none 10.1180/minmag.2008.072.1.81 Mineralogical Society The Mineralogical Society 7149 33713549 5840 2021020409154438143 10.1180 2021-02-04T07:47:32Z 2008-08-02T20:00:36Z 4 Mineralogical Magazine Mineral. mag. 0026-461X 1471-8022 02 2008 72 1 D. Kossoff K. A. Hudson-Edwards W. E. Dubbin M. Alfredsson Abstract Weathering ofdischarged mine tailings contaminates streams, rivers and floodplains with toxic metals on a vast scale. The magnitude of the problem depends on input tailings mineralogy, storage and dispersal, and climatic conditions. To better understand the mechanisms of long-term tailings weathering, a leaching column study was established, incorporating tailings and soil from Potosí, Bolivia, with the aim of modelling a 25 year field period. The Zn/Cd molar ratio ofthe tailings leachate water, initially 738 for the unaltered tailings, is highly variable over 15 model years of leaching, particularly in the mixed tailings-soil columns. Columns with soil have ratios as high as 2563, while pure tailings columns reach ratios of <376. We employ complementary techniques, involving atomistic computational modelling, leachate analysis and mineralogical characterization, to elucidate the mechanisms governing these incongruent Cd and Zn weathering dynamics. 07 05 2018 02 2008 81 84 S0026461X00030905 https://www.cambridge.org/core/terms 10.1180/minmag.2008.072.1.81 https://www.cambridge.org/core/product/identifier/S0026461X00030905/type/journal_article https://www.cambridge.org/core/services/aop-cambridge-core/content/view/S0026461X00030905 http://www.ingentaconnect.com/content/minsoc/mag/2008/00000072/00000001/art00019 http://minmag.geoscienceworld.org/cgi/doi/10.1180/minmag.2008.072.1.81 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2003.08.011 10.1111/j.1365-2451.2005.00528.x 10.1016/S0160-7383(01)00041-X The Geochemistry of Natural Waters 1997 Drever Applied Geochemisty 19 1745–1758 2004 Smolders 10.1016/j.gca.2007.09.007 10.1016/S0883-2927(02)00122-1 10.1016/S0375-6742(01)00164-9