Methodology for assessing water pollution and risks associated with abandoned lead-zinc mining at Wanlockhead and Leadhills, southwest Scotland, UK

摘要

Within the UK, no organisation is currently responsible for pre-2000 abandoned non-coal mines. Commonly, following cessation of mining, limited work was undertaken to remediate these mine sites and associated mineral processing areas. Consequently these landscapes are often dom inated by disused mine entries, spoil mounds, smelting mills and other associated features. Due to the unmaintained nature of these locations, there are often numerous risks present including blockages, collapses and contaminated ground. The Coal Authority has investigated metal contamination in two water-bodies in southwest Scotland, employing a dynamic, flexible sampling strategy enabling the prompt identification of possible sources in a changing environment.