Year: 2021
Type: Article
Type: PeerReviewed
Title: Synergetic Tl and As retention in secondary minerals: An example of extreme arsenic and thallium pollution
Author: Đorđevic, Tamara
Author: Drahota, Petr
Author: Kolitsch, Uwe
Author: Majzlan, Juraj
Author: Magdalena, Peresta
Author: Kiefer, Stefan
Author: Stoger-Pollach, Michael
Author: Tepe, Nathalie
Author: Hofmann, Thilo
Author: Mikus, Tomas
Author: Tasev, Goran
Author: Serafimovski, Todor
Author: Boev, Ivan
Author: Boev, Blazo
Abstract: Secondary minerals could be effective scavengers of toxic arsenic (As) and thallium (Tl). In environments polluted by mining, these elements are abundant both in acid rock/mine drainage scenarios, as well as in carbonate-buffered environments. In this study we have investigated the behavior of As and Tl during weathering in mine waste dumps and an associated technosol sample from the Crven Dol locality (Allchar Tl–As–Sb–Au deposit, North Macedonia) contaminated with up to 142 g kg− 1 of As and 18 g kg− 1 of Tl, making it an As- and Tl extreme environment. We identified As and Tl reservoirs and discuss their difference from those observed in other naturally As- and Tl-rich environments. The pore waters show high concentrations of As (up to 196 mg L− 1 ) and Tl (up to 660 μg L− 1 ). Mild extractions mobilized up to 46% of the total Tl and 11% of the total As, indicating that a large amount of these toxic elements is weakly bound and can be easily mobilized into the environment. Apart from the recognition of Tl storage in several secondary phases (mainly as Tl(I) in members of the phar macosiderite and jarosite groups, as well as Mn oxides, but also as very minor Tl(III) in other secondary phases), this study also provides the first evidence of Tl uptake by previously unknown thallium arsenate phases (with Tl: As ratios ~ 2 and 4), detected in carbonate-buffered (near-neutral pH) As- and Tl-rich technosols and waste dumps. These results indicate the need for further studies on Tl speciation in extremely As- and Tl-rich environments.
Publisher: Published by Elsevier Ltd.
Relation: https://eprints.ugd.edu.mk/28662/
Identifier: oai:eprints.ugd.edu.mk:28662
Identifier: https://eprints.ugd.edu.mk/28662/1/Synergetic-Tl-and-As-retention-in-secondary-minerals--An-ex_2021_Applied-Geo.pdfIdentifier: Đorđevic, Tamara and Drahota, Petr and Kolitsch, Uwe and Majzlan, Juraj and Magdalena, Peresta and Kiefer, Stefan and Stoger-Pollach, Michael and Tepe, Nathalie and Hofmann, Thilo and Mikus, Tomas and Tasev, Goran and Serafimovski, Todor and Boev, Ivan and Boev, Blazo (2021) Synergetic Tl and As retention in secondary minerals: An example of extreme arsenic and thallium pollution. Applied Geochemistry, 135. ISSN 0883-2927
