Table 1.

Chemical properties and bacterial count of dry tailing

Parameters	Mean ± SD	Min–max	Median
pH (1:2.5)	4.14 ± 0.05	4.1–4.2	4.13
EC (1:2.5; dS m−1)	0.29 ± 0.019	0.281–0.318	0.29
Organic carbon (g kg−1)	2.07 ± 0.31	1.8–2.4	2.0
Av. N (mg kg−1)	71.97 ± 6.67	64.98–78.27	72.67
Av. P (mg kg−1)	1.37 ± 0.23	1.12–1.58	1.42
Av. K (mg kg−1)	33.03 ± 3.89	29.57–37.24	32.28
WE Cu (mg kg−1)	10.81 ± 1.44	9.25–12.11	11.08
EX Cu (mg kg−1)	14.21 ± 5.71	7.84–18.88	15.92
Total Cu (mg kg−1)	952.83 ± 160.68	948.7–1115.54	794.25
TBCa	138 ± 21.07	116–158	140
CRBCa	23 ± 4.35	18–26	25

TBC total bacterial counts, CRBC Cu-resistant bacterial counts

^aValues indicate CFU × 10⁵ g⁻¹