Abstract
The Mintails Mogale Gold (MMG) and the Rand Uranium (RU) are two large-scale mining consortiums active in re-mining old tailings dams and dumps in Krugersdorp and are a source of mine discharge feed into the Krugersdorp Game Reserve (KGR). This has resulted in a noticeable accumulation of potentially harmful elements (PHEs) over a number of years. Efforts were implemented to interpret the concentration levels of PHEs in soils of the study areas of which a total of 36 georeferenced soil samples were collected (in triplicate) from the MMG, RU and KGR, including samples from farmlands and waterways adjacent to the mining sites. Samples were then analysed by both inductively coupled plasma optical emission spectrometry (ICP-OES) and inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS) for 36 elements. From the 36 elements of this study, detailed evaluations of the occurrence of 12 selected elements were discussed. The geochemical landscape at the KGR is shown to be in flux. The major mediating influences on the behaviour of As, Co, Cu, Hg and Pb, as they enter the KGR largely in the form of acid mine drainage (AMD), are the geological substrate (mostly in carbonate form). Analysis of the soils showed high levels of contamination for As and Co in ppm. The mean maximum of As ranged from (5.00–170.30) with the highest level found in the Krugersdorp site. The mean maximum of Co ranged from (46.00–102.30) with the highest level found in MMG. All of these values were well above the recommended maximum acceptable concentration (MAC) values, i.e., As (15–20) and Co (20–50). The mean maximum values for Pb (12.40–92.30); Cu (18.50–115.30) and Hg (12.40–92.30) content in surface soils of all four segments studied falls well within the MAC range for agricultural soils i.e., Cu (60–150); Hg (0.5–5) and Pb (20–300).
Highlights
Krugersdorp Game Reserve (KGR) in the Gauteng Province of South Africa is one of the country’s most important wildlife parks in terms of the revenue it generates from tourism and related activities.The Reserve is juxtaposed to two major mining outfits, Mintails Mogale Gold (MMG) and RandMinerals 2020, 10, 151; doi:10.3390/min10020151 www.mdpi.com/journal/mineralsMinerals of 18 of environment an ideal setting for investigating the impact of mining and ore processing activities on the health(RU)of neighbouring wildlife and other nearby ecosystem components. an idealUranium at Krugersdorp, andcommunities, smallholdings (SH).This makes the total environmentKrugersdorp (26°6′0′′ 27°46′0′′ E), Figure1, referred to as Mogale
KGR, information regarding any on soil geochemistry is scarce [1]
This study reports on the distribution and concentration of heavy metals due to Rand Uranium (RU) and MMG mining activities in the Krugersdorp region and their migration to surrounding smallholdings and the KGR, focusing on cobalt (Co), mercury (Hg), aluminium (Al), zinc (Zn), copper (Cu), nickel (Ni), lead (Pb), cadmium (Cd) and arsenic (As)
Summary
Krugersdorp Game Reserve (KGR) in the Gauteng Province of South Africa is one of the country’s most important wildlife parks in terms of the revenue it generates from tourism and related activities. The Reserve is juxtaposed to two major mining outfits, Mintails Mogale Gold (MMG) and Rand. Minerals of 18 of environment an ideal setting for investigating the impact of mining and ore processing activities on the health(RU). Of neighbouring wildlife and other nearby ecosystem components.
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