Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Particulate and Dissolved Trace Element Concentrations in Three Southern Ecuador Rivers Impacted by Artisanal Gold Mining

  • Published:
Water, Air, & Soil Pollution Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Water and sediment samples were collected along river transects at three artisanal gold mining areas in southern Ecuador: Nambija, Portovelo-Zaruma, and Ponce Enriquez. Samples were analyzed for a suite of major and trace elements, including filtered/unfiltered water samples and stream flow measurements to determine dissolved/particulate loads. Results show that the Q. Calixto, Calera, and Siete rivers (corresponding to Nambija, Portovelo-Zaruma, and Ponce Enriquez mining areas, respectively) have substantial trace element contamination due to mining inputs. Dissolved concentrations were elevated at Calera and Siete relative to Q. Calixto, possibly reflecting the input of soluble cyano-metal complexes in mining zones where cyanidation is used in ore processing. A negative correlation was found between MeHg:THg ratios and pH, indicating an inverse relationship of mercury methylation with cyanidation (since cyanidation increases water pH). This was the first comprehensive study to examine an extensive suite of trace elements in both water and sediment at the three main gold mining areas of southern Ecuador, including dissolved and particulate loads, and the first study to report MeHg concentrations in the mercury-contaminated rivers.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Fig. 1
Fig. 2
Fig. 3
Fig. 4
Fig. 5
Fig. 6
Fig. 7
Fig. 8
Fig. 9

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  • Appleton, J. D., Williams, T. M., Breward, N., Apostol, A., Miguel, J., & Miranda, C. (1999). Mercury contamination associated with artisanal gold mining on the island of Mindanao, the Philippines. Science of the Total Environment, 228(2–3), 95–109.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Appleton, J. D., Williams, T. M., Orbea, H., & Carrasco, M. (2001). Fluvial contamination associated with artisanal gold mining in the Ponce Enriquez, Portovelo-Zaruma and Nambija areas, Ecuador. Water, Air, and Soil Pollution, 131(1–4), 19–39.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Beisner, K., Naftz, D. L., Johnson, W. P., & Diaz, X. (2009). Selenium and trace element mobility affected by periodic displacement of stratification in the Great Salt Lake, Utah. Science of the Total Environment, 407(19), 5263–5273.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Benoit, J. M., Gilmour, C. C., Heyes, A., Mason, R. P., & Miller, C. L. (2003). Geochemical and biological controls over methylmercury production and degradation in aquatic ecosystems. In Y. Cai & O. C. Braids (Eds.), Biogeochemistry of environmentally important trace elements (Acs Symposium Series, Vol. 835, pp. 262–297). Washington: American Chemical Society.

    Chapter  Google Scholar 

  • Betancourt, O., Narvaez, A., & Roulet, M. (2005). Small-scale gold mining in the Puyango River Basin, southern Ecuador: a study of environmental impacts and human exposures. EcoHealth, 2(4), 323–332.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Cardenas, C., & Escarate, S. (2005). Con organizacion y responsabilidad construiremos nuestro futuro. Sistematizacion de la experiencia de explotacion minera de Bella Rica y Guananche Tres de Mayo. Quito: Centro Ecuatoriano de Derecho Ambiental (CEDA).

    Google Scholar 

  • Cordy, P., Veiga, M. M., Salih, I., Al-Saadi, S., Console, S., Garcia, O., et al. (2011). Mercury contamination from artisanal gold mining in Antioquia, Colombia: the world's highest per capita mercury pollution. Science of the Total Environment, 410–411, 154–160.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Dominique, Y., Muresan, B., Duran, R., Richard, S., & Boudou, A. (2007). Simulation of the chemical fate and bioavailability of liquid elemental mercury drops from gold mining in Amazonian freshwater systems. Environmental Science and Technology, 41(21), 7322–7329.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Dzombak, D. A., & Morel, F. M. M. (1990). Surface complexation modeling: hydrous ferric oxide. New York: Wiley.

    Google Scholar 

  • Fontbote, L., Vallance, J., Markowski, A., & Chiaradia, M. (2004). Oxidized gold skarns in the Nambija District, Ecuador. Society of Economic Geologists, Special Publication, 11, 341–357.

