquellos elementos. Finalmente, los mapas geoquímicos revelaron que la minería era probablemente responsable por la contaminación antropogénica de los suelos.

摘要

采集了5个矿井水、23个表层土和4个矿山固废(尾矿)样品评价摩洛哥小阿特拉斯山脉(Anti Atlas, Morocco)关闭锰矿(Tiwiyyine)的环境影响。矿井水的pH值、电导率及硫酸盐、Cu、 Zn、As、Cd、Pb、Mn的浓度分析表明采矿还未对矿井水质产生不利影响。运用单变量和多变量统计法分析了土壤样品的23种化学元素测试结果。基于富集因子(EF)分析,选取Cd、As、V及Mn进一步分析。通过地球化学背景值(GB)及地质富集指数 (Igeo)计算识别这几种元素的地质与人类富集成因。地球化学背景值(GB)计算结果表明Tiwiyyine土壤富含地质成因的Cd、As、V和Mn,反映了成矿区母岩的地球化学特征。地质富集指数(Igeo)计算结果表明土样已受到一定程度人类活动影响,这几种元素浓度已经增大。地球化学成果图显示采矿活动可能是耕作土壤受污染的原因。

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Acknowledgments

We thank the International Research Chairs Initiative, funded by the International Development Research Centre (IDRC), Canada and the Canada Research Chairs program, for supporting this research. We also thank the University of Quebec in Abitibi-Temiscamingue (UQAT), Canada, Institute of Research in Mines and Environment (IRME-UQAT) and Research Unit of Service in Mineral Technology (URSTM-UQAT) for funding the geochemical and mineralogical analysis. Finally, we thank the anonymous reviewers for their constructive comments.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Faculty of Sciences Semlalia Marrakech, Cadi Ayyad University, Marrakech, Morocco

    Assia Elyaziji & Abdelkhalek Alansari

  2. Department of Mines and Ore Processing, Superior National School of Mines in Rabat, Ave Hadj Ahmed Cherkaoui - BP 753, Agdal, Rabat, Morocco

    Abdessamad Khalil

  3. LCME, Faculté des Sciences et Techniques Guéliz, Cadi Ayyad University, Abdelkarim Elkhattabi Ave, Gueliz, PO Box 549, Marrakech, Morocco

    Rachid Hakkou

  4. University of Quebec in Abitibi in Timinscamingue, Rouyn-Noranda, QC, Canada

    Mostafa Benzaazoua

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  1. Assia Elyaziji
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  2. Abdessamad Khalil
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  3. Rachid Hakkou
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Correspondence to Rachid Hakkou.

Electronic supplementary material

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10230_2016_397_MOESM1_ESM.pdf

Supplemental Fig. 1(a) Geographical location of the study area in the Moroccan Anti-Atlas; (b) and (c)Photographs showing the abandoned Tiwiyyine mine site and the deposited mine wastes (PDF 496 kb)

Supplemental Fig. 2 Geological map of the study area (PDF 753 kb)

10230_2016_397_MOESM3_ESM.pdf

Supplemental Fig. 3 Abundance of investigated minerals as determined by x-ray diffraction and Rietveld quantification (PDF 6 kb)

Supplementary material 4 (DOCX 13 kb)

Supplementary material 5 (DOCX 23 kb)

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Elyaziji, A., Khalil, A., Hakkou, R. et al. Assessment of Trace Elements in Soils and Mine Water Surrounding a Closed Manganese Mine (Anti Atlas, Morocco). Mine Water Environ 35, 486–496 (2016). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10230-016-0397-1

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