Study Uncovers Ways to Minimize Arsenic Contamination During Mining
A recent study that was published in “Applied Geochemistry” examined how climate and acidity affects strategies for removal of arsenic downstream of the Porgera Joint Venture gold mine in Papua New Guinea. The study centered on sequestration, a process involving the capture and storage of arsenic by sediment and soil. Arsenic can be found in soils and sediment as well as in mine waste. Arsenic that is found in dissolved water is harmful to both the ecosystems and people. Long-term exposure to the component can cause skin lesions and cancer. The study looked into how sediment in mine areas sequestered…