Local Mining Research Articles

Tools and jewels: An analytical study of copper-alloy artefacts from Early Bronze Age Thasos, north Aegean

Thasos is an island in the north Aegean with a long tradition in mining and metallurgical production the emergence of which could be traced to the end of the Neolithic and the beginning of the Early Bronze Age (c. 3200 BCE). The current study is focused on copper alloy artefacts that were found in several Early Bronze Age settlements on the island to provide an understanding of how they were produced and utilised/consumed by their users. Application of laboratory instrumental techniques, namely compositional analysis by X-ray Fluorescence and metallography coupled by Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM/EDS) are used to illuminate our understanding of the methods utilised for their fabrication and the choice of certain alloys that were common during the Early Bronze Age. Results have revealed the predominance of arsenical copper fabricated by casting, followed by stages of hammering and annealing. A single example of a leaded copper object shows no parallels among the studied assemblage or other contemporary finds. The average arsenic contents of 2.9 wt% might be the result of accidental alloying of copper with arsenic-bearing copper minerals or indeed a conscious selection of mixed ores that contained both metals. Geological information is taken into consideration attempting to locate the possible sources of copper and arsenic-bearing minerals on the island that were potentially utilised as raw materials. Results point to the possible utilisation of fahlores (tennantite in particular) from a mining location close to Limenaria that could yield arsenical copper in a single stage smelting process. Considering the co-occurrence of arsenic and low silver contents in the fahlores from this location, they match well to the minute silver contents detected in two artefacts of the assemblage under study. Such preliminary findings are of special importance as they contribute to the ongoing discussion concerning the production of arsenical copper across the Aegean during the EBA.

Structural and functional heterogeneity of mineralized fibrocartilage at the Achilles tendon-bone insertion.

A demanding task of the musculoskeletal system is the attachment of tendon to bone at entheses. This region often presents a thin layer of fibrocartilage (FC), mineralized close to the bone and unmineralized close to the tendon. Mineralized FC deserves increased attention, owing to its crucial anchoring task and involvement in enthesis pathologies. Here, we analyzed mineralized FC and subchondral bone at the Achilles tendon-bone insertion of rats. This location features enthesis FC anchoring tendon to bone and sustaining tensile loads, and periosteal FC facilitating bone-tendon sliding with accompanying compressive and shear forces. Using a correlative multimodal investigation, we evaluated potential specificities in mineral content, fiber organization and mechanical properties of enthesis and periosteal FC. Both tissues had a lower degree of mineralization than subchondral bone, yet used the available mineral very efficiently: for the same local mineral content, they had higher stiffness and hardness than bone. We found that enthesis FC was characterized by highly aligned mineralized collagen fibers even far away from the attachment region, whereas periosteal FC had a rich variety of fiber arrangements. Except for an initial steep spatial gradient between unmineralized and mineralized FC, local mechanical properties were surprisingly uniform inside enthesis FC while a modulation in stiffness, independent from mineral content, was observed in periosteal FC. We interpreted these different structure-property relationships as a demonstration of the high versatility of FC, providing high strength at the insertion (to resist tensile loading) and a gradual compliance at the periosteal surface (to resist contact stresses). STATEMENT OF SIGNIFICANCE: Mineralized fibrocartilage (FC) at entheses facilitates the integration of tendon in bone, two strongly dissimilar tissues. We focus on the structure-function relationships of two types of mineralized FC, enthesis and periosteal, which have clearly distinct mechanical demands. By investigating them with multiple high-resolution methods in a correlative manner, we demonstrate differences in fiber architecture and mechanical properties between the two tissues, indicative of their mechanical roles. Our results are relevant both from a medical viewpoint, targeting a clinically relevant location, as well as from a material science perspective, identifying FC as high-performance versatile composite.

Evolution of Mining Company Responses to Civil Society Mobilization in South Africa

Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) and the social license to operate (SLO) are widespread global phenomena in mining-dependent countries. These self-regulated frameworks are used to ensure local ownership and as a response to conflict by mining companies. Over the past two decades, CSR in the mining industry has only been more prevalent in Africa and South Africa. Studies on CSR and SLO primarily focus on community perspectives. This paper interrogates how mining companies respond to civic social pressure by considering two cases that have experienced much conflict in South Africa. Based on eighteen in-depth interviews and an analysis of company and media reports, our case studies demonstrate that mining companies primarily use CSR and SLO to assert and maintain corporate control under the guise of promoting local ownership and sustainable mining. Such strategies provide temporary relief and gradually erode CSR and SLO’s legal and political imperatives.

