XANES speciation of mercury in three mining districts – Almadén, Asturias (Spain), Idria (Slovenia)

A predominant presence of relatively insoluble mercury sulfide compounds, specifically cinnabar and metacinnabar, was identified across three major European mercury mining districts: Almadén (Spain), Idria (Slovenia), and Asturias (Spain). However, minor yet significant amounts of more soluble mercury compounds, such as chlorides and sulfates, were also detected in some samples. The study utilized synchrotron-based X-ray absorption near-edge spectroscopy (XANES) to analyze the speciation of mercury in various geological materials, including ore, calcines, dump material, soil, sediment, and suspended particles. Complementary single extraction procedures revealed that mercury mobility is strongly influenced by the concentration of chlorides and sulfates. Additionally, differences in the efficiency of roasting furnaces were observed among the three sites.

Esbrí, J. M., Bernaus, A., Ávila, M., Kocman, D., García-Noguero, E. M., Guerrero, B., Gaona, X., Álvarez, R., Perez-Gonzalez, G., Valiente, M., Higueras, P., Horvat, M., & Loredo, J. (2010). XANES speciation of mercury in three mining districts – Almadén, Asturias (Spain), Idria (Slovenia). Journal of Synchrotron Radiation, 17(2), 179–186. https://doi.org/10.1107/s0909049510001925