Application of heavy stable isotopes in mine water research

摘要

Metal and coal mining are essential for economic development. However, the metalliferous, acidic waters often emerging from these industrial sites, may also cause significant environmental damage. Multi-collector inductively-coupled plasma mass spectrometry (MC-ICP-MS) was developed in the early 1990s. MC-ICP-MS allows for the first time the simultaneous detection of many heavy stable isotopes of elevated ionization potential. Here, I outline the potential of this technique to improve our understanding on the mobilization and transport of metals and the remediation of metalliferous mine waters.