Imagined futures in the context of the energy transition: A case study from the Central Highlands Region of Queensland, Australia

There is a growing recognition that global efforts to decarbonise energy systems pose significant risks to communities with local economies dominated by fossil fuel industries. Proactive and inclusive energy transition planning, sometimes referred to as a “just transition”, can mitigate some of these risks. However, recent studies in Australia have shown that the polarised discourse produced by the political “climate wars” continues to inhibit conversations about the future in some coal producing regions. This case study explores how social group identity dynamics affect local perceptions of the future in Blackwater, a metallurgical coal mining town in Queensland's Bowen Basin. Analysis of interviews suggest that community members see the local coal mining industry changing but not ending within the next two decades, and as such, conversations about the future of coal are neither highly relevant nor polarised. However, a risk remains that premature conversations about a local energy transition that are led by certain outgroups could reignite limiting “conflict ruts”. This paper draws on insights from social psychology and energy transition literature to outline steps that regional development planning processes can begin to integrate when considering the long-term future of communities with dominant fossil fuel industries. This approach focuses on sustaining local security and identity in place by addressing information asymmetries, building a broader “tent” of trusted actors in regional communities, and expanding the range of possibilities that can be imagined for the community's future.

Experimental study to reduce the emission of carbon dioxide from cement plants: a case study on Asiabar local mineral pozzolan

This study aims to optimize the local mineral pozzolan (Asiabar) weight fraction in concrete mixture. Four concrete mixtures by replacing the cement with 5, 10, 15, and 20% of pozzolan by weight were considered. The compressive, X-ray Diffraction Analysis (XRD), and Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM) tests have been used to examine the mechanical properties, microstructural analysis, and morphology of proposed concrete mixtures to evaluate the impact of using local mineral pozzolan. According to the results, the best replacement ratio of this pozzolan in the concrete is equal to 15% by weight of the cement, which enhances the strength by 24% compared to the ordinary cement concrete. The chemical reaction of pozzolan in the concrete binder reduced the content of portlandite and calcite. This pozzolan also decreased the number of pores and enhanced the integrity of the interfacial transition zone (ITZ) in the concrete compared to ordinary (Portland) cement concrete. Also, this pozzolan emits less CO2, 15.20 kg/m3, than ordinary cement concrete. Due to the effects of this pozzolan in Structural strengthening and reducing cement consumption in concrete, the study may introduce Asiabar mineral pozzolan as an environmentally friendly cement replacing agent with the potential to enhance the strength of concrete.

Evaluation of Rockburst Hazard Under Abandoned Mine Workings

Recalling the body of experience gathered in the collieries of the Upper Silesian Coal Basin, the increased risk of seismicity and rockburst occurrences in confined conditions including the exploitation of remnants were identified. This study investigates geomechanical aspects of longwall mining in the areas affected by old excavations aimed at relaxation of a multi-bed deposits within a thick coal seam or a group of seams. It is assumed that high-energy seismicity is another factor determining the rockburst hazard alongside the state of stress. A case study is recalled, describing a colliery where mining-induced seismic activity of a de-stressed coal seam remained at the level comparable to or higher than it was experienced in the de-stressed seam operations. An analytical model was used to study the stress state and potential loss of structural continuity of an undisturbed rock body surrounding the longwall panel being mined beneath or over the abandoned workings. Recalling the developed model of the system involving nonlinear functions demonstrating the existence of abandoned mine workings within the rock strata, computer simulations were performed to evaluate the rockburst hazards along the face area. Discussions of results are based on observations of immediate roof convergence and the vertical stress concentration factor at the longwall face zone. Computational data of the modelled mining situations demonstrates that despite using the de-stressing method of mining, the occurrence of events impacting on mine working beneath and over abandoned workings cannot be precluded. Here the scale of rockburst hazards is determined by local mining and geological conditions, such as the type and extent of abandoned workings, their age and vertical distance between them and the coal seam currently mined.

