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16 <br />in tailing (Table 3). Bismuth, fluorine, lead, lithium, molybdenum, selenium <br />and sulfur were more than 10 times more concentrated in tailing than in soil. <br />Borah, chranium, cobalt, phosphorus, strontium and vanadium were more than 10 <br />times concentrated in soil than in tailing. The lead cation is considered <br />very toxic (Bowen, 1966). The cation of bismuth and the oxygenated .anions of <br />molybdenum and selenium and the simple anion of fluoride are considered <br />moderately toxic to plant life. Very toxic was defined by Bowen (1956) as <br />toxic effects may be seen at concentrations belay 1 ppm (ug/~) in rnitrient <br />solution, whereas moderately toxic effects are noted at concentratica~s between <br />1 and 100 ppm. Sulfur is toxic to bacteria and fungi, but is not vary toxic <br />to angiosper-re. The lithium cation is considered scarcely toxic. <br />Deposition of the potentially toxic elarents in surrounding ecosystems <br />from tailing is being minimized by the use of the chemical "~F77C" for dust <br />control of the tailing areas. In addition, covering the tailing with topsoil <br />at the end of the mining operation should prevent tailing dispersion. <br />Thereafter, roots of vegetation will likely penetrate to the depth oi: the <br />tailing after reclamation and plant uptake of potentially toxic materials <br />rtright occur. <br />Camarison of Tailing with Soil <br />Average chetrical characteristics of soil from the six sale locztions in <br />1979 and 1985 were compared with those of tailing takes fran the tai].inq pond. <br />Analysis of these data indicated that tailing was significantly higher in pH <br />(1979 only), S.A.R (1985 only), zinc (Zn), copper (tom) (1985 only), molybdenum <br />(Mo), lead (Pb) and fluoride (F) than soil (Table 4). The latter three <br />