Ac a Mon anis ica Slo aca Volume 23 (2018), numbe 3, 337-345
337
Soil con amina ion by hea y me als a Libiola abandoned
coppe mine, I aly
Giuseppe Bucche i1, Pe e And áš1, Eme y Vajda2, Pa ol Midula1, Zuzana Melicho á1and Voj ech Di ne 3
Exploi a ion o o es has su ely ep esen ed a isk o con amina ion o en i onmen al ma ices o a long ime. This pape epo s he
esul s o a s udy conce ning soil con amina ion by hea y me als a Libiola abandoned coppe mine (I aly). This deposi has su ely go
special impo ance in I aly because o i s his o ical, en i onmen al and mining ea u es. F om a his o ical iewpoin , Libiola deposi was
known since Coppe Age, wi h maximum exploi a ion a he end o he 19 h cen u y. Ou in es iga ion plan was elabo a ed in o de o
cha ac e ize he en i onmen al ma ices he e, and i p o ided o inspec ion o he zones (included in he alley o G omolo s eam) which,
acco ding o ou p elimina y s udies and acco ding o li e a u e, could be mos a ec ed by pas mining ac i i y. Wi hin ou selec ed zones,
some soils (e en cul i a ed) we e collec ed in o de o check hei con amina ion by hea y me als. Resul s om he analysis o he collec ed
soil samples showed ha he con en o hea y me als o en exceeds limi s p o ided by he I alian Law 152/06. The knowledge o si ua ion
conce ning pollu ion can gi e use ul indica ions abou he in luence o mining ac i i ies on he su ounding en i onmen , and i can also be
alid suppo in o de o o ganize an op imal u u e use o he s udied mining a ea, which has been abandoned since i s closu e (1962).
Keywo ds: con amina ion, dump- ield, hea y me als, soil, pollu ion, abandoned mines.
In oduc ion
The abandoned Libiola sul ide o e deposi is loca ed in he alley o G omolo s eam, nea Ses i Le an e
(Ligu ia), and i is one o he se e al deposi s whose mine aliza ion is ela ed o Ju assic ophioli es (gabb os and
diabases, Va a Supe g oup) o No he n Apennine (Faccenna e al., 2001; Bucche i e al., 2014; And áš e al.,
2016). Su ace co e ed by mine is abou 4 km2, including mo e han 30 km o unde g ound passages plus
ex ensi e open-cu mines ha acili a e d ainage o ainwa e (Capello e al., 2016).
Libiola deposi may be classi ied as a s a a-bound olcanic-associa ed massi e sul ide deposi (VMS), and
i occu s bo h as massi e lens-shaped bodies which a e conco dan wi h pillow basal s and as sca e ed
mine aliza ion, done o small agg ega es o sul ides, ei he illing esicula ca i ies o conco dan wi h pillows’
ex u es (And áš e al., 2017). Libiola o e deposi was o med because o con ec i e ci cula ion o seawa e
h ough ho ocks a sp eading idges; he successi e me amo phic and ec onic p ocesses because o Apennine
o ogenesis, caused he o ma ion o his o e deposi (Sco , 1997). Sul ide mine aliza ion a Libiola a ea is
mainly associa ed o pillow basal s and basal ic b eccia and, subo dina ely, o se pen ini ic ocks o ophioli es o
In e nal Ligu ian Uni s belonging o he Supe g uppo della Val di Va a Uni (Fig. 1).
Acco ding o ex u e and se ing (And áš e al., 2017), we can dis inguish h ee ypes o mine aliza ion a
Libiola mine:
a) massi e mine aliza ion wi h py i e and chalcopy i e as s a a and len icula bodies in basal ic ocks;
b) mine aliza ion in s ockwo k- eins, no economically impo an , wi h py i e and chalcopy i e in pillow
la as;
c) sca e ed mine aliza ion consis ing o millime ic py i e c ys als inside a se pen ine (liza di e and
ch yso ile), chlo i e, and magne i e ma ix, in basal ic and se pen ini ic ocks ( ec onically o e lying
basal s).
The sul ide mine al assemblages consis o py i e and chalcopy i e, wi h mino sphale i e and py ho i e, in
a gangue o qua z, chlo i e, and mino o accesso y calci e in bo h massi e lenses and mine alized eins.
