Analysis of Soil Fertility and Heavy Metals Contamination on Post- Mining Laterite Nickel Southeast Sulawesi, Indonesia

Abstract:

The aim of this study was to assess soil fertility and heavy metal contamination in soil on reclaimed land in two sample areas. Area R1, trees are difficult to grow and R2, trees can grow. This investigation was conducted to reveal the level of soil fertility, concentration and enrichment of various heavy metals in contaminated soil. Twenty-two samples, twelve sampling positions in R1 and ten sampling positions in R2. Inductive study combined ICP-MS (Inductively Coupled Plasma Mass Spectrometry) and ICP-OES (Inductively Coupled Plasma-Optically Emission Spectrometry) methodologies to determine the concentration levels of Cu, Pb, Zn, Ni, Co, Mn, As, Cd and Cr. A total of four R1 soil samples and four R2 soil samples were measured by XRD to determine the mineralogy and study the flame emission photometry method, extraction and Walkley-Black to determine the soil physicochemistry: texture, pH, K⁺, Na⁺, Ca, Mg, Available Phospor, K, organic carbon, base saturation and cation exchange capacity (CEC). Correlation coefficient analysis and cluster analysis, coupled with principal component analysis, were used to analyze the data and to identify possible sources of these heavy metals. Overall, the levels of heavy metal enrichment are arranged in the following EF order: Cr R1 < Cr R2 ; Mn R1 > Mn R2; Zn R1= Zn R2. Heavy metals Mn, Cr, Co, Ni generally exceed moderate pollution and even strong pollution (2 < Igeo < 3; 3 < Igeo < 4; 5 < Igeo), and Zn, Cu low to moderate pollution levels (0 < Igeo < 1; 1 < Igeo < 2), but Pb, Cd, As low pollution levels (0 < Igeo). The results showed that the difficulty of tree growth in all places in R1 was indicated by the physicochemical properties of soil texture and CEC which were in line with mineralogy in influencing soil fertility and even distribution of heavy metals. Compared to R2, the presence of tree growth was related to a positive correlation between soil texture and organic carbon which played an important role in fertilizing the soil and mineralogy support to control the uneven distribution of heavy metals.

• Periodical: Engineering Innovations (Volume 13)
• Pages: 99-112
• DOI: https://doi.org/10.4028/p-tYU8GD
• Online since: February 2025
• Authors: Adi Tonggiroh*, Hendra Pachri, Muhardi Mustafa
• Keywords: Laterite Nickel, Post Mining, Soil Fertility

References

[1] Schulze DG., 2005. Encyclopedia of Soils in the Environment. ScienceDirect

[2] USDA., 1998. Natural Resources Conservation Service. Soil Quality Indicators: pH. http://www.isuvaslui.ro.

[3] Zang F., Wang S., Nan Z., Ma J., Zhang Q., Chen Y., Li Y.,2017. Accumulation, Spatio-Temporal Distribution, and Risk Assessment of Heavy Metals in the SoilCorn System Around a Polymetallic Mining Area from the Loess Plateau, Northwest China. Geoderma 305, 188–196.

DOI: 10.1016/j.geoderma.2017.06.008

[4] Fei, X.,Lou, Z., Xiao R., Ren, Z., Lv, X.,2020. Contamination Assessment and Source Apportionment of Heavy Metals in Agricultural Soil through the Synthesis of PMF and GeogDetector Models. Sci. Total Environ. 747,141293.

DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2020.141293

[5] Sutherland RA., Tolosa CA., Tack FMG., Verloo MG.,2000. Characterization of selected element concentration and enrichment ratios in background and anthropogenicallyimpacted roadside areas, Archives of Environmental Contamination and Toxicology, Vol.38, 428–438

DOI: 10.1007/s002449910057

[6] Guo, M.,2009. Soil sampling and methods of analysis. J. Environ. Qual.

[7] Zheng, W.,2004. The Technical Specification For Soil Environmental Monitoring (HJ/T 166–2004); Chinese Standard: Beijing, China,p.4–17.

[8] Akhter, MS., Madany, IM.,1993. Heavy metals in street and house dust in bahrain. Water Air Soil Pollut. : 66,111–119

DOI: 10.1007/bf00477063

[9] Hani, A.,Pazira, E.,2011. Heavy metals assessment and identification of their sources in agricultural soils of Southern Tehran, Iran. Environ. Monit. Assess. 176, 677–691. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10661-010- 1612-3

DOI: 10.1007/s10661-010-1612-3

[10] Huang, W., Campredon, R., Abrao, JJ., Bernat, M., Latouche, C.,1994. Variation of heavy metals in recent sediments from Piratininga Lagoon (Brazil): Interpretation of geochemical data with the aid of multivariate analysis. Environ. Geol. 23, 241–247.

