Enrichment of arsenic and selenium in the soils around Sarcheshmeh copper mine

Metallic minerals often contain high levels of arsenic and selenium، and thus metal ore mining activities cause the entry of these elements to environment. The study of soil contamination around mines and melting factories has been considered highly in the recent years. Considering mineral enrichment and mines development in Iran، the study of environmental issues is an urgent need. In this study، 120 soil samples were collected around Sarcheshmeh copper mine towards Rafsanjan plain in order to study arsenic and selenium concentrations. Two criterions include enrichment factor and geoaccumulation index were calculated to identify contaminated area and iso-concentration maps were drawn to for the distribution of heavy metals in the area. Results showed that these elements had a higher concentration in the area closed to the mine and they reduced dramatically in the further distance from the mine. The result of enrichment factor reveals that the mean concentration of arsenic was higher than the background value at the some sampling points due to abnormal enrichment in the studied area. Moreover، the results of geoaccumulation index calculation showed that selenium level was below critical value in three paths of while arsenic concentration ranged from low to hirh level in the polluted area.