Dissemina ed mine aliza ions wi hin he se pen ini es consis almos exclusi ely o millime ic py i e c ys als
sca e ed in a se pen ine (liza di e and ch yso ile), chlo i e, and magne i e ma ix (Ma esco i e al., 2010).
A Libiola mines, oxides and hyd oxides show hemsel es as massi e c us s o a iable colo s om och e-
yellow o in ense ed (Ma esco i e al., 2010).
Ca-, Mg-, Al-, Fe-, Co- and Cu- sul a es show hemsel es as su ace e lo escences, which a e o med by
wa e e apo a ion o in e s i ial wa e o by p ecipi a ion o ci cula ing solu ions. Besides hyd oxides, sul a es,
and phyllosilica es, i is also possible o obse e some Cu- and Ca- ca bona es, cup i e, na i e coppe and
seconda y sul ides such as chalcan hi e.
1 Giuseppe Bucche i, Pe e And áš, Pa ol Midula, Facul y o Sciences, Ma ej Bel Uni e si y, Tajo ského 40, 974 01 Banská Bys ica,
Slo akia, giuseppe.bucche i@s uden i.umb.sk, pe e .a[email p o ec ed]k
2 Eme y Vajda, Edison Spa, Fo o Buonapa e 31, 20121 Milano, I aly
3 Voj ech Di ne , VŠB-Technical Uni e si y, 17. Lis opadu 15; 708 33 Os a a, Czech epublic
Giuseppe Bucche i, Pe e And áš, Eme y Vajda, Pa ol Midula, Zuzana Melicho á and Voj ech Di ne : Soil con amina ion by hea y
me als a Libiola abandoned coppe mine, I aly
338
Fig. 1. Geological ske ch map o Libiola mining a ea (Dinelli e al., 2007). Abou Ligu ian Domain, i includes bo h ec onic uni s de i ing
om he Ju assic oceanic li hosphe e (Ligu e-Piedmon oceanic basin) and hei sedimen a y co e s (Ju assic-Paleocene). The In e nal
Ligu ian Uni s ou c op be ween he no h-wes e n side o No he n Apennine and he sou he n bo de o he wes e n Alps. They a e di ided
( om he bo om) as i ollows: 1) a pe ido i ic basemen (mo e o less se pen inized ul a-ma i es) associa ed o gabb os; 2) a olcano-
sedimen a y complex, cha ac e ized by p esence o ec onic and sedimen a y ophioli ic b eccias, and massi e o pillow e usi e basal s a i s
bo om, and by a co e o ine oceanic sedimen s; 3) o bidi ic deposi s; 4) schis .
F om a his o ical iewpoin , Libiola mine is one o he mos ancien and impo an he i age o coppe
ex ac ion ac i i y in wes e n Eu ope, oge he wi h Mon e Lo e o mine (nea Cas iglione Chia a ese, Ligu ia).
Acco ding o adio-ca bon analysis on he disco e ed p e-his o ical ools, i s exca a ions a Libiola we e da ed
a ound 3500 B.C. (Ma esco i e al., 2018). Such es s es i y ea ly exploi a ion o i on and coppe om Ju assic
ophioli ic succession.
Ligu ians, he enemy o Romans, buil hei weapons wi h coppe coming om Libiola. Libiola mine was
also exploi ed du ing he Roman Age. A ound 1840, he in e es o mines go highe again because o unds
om Sa oia adminis a ion. Libiola mine was hus exploi ed a an indus ial le el (impo an en ichmen plan s
we e buil ), and his ac con ibu ed o he cancella ion o he mos ancien ex ac ion aces. Mining ac i i y
kep on lou ishing un il he i s hi y yea s o he 20 h cen u y, and i s maximum p oduc ion was achie ed a
he beginning o he 20 h cen u y (Bucche i e al., 2014).
A e he Second Wo ld Wa , mining ac i i y a Libiola ell in o a c isis. In 1955, a e i s passage o
Mon eca ini Socie y, his mine was closed, and hen i was abandoned (1962). Closu e o he mine le
a deg aded and pollu ed landscape. As a ma e o ac , such long exploi a ion le a conside able amoun o
was e as heaps wi hou ege a ion co e ing a o al a ea o ~ 500,000 m2. Mine was e is poo ly so ed, ei he
s e ile o mine alized ock agmen s, mainly se pen ini es and basal s, and seconda y mine al phases p oduced
by wea he ing (mainly Fe oxy-hyd oxides, b own- eddish-o ange in colo ) (Ma ini e al., 2003; Ma esco i e al.,
2010; Ca bone e al., 2005, 2013).