    Google Scholar 

  • Fuller, C. C., & Davis, J. A. (1989). Influence of coupling of sorption and photosynthetic processes on trace element cycles in natural waters. Nature, 340(6228), 52–54.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Gray, J. E., & Hines, M. E. (2009). Biogeochemical mercury methylation influenced by reservoir eutrophication, Salmon Falls Creek Reservoir, Idaho, USA. Chemical Geology, 258(3–4), 157–167.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Guimaraes, J. R. D., Betancourt, O., Miranda, M. R., Barriga, R., Cueva, E., & Betancourt, S. (2011). Long-range effect of cyanide on mercury methylation in a gold mining area in southern Ecuador. Science of the Total Environment, 409(23), 5026–5033.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Hiller, E., Lalinská, B., Chovan, M., Jurkovič, Ľ., Klimko, T., Jankulár, M., et al. (2012). Arsenic and antimony contamination of waters, stream sediments and soils in the vicinity of abandoned antimony mines in the Western Carpathians, Slovakia. Applied Geochemistry, 27(3), 598–614.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Hyun, S., Burns, P. E., Murarka, I., & Lee, L. S. (2006). Selenium(IV) and (VI) sorption by soils surrounding fly ash management facilities. Vadose Zone Journal, 5(4), 1110–1118.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Kerin, E. J., Gilmour, C. C., Roden, E., Suzuki, M. T., Coates, J. D., & Mason, R. P. (2006). Mercury methylation by dissimilatory iron-reducing bacteria. Applied and Environmental Microbiology, 72(12), 7919–7921.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Kyle, J. H., Breuer, P. L., Bunney, K. G., Pleysier, R., & May, P. M. (2011). Review of trace toxic elements (Pb, Cd, Hg, As, Sb, Bi, Se, Te) and their deportment in gold processing. Part 1: Mineralogy, aqueous chemistry and toxicity. Hydrometallurgy, 107(3–4), 91–100.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Lambertsson, L., & Nilsson, M. (2006). Organic material: the primary control on mercury methylation and ambient methyl mercury concentrations in estuarine sediments. Environmental Science and Technology, 40(6), 1822–1829.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Lovitz, S.B. (2006). Scales of responsible gold mining: overcoming barriers to cleaner artisanal mining in southern Ecuador. M.S. Thesis. Burlington: The University of Vermont.

  • Machesky, M. L. (1990). Influence of temperature on ion adsorption by hydrous metal oxides. In R. L. Bassett & D. C. Melchoir (Eds.), Chemical modeling of aqueous systems II (American Chemical Symposium Series, Vol. 416). Washington: American Chemical Society.

    Chapter  Google Scholar 

  • Mitchell, C. P. J., Branfireun, B. A., & Kolka, R. K. (2008). Spatial characteristics of net methylmercury production hot spots in peatlands. Environmental Science and Technology, 42(4), 1010–1016.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Parkhurst, D. L., & Appelo, C. A. J. (1999). User's guide to PHREEQC (Version 2)—a computer program for speciation, batch-reaction, one-dimensional transport, and inverse geochemical calculations. US Geological Survey, Water-Resources Investigation Report 99–4259.

  • Ramirez-Raquelme, M. E., Ramos, J. F. F., Angelica, R. S., & Brabo, E. S. (2003). Assessment of Hg-contamination in soils and stream sediments in the mineral district of Nambija, Ecuadorian Amazon (example of an impacted area affected by artisanal gold mining). Applied Geochemistry, 18(3), 371–381.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Tarras-Wahlberg, N. H. (2002). Environmental management of small-scale and artisanal mining: the Portovelo-Zaruma goldmining area, southern Ecuador. Journal of Environmental Management, 65(2), 165–179.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Tarras-Wahlberg, N. H., & Lane, S. N. (2003). Suspended sediment yield and metal contamination in a river catchment affected by El Nino events and gold mining activities: the Puyango river basin, southern Ecuador. Hydrological Processes, 17(15), 3101–3123.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Tarras-Wahlberg, N. H., Flachier, A., Fredriksson, G., Lane, S., Lundberg, N., & Sangfors, O. (2000). Environmental impact of small-scale and artisanal gold mining in southern Ecuador—implications for the setting of environmental standards and for the management of small-scale mining operations. Ambio, 29(8), 484–491.

