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Distribution and Partitioning of Trace Metals in Contaminated Soils near Leadville, Colorado

Dep. of Soil and Environmental Sciences, Univ. of California, Riverside, CA 92521;

K.A. Barbarick, E.G. Siemer and L.E. Sommers

Dep. of Agronomy, Colorado State Univ., Fort Collins, CO 80523.

^* Corresponding author.

ABSTRACT

Mountain meadows near Leadville, CO, were contaminated with trace metals through the deposition of hydraulically transported mine tailings in the early 1900s. A study was conducted to: (i) characterize the physical and chemical properties of contaminated soils, (ii) determine the soil depth distribution of total, organically bound, oxide-bound, exchangeable, and water-soluble metals, and (iii) evaluate trace metals in forages grown in contaminated meadows. One uncontaminated and four contaminated locations in a north-south transect were studied. Total soil metals ranged from: Cu, 14 to 1200 mg kg^–1; Cd, 3 to 110 mg kg^–1; Pb, 46 to 49000 mg kg^–1; and Zn, 44 to 12000 mg kg^–1. The greatest concentrations of total metals were found either in the surface horizons or in hydraulically deposited sand layers that were buried at three locations. Copper was predominantly associated with the organic fraction at four of the five locations, while Cd, Pb, and Zn were mainly bound to Fe and Mn oxides at all locations. The concentrations of Cd, Pb, and Zn in forages were significantly related to various fractions of soil metals and were found to be potentially detrimental to livestock health and plant growth.

Contribution to the Dep. of Agronomy and Colorado Agric. Exp. Stn.

Received for publication August 27, 1991.