One o he mos in e es ing aspec s cha ac e izing Libiola mines is due o wa e lowing ou o he old
galle ies, which a e a ypical example o Acid Mine D ainage (AMD). O igina ed by oxida i e dissolu ion o
py i e, and subo dina ely o o he me al sul ides, as well as by p ocesses o mixing, dilu ion, and especially
neu aliza ion h ough wa e - ock in e ac ion, we can obse e wo dis inc g oups o wa e a Libiola: ed and
blue wa e , up o he colo o he deposi ed solid phases. Red wa e is acidic (pH 2.4 – 3.5), whe eas blue wa e
pH is close o neu al (And áš e al., 2017).
Libiola mining a ea is included in he hyd og aphic basin o G omolo s eam. I s pa h s a s abou 10 km
om he coas and debouches in Ma Ligu e, co e ing an a ea o abou 21 km2 (P o incia di Geno a, 2013).
The hyd og aphic ne wo k is asymme ic wi h espec o he main i e cou se. Dis ibu ion o i e s inside
he ne wo k is a he homogeneous. Among he mos impo an ibu a ies on he le bank, Rio Boeno and Rio
Ac a Mon anis ica Slo aca Volume 23 (2018), numbe 3, 337-345
339
Ca an a e he mos impo an ones om ou iewpoin because hey ep esen con luence poin s o mining
wa e s, con inuously coming om he no he n and he sou he n slopes o he mining a ea espec i ely.
Hyd ologic egime o he a ea including Libiola abandoned mine is e y a ec ed by mining ac i i ies. As
a ma e o ac , acid wa e is cons an ly lowing ou o he se e al galle ies (in pa icula in co espondence wi h
downwa d galle ies Ma ghe i a, Ida, Wei s, and Cas agna) and discha ged in o G omolo s eam, hus
ep esen ing a h ea o he su ounding en i onmen (Consani e al., 2017). This ea u e is due o he p esence
o an ex ended ne wo k o in e connec ed galle ies and wells, which acili a es d ainage o aining wa e . A
highe quo es, ex ended open exca a ions (showing a sink-like mo phology) a e mo eo e p esen : hey inc ease
d ainage o wa e and ep esen impo an a i icial basins o wa e collec ion (Bucche i e al., 2014).
P ecipi a ion o e ihyd i e and schwe manni e (Dinelli e al., 2001; As a e al., 2015) akes place upon
mixing be ween acid mine wa e s and su ace wa e s. Mos o hese solid phases emain in suspension in i e
wa e s. Al hough p ecipi a ion o hese mine als may sca enge some me als, i e wa e s a e hea ily pollu ed,
especially du ing he d y season, when hei low a e dec eases.
The end o mining ac i i y he e le many ques ions abou he p obable pollu ion o en i onmen al ma ices
he e and he ins abili y o exca a ions, galle ies, and dumps. The was e- ock dumps a e e y he e ogeneous
om mine alogical and geochemical iewpoin s, wi h signi ican la e al a ia ions and e ical he e ogenei y,
because dumps we e o med wi hin a pe iod o o e 50 yea s, du ing which di e en exploi a ion echniques
we e used, and se e al li ho ypes and economic mine als we e ex ac ed (bo h unde g ound and by open-ai
exca a ions). Was e ma e ials ha we e piled up du ing exploi a ion included bo h hos ocks and no economic
mine aliza ion de i ed om handpicking, milling and o he ea men s (Ma esco i e al., 2008).
Ma e ials and me hods
A e s udying pas li e a u e and a e inspec ing he in e es ed mining a ea, we could con ine ou la ges
in es iga ion a ea wi hin he hyd og aphic basin o G omolo s eam, s a ing om iden i ica ion o po en ial
dange cen e s p esen in he a ea.
Po en ial dange cen e s can be ela ed o: ex ac ion ac i i ies (i.e. mining exca a ions, discha ges o
acing deposi o o mining esea ch), mine al p ocessing (i.e. basins o mine s e iles, banks o ine es s,
s e iles om g a ime y) and p esence o di e en was e (i.e. eagen s used a plan s, oils, co e ings o de i us
wi h conc e e-asbes os).
