Journal of Geochemical Exploration 84 (2004) 53 64 www.elsevier.

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Strong arsenic enrichment in sediments from the Elqui watershed, Northern Chile: industrial (gold mining at El IndioTambo district) vs. geologic processes
n d, H. Maturana e R. Oyarzun a,*, J. Lillo b, P. Higueras c, J. Oyarzu
a y Mineralog a, Facultad de Ciencias Geolo gicas, Universidad Complutense de Madrid, Departamento de Cristalograf Ciudad Universidad avda/Complutense, 28040 Madrid, Spain b a, Universidad Rey Juan Carlos, Tulipa n s/n, 28933 Mo stoles Madrid, Spain Escuela Superior de Ciencias Experimentales y Tecnolog c a Geolo gica y Minera, Escuela Universitaria Polite cnica de Almade n, Universidad de Castilla-La Mancha, Departamento de Ingenier n, Spain Plaza M. Meca 1, 13400 Almade d a and CEAZA, Universidad de La Serena, Casilla 554, La Serena, Chile Departamento de Minas, Facultad de Ingenier e a, Universidad de La Serena, Casilla 554, La Serena, Chile Departamento de Minas, Facultad de Ingenier Received 1 October 2003; accepted 12 March 2004 Available online 10 May 2004
a

Abstract Sediments from the Elqui watershed river system (9800 km2; northern Chile) are highly enriched in arsenic. The river system initiates in the high altitude domain of the Andes (3500 4000 m) and drains important hydrothermal alteration zones and epithermal deposits, including the copper-, and arsenic-rich gold veins of the well-known El Indio Tambo district. In order to study the extent, source, and age of contamination, we carried out a geochemical survey of stream sediments and older, Early Holocene lacustrine sediments. The results reveal very high contents of arsenic in both, the stream (55 485 ppm As) and lacustrine sediments (119 2344 ppm As). As shown by the ESEM-EDX study, arsenic is associated with the iron oxide mineral phase. Given that arsenic is enriched in both the stream sediments and the Early Holocene sequence, we suggest that contamination is not only industrial derived (mining operations), but also a major geological process, related to long-lived o years, erosion of the As-rich epithermal ores and alteration zones. Erosion in this realm is particularly important during El Nin when increased activity of the Westerly winds brings intense rains, with catastrophic consequences in the Elqui watershed, including the massive removal of sediments in the form of large debris flows. D 2004 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.
o Keywords: Arsenic; Chile; Elqui; Erosion; Contamination; Sediments; Gold mining; El Indio; El Nin

1. Introduction Arsenic is one of the most toxic elements found in nature, and constitutes one of the main concerns
* Corresponding author. Tel.: +34-2437195. E-mail address: oyarzun@geo.ucm.es (R. Oyarzun). 0375-6742/$ - see front matter D 2004 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved. doi:10.1016/j.gexplo.2004.03.002

regarding human health. We present the results of a stream sediment geochemical survey carried out in the Coquimbo Region of Chile, that was aimed to study the extent, source, and age of arsenic contamination in the Elqui watershed (Fig. 1). The watershed covers an area of about 9800 km2, and its main river (the Elqui) constitutes one of the few water resources of this hilly,