Determination of Physicochemical Properties and Characterization of Soil from Gold Mining Areas of Kachin State, Myanmar

抄録

This study revealed the determination of physicochemical parameters and characterization of mineral constituents of soils affected by the low-tech gold mining communities in the vicinity of Myitkyina town. The multi-increment soil samples with four replications were collected from two active mines (Location-1 and 2) and an abandoned mine (Location-3) during the first week of January 2018. Soil samples were analyzed for particle size distribution, pH, electrical conductivity, organic carbon, NH₃-N, and available phosphorus. Soluble salts of soil water extract were also examined by titration method. Then characterizations of soil mineral constituents were investigated by advanced spectroscopic techniques such as Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy (FT-IR), Energy Dispersive X-ray (EDX) and Scanning Electron Microscope (SEM). The result showed that soil sample from location-1 was loam sand and the other two soil samples were sand textural class. Soil pH, electrical conductivity, organic carbon, and available phosphorus were significantly different among the three gold mining areas whereas NH₃-N content was not different by the gold mining. There was a high soluble salt accumulation in all locations. The highest soluble salt was Ca²⁺ followed by Mg²⁺. It was found that iron (Fe) contained as the highest relative amount in the soil which could exist with gold altogether and the second largest amount was given by titanium (Ti).