Investigation of the effects of mining activities on soil pollution: Orhaneli and Büyükorhan (Bursa) case

Mining is an important economic activity carried out by human beings. However, as with many other anthropogenic activities, mining activities have many negative effects on the environment. Soil, water, air and noise pollution, land degradation, biodiversity reduction, soil collapse and increasing health problems are some of the environmental impacts of mining activities. Therefore, in this study, it is aimed to determine the effects of mining activities carried out in Orhaneli and Büyükorhan (Bursa) on soil pollution (heavy metal). For this purpose, 19 soil samples were taken from the study area by systematic random blacking method. Ordinary and indicator cricketing methods were used in the determination, mapping and risk assessment of spatial changes of heavy metals in the study area. . Distance analysis was performed to determine the relationship of each heavy metal in the study area with the mines. Pearson-Bivariate Correlation analysis method was used to show how heavy metals in the soil were affected as they approached or moved away from the mines. As a result, the highest arsenic, copper, mercury, zinc, chromium, manganese levels were found in the areas south of Orhaneli. The highest aluminum values were observed in the north and northwest of Büyükorhan. Other metals (iron, cadmium, cobalt, lead, nickel and vanadium) were found to be higher in the north of the study area. As a result of distance analysis, a significant relationship was found between mines and other metals except mercury metal. In addition, aluminum, arsenic, copper, mercury, zinc, iron, cadmium, cobalt, lead and manganese values were determined below the limit values, while chromium, nickel and vanadium levels were higher than the limit values. The areas considered as dirty in terms of heavy metals were determined as the environment of marble and chrome enterprises. When the districts are compared with each other, higher levels of all pollutants have been detected in Orhaneli than Büyükorhan.