Distinguishing potential sources of arsenic released to groundwater around a fault zone containing a mine site

Arsenic (As) contamination in groundwater in mineralized areas typically results from the oxidation of As-rich sulfide minerals in aquifers, from hydrothermal alteration of geothermal systems, or as a result of anthropogenic influences such as mining activity. The primary goal of this study was to determine the spatial and temporal variance in As concentrations in shallow groundwater in a mineralized area and to identify the main As source controlling the concentration patterns. To this end, a combination of a geostatistical technique for space–time modeling of As concentrations and a numerical simulation, which models the transport of As in groundwater, is implemented. A study site in North Sulawesi, Sulawesi Island, Indonesia was selected as it was suitable for investigating the importance of fault lines and metal mining on As contamination. Initially, stable isotope analysis was used to ascertain the groundwater source and the mixing mechanism of the shallow and deep groundwater. Geostatistical modeling revealed consistent general patterns of As concentrations during the past 10 years, with high concentrations found along a NW–SE axis. By matching the geostatistical results with the distributions of As concentrations obtained through transport modeling, the deep-seated hydrothermal system along the fault zone was found to be the major As source. Wastewater from the mine was also observed to be a local As source. Another important influence on the As concentration pattern was a river, which acted as a boundary to separate the groundwater systems into two regions.