Geostatistical analysis of hydrogeological data of the Baraka gold zone, prefecture of Siguiri, Republic of Guinea

Although mining activities greatly contribute to improving the socio-economic life of the populations of the Birimian basin of Siguiri, they significantly impact their environment. These mining activities take the form of several artisanal and industrial gold mining sites. Since groundwater is used for domestic purposes, a routine survey is necessary. Results on the hydrochemistry of groundwater components are essential for efficient and sustainable management. We present a case study for the application of statistical and geostatistical methods to the problem of assessing the quality of groundwater in the gold zone of Baraka (Siguirini, Lero, Carrefour, Amina, and Tombani). Hydrogeochemical data from 33 boreholes were collected during the dry season (October, November, and December 2019), and the rainy season (June, July, and August 2019). The application of Pearson correlation, principal component analysis as well as inverse distance weighting interpolation have helped to understand groundwater quality and identify possible factors that influence this quality. The results showed that freshwater recharge during the rainy season influences geochemical processes and groundwater quality parameters at the study site. In addition, this study has shown that the pollution of groundwater in the study area may be due to agricultural activities, and artisanal and industrial gold mining. Therefore, it is necessary to regularly monitor and analyze the groundwater quality in the Baraka area. The results of this study will serve as a basis for environmental policies aimed at protecting populations living in a mining environment. Water modeling techniques can be decision support tools to protect communities residing in mining areas of the country.