DOI: 10.1007/bf00766738

[11] Hu., KL., Zhang, FR., Lu, YZ.,Wang, R.,Xu, Y.2011. Spatial distribution of concentrations of soil heavy metals in Daxing county, Beijing. Acta Sci. Circum. 24, 463–469

[12] Ruiz F., González-Regalado ML., Borrego J., Morales JA., Pendón JGP., Muñoz JM.,1998. Stratigraphic sequence, elemental concentrations and heavy metal pollution in Holocene sediments from the Tinto-Odiel Estuary, southwestern Spain. Environ. Geol. 34, 270–278.

DOI: 10.1007/s002540050278

[13] Yang P., Mao R., Shao H., Gao Y., 2009. The spatial variability of heavy metal distribution in the suburban farmland of Taihang Piedmont Plain, China. C. R. Biol. 332, 558–566.

DOI: 10.1016/j.crvi.2009.01.004

[14] Franco-Urıa A., Lopez-Mateo C., Roca E., Fernandez-Marcos, ML.,2009. Source identification of heavy metals in pastureland by multivariate analysis in NW Spain. J. Hazard. Mater. 165, 1008–1015.

DOI: 10.1016/j.jhazmat.2008.10.118

[15] Yao R J., Yang J., Gao P., Shao H., Chen X., Yu S., 2013. Multivariate simulation and assessment of three dimensional spatial patterns of coastal soil salinity using ancillary variables. Fresenius Environ. Bull. 22, 39–52.

[16] Silva., MTB., Hermo B S., García-Rodeja, E., Freire, NV.,2005. Reutilization of granite powder as an amendment and fertilizer for acid soils. Chemosphere.61(7):993–1002.

DOI: 10.1016/j.chemosphere.2005.03.010

[17] Mehta, N., Cocerva, T., Cipullo, S., Padoan, E., Dino, G A., Ajmone-Marsan, F., Cox, S F., Coulon, F., De Luca, D A., 2019. Linking oral bioaccessibility and solid phase distribution of potentially toxic elements in extractive waste and soil from an abandoned mine site: Case study in Campello Monti, NW Italy. Science of the Total Environment, 651, 2799-2810.

DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2018.10.115

[18] Magaly G Valencia-Avellan, Rebecca Slack, A E, B Anthony Stockdale C., Robert John George Mortimer .,2017. Effect of episodic rainfall on aqueous metal mobility from historical mine sites Environ. Chem. 14, 469–475

DOI: 10.1071/en17133

[19] Kahle, M., M. Kleber, and R. Jahn. 2002. Review of XRD Based Quantitative Analysis of Clay Minerals in Soils: The Suitable of Mineral Intensity Factor. Geoderma109:191-205

DOI: 10.1016/s0016-7061(02)00175-1

[20] Kadir S., Adogan M S, Elitok O, Helvaci C,,2015.Composition and Genesis of the Nickel-Chrome- Bearing Nontronite and Montmorillonite in Lateritized Ultramafic Rocks in the Muratdği Region (Uşak, Western Anatolia), Turkey Clays and Clay Minerals volume 63, pages 163–184

DOI: 10.1346/ccmn.2015.0630302

[21] Moore, D M., Reynold, R C., 1997. X-Ray Diffraction and the Identification and Analysis of Clay Mineral. Oxford University Press, Oxford.

[22] Blackmore, L C., Searle P L., Daly B K., 1981. Methods for chemicals analysis of soils. N. Z. Soil Bureau Sci. Rep. 10A. Soil Bureau, Lower Hutt. New Zealand.

[23] Jianwei Bu., Ziyong Sun ., Aiguo Zhou ., Youning Xu ., Rui Ma ., Wenhao Wei., Meng Liu.,2016.Heavy Metals in Surface Soils in the Upper Reaches of the Heihe River, Northeastern Tibetan Plateau, China. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health. MDPI

DOI: 10.3390/ijerph13030247

[24] Rayment, GE., Higginson FR., 1992. Australian laboratory handbook of soil and water chemicals methods. Australian soil and land survey handbook. Inkata Press, Melbourne, Sydney

[25] Scragg A.,2006. Environmental Biotechnology, Oxford University Press, Oxford, UK, 2nd edition

