Gold, base metals, and diamonds in Botswana

Baldock, J. W.; Hepworth, J. V.; Marengwa, B. S.

doi:10.2113/gsecongeo.71.1.139

Cited by 20 publications

(2 citation statements)

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“…The Selebi‐Phikwe Ni‐Cu sulfide deposit is an Archean stratabound massive sulfide deposit associated with amphibolite host rocks, with pyrrhotite (Fe 1−x S), chalcopyrite (CuFeS 2 ), and pentlandite [(Fe, Ni) 9 S 8 ] being the most important ore minerals (Baldock et al., 1976 ; Wakefield, 1976 ). The mining of sulfide Ni‐Cu‐Co ores started in 1973.…”

Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Contaminant Binding and Bioaccessibility in the Dust From the Ni‐Cu Mining/Smelting District of Selebi‐Phikwe (Botswana)

et al. 2022

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We studied the dust fractions of the smelting slag, mine tailings, and soil from the former Ni‐Cu mining and processing district in Selebi‐Phikwe (eastern Botswana). Multi‐method chemical and mineralogical investigations were combined with oral bioaccessibility testing of the fine dust fractions (<48 and <10 μm) in a simulated gastric fluid to assess the potential risk of the intake of metal(loid)s contaminants. The total concentrations of the major contaminants varied significantly (Cu: 301–9,600 mg/kg, Ni: 850–7,000 mg/kg, Co: 48–791 mg/kg) but were generally higher in the finer dust fractions. The highest bioaccessible concentrations of Co, Cu, and Ni were found in the slag and mine tailing dusts, where these metals were mostly bound in sulfides (pentlandite, pyrrhotite, chalcopyrite). On the contrary, the soil dusts exhibited substantially lower bioaccessible fractions of these metals due to their binding in less soluble spinel‐group oxides. The results indicate that slag dusts are assumed to be risk materials, especially when children are considered as a target group. Still, this exposure scenario seems unrealistic due to (a) the fencing of the former mine area and its inaccessibility to the local community and (b) the low proportion of the fine particles in the granulated slag dump and improbability of their transport by wind. The human health risk related to the incidental ingestion of the soil dust, the most accessible to the local population, seems to be quite limited in the Selebi‐Phikwe area, even when a higher dust ingestion rate (280 mg/d) is considered.

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Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Contaminant Binding and Bioaccessibility in the Dust From the Ni‐Cu Mining/Smelting District of Selebi‐Phikwe (Botswana)

et al. 2022

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“…porém questionou alguns desses dados, af¡rmando que scheelita e uraninita eram provenientes de gran¡tos cortados pelo Rio lndus. SegundoBardet (1974), na África Ocidental a ilmenita magnesiana e o piropo (grãos inferiores a 1 mm) em clima tropical não são encontrados a mais que 1 km do kimberl¡to fonte, enquanto em clima de monção ambos não podem ser recuperados além de 13 km de sua fonte Baldock et al (1976),. no entanto, mencionam um halo de dispersão com cerca de 300 km para os minerais indicadores proven¡entes do campo kimberlítico de Orapa, no Botswana.…”

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