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Volume 14
Issue 7
10.3390/min14070652
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Article

Assessing an Abandoned Pyrite Cinder Deposit in Southeast Spain with Electrical Resistivity Tomography: A Case Study

by
Marco D. Vásconez-Maza
1,2,3,
Marcos A. Martínez-Segura
3,*,
Pedro Martínez-Pagán
3,
María C. Bueso
4,
Ximena Capa-Camacho
5,
Oussama Jabrane
6 and
Ángel Faz
5
1
British Geological Survey, Nottingham NG12 5GG, UK
2
CNRS, EPHE, UMR 7619 METIS, Sorbonne Université, 75005 Paris, France
3
Applied Near-Surface Geophysics Research Group, Departamento de Ingeniería Minera y Civil, Universidad Politécnica de Cartagena, Paseo Alfonso XIII 52, 30203 Cartagena, Spain
4
Departamento de Matemática Aplicada y Estadística, Universidad Politécnica de Cartagena, Dr. Fleming s/n, 30202 Cartagena, Spain
5
Sustainable Use, Management and Reclamation of Soil and Water Research Group, ETSIA, Universidad Politécnica de Cartagena, Paseo Alfonso XIII 48, 30203 Cartagena, Spain
6
SIGER Laboratory, Faculty of Science and Technology, Sidi Mohamed Ben Abdellah University, Fez BP2202, Morocco
*
Author to whom correspondence should be addressed.
Minerals 2024, 14(7), 652; https://doi.org/10.3390/min14070652
Submission received: 27 October 2023 / Revised: 5 June 2024 / Accepted: 19 June 2024 / Published: 26 June 2024
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Electrical Resistivity Imaging Applied to Mining Legacy Site)
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Abstract

Industrial activities have historically generated significant quantities of by-products, including pyrite cinders, a residue produced during the synthesis of sulphuric acid. This study presents a multidisciplinary approach to characterise an abandoned pyrite cinder deposit. Combining geophysical (electrical resistivity tomography—ERT), geochemical, and statistical methods, we assess the physicochemical properties of the deposit and its environmental implications. Our findings reveal the presence of heavy metals, with lead (7017.5 mg.kg−1) being the most concentrated element on the surface of the deposit, exceeding local legal thresholds by more than 163 times, posing environmental risks and inhibiting vegetation growth. Subsurface characterisation indicates a decreasing concentration trend of metals with depth, alongside variations in pH and electrical conductivity. Clustering analysis identifies groups of similar behaviours between resistivity, the most abundant heavy metals, and other variables, providing valuable insights into the complex interplay within the deposit. Our study underscores the importance of integrated approaches in assessing and managing hazardous waste sites, with implications for environmental remediation strategies.
Keywords: geophysics; ERT; pyrite cinders; lead; legacy waste management geophysics; ERT; pyrite cinders; lead; legacy waste management

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MDPI and ACS Style

Vásconez-Maza, M.D.; Martínez-Segura, M.A.; Martínez-Pagán, P.; Bueso, M.C.; Capa-Camacho, X.; Jabrane, O.; Faz, Á. Assessing an Abandoned Pyrite Cinder Deposit in Southeast Spain with Electrical Resistivity Tomography: A Case Study. Minerals 2024, 14, 652. https://doi.org/10.3390/min14070652

AMA Style

Vásconez-Maza MD, Martínez-Segura MA, Martínez-Pagán P, Bueso MC, Capa-Camacho X, Jabrane O, Faz Á. Assessing an Abandoned Pyrite Cinder Deposit in Southeast Spain with Electrical Resistivity Tomography: A Case Study. Minerals. 2024; 14(7):652. https://doi.org/10.3390/min14070652

Chicago/Turabian Style

Vásconez-Maza, Marco D., Marcos A. Martínez-Segura, Pedro Martínez-Pagán, María C. Bueso, Ximena Capa-Camacho, Oussama Jabrane, and Ángel Faz. 2024. "Assessing an Abandoned Pyrite Cinder Deposit in Southeast Spain with Electrical Resistivity Tomography: A Case Study" Minerals 14, no. 7: 652. https://doi.org/10.3390/min14070652

APA Style

Vásconez-Maza, M. D., Martínez-Segura, M. A., Martínez-Pagán, P., Bueso, M. C., Capa-Camacho, X., Jabrane, O., & Faz, Á. (2024). Assessing an Abandoned Pyrite Cinder Deposit in Southeast Spain with Electrical Resistivity Tomography: A Case Study. Minerals, 14(7), 652. https://doi.org/10.3390/min14070652

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