Volume 19, Issue 1-3, March 2015
RESEARCH ON THE SURFACE WATER QUALITY IN MINING INflUENCED AREA IN NORTH-WESTERN PART OF ROMANIA
Authors: Irina Smical, Adriana Muntean, Eugen Nour
Abstract: The paper highlights the current situation of the quality of surface water in the areas influenced by mining activities in the north-western part of Romania. In this respect a series of investigations have been conducted regarding the contamination with heavy metals of the water of the Someş and Tisa hydrographic Basins, which cover the northern part of Maramures County and the south-western area of Maramures County, respectively. The results of the comparative research refer to the period between 1999 and 2011 and reveal the specifc heavy metal ions of mining activity: Fe, Mn, Zn, Cu, Pb Cd and Ni, as well as the water pH. The presented values as annual average values reveal an increase in several heavy metals after the closure of mines, which is due to the lack of effectiveness of the closure and of the conservation of the mine galleries, as well as of the impaired functioning of the mining wastewater treatment plants.
Keywords: surface water, heavy metals, mining, tailing pond, Romania
Article info: 20-30
Received: September 19, 2014 | Revised: January 29, 2015 | Accepted: February 28, 2015