Long-term response of an arctic fiord system to lead-zinc mining and submarine disposal of mine waste (Maarmorilik, West Greenland)

• Published in: Marine Environmental Research
• Language: English
• Published: Elsevier 2012
• Subjects: Mining; Submarine tailings disposal; Pollution monitoring; Heavy metals; Lead; Zinc; Mytilus edulis; Fucus vesiculosus; Greenland; Arctic; Johansen; Maarmorilik; National Environmental Research Institute
• Online Access: http://hdl.handle.net/2262/63618; https://doi.org/10.1016/j.marenvres.2011.03.001

Abstract Contamination by lead (Pb) and zinc (Zn) was studied in seawater, sediment, seaweed and blue mussels near the former ?Black Angel Pb-Zn Mine? in Maarmorilik, West Greenland. The mine was operated during the period 1973-90 when mine waste (tailings and later waste rock) was discharged directly into the sea. Metal concentrations peaked during the mining period and Pb and Zn in seawater within the discharge area were measured up to 440 and 791 ?g L?1, respectively. Pb concentrations in sediment, seaweed and mussels just outside the discharge area were measured up to 187, 84 and 2,650 and Zn up to 655, 363 and 1,190 ?g g?1 dry wt., respectively. Within the discharge area, seawater metal concentrations (especially Pb) decreased abruptly after mine closure. Metals concentrations in sediment and biota, however, decrease more slowly and two decades after mine closure seaweed and blue mussels are still contaminated 12 km from the mine. correspondence: Corresponding author:, Department of Arctic Environment, National Environmental Research Institute, University of Aarhus, Frederiksborgvej 399, DK-4000 Roskilde, Denmark, Phone: [phone]. (S?ndergaard, Jens) [e-mail] (S?ndergaard, Jens) Department of Arctic Environment, National Environmental Research Institute, Aarhus University - Frederiksborgvej 399--> , DK-4000 Roskilde--> - DENMARK (S?ndergaard, Jens) DENMARK (S?ndergaard, Jens) Department of Arctic Environment, National Environmental Research Institute, Aarhus University - Frederiksborgvej 399--> , DK-4000 Roskilde--> - DENMARK (Asmund, Gert) Department of Arctic Environment, National Environmental Research Institute, Aarhus University - Frederiksborgvej 399--> , DK-4000 Roskilde--> - DENMARK (Johansen, Poul) Department of Arctic Environment, National Environmental Research Institute, Aarhus University - Frederiksborgvej 399--> , DK-4000 Roskilde--> - DENMARK (Riget, Frank) DENMARK Received: 2010-11-10 Revised: 2011-03-15 Accepted: 2011-03-16