Distribution and assessment of residual mercury from gold mining in Changbai Mountain Range Northeastern China

International Conference on Water Resource and Environment 2016

地球科学;生态环境科学

Meng, D.^1 ; Wang, N.^2 ; Ai, J.C.^3 ; Zhang, G.^2 ; Liu, X.J.^4

College of Resources Environment and Tourism, Capital Normal University, Beijing

100048, China^1

College of Urban and Environmental Science, Northeast Normal University, Changchun

130117, China^2

Tianjin No.1 High School, Tianjin

300051, China^3

Middle School of the 61th, Daqing

163714, China^4

关键词: Amalgamation process;    Changbai Mountains;    Environmental quality;    Index of Geo accumulations;    Mercury concentrations;    Mercury contamination;    Peak concentrations;    Residential areas;   

Others  :  https://iopscience.iop.org/article/10.1088/1755-1315/39/1/012007/pdf
DOI  :  10.1088/1755-1315/39/1/012007

学科分类：环境科学（综合）

来源: IOP

【 摘 要 】

Gold mining was first initiated in Jiapigou area, Huadian city of Northeastern China about 200 years ago. Before 2006, the mercury amalgamation technique was used in the gold mining process, which led to severe mercury contamination. The aim of this paper is to explore the influences of residual mercury on the environment media after eliminating the amalgamation process to extract gold. The mercury concentrations of the atmosphere and the soil were determined in autumn of 2011 and spring of 2012. The soil environmental quality was assessed by the index of geoaccumulation. The results indicated that the maximum value of gaseous mercury was 25ng•m-3 in autumn and 19.5ng•m-3 in spring; the maximum value of mercury in the soil was 2.06mg•kg-1 in autumn and 2.51mg•kg-1in spring. It can be seen that the peak concentrations of the gaseous mercury happened at the gold mine area and tailings, while the peak mercury concentrations in the soil were located at the places near the mining sites and the residential area in the valley. Furthermore, the regression analysis of the total mercury contents between the atmosphere and the soil showed a significant correlation, which indicated that there was certain circulation of the mercury between the regional atmosphere and soil. In general, after the elimination of the amalgamation technique in gold extraction, the distance to the mercury source, the special conditions of hilly weather and landforms and the mercury exchange flux are the main factors of mercury contamination.