Propuesta metodológica para la caracterización de un embalse minero mediante técnicas geofísicas y posterior contraste de resultados mediante ICP y DRX

Resumen

The present study was performed in the Marismillas water dam, in the Iberian Pyrite Belt, SW Spain. This reservoir receives water from the Tinto River, known by its historical high levels of contamination by AMD. Additionally to soluble pollutants, sulfates and metals in the form of particulate matter have been transported for decades. Consequently, today, Marismillas is clogged by the accumulation of sulfide-rich material from the RioTinto mines. An integrated sampling campaign was accomplished with the following objectives: i) to characterize the input waters; ii) to reveal horizons for preferential accumulation of metals, and iii) to propose a model of the clogging process. The aim of this study is to determine the horizons of accumulation of potential elements of economic interest in the dam Marismillas, and the modeling of silting of dams using geophysical techniques and subsequent contrast to mechanical drilling and recovery of witnesses for chemical and mineralogical analysis by ICP techniques and X-ray diffraction. Definitively, it is to determine the possible existence of a detectable pattern in the distribution of metal loads to optimize the exploration and subsequent prospecting.