TY - JOUR

T1 - Gold, silver and other elements in aquatic bryophytes from a mineralised area of North Wales, U.K.

AU - Jones, K. C.

PY - 1985/1/1

Y1 - 1985/1/1

N2 - Concentrations of Au, Ag, As, Cd and Sb in aquatic bryophytes collected from the Dolgellau Mineral Belt, North Wales, U.K. are reported. One aquatic liverwort, Scapania undulata (L) Dum. and two mosses, Fontinalis squamosa Hedw. and Racomitrium aciculare (Hedw.) Brid. were collected from sites upstream and downstream of the recently reopened Gwynfyndd Au mine. There was little inter-species variation in metal contents for these three bryophytes, but Scapania undulata appeared the most sensitive to changes in water concentrations of Ag, As and Sb. Gold concentrations varied little between the contaminated and control sites. Concentrations in the range < 4-18 ng Aug g-1 D.W. were typical background levels, while bryophytes collected immediately below the mine contained 6-45 ng Au g-1. Silver and Sb both showed more pronounced (∼ 5-10 fold) elevations above control concentrations in samples collected downstream of the mine. Background concentrations for these elements were 5-85 ng Ag g-1 and 0.15-1.3 μg Sb g-1. Arsenic concentrations downstream of the mine (160-1080 μg g-1) greatly exceeded the background range of 9-32 μg g-1. It is suggested, therefore, that As may be an ideal 'pathfinder' element when prospecting for auriferous deposits using aquatic bryophytes.

AB - Concentrations of Au, Ag, As, Cd and Sb in aquatic bryophytes collected from the Dolgellau Mineral Belt, North Wales, U.K. are reported. One aquatic liverwort, Scapania undulata (L) Dum. and two mosses, Fontinalis squamosa Hedw. and Racomitrium aciculare (Hedw.) Brid. were collected from sites upstream and downstream of the recently reopened Gwynfyndd Au mine. There was little inter-species variation in metal contents for these three bryophytes, but Scapania undulata appeared the most sensitive to changes in water concentrations of Ag, As and Sb. Gold concentrations varied little between the contaminated and control sites. Concentrations in the range < 4-18 ng Aug g-1 D.W. were typical background levels, while bryophytes collected immediately below the mine contained 6-45 ng Au g-1. Silver and Sb both showed more pronounced (∼ 5-10 fold) elevations above control concentrations in samples collected downstream of the mine. Background concentrations for these elements were 5-85 ng Ag g-1 and 0.15-1.3 μg Sb g-1. Arsenic concentrations downstream of the mine (160-1080 μg g-1) greatly exceeded the background range of 9-32 μg g-1. It is suggested, therefore, that As may be an ideal 'pathfinder' element when prospecting for auriferous deposits using aquatic bryophytes.

U2 - 10.1016/0375-6742(85)90036-6

DO - 10.1016/0375-6742(85)90036-6

M3 - Journal article

AN - SCOPUS:0022268795

VL - 24

SP - 237

EP - 246

JO - Journal of Geochemical Exploration

JF - Journal of Geochemical Exploration

SN - 0375-6742

IS - 3

ER -