ORIGINAL RESEARCH
Mineralogical Alterations of Zn-Pb Flotation
Wastes of Mississippi Valley-Type Ores
(Southern Poland) and Their Impact
on Contamination of Rainwater Runoff
A. Bauerek1, J. Cabala2, B. Smieja-Król2
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1Central Mining Institute, Department of Environmental Monitoring, Plac Gwarkow 1, 40-166 Katowice, Poland,
2University of Silesia, Faculty of Earth Sciences, Bedzinska 60, 41-200 Sosnowiec, Poland
2University of Silesia, Faculty of Earth Sciences, Bedzinska 60, 41-200 Sosnowiec, Poland
Pol. J. Environ. Stud. 2009;18(5):781–788
KEYWORDS
ABSTRACT
Research was carried out on the slopes of a tailings pond built from carbonate wastes, rich in metal flotation
wastes of Mississipi Valley-Type Zn-Pb ores in the Silesia-Kraków ore district (southern Poland). These
wastes, resulting from Zn-Pb ore processing, may have a detrimental impact on the environment. This study
presents results of chemical (ICP, IC, AAS) and mineralogical (XRD, SEM-EDS) characterizations of material
from the superficial waste layer, water runoff and relocated suspension. They indicate the occurrence of
several secondary mineral phases (Fe oxide, Zn and Pb carbonate, and sulfate-containing metals), resulting
from the weathering processes of primary Fe, Zn, and Pb sulfides. Results of XRD and SEM examinations
point to the increase of sulfate mineral content in the top layer of wastes compared to the wastes in depth.
Rainwater runoff (RWR) on the slopes of tailings is characterised by the prevalence of calcium and sulfate, as
well as the presence of metals such as Zn, Fe, Mn, Sr and Cd. Metals and sulfates migration in RWR is one
of the ways of contaminants’ spreading around Zn-Pb processing mine tailings.
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