Sulphide-mining impacts in the physical environment: Sierra de Cartagena–La Unión (SE Spain) case study

As, Cd, Cu, Mn, Pb, and Zn Contents in Sediments and Mollusks (Hexaplex trunculus and Tapes decussatus) from Coastal Zones of a Mediterranean Lagoon (Mar Menor, SE Spain) Affected by Mining Wastes

“…However, the ecology equilibrium of the lagoon ecosystem is threatened by massive urban growth on the shores, intensive agricultural activity, and the residues from former mining activities in the nearby Cartagena and La Unión area (Conesa and Jiménez-Cárceles 2007). The latter mine zone has been exploited for Ag, Pb, Zn, Cu, and Fe since the Phoenician and Carthaginian times (Oén et al 1975;Robles-Arenas et al 2006), but it was during the nineteenth and twentieth centuries when the most intensive extractions occurred. The negative effects of this activity were already noted during the nineteenth century due to the mining wastes which were dumped into the local streams draining the mine zone into the Mediterranean Sea and the Mar Menor lagoon.…”

“…Concentrations of the main trace elements in the tailings of the mining area reach levels of 8,990 mg kg −1 (total Pb); 15,000 mg kg −1 (total Zn); and 560 mg kg −1 (total Cu) (Conesa 2005;Conesa et al 2006). Robles-Arenas et al (2006) indicated concentrations of soluble metals in the runoff from the mining zone of 77.2±40.42 mg L −1 Zn; 1.3± 1.18 mg L −1 Cd; and 0.54±0.33 mg L −1 Pb. Marín-Guirao (2007) confirmed that, during strong rainfalls, the runoff in the Rambla del Beal is acidic and it contains high concentrations of dissolved (26.6 mg L −1 Zn, 0.89 mg L −1 Pb, 0.30 mg L −1 Cu, and 0.15 mg L −1 Cd) and particulate (31.65 mg kg −1 Zn, 141.1 mg kg −1 Pb, 1.64 mg kg −1 Cu, and 0.35 mg L −1 Cd) metals flowing from the acid mine drainage of the wastes deposited to the tailings.…”

Geochemical and Mineralogical Features of Overbank and Stream Sediments of the Beal Wadi (Cartagena-La Union Mining District, SE Spain): Relation to Former Lead–Zinc Mining Activities and Its Environmental Risk

“…This test was done by mixing 10 g of sediment having grain size less than 2000 μm with Milli-Q water using a ratio 1:10, then it was shaken for 24 h in a rotating device. Such kinds of batch studies using simple leaching tests have been successfully applied for these objectives (Fic and Isenbeck-Schröter 1989;Robles-Arenas et al 2006).…”

Arsenic Pollution in the Groundwater of Simav Plain, Turkey: Its Impact on Water Quality and Human Health

“…Among these, one could possibly mention mine sites and geothermal fields as the most important ones with significant environmental consequences. Operation of sulfide containing mines with high arsenic levels and deposition of their wastes are considered to be important sources of arsenic-related problems (Lee et al 2005;Alverez et al 2006;Robles-Arenas et al 2006). Similarly, development and operation of geothermal fields within arseniccontaining formations are also considered to cause arsenic-related contamination problems, particularly in groundwater reserves (Gemici and Tarcan 2004;Simsek 2007, Aksoy et al 2009).…”