Temporal and spatial hydrogeochemical evolution and lead isotopic composition of a contaminated stream of Taxco, Guerrero, Mexico

Discharge of Acid Mine Drainage (AMD) produced within flooded mines is a major environmental issue in most polymetallic mining sites severely impacting nearby natural resources and producing a serious menace to the ecosystem and humans. The identification of both natural and anthropological factors...

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Main Authors: Natasha Mylena Quevedo-Castañón, Oscar Talavera Mendoza, Sergio Adrián Salgado-Souto, Joaquin Ruiz, Azucena Dótor-Almazán, Alejandro Hermelindo Ramírez-Guzmán, Laura Sampedro-Rosas, José Luis Rosas-Acevedo, José Daniel Chávez-González
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México 2020-03-01
Series:Revista Mexicana de Ciencias Geológicas
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Online Access:https://rmcg.unam.mx/index.php/rmcg/article/view/1087
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author Natasha Mylena Quevedo-Castañón
Oscar Talavera Mendoza
Sergio Adrián Salgado-Souto
Joaquin Ruiz
Azucena Dótor-Almazán
Alejandro Hermelindo Ramírez-Guzmán
Laura Sampedro-Rosas
José Luis Rosas-Acevedo
José Daniel Chávez-González
author_facet Natasha Mylena Quevedo-Castañón
Oscar Talavera Mendoza
Sergio Adrián Salgado-Souto
Joaquin Ruiz
Azucena Dótor-Almazán
Alejandro Hermelindo Ramírez-Guzmán
Laura Sampedro-Rosas
José Luis Rosas-Acevedo
José Daniel Chávez-González
author_sort Natasha Mylena Quevedo-Castañón
collection DOAJ
description Discharge of Acid Mine Drainage (AMD) produced within flooded mines is a major environmental issue in most polymetallic mining sites severely impacting nearby natural resources and producing a serious menace to the ecosystem and humans. The identification of both natural and anthropological factors influencing the bioavailability of toxic elements is relevant in revealing their behavior but also in the design of strategies for mitigating adverse effects to the environment. For these purposes, we carried out a spatial and seasonal hydrogeochemical (total and soluble contents) and a lead isotopic study of the AMD of the Xochula stream in the mining region of Taxco, Guerrero, in southern Mexico. The AMD is produced by the periodic discharge from the flooded Guerrero mine to the Xochula stream and is characterized by low to moderate pH, high sulfate, and high total and soluble metal contents. The AMD shows significant spatial but smaller temporal variations. Flow of AMD through a culvert made of concrete produces the most important chemical changes recorded regardless of the time of year significantly decreasing the electrical conductance and the concentration of total and soluble potentially toxic elements. Distribution of metals and As between dissolved and particulate-bound species is pH-controlled. Due to the short interaction time between the AMD and bedrock and the formation of coatings, lithology plays a minor role in neutralization, whereas mixing of AMD with freshwater is only significant in the less acidic segment of the stream. Neutralization of AMD entails a significant decrease of the concentration of both total and soluble metals and As and chemical speciation indicates that oxides, carbonates and sulfates are the reactive phases. The Pb isotopic composition reveals that metals derive from the Taxco ore deposit and that AMD is influenced by rocks of the Morelos and Taxco Schist formations.
