Geochemical Modeling and Remediation of Heavy Metals and Trace Elements from Artisanal Mines Discharge

ABSTRACT

Geochemical modeling of heavy metals released from the activities of artisanal mining for gold exploitation was investigated in this study. Samples of mine water and sediment discharges were collected before and after treatment. Untreated discharge shows pollutant of arsenic, lead, cadmium and iron in water and sediment above the acceptable standard. Manganese was above detection limit in the treated water discharge after treatment. Aqueous modeling in solution and solid-state reaction showed over-saturated indices for tenorite, bixbyite, cupric ferrite, cerrusite and manganite in the untreated mines discharge and hausmannite, ferrihydrite and goethite after treatment.The identified toxic metals were absent or had low contamination factor in the mines discharge water after treatment. The study highlights the danger posed by artisanal mining to the environment and suggests treatment method.

KEYWORDS:

• Geochemical modeling
• remediation
• artisanal mining
• mines discharges and gold exploitation