Green liquor dregs as an alternative neutralizing agent at a pulp mill

Green liquor dregs is the biggest waste fraction at sulphate pulp mills. It is commonly landfilled. Here we demonstrate that the utilization of green liquor dregs as a neutralizing agent for acidic wastewaters is a potential alternative and an environmentally friendly method in contrast to its landfill disposal. The liming effect value of 39.6% for green liquor dregs, expressed as Ca equivalent, is similar to the liming effect value of 38% of a commercial limestone product. In addition, the pH value of 10.7 indicates a strong liming effect.     

Size-dependent characterisation of historical gold mine wastes to examine human pathways of exposure to arsenic and other potentially toxic elements

Abandoned historical gold mining wastes often exist as geographically extensive, unremediated, and poorly contained deposits that contain elevated levels of As and other potentially toxic elements (PTEs). One of the key variables governing human exposure to PTEs in mine waste is particle size. By applying a size-resolved approach to mine waste characterisation, this study reports on the proportions of mine waste relevant to human exposure and mobility, as well as their corresponding PTE concentrations, in four distinct historical mine wastes from the gold province in Central Victoria, Australia. To the best of our knowledge, such a detailed investigation and comparison of historical mining wastes has not been conducted in this mining-affected region. Mass distribution analysis revealed notable proportions of waste material in the readily ingestible size fraction (≤250 µm; 36.1–75.6 %) and the dust size fraction (≤100 µm; 5.9–45.6 %), suggesting a high potential for human exposure and dust mobilisation. Common to all mine waste types were statistically significant inverse trends between particle size and levels of As and Zn. Enrichment of As in the finest investigated size fraction (≤53 µm) is of particular concern as these particles are highly susceptible to long-distance atmospheric transport. Human populations that reside in the prevailing wind direction from a mine waste deposit may be at risk of As exposure via inhalation and/or ingestion pathways. Enrichment of PTEs in the finer size fractions indicates that human health risk assessments based on bulk contaminant concentrations may underestimate potential exposure intensities.     

Arsenic speciation and mobility in surface water at Lucky Shot Gold Mine, Alaska

Historical mining in Alaska has created a legacy of approximately 6,830 abandoned mine sites which include adits, tailing piles and contaminated land that continue to impact surface and groundwater quality through run-off and leaching of potentially toxic metals, especially arsenic (As). One such site is the Lucky Shot Gold Mine in Hatcher Pass, south-central Alaska, which operated from 1920 until 1942, mining gold-bearing quartz veins hosted in a Cretaceous tonalite intrusion. Arsenopyrite (FeAsS) and pyrite (FeS₂) present in the quartz veins contribute to elevated As levels in water draining, abandoned mine adits. As future underground mining at Lucky Shot may further adversely impact water quality, baseline geochemical studies were undertaken to assess As mobility in the vicinity of the mine adits. Water samples were collected from streams, adits and boreholes around the mine and analysed for major and minor elements using inductively coupled plasma-mass spectrometry (ICP-MS) and for anions by ion chromatography (IC). Arsenic species separation was performed in the field to determine the ratio of inorganic As(III)/As(V) using anion-exchange chromatography, following established methods. It was determined that water draining the adits had elevated levels of As roughly seventy times the United States Environmental Protection Agency Drinking Water Standard of 10?μg?L^?1, although this was rapidly diluted downstream in Craigie Creek to <2?μg?L^?1. Adit and surface water pH was circum-neutral and displayed no characteristics of acid mine drainage. Despite being well oxygenated, As(III) is the dominant As species in adit water, accounting for close to 100?% of total As. The proportion of As(V) increases downstream of the adits, as some As(III) is oxidized, but the speciation enhances arsenic mobility at the site. The δ¹⁸O measurements indicate that the water in the system has a short residence time as it is very similar to meteoric water, supporting the observation that the predominance of As(III) in adit water results from the lack of thermodynamical equilibrium being attained and preferential absorbance of As(V).     

