Metal Dispersal Around Mining Environments: Basics, Concepts and Analytical Methodologies

Metal pollution of the environment as a result of abandoned mining activities is an acute problem nowadays. Although mineral resource extraction has been carried out for centuries, little attention has been given to minimise metal dispersal around these areas coming from the indiscriminately dumped mining wastes. As a consequence, one of the challenges facing society today is the identification, evaluation and remediation of these old disused areas to protect public health and environmental quality. These studies are heavily dependant on observation and quantitative measurements of the amounts and distribution of metals, leading to the necessity of appropriate analytical methodlogies. This book is focused on the application and improvement of analytical existing methodologies and the development of novel procedures that can be used to assess the environmental effects of metal dispersal around abandoned mining activities. The information provided could be useful to professionals in environmental fields, or anyone else who may be considering utilizing analytical methodologies for metal determination in environmental issues.