Summary: | Geochemical risk is caused by the release of hazardous chemicals to the earth surface. Primary diamond deposits are located in difficult mining and geological conditions. They represent natural geochemical anomalies associated with the mineral composition of rocks and groundwater, which contain a number of impurity elements with high toxic properties (Tl, Di, As, Cd, Hg), and increased concentrations of heavy metals (Cu, Zn, Pb, Ti, V and others). The paper presents the physical-geographical and mining-geological conditions of the diamondiferous region, where three large mining and processing divisions operate: Udachninsky, Aikhalsky and Nyurbinsky. pH, organic matter (humus), total nitrogen, and physical clay were identified in the study samples, by using potentiometric, photoelectric colorimetric, spectrophotometric methods, and pipette method for particle size analysis. Gross and mobile forms of trace elements were determined by atomic absorption and emission spectrometry. The groups of elements were identified that determined the natural and man-made anomalies. The accumulation of Cr, Ni, and Co determines the influence of kimberlite magmatism in general. Cu, Sr, and Li are accumulated in the soils of the Daldyn-Alakit diamond-bearing region. Increased concentrations of Mn and Cu are typical in the soils of the Sredne-Markhinsky diamond-bearing region. An assessment of the ecological and geochemical state of the study areas was carried out according to the indicator of total pollution (Zc), which is the sum of the excess of the concentration coefficients of chemical elements accumulating in anomalies. Areas of pollution and zones of the greatest risk are localized, which occupy up to 75% of the total area of industrial sites. They confined to quarry-dump complexes and to areas of impact of tailing dumps of processing plants.
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