Predicting potential pollutant release from waste rock at the abandoned Beck mine (Karelia, Russia) by equilibrium kinetic modeling

Abstract

The Beck mine, located in the Republic of Karelia, Russia, is an abandoned mining site with significant potential for environmental contamination due to the presence of potential pollutants in its waste rocks. In this study, we investigated the chemical composition of mine waters and waste rocks and developed a theoretical model to understand waterrock interactions and the release of potential pollutants. Water samples collected from various locations on the Beck mine property were analyzed for chemical composition and showed low concentrations of total dissolved solids with pH values ranging from 6.42 to 7.74. The chemical composition of natural waters was determined by ICP-MS, ICP-AES, ion chromatography, potentiometric titration, and spectrophotometry. Equilibrium kinetic modeling was used to simulate water-rock interactions. The model predicted the concentrations of major and trace elements, demonstrating that dissolution-precipitation and complexation are the primary mechanisms shaping the chemical composition of mine waters. The dynamics of dissolution-precipitation of Fe-containing minerals highlighted the importance of the duration of water-rock interaction, with stagnant mine waters exhibiting higher concentrations of heavy metals. In addition, the presence of dissolved organic matter played a critical role in the accumulation of iron and arsenic in the studied mine waters. Overall, this study highlights the utility of equilibrium kinetic modeling in understanding the behavior of heavy metals during water-rock interactions and provides valuable insights into the potential environmental impacts of abandoned mine sites such as the Beck mine.

Keywords

• abandoned mine
• ore-rich area
• heavy metal contamination
• contaminant transport
• transport of toxic elements
• geochemical modeling
• historic mining site