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Zanetta-Colombo NC, Scharnweber T, Christie DA, Manzano CA, Blersch M, Gayo EM, Muñoz AA, Fleming ZL, Nüsser M. When another one bites the dust: Environmental impact of global copper demand on local communities in the Atacama mining hotspot as registered by tree rings. Sci Total Environ 2024; 920:170954. [PMID: 38365039 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2024.170954] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/23/2023] [Revised: 02/02/2024] [Accepted: 02/11/2024] [Indexed: 02/18/2024]
Abstract
Assessing the impact of mining activity on the availability of environmental pollutants is crucial for informing health policies in anticipation of future production scenarios of critical minerals essential for the transition to a net-zero carbon society. However, temporal and spatial monitoring is often sparse, and measurements may not extend far enough back in time. In this study, we utilize variations of chemical elements contained in tree-rings collected in local villages from an area heavily affected by copper mining in the Atacama Desert since the early 20th century to evaluate the temporal distribution of pollutants and their relationship with local drivers. By combining time-varying data on local drivers, such as copper production and the dry tailings deposit area, we show how the surge in copper production during the 1990s, fueled by trade liberalization and increased international demand, led to a significant increment in the availability of metal(loid)s related to mining activities on indigenous lands. Our findings suggest that the environmental legislation in Chile may be underestimating the environmental impact of tailing dams in neighboring populations, affecting the well-being of Indigenous Peoples from the Atacama mining hotspot region. We argue that future changes in production rates driven by international demand could have negative repercussions on the environment and local communities. Therefore, mining emissions and the management of tailing dams should be carefully considered to anticipate their potential negative effects on human and ecosystem health.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nicolás C Zanetta-Colombo
- Department of Geography, SAI, Heidelberg University, Heidelberg, Germany; Heidelberg Center for the Environment (HCE), Heidelberg University, Heidelberg, Germany.
| | - Tobias Scharnweber
- DendroGreif, Working Group Landscape Ecology and Ecosystem Dynamics, University Greifswald, Greifswald, Germany
| | - Duncan A Christie
- Laboratorio de Dendrocronología y Cambio Global, Instituto de Conservación Biodiversidad y Territorio, Universidad Austral de Chile, Valdivia, Chile; Center for Climate and Resilience Research (CR)(2), Santiago, Chile; Cape Horn International Center (CHIC), Parque Etnobotánico Omora, Universidad de Magallanes, Puerto Williams, Chile
| | - Carlos A Manzano
- Department of Chemistry, Faculty of Science, Universidad de Chile, Santiago, Chile; School of Public Health, San Diego State University, San Diego, CA, USA
| | - Mario Blersch
- Department of Geography - Research Group for Earth Observation (rgeo), Heidelberg University of Education, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Eugenia M Gayo
- Center for Climate and Resilience Research (CR)(2), Santiago, Chile; Departamento de Geografía, Universidad de Chile, Santiago, Chile
| | - Ariel A Muñoz
- Center for Climate and Resilience Research (CR)(2), Santiago, Chile; Laboratorio de Dendrocronología y Estudios Ambientales, Instituto de Geografía, Pontificia Universidad Católica de Valparaíso, Valparaíso, Chile; Centro de Acción Climática, Pontificia Universidad Católica de Valparaíso, Valparaíso, Chile
| | - Zoë L Fleming
- Center for Climate and Resilience Research (CR)(2), Santiago, Chile; Centro de Investigación en Tecnologías para la Sociedad, Facultad de Ingeniería, Universidad Del Desarrollo, Santiago, Chile
| | - Marcus Nüsser
- Department of Geography, SAI, Heidelberg University, Heidelberg, Germany; Heidelberg Center for the Environment (HCE), Heidelberg University, Heidelberg, Germany
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Taki G, Grierson PF, Scullett-Dean G, Brand HEA, Murphy DV, Santini TC. Blending bauxite residues with multiple byproducts improves capping materials for tailings storage facilities. J Environ Manage 2023; 338:117852. [PMID: 37023607 DOI: 10.1016/j.jenvman.2023.117852] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/02/2023] [Revised: 03/19/2023] [Accepted: 03/29/2023] [Indexed: 06/19/2023]
Abstract
