TY - JOUR
T1 - Geo-Spatial Characterization of Soil Mercury and Arsenic at a High-Altitude Bolivian Gold Mine
AU - Johnson, Glen D.
AU - Pavilonis, Brian
AU - Caravanos, Jack
AU - Grassman, Jean
PY - 2018/2/1
Y1 - 2018/2/1
N2 - Soil mercury concentrations at a typical small-scale mine site in the Bolivian Andes were elevated (28–737 mg/kg or ppm) in localized areas where mercury amalgams were either formed or vaporized to release gold, but was not detectable beyond approximately 10 m from its sources. Arsenic was measurable, exceeding known background levels throughout the mine site (77–137,022 ppm), and was also measurable through the local village of Ingenio (36–1803 ppm). Although arsenic levels were high at all surveyed locations, its spatial pattern followed mercury, being highest where mercury was high.
AB - Soil mercury concentrations at a typical small-scale mine site in the Bolivian Andes were elevated (28–737 mg/kg or ppm) in localized areas where mercury amalgams were either formed or vaporized to release gold, but was not detectable beyond approximately 10 m from its sources. Arsenic was measurable, exceeding known background levels throughout the mine site (77–137,022 ppm), and was also measurable through the local village of Ingenio (36–1803 ppm). Although arsenic levels were high at all surveyed locations, its spatial pattern followed mercury, being highest where mercury was high.
KW - Arsenic
KW - Artisanal and small-scale gold mining
KW - Mercury
KW - Soil metal contamination
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U2 - 10.1007/s00128-017-2213-4
DO - 10.1007/s00128-017-2213-4
M3 - Article
C2 - 29147740
AN - SCOPUS:85034223569
VL - 100
SP - 259
EP - 264
JO - Bulletin of Environmental Contamination and Toxicology
JF - Bulletin of Environmental Contamination and Toxicology
SN - 0007-4861
IS - 2
ER -