Trace metal content in inhalable particulate matter (PM<Subscript>2.5–10</Subscript> and PM<Subscript>2.5</Subscript>) collected from historical mine waste deposits using a laboratory-based approach

Mine wastes and tailings are considered hazardous to human health because of their potential to generate large quantities of highly toxic emissions of particulate matter (PM). Human exposure to As and other trace metals in PM may occur via inhalation of airborne particulates or through ingestion of contaminated dust. This study describes a laboratory-based method for extracting PM_2.5–10 (coarse) and PM_2.5 (fine) particles from As-rich mine waste samples collected from an historical gold mining region in regional, Victoria, Australia. We also report on the trace metal and metalloid content of the coarse and fine fraction, with an emphasis on As as an element of potential concern. Laser diffraction analysis showed that the proportions of coarse and fine particles in the bulk samples ranged between 3.4–26.6 and 0.6–7.6 %, respectively. Arsenic concentrations were greater in the fine fraction (1680–26,100 mg kg^?1) compared with the coarse fraction (1210–22,000 mg kg^?1), and Co, Fe, Mn, Ni, Sb and Zn were found to be present in the fine fraction at levels around twice those occurring in the coarse. These results are of particular concern given that fine particles can accumulate in the human respiratory system. Our study demonstrates that mine wastes may be an important source of metal-enriched PM for mining communities.     

Biomonitoring of several toxic metal(loid)s in different biological matrices from environmentally and occupationally exposed populations from Panasqueira mine area,Portugal

In the Panasqueira mine area of central Portugal, some environmental media show higher metal(loid) concentrations when compared with the local geochemical background and the values proposed in the literature for these environmental media. In order to evaluate the effect of the external contamination on selected indexes of internal dose, As, Cd, Cu, Cr, Fe, Hg, Mg, Mn, Mo, Ni, Pb, S, Se, Si, and Zn were quantified by inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry and inductively coupled plasma optical emission spectrometry in blood, urine, hair and nail samples from individuals environmentally (N = 41) and occupationally exposed (N = 41). A matched control group (N = 40) was also studied, and data from the three groups were compared. Results obtained agreed with those reported by environmental studies performed in this area, pointing to populations living nearby and working in the mine being exposed to metal(loid)s originated from mining activities. Arsenic was the element with the highest increase in exposed populations. The concentration of other elements such as Cr, Mg, Mn, Mo, Ni, Pb, S, Se, and Zn was also increased, although at a lesser extent, specifically in the individuals environmentally exposed and in females. These findings confirm the need for competent authorities to act as soon as possible in this area and implement strategies aimed to protect exposed populations and the entire ecosystem.     

Assessment of human health risks from heavy metals in outdoor dust samples in a coal mining area

Jharia (India) a coal mining town has been affected by the consequences of mining and associated activities. Samples of outdoor fallen dust were collected at different locations of Jharia covering four different zones: commercial, petrol pump, high traffic, and residential areas. The dust samples were analysed for different trace elements (As, Cd, Co, Cr, Cu, Mn, Ni, Pb, Se, and Zn). The highest concentration of the elements in the dust samples are Mn (658 mg/kg), Zn (163.6 mg/kg), Cr (75.4 mg/kg), Pb (67.8 mg/kg), Ni (66 mg/kg), Cu (56.8 mg/kg), Co (16.9 mg/kg), As (4.1 mg/kg), and Cd (0.78 mg/kg). The concentration of selenium was below detection limit. Except Cd, contents of all the other elements in the dust samples were significantly lower in the residential area. High amount of Ni (145 mg/kg) and Pb (102 mg/kg) was observed in the high traffic and petrol pump areas, respectively. The exposure risk assessment strategies are helpful in predicting the potential health risk of the trace elements in the street dust. Selected receptors for risk assessment were infants, toddlers, children, teens, and adults. The calculated hazard quotient (HQ) for lifetime exposure was <1.0 for all the elements studied, indicating no risks from these elements for adults Among the receptors, toddlers were found to be more vulnerable, with HQ for Co, Cr, and Pb > 0.1. The finding predicts potential health risk to toddlers and children.     

