Peer-reviewed articles 17,970 +


Title: ENVIRONMENTAL STATISTICAL ANALYSIS OF THE BASINS OF THE MINING DISTRICT OF PONCE ENRIQUEZ (ECUADOR)
ENVIRONMENTAL STATISTICAL ANALYSIS OF THE BASINS OF THE MINING DISTRICT OF PONCE ENRIQUEZ (ECUADOR)

PlumX Article Metrics by Elsevier
Daniel Garces; Yolanda Sanchez-Palencia; Samantha Jimenez; Juan Llamas
10.5593/sgem2024/1.1/s01.09
10.5593/sgem2024/1.1
1314-2704
978-619-7603-67-5
English
24
1.1
•    Prof. DSc. Oleksandr Trofymchuk, UKRAINE 
•    Prof. Dr. hab. oec. Baiba Rivza, LATVIA
1.Geology
Camilo Ponce Enriquez is in the southwest coastal zone of Ecuador, and it is surrounded by 4 river basins (Gala, Tenguel, Siete and Pagua) with an area of 1,780 km2. Mining has been the main economic activity since 1980 and is classified as Artisanal and Small-Scale Mining Activity. However, since 2000s there is evidence of contamination by heavy metals in water and sediments due to irregular mining practices and inefficiency environmental’s regulations. Despite the evidence, there are not enough scientific studies, and few reports are published about chemistry and contamination. The study goal is to analyze 333 river sediments samples taken from the four river basins, using geostatistical and geochemical methods, to determinate possible correlations and associations between contaminant elements. Samples were analyzed for 35 elements (Ag, Al, As, Au, Ba, Bi, Ca, Cd, Co, Cr, Cu, Fe, Ga, Hg, K, La, Li, Mg, Mn, Mo, Na, Nb, Ni, Pb, Sb, Sc, Sr, Te, Ti, Tl, V, W, Y, Zn, Zr). The elements results were studied using univariate statistical methods, Spearman's Ordinal Correlation, factor analysis using PCA, and cluster analysis using Ward’s method. The results evidence nine elements (Co, Cr, Cu, Fe, Mg, Ni, Sc, Ti and V) with significant correlations (r ? 0.5). The strongest correlation is V-Fe (0.91), followed by V-Ti, Ni-Co and Ni-Cr and Sc-Co (r ? 0.8). The correlation in the V, Fe, Ni, Cr elements are related with orthomagmatic deposits. Also, V and Ti are related to titanium and iron oxides mainly in mafic deposits, which could be associated with the Pallatanga Fm. The factor analysis identified five groups of elements that are comparable to the Goldschmidt classification, where the groups are related with arsenopyrite, oxy-hydroxides, mafic and porphyry deposits. The cluster analysis revealed four groups, where the spatial distribution matched with the contamination level areas in the Siete, Tenguel and Gala River basins. The results provide an environmental baseline against which the impacts of anthropogenic activities (including mining) may be assessed. A basis for the formulation of sediment quality criteria and for the identification of natural geochemical hazards is also provided.
[1] R. Estupinan, P. Romero-Crespo, M. Garcia, D. Garces, and P. Valverde, “La mineria en Ecuador. Pasado, presente y futuro,” BOLETIN GEOLOGICO Y MINERO, vol. 132, no. 4, pp. 533–549, Dec. 2021, doi: 10.21701/bolgeomin.132.4.010.
[2] UCP PRODEMINCA, Monitoreo ambiental de las areas mineras en el sur del Ecuador 1996 -1998, I., vol. 59. Quito: SWEDISH ENVIRONMENTAL SYSTEMS, 1998.
[3] J. D. Appleton, T. M. Williams, H. Orbea, and M. Carrasco, “Fluvial Contamination Associated with Artisanal Gold Mining in the Ponce Enriquez, Portovelo-Zaruma and Nambija Areas, Ecuador,” Water Air Soil Pollut, vol. 131, no. 1/4, pp. 19–39, 2001, doi: 10.1023/A:1011965430757.
[4] G. T. Carling et al., “Particulate and Dissolved Trace Element Concentrations in Three Southern Ecuador Rivers Impacted by Artisanal Gold Mining,” Water Air Soil Pollut, vol. 224, no. 2, p. 1415, Feb. 2013, doi: 10.1007/s11270-012-1415-y.
