Boquira is a city located at Bahia state where a lead mine operated for about 30 years. The tailings from the ore beneficiation process were improperly deposited close to the city and, unfortunately, they linger until nowadays. This study aims to examine carefully how the lead has been distributed along the tailing piles and to identify the mineral phases containing this element. In order to get the results, seven samples were collected from different points of the old tailings basin and its surroundings near the town. The samples were characterized by X-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscope (SEM/EDS), and chemical analysis by X-ray fluorescence (XRF). The chemical analyses point out the presence of lead in all analyzed samples, being concentrated in fine grained fractions. X-ray diffraction results indicate that the lead occurs mainly associated with anglesite, cerussite, galena, phosphohedyphane and pyromorphite. From MEV/EDS analysis it was possible to observe that the minerals of lead are altered, even forming lead oxides. The improper disposal of this waste endangers the environment and the people living in that area.
