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The environmental quality of sediments of rivers near prospection areas of semiprecious rocks

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Abstract

Mineral exploration areas are recognized for negatively affecting site environmental quality. The recent contaminations in the cities of Brumadinho, Mariana, Santo Antônio do Grama (Minas Gerais), and Barcarena (Pará) point to the seriousness of this issue in Brazil. However, studies on the influence of mining tailings from the extraction of semiprecious rocks on the quality of the sediments of water systems are rare. The aim of this study is to evaluate the influence of mining activities (amethyst, quartz, agate, calcite, and gypsum) on the quality of the sediments of Rio de Várzea, southern Brazil, the biggest region of amethyst rock extraction in the world. The concentrations of the chemical species Al2O3, SiO2, P2O5, K2O, CaO, TiO2, Fe2O3, Cr, Mn, Co, Cu, Zn, Zr, Ba, Cd, and Pb were determined by the technique energy-dispersive X-ray emission spectrometry (EDXRF). In the study, moderate contamination of the sediments of the Várzea River was demonstrated by means of background strategies (contamination factor, enrichment factor, and geoaccumulation index). Statistical analysis with the use of ANOVA, Tukey test, and principal component analysis revealed significant differences of concentrations of the chemical species of the sediments at the exit of the mining zone in relation to the other study areas.

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Acknowledgments

The authors would like to thank Professor Cristiano Poleto of the Hydraulic Research Institute of UFRGS and the journalist Andreia Primaz Eckhadt of the company O2 Multicomunicações. Thanks also to the Federal University of Santa Maria (UFSM) as well as for the support of the National Council for Scientific and Technological Development (CNPQ) in the financing of research actions.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Center for Hydric Resources and Environmental Studies, São Carlos Engineering School, University of São Paulo, São Carlos, SP, 13566-590, Brazil

    Paulo Roberto Bairros da Silva & Frederico Fabio Mauad

  2. Department of Agronomic and Environmental Sciences, UFSM - Frederico Westphalen Campus, University of Santa Maria, Frederico Westphalen, RS, 98400-000, Brazil

    Francisco Ernesto Dalla Nora

  3. Department of Environmental Engineering and Technology, UFSM - Frederico Westphalen Campus, University of Santa Maria, Frederico Westphalen, RS, 98400-000, Brazil

    Rodrigo José de Castro & Arci Dirceu Wastowski

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  1. Paulo Roberto Bairros da Silva
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  5. Frederico Fabio Mauad
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Correspondence to Paulo Roberto Bairros da Silva.

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da Silva, P.R.B., Nora, F.E.D., de Castro, R.J. et al. The environmental quality of sediments of rivers near prospection areas of semiprecious rocks. Environ Monit Assess 191, 364 (2019). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10661-019-7456-6

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