"Mapping mining-affected water pollution in China: Status, patterns, risks, and implications", 16 December 2024

Mining-affected water pollution poses a serious threat to human health and economic prosperity globally. The human toxicity and ecosystem impacts induced by mining activities have achieved considerable public, scientific, and regulatory attention. In this study, a comprehensive database of 8433 water samples from 211 coal mines and 87 metal mines in China was established to reveal the national status and spatial heterogeneity of mining-affected water pollution, human health risks, and their potential multifaceted challenges.

The results show that the concentrations of sulfate, Fe, Mn, Al, and several trace elements in the mining-affected water of metal mines are generally higher than those of coal mines, especially in acid water (pH < 6.5). In terms of spatial distribution, the gridded data demonstrates that the southern regions in China, especially Guizhou, Guangdong, Fujian, Jiangxi, Hunan, and Guangxi provinces/autonomous regions, are the hotspots of mining-affected water pollution (i.e., low pH as well as high sulfate, Fe, Mn, and heavy metals).

The unacceptable carcinogenic risks caused by poor-quality surface water and groundwater are observed in 51.52% (for adults) and 29.29% (for children) of the mining areas. Moreover, severe non-carcinogenic risks are also identified in 68.07% and 80.67% of mining areas for adults and children, respectively. Overall, the acidic and metal-rich water exhibits a widespread and detrimental impact in China, especially in the southern regions, posing significant risks to planetary health by degrading surface water and groundwater quality, destroying biodiversity, and threatening human well-being…

Nationally, the concentrations of Fe and Mn in water affected by mining are widely over 0.3 mg/L and 0.1 mg/L, respectively…, the Fe pollution hotspots are mainly located in the Fujian (e.g., Zijinshan copper mine), …, Jiangxi (e.g., Dexing/Yongping copper mines) and … provinces, where the concentrations even exceed 1000 mg/L.