Geological and anthropogenic influences on sediment metal composition in the upper Paracatu River Basin, Brazil

This work reports a geochemical study of sediments from the upper Paracatu River Basin. The objective is to define the influences of Au, Zn, and Pb mineral deposits and mining activities on the sediment metal sources, distribution, and accretion. The samples were analyzed using ICP/OES, AAS, and XRD...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Environmental earth sciences 2012-11, Vol.67 (5), p.1307-1317
Main Authors: Mulholland, Daniel Santos, Boaventura, Geraldo Resende, Araújo, Daniel Ferreira
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
aluminum
anthropogenic activities
barium
Biogeosciences
calcium
chromium
cobalt
copper
Earth and Environmental Science
Earth Sciences
Environmental Science and Engineering
Freshwater
Geochemistry
Geology
geomorphology
gold
Hydrology/Water Resources
hydroxides
iron
lead
magnesium
manganese
mercury
Metals
mining
muscovite
Original Article
oxidation
oxides
Oxisols
principal component analysis
River basins
rivers
Sediments
solubility
Terrestrial Pollution
watersheds
weathering
zinc
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Summary:This work reports a geochemical study of sediments from the upper Paracatu River Basin. The objective is to define the influences of Au, Zn, and Pb mineral deposits and mining activities on the sediment metal sources, distribution, and accretion. The samples were analyzed using ICP/OES, AAS, and XRD techniques and were treated with principal components analysis and the geo-accumulation index. The main geochemical processes that control the sediment composition are pyrite oxidation, muscovite weathering, carbonate dissolution, and the erosion of oxisols enriched with Zn and Pb. The upper Rico Stream has high Al, Fe, Cu, Cr, Co, and Mn concentrations due erosion of oxisols and pyrite oxidation and muscovite alteration present in the parental rock. The artisanal alluvial gold mining increased the primary rock-minerals’ weathering and Hg sediment concentration. The lower Escuro River and Santa Catarina Stream are enriched with Zn and Pb due the erosion of metal-rich soils formed over galena, sphalerite, calamine, and willemite mineral deposits located upstream. Elements such as Ca, Mg, and Ba have low concentrations throughout the sampled area due the high solubility of these metals-bearing minerals. The dispersion of metals is limited by the basin geomorphology and their affinity to silt-clayey minerals and Fe and Mn oxides and hydroxides in circumneutral pH waters.
ISSN:1866-6280
1866-6299
DOI:10.1007/s12665-012-1574-6