Amelioration and management of large volumes of tailings resulting from alumina refining is a major challenge owing to the high alkalinity and salinity of residues. Blended byproduct caps are a potential new and more cost-effective approach to tailings management, where tailings are blended with other local byproducts in order to reduce pH, salinity and toxic elements. Here, alkaline bauxite residue was blended with four byproducts (waste acid, sewage water, fly ash and eucalypt mulch) to create a range of potential capping materials. We leached and weathered materials in the glasshouse with deionized water over nine weeks to investigate if byproducts on their own or in combination improved cap conditions. Combining all four byproducts (10 wt % waste acid, 5 wt % sewage water, 20 wt % fly ash and 10 wt % eucalypt mulch) achieved lower pH (9.60) compared to any byproduct applied individually, or un-remediated bauxite residue (pH 10.7). Leaching decreased EC by dissolving and exporting salts and minerals from the bauxite residue. Fly ash addition increased organic carbon (likely from non-combusted organic material) and nitrogen, while eucalypt mulch increased inorganic phosphorus. Addition of byproducts also decreased the concentration of potentially toxic elements (e.g., Al, Na, Mo and V) and enhanced pH neutralisation. Initial pH with single byproduct treatments was 10.4-10.5, which decreased to between 9.9-10.0. Further lowering of pH and salinity as well as increased nutrient concentrations may be possible through higher addition rates of byproducts, incorporation of other materials such as gypsum, and increasing leaching/weathering time of tailings in situ.
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Affiliation(s)
- Golam Taki
- School of Agriculture and Environment, The University of Western Australia, 35 Stirling Highway, Crawley, Western Australia, 6009, Australia.
| | - Pauline F Grierson
- School of Biological Sciences, The University of Western Australia, 35 Stirling Highway, Crawley, Western Australia, 6009, Australia
| | - Grace Scullett-Dean
- School of Agriculture and Environment, The University of Western Australia, 35 Stirling Highway, Crawley, Western Australia, 6009, Australia
| | - Helen E A Brand
- Australian Synchrotron, ANSTO, 800 Blackburn Road, Clayton, Victoria, 3168, Australia
| | - Daniel V Murphy
- School of Agriculture and Environment, The University of Western Australia, 35 Stirling Highway, Crawley, Western Australia, 6009, Australia; Soils West, Centre for Sustainable Farming Systems, Food Futures Institute, Murdoch University, 90 South Street, Murdoch, Western Australia, 6150, Australia
| | - Talitha C Santini
- School of Agriculture and Environment, The University of Western Australia, 35 Stirling Highway, Crawley, Western Australia, 6009, Australia
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Marshall BG, Veiga MM, da Silva HAM, Guimarães JRD. Cyanide Contamination of the Puyango-Tumbes River Caused by Artisanal Gold Mining in Portovelo-Zaruma, Ecuador. Curr Environ Health Rep 2021; 7:303-310. [PMID: 32506189 DOI: 10.1007/s40572-020-00276-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/27/2023]
Abstract
PURPOSE OF REVIEW To examine cyanide (CN-) contamination of a large river in southeastern Ecuador that has been severely impacted by the indiscriminate discharge of untreated gold processing effluents. RECENT FINDINGS Poor environmental stewardship of cyanide (CN-) use by 87 gold processing centers in Portovelo-Zaruma in southern Ecuador to leach residual gold from Hg-contaminated tailings has resulted in high CN- contamination of the Puyango-Tumbes River downstream from the centers. Free CN- concentrations were high in river surface waters for 50 km below the processing plants, with the highest concentration 9088 times above the CCME standard of 5 μg/L and 1136 times above the 24-h LC50 concentration of 40 μg/L free CN- for some fish species. Due to cyanidation of mercury-contaminated tailings, the formation of Hg-CN complexes is a grave concern, as these complexes have been shown to be highly bioavailable. Preliminary tests conducted in a laboratory using bioassays with Danio rerio sp. and varying concentrations of synthetic Hg(CN)2 salt have shown significant THg bioaccumulation in muscle and kidney fish tissues exposed to concentrations >0.12 mg/L. Furthermore, low MeHg results in fish tissues demonstrated little occurrence of methylation and that the bulk of the total mercury content was in the form of inorganic mercury. Although construction of a communal tailings facility (CTF) in Portovelo is a positive development to reduce riverine pollution, the requirement to truck tailings up to the CTF likely results in inadequate compliance of environmental regulations that are poorly enforced.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bruce G Marshall
- Norman B. Keevil Institute of Mining Engineering, University of British Columbia, 517-6350 Stores Road, Vancouver, BC, V6T 1Z4, Canada.
| | - Marcello M Veiga
- Norman B. Keevil Institute of Mining Engineering, University of British Columbia, 517-6350 Stores Road, Vancouver, BC, V6T 1Z4, Canada
| | - Henrique A M da Silva
- Instituto de Biofísica Carlos Chagas Filho, Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brazil
| | - Jean Remy Davée Guimarães
- Instituto de Biofísica Carlos Chagas Filho, Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brazil
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Argane R, El Adnani M, Benzaazoua M, Bouzahzah H, Khalil A, Hakkou R, Taha Y. Geochemical behavior and environmental risks related to the use of abandoned base-metal tailings as construction material in the upper-Moulouya district, Morocco. Environ Sci Pollut Res Int 2016; 23:598-611. [PMID: 26330319 DOI: 10.1007/s11356-015-5292-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/18/2015] [Accepted: 08/20/2015] [Indexed: 06/05/2023]
Abstract
In some developing countries, base-metal residues that were abandoned in tailing ponds or impoundments are increasingly used as construction material without any control, engineering basis, or environmental concern. This uncontrolled reuse of mine tailings may constitute a new form of pollution risks for humans and ecosystems through metal leaching. Therefore, the aim of the current study is to assess mine drainage, metal mobility, and geochemical behavior of two abandoned mine tailings commonly used in the upper-Moulouya region (eastern Morocco) as fine aggregates for mortar preparation. Their detailed physical, chemical, and mineralogical properties were subsequently evaluated in the context of developing appropriate alternative reuses to replace their conventional disposal and limit their weathering exposure. The obtained results showed that both tailings contain relatively high quantities of residual metals and metalloids with lead (ranging between 3610 and 5940 mg/kg) being the major pollutant. However, the mineralogical investigations revealed the presence of abundant neutralizing minerals and low sulfide content which influence mine drainage geochemistry and subsequently lower metals mobility. In fact, leachate analyses from weathering cell kinetic tests showed neutral conditions and low sulfide oxidation rates. According to these results, the tailings used as construction material in the upper-Moulouya region have very low generating potential of contaminated effluents and their reuse as aggregates may constitute a sustainable alternative method for efficient tailing management.
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Affiliation(s)
- R Argane
- Laboratoire de Génie Civil et d'Ingénierie Environnementale, Université de Lyon, INSA-Lyon, 20 av. A. Einstein, 69621, Villeurbanne cedex, France.
- Laboratoire de Chimie des Matériaux et de l'Environnement, Faculté des Sciences et Techniques, Université Cadi Ayyad, 40000, Marrakech, Morocco.
| | - M El Adnani
- Ecole Nationale Supérieure des Mines de Rabat Avenue, Hadj Ahmed Cherkaoui BP 753, Agdal, Rabat, Morocco
| | - M Benzaazoua
- Laboratoire de Génie Civil et d'Ingénierie Environnementale, Université de Lyon, INSA-Lyon, 20 av. A. Einstein, 69621, Villeurbanne cedex, France
- UQAT, 445 Boulevards de l'université, Rouyn-Noranda, Québec, Canada
| | - H Bouzahzah
- UQAT, 445 Boulevards de l'université, Rouyn-Noranda, Québec, Canada
| | - A Khalil
- Ecole Nationale Supérieure des Mines de Rabat Avenue, Hadj Ahmed Cherkaoui BP 753, Agdal, Rabat, Morocco
| | - R Hakkou
- Laboratoire de Chimie des Matériaux et de l'Environnement, Faculté des Sciences et Techniques, Université Cadi Ayyad, 40000, Marrakech, Morocco
| | - Y Taha
- UQAT, 445 Boulevards de l'université, Rouyn-Noranda, Québec, Canada
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