In he case o Libiola mining a ea, p ima y con amina ion sou ces a e ep esen ed by dumps, exca a ions,
and galle ies. They can unde go e osion, powde s emission and solid anspo o soils and i e sedimen s as
well as in il a ion, pe cola ion and leaching, causing hyd o-geological ins abili y. Seconda y con amina ion
sou ces a e he e ep esen ed by hyd o-geological ins abili y and by soil (and sedimen s), which can mo e
pollu ion o su ace and g oundwa e (by solid anspo o in solu ion) and wind/a mosphe e (by he emission o
powde ).
A e iden i ying he possible pollu ing sou ces p esen in he a ea, we could also iden i y he po en ial
mig a ion pa hways o con aminan s om sou ces o a ge s, acco ding o ea u es o he sou ces hemsel es and
acco ding o geologic, hyd o-geologic and geomo phologic ea u es o he si e. I allowed us o build up
a p elimina y concep ual model (MCP).
We could hus ealize ou in es iga ion plan in o de o ob ain a co ec de ini ion o ea u es o dange
cen e s and quali y s a us o en i onmen al ma ices wi hin ou in es iga ion a ea. We decided o a “ easoned”
sampling s a egy (Fig. 2), hus based on knowledge o he si e i sel (mo phology, ype o ma e ials, ac i e
e osion, esul s o pas in es iga ions, e c.), which allowed us iden i ica ion o he mos ulne able a eas and he
mos p obable con amina ion sou ces. Sampling ope a ions we e documen ed by pic u es showing collec ing
poin s o each sample and he a ea in i s con ex . Each sample was iden i ied wi h uni ocal ini ials.
Soil and echno-soil samples (abou 10 kg in weigh ) we e collec ed by using manual ools down o
30-50 cm in dep h. Samples we e hen sa ed in labeled con aine s, a e aking ou ege able es s and oo s, ill
labo a o y analysis.
ICP-MS analyses o hea y me al con en in soil and echno-soil samples we e ca ied ou by ACME
Labo a o ies in Vancou e (Canada), s a ing om samples o 50 g in weigh . Samples we e homogenized and
d ied a labo a o y empe a u e. The g inding in aga e mill was ealized in he labo a o y o UMB, Banská
Bys ica (Slo ak Republic). We a e epo ing esul s in he ollowing pa ag aph (Tab. 1, 2).
Giuseppe Bucche i, Pe e And áš, Eme y Vajda, Pa ol Midula, Zuzana Melicho á and Voj ech Di ne : Soil con amina ion by hea y
me als a Libiola abandoned coppe mine, I aly
340
Fig. 2. Map wi h loca ion o sampling poin s a Libiola mining a ea.
Resul s and discussion
Table 1 epo s concen a ion alues conce ning soil and echno-soil samples collec ed a Libiola mining
si e, compa ed wi h I alian law limi s p o ided by he I alian Law 152/06 (Dec e o Legisla i o 3/4/2006, n. 152,
No me in ma e ia ambien ale).
Tab. 1. Concen a ion alues conce ning soil and echno-soil samples collec ed a Libiola mining si e, compa ed wi h I alian law limi s
p o ided by he I alian Law 152/06. Concen a ion alues exceeding he limi o esiden ial/public g een (A) a e ma ked, whe eas
concen a ion alues exceeding he limi o indus ial/comme cial si es (B) a e bo h ma ked and unde lined.
Soil
Sample
La i ude
Long
Cu
Pb
Zn
Ni
Co
As
Cd
Sb
V
C
B
G-1
44.299763
9.445048
1794
44
374
982
85
5
0.9
<3
75
961
36
G-2
44.299763
9.445048
1624
47
328
732
73
5
0.8
<3
65
752
36
G-3
44.299763
9.445048
1765
27
402
1115
101
4
1.1
<3
121
989
43
G-4
44.299763
9.445048
>10000
14
2851
574
87
3
5.3
<3
185
444
39
G-5
44.299763
9.445048
323
137
22
9
2
10
0.7
<3
231
86
<20
G-6
44.299763
9.445048
3343
40
219
18
7
110
1.0
<3
202
117
<20
G-7
44.303712
9.448071
>10000
476
354
308
34
266
<0.5
84
176
1121
<20
G-8
44.303712
9.448071
1383
38
113
32
10
12
0.8
<3
266
190
<20
G-9
44.281134
9.422246
284
55
228
560
49
5
<0.5
<3
53
530
31
G-10
44.280005
9.423046
820
189
288
196
51
3
<0.5
<3
191
274
29
G-11
44.276664
9.417445
371
98
177
488
39
8
<0.5
<3
43
475
30
G-12
44.273630
9.393970
448
32
189
435
38
6
<0.5
<3
73
455
36
Law limi A
[mg/kg]
120
100
150
120
20
20
2
10
90
150
2
Law limi B
[mg/kg]
600
1000
1500
500
250
50
15
30
250
800
10
Sample G-4 is a de i us con aining blue pa ina nea Ma ghe i a Galle y. I shows he highes alues o
coppe ( he e, in ac , chalcan hi e is p esen ) and zinc. Nickel also a li le exceeds limi B. Cobal , cadmium,
anadium and ch omium exceed limi A. Con en in cadmium in he sample G-4 could be due o he
simul aneous p esence o g eenocki e and sphale i e.
