The problem of contaminated land with hg from mining activities through two case studies in Serbia and Northern Spain

Key Points

High mercury concentrations have been detected in soils and waters, affecting local ecosystems significantly.
In Asturias, abandoned mines have led to widespread contamination, with no environmental regulations in place to mitigate effects.
Analysis of historical mining practices highlights the legacy issues faced by various regions, particularly in Spain.
This analysis suggests urgent remediation is needed in similarly affected areas, like Serbia, to address the ongoing environmental impact.

Abstract

Mercury is of particular concern amongst global environmental pollutants, with abundant contaminated sites worldwide, many of which are associated with mining activities. Asturias (Northwest of Spain) can be considered an Hg metallogenic province with abundant epithermal-type deposits, whose paragenetic sequences include also As-rich minerals. These mines were abandoned long before the introduction of any environmental regulations to control metal release from these sources. Consequently, the environment is globally affected, as high metal concentrations have been found in soils, waters, sediments, plants and air. The paper presents experiences with solving these problems in Spain, with the aim of proposing solutions for similar problems in Serbia.

Bookmark

The problem of contaminated land with hg from mining activities through two case studies in Serbia and Northern Spain

Key Points

Abstract

Cite This Study