# Honey as a Bioindicator: Pollution's Effects on Its Quality in Mining vs. Protected Sites
## 2 Materials and Methods
### Honey Samples and the Description of the Area
It became a key site within the Deva Mining Complex, equipped with flotation plants and concentrating processing facilities. A major ecological disaster occurred in 1971 due to a tailings dam failure. Declining profitability led to its closure  
Figure 1: Geographical distribution of honey sampling points analyzed from various areas affected by mining activities and from protected natural zones. in 2006. Recent years have brought ecological efforts and controversial plans to restart mining using cyanide, which have faced strong public opposition [24; 25]. * 3. The Baita Mining Operation (Bihor County), a historically significant site, shifted from polymetallic mining to uranium extraction after World War II in collaboration with the Soviet Union (Sovrom-Kvartit). Mining was conducted under hazardous, secretive conditions involving political prisoners. Post-Soviet operations continued under Romanian control but declined after 1990. In addition to uranium, the Baita area also produced smaller quantities of gold, silver, molybdenum, bismuth, and other rare metals. Mining activity was officially discontinued in the 2000s. Nevertheless, the former mining perimeter remains under environmental monitoring, as radioactive waste deposits and ongoing soil and water contamination continue to pose a significant ecological risk [26; 27]. * 4. The Balan Mining Operation (Harghita County), active since the late 18 th century, was a major copper extraction site. The primary mineral extracted was copper ore (chalcopyrite), although the deposit also contained variable amounts of gold, silver, pyrite, galena (lead sulfide), and sphalerite (zinc sulfide). The Balan mine was officially closed in 2006. In recent years, the area around the former mine has been undergoing ecological rehabilitation, though issues related to heavy metal pollution and landscape degradation persist, caused by abandoned industrial buildings and abandoned mining galleries [28; 29]. Figure 2 shows the geographical location of the honey sample collection points (S1-S3, SS1-SS3) in Romania, highlighting both the areas affected by mining and the protected areas, while Figure 3 shows the geographical location of the honey sample collection points S4 and SS4 in Romania. Figure 2: Geographical location of honey sampling points S1–S3 and SS1–SS3 in Romania. 1. The Natura 2000 Site ROSCI0029 Glodului, Cibului, and Mazii Gorges, is a 735 ha Site of Community Importance (SCI) located entirely in Alba and Hunedoara counties, within the Continental biogeographical region. The following protected habitat types and species of conservation interest have been identified within the site: 6110 *--Rupicolous calcareous or basophilic grasslands of the _Alysso-Sedion albi_; 6190--Rupicolous Pannonic grasslands (_Stipo-Festucetalia pallentis_); 6210 *--semi-natural dry grasslands and scrubland facies on calcareous substrates (_Festuc-Brometalia_); 8210-- calcareous rocky slopes with chasmophytic vegetation; 8310--caves not open to the public; 9110--_Luzulo-Fagetum_ beech forests; 9180 *--_Tilio-Acerion forests of slopes, screes, and ravines (mixed broadleaf forests); 91E0 *--alluvial forests with _Alnus glutinosa_ and _Frazinus excelsior_ (_Alno-Padion_, _Alnion incanae_, _and Salicion albae_), _Iris aphyllla ssp. lungarica_ (Hungarian leafless iris), _Bombina variegata_ (yellow-bellied toad), _Triturus vulgaris ampleensis_ (Danube crested newt), _Barbustella barbustelus_ (Barbastelle bat), _Miniopterus schreibersii_ ([PERSON]'s bat), _[PERSON]_ (lesser mouse-eared bat), _Myotis myotis_ (greater mouse-eared bat), _Rhinolophus blasi_ ([PERSON]'s horseshoe bat), _Rhinolophus eurylae_ (Mediterranean horseshoe bat), _Rhinolophus ferrumequinum_ (greater horseshoe bat), _Rhinolophus hipposideros_ (lesser horseshoe bat), and _[PERSON]_ (Eurasian otter) [30]. 2. The Natura 2000 Site ROSPA0132 Metaliferi Mountains, is a 26,673.4 ha Special Protection Area (SPA) for birds in Alba and Hunedoara counties, spanning both the Alpine and Continental biogeographical regions.