Abstract
Pollution of water resources by heavy metals, especially in areas of ore mining and processing, leads to a deterioration in the quality of life and health of the population. The greatest degree of pollution is associated with the development of deposits of copper, zinc and lead. Within the framework of this study, a fractal R/S analysis of the time series of wastewater indicators (turbidity, electrical conductivity, flow rate and pH) selected at the site of the Sayak ore district (Republic of Kazakhstan) was performed. A substantial increase in flow was noticed from July 10 to July 15, 2024, and an increase in electrical conductivity from July 4 to July 26, 2024, although without exceeding critical levels. The Hurst exponent for electrical conductivity exceeds 0.56, indicating the presence of long-term memory and the stability of the process. Minor variations in turbidity indicate no serious harm to the environment. However, the data are limited and do not allow for an assessment of all deposits in the region, making it difficult to draw conclusions about the impact on the environmental safety of the Balkhash urban region. Despite the high risk of chronic diseases in the area, the results confirm that fractal analysis can serve as a useful indicator of environmental conditions and a basis for monitoring systems. Keywords: time series analysis, R/S analysis, Hurst exponent, mining wastewater, environmental monitoring.