Wealth and poverty in mining Africa: migration, settlement and occupational change in Tanzania during the global mineral boom, 2002–2012

ABSTRACT This article interrogates place, process and people’s quest for enhanced welfare during the 2002–2012 global mineral price boom in northwest Tanzania. Mass in-migration of miners, traders and service providers generated diversified residential settlements. Processes of occupational change and urbanization, catalyzed by acquisition of employment, land, housing and other possessions at six contrasting mining locations were compared from a geo-social perspective. Our surveyed gold and diamond mining sites represented different manifestations of the mining trajectory namely: (1) artisanal rushes, (2) mature artisanal and (3) industrial mining. The article investigates who benefitted locationally and who lost in residents’ scrambles to gain improved living standards. Survey data on 216 household heads’ occupations, educational backgrounds, consumption and investments were collected, followed by construction of a household welfare index, revealing modest welfare improvements relative to rural consumption norms for the majority of interviewed resident households. However, in line with Picketty’s theoretical insights, extreme material inequality surfaced on the welfare spectrum between the outlier affluent and poor quintile groups. Those with higher educational attainment enjoyed superior welfare and occupational status, coalescing towards middle class formation. At the opposite end, single female-headed households stood out as extremely disadvantaged, handicapped by high child dependency ratios and occupational immobility.

Socio-economic baseline, economic feasibility study and processing activities ASGM in Obi Island, South Halmahera District, North Maluku Province, Indonesia

Artisanal and Small-Scale Gold Mining (ASGM) is mining of gold deposits with simple physical and chemical characteristics using simple equipment and technology. In 2005, total mercury release in the environment in ASGM was more than twice from this sector, around 35% of total mercury, with an annual estimate at 727 tons, becoming the largest global resource of anthropogenic mercury release. In Indonesia, total mercury released to the environment is estimated at 340 metric tons per year and also among the top 3 global emitters of mercury, with 57.5% from the ASGM sector, where 60% is being emitted to air, 20% to water, and the remaining 20% to land. The location of artisanal and small-scale gold mining (ASGM) in this study are in Anggai village and Air Mangga village in Obi sub-district, South Halmahera district, North Maluku Province. Amalgamation has been the preferred method for treating the gold ores in both Anggai and Air Mangga Villages. The methodology provides a suggested approach for collecting and analyzing data and guidance for analyzing policy, regulatory, and institutional aspects and health aspects in the ASGM sector, mainly covering the Socio Economy ASGM research methodology. An assessment of the practicality of a proposed plan or project is also called Feasibility Study. The objective of this research was to describe the socio-economic impact and feasibility of gold processing of ASGM in Obi Island, South Halmahera district, North Maluku Province.

An Analysis of the Relationship between Immigration and the Development of Resource-based Cities in China - Centered on Daqing and Yichun in Heilongjiang Province

The main objective of this article is to understand the restoration of Northeast China and the founding of the People's Republic of China, with the needs of national construction and economic development, the rich natural resources in Heilongjiang have been rapidly developed. At the same time, a large number of immigrants have poured into the local mining and forest areas due to the attraction of natural resources. When immigrants bring the advanced equipment and cultural customs of the place of immigration into the local area, they also bring a new look to the local development, rapid economic growth and continuous improvement of various infrastructure. Qualitative method is used to accomplish this research study. Through the exploration of the construction, development and migration relationship of the two typical resource-based cities, Daqing and Yichun, we can fully summarize the objective laws of the development of resource-based cities, which can provide theoretical value and practical significance for the revitalization of the old industrial base in Northeast China, the transformation of resource-based cities and the attraction of talents.

Frac Sand Facilities and Their Potential Effects on the Groundwater Resources of the Monahans-Mescalero Sand Ecosystem, Permian Basin, Texas

Up until the end of the oil and gas boom in 2014, much of the sand used in the Permian Basin for hydraulic fracturing was sourced from upper Midwest of the United States. Because of substantial cost savings, producers in the Permian Basin began using local sand resources, creating an associated boom in local frac-sand mining in the Monahans-Mescalaro Sand Ecosystem. By December 2018, 17 frac-sand operations had registered with the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality with 16 being operational with a cumulative annual capacity of 56.8 million tons and a self-reported 2,927 acres of disturbed land. We identified 230 production wells for the 16 facilities with depths ranging from 80 to 1,199 feet and most completed in the Pecos Valley Alluvium and/or Dockum aquifers. Estimated frac sand facility water use (10,000 to 40,000 acre-feet per year, based on 60 to 250 gallons of water consumed per ton of produced sand) rivals or exceeds that of water used in the four counties (Crane, Ector, Ward, and Winkler) with active frac sand facilities (23,500 acre-feet per year). Modeling suggests that long-term pumping of the unconfined Pecos Valley Aquifer may be a challenge requiring additional wells over time or the use of alternative water supplies. For the confined Dockum Aquifer, simulations suggest that pumping might completely deplete artesian pressure at the well field after 10 years.

