| dc.description.abstract | Molybdenum is an essential element for life, with growing production due to a
constantly expanding variety of industrial applications. The potentially harmful effects of Mo
on the environment, and on human and ecosystem health, require knowledge of Mo behavior in
mining-affected environments. Mo is usually present in trace amounts in ore deposits, but mining
exploitation can lead to wastes with very high Mo concentrations (up to 4000 mg/kg Mo for
tailings), as well as soil, sediments and water contamination in surrounding areas. In mine
wastes, molybdenum is liberated from sulfide mineral oxidation and can be sorbed onto secondary
Fe(III)-minerals surfaces (jarosite, schwertmannite, ferrihydrite) at moderately acidic waters, or taken
up in secondary minerals such as powellite and wulfenite at neutral to alkaline pH. To date,
no Mo-metabolising bacteria have been isolated from mine wastes. However, laboratory and in-situ
experiments in other types of contaminated land have suggested that several Mo-reducing and
-oxidising bacteria may be involved in the cycling of Mo in and from mine wastes, with good
potential for bioremediation. Overall, a general lack of data is highlighted, emphasizing the need for
further research on the contamination, geochemistry, bio-availability and microbial cycling of Mo in
mining-affected environments to improve environmental management and remediation actions. | en_GB |