Environmental geochemistry of the abandoned Mamut Copper Mine (Sabah) Malaysia

The Mamut Copper Mine (MCM) located in Sabah (Malaysia) on Borneo Island was the only Cu–Au mine that operated in the country. During its operation (1975–1999), the mine produced 2.47 Mt of concentrate containing approximately 600,000 t of Cu, 45 t of Au and 294 t of Ag, and generated about 250 Mt of overburden and waste rocks and over 150 Mt of tailings, which were deposited at the 397 ha Lohan tailings storage facility, 15.8 km from the mine and 980 m lower in altitude. The MCM site presents challenges for environmental rehabilitation due to the presence of large volumes of sulphidic minerals wastes, the very high rainfall and the large volume of polluted mine pit water. This indicates that rehabilitation and treatment is costly, as for example, exceedingly large quantities of lime are needed for neutralisation of the acidic mine pit discharge. The MCM site has several unusual geochemical features on account of the concomitant occurrence of acid-forming sulphide porphyry rocks and alkaline serpentinite minerals, and unique biological features because of the very high plant diversity in its immediate surroundings. The site hence provides a valuable opportunity for researching natural acid neutralisation processes and mine rehabilitation in tropical areas. Today, the MCM site is surrounded by protected nature reserves (Kinabalu Park, a World Heritage Site, and Bukit Hampuan, a Class I Forest Reserve), and the environmental legacy prevents de-gazetting and inclusion in these protected area in the foreseeable future. This article presents a preliminary geochemical investigation of waste rocks, sediments, secondary precipitates, surface water chemistry and foliar elemental uptake in ferns, and discusses these results in light of their environmental significance for rehabilitation.     

Health risk assessment through consumption of vegetables rich in heavy metals: the case study of the surrounding villages from Panasqueira mine,Central Portugal

Panasqueira mine is a tin–tungsten mineralization hosted by metasediments with quartz veins rich in ferberite. The mineralization also comprises wolframite, cassiterite, chalcopyrite, several sulfides, carbonates and silver sulfosalts. The mining and beneficiation processes produce arsenic-rich mine wastes laid up in huge tailings (Barroca Grande and Rio tailings). The contents of As, Cd, Cr, Cu, Pb and Zn were estimated in rhizosphere soils, irrigation waters, road dusts and in potatoes, cabbages, lettuces and beans, collected on local gardens of four neighborhood Panasqueira mine villages: S. Francisco de Assis (SFA) and Barroca suffering the influence of tailings; Unhais-o-Velho and Casegas considered as non-polluted areas. The mean concentrations of metals in rhizosphere soils and vegetables exceed the reference guidelines values and seem to be linked to the sulfides. The rhizosphere ecological risks were ranked in the order of Cd > As > Cu > Pb > Zn > Cr and SFA > Barroca > Casegas > Unhais-o-Velho. Metal concentrations, in vegetables, were found in the order of lettuce > cabbage > potatoes and SFA > Barroca > Casegas > Unhais-o-Velho. For cabbages and lettuces, the tendency of contamination is roots > leaves and for potatoes is roots > leaves > tubers. The risk for residents, due to ingesting of metals/metalloid, by consuming vegetables grown around the sampling area, was calculated and the result indicates that the inhabitants of these villages are probably exposed to some potential health risks through the intake of heavy metals and metalloids via consuming their vegetables.     

Arsenic partitioning among particle-size fractions of mine wastes and stream sediments from cinnabar mining districts

Tailings from abandoned mercury mines represent an important pollution source by metals and metalloids. Mercury mining in Asturias (north-western Spain) has been carried out since Roman times until the 1970s. Specific and non-specific arsenic minerals are present in the paragenesis of the Hg ore deposit. As a result of intensive mining operations, waste materials contain high concentrations of As, which can be geochemically dispersed throughout surrounding areas. Arsenic accumulation, mobility and availability in soils and sediments are strongly affected by the association of As with solid phases and granular size composition. The objective of this study was to examine phase associations of As in the fine grain size subsamples of mine wastes (La Soterraña mine site) and stream sediments heavily affected by acid mine drainage (Los Rueldos mine site). An arsenic-selective sequential procedure, which categorizes As content into seven phase associations, was applied. In spite of a higher As accumulation in the finest particle-size subsamples, As fractionation did not seem to depend on grain size since similar distribution profiles were obtained for the studied granulometric fractions. The presence of As was relatively low in the most mobile forms in both sites. As was predominantly linked to short-range ordered Fe oxyhydroxides, coprecipitated with Fe and partially with Al oxyhydroxides and associated with structural material in mine waste samples. As incorporated into short-range ordered Fe oxyhydroxides was the predominant fraction at sediment samples, representing more than 80 % of total As.     

Relative extraction ratio (RER) for arsenic and heavy metals in soils and tailings from various metal mines,Korea

This study focused on the evaluation of leaching behaviours for arsenic and heavy metals (Cd, Cu, Ni, Pb and Zn) in soils and tailings contaminated by mining activities. Ten representative mine soils were taken at four representative metal mines in Korea. To evaluate the leaching characteristics of the samples, eight extraction methods were adapted namely 0.1 M HCl, 0.5 M HCl, 1.0 M HCl, 3.0 M HCl, Korean Standard Leaching Procedure for waste materials (KSLP), Synthetic Precipitation Leaching Procedure (SPLP), Toxicity Characteristic Leaching Procedure (TCLP) and aqua regia extraction (AR) methods. In order to compare element concentrations as extraction methods, relative extraction ratios (RERs, %), defined as element concentration extracted by the individual leaching method divided by that extracted by aqua regia based on USEPA method 3050B, were calculated. Although the RER values can vary upon sample types and elements, they increase with increasing ionic strength of each extracting solution. Thus, the RER for arsenic and heavy metals in the samples increased in the order of KSLP < SPLP < TCLP < 0.1 M HCl < 0.5 M HCl < 1.0 M HCl < 3.0 M HCl. In the same extraction method, the RER values for Cd and Zn were relatively higher than those for As, Cu, Ni and Pb. This may be due to differences in geochemical behaviour of each element, namely high solubility of Cd and Zn and low solubility of As, Cu, Ni and Pb in surface environment. Thus, the extraction results can give important information on the degree and extent of arsenic and heavy metal dispersion in the surface environment.     

Aeolian erosion of storage piles yards: contribution of the surrounding areas

Dust emissions from stockpiles surfaces are often estimated applying mathematical models such as the widely used model proposed by the USEPA. It employs specific emission factors, which are based on the fluid flow patterns over the near surface. But, some of the emitted dust particles settle downstream the pile and can usually be re-emitted which creates a secondary source. The emission from the ground surface around a pile is actually not accounted for by the USEPA model but the method, based on the wind exposure and a reconstruction from different sources defined by the same wind exposure, is relevant. This work aims to quantify the contribution of dust re-emission from the areas surrounding the piles in the total emission of an open storage yard. Three angles of incidence of the incoming wind flow are investigated ( $30^{\circ }, 60^{\circ }$ and $90^{\circ }$ ). Results of friction velocity from numerical modelling of fluid dynamics were used in the USEPA model to determine dust emission. It was found that as the wind velocity increases, the contribution of particles re-emission from the ground area around the pile in the total emission also increases. The dust emission from the pile surface is higher for piles oriented $30^{\circ }$ to the wind direction. On the other hand, considering the ground area around the pile, the $60^{\circ }$ configuration is responsible for higher emission rates (up to 67 %). The global emissions assumed a minimum value for the piles oriented perpendicular to the wind direction for all wind velocity investigated.     

Effects of three low-molecular-weight organic acids (LMWOAs) and pH on the mobilization of arsenic and heavy metals (Cu, Pb, and Zn) from mine tailings

Natural organic acids may play an important role in influencing the mobility of toxic contaminants in the environment. The mobilization of arsenic (As) and heavy metals from an oxidized Pb–Zn mine tailings sample in the presence of three low-molecular-weight organic acids, aspartic acid, cysteine, and succinic acid, was investigated at a mass ratio of 10 mg organic additive/g mine tailings in this study. The effect of pH was also evaluated. The mine tailings sample, containing elevated levels of As (2,180 mg/kg), copper (Cu, 1,100 mg/kg), lead (Pb, 12,860 mg/kg), and zinc (Zn, 5,075 mg/kg), was collected from Bathurst, New Brunswick, Canada. It was found that the organic additives inhibited As and heavy metal mobilization under acidic conditions (at pH 3 or 5), but enhanced it under neutral to alkaline conditions (at pH above 7) through forming aqueous organic complexes. At pH 11, As, Cu, Pb, and Zn were mobilized mostly by the organic additives, 45, 46, 1,660, and 128 mg/kg by aspartic acid, 31, 28, 1,040, and 112 mg/kg by succinic acid, and 53, 38, 2,020, and 150 mg/kg by cysteine, respectively, whereas those by distilled water were 6, 16, 260, and 52 mg/kg, respectively. It was also found that the mobilization of As and the heavy metals was closely correlated, and both were closely correlated to Fe mobilization. Arsenic mobilization by the three LMWOAs was found to be consistent with the order of the stability of Fe–, Cu–, Pb–, and Zn–organic ligand complexes. The organic acids might be used potentially in the natural attenuation and remediation of As and heavy metal–contaminated sites.     

