Deposition of gold mining tailings in tropical soils: metal pollution and toxicity to earthworms

Introduction: Inappropriate management of mining activities may bring about water pollution and pose a heavy complication on aquatic ecosystem and humans. The study aimed to evaluate the effect of Qorveh gold mining activities on the quality of nearby groundwater. Materials and Methods: The concentration of seven eco-toxic metals along with some general hydrochemical parameters were investigated for 27 sampling stations in the study area using Atomic Absorption Spectrometry (AAS) and conventional hydrochemical methods. The analysis results were further applied to compute pollution indices, namely heavy metal pollution index (HPI) for irrigation purposes. Results: The main elements were within the World Health Organization (WHO) and Iranian National Water Standards (INWS) for irrigation water quality, except for NH4+ in some sampling points. The concentration of heavy metals followed the order Cu > Zn > Pb > Hg > Cd > As. The contents of Hg, As, Cd, and Cu in most sites were higher than the recommended values. Except for two stations, the value of HPI based on the mean concentration was found to be far beyond the critical pollution index value of 100, suggesting that the area is highly polluted with some heavy metals. Conclusion: Elevated concentration of trace elements found in groundwater of this area represented the release of harmful elements from gold mining activities on surrounding environment.

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Assessment of Heavy Metal Pollution in a Gold Mining Site in Southwestern Nigeria

Journal of Biotechnology & Bioresearch ◽

10.31031/jbb.2019.01.000518 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 1 (4) ◽

Author(s):

Ologundudu FA

Keyword(s):

Heavy Metal ◽

Metal Pollution ◽

Heavy Metal Pollution ◽

Gold Mining ◽

Southwestern Nigeria ◽

Mining Site

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Application of Ectomycorrhiza (Scleroderma sp.) in Mangium (Acacia Mangium Willd.) using Artisanal Small-scale Gold Mining(ASGM) Tailings

Jurnal Sylva Lestari ◽

10.23960/jsl1885-97 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 8 (1) ◽

pp. 85

Author(s):

Ulfa Luthfiana ◽

Melya Riniarti ◽

Afif Bintoro

Keyword(s):

Gold Mining ◽

Acacia Mangium ◽

Small Scale ◽

Growth Media ◽

Mining Tailings ◽

Environment And Health ◽

Randomized Design ◽

Significant Difference ◽

Additional Input ◽

Gold Tailings

Artisanal small-scale gold mining tailings frequently used hazardous toxic materials that could contaminate land, rivers, and lakes which harmful to the environment and health. Phytoremediation is one way to overcome the mining waste. Mangium (Acacia mangium Willd.) is one of plant that often used for mining land phytoremediation. However, it was difficult for mangium to be able to survive on land with such extreme conditions, therefore additional input is needed. Using ectomycorrhiza fungi could be an alternative. This study aimed to measure the adaptation of mangium in gold mining tailings and analyze the function of ectomycorrhiza (Scleroderma sp.) in the growth of mangium. The experimental design used a completely randomized design with six growth media as treatments with five replications. The growth media used were: (1) topsoil with mycorrhiza, (2) topsoil without mycorrhiza, (3) topsoil + tailings with mycorrhiza, (4) soil + tailings without mycorrhiza,(5) tailings with mycorrhiza, and (6) tailings without mycorrhiza. Data were analyzed statistically using analysis of variance followed with a Least Significant Difference test. The results showed that the survival rate of mangium life in tailing media with mycorrhizae was fairly high with a percentage of life reaching 60% even though the growth was less when compared to topsoil media with mycorrhiza that reached 100%. The highest growth rate was achieved by mangium in topsoil media without tailings and mycorrhiza (control). This research showed that ectomycorrhiza did not have any significant effects on mangium growth in gold tailing.Keywords: Acacia mangium, ectomycoriza, gold tailings, phytoremediation, Scleroderma sp.

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PERTUMBUHAN DAN MUTU FISIK BIBIT KAYU KUKU (Pericopsis mooniana) PADA MEDIA TANAM TAILING PERTAMBANGAN EMAS RAKYAT DENGAN PEMBERIAN AMELIORAN

ULIN Jurnal Hutan Tropis ◽

10.32522/ujht.v4i1.3652 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 4 (1) ◽

pp. 58

Author(s):

Rizal Adi Saputra ◽

Meyla Riniarti

Keyword(s):

Humic Acid ◽

Quality Assessment ◽

Gold Mining ◽

Seed Quality ◽

Growth Media ◽

Acid Growth ◽

Physical Quality ◽

Mining Tailings ◽

Artisanal Gold Mining ◽

Significant Difference

One of the strategies in rehabilitation of gold mining tailings is used pioneer trees. Pericopsis mooniana is one of pioneer types which capable to adapt to marginal and unproductivel lands. The objective of this research were to find out the growth and physical quality of P. mooniana seedling on artisanal gold mining tailings with the addition of compost elephant dung and humic acid. Growth observation and physical quality assessment were done to P. mooniana seedlings aged 3 months and 10 days, placed on polybag (15/7.5 cm x 20 cm). The experimental design used a completely randomized design with six growth media as treatments and five replications, (1) topsoil 100%, (2) talings 100%, (3) tailings 50% + elephant dungs 50%, (4) tailings 50% + elephant dungs 50% + humic acid (2,000 ppm), (5) tailings 75% + elephant dungs 25%,(6) tailings 75% + elephant dungs 25% + (humic acid (2,000 ppm). Data were analyzed statistically using analysis of variance followed with a Least Significant Difference test. The stages of the research were: seedling activity, growth observations and physical quality assessment seedlings. The parameter observed were percentage of life, increment height and diameter, number of leaf, leaf area, number of nodules, total dry weight, robustness, ratio of leaves and roots, and seed quality index. The result showed that P. mooniana seedlings were able to grow and adapt to artisanal gold mining tailings with a seedlings quality indexs value of more than (0.09), but the addition of ameliorant did not have any impact yet.

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