Geochemistry of Surface Waters in the Vicinity of Open Pit
Mines
at the Cay Cham Deposit, Thai Nguyen Province, Northern
Vietnam

Pham Tich Xuan^a, Nguyen Van Pho^a, O. L. Gas’kova^b, and S. B. Bortnikova^c

^a Geological Institute, Vietnamese Academy of Science and Technology, Hanoi, Vietnam

e-mail: tichxuan@vnn.vn

^b Sobolev Institute of Geology and Mineralogy, Siberian Branch, Russian Academy of Sciences,
pr. akademika Koptyuga 3, Novosibirsk, 630090 Russia

e-mail: gaskova@igm.nsc.ru

^c Trofimuk Institute of Petroleum Geology and Geophysics, pr. akademika Koptyuga 3, Novosibirsk, 630090 Russia

e-mail: bortnikovasb@ipgg.ncs.ru

Received June 01, 2011; in final form March 06, 2012; accepted April 26, 2012

Abstract—This study provides an assessment of the environmental impact of open pit mining operations at the
Cay Cham titanomagnetite–ilmenite deposit (northern Vietnam). The results of surface water sampling indicate
the formation of acid mine drainage and contamination of adjacent areas by heavy metals (Cu, Zn, Ni, and Mn).
The acid mine drainage is produced by oxidation leaching of sulfide minerals associated with primary miner-
alization owing to the low neutralization potential of the natural waters in the humid environment of tropical
rainforest. The study showed that alternating dry and wet seasons typical of this climatic region promote the
generation of stored acidity leading to a sharp decrease in pH of drainage water during the wet season and result
in the negative impacts of this mine on both flowing and stagnant surface waters.

Keywords: titanomagnetite–ilmenite deposit, humid climate, oxidation of sulfides, stored acidity, surface waters

DOI: 10.1134/S0016702913110062

Pleiades Publishing home page | journal home page | top

If you have any problems with this server, contact webmaster.