Hostname: page-component-8448b6f56d-42gr6 Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-04-16T19:38:45.039Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false
  • English
  • Français

A preliminary investigation into mining and smelting impacts on trace element concentrations in the soils and vegetation around Tharsis, SW Spain

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  05 July 2018

E. I. B. Chopin ,
S. Black ,
M. E. Hodson ,
M. L. Coleman  and
B. J. Alloway
E. I. B. Chopin*
Affiliation:
Postgraduate Research Institute for Sedimentology, School of Human and Environmental Sciences, University of Reading, Reading RG6 6AB, UK Department of Soil Science, School of Human and Environmental Sciences, University of Reading, Reading RG6 6DW, UK
S. Black
Affiliation:
Postgraduate Research Institute for Sedimentology, School of Human and Environmental Sciences, University of Reading, Reading RG6 6AB, UK
M. E. Hodson
Affiliation:
Department of Soil Science, School of Human and Environmental Sciences, University of Reading, Reading RG6 6DW, UK
M. L. Coleman
Affiliation:
Postgraduate Research Institute for Sedimentology, School of Human and Environmental Sciences, University of Reading, Reading RG6 6AB, UK
B. J. Alloway
Affiliation:
Department of Soil Science, School of Human and Environmental Sciences, University of Reading, Reading RG6 6DW, UK
*
E-mail: e.i.b.chopin@reading.ac.uk
Get access Rights & Permissions [Opens in a new window]

Abstract

Toxic trace elements present an environmental hazard in the vicinity of mining and smelting activities. However, the processes of transfer of these elements to groundwater and to plants are not always clear. Tharsis mine, in the Iberian pyrite belt (SW Spain), has been exploited since 2500 BC, with extensive smelting taking place from the 1850s until the 1920s. Sixty four soil (mainly topsoils) and vegetation samples were collected in February 2001 and analysed by ICP-AES for 23 elements. Concentrations are 6—6300 mg kg-1 As and 14—24800 mg kg-1 Pb in soils, and 0.20—9 mg kg-1 As and 2—195 mg kg-1 Pb in vegetation. Trace element concentrations decrease rapidly away from the mine, with As and Pb concentrations in the range 6—1850 mg kg—1 (median 22 mg kg—1) and 14—31 mg kg—1 (median 43 mg kg—1), respectively, 1 km away from the mine. These concentrations are low when compared to other well-studied mining and smelting areas (e.g. 600 mg kg—1 As at 8 km from Yellowknife smelter, Canada; >100 mg kg—1 Pb over 270 km2 around the Pb-Zn Port Pirie smelter, South Australia; mean of 1419 mg kg—1 Pb around Aberystwyth smelter, Wales, UK). The high metal content of the vegetation and the low soil pH (mean pH 4.93) indicate the potential for trace element mobility which could explain the relatively low concentration of metals in Tharsis topsoils and cause threats to plans to redevelop the Tharsis area as an orange plantation.

Keywords

miningsmeltingTharsisSpainarsenicleadICP-AES.
Type
Research Article
Information
Mineralogical Magazine , Volume 67 , Issue 2 , April 2003 , pp. 279 - 288
Copyright
Copyright © The Mineralogical Society of Great Britain and Ireland 2003

