HOME HELP FEEDBACK SUBSCRIPTIONS ARCHIVE SEARCH TABLE OF CONTENTS		QUICK SEARCH:   [advanced] Author: Keyword(s): Year:  Vol:  Page:

This Article Abstract Full Text Full Text (PDF) Alert me when this article is cited Alert me if a correction is posted Services Similar articles in this journal Similar articles in ISI Web of Science Similar articles in PubMed Alert me to new issues of the journal Download to citation manager Citing Articles Citing Articles via HighWire Citing Articles via Google Scholar Google Scholar Articles by Zielinski, R. A. Articles by Johnson, C. A. Search for Related Content PubMed PubMed Citation Articles by Zielinski, R. A. Articles by Johnson, C. A. Agricola Articles by Zielinski, R. A. Articles by Johnson, C. A. Related Collections Vadose Zone Processes and Chemical Transport Surface Water Quality Heavy Metals Other Environmental Contamination Water Pollution

Sources of Salinity Near a Coal Mine Spoil Pile, North-Central Colorado

^a U.S. Geological Survey, Mail Stop 973, Denver Federal Center, Denver, CO 80225
^b USGS, Mail Stop 939, Denver Federal Center, Denver, CO 80225
^c USGS, Mail Stop 963, Denver Federal Center, Denver, CO 80225

View larger version (62K): [in a new window]   Fig. 1. Location map of the study area (modified from Kirkham and Ladwig, 1980).

View larger version (40K): [in a new window]   Fig. 2. Map of the study site showing locations of water (W) and auger (A) samples.

View larger version (21K): [in a new window]   Fig. 3. Triangular plots showing the relative proportions of the major cations and anions in surface waters, mine spoil leachates, and saline soil leachates.

View larger version (26K): [in a new window]   Fig. 4. Calculated saturation indices of selected mineral phases in nine samples of surface water (W1–W9) collected at progressive distances downstream from the cattail wetland below the coal spoil pile. Positive values of saturation index (log of ion activity product/equilibrium constant) indicate oversaturation with respect to a particular phase.

View larger version (17K): [in a new window]   Fig. 5. Dissolved concentrations of selected elements in surface waters W1–W9, plotted as a function of distance downstream from the cattail wetland below the coal spoil pile.

View larger version (19K): [in a new window]   Fig. 6. Sulfur isotopic composition of total sulfur in core samples and of soluble sulfate in the spoil pile, nearby saline soil, regional soils, and surface waters W1–W9.

View larger version (16K): [in a new window]   Fig. 7. Sulfur isotopic composition plotted versus 1/SO4 for surface waters W1–W9. Dissolved sulfate increases with distance downstream. Tic marks on the apparent mixing line connecting mixing endmembers W1 and W9 indicate the calculated percentage of W9 in the mixture, based on sulfate concentrations. Estimated precision of 34S values (±0.2) is approximated by the diameter of the dots.