Trace Elements in Tailings: Understanding Their Implications When Used as a Construction Material and as a Re-Usable Agricultural Land

International Journal of Geoinformatics and Geological Science

© 2020 by SSRG - IJGGS Journal

Volume 7 Issue 2

Year of Publication : 2020

Authors : E. Arhin, A. W. Bukari, R. Kazapoe

10.14445/23939206/IJGGS-V7I2P105

How to Cite?

E. Arhin, A. W. Bukari, R. Kazapoe, "Trace Elements in Tailings: Understanding Their Implications When Used as a Construction Material and as a Re-Usable Agricultural Land," SSRG International Journal of Geoinformatics and Geological Science, vol. 7,  no. 2, pp. 37-42, 2020. Crossref, https://doi.org/10.14445/23939206/IJGGS-V7I2P105

Abstract:

Exposure to harmful elements and consuming food produce from soils deficient of essential elements impact on human development and affect health of living things. Utilizing mine tailings for construction and/or using the tailings for agricultural activities require the understanding of the contained elements in terms of their concentrations and distributions in space. In this study, 40 tailings samples were sampled for the contained elements distributions and concentrations. The collected samples were analysed using ICP-OES analytical method. 11 elements including As, Hg, Mo, Cd, Cr, Ni, Cu, CN, Co, Pb and Zn were studied. The concentration levels of these 11 elements were compared with the global background values in soils.
All elements except Mo showed an enrichment factor of 49.178, in excess of about 83%. The calculated geo-accumulation index (Igeo) of the selected
elements confirmed Mo to be the only element in the tailings to suggest moderate pollution with Muller’s value of 1.1876. Tomlinson’s (1980) assessment of the Pollution Load Indices (PLI) was in agreement to Igeo value. Apart from the sample that was collected at CHR006 with PLI>1(calculated PLI=1.5191), all sample locations had PLI < 1 with values between 0.0007 and 0.0724. The polluted element identified by Igeo and PLI (Mo) has no known detrimental effects on humans and therefore the tailings could be used for all sorts of construction works and the materials
can be re-used for agricultural work.

Keywords:

Tailings, Re-used, Elements, Geoaccumulation, Pollution, Chirano.

References:

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