Spatial risk assessment related to abandoned mining activities: an environmental management tool

Mining activities and resulting wastes can be considered one of the most important sources of toxic metals and metalloids in the environment. To assess environmental risk in the surrounding areas of old abandoned W-Sn and Pb–Zn mines and resulting tailings and rejected materials, 333 samples were collected in stream sediments under the influence of abandoned mines. Samples were prepared and analyzed for Fe, Ba, P, Cu, Cr, Ag, B, Zn, Be, Y, Nb, Pb, Ni, V, Mn, Mo, As, W, Co, Cd, Sn and U. The inexistence of Portuguese legislation concerning parametric values for stream sediments led to the application of a quantitative index for progressive contamination on stream sediments, the Geoaccumulation Index (Igeo), as variables to create risk maps. A first exploratory multivariate statistical analysis, using the Principal Component Analysis (PCA), applied to the obtained Igeos, shows a first factor (F1) explaining the dependence of P and B (positive correlation with the axis) and the inverse correlation of these two elements with the cluster formed by Cr, Ni and V (negative correlation with the axis); the second factor (F2) explains Ni, Fe, Zn and As; Cd and U Igeos are not explained in the new factorial space and, therefore, are characterized individually. The variographic studies showed the existence of spatial structure for the new synthesis variables (F1, F2) as well as for Cd and U Igeos. The experimental point-support data was then interpolated using ordinary kriging within a narrow search window as shown in the fitted variogram models. The obtained maps show extremely high levels of pollution in Cd and W and strongly high levels of pollution in Cr, B, Ag, Zn and Pb. The accumulation of these elements in the studied stream sediments is higher on the abandoned mining areas and in their vicinity.