The Role of the Minerals in Komsomolsk Tin-ore District Slurry and Drainage Water's Formation, and their Negative Impact on the Ecosphere

The report describes slurry and drainage water's characteristics and shows the conditions of their formation in the technogenic system of the Komsomolsky Tin-ore District, Russian Far East. The investigation was conducted using environmental monitoring, and physico-chemical modeling method in the Selektor software complex. In a wide ambient temperature range (from minus 25 to 45 °С) the Eh-pH parameters of micropore solutions, which form technogenic (anthropogenic) waters at various host-rock – sulfide ratios (95:5, 50:50, 5:95), were determined. Depends on the primary ores and host rocks composition ionic and molecular composition of technogenic waters, as well as association of crystallized hypergene (supergene) minerals were established.

The negative impact of slurry and drainage water on the hydrosphere and the health of the region's population is shown. Following to environmental monitoring, the content of dissolved metals exceeds background concentrations (times): slurry waters, Zn – up to 385000, Fe – 24253, Cu – 26230, Pb – 1703, Al – 915, Ca – 44766, Mg – 100285; drainage waters, Zn – up to 38200, Fe – 921, Cu – 768, Pb – 1470, Al – 253, Ca – 78133, Mg – 60557. Modeling reveals, that from saturated technogenic waters, Fe, Cu, Zn, Pb, Al, Ca, Mg, K, and Na minerals of the following classes precipitate: oxides and hydroxides, sulfates, carbonates, arsenates, phosphates, and silicates. The tendency of double growth for 24 types of digestive, respiratory, and nervous system diseases during the period from 1991 to 2001 has been noted, moreover, the morbidity rate of children significantly exceeds that of adults.