A first insight into mercury distribution and speciation in soils from the Almaden mining district, Spain

Almost no environmental data on mercury distribution and speciation in soils have been published so far for the Almaden mining district (central Spain), despite its huge size and historic importance. The mercury distribution in soils of the district reveals the existence of high and extremely high mercury values (up to - 9000 ppm, Hg). The Hg-thermodesorption curves for soils from a decommissioned metallurgical precinct (Almadenejos) and a phytoremediation site show that mercury occurs in the forms of cinnabar and as mercury bound to organic matter. The TEM-EDX study of the highly contaminated anthrosols from Almadenejos (samples with Hg >5000 ppm) shows the existence of cinnabar particles adsorbed to the surface of chlorite grains. Given the generally pyrite-poor character of the ores, and the presence of carbonates in the host rocks, cinnabar solubilization is limited, which in turn mitigates environmental hazards in the district. The only by-product of cinnabar leaching in the mineral dumps is schuetteite (Hg3SO4O2). Preliminary results on local plants (Asparagus acutifolius, Dittrichia graveolens, Marrubium vulgare) show that mercury gets incorporated to roots, stems and leaves, with values of up to about 300 ppm Hg. (C) 2003 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.