Dust emission calculations in open storage piles protected by means of barriers, CFD and experimental tests

The importance of open mineral storage piles in bulk solids port terminals have increased considerably in recent years in Europe and USA (in Spain, great extensions of transoceanic ports are being made) to address the increasing demand of raw material importation due to local mining operation closure. These storage piles are affected by the climatologically processes and the dust emission to the atmosphere, causing repercussions to health and environmental, which is intimately related to the air velocity, according to USEPA studies, maximum ratio of dust emission emitted from CFD and software Ansys CFX 10.0 is determined. In addition, an emission variability study based on the pile distance of different height solid barriers is developed, reducing the emission to 66%. The studies have been contrasted by published investigations and industrial measurement.     

“绿色贸易堡垒”与经济发展的“绿色通行证”

“绿色贸易堡垒”是国际贸易中非关税贸易堡垒重要的组成部分，它从保护环境的目的出发，在国际贸易中发挥着越来越重要的作用。文章通过对天津市现实状况的研究，提出克服绿色贸易堡垒，为天津市经济在入世后获得“绿色通行证”的对策建议。     

云浮黄铁矿废渣中铊的模拟淋滤试验

本文模拟广东地区酸雨的几种要素,分别对粤西云黄铁硫酸厂两种类型、两种粒径的废渣进行淋滤试验,考察废渣中的铊的释放规律,结果表明：粒径０．５－０．２５ｍｍ的炉底渣和沉灰渣分别在ＰＨ．１１和ＰＨ４．０２的硫酸介质中,铊的释放率最高。铊的释放率,滤出液的ＰＨ值与淋滤介质的ＰＨ值和离子强度密切相关。     

Chromium recovery from solid leather waste by chemical treatment and optimisation by response surface methodology

The leather industry uses conventional tanning methods which cause environmental pollution due mainly to the presence of chromium. This study suggests a treatment for solid leather waste containing chromium as an ecological alternative to the pollution generated by tanneries. The study uses an original approach to the optimisation of chromium recovery by mathematical and statistical treatment of the experimental data. Several factors that influence recovery, such as temperature, concentration, time and solid/liquid ratio through acid and basic hydrolysis were analysed with the aid of experimental design. Tanning liquor was obtained by adjusting pH, alkalinity and concentration when hydrolysis finished. An appropriate response surface model was constructed using alkaline hydrolysis experiments with sodium hydroxide, leading to conditions for maximum recovery of Cr₂O₃. The optimal NaOH concentration (1.58%), temperature (63.7 °C), time (3 h) and solid/liquid ratio (1/70 g·mL^?1) were established. The results indicate that sodium hydroxide as an hydrolysis agent is a highly efficient means of recovering chromium from solid leather waste in order to produce tanning liquor.     

Geochemical investigation of potentially harmful elements in household dust from a mercury-contaminated site,the town of Idrija (Slovenia)

A comprehensive geochemical investigation of potentially harmful elements (PHEs) in household dust from the town of Idrija (Slovenia), once a world-famous Hg mining town that is now seriously polluted, was performed for the first time. After aqua regia digestion, the content of mercury (Hg), arsenic (As), cadmium (Cd), cobalt (Co), chromium (Cr), copper (Cu), molybdenum (Mo), nickel (Ni), lead (Pb) and zinc (Zn) was measured. PHE-bearing particles were recognised and observed by scanning electron microscopy and energy-dispersive spectrometry before and after exposure to simulated stomach acid (SSA). Mercury binding forms were identified by Hg thermal desorption technique and gastric bioaccessible Hg was estimated after SSA extraction by ICP-MS. With regard to rural and urban background values for Slovenia, high Hg content (6–120 mg/kg) and slightly elevated As content (1–13 mg/kg) were found. Mercury pollution is a result of past mining and ore processing activities. Arsenic content is potentially associated with As enrichment in local soils. Four Hg binding forms were identified: all samples contained Hg bound to the dust matrix, 14 samples contained cinnabar, two samples contained metallic Hg (Hg⁰), and one sample assumingly contained mercury oxide. After exposure to SSA, Hg-bearing phases showed no signs of dissolution, while other PHE-bearing phases were significantly morphologically and/or chemically altered. Estimated gastric Hg bioaccessibility was low (<0.006–0.09 %), which is in accordance with identified Hg binding forms and high organic carbon content (15.9–31.5 %) in the dust samples.     

