Audit of Kvanefjeld REEs, U and Zn project:Exploration activities 2007-2017, 29 August to 5 September 2017

• Main Authors: Hansen, Violeta, Asmund, Gert, Birch Larsen, Morten
• Format: Book
• Language: English
• Published: Aarhus University, DCE - Danish Centre for Environment and Energy 2019
• Subjects: audit; radioecology; sampling; drinking water; freshwater; fjord water; lichens; blue mussels; seaweed; arctic char; fluor; water physical-chemical parameters; background gamma dose rate; Kvanefjeld; Narsaq; Greenland; Arctic; Taseq; Greenland Institute of Natural Resources
• Online Access: https://pure.au.dk/portal/en/publications/089a4c08-f389-4ae1-bac0-8f1b59769b19; https://pure.au.dk/ws/files/167712412/SR332.pdf; https://dce2.au.dk/pub/SR332.pdf

Since 2007, exploration activities have been performed at Kvanefjeld REEs, U and Zn project in Southern Greenland by Greenland Minerals and Energy Limited (GMEL). This is the first audit report for the Kvanefjeld project. A team of Violeta Hansen from the Danish Center for Environment and Energy (DCE), Gert Asmund from (DCE) and Morten Birch Larsen from Greenland Institute of Natural Resources (GINR) audited the Kvanefjeld project from 29 August to 5 September 2017. During the audit, DCE measured the background gamma dose rate in Narsaq town, between Narsaq and Kvanefjeld and at Kvanefjeld. In order to verify some of GMEL’s environmental baseline studies, the following environmental samples were collected by DCE and GINR as part of the audit: freshwater from Narsaq River, Taseq River, Kvane River, Lake without name and its outlet and old Risø mine outlet, drinking water from Kukasuk, Napassup Kuva and Landnamselven, fjord water at 0 m (surface water) and at the depth of 30 m from the GMEL proposed discharge point of liquid effluents and biota samples such as lichens, blue mussels, seaweed, arctic char (trout). The report include results of background gamma dose rate (μSv/h) in Narsaq town, between Narsaq and Kvanefjeld and Kvanefjeld, gamma dose rate at available surfaces of containers located at GMEL office in Narsaq and between Narsaq and Kvanefjeld, gamma dose rate at the surface of some of the drill holes from exploration activities, physical-chemical parameters of all collected water samples from Narsaq, and concentration of fluor in all collected water samples from Narsaq. Background gamma dose rate in Narsaq town is not elevated and is comparable with baseline values elsewhere. High levels of fluor are reported in water samples collected from Narsaq.