Abstract
Waste rocks from gold mining in northeastern Thailand are classified as sandstone, siltstone, gossan, skarn, skarn-sulfide, massive sulfide, diorite, and limestone/marble. Among these rocks, skarn-sulfide and massive sulfide rocks have the potential to generate acid mine drainage (AMD) because they contain significant amounts of sulfide minerals, i.e., pyrrhotite, pyrite, arsenopyrite, and chalcopyrite. Moreover, both sulfide rocks present high contents of As and Cu, which are caused by the occurrence of arsenopyrite and chalcopyrite, respectively. Another main concern is gossan contents, which are composed of goethite, hydrous ferric oxide (HFO), quartz, gypsum, and oxidized pyroxene. X-ray maps using electron probe micro-analysis (EPMA) indicate distribution of some toxic elements in Fe-oxyhydroxide minerals in the gossan waste rock. Arsenic (up to 1.37 wt.%) and copper (up to 0.60 wt.%) are found in goethite, HFO, and along the oxidized rim of pyroxene. Therefore, the gossan rock appears to be a source of As, Cu, and Mn. As a result, massive sulfide, skarn-sulfide, and gossan have the potential to cause environmental impacts, particularly AMD and toxic element contamination. Consequently, the massive sulfide and skarn-sulfide waste rocks should be protected from oxygen and water to avoid an oxidizing environment, whereas the gossan waste rocks should be protected from the formation of AMD to prevent heavy metal contamination.
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Acknowledgements
This research project was supported by the 90th Anniversary of Chulalongkorn University Fund (Ratchadaphiseksomphot Endowment Fund), Graduate School, Chulalongkorn University. Moreover, the authors wish to thank the Office of the Higher Education Commission (OHEC) and S&T Postgraduate Education and Research Development Office (PERDO) for the financial support provided for research entitled, “Toxic Substance Management in Mining ". In addition, the authors would like to thank the Austrian Federal Ministry of Science, Research and Economy (BMWFW) for financial support provided in the form of a ASEAN-Uninet/Ernst Mach Grant (Ernst Mach weltweit TSOA) scholarship. The authors are also grateful to Miss Somporn Wonglak for her assistance during sample collections as well as the Chulalongkorn University Publication Gateway (CUPG) for English editing and improving the manuscript. The comments of the reviewers led to a significant improvement of the manuscript.
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Assawincharoenkij, T., Hauzenberger, C., Ettinger, K. et al. Mineralogical and geochemical characterization of waste rocks from a gold mine in northeastern Thailand: application for environmental impact protection. Environ Sci Pollut Res 25, 3488–3500 (2018). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11356-017-0731-6
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11356-017-0731-6