Abstract



The purpose of this study is to assess presence of different heavy and non heavy metals in an abandoned gold mining site in Kolar Gold Fields, Karnataka. The region is called the Kolar schist belt of south India, well known for its gold deposits which have been mined technically for over two centuries. Distribution of elements in the form of histogram diagrams were prepared to understand the levels of contamination in soil using thermo scientific make ICP OES (Inductively Coupled Plasma Optical Emission Spectroscopy ) with Iteva software. Four sampling sites (dumpings) were selected based on its presence near by residential areas and analyzed between january june 2014. Analysis of soil samples collected from four mine dumps in the study area indicates high levels of As, Cd, Fe, Ni, Cu, Pb, Cr, far above the above the threshold values in soil except Mn. The results of this study would facilitate in identifying the extent of groundwater pollution and prognosis of entry of pollutants into biotic components.