ORIGINAL RESEARCH
Hydrochemical Characteristics and Formation
Mechanisms of an Antimony Mining
Activity Area in the Upstream Water Source
of Danjiangkou Reservoir, China
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1
Xi'an Center of Mineral Resources Survey, China Geological Survey, Xi'an 710100, China
2
Qinling-Loess Plateau Transition Zone Observation and Research Station for Coupling of Soil and Water Elements and
Conservation of Biological Resources, Tongguan 714300, China
Submission date: 2024-07-07
Final revision date: 2024-08-28
Acceptance date: 2024-10-28
Online publication date: 2024-12-23
Corresponding author
Hao Zhao
Xi'an Center of Mineral Resources Survey, China Geological Survey, Xi'an 710100, China
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ABSTRACT
Antimony (Sb) is a major environmental pollutant that is widely present in nature and possesses
toxicity and potential carcinogenicity. The mining of antimony ore can affect the quality of the
water environment and the safety of drinking water for residents in the area. Taking the Gaolinggou
antimony mining area in the Danjiangkou water source for the Middle Route of South-to-North Water
Diversion Project (MRSNWDP) in China as the research object, systematic hydrochemical samples and
hydrogen and oxygen isotope samples were collected for comprehensive hydrogeochemical analysis.
The results show that: (1) The pH range of surface water in the study area is 3.09-8.30, with a mean
of 7.21, indicating an overall neutral condition, while some local areas are acidic. The range of TH is
243.00-439.00 mg/L, with a mean of 314.69 mg/L. The TDS ranges from 262.00 to 598.00 mg/L,
averaging at 384.38 mg/L. The dominant cations are Ca2+ and Mg2+, while the dominant anions are
HCO3- and SO42-. The hydrochemical types vary frequently in space, including HCO3·SO4-Ca·Mg,
SO4·HCO3-Ca·Mg, HCO3-Ca·Mg, and SO4-Ca·Mg. For groundwater, the mean pH is 7.52, with TH and
TDS ranging from 269.00-542.00 mg/L and 291.00-652.00 mg/L, respectively, averaging at 426.67 mg/L
and 504.67 mg/L, both slightly higher than those of surface water. The dominant cations and anions are
Ca2+ and HCO3-, respectively, with hydrochemical types mainly HCO3-Ca·Mg and HCO3·SO4-Ca·Mg.
The mine water has a pH value of 8.03, indicating a weakly alkaline condition with the highest TDS
content. It is rich in SO42-, Ca2+, and Mg2+, and the hydrochemical type is SO4·HCO3-Ca·Mg. (2) The
hydrochemical characteristics in the study area are primarily controlled by rock weathering, with
carbonate and silicate weathering and dissolution as the main processes. Positive cation exchange
occurs in the water bodies. Surface water is significantly affected by mining activities, while groundwater is influenced by a combination of agricultural activities, domestic sewage, and mining
activities. (3) In addition to atmospheric precipitation and dissolution of salt rocks, the excess Na+
in the water bodies mainly originates from the dissolution of sodium-bearing silicates and the
contribution of cation exchange processes. Ca2+ and Mg2+ mainly originate from the weathering of
carbonate rocks dominated by calcite and the dissolution of gypsum. Carbonic acid and sulfuric acid
both participate in the weathering and dissolution of carbonate rocks. So42- and Cl- are significantly
influenced by mining activities. The antimony in surface water is primarily influenced by the mining
of antimony ore, with the average concentration of antimony in the mining area being 6.4 times that of
the mainstream of the Luohe River. Meanwhile, the antimony in groundwater mainly originates from
the lateral recharge of surface water. The results can provide a reference for the water resource security
assurance and rational development and utilization of the MRSNWDP.
CONFLICT OF INTEREST
The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper.