[The distribution and natural degradation of cyanide in goldmine waste-solid and polluted soil]

Huan Jing Ke Xue. 2001 May;22(3):126-8.
[Article in Chinese]

Abstract

The farmland and river were seriously polluted by cyanide because one goldmine tailing dam collapsed in 1995. 3 and 4 years after the accident, the cyanide distribution in the polluted farmland and the abandoned tailing dam was studied. The results indicated that natural degradation of cyanide in soil section was slower than in natural water body. The cyanide transference in soil section was similar to freely soluble salts. In arid and semiarid area, cyanide can be highly enriched in the salt shell which content degrading 4 years even higher than the fresh tailing slurry. One side the viscidity layer in the soil section can partly prevent cyanide transference to groundwater, on the other side the result can cause the cyanide highly enrich in the viscidity layer. According to character of cyanide natural degradation in soil the measurement of prevention and cure soil pollution by goldmine tailing dam collapsing was brought forward.

MeSH terms

  • Cyanides / analysis*
  • Cyanides / chemistry
  • Gold*
  • Mining*
  • Soil / analysis*
  • Soil Pollutants / analysis*
  • Time Factors

Substances

  • Cyanides
  • Soil
  • Soil Pollutants
  • Gold