Mobilities of heavy metals in surface waters: A field study of Mineral Branch, Tri-State Mining District

Conference · Wed Jan 01 00:00:00 EST 1992 · Geological Society of America, Abstracts with Programs; (United States)

OSTI ID:6063913

Piechowski, M F; Carroll, S A ^[1]

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1. Univ. of Missouri, Columbia, MO (United States). Dept. of Geological Sciences

A field study of the mobilities of heavy metals was done in the Tri-State Mining District near Joplin, Missouri. The processing of ores left many large tailings piles in this region which are predominantly chert, but contain minor amounts of carbonate and sulfide minerals. The residual sphalerite, galena, marcasite, and pyrite readily dissolve when exposed to surface waters, increasing the acidity and concentrations of Pb, Zn, and Cd in the streams of the region. Mineral Branch is a local stream that originates in and flows through a tailings field. Water and sediment (bed and suspended load) samples were collected and analyzed by ICP and XRD methods in order to determine trace and major element concentrations and mineral compositions, respectively. The solids are primarily chert and carbonates, with small amounts of crystalline and amorphous iron hydroxides and oxyhydroxides. Over the two mile study area, pH increases steadily downstream. As the pH rises, the dissolved heavy metal concentrations fall, some by an order of magnitude or more. It was also found that over 99% of the Pb, Zn,and Cd in the system is presents in the solids. Precipitation of carbonates or hydroxides does not adequately explain the concentration changes seen in the system. The adsorption of the metal species onto the carbonates and iron oxyhydroxides of the stream sediments as a function of pH is an additional controlling factor in the Mineral Branch.

• OSTI ID: 6063913
• Report Number(s): CONF-921058-; CODEN: GAAPBC
• Journal Information: Geological Society of America, Abstracts with Programs; (United States), Vol. 24:7; Conference: 1992 annual meeting of the Geological Society of America (GSA), Cincinnati, OH (United States), 26-29 Oct 1992; ISSN 0016-7592
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES
CADMIUM
ECOLOGICAL CONCENTRATION
LEAD
MISSOURI
SURFACE WATERS
WATER POLLUTION
ZINC
ADSORPTION
DISSOLUTION
LEACHING
MINERAL WASTES
MINING
PH VALUE
SEDIMENTS
STREAMS
DEVELOPED COUNTRIES
ELEMENTS
METALS
NORTH AMERICA
POLLUTION
SEPARATION PROCESSES
SOLID WASTES
SORPTION
USA
WASTES
540320* - Environment
Aquatic- Chemicals Monitoring & Transport- (1990-)