The influence of tailings storage facilities in the eastern part of Jiu valley on the water quality

Mining and sustainable development may be compatible with the priority of measures to reduce impacts on the major ecosystems with severe consequences for the future generations. Infiltration of contaminated water into soils/rocks due to activity of different sectors of mining industry causes increasing concentration of minor and major deleterious elements in natural environment, forcing an economic operator to implement the best available techniques to solve severe environmental problems. The research is aimed at determining heavy metal contents in tailings storage facilities of coal mining operations in the eastern part of Jiu Valley, revealing mechanism of interaction of the TSF infiltrate with East Jiu River, as well as assessing the impact of the TSF on quality of the natural environment. One more aim of the research was to determine the ways by which the TSF components produce negative impact on the soils and surface waters. The obtained results can be fundamental basis for the future researches in the field of closing and maintaining the mining activities in Jiu Valley and the land reclamation.