Environmental geochemistry of toxic heavy metals in soils around Sarcheshmeh porphyry copper mine smelter plant, Rafsanjan, Kerman, Iran

Abstract

The Sarcheshmeh copper mine smelter plant is one of the biggest copper producers in Iran. Long-time operation of about 25 years of the smelter plant causes release of potentially toxic heavy metals into the environment. In this paper, geochemical distribution of toxic heavy metals in 28 soil samples was evaluated around the Sarcheshmeh smelter plant. Soils developed over the nonmineralized and uncontaminated areas have an average background concentration of 41.25 mg kg−1 Cu, 26.6 mg kg−1 As, 12.7 mg kg−1 Pb, 0.9 mg kg−1 Sb, 1.9 mg kg−1 Mo, 1.7 mg kg−1 Sn, 0.2 mg kg−1 Cd, 0.15 mg kg−1 Bi, 235 mg kg−1 S and 73.4 mg kg−1 Zn, respectively. As a result of smelting process, the upper soil layers (0–5 cm) were polluted by Cu (>1,397 mg kg−1), Cd (>3.42 mg kg−1), S (>821 mg kg−1), Mo (>10.3 mg kg−1), Sb (>11.7 mg kg−1), As (>120.6 mg kg−1), Pb (>83.8 mg kg−1), Zn (>214.9 mg kg−1), and Sn (>3.7 mg kg−1), respectively. These values are much higher than the normal concentration of the elements in the uncontaminated soil layers. The elemental values decrease with distance travelled away of the smelter plant, especially at minimum wind direction. Furthermore, high contaminated values of Cu (8,430 mg kg−1), As (500 mg kg−1), Pb (331 mg kg−1), Mo (61 mg kg−1), Sb (56.2 mg kg−1), Zn (664 mg kg−1), Cd (17.2 mg kg−1), Bi (13.4 mg kg−1), and S (3,780 mg kg−1) were observed in the upper soil layers close to the smelting waste dumps. Sequential extraction analysis shows that about 270 mg kg−1 Cu, 28 mg kg−1 Pb, 50.33 mg kg−1 Zn, and 47.84 mg kg−1 As were adsorbed by Fe and Mn oxides. The carbonate phases include 151 mg kg−1 Cu, 28 mg kg−1 Pb, 25 mg kg−1 Zn, and 32.99 mg kg−1 As. Organic matter adsorbed 314.6 mg kg−1 Cu and 29.18 mg kg−1 Zn.