Mineralogy and geochemical distribution of heavy metals for the fagul ceta.ii tailings, romania
1 Alexandru Ioan Cuza University of Iasi, Faculty of Geography and Geology, Department of Geology, 20A, Carol I Boulevard 700505, Iasi, Romania
2 Department of Earth and Planetary Sciences, Birkbeck, University of London, Malet Street, London, WC1E 7HX, United Kingdom
3 Gottfried Wilhelm Leibniz University, Welfengarten 1, D-30167 Hannover, Germany
2 Department of Earth and Planetary Sciences, Birkbeck, University of London, Malet Street, London, WC1E 7HX, United Kingdom
3 Gottfried Wilhelm Leibniz University, Welfengarten 1, D-30167 Hannover, Germany
Abstract
This study was conducted on samples taken from the Fagul Ceta.ii Iazul nr. 4 tailings pond in the Eastern Carpathians, Romania and is focused on exploring the way in which heavy metals from sulphide rich material are spatially distributed in relation to the geochemical conditions. For comparison, concentrated ore samples from the same area, genetically linked to the Tulghe. lithogroup were also analysed. The mineralogical and chemical composition of the samples was determined along with the main physicochemical parameters such as pH and Eh values. The results show that the mineralogical composition of the tailings is dominated mainly by quartz, chamosite and muscovite-illite, while in case of the processed ore, the main minerals are, as expected, pyrite and quartz. Some traces of jarosite, ankerite, muscovite, gypsum, albite as well as microcline were identified and linked to the geochemical conditions at the surface of the tailings, which revealed an heterogenic environment that can be divided into an acid, oxidizing area in the E and N, characterised by high contents of As, Fe, Pb, Sn and Co and a neutral area in the south-western slope of the tailings that revealed higher contents of Mn.
Keywords
Eh; heavy metals; mineralogy; pH; tailings