Environmental impact of mine tailings in Redi mines, Sindhudurg District, Maharashtra (India).

Redi mine contains Fe, Mn as major elements, Al, Si as minor elements and also contains traces of Cr, Zn, Pb, Ni, Cu and P. The toxic trace elements present in the ore have also contributed to the contamination of the environment. Various operations of mining, the machinery used, transportation, the metallurgy and kind of waste management practices used are the significant factors of contributing to the nature of tailings of mine. The studies of tailings have revealed that, in addition to elemental contaminations, the operations create acidic environment around the area (pH-6.2 to 6.3 ), as water samples around showed acidic to slightly basic (pH 5.1 to 7.3) nature while soil samples were found acidic to the slightly basic (pH 6.1 to 7.4). In the samples of ore, tailings and soil, the most abundant elements found are Fe, Mn, Si and Al. In water samples, in addition to presence of Fe, Mn, Si, Al, P, significant quantities of Ni, Zn are also found. Ore, tailings and soil samples were analysed by X-Ray Diffraction technique and have shown the presence of goethite, gibbsite, kaolinite, quartz and mica alongwith haematite in the overall composition of ore.