Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Lead, zinc, and antimony contamination of the Rio Chilco-Rio Tupiza drainage system, Southern Bolivia

  • Original Article
  • Published:
Environmental Geology

Abstract

An intense, but localized rainfall event in February 2003, led to the severe erosion and failure of a tailings disposal impoundment at the Abarόa Antimony Mine in southern Bolivia. The failure released approximately 5,500 m3 of contaminated tailings into the Rio Chilco-Rio Tupiza drainage system. The impacts of the event on sediment quality are examined and compared to contamination resulting from historic mining operations in the headwaters of the basin. Of primary concern are contaminated floodplain soils located along downstream reaches of the Rio Tupiza which were found to contain lead (Pb), zinc (Zn), and antimony (Sb) concentrations that locally exceed Canadian, German, and Dutch guidelines for agricultural use. Spatial patterns in sediment-borne trace metal concentrations, combined with Pb isotopic data, indicate that Pb, Zn, and Sb are derived from three tributary basins draining the Abarόa, Chilcobija, and Tatasi-Portugalete mining districts. Downstream of each tributary, geographical patterns in trace metal concentrations reflect local geomorphic changes throughout the drainage system. Trace metal concentrations within the Rio Chilco decrease rapidly downstream as a result of dilution by uncontaminated sediments and storage of metal enriched particles (e.g., sulfide minerals) in the channel bed as a result of ongoing aggradation. Storage in the floodplains is limited. These processes significantly reduced the dispersal and, thus, the relative environmental affects of tailings eroded from the Abarόa Mine during the 2003 flood. In contrast, storage of Pb, Zn, and Sb in floodplains along the Rio Tupiza is significant, the majority of which is derived from historic mining operations, particularly mining within the Tatasi-Portugalete district.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Fig. 1
Fig. 2
Fig. 3
Fig. 4
Fig. 5
Fig. 6
Fig. 7
Fig. 8
Fig. 9
Fig. 10

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  • Ackermann F (1980) A procedure for correcting for grain size effect in heavy metal analyses of estuarine and coastal sediments. Environ Technol Lett 1:518–527

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Abdel-Sabour MJ, Mortvedt JJ, Kelso JJ (1988) Cadmium-zinc interactions in plants and extractable cadmium and zinc fraction in soils. Soil Sci 145:424–431

    Google Scholar 

  • Albering HJ, van Leusen SM, Moonen EJC, Hoogewerff JA, Kleinjans JCS. 1999. Human health risk assessment: a case study involving heavy metal soil contamination after the flooding of the river Meuse during the winter of 1993–1994. Environ Health Perspect 107:37–43

    Google Scholar 

  • Ault WA, Senechal RG, Erlebach WE (1970) Isotopic composition as a natural tracer of lead in the environment. Environ Sci Technol 4:305–313

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Carlin JF (1998) U.S. Geological Survey Mineral Commodity Summaries. Antimony. http://www.minerals.er.usgs.gov/minerals/pubs/commodity/antimony/ Mar 2005

  • Chow TJ, Earl JL (1972) Lead isotopes in North American coals. Science 176:510–511

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Chow TJ, Johnstone MS (1965) Lead isotopes in gasoline and aerosols of Los Angeles basin, California. Science 147:502–503

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Coulthard TJ, Macklin MG (2003) Modeling long-term contamination in river systems from historical metal mining. Geology 31:451–454

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Dalrymple T, Benson MA (1967) Measurement of peak discharge by the slope-area method. Technical water resources research vision (US Geol Surv) Book 3, Chapter A-2, pp 1–12

  • Gibbs JR (1977) Transport phases of transition metals in the Amazon and Yukon Rivers. Geol Soc Am Bull 88:829–843

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Gustavson (1991) Compendium of economic Geology-Bolivia, Gustavson Associates, Inc, Baker & Mc Kenzie, Mintec and Servicio Geológico de Bolivia

  • Graney JR, Halliday AN, Keeler GJ, Nraigu JO, Robbins JA, Norton SA (1995) Isotopic record of lead pollution in lake sediments from the northeastern United States. Geochim Cosmochim Acta 59:1715–1728

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Gulson BL, Tiller KG, Mizon KJ, Merry RH (1981) Use of lead isotope ratios in soils to identify the source of lead contamination near Adelaide, South Australia. Environ Sci Technol 15:691–696

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Hansmann W, Köppel V (2000) Lead-isotopes as tracers of pollutants in soils. Chem Geol 171:123–144

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Haghiri F (1973) Cadmium uptake by plants. J Environ Qual 2:93–96

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Haghiri F (1974) Plant uptake of cadmium as influenced by cation exchange capacity, organic matter, zinc and soil temperature. J Environ Qual 3:180–183

    Google Scholar 

  • Horowitz AJ (1991) A Primer on sediment-trace element chemistry. 2nd edn, Lewis Publishers