G-7 (sou he n dump, uppe laye , Fig. 3) shows, oge he wi h G-4, he highes alue as a as coppe is
conce ned. I also shows high alues as a as a senic (o e i e imes he allowed limi B), an imonium (almos
h ee imes) and ch omium a e conce ned. Abou he sample G-7, all elemen s a e shown in Table 1, also exceed
limi A (excep o cadmium).
We can also unde line ha ho izons o cul i a ed soil nea Ma ghe i a Galle y (G-1, G-2 e G-3) show
alues o e limi B as o coppe (almos h ee imes), nickel, ch omium (only G-2 shows a alue ha is a li le
lowe han he limi B) and bo on. Abou high alues in bo on (be ween h ee and ou imes he allowed limi
B), we mus emembe ha ophioli es (basal ic olcanic ocks which we e e up ed in he subma ine en i onmen
abou 150 million yea s ago and which a e p esen in he scaly clays) show high esis ance agains e osion in
Ac a Mon anis ica Slo aca Volume 23 (2018), numbe 3, 337-345
341
compa ison wi h clays. Du ing hei long geological s o y, la a lows we e ac u ed. Mine alized wa e s could
hus deposi on hem sal s wi h calcium, silicon, bo on, and aluminum: hus, se e al mine als could be o med,
also con aining bo on, i.e., da oli e - CaB(OH/SiO4), a silica e, associa ed o basic ophioli ic ocks, which is
o med by he ac ion o hyd o he mal luids con aining bo on.
We mus also unde line ha in samples G-1, G-2 e G-3 (collec ed unde an oli e ee), zinc and cobal also
exceed limi A (Law 152/06).
Fig. 3. Libiola sou he n dump.
G-5 (de i us om he dump, uppe laye ) is he leas con amina ed sample: only coppe , lead, and
anadium exceed limi A. No me al he e exceeds limi B.
Vanadium ( oge he wi h coppe ) exceeds limi B only in he sample G-8 (lowe laye , -50 cm, he sedimen
o he sou he n dump). As o G-8, cobal and ch omium exceed limi A.
Abou he sample G-6 (de i us om he dump, -50 cm), coppe (o e i e imes) and a senic (mo e han
wice) exceed limi B. Zinc, and anadium exceed limi A.
I we mo e away om he mining a ea o he sea, while ollowing G omolo s eam, he si ua ion seems
sa e , e en hough, in he sample G-10 (o og aphic le o G omolo s eam, along wi h P o incial S ee SP44),
coppe and bo on (almos h ee imes) exceed limi B. Abou G-10, lead, zinc, nickel, cobal , anadium, and
ch omium exceed limi s A.
The si ua ion o he sample G-9 (o og aphic igh o G omolo s eam, locali y Villa Sco za) esul s a li le
sa e , on he a e age, bu limi B o nickel shows low exceed. In G-9, coppe , zinc, cobal , and ch omium also
exceed limi A.
The sample G-11 (o og aphic igh o G omolo s eam, ia Fabb ica a Valle) shows a con en in bo on ha
is h ee imes highe han limi B (Law 152/06). Mo eo e , coppe , zinc, nickel, cobal , and ch omium also
exceed limi A. Limi A conce ning lead is almos eached he e.
Abou he sample G-12 (sedimen s a he mou h nea ho el “G ande Albe go”), coppe , zinc, nickel, cobal ,
and ch omium exceed limi A.
