Antimony (Sb) isotopic signature in water systems from the world's largest Sb mine, central China: Novel insights to trace Sb source and mobilization

Bing Wen; Jianwei Zhou; Peidong Tang; Xiaocen Jia; Weiqing Zhou; Jianbo Huang

doi:10.1016/j.jhazmat.2022.130622

Antimony (Sb) isotopic signature in water systems from the world's largest Sb mine, central China: Novel insights to trace Sb source and mobilization

J Hazard Mater. 2023 Mar 15:446:130622. doi: 10.1016/j.jhazmat.2022.130622. Epub 2022 Dec 16.

Authors

Bing Wen¹, Jianwei Zhou², Peidong Tang³, Xiaocen Jia⁴, Weiqing Zhou⁴, Jianbo Huang¹

Affiliations

¹ State Environmental Protection Key Laboratory of Soil Environmental Management and Pollution Control, Nanjing Institute of Environmental Sciences, Ministry of Ecology and Environment of China, 210042 Nanjing, People's Republic of China.
² School of Environmental Studies, China University of Geosciences, 430074 Wuhan, People's Republic of China; Key Laboratory of Mine Ecological Effects and System Restoration, Ministry of Natural Resources, 100081 Beijing, People's Republic of China; Hubei Key Laboratory of Yangtze Catchment Environmental Aquatic Science, 430000 Wuhan, People's Republic of China. Electronic address: jw.zhou@cug.edu.cn.
³ Shanxi Transportation Planning Survey and Design Institute Co., Ltd., 030032 Taiyuan, People's Republic of China.
⁴ School of Environmental Studies, China University of Geosciences, 430074 Wuhan, People's Republic of China.

PMID: 36580776
DOI: 10.1016/j.jhazmat.2022.130622

Abstract

The Xikuangshan (XKS) mine, the world's largest antimony (Sb) mine, was chosen for a detailed Sb isotopic signature study owing to its historical Sb contamination of water systems. Hydrochemical data, in particularδ¹²³Sb values, were analyzed to identify the Sb source and predominant geochemical processes that affect Sb mobilization in different waters. The δ¹²³Sb values of waters from the XKS Sb mine range from - 0.20‰ to + 0.73‰. In particular, the δ¹²³Sb values of the main Feishuiyan stream do not significantly vary (+0.19‰-+0.24‰), while those of groundwater in different aquifers (-0.08‰ to +0.73‰) and mine water in different adits (-0.20‰ to +0.37‰) vary over a wide range. The relationships between δ¹²³Sb values and Sb concentrations indicate that a simple dilution of Sb and a weak Sb adsorption onto Fe/Mn suspended particles and sediments in the Feishuiyan stream may occur, oxidative weathering and leaching infiltration of Sb-containing waste rocks and slags may cause variations in the δ¹²³Sb values in groundwater, and Sb mobilization in the mine water is influenced by a combination of processes (oxidative dissolution, adsorption of Fe/Mn (hydr)oxides, and mixing). A conceptual hydrogeochemical model was summarized to elucidate the Sb source and mobilization in water systems from the XKS Sb mine.

Keywords: Antimony contamination; Antimony isotopes; Geochemical process; Water systems; Xikuangshan antimony mine.