Vertical and lateral spreading of highly mineralized acid drainage solutions (Ur dump, Salair): electrical resistivity tomography and hydrogeochemical data

Abstract Combined geophysical and geochemical investigations of drainage streams from sulfide-containing waste dumps of the Novo-Urskoe deposit allow determining two directions of highly mineralized toxic solutions. Surface drainage stream flows over the natural slope of the valley. In addition, along the natural fault, vertical penetration of drainage solutions into groundwater occurs to a depth of 20 m. Based on geophysical-data interpretation, we assume that penetration of solutions into geologic environment leads to their dilution by groundwater, followed by a six-fold decrease in total mineralization.