[26] Schindler M, Mantha H, Hochella Jr MF,2019.The formation of spinel-group minerals in contaminated soils: the sequestration of metal(loid)s by unexpected incidental nanoparticles.V. 20:1 Geochemical Transactions

DOI: 10.1186/s12932-019-0061-3

[27] Lasat M M., 2000. Phytoextraction of metals from contaminated soil: a review of plant/soil/metal interaction and assessment of pertinent agronomic issues. Journal of Hazardous Substances Research, vol. 2, p.1–25

DOI: 10.4148/1090-7025.1015

[28] Jones L H P., Jarvis S C., 1981. The fate of heavy metals in The Chemistry of Soil Processes, Green D J., Hayes M H B., Eds., p.593, John Wiley & Sons, New York, NY, USA

[29] Raven P H., Berg R., Johnson G B.,1998. Environment. Saunders College Publishing, New York, NY, USA, 2nd edition

[30] Bowles J F W., 2021. Encyclopedia of Geology (Second Edition), Scinecedirect

[31] Miguel Ángel Olego .,Miguel Javier Quiroga ., Cristina Mendaña-Cuervo ., Jorge Cara-Jiménez ., Roberto López 3 and Enrique Garzón-Jimeno,2021.Long-Term Effects of Calcium-Based Liming Materials on Soil Fertility Sustainability and Rye Production as Soil Quality Indicators on a Typic Palexerult.Processes,9:1181, MDPI

DOI: 10.3390/pr9071181

[32] Michael Schindler., Haley Mantha ., Michael F. Hochella Jr.,2021.The formation of spinel-group minerals in contaminated soils: the sequestration of metal(loid)s by unexpected incidental nanoparticles Geochemical Transactions,20:1

DOI: 10.1186/s12932-019-0061-3

[33] Das S K., Chakrapani G J., 2011. Assessment of trace metal toxicity in soils of Raniganj Coalfield, India Environ Monit Assess 177: 63–71

DOI: 10.1007/s10661-010-1618-x

[34] Antonio G. Caporale1., Antonio Violante., 2016. Chemical Processes Affecting the Mobility of Heavy Metals and Metalloids in Soil Environments Curr Pollution Rep (2016) 2:15–27

DOI: 10.1007/s40726-015-0024-y

[35] Santos A., Alonso E., Callejon M., Jimenez J C., 2002.Distribution of Zn, Cd, Pb and Cu metals in groundwater of the Guadiamar river basin. Water Air and Soil Pollution,134(1–4), 273–283

[36] Bell F G., Stacey T R., Genske D D.,2000. Mining subsidence and its effect on the environment: some differing examples. Environmental Geology, 40(1–2), 135–152

DOI: 10.1007/s002540000140

[37] Lizárraga-Mendiola L., González-Sandoval M R., Durán Domínguez M C., Márquez-Herrera C., 2009. Geochemical behavior of heavy metals in a Zn–Pb–Cu mining area in the State of Mexico (central Mexico). Environmental Monitoring and Assessment, 155, 355–372

DOI: 10.1007/s10661-008-0440-1

[38] Filius A., Streck T., Richter J., 1998. Cadmium sorption and desorption in limed topsoils as influenced by pH: Isotherms and simulated leaching. J. Environ. Qual. 27, 12–18.

DOI: 10.2134/jeq1998.00472425002700010003x

[39] McBride, M. B., Suave, S., Hendershot, W., 1997. Solubility control of Cu, Zn, Cd, and Pb in contaminated soils. European J. Soil Sci. 48, 337–346

DOI: 10.1111/j.1365-2389.1997.tb00554.x

[40] Behzad Mehrabi., Shiva Mehrabani., Behrouz Rafiei., Behrouz Yaghoubi., 2015.Assessment of metal contamination in groundwater and soils in the Ahangaran mining district, west of Iran. Environ Monit Assess 187: 727

DOI: 10.1007/s10661-015-4864-0

[41] Adriano DC.,1986. Trace elements in the terrestrial environment (p.533). New York: Springer

[42] Facchinelli A., Sacchi E., Mallen L.,2001. Multivariate statistical and GIS-based approach to identify heavy metal sources in soils. Environmental Pollution, 114, 313–324

DOI: 10.1016/s0269-7491(00)00243-8

[43] Loska K., Wiechula D., 2003. Application of principal component analysis for the estimation of source of heavy metal contamination in surface sediments from the Rybnik Reservoir. Chemosphere, 51, 723– 733