[5] K. Escobar-Segovia et al., “Heavy metals in rivers affected by mining activities in Ecuador: Pollution and human health implications,” WIT Transactions on Ecology and the Environment, vol. 250, pp. 61–72, 2021, doi: 10.2495/WRM210061.
[6] K. Villamar-Marazita et al., “Heavy Metal Pollution Assessment in Surface Water and Groundwater in the Ponce Enriquez Mining Area, Ecuador,” in Proceedings of the LACCEI international Multi-conference for Engineering, Education and Technology, Latin American and Caribbean Consortium of Engineering Institutions, 2023. doi: 10.18687/laccei2023.1.1.493.
[7] W. T. Pratt, J. Figueroa, and B. Flores, “Mapa Geologico de la Coordillera Occidental del Ecuador entre 3° - 4°S,” Quito, 1997.
[8] P. Fulignati et al., “The propylitic alteration in the Ponce Enriquez Gold Mining district, Azuay province, Ecuador: genetic constraints from a mineral chemistry and fluid inclusions study,” Front Earth Sci (Lausanne), vol. 11, p. 1255712, Sep. 2023, doi: 10.3389/feart.2023.1255712.
[9] T. M. Williams et al., “Regional geochemical reconnaissance of the Cordillera Occidental of Ecuador: Economic and environmental applications,” Applied Geochemistry, vol. 15, no. 4, pp. 531–550, 2000, doi: 10.1016/S0883-2927(99)00059-1.
[10] J. L. Manrique-Carreno and G. A. Guaman-Jaramillo, “Estudio de prospeccion geoquimica en sedimentos de las microcuencas Chirimoyo y Guineo, Ecuador,” Revista Boletin de Geologia, vol. 42, no. 1, pp. 39–55, Jan. 2020, doi: 10.18273/revbol.v42n1-2020002.
[11] W. White, Geochemistry. John Wiley & Sons, 2005.
[12] S. Jimenez-Oyola et al., “Ecological and probabilistic human health risk assessment of heavy metal(loid)s in river sediments affected by mining activities in Ecuador,” Environ Geochem Health, vol. 43, no. 11, pp. 4459–4474, Nov. 2021, doi: 10.1007/s10653-021-00935-w.
[13] E. Pena-Carpio and J. M. Menendez-Aguado, “Environmental study of gold mining tailings in the Ponce Enriquez mining area (Ecuador),” DYNA (Colombia), vol. 83, no. 195, pp. 237–245, 2016, doi: 10.15446/dyna.v83n195.51745.
conference
https://doi.org/10.5593/sgem2024/1.1/s01.09
Download PDF
Proceedings of 24th International Multidisciplinary Scientific GeoConference SGEM 2024
24th International Multidisciplinary Scientific GeoConference SGEM 2024, 1 - 7 July, 2024
Proceedings Paper
STEF92 Technology
International Multidisciplinary Scientific GeoConference Surveying Geology and Mining Ecology Management, SGEM
SWS Scholarly Society; Acad Sci Czech Republ; Latvian Acad Sci; Polish Acad Sci; Russian Acad Sci; Serbian Acad Sci and Arts; Natl Acad Sci Ukraine; Natl Acad Sci Armenia; Sci Council Japan; European Acad Sci, Arts and Letters; Acad Fine Arts Zagreb Croatia; Croatian Acad Sci and Arts; Acad Sci Moldova; Montenegrin Acad Sci and Arts; Georgian Acad Sci; Acad Fine Arts and Design Bratislava; Russian Acad Arts; Turkish Acad Sci.
61-70
1 - 7 July, 2024
website
9840
Cluster analysis, heavy metals, geostatistical analysis, geochemistry.

25th SGEM International Conference on Earth & Planetary Sciences


International GeoConference SGEM2025
27 June - 6 July, 2025 / Albena, Bulgaria

Read More		   

SGEM Vienna GREEN "Green Science for Green Life"


Extended Scientific Sessions SGEM Vienna GREEN
3 -6 December, 2025 / Vienna, Austria

Read More
   

A scientific platform for Art-Inspired Scientists!


The Magical World Where Science meets Art
Vienna, Austria

Read More