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Evaluation of Trace Elemental Levels as Pollution Indicators in an Abandoned Gold Mine Dump in Ekurhuleni Area, South Africa

In: Trace Metals in the Environment - New Approaches and Recent Advances

Author

Listed:
  • Uchenna Okereafor
  • Elizabeth Makhatha
  • Lukhanyo Mekuto
  • Vuyo Mavumengwana

Abstract

In the Blesbokspruit area of Ekuhurleni, South Africa, previous gold mining activities resulted in many tailings dump sites. 20 representative soil samples were used in describing the distribution of metals. The soils were very strongly acidic ranging from 3.86 to 4.34 with a low cation exchange capacity (CEC). Based on X-ray fluorescence (XRF) analysis, elemental composition of the soils revealed average values of major elements such as Na2O (0.18%), MgO (0.63%), Al2O3 (6.51%), SiO2 (81.83%), P2O5 (0.04%), SO3 (3.40%), K2O (1.98%), CaO (0.45%), TiO2 (0.51%), Cr2O3 (0.17%), MnO (0.04%), Fe2O3 (3.59%), NiO (0.04%), As2O3 (0.02%), with Rb2O and SrO falling below 0.01%. Trace metals (TM) contamination levels in the soils were evaluated using various pollution indices which revealed that over 60% of the soils were between the high degree and the ultra-high degree of contamination classes. The concentration of various trace metals varies from 860.3-862.6 mg/kg for Cr; 324.9-328.4 mg/kg for Al; 200.9-203.4 mg/kg for As; 130.1-136.2 mg/kg for Fe; 121.9-125.8 mg/kg for Pb; 27.3-30.2 mg/kg for Co; 23.8-26.8 mg/kg for Ni; 7.2-9.2 mg/kg for Ti; 7.1-9.2 mg/kg for Cd; 4.0-5.6 mg/kg for Zn and 0.1-0.6 mg/kg for Cu.

Suggested Citation

  • Uchenna Okereafor & Elizabeth Makhatha & Lukhanyo Mekuto & Vuyo Mavumengwana, 2021. "Evaluation of Trace Elemental Levels as Pollution Indicators in an Abandoned Gold Mine Dump in Ekurhuleni Area, South Africa," Chapters, in: Mario Alfonso Murillo-Tovar & Hugo Albeiro Saldarriaga Norena & Agnieszka Saeid (ed.), Trace Metals in the Environment - New Approaches and Recent Advances, IntechOpen.
    • Handle: RePEc:ito:pchaps:204538
    DOI: 10.5772/intechopen.89582
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    Cited by:

    1. Mosai, Alseno K. & Tokwana, Bontle C. & Tutu, Hlanganani, 2022. "Computer simulation modelling of the simultaneous adsorption of Cd, Cu and Cr from aqueous solutions by agricultural clay soil: A PHREEQC geochemical modelling code coupled to parameter estimation (PE," Ecological Modelling, Elsevier, vol. 465(C).

    More about this item

    Keywords

    mine tailings; trace metal; pollution; contamination factor; geoaccumulation index;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • Q55 - Agricultural and Natural Resource Economics; Environmental and Ecological Economics - - Environmental Economics - - - Environmental Economics: Technological Innovation

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