Evaluation of heavy metals in soil : a case study of platinum tailing dam site

Abstract

Mining industry has been identified as the main sustenance of the South African economy, however the negative impacts of the industry on the ecological systems cannot be over emphasized due to the released waste which is mostly heavy metals into the environment. The study evaluated six heavy metal (A1, Cu, Fe, Ni, Pb and Cr) contents in a tailings dam from a specific mine site. Two sets of samples for the investigation were measured, that is, one in year 2012 and the other in year 2013. In the year 2012, the sample set was only taken at a distance profile of 500 meters from the foot of the dam, whereas the sample set taken in the year 2013 was for the 500 and 1500 meter distance profiles from the foot of the dam. The year 2012 and 2013 sample sets for the 500m distance profile were sampled very similarly to each other. A kilogram of each sample was taken as per grid format. The samples at varied depths were taken at 0-cm depth for the top layer, 20cm depth for the second layer, and 30cm depth for the third layer. The samples for the surface varied distance were taken at 1 m, 2m, 3m, and 4m away from each 500m and 1500 sampling points. The 2012 samples were analysed using characterization methods namely ICP MS and The 2013 samples were analysed using the ICP OES. The comparison of the field results for the six heavy metals studied (A1, Fe, Pb, Cu, Ni and Cr) was performed using statistical analytical methods, namely ANOVA. The statistical analysis results for heavy metals (A1, Fe, Pb, Cu, Ni and Cr) from sample and 2013 revealed that the group means are not significantly different from each other which means that there is no significant difference in (A1, Fe, Pb, Cu, Ni and Cr) concentrations with respect to both depth and distance. The observations from both 2012 and 2013 indicate the results of the samples are in agreement. In addition, the comparative average concentrations of the three results obtained reach the same conclusion that the tailing dam probably does not introduce considerable or significant amounts of these metals (A1, Fe, Pb, Cu, Ni and Cr) into the surrounding soils.