The paper was published in Applied Geochemistry. The study presented in the paper is the continuation of the preliminary geochemical investigation in the areas of ancient small scale mercury ore roasting sites in Idrija environments. Pšenk is one out of 21 localities of ancient roasting sites established on the hills surrounding Idrija and one of the largest localities of roasting vessels fragments. The unique way of roasting very rich mercury ore at this site has resulted in soil contamination and considerable amounts of waste material that potentially leach Hg into the surrounding environment. The main aim of this study was to determine the distribution and the forms of mercury in contaminated soils in order to evaluate potential environmental risk. Detailed soil sampling was performed to establish the extension of mercury pollution and to investigate mercury transformations and transport characteristics through the 400 year long period. The determined mercury concentrations in soils from investigated area are extremely high, with some zones displaying values well above 5,000 mg/kg of mercury. Large amounts of potentially mobile and transformable noncinnabar Hg compounds exist at the area of studied roasting site, which are potentially bioavailable.
COBISS.SI-ID: 1939285
In sediments draining Meža Vally were investigated metal-loads and heavy metal-bearing phases. Sediments in the upper Meža Valley showed significant heavy metal pollution with lead, zinc as a consequence of mining and ore processing. Contents of Cr, Ni, Cu and Co are increased in the lower Meža River Valley, as a result of iron and steel industry. Heavy metal-bearing phases identified in stream sediments were assigned to three influential areas, according to their source and genesis.
COBISS.SI-ID: 1931349
Meteorite Javorje is a new iron meteorite found by coincidence about 30 km northwest of Ljubljana, Slovenia. Meteorite Javorje is a single mass of 4920 g is severely weathered with no signs of any preserved regmaglypts. Based on an average kamacite bandwidth meteorite was structurally classified as medium octahedrite. Mineral composition was determined by scanning electron microscopy coupled with energy dispersive spectroscopy. Kamacite is abundant, forming Widmanstätten pattern, separated by thin taenite lamellae. Rhabdites, schreibersites and daubréelite grains were also identified. According to the bulk composition of Ni and trace elements Ga, Ge and Ir the meteorite belongs to a chemical group IIIAB.
COBISS.SI-ID: 1963861