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Pérez-Portilla P, Aránguiz-Acuña A, Pizarro H, Maldonado A, Herrera J, Tapia J. Assessing the effects of long-term mining exploitation on a lacustrine system from the arid region of the Atacama Desert, Chile. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2024; 949:174771. [PMID: 39009154 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2024.174771] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/06/2023] [Revised: 06/10/2024] [Accepted: 07/11/2024] [Indexed: 07/17/2024]
Abstract
Over the last century, the Atacama Desert has been exploited due to the mineral resources in this environment. These anthropogenic effects have primarily been linked to the development of the mining industry, the impact of which remains uncertain. Here, we use high-resolution geochemical characterization and magnetic properties analysis from the sedimentary core of Inka Coya Lake, located in the Atacama Desert, to assess the anthropogenic impact in this metallogenic region. The geochemistry and magnetic properties changed with core depth. Elements, such as Cu, Ni, and Zn, increased during the lake's most recent period. Additionally, an increase in mass magnetic susceptibility (χ) and a decrease in magnetic susceptibility depending on the frequency (χfd%) may be attributed to fine iron oxide grains originating from industrial and urban sources. Moreover, indices of pollution classified the sediment of Inka Coya Lake as slightly polluted and strongly polluted with Ni, and Cu, respectively. This could reflect a period of pollution caused by the increase in the production of copper sulfide. These results highlight the possible impact of mining activities in the hyper-arid core of the Atacama Desert, which affects surrounding areas through dispersive processes, even reaching high altitudes, and provides a scientific basis for the prevention of environmental pollution from mining and the protection of the sediment and water source in the Atacama Desert.
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Affiliation(s)
- P Pérez-Portilla
- Departamento de Ciencias Geológicas, Universidad Católica del Norte, Antofagasta, Chile; Laboratorio de Ecología Acuática, Departamento de Recursos Ambientales, Universidad de Tarapacá, Arica, Chile; Milenium Nucleus in Andean Peatlands (AndesPeat), Universidad de Tarapacá, Arica, Chile.
| | - A Aránguiz-Acuña
- Laboratorio de Ecología Acuática, Departamento de Recursos Ambientales, Universidad de Tarapacá, Arica, Chile; Milenium Nucleus in Andean Peatlands (AndesPeat), Universidad de Tarapacá, Arica, Chile
| | - H Pizarro
- Departamento de Ciencias Geológicas, Universidad Católica del Norte, Antofagasta, Chile; Departamento de Geología, FCFM, Universidad de Chile, Santiago, Chile
| | - A Maldonado
- Centro de Estudios Avanzados en Zonas Áridas (CEAZA), Raúl Bitran 1305, La Serena, Chile; Departamento de Biología Marina, Universidad Católica del Norte, Larrondo 1281, Coquimbo, Chile
| | - J Herrera
- Departamento de Ciencias Geológicas, Universidad Católica del Norte, Antofagasta, Chile
| | - J Tapia
- Departamento de Ciencias Geológicas, Universidad Católica del Norte, Antofagasta, Chile; Milenium Nucleus in Andean Peatlands (AndesPeat), Universidad de Tarapacá, Arica, Chile; Instituto Milenio de Investigación en Riesgo Volcánico - CKELAR Volcanes, Universidad Católica del Norte, Antofagasta, Chile
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García-Sanz I, Heine-Fuster I, Luque JA, Pizarro H, Castillo R, Pailahual M, Prieto M, Pérez-Portilla P, Aránguiz-Acuña A. Limnological response from high-altitude wetlands to the water supply in the Andean Altiplano. Sci Rep 2021; 11:7681. [PMID: 33833299 PMCID: PMC8032802 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-021-87162-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/06/2020] [Accepted: 03/24/2021] [Indexed: 11/26/2022] Open
Abstract
The Andean Altiplano-Puna is located at an elevation of approximately 4000 m.a.s.l. and is delineated by the Western and the Eastern Andes Cordillera. The high-altitude wetlands (HAWs) in the Central Andes are unique ecosystems located in the Altiplano that provide many ecosystem services. The objective of this study was to characterize the spatial heterogeneity of the environmental conditions associated with varying hydrology of the HAW, Salar de Tara, in the Andean Altiplano. Sediment samples of up to 20 cm in depth were obtained from various salt flat sub-environments. The samples were analyzed using proxies for mineralogical and chemical composition, thermal analysis, and magnetic susceptibility. Diatom and ostracod communities were also identified and analyzed. The results reflected changes in the geochemistry, carbon content, mineralogy, and magnetic properties of the sediments that can be explained by variations in the sources of water input to the Salar de Tara. The sub-environments depend on the supply of water via the groundwater recharge of springs adjacent to the streamflow from the Zapaleri River, which promotes greater diversity and richness of genera. Our results suggest that water extraction at industrial levels greatly impacts the persistence of hydrologically connected HAWs, which concentrate a worldwide interest in brine mining.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ignacio García-Sanz
- Departamento de Ciencias Geológicas, Universidad Católica del Norte, Av. Angamos 0610, Antofagasta, Chile.,Centro de Investigación Tecnológica del Agua en el Desierto (CEITSAZA), Universidad Católica del Norte, Av. Angamos 0610, Antofagasta, Chile
| | - Inger Heine-Fuster
- Departamento de Ciencias Ecológicas, Universidad de Chile, Las Palmeras 3425, Santiago, Chile
| | - José A Luque
- Departamento de Ciencias Geológicas, Universidad Católica del Norte, Av. Angamos 0610, Antofagasta, Chile.,Centro de Investigación Tecnológica del Agua en el Desierto (CEITSAZA), Universidad Católica del Norte, Av. Angamos 0610, Antofagasta, Chile
| | - Héctor Pizarro
- Departamento de Geología, Universidad de Chile, Casilla 13518 Correo 21, Santiago, Chile
| | - Rodrigo Castillo
- Departamento de Química, Universidad Católica del Norte, Av. Angamos 0610, Antofagasta, Chile
| | - Matías Pailahual
- Departamento de Química, Universidad Católica del Norte, Av. Angamos 0610, Antofagasta, Chile
| | - Manuel Prieto
- Departamento de Ciencias Históricas y Geográficas, Universidad de Tarapacá, Av. 18 de Septiembre 2222, Arica, Chile
| | - Pablo Pérez-Portilla
- Departamento de Ciencias Geológicas, Universidad Católica del Norte, Av. Angamos 0610, Antofagasta, Chile.,Centro de Investigación Tecnológica del Agua en el Desierto (CEITSAZA), Universidad Católica del Norte, Av. Angamos 0610, Antofagasta, Chile
| | - Adriana Aránguiz-Acuña
- Departamento de Biología, Facultad de Ciencias, Universidad de Tarapacá, Av. 18 de Septiembre 2222, Arica, Chile.
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