IMPACT OF COPPER-ZINC SULPHIDE ORES MINING ON WATER QUALITY IN UZELGA RIVER (SOUTH URAL, RUSSIA)

References: 17th International Multidisciplinary Scientific GeoConference SGEM 2017, www.sgem.org, SGEM2017 Conference Proceedings, ISBN 978-619-7408-09-6 / ISSN 1314-2704, 29 June - 5 July, 2017, Vol. 17, Issue 52, 493-498 pp, DOI: 10.5593/sgem2017/52/S20.063

ABSTRACT

The paper deals with the impact of mining near Uchaly city, Russia, on water quality in Uzelga River. Three deposits of copper-zinc sulphide ores are developed by underground mining. There is a quarry, a slime storage pond, a mining waste dump. The quarry was partly reclaimed in 1990s. At present the quarry receives water from two new deposits. Wastewater treatment plant operates in the mine. But the wastewater treatment plant does not provide standard water quality indices. The anthropogenic development of the territory disturbed the river’s natural water hydrological regime. One part of the river was made into a drainage channel used for discharging mine water, and it greatly reduced the length of the river. The mine has a neutralization station where water is neutralized by lime cream, after that the water goes to the slime storage pond, where it is settled. The treated water from the pond is discharged into Uzelga River. The current paper studies water quality in Uzelga River. 22 physicochemical water quality indices were identified. The indices were identified on the monthly basis during 3 years. High concentration of Mn, Cu, Zn, SO4–2 was discovered in the river water. To assess the mine’s impact on the natural river water in Uzelga River the water pollution index (WPI) and specific combinatorial water pollution index (SCWPI) were calculated from the experimental data of 2012–2014. The results obtained on the basis of SCWPI and WPI are similar. The research showed that water in Uzelga River might be classified as “very dirty water” and “extremely dirty water” according to the SCWPI.

Keywords: mine, copper-zinc sulphide ores, river water quality, specific combinatorial water pollution index (SCWPI), water pollution index (WPI)