Chemical Properties of Lead-Zinc Tailings at Disposal Ground

The concentrations of lead and zinc in tailings in the Fankou disposal ground vary sharply with location in place and depth. The concentration of total zinc ranges from 703 to 19 657 mg/kg and that of total lead from 10 413 to 94 988 mg/kg. Normally the tailings contain as high as 151.6-841.7 mg/kg of available zinc and as low as 0.75-2.50 mg/kg of available lead, and are lack of other plant nutrients such as organic matter, total N, available P and readily available K. After be acidified, the pH value of the tailings is lowered down and the concentrations of available Pb and Zn rise, reaching as high as 175.8-2 828.0 mg/kg and 100.0 mg/kg, respectively, while the other plant nutrients fall almost to nil, making the tailings more infertile. In soils of the rims of the disposal ground and the coverings of the tailings, the content of plant nutrients is increased, which, however, also leads to higher concentrations of available Pb and Zn.