    Google Scholar 

  • Tarras-Wahlberg, N. H., Flachier, A., Lane, S. N., & Sangfors, O. (2001). Environmental impacts and metal exposure of aquatic ecosystems in rivers contaminated by small scale gold mining: the Puyango River basin, southern Ecuador. Science of the Total Environment, 278(1–3), 239–261.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Taylor, H., Appleton, J. D., Lister, R., Smith, B., Chitamweba, D., Mkumbo, O., et al. (2005). Environmental assessment of mercury contamination from the Rwamagasa artisanal gold mining centre, Geita District, Tanzania. Science of the Total Environment, 343(1–3), 111–133.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • USEPA Method 1630: Methylmercury in water by distillation, aqueous ethylation, purge and trap, and CVAFS, January 2001.

  • USEPA Method 1631, Revision E: mercury in water by oxidation, purge and trap, and cold vapor atomic fluorescence spectrometry, August 2002.

  • USEPA Method 1669: Sampling ambient water for trace metals at EPA water quality criteria levels, July 1996.

  • Velasquez-Lopez, P. C., Veiga, M. M., & Hall, K. (2010). Mercury balance in amalgamation in artisanal and small-scale gold mining: identifying strategies for reducing environmental pollution in Portovelo-Zaruma, Ecuador. Journal of Cleaner Production, 18(3), 226–232.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Velasquez-Lopez, P. C., Veiga, M. M., Klein, B., Shandro, J. A., & Hall, K. (2011). Cyanidation of mercury-rich tailings in artisanal and small-scale gold mining: identifying strategies to manage environmental risks in Southern Ecuador. Journal of Cleaner Production, 19(9–10), 1125–1133.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Williams, T. M., Dunkley, P. N., Cruz, E., Acitimbay, V., Gaibor, A., Lopez, E., et al. (2000). Regional geochemical reconnaissance of the Cordillera Occidental of Ecuador: economic and environmental applications. Applied Geochemistry, 15(4), 531–550.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

Download references

Acknowledgments

This work was conducted under a project-scoping award (0964836) from the US National Science Foundation Office of International Science and Education. Any opinions, findings, and conclusions or recommendations expressed in this material are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the views of the National Science Foundation. We wish to thank Dr. Diósgrafo Chamba, former Executive Director of the Ecuadorian Agency of Regulation and Control for Mining (ARCOM), and the Ecuadorian National Institute of Research in Geology, Mining and Metallurgy (INIGEMM) for providing personnel for field work as well as vehicles and drivers for transportation to field sites. We also thank Met. Carlos Naranjo, Executive Director of the Ecuadorian National Institute of Meteorology and Hydrology (INAMHI) for providing personnel and equipment for flow measurements in the rivers. We thank Roberto Garcia for providing GIS maps of the study areas. We are grateful to the drivers and other field assistants for making this work possible and feasible, and to mine operators who allowed access to their property for sampling.

Author information

Author notes

  1. Gregory T. Carling

    Present address: Department of Geological Sciences, Brigham Young University, Provo, UT, USA

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Geology & Geophysics, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, UT, USA

    Gregory T. Carling, Eddy Pazmino, Abigail Rudd, Srinivas Merugu, Diego P. Fernandez & William P. Johnson

  2. Department of Extractive Metallurgy, Escuela Politécnica Nacional, Quito, Ecuador

    Ximena Diaz

  3. Instituto Nacional de Investigación Geológico Minero Metalúrgico, INIGEMM, Quito, Ecuador

    Marlon Ponce & Luis Nasimba

  4. Instituto Nacional de Meteorología e Hidrología, INAMHI, Quito, Ecuador

    Lester Perez

  5. Department of Mechanical Engineering, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, UT, USA

    Bruce K. Gale

Authors
  1. Gregory T. Carling
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Ximena Diaz
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. Marlon Ponce
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  4. Lester Perez
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  5. Luis Nasimba
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  6. Eddy Pazmino
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  7. Abigail Rudd
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  8. Srinivas Merugu
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  9. Diego P. Fernandez
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  10. Bruce K. Gale
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  11. William P. Johnson
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to William P. Johnson.

Electronic supplementary material

Below is the link to the electronic supplementary material.

ESM 1

(DOC 94 kb)

ESM 2

(XLS 56 kb)

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Carling, G.T., Diaz, X., Ponce, M. et al. Particulate and Dissolved Trace Element Concentrations in Three Southern Ecuador Rivers Impacted by Artisanal Gold Mining. Water Air Soil Pollut 224, 1415 (2013). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11270-012-1415-y

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11270-012-1415-y

Keywords

Search

Navigation