An in e es ing high concen a ion o bo on was ound in many samples. I could also be due o he p esence
o da oli e ( o be con i med by successi e analysis), a leas pa ially. Da oli e is a mine al ha we could mainly
ind in gabb o, and ha could also be easily ound in Ba gonasco Valley (i.e., Gallina ia mine and a o he
ou c ops), a pa allel and eas e n alley wi h espec o G omolo Valley. Though we canno exclude ha p esence
o da oli e a Libiola mining a ea could be esponsible o an inc ease o bo on con en in ou soil samples, we

Giuseppe Bucche i, Pe e And áš, Eme y Vajda, Pa ol Midula, Zuzana Melicho á and Voj ech Di ne : Soil con amina ion by hea y
me als a Libiola abandoned coppe mine, I aly
342
mus , he e o e, unde line ha di usion o da oli e in his mining a ea is no expec ed o be so la ge o jus i y
such a high con en in bo on.
I is also in e es ing o no ice ha a high concen a ion o bo on has been ound nea Ma ghe i a Galle y
and in soil samples collec ed ou o Libiola mining a ea ( ill he mou h o G omolo s eam, Ses i Le an e),
whe eas we couldn’ ind such a high bo on concen a ion in dump-soils and de i us om mining discha ge nea
Ma ghe i a Galle y. We ind in e es ing o deepen easons o such high concen a ion o bo on.
We also ocused ou a en ion on he no he n side o he mining a ea (Table 2), in he su oundings o he
main building. The e, soil samples G-13 o G-17 we e collec ed (Fig. 4). As o G-15, we also di e en ia ed soil
ho izons (A, B, C).
Tab. 2. Concen a ion alues conce ning soil and echno-soil samples collec ed a he no he n side o Libiola mining si e, compa ed wi h
I alian law limi s p o ided by he I alian Law 152/06. Concen a ion alues exceeding he limi o esiden ial/public g een (A) a e ma ked,
whe eas concen a ion alues exceeding he limi o indus ial/comme cial si es (B) a e bo h ma ked and unde lined.
Soil
Sample
La i ude
Long
Cu
Pb
Zn
Ni
Co
As
Cd
Sb
V
C
G-13
44.305623
9.448771
946
75
411
81
34
11
1,0
4,0
282
222
G-14
44.305701
9.448023
2992
17
228
511
62
7
9,5
0,6
139
702
G-15 A
44.305741
9.447636
>10000
49
606
1023
462
8
2,2
1,7
143
1118
G-15 B
44.305741
9.447636
>10000
70
691
908
541
15
2,7
3,1
151
830
G-15 C
44.305741
9.447636
7346
31
436
1115
197
12
1,4
1,9
99
1158
G-16
44.305833
9.447268
5639
34
435
714
109
9
3,6
4,8
142
1374
G-17
44.305775
9.446834
3239
114
265
668
82
15
0,5
7,7
196
1145
Law limi A
[mg/kg]
120
100
150
120
20
20
2
10
90
150
Law limi B
[mg/kg]
600
1000
1500
500
250
50
15
30
250
800
Fig. 4. Dumps on he no he n side o Libiola mining a ea.
Among hese samples, G-15 is he one showing he highes con amina ion because o coppe , nickel, cobal ,
ch omium, and zinc. I also shows a high concen a ion o anadium. High concen a ions o coppe , cobal ,
ch omium, and zinc can also be due o he p esence o a small c eek i e d aining a pa o he dump- ield and
lowing in a small channel ups eam o he main building (Fig. 5). As a ma e o ac , i joins Rio Boeno s eam
mo e o less whe e G-15 is loca ed. I could jus i y high concen a ions o coppe , cobal , ch omium, and zinc,
which, on he con a y, should dec ease wes wa ds om sample G-13 o sample G-17, as sampling poin s a e
a he om Rio Boeno s eam, wi h he consequence ha dilu ion could be expec ed.
Ac a Mon anis ica Slo aca Volume 23 (2018), numbe 3, 337-345
343
Fig. 5. Map ( om Google) ep esen ing he no he n side o Libiola mining a ea, also showing he loca ion o Wei s Galle y. The a ow
indica es wa e low om Wei s Galle y, h ough a small channel, in he di ec ion o he a ea whe e samples G-13 o G-17 we e collec ed
( ig. 4).
