Geoquimica e impacto ambiental do arsenio no Vale do Ribeira (SP-PR)

AUTOR(ES)
DATA DE PUBLICAÇÃO

1997

RESUMO

The sedimentary and volcanic rocks of the Ribeira Valley, in the Apiaf FoId Belt, host a variety of PbZn deposits, which were formed by singenetic (Perau-type) and epigenetic (Panelas-type) models. Long-term mining activities originated a toxic contamination by arsenic in the stream sediments of the Ribeira de Iguape river that drains the region. The purpose of this work was to determinate the geochemical behavior of arsenic in the genesis ore and subsequent supergenic alteration of the Pb-Zn ore bodies of the Ribeira Valley as well as in the stream sediments and surface water in areas adjacent to mineralized zones. The study of the arsenic-bearing minerais ore was carried out by conventional petrography, X-ray diffratometry and qualitative and quantitative analyses using scannig electron microscopy and electron microprobe. The chemical investigation of stream sediments, sediment columns, suface water and mining wastes was performed by using atomic absorption photo spectrometry. The results indicated the contamination of the stream sediments of the Ribeira de Iguape river for arsenic, mainly in sectors close to mining areas. The arsenic concentrations found in the younger sediments of the sediment columns is related to a problable anthropogenic 5ource. In addition, significants concentrations of arsenic, among other metais, were found in the mining and tailings wastes. The concentrations of arsenic in the Ribeira river water were below the recommended limits. The study of the primary ore revealed the presence of arsenic-bearing minerais such as arsenopyrite and the tennantite-tetrahedrite 50lid 5OlOOon, mainly in the Panelas deposit-type. In the supergenic zone comprises piromorphite and iron oxides as the most problable arsenic phases. The wheathered wallrocks are marked by a high correlation between As and P suggesting the existence of chemical restrictions for the liberation of arsenic to the environment. These data indicate that the contamination of the sediments for arsenic in the Ribeira Valley is associated with additional discharge of arsenic rich byproducts derived from the past mining activities in the region.

ASSUNTO(S)

geoquimica impacto ambiental arsenio

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