ORIGINAL RESEARCH
Ecological Risk Assessment and Spatial
Distribution of Heavy Metal in an Abandoned
Mining Area, a Case Study of Liaoyang Pyrite
Mining Area in China: Implications
for the Environmental Remediation
of Mine Sites
More details
Hide details
1
Power China Northwest Engineering Corporation Limited. Xi’an City, Shaanxi Province, China
Submission date: 2023-06-15
Final revision date: 2023-09-12
Acceptance date: 2023-10-01
Online publication date: 2023-12-22
Publication date: 2024-02-09
Corresponding author
Daiwen Zhu
PowerChina Northwest Engineering Corporation Limited. Xi’an city, Shaanxi province, China, Shaanxi Land Construction Group Co.Ltd. Xi’an city, 710075, Xi’an, China
Pol. J. Environ. Stud. 2024;33(2):1965-1980
KEYWORDS
TOPICS
ABSTRACT
An important hidden source of soil heavy metal pollution was the discharge of wastewater
and waste rock during mining production activities. Numerous processes could result in the buildup
of heavy metals in soil, and exposure to these metals could irreversibly harm a person's health.
The source, distribution and quantity of historical waste residue in a pyrite mining area were described,
and the nature of the waste residue was determined based on the results of toxic leaching identification
in this study. The study showed that the pH value of the leaching solution of the waste residues was
less than 6. Therefore, these waste residues was the second category of general industrial solid waste.
The soil around the waste residues was basically acidic. Also, the content of arsenic, cadmium
and copper in farmland soil around the waste residues exceeded the screening value in the Soil
Environmental Quality Standard Risk Control of Soil Pollution in Farmland (GB15618-2018).
Therefore, the arsenic, cadmium and copper in the waste residue could migrate with rainwater and
cause some pollution to the neighboring farmland soil. The surface water was acidic and the arsenic
concentration in the surface water exceeded the standard limit. Therefore, surface water was affected
by acidic wastewater. However, the impact of project wastewater on groundwater was not significant.
Through the analysis of the pollution status, comprehensive treatment countermeasures
and secondary pollution prevention measures for the waste residue were proposed, as well as the issues that need attention when formulating specific treatment plans, which could provide a reference for
similar projects.