Surficial geochemistry and bioaccessibility of tellurium in semiarid mine tailings

Abstract

Tellurium (Te) is a critical element owing to its use in solar technology. However, some forms are highly toxic. Few studies have examined Te behaviour in the surficial environment, thus little is known about its potential human and environmental health impacts. This study characterises two physicochemically distinct Te-enriched mine tailings piles (big and flat tailings) deposited by historic gold (Au) mining in the semiarid Delamar mining district, Nevada, USA. The big tailings are characterised by smaller particle size and higher concentrations of potentially toxic elements (up to 290 mg Te kg-1), which are enriched at the tailings surface. In contrast, the flat tailings have larger particle size and properties that are relatively invariant with depth. Based on the sulfate to sulfide ratio, the tailings were determined to be sulfate dominated, which suggested a high degree of weathering, although the flat tailings did contain significant amounts of sulfides (∼40 %). Tellurium X-ray absorption spectroscopy of the big tailings indicates that tellurate, the less toxic Te species, is the principal form of Te. Electron microscopy indicates that most of the Te present at the site is associated with iron (oxy)hydroxides, and sometimes with other potentially toxic elements, especially lead and antimony. Physiologically-based extraction tests indicate that substantially more Te is solubilised in synthetic stomach fluids than in lung fluids, with gastric bioaccessibility ranging from 13 to 31 % of total Te. This points to low to medium bioaccessibility, which is common for iron (oxy)hydroxide-associated elements. Together, these results represent a preliminary assessment of Te surficial behaviour in a semiarid environment and indicate that Te in these tailings represent a moderate health concern.