Heavy metals mobilization and attenuation in Cd-rich Niujiaotang legacy Pb-Zn tailings of southwestern China

Abstract

Lead-zinc tailings represent an important source of Cd and other heavy metals in the environment. The active geochemical process in the tailings plays a critical role in these heavy metals' fate and ecological risk. However, a substantial study gap occurs in carbonate-rich Pb-Zn tailings compared to carbonate-poor ones. In this contribution, we conducted XRD mineralogy, particle distribution, ICP-MS and ICP-AES bulk chemical analyses, and BCR geochemical fractions for Niujiaotang Cd-rich