Evaluation of gold (au) particle distribution in Grasberg mine material of Freeport Indonesia: fire assay approach

Freeport Indonesia is one of Freeport-McMoRan Copper & Gold Inc. affiliate companies. Freeport Indonesia conducted a series of mining and exploration processes for ore containing gold, silver, and copper. Grasberg is the mining location in PT Freeport, Indonesia. This research aimed to determine the distribution of gold (Au) particles in Grasberg rock samples with relatively high gold content. The method used for analyzing the gold content was Fire Assay. The research results indicated that the sample size affected the gold distribution in Grasberg Mine samples. An uneven distribution tendency of gold was observed in the distribution comparison of Splitter and Screen variations with normal Au content.

Evaluation of Controls on CV. Baren’s in Koya Koso Village The District Abepura Jayapura City Province Papua

Koya Koso mining is one of the group C exploration materials which will be exploitation where mining locations are in Papua Province which is located in Abepura District, Jayapura City, Papua Province with types of gamping materials. The concept of erosion control is a pattern of activity in effort to rehab and use damaged land due to mining activities carried out by the CV. Barend’s, namely excavation, charged, and environmental damage to land. In the principle of erosion control activities are carried out in several stages and the methods that can be used so that the results get better. The stages of evaluation control of erosion starting from soil conservation activities, the selection of land cover vegetation, control pH of soil, manufacturing of panting holes. And until the implementation of the evaluation of erosion control can be done accurately. Erosion control activities that have been planned to start from hoarding activities and replanting (revegetation) originally had links and function to rehab and utilize post-rection land in the company with an area of 1,9 Ha will cover with humus materials with a thickness of 2 m. After hoarding is completed, it will be continued with vegetation activities. For the total cost of the overall reclamation of RP. 15. 824.000; with the length of time reclamation work for approximately 2 moths 15 days.

Research on controlling gas overrun in a working face based on gob-side entry retaining by utilizing ventilation type “Y”

To determine the characteristics of air leakage concerning a “Y” type ventilation in gob-side entry retaining with roof cutting, pressure relief, and the law of a resulted gas accumulation (GA), research is conducted by employing the CFD simulation incorporated with the gauged parameters of working face (WF) mining to analyze the air leakage of “Y” type ventilation. For this purpose, the 1201 fully mechanized coal mining face in the south Wu mining location of the Daxing coal mine is taken as an illustrative example to study the air leakage in the “Y” type ventilation. So, the gas concentration (GC) issue surpassing the limit in the upper corner of the goaf was simulated. The results show that the goaf is formed into an open space when roof cutting and pressure relief technology along the goaf is implemented. The air pressure at the upper corner of the WF would be the lowest, which is only 1.12 Pa. The airflow of air leakage under a pressure difference would move from the gob-side entry retaining to the goaf. Moreover, the simulation of mine ventilation indicates that the volume of air leakage positively correlates with the length of gob-side entry retaining. When the WF is advanced 500 m ahead, the maximum volume of air leakage would reach 247 m3/min within the range of 500–1300 m, and then the rate of air leakage gradually would decrease. When the WF is advanced at 1300 m, the air leakage would become the smallest, which is 175 m3/min. When gas control is under consideration, the effect of gas extraction would be best with the buried pipe whose depth and diameter are set to 4.0 m and 400 mm, respectively. So, the GC in the upper corner would become 0.37%. After the high-level borehole with a 120 mm diameter is mined, the GC in the deep goaf decreased to 3.52%, and the GC at the upper corner became further reduced to 0.21%. While the high-level borehole gas is extracted by employing the extraction system of the high-concentration gas, the extraction system of low-concentration gas is utilized to extract the upper corner gas of the WF, thus, the problem of gas overrun was resolved satisfactorily. During the recovery period of the mining, the GC at each gauging point was less than 0.8%, which effectively guided the secure production in the Daxing coal mine and provided a theoretical foundation to control gas overrun during the mining process.

