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Physical Parameters and Trace Elements of the BCL Mine Discharge at Selibe Phikwe, Eastern Botswana

Spatial and temporal variability in trace elements is primarily influenced by chemical, physical, and biological processes. In the context of our study area, which is located in Selibe Phikwe within the Motloutse catchment of the Limpopo Basin (Figure 1), understanding the trace elements is crucial due to its extensive areal extent.

This knowledge is particularly important for identifying the source, variation, and quality of trace elements originating from anthropogenic activities, such as mining activities. To gain a comprehensive understanding of the groundwater system in the study area, a geological and hydrogeological assessment was conducted. The geology of the area consists of basement rocks of the Limpopo Mobile Belt, including volcano-sedimentary sequences and granitoids. The hydrogeological assessment revealed that the aquifer system in the study area is primarily fractured, with shallow static water levels. This indicates that the groundwater flow is influenced by the presence of fractures and the connectivity between them.

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