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Influence of Past Mining on the Quality of Surface Waters at Funtana Raminosa (Sardinia)

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Abstract

Cu–Pb deposits at Funtana Raminosa in Central Sardinia were intensively exploited, mostly underground, from 1917 until 1983. Flotation tailings were dumped near the mine plant. A hydrogeochemical survey carried out in 2004 showed that mine drainage collected from several galleries was circumneutral, due to the availability of carbonate minerals that buffer the acidity produced by the oxidation of Fe-bearing sulphides. The mine waters contained higher concentrations of dissolved SO4, F, Zn, Cd, Pb, Mn, and Mo than was observed in uncontaminated spring and stream waters in the area. Drainage from the oldest flotation tailings showed much lower concentrations of Zn, Cd, and Pb than those generally observed in mine waters. In contrast, drainage from the recent flotation tailings had the highest levels of dissolved SO4, Zn, and Cd (1,600, 30, and 0.8 mg/L, respectively) when sampled in the dry season; these were two orders of magnitude lower in the rainy season under high flow condition. Pb was ≈ 5 μg/L under different flow conditions. Water in the Rio Saraxinus, a stream that drains the entire mining area, had a relatively low level of contamination (170 μg/L Zn, 7 μg/L Cd, and 0.9 μg/L Pb).

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Acknowledgments

This study was supported by funds from MURST (60% Cidu) and Fondazione Banco di Sardegna. Thanks to IGEA SpA for sampling permission, Orlando Bellè for useful information on the mine history, and Giorgio Contis for IC analyses. Data collected in the 2004 survey were used by Luca Mereu for his thesis degree in Earth Sciences. Thanks to Franco Frau for his useful suggestions.

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  1. Department of Earth Sciences, University of Cagliari, Via Trentino 51, 09127, Cagliari, Italy

    Rosa Cidu

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  1. Rosa Cidu
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Correspondence to Rosa Cidu.

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Cidu, R. Influence of Past Mining on the Quality of Surface Waters at Funtana Raminosa (Sardinia). Mine Water Environ 26, 199–208 (2007). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10230-007-0013-5

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