Managing arsenic in post-mining environments - getting our rehabilitation right | Dane Lamb

As we explore ways to manage and rehabilitate contaminated mining landscapes, the interactions between plant communities, organic matter, and soil minerals become increasingly important.
Recent research highlights how organic substrates introduced in rehabilitation efforts may trigger changes in arsenic-containing minerals found in areas affected by acid mine drainage. In post-mining environments, iron mineral phases are key mineralogical controls that can help chemically stabilise arsenic. Indeed, applying iron is one of the possible remediation approaches for managing arsenic mobility. While introducing organic substrates and plant communities can provide significant benefits in site rehabilitation, these actions can potentially lead to the release of arsenic and changes in mineralogy. This makes it crucial to carefully consider the types of organic materials used in rehabilitation efforts, as well as the specific conditions of the site. What role do organic materials play in arsenic mineralogy and mobility?