Abstract
Leachates from the El Fraile tailings impoundment (Taxco, Mexico) were monitored every 2 months from October 2001 to August 2002 to assess the geochemical characteristics. These leachates are of interest because they are sometimes used as alternative sources of domestic water. Alternatively, they drain into the Cacalotenango creek and may represent a major source of metal contamination of surface water and sediments. Most El Fraile leachates show characteristics of Ca–SO4, (Ca+Mg)–SO4, Mg–SO4 and Ca–(SO4+HCO3) water types and are near-neutral (pH=6.3–7.7). Some acid leachates are generated by the interaction of meteoric water with tailings during rainfall events (pH=2.4–2.5). These contain variable levels of SO4 2− (280–29,500 mg l−1) and As (<0.01–12.0 mg l−1) as well as Fe (0.025–2352 mg l−1), Mn (0.1–732 mg l−1), Zn (<0.025–1465 mg l−1) and Pb (<0.01–0.351 mg l−1). Most samples show the highest metal enrichment during the dry seasons. Leachates used as domestic water typically exceed the Mexican Drinking Water Guidelines for sulfate, hardness, Fe, Mn, Pb and As, while acidic leachates exceed the Mexican Guidelines for Industrial Discharge Waters for pH, Cu, Cd and As. Speciation shows that in near-neutral solutions, metals exist mainly as free ions, sulfates and bicarbonates, while in acidic leachates they are present as sulfates and free ions. Arsenic appears as As(V) in all samples. Thermodynamic and mineralogical evidence indicates that precipitation of Fe oxides and oxyhydroxides, clay minerals and jarosite as well as sorption by these minerals are the main processes controlling leachate chemistry. These processes occur mainly after neutralization by interaction with bedrock and equilibration with atmospheric oxygen.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Armienta M.A., Talavera O., Morton O., Barrera M. 2003, Geochemistry of metals from mine tailings in Taxco. Mexico Bull Environ Contam Toxicol 71:387–393
Armienta MA, Talarera O, Villaseñor G, Espinosa E, Pérex-Martínez I, Cruz O, Ceniceras N, Agnayo A. 2004, Environmental behaviour of metals from tailings in shallow rivers : Taxco, central Mexico. Appl Earth Sci (Trans Inst Min Metal B) 113, B76–B82
Bahena-Pita, N. 2003, Evaluación de la calidad del agua de uso doméstico en Taxco el Viejo, Guerrero. BSc thesis, Universidad Autónoma de Guerrero, Mexico
Ball JW, Nordstrom DK. 1991, User’s manual for WATEQ4F, with revised thermodynamic data base and test cases for calculating speciation of major, trace and redox elements in natural waters. U.S. Geological Survey file report, pp 91–183.
Bowell R.J. 1994, Sorption of arsenic by iron oxides and oxyhydroxides in soils. Appl Geochem 9: 279–286
Campa U.M.F., Ramírez E.J. 1979, La evolución geológica y la metalogénesis del noroccidente de Guerrero Serie Técnico-Científica. Universidad Autónoma de Guerrero 1:101
Castrode Dios M. 2001, Caracterización químico-mineralógica de los sedimentos de los ríos Taxco y Cacalotenango en la región minera de Taxco de Alarcón, Guerrero. BSc thesis, Universidad Autónoma de Guerrero, México
Consejo de Recursos Minerales (CRM) 1999, Monografía Geológico-Minera del estado de Guerrero. CRM, México
Dold B. 1999, Mineralogical and geochemical changes of copper flotation tailings in relation to their original composition and climatic setting – Implications for acid mine drainage and element mobility Terre Environ 18: 230
Dold B., Fontboté L. 2002, A mineralogical and geochemical study of element mobility in sulfide mine tailings of Fe Oxide Cu-Au deposits from The Punta del Cobre Belt, Northern Chile. Chem Geol 189: 135–163
Drever J.I. 1997, The geochemistry of natural waters: surface and groundwater environments. Prentice Hall, New Jersey
