Jašová I., Ženišová Z. & Fľaková R., 2009: Contamination of surface and groundwater in abandoned Pernek mining area. Acta Geologica Slovaca, 1, 1, 39–46. (in Slovak with English summary)

Kontaminácia povrchových a podzemných vôd v oblasti opusteného ložiska Pernek

Contamination of surface and groundwater in abandoned Pernek mining area

Ivana Jašová, Zlatica Ženišová & Renáta Fľaková

Katedra hydrogeológie, Prírodovedecká fakulta, Univerzita Komenského v Bratislave, Mlynská dolina G, 842 15 Bratislava; jasova@fns.uniba.sk

Abstract

Pernek – Pezinok mining area is important Sb deposit in the Malé Karpaty Mts. Many dump piles and mine adits left abandoned when the mining activity had stopped. At the present time these become sources of the surface, groundwater, soils and stream sediments contamination. Arsenic and antimony are the trace elements transforming and accumulating in several natural components. Sulphid oxidation and silicate weathering are the main processes participating in surface and groundwater chemical composition. The antimony shows an elevated concentration ranging from 1 to 31 μg.l^-1 together with elevated concentrations of Ni, Zn, Fe and sulphates. The stream situated above dump piles is considered to be the site with background values which is confi rmed by a relatively low concentration of Fe, As, Sb, Ni and Zn. The highest concentration of As (0.005 mg.l^-1), Ni (189 μg.l^-1), Zn (161 μg.l^-1), Fe (6.94 mg.l^-1), Mn (0.655 mg.l^-1) and sulphates (488 mg.l^-1) was detected in the mine adit outflow (Pavol). The concentration of Sb was 0.014 mg.l^-1.

Key words: Pernek mining area, contamination of water, water quality, antimony, arsenic

Manuscript received: 2009-06-12

Revised version accepted: 2009-07-29