  • Horowitz AJ Elrick KA (1988) Interpretation of bed sediment trace metal data: methods of dealing with the grain size effect. In: Lichtenberg JJ, Winter JA, Weber CC, Fradkin L (eds) Chemical and biological characterization of sludges, sediments, dredge spoils, and drilling muds. American society for testing and materials, pp 114–128

  • Hudson-Edwards KA, Macklin MG, Taylor MP (1999) 200 years of sediment-borne heavy metal storage in the Yorkshire Ouse basin, NE England, UK. Hydrological Processes 13:1087–1102

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Hudson-Edwards KA, Macklin MG, Miller JR, Lechler PJ (2001) Sources, distribution and storage of heavy metals in the Rio Pilcomayo, Bolivia. J Geochem Explor 72:229–250

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Hudson-Edwards KA, Macklin MG, Jamieson HE, Brewer PA, Coulthard TJ, Howard AJ, Turner JN (2003) The impact of tailings dam spills and clean-up operations on sediment and water quality in river systems: the Ríos Agrio-Guadiamar, Aznalcóllar, Spain. Appl Geochem 18:221–239

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Kabata-Pendias A (1995) Agricultural problems related to excessive trace metals content of soil. In: Salomons W, Forstner U, Mader P (eds) Heavy metals, problems and solutions. Springer, Berlin Heidelberg, New York

    Google Scholar 

  • La Mañana, 2003. Dicen que la contaminaciόn de Pilcomayo “es crόica” y piden plantas monitoreo. La Mañana, voz del centro de la provincial de Buenos Aires

  • Lewin J, Macklin MG (1987) Metal mining and floodplain sedimentation in Britain. In: Gardiner V (ed) International Geomorphology 1986, Part 1. Wiley, Chichester, pp 1009–1027

  • Macklin MG (1996) Fluxes and storage of sediment-associated heavy metals in floodplain systems: assessments and river basin management issues at a time rapid environmental change. In: Anderson MG, Walling DE, Bates PD (eds) Floodplain processes. Wiley, Chichester, pp 441–460

    Google Scholar 

  • Marcantonio F, Flowers G, Thien L, Ellgaard E. (1998) Lead isotopes in tree rings: chronology of pollution in Bayou Trepangnier, Louisiana. Environ Sci Technol 32:2371–2376

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Marron DC (1992) Floodplain storage of mine tailings in the Belle Fourche river system: a sediment budget approach. Earth Surf Process Landform 17:675–685

    Google Scholar 

  • Martin JM, Meybeck M (1979) Elemental mass balance of material carried by major world rivers. Mar Chem 7:173–206

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • MHSPE (2000) Target values and intervention values for soil remediation. DBO/1999226863, Ministry of Housing, Spatial Planning, and Environment Directorate-General for Environmental Protection, The Netherlands Government Gazette No. 39

  • Miller JR (1997) The role of fluvial geomorphic processes in the dispersal of heavy metals from mine sites. J Geochem Explor 58:101–118

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Miller JR, Lechler PJ, Desilets M (1998) The role of geomorphic processing in the transport and fate of mercury in the Carson River basin, west-central Nevada. Environ Geol 33:249–262

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Miller JR, Lechler PJ, Hudson-Edwards KA, Macklin MG (2002) Lead isotopic fingerprinting of heavy metal contamination, Rio Pilcomayo, Bolivia. In: Allan R, Horowitz AJ, and Miller JR (eds) Metal mining in the environment. Special Issue, Geochem Explor, Environ Anal 2:225–233

  • Miller JR, Hudson-Edwards KA, Lechler PJ, Preston D, Macklin MG (2004) Heavy metal contamination of water, soil and produce within riverine communities of the Rio Pilcomayo basin, Bolivia. Sci Total Environ 260:87–96

    Google Scholar 

  • Moor HC, Schaller T, Sturm M (1996) Recent changes in stable lead isotope ratios ion sediments of Lake Zug, Switzerland. Environ Sci Technol 30:2928–2933

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Moore JN, Book EJ, Johns C (1989) Grain size partitioning of metals in contaminated, coarse-grained river floodplain sediments: Clark Fork River, Montana, USA. Environ Geol Water Sci 14:107–115

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • O’Connor JE, Webb RH (1988) Hydraulic modeling for paleoflood analysis. In: Baker VR, Kochel RC, Patton PC (eds) Flood Geomorphology, John Wiley and Sons, New York, pp 393–402

    Google Scholar 

  • Owens PN, Walling DE, Leeks GJL (1999) Deposition and storage of fine-grained sediment within the main channel system of the River Tweed, Scotland. Earth Surf Process Landforms 24:1061–1076

