Geochemistry and mineralogy of old concentration tailings (Dal'negorsky ore district, Primorsky Krai, Russia)

The paper gives the granulometric characteristics of the old tailings of the Krasnorechenskaya concentration mill (Primorsky Krai, Russia) and discusses their mineralogical-geochemical features. The original ore and newly formed mineral associations belonging to certain subzones are characterized by the concrete formation conditions and occupy a definite position in space thus forming a mineral zoning. The resources of main elements concentrated in the tailing dumps have been calculated. The KCM tailing dumps are shown to be the promising objects for the repeated extraction of mineral raw material and, at the same time, the sources of environment pollution with toxic elements.