Groundwater flow and transport of metals under deposits of mine tailings: A case study in Brumadinho, Minas Gerais, Brazil
The deposits of mine tailings can be a source of groundwater contamination by metals. In this study, we simulated the concentrations of iron, manganese and aluminum in groundwater potentially affected by drainage from tailings deposits located in Brumadinho (Brazil). The aim was to verify whether th...
| Main Authors: | , , , , , , , , , |
|---|---|
| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
Elsevier
2024-06-01
|
| Series: | Case Studies in Chemical and Environmental Engineering |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2666016424000847 |
| _version_ | 1797259701976563712 |
|---|---|
| author | Victor Hugo Sarrazin Lima João Paulo Moura Teresa Cristina Tarlé Pissarra Renato Farias do Valle Junior Maytê Maria Abreu Pires de Melo Silva Carlos Alberto Valera Marília Carvalho De Melo Luís Filipe Sanches Fernandes Adriana Monteiro Da Costa Fernando António Leal Pacheco |
| author_facet | Victor Hugo Sarrazin Lima João Paulo Moura Teresa Cristina Tarlé Pissarra Renato Farias do Valle Junior Maytê Maria Abreu Pires de Melo Silva Carlos Alberto Valera Marília Carvalho De Melo Luís Filipe Sanches Fernandes Adriana Monteiro Da Costa Fernando António Leal Pacheco |
| author_sort | Victor Hugo Sarrazin Lima |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | The deposits of mine tailings can be a source of groundwater contamination by metals. In this study, we simulated the concentrations of iron, manganese and aluminum in groundwater potentially affected by drainage from tailings deposits located in Brumadinho (Brazil). The aim was to verify whether the concentrations observed in the region can be attributed to these drainages. The simulation used the FREEWAT graphical interface, which incorporates the MODFLOW model, the hydraulic properties of existing unconfined and confined aquifers, the spatial distribution of the tailings’ deposits, and the dissolved iron concentrations measured in drilled wells. The simulation period was 20 years, starting in 2019 after the collapse of B1 tailings dam of Córrego do Feijão mine of Vale, S.A. The modeling results revealed plumes of metal contamination progressively less dispersed over time, in the unconfined aquifer, and increased metal concentrations in the confined aquifer. The simulated concentrations in both aquifers were generally lower than the legal limits imposed for human consumption, although some areas in the vicinity of the deposits had iron and manganese concentrations higher than those limits, especially in the unconfined aquifer, and these areas widened over time. The most relevant result was the revelation that the contribution of tailings drainage to the iron concentrations observed in the drilled wells might have not exceeded 1%. This is important from a management standpoint, because monitoring of anthropogenic groundwater contamination in these cases (where rock weathering dominates groundwater chemistry) becomes more challenging. |
| first_indexed | 2024-04-24T23:13:37Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-4f8051f90b134746a70ed4a039f82098 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2666-0164 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-04-24T23:13:37Z |
| publishDate | 2024-06-01 |
| publisher | Elsevier |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Case Studies in Chemical and Environmental Engineering |
| spelling | doaj.art-4f8051f90b134746a70ed4a039f820982024-03-17T07:58:46ZengElsevierCase Studies in Chemical and Environmental Engineering2666-01642024-06-019100690Groundwater flow and transport of metals under deposits of mine tailings: A case study in Brumadinho, Minas Gerais, BrazilVictor Hugo Sarrazin Lima0João Paulo Moura1Teresa Cristina Tarlé Pissarra2Renato Farias do Valle Junior3Maytê Maria Abreu Pires de Melo Silva4Carlos Alberto Valera5Marília Carvalho De Melo6Luís Filipe Sanches Fernandes7Adriana Monteiro Da Costa8Fernando António Leal Pacheco9CITAB - Centro de Investigação e Tecnologias Agroambientais e Biológicas, Universidade de Trás-os-Montes e Alto Douro, Ap. 1013, 5001-801, Vila Real, PortugalCITAB - Centro de Investigação e Tecnologias Agroambientais e Biológicas, Universidade de Trás-os-Montes e Alto Douro, Ap. 1013, 5001-801, Vila Real, PortugalSchool of Agricultural and Veterinary Sciences, Universidade Estadual Paulista (UNESP), Via de Acesso Prof. Paulo Donato Castellane, S/n, Jaboticabal, SP, 14884-900, BrazilFederal Institute of the Triângulo Mineiro, Campus Uberaba, Geoprocessing Laboratory, Uberaba, MG, 38064-790, BrazilFederal Institute of the Triângulo Mineiro, Campus Uberaba, Geoprocessing Laboratory, Uberaba, MG, 38064-790, BrazilRegional Coordination of Environmental Prosecutors of the Paranaíba and Lower Rio Grande River Basins, Rua Coronel Antônio Rios, 951, Uberaba, MG, 38061-150, BrazilState Secretariat for the Environment and Sustainable Development, Administrative City of the State of Minas Gerais, Rodovia João Paulo II, 4143, Bairro Serra Verde, Belo Horizonte, Minas Gerais, BrazilCITAB - Centro de Investigação e Tecnologias Agroambientais e