Palygorskite clay mineral is considered one of the dominated clay minerals in clay fraction in many soils and sediments in Arid Regions. This study aimed to determine sorption of mercury by palygorskite clay mineral. Batch sorption and leaching experiments in soil columns were conducted using five samples. Sandy loam soil sample dominated with palygorskite, separated clay from the previous soil, washed sand, two samples of the separated clay were mixed with the washed sand at 2 and 4%.

Samples from different plants species, which grown around Mahad AD’Dahab Mine, have been selected to study their ability to accumulate these heavy metals. These plant species were: Pergularia tomentosa, Calotropis procera, Acacia tortilis, Ochradenus baccatus, Salsola Sp., Rhiza strica, Convolvalus Sp., Euculeptus Sp., Family Graminaea, and Prosopis juliflora. Moreover, some of soil samples under each plant were collected. Plants and soils samples were analyzed for their contents of As, Cd, Cu, Pb, and Zn.

لبدء نشاط تعدين الذهب في أكثر من موقع في المملكة، كانت الحاجة ماسة لدراسة مستويات التلوث في المناطق المتوقع تلوثها. اختير منجم مهد الذهب لأنه الأقدم. وهدفت الدراسة إلى تقويم مدى تلوث الترب المحيطة بمنجم مهد الذهب بالعناصر الثقيلة (As, Be, Cd, Co, Cr, Cu, Fe, Mn, Mo, Ni, Pb, Se, Ti, V, Zn, Hg) مع تطبيق بعض المعايير  العلمية والإحصائية  لتحديد مدى تلوثها. لذا جمع وحلل 139 عينة تربة تمثل 55 موقعاً توزعت لتشمل المنطقة المحيطة بالمنجم.