Additive Manufacturing of Porous Biominerals

AbstractNature fabricates hard functional materials from soft organic scaffolds that are mineralized. To enable an energy‐efficient locomotion of these creatures while maintaining their structural stability, nature often renders parts of these minerals porous. Unfortunately, methods to produce synthetic minerals with a similar degree of control over their multi length scale porous structure remain elusive. This level of control, however, would be required to design lightweight yet robust biominerals. Here, a room temperature process is presented that combines a localized mineralization with emulsion‐based 3D printing to form cm sized biominerals possessing pores whose diameters range from the 100 s of nm up to the mm length scale. The samples encompass up to 80 wt% of CaCO3 and display a specific compressive strength that is significantly higher than that of previously reported 3D printed porous biominerals and close to those of trabecular bones. The universality of this approach by forming different types of bioactive minerals, including calcite, aragonite, and brushite is demonstrated. The ability to 3D print these materials under benign conditions renders this energy‐efficient process well‐suited to construct cm‐sized lightweight yet load‐bearing structures that might find applications, for example, in the design of the next generation of flying or motile objects.

Mercury content in mining waste and its effect on the surrounding environment (Case study: Small-scale gold mining locations-West Sumbawa)

This study was conducted to determine the content of mercury in the flowing river around small-scale gold mines. Mining wastes from the run of mining are dumped into the watersheds and potentially contaminate the water and sediment in the watershed near the gold mining area. We analyzed the characteristics of the waste and the result was compared with the water quality standards (Environment Minister Decision No.202 of 2004 and Government Regulation No.82 of 2001) and sediment quality standard (the Canadian sediment quality guidelines for the threshold effect level (TEL) and probable effect level (PEL)). We found that wastewater from the gold mining areas was categorized in class IV. The mercury content in the sediment samples did not meet the standards of Canadian sediment quality guidelines for TEL. The content of mercury in the sediment samples from the gold mine site was very high. The sediment mercury samples had been settled for a long time around the watershed. The content of mercury in the mining location indicated that mercury had been contaminating the area around the small-scale gold mining.

Tracking ongoing transboundary marine distributional range shifts in the digital era

The digitalization of society is providing new opportunities to track spatio-temporal redistribution of species across national boundaries in near real-time. This is particularly interesting for marine species for which dynamics are difficult to monitor. We took advantage of the ongoing northward distributional range shift of the white grouper Epinephelus aeneus in Italy, Spain and France (Mediterranean Sea) to test the performance and complementarity of 4 emerging digital methods: (1) local ecological knowledge of recreational fishers actively collected using social media; (2) passive data mining of recreational fishing on social media; (3) Wikipedia page views; and (4) Google search volumes. We compared the temporal changes in maximum latitude of occurrence of the species from local ecological knowledge, passive data mining and traditional scientific knowledge and matched it with the thermal habitat of the species. Moreover, we compared the Wikipedia page views and Google search volumes to assess whether societal interest has a relationship with the distributional range shift of the species. Local ecological knowledge and passive data mining on social media complement traditional scientific knowledge, but are more sensitive as suggested by their significant relationship with the thermal habitat of the species. Wikipedia page views and Google search volumes were higher in Italy where the species is more common, but temporal trends within countries did not agree with changes in the distribution, and likely reflect local societal interest. Digital methodologies can complement traditional scientific knowledge with limited associated costs and with the additional ability to provide social insights for species on the move.

Natural carbon mineralization and its control on the geochemical evolution of coal-based aquifers in the Salt Range, Punjab, Pakistan.

