The Past Is Never Dead: Soil Pollution from Mining in the Copiapó River Basin (Northern Chile)
, Manuel Abad 2, Manuel Caraballo 3, Sebastián Ureta 4 and Francisco Ruiz 5,*Round 1
Reviewer 1 Report
Comments and Suggestions for AuthorsThe article provides interesting information on heavy metal levels in soils adjacent to mining operations, those currently used in agriculture, and tailings deposits, all of which are geographically located in the Copiapó River basin. The data presented is undoubtedly widely usable for other studies that may be derived from this report, some topics briefly explored in the communication.
Some details: correct "Cupper" in line 35 and eliminate the duplicate "sample" column in Table 1.
Regarding the content and analysis of the chemical reports, it is necessary to contextualize more about the geoaccumulation index, which is a widely used indicator to establish contamination but is not the only one. Likewise, it is recommended that readers from other fields obtain value from the correlation analysis by establishing a review of its interpretation, pointing out that negative correlations denote that one variable increases when the other decreases or positive correlations mean that one variable tends to increase its value when the other also increases. Correlations close to 0 are weaker than those close to -1 or +1.
Comments on the Quality of English LanguageThe manuscript has minor details in the writing that can be overcome.
Author Response
The article provides interesting information on heavy metal levels in soils adjacent to mining operations, those currently used in agriculture, and tailings deposits, all of which are geographically located in the Copiapó River basin. The data presented is undoubtedly widely usable for other studies that may be derived from this report, some topics briefly explored in the communication.
Some details: correct "Cupper" in line 35 and eliminate the duplicate "sample" column in Table 1.
Response. Corrected.
Regarding the content and analysis of the chemical reports, it is necessary to contextualize more about the geoaccumulation index, which is a widely used indicator to establish contamination but is not the only one. Likewise, it is recommended that readers from other fields obtain value from the correlation analysis by establishing a review of its interpretation, pointing out that negative correlations denote that one variable increases when the other decreases or positive correlations mean that one variable tends to increase its value when the other also increases. Correlations close to 0 are weaker than those close to -1 or +1.
Response. A new reference has been added as well as a new paragraph
Reviewer 2 Report
Comments and Suggestions for AuthorsThis article is well-written and presents the concentrations of Fe, S, As, Au, Co, Cu, Hg, Ni, Mn, and Zn in soils and tailings from Tierra Amarilla, located in northern Chile. By quantifying their presence in soils and mining tailings, professionals working in the field of degraded site restoration, as well as mining site managers, will be able to plan decontamination measures (bioremediation, phytoremediation, etc.) and soil rehabilitation efforts.
Comments on the Quality of English LanguageThe authors will need to make the following corrections to the article.
L24: 'The past is never dead. It's not even past', said the Nobel Prize in literature 1949 winner William Faulkner.
L35: Copper is extracted …..
L36 : significant amounts of Au, Ag, Hg, Fe or Zn, among other
The order should be : Ag, Au, Fe, Hg or Zn
L53: [14-16].
L53-54: These floods can inundate areas subject to intense degradation due to heavy extensive mining activities in this region.
L61: precious metals such as silver Ag or gold Au [20]
L62: This location can lead leads to a result in the partial redistribution of Hg-contaminated
L68-L69: large open-pit and underground copper Cu and gold Au mine, while Minera Carola is an underground copper Cu mine (Figure 1C).
L83: Igeo = log2Cn/1.5Bn
L100: Average zinc Zn contents
It is necessary to revise the formatting of article titles; the first letter should be lowercase.
L195 : Omatola, M.; Mpode, V.; Oluranti, O. Heavy metal pollution from gold mines: Environmental effects and bacterial strategies for resistance.
L198: Sediments as sentinels of pollution episodes in the middle estuary of the Tinto river
L247: Long-term effects of copper mine tailings on surrounding soils and sclerophyllous vegetation in central Chile.
L238 : Müller
Author Response
The authors will need to make the following corrections to the article.
L24: 'The past is never dead. It's not even past', said the Nobel Prize in literature 1949 winner William Faulkner.
L35: Copper is extracted …..
L36 : significant amounts of Au, Ag, Hg, Fe or Zn, among other
The order should be : Ag, Au, Fe, Hg or Zn
L53: [14-16].
L53-54: These floods can inundate areas subject to intense degradation due to heavy extensive mining activities in this region.
L61: precious metals such as silver Ag or gold Au [20]
L62: This location can lead leads to a result in the partial redistribution of Hg-contaminated
L68-L69: large open-pit and underground copper Cu and gold Au mine, while Minera Carola is an underground copper Cu mine (Figure 1C).
L83: Igeo = log2Cn/1.5Bn
L100: Average zinc Zn contents
Response. Corrected.
It is necessary to revise the formatting of article titles; the first letter should be lowercase.
L195 : Omatola, M.; Mpode, V.; Oluranti, O. Heavy metal pollution from gold mines: Environmental effects and bacterial strategies for resistance.
L198: Sediments as sentinels of pollution episodes in the middle estuary of the Tinto river
L247: Long-term effects of copper mine tailings on surrounding soils and sclerophyllous vegetation in central Chile.
L238 : Müller
Response. Corrected.
Reviewer 3 Report
Comments and Suggestions for AuthorsThe Manuscript ID: soilsystems-3174665 is an interesting contribution to anthropogenic inputs on the distribution of potentially toxic elements in soils. The communication is well organized and well written. Publication with minor revision is recommended. Nevertheless, I have the following comments that should be taken in consideration for manuscript revision:
§ - Correct this sentence: This location can lead leads to a partial redistribution of Hg-contaminated tailings due to …..
§ - Add this information in Table 1. Geochemical analysis of soils (A-1 to A-6 close 105 to Minera Candelaria; B-1 to B-10 close to the Minera Carola tailings) and tailings (T1 to T3 near Minera Carola).
§ - In the current format of Table 1 it is not necessary to repeat the sample number column.
Author Response
- - Correct this sentence: This location can lead leadsto a partial redistribution of Hg-contaminated tailings due to …..
- - Add this information in Table 1. Geochemical analysis of soils (A-1 to A-6close 105 to Minera Candelaria; B-1 to B-10 close to the Minera Carola tailings) and tailings (T1 to T3 near Minera Carola).
- - In the current format of Table 1 it is not necessary to repeat the sample number column
- Response: Sentence has been corrected and information has been added. Sample number column has been deleted.