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

References

Alloway, B.J., editor (1990) Heavy Metals in Soils. Blackie, London.Google Scholar
Alloway, B.J. and Davies, B.E. (1971) Trace element content of soils affected by base metal mining in Wales. Geoderma, 5, 197—208.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Bowen, H.J.M. (1979) Environmental Chemistry of the Elements. Academic Press, London, 333 pp.Google Scholar
British Standard BS 7755: section 3.9: 1995 ISO 11466 (1995) Soil Quality Part 3. Chemical methods section 3.9 Extraction of trace elements soluble in Aqua regia.Google Scholar
Brummer, G.W. (1986) Heavy metal species, mobility and availability in soils. Pp. 169—192 in: The Importance of Chemical Speciation in Environmental Processes (M. Bernhard, Brinckman, F.E. and Sadler, P.J., editors). Dalhem Konferenzen 1986. Springer Verlag, Berlin.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Burkit, A., Lester, P. and Nickless, G. (1972) Distribution of heavy metals in the vicinity of an industrial complex. Nature, 238, 327—328.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Cartwright, B., Merry, R.H. and Tiller, K.G. (1976) Heavy metal contamination of soils around a lead smelter at Port Pirie, South Australia. Australian Journal of Soil Research, 15, 69—81.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Chaney, R.L. and Giordano, P.M. (1977) Microelements as related to plant deficiencies and toxicities. Pp. 235—279 in: Soils for the Management of Organic Wastes and Waste Waters (Elliot, L.F. and Stevenson, F.J., editors). Soil Science Society of America, American Society of Agronomy & Crop Science, Madison, Wisconsin.Google Scholar
Checkland, S.G. (1967) The Mines of Tharsis. Roman, French and British enterprise in Spain. Allen & Unwin Ltd, London, 288 pp.Google Scholar
Colbourn, P. and Thornton, I. (1978) Lead pollution in agricultural soils. Journal of Soil Science, 29, 513—526.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Conti, M.E. and Cecchetti, G. (2001) Biological monitoring: lichens as bioindicators of air pollution assessment — a review. Environmental Pollution, 114, 471—492.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
DEFRA and Environment Agency (2002a) Soil Guideline Values for Arsenic Contamination. K&D Publication SGV 1, R&D Dissemination Centre, WRc plc, Swindon, UK, 14 pp.Google Scholar
DEFRA and Environment Agency (2002b) Soil Guideline values for Lead Contamination. R&D Publication SGV 10, R&D Dissemination Centre, WRc plc, Swindon, UK, 20 pp.Google Scholar
Deligny, E. (1863) Apuntes histSricos sobre las minas cobrizas de la Sierra de Tharsis (Thartesis Boetica) (Historical notes on the copper mines ofthe Sierra of Tharsis). Revista Minera, 14.Google Scholar
EC Sewage Sludge Directive, 86/278/EEC (1986) Official Journal L181, 04—07-86.Google Scholar
FAO/UNESCO (1972) Soil Map of the World. FAO, Paris.Google Scholar
Flores Caballero, M. (1981) Las Antiguas Explotacic>nes de las Minas de Rio Tinto (The ancient exploitations of the Rio Tinto mines). EXCMA, Diputaci(Sn Provincial, 93 pp.nes+de+las+Minas+de+Rio+Tinto+(The+ancient+exploitations+of+the+Rio+Tinto+mines).+EXCMA,+Diputaci(Sn+Provincial,+93+pp.>Google Scholar
Gerritse, R.G. and van Driel, E. (1984) The relationship between adsorption of trace metals, organic matter and pH in temperate soils. Journal of Environmental Quality, 13, 197—204.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Hodson, M.J. and Sangster, A.G. (2000) Aluminium localisation in conifers growing on highly acidic soils in Ontario, Canada. Aluminium Toxicity Symposium (Kurashiki, Japan).Google Scholar
ICRCL (1987) Guidance Note 59/83, 2nd edition, July 1987.Google Scholar
Instituto Geografico Nacional (1981a) Mapa Topografico Nacional de Espana — Villanueva de las Cruces 959 — I (1:25000), National topographical map.Google Scholar
Instituto Geografico Nacional (1981b) Mapa Topografico Nacional de Espana — Alosno 959 — III (1:25000), National topographical map.Google Scholar
Instituto Nacional de Meteorologia de Espana (accessed 2002) http://www.inm.es. National Meteorological Institute of Spain Kabata-Pendias, A. and Pendias, H. (2001) Trace Elements in Soils and Plants, 3rd edition. CRC Press, Boca Raton, Florida.Google Scholar
Kase, K., Yamamoto, M., Nakamura, T. and Mitsuno, C. (1990) Ore mineralogy and sulfur isotope study of the massive sulfide deposit of Fil6n Norte, Tharsis Mine, Spain. Mineralium Deposita, 25, 289—296.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
McBride, M.B. (1989) Reactions controlling heavy metals solubility in soils. Advances in Soil Science , 10, 1—56.Google Scholar
Merrington, G. and Alloway, B.J. (1994) The transfer and fate of Cd, Cu, Pb and Zn from two historic metalliferous mine sites in the UK. Applied Geochemistry, 9, 677—687.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
MAFF, Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food (1981) The analysis of agricultural materials RB 427, 2nd edition. MAFFBulletin, 84—85.Google Scholar
Oliveira, J.T. (1983) O Carbonifero marinho del Sul Portugues: Uma estratigrafica e sedimentologica aproximacao (The marine Carboniferous of South Portugal: A stratigraphic and sedimentological approach). Memdrias dos Servi(；os Geoldgicos de Portugal, 29, 3—37.Google Scholar
Rhoades, F.M. (1999) A Review of Lichen and Bryophyte Elemental Content Literature with Reference to Pacific Northwest Species. United States Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, Internet Communication: http://ocid.nacse.org/airlichenPDFZPNW_LitReview.pdfGoogle Scholar
Ross, S.M., editor (1994) Toxic Metals in Soil-Plant Systems. John Wiley & Sons Ltd, Chichester, UK, 469 pp.Google Scholar
Tessier, A., Campbell, P.G.C. and Bisson, M. (1979) Sequential extraction procedure for the speciation of particulate trace metals. Analytical Chemistry, 51, 844—851.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Tiller, K.G. (1989) Heavy metals in soils and their environmental significance. Advances in Soil Science, 9, 113—142.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Ure, A.M. and Davidson, C.M., editors (1995) Chemical Speciation in the Environment. Blackie Academic & Professional, London, 408 pp.Google Scholar