Trace element dispersion from tin deposits of the western Seward Peninsula, Alaska

摘要

A study of the dispersion patterns of trace elements (As, Be, Cu, Li, Pb, Sn, W, and Zn) typically enriched in tin deposits and coccurrences in the western Seward Peninsula indicates significant downstream accumulation of aresenic in stream sediments, whereas surface waters consistently contain low concentrations of all dissolved trace elements. Sediments collected in the headwaters of streams draining the slate-hosted Potato Mountain tin occurrences contained as much as 530 ppm As and levels remained as high as 78 ppm as far as 7 km downstream. Samples collected directly below the Lost River mine, hosted in carbonate rocks, contained as much as 1400 ppm As in stream sediments, with concentrations as high as 260 ppm As characterizing stream sediments 8 km downstream at the mouth of Lost River. None of the surface waters of collected from either area contained more than 9 ppb As pH's were consistently near neutral even directly below mine tailings.