Solid Carriers of Potentially Toxic Elements and Their Fate in Stream Sediments in the Area Affected by Iron Ore Mining and Processing

The potential environmental impact of historical mining and ore processing on stream sediments water was studied in a small siderite iron deposit with diverse sulfide mineral paragenesis. main aim to characterize solid carriers potentially toxic elements (PTEs) mine waste, understand their fate fluvial systems. General mineralogy (X-ray powder diffraction) individual PTE (scanning electron microscopy/energy dispersive spectroscopy) were correlated the geochemical composition sediments, waters (inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry). Primary pyrite, chalcopyrite, sphalerite, Hg-bearing galena, siderite. Slightly alkaline oxidizing conditions promoted transformation primary phases into secondary carriers. Fe(Mn)-oxide/oxyhydroxides major sinks for Pb, Zn, As. Compared background levels, Co (14.6 ± 2.1 mg/kg), Cu (30 2.9 Ni (32.1 Pb (64.5 16.4 Zn (175.3 22.5 As (81.1 63.7 Hg (2 0.8 mg/kg) elevated area. Mine waste contained similar as but much higher contents. Prevailingly low concentrations streams, exception (1.97 2.4 µg/L) (4.5 5.7 µg/L), indicate stability Environmental effects not significant, additional monitoring is recommended.