Wi h ega d o i , i is necessa y o unde line ha some pools o coppe cemen a ion we e p esen in he
su oundings o he main building in he pas : as a ma e o ac , some i on sha ings can be ound in he
su oundings o he a ea (p obably used o ac i a e oxido- educ ion p ocesses o wa e lowing ou om Wei s
Galle y). I is hus plausible ha de luxe in e es ing his a ea shows e y high concen a ions ha , wi hou pools,
can each Rio Boeno s eam and jus i y highe concen a ions in ha poin . Whe eas, in he pas , wa e lowing
ou om Wei s Galle y passed hough pools, nowadays his wa e di ec ly eaches Rio Boeno s eam.
G-16 shows high con amina ion o coppe , nickel, cobal , ch omium, zinc, and anadium. Coppe , nickel,
and ch omium exceed limi B. A li le bi be e si ua ion is shown by he sample G-17 as a as alues o e he
limi a e conce ned, wi h he di e ence ha in G-17 cadmium emains unde he h esholds p o ided by Law
152/06, whe eas lead shows he e highe con amina ion in compa ison wi h he sample G-16.
In he sample G-14, close o he main building, mos o he analyzed me als (especially coppe and nickel)
exceed. Zinc, cobal , cadmium, anadium, and ch omium exceed limi A (Law 152/06). I mus be no iced ha
G-14 shows he highes con en in cadmium among all analyzed samples.
In he sample G-13, coppe and anadium show high alues, whe eas nickel emains unde he h esholds
p o ided by Law 152/06. Zinc, cobal , and ch omium also exceed.
Conclusion
A e esul s om analysis o soils collec ed in Libiola mining a ea and a su oundings, we can obse e ha :
 The con en o hea y me als o en exceeds limi s p o ided by he I alian Law 152/06, and i is known ha
p esence o hea y me als a abandoned coppe mines, gi en by o e composi ion assemblage, can become a
e y impo an sou ce o con amina ion o he su ounding en i onmen . We mus easily no ice, o
example, ha sample G-12 (collec ed a he mou h o G omolo s eam) shows a con en in ch omium ha
exceeds h ee imes he limi alue p o ided by he I alian Law 152/06 o esiden ial houses/public g een.
 Sample G-7 is he only one in which an imonium exceeds acco ding o he I alian Law 152/06 (limi B) and
in which lead shows he mos impo an deal. In any case, i is easy o ob ain e y di e en alues when
soils a e collec ed om discha ge, e en wi hin small dis ances, because o he ex ao dina y i egula i y o
he dumps, whe e concen a ions o mine als a e connec ed o he se e al ex ac i e phases and he logis ic
poin s besides o he c ossed li ho ypes.
Giuseppe Bucche i, Pe e And áš, Eme y Vajda, Pa ol Midula, Zuzana Melicho á and Voj ech Di ne : Soil con amina ion by hea y
me als a Libiola abandoned coppe mine, I aly
344
 We s ill ind necessa y o in eg a e ou in es iga ion plan by including o he sampling poin s, in o de o
isola e anomalous composi ions om he “a e age” ones, also aking in o accoun ha soils collec ed
downs eam o he mining a ea show concen a ion ela ed o luids ha , a e in e ac ing wi h c ossed
ma e ials, anspo elemen s a away om he mine. Fu he mo e, anspo a ion capabili y o hese luids
depends on a) hei physical and chemical p ope ies, b) con ibu ion o addi ional wa e s eams no
in e ac ing wi h he mining a ea and c) seasonal luc ua ion o s eam lows. Addi ional sampling
campaigns will ha e o conside all hese a iables in o de o in es iga e be e he a ea and ela ed
dynamics.
 Abou concen a ion alues on he no he n dumps, G-15 is he one showing he highes con amina ion
because o coppe , nickel, cobal , ch omium, and zinc. A ca i y, ups eam o he main building, ac s as
a d ain o mine alized wa e s. As he leacha ed pa o he dump is a sou ce o me als in solu ions, we
should expec ha physical condi ions g adually change wes wa ds (pH, in pa icula , because o he
con luence wi h seconda y and neu al channels and because o in e ac ion wi h mo e neu al soils), causing
p ecipi a ion o pa o me als. On he con a y, in ou case, concen a ions show an anomalous end om
G-13 and G-17, because hey show a peak wi h he sample G-15. This anomalous end can be caused by
he p esence o a sou ce (i.e., he abo e men ioned small d ain), lowing in o Rio Boeno s eam, ha could
also collec (because o in il a ion) de luxe wa e om Wei s Galle y which, in he absence o he pools
ha we e used o cemen a ion o coppe , di ec ly low in o Rio Boeno s eam.
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