Characteristics of Wastewater Streams Within the Bor Copper Mine and Their Influence on Pollution of the Timok River, Serbia

• Published in: Mine water and the environment Vol. 35; no. 4; pp. 480 - 485
• Main Authors: Šerbula, S., Stanković, V., Živković, D., Kamberović, Ž., Gorgievski, M., Kalinović, T.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Berlin/Heidelberg Springer Berlin Heidelberg 01.12.2016; Springer Nature B.V
• Subjects: Contaminants; Copper; Creeks & streams; Earth and Environmental Science; Earth Sciences; Ecotoxicology; Flow paths; Freshwater; Geology; Hydrogeology; Hydroxyapatite; Industrial Pollution Prevention; Mineral Resources; Mines; Ores; Pollution; Pollution load; Rivers; Stream pollution; Streams; Sulphides; Technical Article; Waste materials; Wastewater; Water Quality/Water Pollution; Water resources management; Serbia; Serbia, Danube R; Characterization; Lead; Copper; Zinc; Metal pollution
• ISSN: 1025-9112; 1616-1068
• DOI: 10.1007/s10230-016-0392-6

Wastewaters produced by mining and metallurgical treatment of polymetallic sulfide ores have polluted the Timok River in Serbia for more than 100 years. We have characterized seven different wastewater streams within the RTB Bor facilities, investigating their influence on pollution of the Timok River before its confluence with the Danube River. Their relative contribution was calculated by considering the contaminant load of each wastewater stream and non-conservative transport along their flow paths. Three sampling spots in the Timok River, before and after its confluence with the Borska River, were also monitored.