The effect of mineral wastes on surface and ground waters around Görgü Pb-Zn deposits Malatya, Turkey

The study area is located approximately 20 km west of Malatya. In the south of the study area there is an active operated Pb-Zn deposit. Pb-Zn with carbonated and sulfur deposit takes place within the Permo-Carboniferous Malatya Metamorphites. In previous studies, soil, mine wastes and plant geochemistry studies were conducted in the vicinity of the mine deposit and the effects of mineralizations were investigated on them. However, surface and groundwater were not studied. In this study, chemical and physical properties of different source of waters from the same region were investigated and the effects of mineralization were investigated. When the water samples taken from seven different points are evaluated in terms of the Regulation on the Water for Human Consumption (İTASHY); It was determined that total coliform bacteria content of Elemendik Pond water and sub-caisson well water 500m far from Pb-Zn deposition is high due to animal wastes. High Fe and Cu contents were determined within the caisson well water sample. The highest values are increase more than two folds compared to the standard values, and its conductivity and turbidity values are 602μS/cm and 1.9 NTU. The conductivity and turbidity values are the highest of the values measured at the cassion well site. Soil and mine waste samples with high element concentration are thought to affect water samples taken from the same sample sites. It is considered that the easily soluble ions are transported to aqueous due to the weathered of the Pb-Zn deposit and its wastes, and formed anionic complexes and a number of ionic components in aqueous solutions.