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August 2012 Volume 1 Issue
5
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Rahimsouri Y
Modabberi S
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Gobal Advanced Research Journal
of Environmental Science and Toxicology (GARJEST) ISSN:
2315-5140
August 2012 Vol. 1(5), pp.
115-131
Copyright © 2012 Global Advanced Research Journals
Full Length
Research Paper
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Environmental
geochemistry of Aq-Darreh Bala abandoned Sb mine and
its impacts on water, sediment, and soil pollution
in the Aq-Darreh River Watershed, Takab, NW Iran
Y. Rahimsouri1*, A. Yaghubpur 2
and S. Modabberi3
1Department
of Geology, Faculty of Sciences, Urmia University,
Urmia 57153- 165,
Iran
2Department
of Geology, Faculty of Sciences, Tarbiat Moalem
University, 49, Tehran 15614, Iran
3School
of Geology, Faculty of Sciences, University of
Tehran, Iran*
*Corresponding Author E-mail:
rahimsouri@yahoo.com; Telfax: +984412753172
Accepted 18 August, 2012
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Abstract |
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The abandoned antimony mine of Aq-Darreh Bala is
located 42 km northwest of Takab city in northwest
Iran. The host rocks of the stibnite-bearing silica
veins are calcareous marl and a black shale unit
rich in toxic elements such as As, Sb and Hg. Toxic
elements are released through weathering and
oxidation of this black shale unit into the surface
water, and also in sediments, surface and
agricultural soils causing contamination in plant,
fruits and crops. The contaminated waters of
Aq-Darreh Bala abandoned Sb mine area mix with
unpolluted main tributary of Aq-Darreh river and the
As and Sb concentrations in the downstream of
confluence point rise to 9 (29.2 μg/l) and 4 (5.96
μg/l) times repectively and the As, Sb and Hg
concentrations in river bed sediments rise to 0.1
(73.4 mg/kg), 4.3 (16.65 mg/kg) and 1.8 (1477 μg/kg)
times respectively relative to unpolluted parts of
the river. Toward the downstream, the runoff from
the Aq-Darreh Au-Hg mining area flows in to the
middle parts of Aq-Darreh river and incomparison to
the upstream, the concentrations of As and Sb in
water samples increase 13 (385.0 μg/l) times and
decrease 0.15 (5.10 μg/l) time respectively. The
concentrations of As, Hg and Sb in bed sediments of
Aq-Darreh river(in middle parts) increase 6 (445.1
mg/kg) and 4 (6174 μg/kg) times for As and Hg
respectively and decrease 3.3 (4.95 mg/kg) times for
Sb. In this paper, it is attempted to illustrate
that Sb contamination of Aq-Darreh river is affected
by Aq-Darreh Bala abandoned Sb mine, while As and Hg
contamination are due to the effects of Aq-Darreh
Au-Hg active mine and its waste piles.
Keywords:
Environmental geochemistry, abandoned Sb mine, water
and soil pollution, Aq-Darreh mining district, Takab,
Iran
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