Health & Environmental Research Online (HERO)


Print Feedback Export to File
1352471 
Journal Article 
Evolution of sulphides-rich mine tailings and immobilization of As and Fe 
Roussel, C; Bril, H; Fernandez, A 
1999 
329 
11 
787-794 
WOS:000084627100003 
Since large areas have been contaminated by mining
activities, knowledge about the evolution of polluted sites and pollutant speciation are required
for environmental risk assessment. A mineralogical and chemical investigation was performed on
the site of the Cheni's mine (France), where sulphide-rich tailings, containing large amounts of
arsenic (As), were abandoned in 1944. It revealed that most of S, Fe and As are no longer in
sulphide forms in the surface layer (0-2 m). Oxidation products are gypsum, epsomite and As-rich
Fe hydroxides. Arsenic fixation was found to be reversible when leaching conditions increase. We
also attempted to provide an approach of the As-bearing phases using a normative calculation:
average composition is [Fe2O3](5)[As2O5](4). 30 H2O nearby the reduced original material, and
[Fe2O3](3)[As2O5](2). 18 H2O in more leached material. ((C) 1999 Academie des sciences/Editions
scientifiques et medicales Elsevier SAS.) 
tailings; arsenic; ferric oxy-hydroxides; normative calculation; French Massif Central