Distribution,geochemistry, and mineralogy of aerosols in the Angouran Mine area,northwest Iran

The Angouran Mine, located in northwest Iran, is the largest Zn–Pb producer in the Middle East. This study was designed to investigate the distribution, geochemistry, and mineralogy of the aerosols in the mining area and to assess their likely health impacts on the local residents. For this purpose, 36 aerosol samples were collected from 2014 to 2015 at nine sites located in mine district and upwind and downwind directions. The concentration of potentially toxic elements in the aerosols was determined using AAS instrument. Size, morphology, and mineralogy of the particles were studied using SEM and EDX spectra. The results indicate that the amount of total suspended particles in upwind, mine district, and downwind sites is 95.5, 463.4 and 287.5 µg/m³, respectively. The concentrations of PM_2.5 in the three locations are 8.9, 134.7, and 51.8 µg/m³, whereas the PM₁₀ contents are 2.9, 74.4, and 15.5 µg/m³, respectively. These observations point to the impact of mining activities on the concentration of aerosols in the local atmosphere. The values of air quality index also show the probable effects of the mining activities on the health of the local populations, especially for allergic peoples. The average concentration of Zn in the samples collected from the mining district (290 µg/kg) is much higher than its value in the upwind sites (27 µg/kg). The highest concentration of As (70 µg/kg), Cd (10 µg/kg), and Pb (3 µg/kg) is in downwind sites, which shows the negative impact of mining activities on the local air quality. Temporally, the highest concentration of the studied elements is recorded in spring season, especially for PM_2.5 collected in downwind stations. Based on the results of SEM and EDX spectra, three groups of minerals, i.e., carbonates, silicates, and sulfides, are present in the aerosol particles, confirming the local source for the aerosols. SEM analyses showed that the aerosol particles with dissimilar chemical composition have different morphologies such as irregular, rounded, elongated, and angular. On the basis of the results, the mining activities in the Angouran Zn–Pb Mine may have various short- and long-term consequences on the public health, especially due to high amount of the finer particles (PM_2.5) and the higher concentration of the potentially toxic elements in PM_2.5 which can penetrate into the lungs.

     

Stabilization of the As-contaminated soil from the metal mining areas in Korea

The stabilization efficiencies of arsenic (As) in contaminated soil were evaluated using various additives such as limestone, steel mill slag, granular ferric hydroxide (GFH), and mine sludge collected from an acid mine drainage treatment system. The soil samples were collected from the Chungyang area, where abandoned Au–Ag mines are located. Toxicity characteristic leaching procedure, synthetic precipitation leaching procedure, sequential extraction analysis, aqua regia digestion, cation exchange capacity, loss on ignition, and particle size distribution were conducted to assess the physical and chemical characteristics of highly arsenic-contaminated soils. The total concentrations of arsenic in the Chungyang area soil ranged up to 145 mg/kg. After the stabilization tests, the removal percentages of dissolved As(III) and As(V) were found to differ from the additives employed. Approximately 80 and 40% of the As(V) and As(III), respectively, were removed with the use of steel mill slag. The addition of limestone had a lesser effect on the removal of arsenic from solution. However, more than 99% of arsenic was removed from solution within 24 h when using GFH and mine sludge, with similar results observed when the contaminated soils were stabilized using GFH and mine sludge. These results suggested that GFH and mine sludge may play a significant role on the arsenic stabilization. Moreover, this result showed that mine sludge can be used as a suitable additive for the stabilization of arsenic.     

Geochemical disturbance of soil cover in the nonferrous mining centers of the Selenga River basin

The anthropogenic geochemical transformation of soil cover in large nonferrous mining centers of the Selenga River basin was assessed. The results of the geochemical survey of 2010–2012 revealed the spatial distribution patterns and abundances of 18 hazardous heavy metals and metalloids in the soils of Erdenet (Mongolia) and Zakamensk (Buryat republic, Russian Federation). In both cities, mining activities disturbed soil cover which accumulates Mo, Cu, As, Sb, W in Erdenet and Bi, W, Cd, Be, Pb, Mo, Sb in Zakamensk. Maximum accumulation of elements in Erdenet is restricted to the industrial zone. In Zakamensk, it has spread on ½ of the territory with the degree of multielemental pollution exceeding the extremely dangerous level by 16 times. The effect of mining centers on the state of the river system is local and does not spread to the Selenga River. Downstream from Erdenet, an artificial pool intercepts heavy metal and metalloid flows of the Erdenetii-Gol River. By contrast, downstream from the tailing dumps of the Dzhida tungsten–molybdenum plant the concentrations of ore elements W and Mo and their accessories Bi and Cd in the Modonkul River exceed background values by 146, 20, 57, and 21 times, respectively, decreasing by an order of magnitude 30 km downstream.