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. 2018 Feb;100(2):259-264.
doi: 10.1007/s00128-017-2213-4. Epub 2017 Nov 16.

Geo-Spatial Characterization of Soil Mercury and Arsenic at a High-Altitude Bolivian Gold Mine

Glen D Johnson  1 , Brian Pavilonis  2 , Jack Caravanos  3 , Jean Grassman  2
Affiliations

Geo-Spatial Characterization of Soil Mercury and Arsenic at a High-Altitude Bolivian Gold Mine

Glen D Johnson et al. Bull Environ Contam Toxicol. 2018 Feb.

Abstract

Soil mercury concentrations at a typical small-scale mine site in the Bolivian Andes were elevated (28-737 mg/kg or ppm) in localized areas where mercury amalgams were either formed or vaporized to release gold, but was not detectable beyond approximately 10 m from its sources. Arsenic was measurable, exceeding known background levels throughout the mine site (77-137,022 ppm), and was also measurable through the local village of Ingenio (36-1803 ppm). Although arsenic levels were high at all surveyed locations, its spatial pattern followed mercury, being highest where mercury was high.

Keywords: Arsenic; Artisanal and small-scale gold mining; Mercury; Soil metal contamination.

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