Migration of pollutants and contamination of groundwater when mining iron ore
Yu. A. Babushkina, N. N. Nazarenko
Section: Monitoring of anthropogenically disturbed areas
The article considers the problem of migration of chemical pollutants into the aquatic environment of iron ore mining
area on the example of JSC “Sokolovsko-Sarbaiskoye Ore-dressing Production Association” (Kazakhstan). The materi
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als of the study where samples of groundwater selected at the plant for the extraction of magnetite ore, on the border of
the sanitary protection zone and beyond. Sampling of water was carried out in accordance with Russian State Standard
GOST 31861-2012 in the period 2012–2016 years.
Analysis of samples was carried out by an accredited laboratory on such factors as pH, dry matter, suspended mat
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ter, calcium, magnesium, sulfates, chlorides, phosphates, bicarbonates, nitrates, nitrites, ammonia nitrogen, total iron,
oil, aluminum, lead, zinc, nickel, cobalt, manganese and boron.
The results shows that the magnitude of the concentration of sulfates, chlorides, nitrates, dryness, nitrites, ammonia
nitrogen, boron, manganese in underground water directly in the production area exceed their maximum permissible values.
The critical points of impurities were identified such as a lower sump of quarry, upper sump pit and drainage ditch
with the highest rates of sulfates, chlorides, nitrates, dryness, nitrites, ammonia nitrogen, boron, calcium, magnesium
and bicarbonates.
The main trends of groundwater pollution in the area of the location of the iron ore mining enterprise are revealed.
For the vast majority of pollutants, sharp annual fluctuations of indicators are not observed, the level of pollution is stable,
and there is no tendency to reduce the level of groundwater pollution.
At the same time, no excess of pollutants was detected outside the sanitary protection zone of the enterprise. This
indicates that migration of pollutants beyond the sanitary protection zone of the enterprise is not observed
Keywords: migration of chemical pollutants, mining enterprise, iron ore, technogenic pollution, groundwater
Article published in number 3 for 2018 DOI: 10.25750/1995-4301-2018-3-055-061
ISSN 1995-4301
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