DISTRIBUTION OF HEAVY METALS IN STREAM SEDIMENTS IN MITROVICA REGION, KOSOVO

Stream sediments are composite materials derived from the weathering and erosion of one or more sources upstream. Normally heavy metals are not harmful to our environment because they are only present in very small amounts. The environmental pollution concern rises when they show up in higher concentration due to natural mineralizing processes and/or human activities. The heavy metals threatening the ecosystem include arsenic (As), cadmium (Cd), mercury (Hg), lead (Pb), zinc (Zn), copper (Cu), selenium (Se),, antimony (Sb), chromium (Cr). The investigated area is located in Mitrovica region, north Kosovo. The survey area was determined in the adjacent area of the known Pb ? Zn ? Ag polymetallic occurrences. In the study area, there are stream sediment geochemical data for 211 samples representing a total catchment area of around 400 km2. The geochemical results were explored using a range of common statistical techniques including descriptive summary statistics, statistical distribution and correlation analysis for selected heavy metals.The comparison of the maximum values, arithmetic mean and median values with the Clarke values (average of the Earth crust) shows that the survey area is specialized for such elements as As, Cd, Hg, Pb, Zn, Cu, Se, Sb and Cr. The statistical distribution of some heavy metals is marked by some extremely high values on a background of the normal low concentrations.The strong Zn anomaly of the Trepca river is due to mainly anthropogenic contamination of the river with flotation remains and ore waste mixed with natural background input. Some of the other anomalies were caused by waste or loss from existing mines and ore processing industry.