Geochemical and environmental assessment of potential effects of trace elements in soils, water, and sediments around abandoned mining sites in the northern Iberian Peninsula (NW Spain).

The mineral deposits and traces in the Iberian Peninsula are very numerous and of varied mineralogy. This study aimed to analyze the geochemical and environmental changes detected in soil, water, and sediments around the La Sierre mine, and to determine if contamination persists over time. The concentrations of ten trace elements (As, Co, Cr, Cu, Fe, Mn, Ni, Pb, V, Zn) were measured in 20 soil samples, 10 water samples, and 6 sediment samples, sampling at the most affected points.