Integrated geophysical and geochemical methods applied for recognition of acid waste drainage (AWD) from Zn-Pb post-flotation tailing pile (Olkusz, southern Poland)

Abstract

Long-term underground exploitation of Zn-Pb ores has led to drainage of the area and formation of a huge dumping ground in the form of a pile. In its vicinity, processes of acid drainage have developed as a result of contamination of soils and groundwater. Geochemical transformations of mineral contents of waste can significantly affect physical and chemical properties of the soils and the bedrock. At the prospect of termination of the mining activity in the near future, determining the routes of the pollution migration, ability to monitor acid drainage processes and assessment of the risk of heavy metal pollution are really crucial. The paper presents a proposal for solving this problem by means of geophysical methods: Electrical Resistivity Tomography (ERT), Time Domain-Induced Polarisation (TDIP), Frequency Domain Electromagnetics (FDEM) and shallow-depth magnetometric surveys combined with geochemical investigations. The obtained results of geophysical surveys have been confirmed by geochemical investigations. The applied ERT and TDIP methods make it possible to identify the spread of the zones of pollution around the tailing pile, but their effectiveness depends on humidity of the ground. Soil magnetometry and shallow-depth induction profiling are a good tool to identify the medium contaminated with minerals redeposited by aeolian processes and allow to determine the range of the dust spread from the pile. It has been shown that the range of impact of the geochemical changes around the tailing pile is high and depends not only on directions and dynamics of water flow from the pile but also on aeolian transport.

Application of different geophysical techniques to study Technosol developed on metallurgical wastes

“…The similar methodology based on the joint magnetic and geoelectrical techniques was applied in the Izera Mts (SW Poland) to determine the location of buried historical waste containing the mixture of bottom ashes and slags from historical glass production (Magiera et al, 2019) and to identify zones of pollution spreading into the soil and rock mass in the vicinity of the tailing pile of Pb‐Zn flotation wastes near Olkusz (southern Poland) (Pierwoła et al, 2020). Combination of ground‐penetrating radar with ERT and magnetic techniques was also used in Old Town of Krakow (Poland) for identification of historical anthropogenic layers (Łyskowski et al, 2018).…”

A Review on Applications of Time-Lapse Electrical Resistivity Tomography Over the Last 30 Years : Perspectives for Mining Waste Monitoring

“… 2009 ; Pierwoła et al. 2020 ) and (ii) to help design future reclamation covers which would reduce the environmental impacts of mining wastes (Hudson et al. 2018 ; Martínez-Pagán et al.…”

“…( 2020 ) Brazil Minas Gerais WRP pseudo-3D ERT 300m x 350m Mapping of AMD affected water and preferential flow through fractured bedrock Pierwoła et al. ( 2020 ) Poland Małopolska TSF 2D ERT lines (x2) 50m to 500m Delineation of contaminated areas from AMD products and eolian transport …”

Detection of land degradation caused by historical Zn‐Pb mining using electrical resistivity tomography

“…Geoelectric measurements are routinely used to assess soil salinity (Acworth & Jorstad, 2006; Amezketa, 2007; Lukas et al, 2009; Meju, 2000), locate groundwater pollution (Buselli & Lu, 2001; Godio & Naldi, 2009; Mishra et al, 2019; Shokri et al, 2016), determine soil contamination (Atekwana & Atekwana, 2010; Cassiani et al, 2014; Kaya et al, 2007; Mao et al, 2016; Ntarlagiannis et al, 2016; Son, 2011), locate landfills (Reynolds & Taylor, 1996; Soupios & Ntarlagiannis, 2017), and detect the migration of acid mine drainage (AMD) from landfills (Adepelumi et al, 2005; Casagrande et al, 2020; Frid et al, 2008; Kaya et al, 2007; Pierwoła et al, 2020; Rubin & Hubbard, 2005; Smith & Randazzo, 2003).…”

“…Many authors have described the importance and impact of individual soil properties that is soil type, water content, porosity, electrical resistivity of fluids, mineralogy, cation exchange capacity, and particle size distribution on electrical conductivities (Brevik et al, 2006; Robinson & Friedman, 2005; Tabbagh & Cosenza, 2007; Yoon et al, 2002; Yoon & Park, 2001), in order to validate field studies (Caselle et al, 2019; Mainali et al, 2015; Sreedeep et al, 2005). All this research, however, has focused largely on the pollution of groundwater and surface watercourses with heavy metals (Abudeif, 2015; Hudson et al, 2018; Jarvis & Mayes, 2012; Pierwoła et al, 2020; Wynn, 2000) rather than on soil contamination. Such an approach has, moreover, been applied only rarely in industrial areas (Martin‐Crespo et al, 2011), especially with respect to studies of post‐metal mining wastes (Hudson et al, 2018; Mendecki et al, 2020; Warchulski et al, 2019).…”