Determination of enriched elements in the Sarcheshmeh Cu mine tailings, Rafsanjan, Kerman province

doi:10.22059/jne.2018.208705.1173

Determination of enriched elements in the Sarcheshmeh Cu mine tailings, Rafsanjan, Kerman province

Document Type : Research Paper

10.22059/jne.2018.208705.1173

Abstract

Tailings are the most important mine waste which are produced in enormous mass during the mineral processing of the sulfide ores, especially Cu-porphyry type. The main object of this study is to determine the enriched elements in the tailings of the Sarcheshmeh mine; as one of the biggest Cu-porphyry mines in the world. For this purpose, 90 surface and subsurface samples (to about 10 m depth) were collected from fresh and un-oxidized tailings in the available parts of the tailings dam. Fourteen composite samples were prepared for multi-elemental geochemical analysis using inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS) method and preparation of polished sections. Microscopic studies showed that pyrite is the main sulfide mineral in tailings, but chalcopyrite and chalcocite also were found in some samples. According to the normalized enrichment factor, among the more than 60 investigated element (1) Sb (3.9 ± 1.1 mg/kg), W (21.4±8.8 mg/kg), As (21.4 ± 2.3 mg/kg), Bi (33 ± 10 mg/kg), Au (33 ± 10 µg/kg) and Ag (1.02 ± 0.15 mg/kg) have significant enrichment; (2) Cu (1350 ± 478 mg/kg), Fe (4 ± 0.52 %) have high enrichment and (3) S (2.75 ± 0.6 %), Re (21 ± 0.07 mg/kg), Te (0.38 ± 0.23 mg/kg), Se (4.81 ± 0.95 mg/kg) and Mo (91 ± 18.7 mg/kg) have extremely high enrichment compare with the crustal abundance and normal values in un-mineralized granodiorite rock (mean ± standard deviation). These elements are chalcophile or have high potential for presence in sulfide minerals such as pyrite and chalcopyrite. The obtained results well consistent with the geochemical signatures of elements in the Cu-porphyry deposits and determine the elements that have economical/environmental importance in the Sarcheshmeh mine tailings.

Keywords

References

Albers P. H. 2003. Petroleum and individual polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons In: Hoffman, D.J., Rattner,B.A. Burton,G.A., Cairns, J. (Eds). Handbook Of Ecotoxicology, pp. 342-360.

Barron, M.G. 2003. Bioaccumulation and bioconcentration in aquatic Organisms In: Hoffman, D.J., Rattner,B.A. Burton,G.A., Cairns,J. (Eds). Handbook of Ecotoxicology, 887-892.

Baumard, P., Buzinski, H., Michon, Q., Garrigues, P., Burgeot Tand Bellocq, J., 1998a. Origin and bioavailibility of PAHs in the Mediterranea Sea from mussul and sediment records, Estuarine Coastal and Shelf Science 47, 77-90.

Baumards, P., Budzinski, H., Garrigues, P., Sorbe, J.C., Burgeot, T., Belloca, J.و 1998b. Concentration of PAH in various marine organisms in relation to those in sediments to throphic level. Marin Pollution Bulletin 36, 951-960.

Bervoets, L., Voets, J., Covaci, A., Chu, S., Qadah, D., Smolders, R., Schepens, P., Blust, R., 2005. Use of transplanted zebra mussels (Dreissena polymorpha) to assess the bioavailability of micro contaminants in Flemish surface waters. Environmental Science and Technology 39, 1492–1505.

Bruggeman, W.A., Van der Steen, J., Hutzinger, O., 1982. Reversed-phase thin-layer chromatography of polynuclear aromatic hydrocarbons and chlorinated biphenyls Relationship with hydrophobicity as measured by aqueous solubility and octanol-water partition coefficient. Chromatography 238, 335-346.

Chiou, C.T., 2002, Bio concentration of organic contaminants, in Partition and Adsorption of Organic Contaminants in Environmental Systems: Hoboken, NJ, John Wiley and Sons, Inc., p. 257.

Cortazar, E., Bartolomé, L., Arrasate, S., Usobiaga, A., Raposo, J.C., Zuloaga,O., Etxebarria, N., 2008. Distribution and bioaccumulation of PAHs in the UNESCO protected natural reserve of Urdaibai, Bay of Biscay. Chemosphere 72, 1467–1474.

Eisler, R. 1987. Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon hazards to fish, wildlife, and invertebrates: a synoptic review. U.S. Fish and Wild life Service.Biological Reports 85, 1-11.

EPA, US environmental protection agency. 1996. Method 3540C, Soxhlet Extraction. 8pp.

Fossi, C., Marsili, L., 2003. Effects of endocrine disruptors in aquatic mammals. Pure and Applied Chemistry. 75, 2235–2247.

Hass, G., Murphy, L., 2003. Massachusetts Monitoring Progrom, Massachusetts Water Resources Authority, permit number MA0103284,1-5.

Karcher, W. 1988. Spectral atlas of polycyclic aromatic compounds, Vol. 2. kluwer, dordrecht, the netherlands. In: Baumard, P., Budzinski, H., Garrigues, P., Sorbe, J.C., Burgeot, T., Belloca, J., 1998. Concentration of PAH in various marine organisms in relation to those in sediments to throphic level. Marin Pollution Bulletin 36, 951-960.

Karickhoff, S.W., Brown, D.S., Scott, T.A., 1979. Sorption of hydrophobic pollutants on natural sediments. Water Research 13, 241-248.

Leo, A., Hansch, C., Elkins, D., 1971. Partition coefficients and their uses. Chemical Reviews 71, 525-616.

Mahmoudi, M., Safahieh, A.R., Nikpour, Y., Ghanemi, K., 2011. Evaluation of ark clam (Barbatia helblingii) as biomonitor agent for PAHs contamination in coastal area of Bushehr. Journal of Environmental Science Vol. 37, No. 58. 141-148. In Persian.

Means, J.C., Wood, S.G., Hassett, J.J., Banwart, W.L., 1980. Sorption of polynuclear aromatic hydrocarbons by sediments and soils. Environmental Science and Technology 14, 1524-1528.

MOOPAM,1999. Standard methods for chemical analysis of petroleum hydrocarbons, regional organization for the protection of marine environment. third addition. kuwait.

Ruppert, E.E., Fox, R., Barnes, R.D., 2004. Invertebrate Zoology. Chapter 12. pp. 367-402.

Tsapakis, M., Stephanou, E.G., Karakassis, I., 2003. Evaluation of atmospheric transport as a nonpoint source of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons in marine sediments of the eastern Mediterranean. Marine Chemistry 80 , 283– 298.

Varanasi, U., Stein, J.E., Nishimato, M., 1989. Biotransformation and disposition of PAH in Fish. In: Varanasi, U. (Ed.), Metabolism of Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons in the Environment. CRC Press, Inc., Boca Raton, Florida, pp. 93-15.

Zeeman M .1995. Ecotoxicity testing and estimation methods developed under Sect. 5 of the Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA). In: Rand G (ed) Fundamentals of Aquatic Toxicology: Effects, Environmental Fate, and Risk Assessment, Taylor&Francis, Washington, D.C, pp. 703–715.

Journal of Natural Environment