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spelling doaj-art-2a9627acfeb24c4c9d8469d68981b5de2025-08-20T02:32:42ZengUniversidad Nacional Autónoma de MéxicoRevista Mexicana de Ciencias Geológicas1026-87742007-29022020-03-0137110.22201/cgeo.20072902e.2020.1.1087Temporal and spatial hydrogeochemical evolution and lead isotopic composition of a contaminated stream of Taxco, Guerrero, MexicoNatasha Mylena Quevedo-Castañón0Oscar Talavera Mendoza1Sergio Adrián Salgado-Souto2Joaquin Ruiz3Azucena Dótor-Almazán4Alejandro Hermelindo Ramírez-Guzmán5Laura Sampedro-Rosas6José Luis Rosas-Acevedo7José Daniel Chávez-González8Doctorado en Ciencias Ambientales,Centro de Ciencias de Desarrollo Regional, Universidad Autónoma de Guerrero, privada de Laurel No. 13, Col. El Roble, C.P. 39640, Acapulco, Gro., Mexico.Universidad Autónoma de GuerreroEscuela Superior de Ciencias de la Tierra, Universidad Autónoma de Guerrero, Exhacienda San Juan Bautista s/n, Taxco el Viejo, Guerrero, 40323, Mexico.Department of Geosciences, University of Arizona, 1040 East 4th Street, Tucson, Arizona 85721, USA.Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Instituto de Geofísica, Circuito de la Investigación S/N, C.U., Coyoacán, 04510, Ciudad de México, Mexico.Escuela Superior de Ciencias de la Tierra, Universidad Autónoma de Guerrero, Exhacienda San Juan Bautista s/n, Taxco el Viejo, Guerrero, 40323, Mexico.Doctorado en Ciencias Ambientales,Centro de Ciencias de Desarrollo Regional, Universidad Autónoma de Guerrero, privada de Laurel No. 13, Col. El Roble, C.P. 39640, Acapulco, Gro., Mexico.Doctorado en Ciencias Ambientales,Centro de Ciencias de Desarrollo Regional, Universidad Autónoma de Guerrero, privada de Laurel No. 13, Col. El Roble, C.P. 39640, Acapulco, Gro., Mexico.CINVESTAV Campus Irapuato, Instituto Politécnico Nacional, Km. 9.6 Libramiento Norte Carr. Irapuato-León, 36824, Irapuato, Guanajuato, Mexico. Discharge of Acid Mine Drainage (AMD) produced within flooded mines is a major environmental issue in most polymetallic mining sites severely impacting nearby natural resources and producing a serious menace to the ecosystem and humans. The identification of both natural and anthropological factors influencing the bioavailability of toxic elements is relevant in revealing their behavior but also in the design of strategies for mitigating adverse effects to the environment. For these purposes, we carried out a spatial and seasonal hydrogeochemical (total and soluble contents) and a lead isotopic study of the AMD of the Xochula stream in the mining region of Taxco, Guerrero, in southern Mexico. The AMD is produced by the periodic discharge from the flooded Guerrero mine to the Xochula stream and is characterized by low to moderate pH, high sulfate, and high total and soluble metal contents. The AMD shows significant spatial but smaller temporal variations. Flow of AMD through a culvert made of concrete produces the most important chemical changes recorded regardless of the time of year significantly decreasing the electrical conductance and the concentration of total and soluble potentially toxic elements. Distribution of metals and As between dissolved and particulate-bound species is pH-controlled. Due to the short interaction time between the AMD and bedrock and the formation of coatings, lithology plays a minor role in neutralization, whereas mixing of AMD with freshwater is only significant in the less acidic segment of the stream. Neutralization of AMD entails a significant decrease of the concentration of both total and soluble metals and As and chemical speciation indicates that oxides, carbonates and sulfates are the reactive phases. The Pb isotopic composition reveals that metals derive from the Taxco ore deposit and that AMD is influenced by rocks of the Morelos and Taxco Schist formations. https://rmcg.unam.mx/index.php/rmcg/article/view/1087acid rock drainageHydrochemistrychemical speciationlead isotopes
spellingShingle Natasha Mylena Quevedo-Castañón
Oscar Talavera Mendoza
Sergio Adrián Salgado-Souto
Joaquin Ruiz
Azucena Dótor-Almazán
Alejandro Hermelindo Ramírez-Guzmán
Laura Sampedro-Rosas
José Luis Rosas-Acevedo
José Daniel Chávez-González
Temporal and spatial hydrogeochemical evolution and lead isotopic composition of a contaminated stream of Taxco, Guerrero, Mexico
Revista Mexicana de Ciencias Geológicas
acid rock drainage
Hydrochemistry
chemical speciation
lead isotopes
title Temporal and spatial hydrogeochemical evolution and lead isotopic composition of a contaminated stream of Taxco, Guerrero, Mexico
title_full Temporal and spatial hydrogeochemical evolution and lead isotopic composition of a contaminated stream of Taxco, Guerrero, Mexico
title_fullStr Temporal and spatial hydrogeochemical evolution and lead isotopic composition of a contaminated stream of Taxco, Guerrero, Mexico
title_full_unstemmed Temporal and spatial hydrogeochemical evolution and lead isotopic composition of a contaminated stream of Taxco, Guerrero, Mexico
title_short Temporal and spatial hydrogeochemical evolution and lead isotopic composition of a contaminated stream of Taxco, Guerrero, Mexico
title_sort temporal and spatial hydrogeochemical evolution and lead isotopic composition of a contaminated stream of taxco guerrero mexico
topic acid rock drainage
Hydrochemistry
chemical speciation
lead isotopes
url https://rmcg.unam.mx/index.php/rmcg/article/view/1087
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