Distribution and Chemical Speciation of Molybdenum in River and Pond Sediments Affected by Mining Activity in Erdenet City, Mongolia

Tsetsgee Solongo; Keisuke Fukushi; Ochir Altansukh; Yoshio Takahashi; Akitoshi Akehi; Gankhurel Baasansuren; Yunden Ariuntungalag; Odgerel Enkhjin; Boldbaatar Davaajargal; Davaasuren Davaadorj; Noriko Hasebe

doi:10.3390/min8070288

Minerals (Jul 2018)

Distribution and Chemical Speciation of Molybdenum in River and Pond Sediments Affected by Mining Activity in Erdenet City, Mongolia

Tsetsgee Solongo,
Keisuke Fukushi,
Ochir Altansukh,
Yoshio Takahashi,
Akitoshi Akehi,
Gankhurel Baasansuren,
Yunden Ariuntungalag,
Odgerel Enkhjin,
Boldbaatar Davaajargal,
Davaasuren Davaadorj,
Noriko Hasebe

Affiliations

Tsetsgee Solongo: Division of Global Environmental Science and Engineering, Graduate School of Natural Science and Technology, Kanazawa University, Kanazawa, Ishikawa 920-1192, Japan
Keisuke Fukushi: Institute of Nature and Environmental Technology, Kanazawa University, Kanazawa, Ishikawa 920-1192, Japan
Ochir Altansukh: Department of Environment and Forest Engineering, School of Engineering and Applied Sciences, National University of Mongolia, Ulaanbaatar 14201, Mongolia
Yoshio Takahashi: Department of Earth and Planetary Science, Graduate School of Science, The University of Tokyo, Tokyo 113-0033, Japan
Akitoshi Akehi: Division of Global Environmental Science and Engineering, Graduate School of Natural Science and Technology, Kanazawa University, Kanazawa, Ishikawa 920-1192, Japan
Gankhurel Baasansuren: Division of Global Environmental Science and Engineering, Graduate School of Natural Science and Technology, Kanazawa University, Kanazawa, Ishikawa 920-1192, Japan
Yunden Ariuntungalag: Department of Environment and Forest Engineering, School of Engineering and Applied Sciences, National University of Mongolia, Ulaanbaatar 14201, Mongolia
Odgerel Enkhjin: Department of Environment and Forest Engineering, School of Engineering and Applied Sciences, National University of Mongolia, Ulaanbaatar 14201, Mongolia
Boldbaatar Davaajargal: Department of Environment and Forest Engineering, School of Engineering and Applied Sciences, National University of Mongolia, Ulaanbaatar 14201, Mongolia
Davaasuren Davaadorj: Department of Geography, School of Art & Sciences, The National University of Mongolia, Ulaanbaatar 210646, Mongolia
Noriko Hasebe: Institute of Nature and Environmental Technology, Kanazawa University, Kanazawa, Ishikawa 920-1192, Japan

DOI: https://doi.org/10.3390/min8070288
Journal volume & issue: Vol. 8, no. 7
p. 288

Abstract

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Rivers and ponds near the Erdenet mine, one of the world’s largest copper-molybdenum mines, exhibit high concentrations of molybdenum (Mo). This study evaluates the distribution and chemical speciation of Mo in surface sediments from ponds and rivers in Erdenet city to elucidate the mobility and solubility of Mo in the surface aquatic environments in the area. The waters and sediments were collected in two shallow ponds connected to the tailing pond and from three rivers flowing through Erdenet city. The distribution and chemical speciation of Mo in the sediments were examined using five-step sequential extraction and X-ray absorption fine structure (XAFS) analyses. The XAFS spectra of the sediments showed that large amounts of Mo in the sediments are molybdate or polymeric molybdate, weakly adsorbed onto ferrihydrite. Sequential extraction consistently showed a large amount of Mo distributed in the labile fractions. Results suggest that the surface sediments from ponds and rivers play a role as secondary contamination sources of Mo rather than as sinks of Mo in the area.

Published in Minerals

ISSN: 2075-163X (Online)
Publisher: MDPI AG
Country of publisher: Switzerland
LCC subjects: Science: Geology: Mineralogy
Website: https://www.mdpi.com/journal/minerals

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