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A GEOPHYSICAL AND GEOCHEMICAL STUDY OF THE SHAHTAMA MOLYBDENUM MINE TAILINGS DEPOSIT (TRANSBAIKAL AREA, RUSSIA)
Abstract
Geo-electrical sections were constructed according to electrical resistivity tomography data on Shahtama tailings of Mo- ore processing plant (Transbaikal Kray, Russia), located in the permafrost zone. The capacity of technogenic deposits was determined and the zone of the fault was delineated. A wide range of electrical resistivities (ER) of mine tailings was revealed due to their different particle sizes, humidity and partially frozen condition. The statistical analysis of the distribution of resistivity of technogenic deposits revealed three groups of rocks: 1) rocks with ER from 35 to 56 Ohm?m presented by the flotation tailings (moisture 15-25 %), 2) sands with ER of 115 Ohm?m, confirmed by drilling, 3) the frozen loam with a temperature of about -0.5пїЅcharacterized by high ER (up to 870 Ohm?m). The processes of oxidation and chemical weathering of mine tailings leads to rapid removal of a wide spectrum of chemical elements (Cu, Zn, Cd, As, Sb, Pb, Te, Ag) according to geochemical analyses. The presence of natural geological faults in the areas of distribution of drainage flows leads to the migration of mineralized fluids in deep underground horizons. The results of hydrochemical sampling of surface water and groundwater near the Shahtama tailings indicate migration of a typical ore metals Mn, Zn, Cu, Mo, Cd, Pb and toxic arsenic. The concentration of As in drinking well in the village Vershinno-Shakhtaminsky (5 km from mine tailings) exceeds the average content in clear groundwater more than 500 times. Comparison of concentrations of chemical elements in the solid wastes with their concentrations in the tailing pond and drinking well detects a similar distribution. This indicates a technogenic source of hydrochemical anomalies. Electrical resistivity tomography allow delineating the main underground drainage flow from mine tailings in the environment that confirm by pollution of groundwater in the vicinity of mining area.
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