Flores-Mundo N. 2002, Caracterización químico-mineralógica de los Jales El Fraile, Taxco de Alarcón. BSc thesis, Universidad Autónoma de Guerrero, Mexico
Förstner U. 1983, Metal transfer between solid and aqueous phases In: Förstner U, Wittmann GTW (eds). Metal pollution in the aquatic environment, 2nd edn. Springer, Berlin Heidelberg New York, pp 197–270
Hochella M.F., Moore J.N., Golla U., Putnis A. 1999, A TEM study of samples from acid mine drainage systems: Metal-mineral association with implications for transport. Geochim Cosmochim Acta 63: 3395–3406
Hudson-Edwards K.A. 2003, Sources, mineralogy, chemistry and fate of heavy metal-bearing particles in mining-affected river systems. Miner Mag 67: 205–217
Jambor J.L., Owens D.R. 1993, Mineralogy of the tailings impoundment at the former edge of Sudbury Structure, Ontario. CANMET Div. Rep. MSL93-4 (CF), Department of Energy and Mine Research, Canada
Johnson C.A. 1986, The regulation of trace element concentrations in river and estuarine waters contaminated with acid mine drainage – the adsorption of Cu and Zn on amorphous Fe oxyhydroxides. Geochim Cosmochim Acta 50:2433–2438
Langmuir D. 1997, Aqueous environmental geochemistry. Prentice Hall, New Jersey
Lee C.H. 2003, Assessment of contamination load on water, soil and sediment affected by the Kongjujeil mine drainage, Republic of Korea. Environ Geol 44: 501–515
Lee C.H., Lee H.K. 2001, Hydrochemical monitoring and heavy metal contaminations at the Narim Mine Creek in the Sulcheon District, Republic of Korea. Environ Geochem Health 23: 347–372
Lee G., Bigham J.M., Faure G. 2002, Removal of trace metals by coprecipitation with Fe, Al and Mn from natural waters contaminated with acid mine drainage in the Ducktown Mining District. Tenn. Appl. Geochem 17:569–581
Nordstrom DK. 1982, Aqueous pyrite oxidation and the consequent formation of secondary iron minerals. In Kittrick JA, Fanning DS, Hossner LR, eds. Acid Sulphate Weathering. Soil Science Society of America, Special Publ. 10: 37–56
Parkhurst DL. 1995, User’s guide to Phreeqc – A computer program for speciation, reaction-path, advective-transport, and inverse geochemical calculations. U.S. Geological Survey, USA
Peacey V., Yanful E.K. 2003, Metal mine tailings and sludge co-deposition in a tailings pond water. Air Soil Pollut 145:307–339
Ritcey G.M. 1989, Tailings management: problems and solutions in the mining industry. Elsevier, Amsterdam
Talavera Mendoza O., Yta M., Moreno-Tovar R., Dótor-Almazán A., Flores-Mundo N., Duarte-Gutiérrez C.: 2005, Mineralogy and geochemistry of sulfide-bearing tailings from silver mines in the Taxco, Mexico area to evaluate their potential environmental impact. Geofisica Int 44:49–64
Woo N.C., Choi M.J., Lee K.S. 2002, Assessment of groundwater quality and contamination from uranium-bearing black shale in Goesan-Boeun areas. Korea Environ Geochem Health 24: 261–273
Acknowledgements
OTM is very grateful to Elvia Díaz V. for invaluable help and encouragement along all stages of the research. We thank Raina Maier for useful comments and English assistance. Critical comments and suggestions by two anonymous reviewers greatly helped to improve the manuscript, This research was founded by a CONACyT (Consejo Nacional de Ciencia y Tecnología) grant (G28975T).
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Corresponding author
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Talavera Mendoza, O., Armienta Hernández, M.A., Abundis, J.G. et al. Geochemistry of leachates from the El Fraile sulfide tailings piles in Taxco, Guerrero, southern Mexico. Environ Geochem Health 28, 243–255 (2006). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10653-005-9037-6
Received:
Accepted:
Published:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10653-005-9037-6