Water and Sediment Load in Streams Draining Mussoorie Phosphate Mining Areas

Water quality studies in the mining areas clearly point out to the contributions made by the mining activity to the chemical composition of Bandal flver in the Durmala and Maldeota region Levels of phosphates and fluofide in the water are enhanced even in canal waters in the Debra Dun region Drinking water in some taps in Doon valley also show higher levels of contammation for F and P The Bandal fiver carnes total dissolved solids of about 550 ppm which is much higher than the average Indian and world river waters Throughout the region all surface waters are supersaturated With respect to fluorapatite, hydroxyapatite and carbonate apatite. In reality, this equilibrium assembly is not reflected in the phosphate minerals present In tbe river sediments Phosphate minerals constitute nearly half the population of the alluvial sediments in the region with pockets of pyrite minerals up to 10% of the sediments by weight Trace elements like Cu, Cr and F show good Correlation with the P content in the sediment suggesting common sites within the sedlment grains.