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Impact of acid mine drainage from Tinoca Mine on the Abrilongo dam (southeast Portugal)

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  05 July 2018

C. Morais ,
L. Rosado ,
J. Mirão ,
A. P. Pinto ,
P. Nogueira  and
A. E. Candeias
C. Morais
Affiliation:
Evora Chemistry Centre and University of Évora, Chemistry Department, Évora, Portugal
L. Rosado
Affiliation:
Evora Chemistry Centre and University of Évora, Chemistry Department, Évora, Portugal
J. Mirão
Affiliation:
Evora Geophysics Centre and University of Évora, Geosciences Department, Évora, Portugal
A. P. Pinto
Affiliation:
Mediterranean and Agricultural Sciences Institute, University of Évora, Évora, Portugal
P. Nogueira
Affiliation:
Oporto University Geology Centre and University of Evora Geosciences Department, Évora, Portugal
A. E. Candeias
Affiliation:
Evora Chemistry Centre and University of Évora, Chemistry Department, Évora, Portugal
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Abstract

This work presents a geochemical study conducted on the abandoned Tinoca Copper mine (southeast Portugal) to evaluate the potential hazard in surrounding areas particularly the effect on the Abrilongo River Dam which receivesthe acid waters from the mine watershed. The characterization of the area was performed over a period of 3 y and involved the study of waters, sediments and mine wastes. A sequential extraction methodology was conducted on the sediments and mine wastes and five elements were selected (Cu, Fe, Zn, Cd and Pb). The statistical and spatial analysis allowed the inference of the affinities between the chemical elements and specific mineralogical phases and to characterize chemical behaviour such as mobility and bioavailability. The results show that the distance to the source (mine-waste deposit), the point of zero charge, and the dynamics of the system are factors that control the behaviour of the elementss tudied. The acid drainage is characterized by an average pH of 2.5 and concentrationsof copper 20 timesgreater than the legal limit for irrigation waters.

Keywords

mine drainagegeochemistrysequential extractionTinoca minePortugal
Type
Research Article
Information
Mineralogical Magazine , Volume 72 , Issue 1 , February 2008 , pp. 467 - 472
Copyright
Copyright © The Mineralogical Society of Great Britain and Ireland 2008

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