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GSA Connects 2023 Meeting in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania

Paper No. 31-9
Presentation Time: 8:00 AM-5:30 PM

CORRELATION OF ELECTRICAL RESISTIVITY PROFILES AND SOIL PROPERTIES AT MINE WASTE SITES


LEDUKE, Frances1, MUTITI, Samuel2, KAUNDA, Rennie3, TORBIT, Max3, GARZA, Maximilian4, TEMBO, Lupupa5, NSWANA, Gracious Mishel5, HAMUNYANGA, Anna5, TWEDDLE, Jacob4, SHITUMBANUMA, Victor5 and GROOT, Viola de6, (1)Mining Engineering/Geological Engineering, Colorado School of Mines, 1500 Illinois St, Golden, CO 80401, (2)Department of Biological and Environmental Sciences, Georgia College and State University, Milledgeville, GA 31061, (3)Department of Mining Engineering, Colorado School of Mines, 1500 Illinois St Brown Building, Lakewood, CO 80401, (4)Civil and Environmental Engineering, Colorado School of Mines, 1500 Illinois Street, Golden, CO 80401, (5)Lusaka, Lusaka, Zambia, (6)The University of Zambia, University of Zambia Great East Road Campus, Lusaka, Zambia

Environmental contamination due to legacy mining activities is a serious global challenge. In this study, 2D electrical resistivity surveys were conducted at sites contaminated with mine waste in Zambia. Legacy mining operations in Zambia have created heavy metal pollutants which exist in waste rock (tailings), soil, as well as local surface water bodies. The contamination poses a serious health risk to the environment and local communities. Subsurface characterization of the contaminated sites using geophysical methods can help with planning for remediation strategies by providing a conceptual model of the extent and intensity of the contamination. The specific aim of this study was to generate 2D electrical resistivity profiles and to investigate the correlation between geophysical subsurface profiles and soil properties at the contaminated sites. In addition, this study aims to assess subsurface contrast between remediated and non-remediated areas of contaminated sites. The study reports geophysical investigations conducted at various sites contaminated with heavy metals in Kabwe, Kitwe, and Mufulira. Preliminary results show distinct resistivity profiles between remediated and non-remediated areas in addition to a correlation between resistivity values and moisture content. Results from this study have potential of being useful geophysical proxies for characterizing sites contaminated with mine waste.

Session No. 31--Booth# 130

T19. Environmental and Engineering Geology Division: Poster Session for Graduate and Undergraduate Students (Posters)
Sunday, 15 October 2023: 8:00 AM-5:30 PM
Hall B (David L Lawrence Convention Center)
Geological Society of America Abstracts with Programs. Vol. 55, No. 6
doi: 10.1130/abs/2023AM-393330
© Copyright 2023 The Geological Society of America (GSA), all rights reserved. Permission is hereby granted to the author(s) of this abstract to reproduce and distribute it freely, for noncommercial purposes. Permission is hereby granted to any individual scientist to download a single copy of this electronic file and reproduce up to 20 paper copies for noncommercial purposes advancing science and education, including classroom use, providing all reproductions include the complete content shown here, including the author information. All other forms of reproduction and/or transmittal are prohibited without written permission from GSA Copyright Permissions.
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