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Assessment of hydrochemistry and heavy metals pollution in the groundwater of Ardestan mineral exploration area, Iran

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Abstract

The aim of this research is to determine the effective factors on the hydrogeochemistry and assessment of heavy metals pollution indices in the groundwater of Ardestan copper exploration area, Iran. In this study, in total, 111 groundwater samples from one well and several qanats and springs were collected. Piper and Stiff diagrams and statistical methods and quality indices were applied to hydrochemical data. Afterward, the water samples were classified into four groups, namely CaHCO3, CaCl, NaCl, and NaHCO3. According to evaluation indices, considering the fact that only a few points are in the high risk level, the groundwater of the study area has a low level of pollution. On the other hand, the pH of the groundwater of the region was mostly neutral and acid mine drainage was not found. Since the condition of the area is in pre-mining process, two factors are possibly influential: (1) rocks or minerals having sulfides are not exposed to an atmosphere (normally below groundwater) and H+ release does not occur and (2) the existence of minerals containing silicate and carbonate that can rapidly reduce acidification of water. Finally, it seems that during mining and in post-mining conditions, acid rock drainage which results from the oxidation of sulfides will probably influence the quality of water resources in Ardestan city. This is because the groundwater flow direction is from the mine toward Ardestan plain.

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Acknowledgements

This work was partially supported by Ardestan Copper Gold Company. The authors would like to thank the Research Council of University of Sistan and Baluchestan for their financial support. Our sincere thanks are extended to Dr. M. Sharif.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Geology, University of Sistan and Baluchestan, P.O. Box: 98135-674, Zahedan, 9816745639, Iran

    Samaneh Ahmadi & Reza Jahanshahi

  2. Institute of Ardestan Copper Gold Co., Tehran, Iran

    Vahid Moeini

  3. Shahrood University of Technology, Shahrood, Iran

    Sepideh Mali

Authors
  1. Samaneh Ahmadi
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  2. Reza Jahanshahi
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  3. Vahid Moeini
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  4. Sepideh Mali
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Correspondence to Reza Jahanshahi.

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Ahmadi, S., Jahanshahi, R., Moeini, V. et al. Assessment of hydrochemistry and heavy metals pollution in the groundwater of Ardestan mineral exploration area, Iran. Environ Earth Sci 77, 212 (2018). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12665-018-7393-7

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