Research findings on spreading of toxic substances in plants on the surface of reclaimed tailings ponds

The article describes the research findings on the spread of toxic substances in plants on the surface of a manmade alluviation–the Unaly tailings pond. On the basis of the earlier theoretical and experimental field research analysis, the authors put forward and prove a hypothesis on possible infiltration of brines through the reclaimed layer, when chemical elements and components of dried layers of the tailings pond, given certain humidification, penetrate onto ground surface and, via root systems, into green material of plants, and accumulate there. The article offers formal description of methods to determine the spatial interpolation of metal content of the test samples using regular kriging, and presents the thermal maps and tables for the visualization of the research findings. The comparison of the rated values and the data from the analysis of plants sampled on the reclaimed surface discovers that the contents of all test metals exceeds the maximum allowable concentrations. The implemented research enables creation of data bases and geoinformation-based visualization of areas with the increased concentrations of heavy metals in soil and in plants for the ecological and engineering decision-making. This can promote further reclamation to provide the necessary contribution to theory and practice of development of novel rapid ecological monitoring techniques for the decommissioned mining and processing industry facilities with regard to the theory of mobility of chemical elements in soil. The research into spreading of toxic substances in plants on the surface of the reclaimed tailings pond points at the current necessity of regular monitoring of decommissioned facilities of the mining and processing industry on a real-life basis, to provide complete and sufficient information on potential ecological safety hazards not only in a separate region but over the whole area of Russia. 

Sokolov A. A., Zakharov M. V., Orlova L. G., Kukartsev V. V., Stupina A. A. Research findings on spreading of toxic substances in plants on the surface of reclaimed tailings ponds. MIAB. Mining Inf. Anal. Bull. 2026;(1):111-126. [In Russ]. DOI: 10.25018/0236_1493_2026_1_0_111.

The studies were carried out at the Southern Federal University and were supported by the Russian Science Foundation, Project Nos. RNF/23-37-GL and 23-77-00015.

A.A. Sokolov¹, Cand. Sci. (Eng.), Assistant Professor, Head of Chair, e-mail: anso@sfedu.ru, ORCID ID: 0000-0002-1127-9612,
T.V. Puchkova¹, Cand. Sci. (Eng.), Assistant Professor, e-mail: tpuchkova@sfedu.ru, ORCID ID: 0009-0003-0200-1250,
V.A. Fomenko¹, Cand. Sci. (Eng.), Assistant Professor, e-mail: vafomenko@sfedu.ru, ORCID ID: 0000-0003-4725-3673,
D.A. Plakhotin¹, Assistant, e-mail: plakhotin@sfedu.ru, ORCID ID: 0009-0005-5329-6903,
I.I. Shepelev, Dr. Sci. (Eng.), Director, Limited Lability Company «Environmental Engineering Center», 662150, Achinsk, Russia, e-mail: ekoing@mail.ru, Scopus Author ID: 56919135100, ORCID: 0000-0002-1127-9612, 
¹ Branch of Southern Federal University in Gelendzhik, 353461, Gelendzhik, Russia.

A.A. Sokolov, e-mail: anso@sfedu.ru.

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