Heavy Metals in Mine Waters of Diverse Mineralization of Polygenetic Ore-Magmatic System: Merisi Ore Cluster, Achara Region (Georgia)

Abstract

The distribution of heavy metals in mine waters of a single polygenetic ore-magmatic system in Merisi, Georgia, has been studied using the standard methods of sampling, Spectrophotometry and AA Spectroscopy analyses. Mining and background waters, soils, and ores have been sampled and analyzed on pH, As, Cd, Cu, Ni, Pb, Zn, Co, and Sr. The research illustrates the dependence of heavy metals distribution on pH, the morpho-genetical type of mineralization, ore composition, and other geological controls. The study has shown that the distribution of heavy metals in mine waters of the single polygenic ore-magmatic system generally having a homogeneous petrochemical and hydrogeochemical background, despite the presence of various morpho-genetic types of mineralization, exhibits the same general regularities as the individual types of deposits. This conclusion is preliminary and needs to be confirmed at other similar sites as well.