Hydrochemical analysis of the Salt Range was conducted to understand carbon weathering and its impact on groundwater evolution within the complex geological framework of Punjab. Our results showed that groundwater samples were alkaline with a pH range of 7.0-8.6 and 7.8-8.8 for the eastern Salt Range (ESR) and Trans-Indus Salt Range (TSR), respectively, while that of the Central Salt Range (CSR) was acidic to moderately alkaline ranging between 5.7 and 7.5. The water types of Ca-Mg-HCO3, Ca-Mg-Cl, and Ca-Cl2 were the dominant hydro-chemical facies in ESR and CSR sites. However, groundwater of the TSR site falls under Ca-Mg-Cl, Ca-Cl2, and mixed types of Ca-Mg-SO4. Our new findings suggest that groundwater chemistry is primarily controlled by rock dominance and reverse ion exchange reaction, followed by evapotranspiration processes. The wells of ESR, CSR, and TSR were reported with higher levels of Fe and Zn. Regarding the suitability for irrigation, sodium adsorption ratio (SAR), magnesium adsorption ratio (MAR), sodium percentage (Na%), Kelley's ratio (KR), and potential salinity (PS) at all three sites (ESR, TSR, and CSR) had the potential to become a salinity hazard. The conceptual model of geochemical evolution shows that both local and regional salinization is driven by local geology and intensive coal mining activities. The neutralization capacity of the parent geological formation buffers the acidity and lowers the overall trace element enrichment. The potential of natural weathering could be further explored as a solution to coal mining's impact on the environment.

Radionuclide Concentration of Soil and Sediment in Gold-Mining Locations of Atakumosa-West Local Government, South-West Nigeria

This study determined the activity concentrations of ⁴⁰K, ²³²Th and ²³⁸U in the soil, and sedimentusing gamma spectroscopy. This is with a view to determining the impacts of the mining operations on concentration of radioactive elements in the environment. Soil and Sediment were collected from three gold mining locations of Atakumosa-west Local Government area of Osun State for a period of 12 months. The control site selected for the study is Tonkere village, about 13Km from the study site, in Ife North-Central Local Government area of the State. Collected samples were analysed using gamma spectrometer. The NaI detector used was properly calibrated using absolute gamma ray energy for easy identification of peaks in the gamma spectrum. Results obtained from Gamma spectroscopic analysis revealed higher concentration of the three primordial radionuclidewith ⁴⁰K having a generally high value in the locations 1 and 2 and increasing through the wet season while having lower values in the dry season. A similar trend was observed for ²³²Th and ²³⁸U whose recorded values were also higher in the wet season than in the dry season. Values recorded in all the samples were higher than world safe limits. Notably, similar results obtained for samples from control site were lower.

Superstack Nostalgia

The growth of industrial tourism and heritage has both fascinated and frustrated scholars of deindustrialization. Frequently, workers and class conflict are obscured in or expunged from the official narratives of industrial heritage. This article makes an original contribution to research on deindustrialization and industrial heritage through fieldwork in Sudbury, Ontario – a region that has seen a decades-long process of industrial restructuring. The article draws on 26 qualitative interviews with current and retired nickel miners and analyzes workers’ reflections on local mining history. It examines how workers understand the foreign takeover of the mines, job loss, and the transformation of Sudbury’s regional economy away from blue-collar industrial employment. The article then explores the growth of regional tourism based around the mining sector, looking particularly at Dynamic Earth, an attraction that teaches visitors about the history of nickel mining through guided tours of a closed mine. On the one hand, workers critique what they see as an obfuscation of class conflict in industrial heritage, while on the other hand, they experience these sites as confirmation of the historic contributions nickel miners have made to Sudbury and the surrounding region.

Spatial distribution, sources, and risk assessment of potentially toxic elements in cultivated soils using isotopic tracing techniques and Monte Carlo simulation

Potentially toxic elements (PTEs) in cultivated lands pose serious threats to the environment and human health. Therefore, improving the understanding of their distinct sources and environmental risks by integrating various methods is necessary. This study investigated the distribution, sources, and environmental risks of eight PTEs in cultivated soils in Lishui City, eastern China, using digital soil mapping, positive matrix factorisation (PMF), isotopic tracing, and Monte Carlo simulation. The results showed that Pb and Cd are the main pollutants, which posed higher ecological risks in the study area than the other PTEs. Natural, mining, traffic, and agricultural sources were identified as the four determinants of PTE accumulation via a PMF model combined with Pearson correlation analysis, showing that their contribution rates were 22.6 %, 45.7 %, 15.2 %, and 16.5 %, respectively. Stable isotope analysis further confirmed that local mining activities affected the HM accumulation. Additionally, non-carcinogenic and carcinogenic risk values for children were 3.18 % and 3.75 %, respectively, exceeding their acceptable levels. We also identified that mining activities were the most important sources of human health risks (55.7 % for adults and 58.6 % for children) via Monte Carlo simulations coupled with the PMF model. Overall, this study provides insights into the PTE pollution management and health risk control in cultivated soils.