Morphology, Mineralogy, and Chemistry of Ocherous Precipitate Aggregates Downstream of an Abandoned Mine Site
Mineral precipitates forming downstream of abandoned and/or uncontrolled mine sites generally act as scavengers for heavy metals, such as As and Sb, leaking from the sites. This study reports the morphology of ocherous precipitate aggregates downstream of Ayuta, an abandoned antimony mine site in To...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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MDPI AG
2020-12-01
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| Series: | Minerals |
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| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/2075-163X/11/1/32 |
| _version_ | 1797543165227433984 |
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| author | Mitsuo Manaka |
| author_facet | Mitsuo Manaka |
| author_sort | Mitsuo Manaka |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Mineral precipitates forming downstream of abandoned and/or uncontrolled mine sites generally act as scavengers for heavy metals, such as As and Sb, leaking from the sites. This study reports the morphology of ocherous precipitate aggregates downstream of Ayuta, an abandoned antimony mine site in Tochigi Prefecture, Japan, because its morphology differs significantly from those reported previously. The morphology of this aggregate consists of stacked, small terraces enclosed by numerous connected rimstone dams, although on a smaller scale compared to typical terrace landscapes. The rimstone pools contained ocherous spheroids precipitates at the bottom. Additionally, stream water and ocherous aggregates collected from the site were investigated for mineralogy and chemistry. As (0.07–0.17 μg/L) and Sb (0.02 μg/L) levels in the stream water were determined, and the distributions of As and Sb in the mineral phases of the precipitate were estimated using a sequential extraction procedure. The investigations revealed that As was adsorbed by iron-bearing ocherous precipitate aggregates, especially ferrihydrite that formed on the stream bank at concentrations, comparable to those reported by other studies (85 mg/kg). This adsorption contributed to the natural attenuation of As in the stream. Sb in the aggregate consisted of ultra-fine silt and clay-size particles of stibnite ore transported from the surrounding area and/or secondary minerals transported by groundwater and surface water. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-10T13:41:50Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-927096f641954913ac9693e6408697c4 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2075-163X |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-10T13:41:50Z |
| publishDate | 2020-12-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Minerals |
| spelling | doaj.art-927096f641954913ac9693e6408697c42023-11-21T03:01:09ZengMDPI AGMinerals2075-163X2020-12-011113210.3390/min11010032Morphology, Mineralogy, and Chemistry of Ocherous Precipitate Aggregates Downstream of an Abandoned Mine SiteMitsuo Manaka0Geological Survey of Japan, National Institute of Advanced Industrial Science and Technology (AIST), 1-1-1 Higashi, Tsukuba, Ibaraki 305-8567, JapanMineral precipitates forming downstream of abandoned and/or uncontrolled mine sites generally act as scavengers for heavy metals, such as As and Sb, leaking from the sites. This study reports the morphology of ocherous precipitate aggregates downstream of Ayuta, an abandoned antimony mine site in Tochigi Prefecture, Japan, because its morphology differs significantly from those reported previously. The morphology of this aggregate consists of stacked, small terraces enclosed by numerous connected rimstone dams, although on a smaller scale compared to typical terrace landscapes. The rimstone pools contained ocherous spheroids precipitates at the bottom. Additionally, stream water and ocherous aggregates collected from the site were investigated for mineralogy and chemistry. As (0.07–0.17 μg/L) and Sb (0.02 μg/L) levels in the stream water were determined, and the distributions of As and Sb in the mineral phases of the precipitate were estimated using a sequential extraction procedure. The investigations revealed that As was adsorbed by iron-bearing ocherous precipitate aggregates, especially ferrihydrite that formed on the stream bank at concentrations, comparable to those reported by other studies (85 mg/kg). This adsorption contributed to the natural attenuation of As in the stream. Sb in the aggregate consisted of ultra-fine silt and clay-size particles of stibnite ore transported from the surrounding area and/or secondary minerals transported by groundwater and surface water.https://www.mdpi.com/2075-163X/11/1/32antimonyarsenicferrihydritemorphologyprecipitate aggregate |
| spellingShingle | Mitsuo Manaka Morphology, Mineralogy, and Chemistry of Ocherous Precipitate Aggregates Downstream of an Abandoned Mine Site Minerals antimony arsenic ferrihydrite morphology precipitate aggregate |
| title | Morphology, Mineralogy, and Chemistry of Ocherous Precipitate Aggregates Downstream of an Abandoned Mine Site |
| title_full | Morphology, Mineralogy, and Chemistry of Ocherous Precipitate Aggregates Downstream of an Abandoned Mine Site |
| title_fullStr | Morphology, Mineralogy, and Chemistry of Ocherous Precipitate Aggregates Downstream of an Abandoned Mine Site |
| title_full_unstemmed | Morphology, Mineralogy, and Chemistry of Ocherous Precipitate Aggregates Downstream of an Abandoned Mine Site |
| title_short | Morphology, Mineralogy, and Chemistry of Ocherous Precipitate Aggregates Downstream of an Abandoned Mine Site |
| title_sort | morphology mineralogy and chemistry of ocherous precipitate aggregates downstream of an abandoned mine site |
| topic | antimony arsenic ferrihydrite morphology precipitate aggregate |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/2075-163X/11/1/32 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT mitsuomanaka morphologymineralogyandchemistryofocherousprecipitateaggregatesdownstreamofanabandonedminesite |