DOI: 10.1016/s0045-6535(03)00187-5

[44] Emma Sandell Festin., Mulualem Tigabu ., Mutale N., Chileshe., Stephen Syampungani., Per Christer Ode´n.,2019. Progresses in restoration of post-mining landscape in Africa. J. For. Res. 30(2):381–396

DOI: 10.1007/s11676-018-0621-x

[45] Rankin W J.,2011. Minerals, metals and sustainability: meeting future material needs. CSIRO Pub, Collingwood

[46] Vela-Almeida D., Brooks G., Kosoy N.,2015. Setting the limits to extraction: a biophysical approach to mining activities. Ecol Econ 119:189–196

DOI: 10.1016/j.ecolecon.2015.09.001

[47] Carrick P J., Kru¨ger R., 2007. Restoring degraded landscapes in lowland Namaqualand: lessons from the mining experience and from regional ecological dynamics. J Arid Environ 70:767–781

DOI: 10.1016/j.jaridenv.2006.08.006

[48] Golightly JP., 1979. Nickeliferous laterites: A general description, in Evans, D. J. I., Shoemaker, R. S. and Veltman, H., eds., International Laterite Symposium: New York, Society of Mining Engineers, p.3–23.

[49] Golightly J P., 1981. Nickeliferous Laterite Deposits., Economic Geology 75th Anniversary Volume p.710 – 735.

DOI: 10.5382/av75.18

[50] Elias M., 2002. Nickel laterite deposits - a geological overview, resources and exploitation: Hobart, University of Tasmania, Centre for Ore Deposit Research Special Publication 4, p.205–220.

[51] Marsh E., Anderson E., Gray F., 2013. Nickel-cobalt laterites—A deposit model, in U.S. Geological Survey Scientific Investigations Report.

DOI: 10.3133/sir20105070h

[52] Mustafa M., Maulana A., Irfan UR., Tonggiroh A., 2022.Determination of heavy metal elements concentration in soils and tailing sediments from lateritic nickel post-mining areas in Motui District, Southeast Sulawesi J. Degrade. Min. Land Manage. , pp.3273-3279

DOI: 10.15243/jdmlm.2022.092.3273

[53] Muller G., 1969. Index of geoaccumulation in sediments of the Rhine River. GeoJournal, 2, 108–118.

[54] Sahu A., Vishwakarma N., Singh Y., Verma C B., 2020. Mineral chemistry of high-Al chromian spinel from ultramafic rocks of the Babina–Prithvipur transect, Bundelkhand Craton, central India: Implication for petrogenesis and tectonic setting. Article number: 182 (2020) Journal of Earth System Science volume 129

DOI: 10.1007/s12040-020-01448-3

[55] Maulana A., Christy A G., Ellis D J., 2015. Petrology, geochemistry and tectonic significance of serpentinized ultramafic rocks from the South Arm of Sulawesi, Indonesia Chemie der Erde,75:1, 73-87

DOI: 10.1016/j.chemer.2014.09.003

[56] Tonggiroh A., Jaya A., Irfan UR., 2017. Type of nickel laterization, Lasolo fracture and mollase deposits of Southeast Sulawesi, Indonesia. Eco. Env. & Cons. 23 (1), pp. (97-103)

[57] Zhang Y., Qie J., Wang XF., Cui K., Fu T., Wang J., Qi Y., 2020. Mineralogical Characteristics of the Nickel Laterite, Southeast Ophiolite Belt, Sulawesi Island, Indonesia Mining, Metallurgy & Exploration 37:79–91

DOI: 10.1007/s42461-019-00147-y

[58] Zhang Z W., Wang Y L., Wang C Y., Qian B., Li W Y., Zhang J W., You M X., 2019. Mafic-ultramafic magma activity and copper-nickel sulfide metallogeny during Paleozoic in the Eastern Kunlun Orogenic Belt, Qinghai Province, China. China Geology v 2 : 4,pp.467-477

DOI: 10.31035/cg2018124

[59] Scoates J S., Scoates R F J., Wall C J., Friedan R M., Couëslan C G., 2017. Direct Dating of Ultramafic Sills and Mafic Intrusions Associated with Ni-Sulfide Mineralization in the Thompson Nickel Belt, Manitoba, Canada. Economic Geology 112 (3): 675–692.

DOI: 10.2113/econgeo.112.3.675

[60] Barnes S J., Lightfoot P C., 2005. Formation of Magmatic Nickel Sulfide Ore Deposits and Processes Affecting Their Copper and Platinum Group Element Contents. Society of Economic Geologists, Inc. 100th Anniversary Volume, p.000–000

DOI: 10.5382/av100.08