20.500.12556/DiRROS-15775 Solid carriers of potentially toxic elements and their fate in stream sediments in the area affected by iron ore mining and processing The potential environmental impact of historical mining and ore processing on stream sediments and water was studied in a small siderite iron ore deposit with diverse sulfide mineral paragenesis. The main aim was to characterize solid carriers of potentially toxic elements (PTEs) in stream sediments and mine waste, to understand their fate in fluvial systems. General mineralogy (X-ray powder diffraction) and individual solid PTE carriers (scanning electron microscopy/energy dispersive spectroscopy) were correlated with the geochemical composition of stream sediments, mine waste, and stream waters (inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry). Primary solid PTE carriers were pyrite, chalcopyrite, sphalerite, Hg-bearing sphalerite, galena, and siderite. Slightly alkaline and oxidizing conditions in stream water promoted the transformation of primary phases into secondary PTE carriers. Fe(Mn)-oxide/oxyhydroxides were major sinks for Pb, Zn, and As. Compared to background levels, Co (14.6 ± 2.1 mg/kg), Cu (30 ± 2.9 mg/kg), Ni (32.1 ± 2.9 mg/kg), Pb (64.5 ± 16.4 mg/kg), Zn (175.3 ± 22.5 mg/kg), As (81.1 ± 63.7 mg/kg), and Hg (2 ± 0.8 mg/kg) were elevated in mining area. Mine waste contained similar PTE carriers as stream sediments, but much higher PTE contents. Prevailingly low PTE concentrations in streams, with the exception of As (1.97 ± 2.4 µg/L) and Zn (4.5 ± 5.7 µg/L), indicate the stability of PTE carriers. Environmental effects were not significant, and additional monitoring is recommended. environmental mineralogy environmental geochemistry potentially toxic elements stream sediments solid phases iron ore deposit SEM/EDS true false true MDPI Angleški jezik Ni določen Neznano 2022-11-16 03:36:23 2022-11-16 14:24:09 2022-11-17 03:36:54 0000-00-00 00:00:00 2022 0 0 22 str. vol. 12 2022 0000-00-00 Zaloznikova Objavljeno apc 2022-09-30 2022-11-08 2022-11-10 504.5 2075-163X 10.3390/min12111424 129462531 minerals-12-01424.pdf minerals-12-01424.pdf 1 14482F1345BF6BEC966067A1A1E6AB62 5497ed0dbd451d04422dd14448643d80380c91e6dfe1fbe66662e7f6f01e90df 2ae19aa5-65aa-11ed-a69a-001a4af901a5 https://dirros.openscience.si/Dokument.php?lang=slv&id=20884 Geološki zavod Slovenije 0 0 0