Geology Department Colloquium, Oct 15th

Speaker: Christopher Kim, Chapman University

Title: “Arsenic Transport, Speciation, and Bioaccessibility in Gold Mining Environments”

Please join us: Tuesday, October 15th @ 11AM in Edmunds 130

Abstract: Gold and other precious metal mining has resulted in a legacy of mine wastes distributed throughout the state of California.  Many of these materials were later discovered to be naturally enriched in other trace metal(loid)s known to be harmful to human health, chief among them arsenic.  Arsenic-enriched mine wastes therefore pose a potential threat to residents living in close proximity to former mining lands and visitors who use the area for recreational purposes.

This talk will summarize a number of related studies to characterize trends in arsenic concentration and chemical speciation (particularly as a function of particle size), investigate the transport of mine tailings through windborne and fluvial processes, and determine the potential bioaccessibility of arsenic through ingestion and inhalation pathways.