Environment Mining and Sustainable Development

Environmental Geology, 2006

Environmental Science and Pollution Research, 2013

Ecological Engineering & Environmental Technology, 2024

The Tansrift mine is an open-pit exploitation mine that mines copper substances. It is located on the southwestern flank of the Beni Mellal Atlas, 9 km Northeast of Ouaouizaght village. The mining activity delivered about 650 000 t of 1.5% Cu, with an estimated reserve of 1 Mt to 1.32% Cu. In this study, seven hazardous heavy metals (Cd, Cr, Cu, Pb, Zn, Fe, and Ni) have been studied in the tailing and exploitation of the Tansrift mining district. The geochemical analysis contents of the metals were measured in the samples collected from this area. In addition, the pollution indexes, including the geo-accumulation index, the enrichment factor, the contamination factor, and the pollution load index, were used to assess pollution levels caused by those heavy metals. The Igeo index revealed a high to extreme copper contamination with a value above 4. As for the contamination factor, extreme and moderate contamination is shown by the copper and chrome in the totality of the exploitation and tailing areas. Moreover, the pollution load index shows very high pollution in all samples. The climatic conditions are also affecting the pollution of the atmosphere by contaminated dust and the water table and watershed by the contamination from the tailings and mineralized structures.

Journal of African Earth Sciences, 2014

The old ochre-pyrrhotite mine of Kettara, near Marrakech (Morocco) ceased operating some 30 years ago but its excavations, plants, and tailings have been totally abandoned since then.

Journal of chemical, biological and physical sciences, 2024

Environmental pollution caused by metallic trace elements from mining activity can be a worrying source of contamination for all natural resources: air, water and soil. Therefore, the in-depth study of the chemical and physical properties of mining residues is decisive to characterize the impact of mining activity on the environment through the risk assessment of the potential mobility of toxic trace metals Heavy metals … Elhaya Nassima et al.

African Journal of Environmental Science and Technology, 2011

The mineralogical characterization of Fedj Lahdoum mine wastes measured by X-ray Diffraction (XRD) and Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM) showed the presence of the following sulfide minerals: galena (PbS), sphalerite (ZnS), pyrite (FeS 2 ), cerussite (PbCO 3 ) and smithsonite (ZnCO 3 ). The wastes were stored in tailing ponds. The results showed that the concentration of metals from tailings were up to 10 460 mg.kg -1 for total Zn, 2 100 mg.kg -1 for total Pb and 62.08 mg.kg -1 for total Cd. The tailings have presented a fine unconsolidated texture that accelerated the dispersion of the particles rich in heavy metals. Geochemical analysis of soil has revealed high total contents of Pb, Zn and Cd, respectively: 3 646, 3 236 and 17 mg.kg -1 . Chemical analysis of cultivated and wild plants species inside the district contain high grades in heavy metals: 708.56 mg Zn. kg -1 ; 16.24 mg Pb.kg -1 (Thymus vulgaris (L) ); 500.44 mg Zn. kg -1 , 12.44 mg Pb. kg -1 (Laurus nobilis (L) ); 128....

Water Air and Soil Pollution

Physical and chemical properties and the total content of potentially toxic metals (PTMs) in waters and soils were studied from the High Moulouya Valley (Morocco) in order to assess the impact of the past mining activity on their quality and to lay the foundations of a potential reclamation of the area. Surface water and groundwater samples were collected from the Moulouya River and mine pit lakes; tailings and soils were sampled inside and outside the mine sites of Zeïda, Mibladen, and Aouli. Both waters and soils were alkaline, due to the limestone environment, and contained Pb and Zn as main metallic contaminants. Pollution levels were highest within the Mibladen mining site, and soil pollution was mainly restricted to the areas where activities of metal concentration were carried out. Tailings and soils from these areas besides Pb and Zn were also polluted by As, Cd, and Cu showing clay fraction highly enriched in metal contaminants. At the time of study, all soils and wastes (including the highly polluted tailings) were in advanced stage of spontaneous herbaceous and arbustive revegetation. It is concluded that, in the High Moulouya Valley, the processes governing PTM transfer from the element-rich sites to the nearby environment are strongly influenced by pH, carbonate content, and semi-arid climate reducing metal mobility from the mining waste impoundments by dissolution. The transfer by wind and water erosion of metal-enriched fine waste particles is likely to be a much more important vector for metal dispersion. In this perspective, among a range of land remediation techniques available, natural and oriented revegetation could represent a low-cost and possible permanent solution.

2010

A comparative assessment of the environmental impacts in the vicinity of three abandoned Portuguese mines was intended with this study. The mines of Jales, Vale das Gatas and Argoselo were selected for this purpose. Mining and mine tailings dumped on these sites originated progressively acid mine drainage and soil contamination. A simple visual inspection on the mine sites indicated that all the tailings are being considerably eroded due to the action of water, particularly during rainfall events. Significant concentrations of As and also of Cu, Cd, Pb and Zn occur in soils collected near the tailing deposits, with contents commonly exceeding the permissible levels determined by the National Public Health laws. Close to the mine sites it was noticed the existence of acid mine drainage (AMD) associated with the presence (and leaching) of sulphides. Such waters show values of pH around 3 and high concentrations of metals and metalloids. Meanwhile, the acid effluents and the resulting ...

African Journal of Agricultural Research, 2015

1 Laboratoire de Toxicologie et d’hygiène Industrielle, 1 rue Gaston Veil, 44035, Nantes Cedex, France. 2 Laboratoire Régional du Diagnostic Epidémiologique et d’hygiène du Milieu –Marrakech – Morocco. 3 Département de Biologie, Faculté des Sciences Semlalia, Bd Moulay Abdellah Bp, 2390-40001, Marrakech Morocco. 4 Laboratoire de Physique de Solide et Des Couches Minces, Bd Moulay Abdellah. BP, 2390-40001, Marrakech Morocco.

Environmental Resources Research, 2016

The present study represents a first insight into the Draa Lasfar mine (Marrakech-Morocco) to assess the degree of polymetallic pollution caused by anthropogenic activities (like mine extraction) and consequently the possible diffusion of heavy metals and to predict the risk of their mobility in the surroundings of the mine area. The edaphologic parameters pH and electrical conductivity (EC) were measured according to standard methods, whilst heavy metals concentration was atomic absorption spectroscopy (AAS). Contamination factors (CF) and pollution index (IP) were calculated in order to estimate the anthropogenic contribution of target pollutants determining Cd, Cu, Pb, and Zn as the main pollutants in this region. The results showed that the polluted areas at the vicinity of the mine especially two rural communities (Ouled Bou Aicha and Tazakourte) of about 5790 ha are probably linked to increasing mine activities and the lack of appropriate measures to counteract its effects causing a progressive pollution of water and soil with heavy metal emissions in the region under study.