POLLUTION OF WATER AND SEDIMENTS FROM TABANOVSKA RIVER WITH HEAVY METALS FROM THE ABANDONED MINE LOJANE

Abstract

The abandoned Lojane Mine Site and associated processing facilities are located north of city of Kumanovo on the territory of Lipkovo municipality.

The old Lojane Mine Site is located between the villages Lojane, Vaksince in area called Rudnicka Kolonija (Mine colony). The total mine site area is about 10 km². The exploration area includes the territory between the village Chivluk where the old smelter is located, i.e. the flotation tailings from the Lojane mine, along the flow of Tabanovska river to the village of Gorno Konjare.

In Lojane abandoned mine, huge amount of mining dams was left without any adjustment and remediation. Their exposition leads to mass erosion and transport over large distance in the watershed. Chemical analysis of these wastes showed high contamination by toxic heavy metals. The leachate of wastes leads to the contamination of river sediments and waters.