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Owens PN, Walling DE, Carton J, Meharg AA, Wright J, Leeks GJL (2001) Downstream changes in the transport and storage of sediment-associated contaminants (P, Cr and PCBs) in agricultural and industrialized drainage basins. Sci Total Environ 206:177–186

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Petit D, Mennesier JP, Lamberts L (1984) Stable Pb isotopes in pond sediments as tracer of past and present atmospheric Pb pollution in Belgium. Atmos Environ 18:1189–1193

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Rossman KJR, Chisholm W, Boutron CF, Candelone JP, Gorlach U (1993) Isotopic evidence for the source of lead in Greenland snow since the late 1960’s. Nature 362:333–335

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Shirahata H, Elias RW, Patterson C (1980) Chronological variations in concentrations and isotopic compositions and anthropogenic atmospheric Pb in sediments of a remote subalpine pond. Geochim Cosmochim Acta 44:149–167

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Shotyk W, Weiss D, Appleby PG, Cheburkin AK, Frei R, Gloor M, Kramers JD, Reese S, Knaap WOVD (1998) History of atmospheric lead deposition since 12,370 14 C yr BP from a peat bog, Jura Mountains, Switzerland. Science 281:1635–1640

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Steding DJ, Dunlap CE, Flegal AR (2000) New isotopic evidence for chronic lead contamination in the San Francisco Bay estuary system: Implications for the persistence of past industrial lead emissions in the biosphere. Proc Natl Acad Sci 97(21):11181–11186

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Slingerland R, Smith ND (1986) Occurrence and formation of water-laid placers. Annu Rev of Earth Planet Sci 14:113–147

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Steinmann M, Stille P (1997) Rare earth element behavior and Pb, Sr, Nd isotope systematics in a heavy metal contaminated soil. Appl Geochem 12:607–632

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Taylor MP, Kesterton RGH (2002) Heavy metal contamination of an arid river environment: Gruben River, Namibia. Geomorphol 42:311–327

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Turekian KK (1971) Rivers, tributaries and estuaries. In: Hood DW (eds) Impingement of man on the oceans. American Geological Institute, Alexandria, Virginia, pp 9–73

    Google Scholar 

  • Vousta D, Grimanis A, Samar C (1996) Trace elements in vegetables grown in an industrial area in relation to soil and air particulate matter. Environ Pollut 94:325–335

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Walling DE, Owens PN, Leeks GJL (1998) The role of channel and floodplain storage in the suspended sediment budget of the River Ouse, Yorkshire, U.K. Geomorphol 22:225–242

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Walling DE, Owens PN, Carter J, Leeks GJL, Lewis S, Meharg AA, Wright J (2003) Storage of sediment-associated nutrients and contaminants in river channel and floodplain systems. Appl Geochem 18:195–220

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Ward NI, Savage JM (1994) Metal dispersion and transportational activities using food crops as biomonitors. Sci Total Environ 146–147:309–319

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Watmough SA, Hughes RJ, Hutchinson TC (1999) 206Pb/207Pb rations in tree rings as monitors of environmental change. Environ Sci Technol 33:670–673

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Weiss D, Shotyk W, Appleby PG, Kramers JD, Cheburkin AK (1999) Atmospheric lead deposition since the industrial revolution recorded by five Swiss peat profiles: enrichment factors, fluxes, isotopic composition, and sources. Environ Sci Technol 33:1340–1352

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • World Information Service on Energy (WISE), 2003. Chronology of major tailings dam failures, WISE Uranium Project. Available at http://www.antenna.nl/wise/uranium/mdaf.html

  • Wolfenden PJ, Lewin J (1978) Distribution of metal pollutants in active stream sediments. Catena 4:309–317

    Article  Google Scholar 

Download references

Acknowledgments

Ms. Aleida Tejerina is thanked for her invaluable assistance in organizing logistical aspects of our fieldwork, and for assisting in the collection of field data. This material is based on support by the National Science Foundation under grant No. 0207439. The Foundation’s support is greatly appreciated.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Geosciences and Natural Resources Management, Western Carolina University, Cullowhee, NC, 28723, USA

    Lionel F. Villarroel & Jerry R. Miller

  2. Nevada Bureau of Mines and Geology, University of Nevada, Reno, NV, 89506, USA

    Paul J. Lechler

  3. Department of Geology and Environmental Geosciences, Lafayette College, Easton, PA, 18042, USA

    Dru Germanoski

Authors
  1. Lionel F. Villarroel
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Jerry R. Miller
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. Paul J. Lechler
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  4. Dru Germanoski
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Jerry R. Miller.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Villarroel, L.F., Miller, J.R., Lechler, P.J. et al. Lead, zinc, and antimony contamination of the Rio Chilco-Rio Tupiza drainage system, Southern Bolivia. Environ Geol 51, 283–299 (2006). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00254-006-0326-x

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00254-006-0326-x

Keywords

Search

Navigation