Blowin' in the Wind: Mapping the Dispersion of Metal(loid)s From Atacama Mining.

ABSTRACT: The Atacama Desert's naturally elevated metal(loid)s pose a unique challenge for assessing the environmental impact of mining, particularly for indigenous communities residing in these areas. This study investigates how copper mining influences the dispersion of these elements in the wind-transportable fraction (<75 μm) of surface sediments across an 80 km radius. We employed a multi-pronged approach, utilizing spatial modeling to map element distributions, exponential decay analysis to quantify concentration decline with distance, regime shift modeling to identify dispersion pattern variations, and pollution assessment to evaluate impact. Our results reveal significant mining-driven increases in surface concentrations of copper (Cu), molybdenum (Mo), and arsenic (As). Notably, within the

SUBMITTER: Zanetta-Colombo NC 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC11443516 | biostudies-literature | 2024 Oct

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature