Program Type
Undergraduate
Faculty Advisor
Dr. Jacob Siebach
Document Type
Poster
Location
Face-to-face
Start Date
18-4-2024 11:00 AM
Abstract
Arkansas has a rich history of lead and zinc mining. While there are still some active mines, many historical mines have been abandoned and/or reclaimed. Although most reclamation procedures result in the burial and containment of target minerals, accessory minerals and elements can be leached out of waste materials/tailings piles and include heavy metals (i.e., Pb, As, Cd). We aim to evaluate the soil and watershed of a few abandoned/reclaimed mines in Pope County, AR, for the presence of heavy metals/source minerals. Soil and stream sediment geochemistry will be conducted using a portable x-ray fluorescence analyzer. Field work and sampling plans will be developed to initially identify the presence of heavy metals in the immediate area, and then secondarily as to whether heavy metals are actively being transported in soil and stream sediments. Results from this study will help determine whether there is potential heavy metal contamination/leaching from these inactive mines.
Recommended Citation
Matthews, Torin A., "Evaluating Reclaimed Mines and Heavy Metal Soil Contamination" (2024). ATU Research Symposium. 40.
https://orc.library.atu.edu/atu_rs/2024/2024/40
Included in
Geochemistry Commons, Geology Commons, Other Earth Sciences Commons, Sedimentology Commons
Evaluating Reclaimed Mines and Heavy Metal Soil Contamination
Face-to-face
Arkansas has a rich history of lead and zinc mining. While there are still some active mines, many historical mines have been abandoned and/or reclaimed. Although most reclamation procedures result in the burial and containment of target minerals, accessory minerals and elements can be leached out of waste materials/tailings piles and include heavy metals (i.e., Pb, As, Cd). We aim to evaluate the soil and watershed of a few abandoned/reclaimed mines in Pope County, AR, for the presence of heavy metals/source minerals. Soil and stream sediment geochemistry will be conducted using a portable x-ray fluorescence analyzer. Field work and sampling plans will be developed to initially identify the presence of heavy metals in the immediate area, and then secondarily as to whether heavy metals are actively being transported in soil and stream sediments. Results from this study will help determine whether there is potential heavy metal contamination/leaching from these inactive mines.