Strong arsenic enrichment in sediments from the Elqui watershed, Northern Chile: Industrial (gold mining at El Indio-Tambo district) vs. geologic processes

Journal of Geochemical Exploration

Volumn 84, Issue 2, 2004, Pages 53-64

  Oyarzun, R ^a   Lillo, J ^b   Higueras, P ^c   Oyarzun J ^d   Maturana, H ^d  

^a UNIVERSIDAD COMPLUTENSE DE MADRID   (Spain)

^b UNIVERSIDAD REY JUAN CARLOS   (Spain)

^c UNIVERSITY OF CASTILLA LA MANCHA   (Spain)

^d DEPARTAMENTO DE BIOLOGÍA   (Chile)

Author keywords

Arsenic; Chile; Contamination; El Indio; El Ni o; Elqui; Erosion; Gold mining; Sediments

Indexed keywords

ALTERATION ZONES; ALTITUDE DOMAIN; EPITHERMAL DEPOSITS; LONG-LIVED EROSION;

GEOCHEMISTRY; GEOLOGY; MINING; RAIN; RIVERS; SEDIMENTS; WATERSHEDS;

ARSENIC;

ARSENIC; FLUVIAL DEPOSIT; GEOCHEMICAL SURVEY; MINING; NATURAL FEATURE; SEDIMENT CHEMISTRY;

CHILE; COQUIMBO; ELQUI RIVER; SOUTH AMERICA;

EID: 4544298864     PISSN: 03756742     EISSN: None     Source Type: Journal    
DOI: 10.1016/j.gexplo.2004.03.002     Document Type: Article

References (22)

1. Bissig T. Clark A.H. Lee J.K.W. Hodgson C.J. Miocene landscape evolution and geomorphologic controls on epithermal processes in the El Indio-Pascua Au-Ag-Cu belt, Chile and Argentina Econ. Geol. 97 2002 971-996
2. Bissig T. Clark A.H. Lee J.K.W. Cerro del Vidrio rhyolitic dome: evidence for Late Pliocene volcanism in the central Andean flat-slab region, Lama-Veladero district, 29°20′S, San Juan province, Argentina J. South Am. Earth Sci. 15 2002 571-576
3. Escobar B. Huenupi E. Wiertz J.V. Chemical and biological leaching of enargite Biotechnol. Lett. 19 1997 719-722
4. Gromet L.P Dymek R.F. Haskin L.A. Korotev R.L. The North American shale composite: its compilation, major and trace element characteristics Geochim. Cosmochim. Acta 48 1984 2469-2482
5. Guevara S. Distribución y comportamiento de metales pesados en las aguas del río Elqui y sus tributarios Graduation Project 2003 255 Universidad de La Serena La Serena, Chile
6. Heald P. Foley N.K. Hayba D. Comparative anatomy of volcanic-hosted epithermal deposits: acid sulfate and adularia-sericite types Econ. Geol. 82 1987 1-26
7. Higueras P. Oyarzun R. Biester H. Lillo J. Lorenzo S. A first insight into mercury distribution and speciation in soils from the Almadén mining district, Spain J. Geochem. Explor. 80 2003 95-104
8. Jenny B. Valero-Garcés B.L. Urrutia R. Kelts K. Veit H. Appleby P.G. Geyh M. Moisture changes and fluctuations of the Westerlies in mediterranean Central Chile during the last 2000 years: the Laguna Aculeo record (33°50′S) Quat. Int. 87 2002 3-18
9. Lagos G. Velasco P. Environmental policies and practices in Chilean Mining In: Warhurst A. (Ed.) Mining and the Environment 1998 International Development Research Centre (IDRC) Ottawa (on-line version), http://www.idrc.ca/books/focus/828/chapter3.html.
10. Maksaev V. Moscoso R. Mpodozis C. Nasi C. Las unidades volcánicas y plutónicas del Cenozoico Superior en la alta cordillera del Norte Chico (29°-31′S): geología, alteración hidrotermal y mineralización Rev. Geol. Chile 21 1984 11-51
11. Maturana H. Oyarzún J. Pasieczna A. Paulo A. Geoquímica de los sedimentos del río Elqui (Coquimbo, Chile): manejo de relaves y cierre de minas Final Proc. 7th Argentinian Congr. Econ. Geol. Salta, Argentina 2001 155-161 Asociación Geológica Argentina Buenos Aires
12. Meng X. Korfiatis G.P. Bang S. Bang K.W. Combined effects of anions on arsenic removal by iron hydroxides Toxicol. Lett. 133 2002 103-111
13. Pardo M. Comte D. Monfret T. Boroshek R. Astroza M. The October 15, 1997 Punitaqui earthquake (Mw=7.1): a destructive event within the subducting Nazca plate in central Chile Tectonophysics 345 2002 199-210
14. Romero L. Alonso H. Campano P. Fanfani L. Cidu R. Dadea C. Keegan T. Thornton I. Farago M. Arsenic enrichment in waters and sediments of the Rio Loa (Second Region, Chile) Applied Geochemistry 18 2003 1399-1416
15. Rösler H.J. Lange H. Geochemical tables 1972 Elsevier Amsterdam 468 pp.
16. Seaman J.C. Bertsch P.M. Strom R.N. Characterization of colloids mobilized from southeastern coastal plains sediments Environ. Sci. Technol. 31 1997 2782-2790
17. Siddeley G. Araneda R. The El Indio-Tambo gold deposits In: Macdonald A.J. (Ed.) Gold' 86, International Symposium on the Geology of Gold 1986 3-22 Balkema Amsterdam
18. Smedley P.L. Kinniburgh D.G. A review of the source, behaviour and distribution of arsenic in natural waters Appl. Geochem. 17 2002 517-568
19. Smedley P.L. Nicolli H.B. Macdonald D.M.J. Barros A.J. Tullio J.O. Hydrogeochemistry of arsenic and other inorganic constituents in groundwaters from La Pampa, Argentina Appl. Geochem. 17 2002 259-284
20. Smith K.S. Metal sorption on mineral surfaces: an overview with examples relating to mineral deposits In: Plumlee G.S. Logsdon M.J. (Eds.) The Environmental Geochemistry of Mineral Deposits Reviews in Economic Geology vol. 6A 1999 161-182 Society of Economic Geologists Chelsea, Michigan
21. Trauth M.H. Alonso R.A. Haselton K.R. Hermanns R.L. Strecker M.R. Climate change and mass movement in the NW Argentine Andes Earth Planet. Sci. Lett. 179 2000 243-256
22. Veit H. Southern Westerlies during Holocene deduced from geomorphological and pedological studies in Norte Chico, northern Chile Palaeogeogr. Palaeoclimatol. Palaeoecol. 123 1996 107-119