Determining the effects of past gold mining using a sediment palaeotoxicity model ...

Ore processing techniques used in Yellowknife's largest mining operation, Giant Mine, is responsible for the atmospheric release of approximately 20,000 t of particulate arsenic trioxide and other heavy metal(loids). This rapid deposition of heavy metal(loids) may have caused ecological disturb...

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Bibliographic Details
Main Authors: Cheney, Cynthia L, Eccles, Kristin M, Kimpe, Linda E, Thienpont, Joshua R, Korosi, Jennifer B, Blais, Jules M
Format: Text
Language:English
Published: My University 2020
Subjects:
Aquatic ecosystems
Lake sediments
Mining emissions
Palaeotoxicity
Spatial analysis
Ecosystem
Environmental Monitoring
Geologic Sediments
Lakes
Water Pollutants, Chemical
Gold
Mining
Yellowknife
Online Access:https://dx.doi.org/10.20381/ruor-29133
https://ruor.uottawa.ca/handle/10393/44927
Description
Summary:Ore processing techniques used in Yellowknife's largest mining operation, Giant Mine, is responsible for the atmospheric release of approximately 20,000 t of particulate arsenic trioxide and other heavy metal(loids). This rapid deposition of heavy metal(loids) may have caused ecological disturbances to aquatic food webs. Here we use 210Pb and 137Cs dated lake sediment cores from 20 lakes within a 40 km radius of Yellowknife to examine the spatial-temporal distribution of arsenic, antimony and lead. Further, we model the toxicity of the sediment to aquatic biota pre-, during, and post-mining using palaeotoxicity modelling, enrichment factor assessment, and comparisons to national sediment quality guidelines. We found that metal(loid) profiles in sediment peaked during the height of mining operations. These peak metal(loid) concentrations were highest in lakes near the mine's roaster stack, and decreased with distance from the historic mine. Palaeotoxicity modelling of lake sediment archives indicate that ...

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