Contamination of soils by potentially toxic elements in the impact zone of tungsten‑molybdenum ore mine in the Baikal region: A survey and risk assessment

Abstract

Mining of mineral resources exerts strong impact on the environment and leads to irreversible changes in vegetation, soils, atmosphere, surface and ground waters. The aim of this study is to assess the modern geochemical state of soil cover in Zakamensk, a city located in Buryat Republic (Russia) and known as one of the biggest ore mining center in the former Soviet Union. The center was operating for 68 years and closed 17 years ago. Soil-geochemical survey was conducted in 2012 and included collection of 103 soil samples in Zakamensk and 27 samples in the background areas. The bulk contents of 16 potentially toxic elements (PTEs) in the soil samples were determined by mass spectrometry and by atomic emission spectrometry with inductively coupled plasma. Background sites are characterized by increased concentrations of ore elements W and Mo. The mineral deposit development and physical and chemical weathering of tailings' material have led to a sharp increase in Bi, Cd, Cu, Mo, Pb, Sb, W and Zn levels in the soils of different land-use areas. Near the tailings, the concentration of Sb in soils was 356 times higher than in the background area; Cd - 70 times; Mo, Bi, Cu, and W - 42-55 times; Pb and As - 34-37 times; and Zn and Sn - 6-12 higher. In the north of the city a prominent anomaly of PTEs occurs in sandy sediments of the Modonkul floodplain. It was formed due to the washout and subsequent sedimentation of suspended matter carried by the Modonkul River from the Barun-Naryn, the Dzhida, and emergency tailings. So, the anthropogenic activities are the most important source of ore and accompanying elements in the urban soils. High levels of accessory elements also depends on natural factors such as physicochemical properties of soils, position in the landscape, and genesis of parent materials. The environmental assessment of topsoils in Zakamensk showed that Pb, Sb, Cd, and As concentrations exceeds the Russian MPCs by 1.7-7.8 times, which creates a significant hazard for the environment and adversely affects human health.

Keywords: Deposits of nonferrous metals; Environmental geochemistry; Mining impact; Priority pollutant; Technogenic anomalies.