Heavy Metal and Nutrient Concentrations in A Rehabilitated Mined Soil at Golden Star

Wassa Limited, Akyempim, Ghana

Samuel Abass Mensah

*Correspondent author’s email: samuelabassmensah@gmail.com

ABSTRACT

Rehabilitation plays significant role in restoring degraded lands by enhancing soil quality for
biodiversity and agricultural purposes. To determine the potential of Acacia mangium for mining
rehabilitation, 56 soil samples were collected from both 0-20cm and 20-40cm depth at Golden
Star Wassa Mines, Akyempim in the Wet Semi-equatorial climatic zone of Ghana, West Africa.
There was significant effect of pure Acacia Stands age on soil As, Zn and Pb. The Lead (Pb) and
the Zinc (Zn) as well as soil pH deceases with increasing stand age whereas there was no
significant effect on that of soil Hg and Ni. The levels of Soil Organic Matter (SOM), Soil
Organic Carbon (SOC), and total Nitrogen (tN) increases with increasing Pure Acacia stands
age. Considering pure Acacia stand, Mixed Stand and a Natural Forest, the highest Zn and pH
were recorded in the pure Acacia stand whereas the lowest was in the Natural Forest. The
highest Pb concentrations were recorded in the Mixed Stand and the lowest in the pure Acacia
Stand. The highest As, Hg and Ni concentrations were recorded in the pure Acacia stand whilst
their lowest concentrations were observed in the Natural Forest. The mixed stand recorded the
highest SOM, SOC and tN followed by the Natural Forest and then the pure Acacia Stand. There
was significant reverse relationship between the Pure Acacia Age Stands and soil total Zn and Pb
however, there was no significant effect of depth on any of the parameters studied. Hence,
Acacia mangium has reduction effect on soil Pb and Zn and also improves soil fertility.

Keywords: Heavy metals, physicochemical, rehabilitation, Acacia mangium