Biológicas, Universidade de Trás-os-Montes e Alto Douro, Ap. 1013, 5001-801, Vila Real, PortugalFederal University of Minas Gerais, Avenida Antônio Carlos, 6620, Pampulha, Belo Horizonte, MG, 31270-901, Brazil; Postdoctoral Fellow, University of Trás-os-Montes and Alto Douro, Ap. 1013, 5001-801, Vila Real, PortugalCQVR - Centro de Química de Vila Real, Universidade de Trás-os-Montes e Alto Douro, Ap. 1013, 5001-801, Vila Real, Portugal; Corresponding author.The deposits of mine tailings can be a source of groundwater contamination by metals. In this study, we simulated the concentrations of iron, manganese and aluminum in groundwater potentially affected by drainage from tailings deposits located in Brumadinho (Brazil). The aim was to verify whether the concentrations observed in the region can be attributed to these drainages. The simulation used the FREEWAT graphical interface, which incorporates the MODFLOW model, the hydraulic properties of existing unconfined and confined aquifers, the spatial distribution of the tailings’ deposits, and the dissolved iron concentrations measured in drilled wells. The simulation period was 20 years, starting in 2019 after the collapse of B1 tailings dam of Córrego do Feijão mine of Vale, S.A. The modeling results revealed plumes of metal contamination progressively less dispersed over time, in the unconfined aquifer, and increased metal concentrations in the confined aquifer. The simulated concentrations in both aquifers were generally lower than the legal limits imposed for human consumption, although some areas in the vicinity of the deposits had iron and manganese concentrations higher than those limits, especially in the unconfined aquifer, and these areas widened over time. The most relevant result was the revelation that the contribution of tailings drainage to the iron concentrations observed in the drilled wells might have not exceeded 1%. This is important from a management standpoint, because monitoring of anthropogenic groundwater contamination in these cases (where rock weathering dominates groundwater chemistry) becomes more challenging.http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2666016424000847GroundwaterLegal concentration limitsItabiriteMining waste pilesMODFLOWB1 dam collapse |
| spellingShingle | Victor Hugo Sarrazin Lima João Paulo Moura Teresa Cristina Tarlé Pissarra Renato Farias do Valle Junior Maytê Maria Abreu Pires de Melo Silva Carlos Alberto Valera Marília Carvalho De Melo Luís Filipe Sanches Fernandes Adriana Monteiro Da Costa Fernando António Leal Pacheco Groundwater flow and transport of metals under deposits of mine tailings: A case study in Brumadinho, Minas Gerais, Brazil Case Studies in Chemical and Environmental Engineering Groundwater Legal concentration limits Itabirite Mining waste piles MODFLOW B1 dam collapse |
| title | Groundwater flow and transport of metals under deposits of mine tailings: A case study in Brumadinho, Minas Gerais, Brazil |
| title_full | Groundwater flow and transport of metals under deposits of mine tailings: A case study in Brumadinho, Minas Gerais, Brazil |
| title_fullStr | Groundwater flow and transport of metals under deposits of mine tailings: A case study in Brumadinho, Minas Gerais, Brazil |
| title_full_unstemmed | Groundwater flow and transport of metals under deposits of mine tailings: A case study in Brumadinho, Minas Gerais, Brazil |
| title_short | Groundwater flow and transport of metals under deposits of mine tailings: A case study in Brumadinho, Minas Gerais, Brazil |
| title_sort | groundwater flow and transport of metals under deposits of mine tailings a case study in brumadinho minas gerais brazil |
| topic | Groundwater Legal concentration limits Itabirite Mining waste piles MODFLOW B1 dam collapse |
| url | http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2666016424000847 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT victorhugosarrazinlima groundwaterflowandtransportofmetalsunderdepositsofminetailingsacasestudyinbrumadinhominasgeraisbrazil AT joaopaulomoura groundwaterflowandtransportofmetalsunderdepositsofminetailingsacasestudyinbrumadinhominasgeraisbrazil AT teresacristinatarlepissarra groundwaterflowandtransportofmetalsunderdepositsofminetailingsacasestudyinbrumadinhominasgeraisbrazil AT renatofariasdovallejunior groundwaterflowandtransportofmetalsunderdepositsofminetailingsacasestudyinbrumadinhominasgeraisbrazil AT maytemariaabreupiresdemelosilva groundwaterflowandtransportofmetalsunderdepositsofminetailingsacasestudyinbrumadinhominasgeraisbrazil AT carlosalbertovalera groundwaterflowandtransportofmetalsunderdepositsofminetailingsacasestudyinbrumadinhominasgeraisbrazil AT mariliacarvalhodemelo groundwaterflowandtransportofmetalsunderdepositsofminetailingsacasestudyinbrumadinhominasgeraisbrazil AT luisfilipesanchesfernandes groundwaterflowandtransportofmetalsunderdepositsofminetailingsacasestudyinbrumadinhominasgeraisbrazil AT adrianamonteirodacosta groundwaterflowandtransportofmetalsunderdepositsofminetailingsacasestudyinbrumadinhominasgeraisbrazil AT fernandoantoniolealpacheco groundwaterflowandtransportofmetalsunderdepositsofminetailingsacasestudyinbrumadinhominasgeraisbrazil |