Impact of mining activities on the surface water quality (case study of Khibiny mountains, Russia)

Efimov, Vasiliy; Chalov, Sergey; Efimova, L. E.; Иванов, В. А.; Jarsjö, Jerker; Fisher, Sue

doi:10.1088/1755-1315/263/1/012008

Cited by 9 publications

(6 citation statements)

References 2 publications

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“…They are now owned by the company PhosAgro. The mining activity has led to elevated surface water concentrations of strontium (Sr) and aluminum (Al), as well as copper (Cu), zink (Zn), nickel (Ni), and chromium (Cr) in the Yuksporiok and Vuonnemiok basins (Efimov et al., 2019; Malinovsky et al., 2002). The Kola Peninsula also hosts several Cu‐Ni ore smelters that have for decades emitted large volumes of sulfur dioxide into the air resulting in acid rain and high sulfur and metal atmospheric deposition (Moiseenko & Bazova, 2016).…”

Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Here, we hypothesize that in contrast, low‐MSR catchments should have relatively limited vegetation/forest cover and steep topography that limits the number of lakes and wetlands as well as reduces residence times and therefore also SRM contact times. A northern European example of this is the Khibiny region in northwestern Russia where an active apatite mining complex is located (Efimov et al., 2019). The Khibiny catchments have been increasingly industrialized and polluted as a result of more than 90 years of ore extraction (Malinovsky et al., 2002).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Microbial Sulfate Reduction (MSR) as a Nature‐Based Solution (NBS) to Mine Drainage: Contrasting Spatiotemporal Conditions in Northern Europe

Fischer

Mörth

Rosqvist

et al. 2022

Water Resources Research

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Microbial sulfate reduction (MSR) has increasingly been investigated for its potential to immobilize metals and reduce their bioavailability while also increasing the pH of acid mine drainage (AMD; e.g., Nielsen et al., 2018). The process involves microbes (bacteria and archaea) converting sulfate into sulfide that together with toxic dissolved metals precipitate into less mobile forms. Laboratory bioreactor experiments on MSR show a metal retention of 70% or more under favorable conditions (e.g., Sinharoy et al., 2020;Zhang & Wang, 2016). The activity depends on several factors, such as (bioavailable) carbon and sulfate supply, oxygen level, pH, and temperature (Xu & Chen, 2020). MSR has also been observed in the field at certain locations and time periods, for example, in individual wetlands or near tailing deposits at particular points of time (Mandernack et al., 2000;Praharaj & Fortin, 2004). Recently, Fischer, Jarsjö, et al. (2022) additionally showed evidence of ongoing and considerable MSR in multiple locations (so-called "hot spots") within an AMD-impacted catchment (Imetjoki, Northern Sweden), which is essential if MSR is to be used as an effective mitigation solution for spatially extensive mining sites and their downstream regions. However, large knowledge gaps remain regarding catchment-scale MSR in freshwater systems, where specific catchment and seasonal conditions could differ substantially from site to site. It is therefore not known to what extent MSR more generally could provide a basis for viable bioremediation, for instance, as part of nature-based solutions for sites impacted by (acid) mine drainage across the world. This includes the Arctic, which counts as one of the world's larger mining regions with numerous examples of largescale mine drainage development, and where cold conditions and pronounced seasonality may hamper the activity of freshwater sulfur-reducing microbes (SRM).Current evidence shows that point locations which are relatively favorable for MSR contain soil and sediments with sufficiently high organic matter content to support the metabolism of SRM, and that they are associated with

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Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Microbial Sulfate Reduction (MSR) as a Nature‐Based Solution (NBS) to Mine Drainage: Contrasting Spatiotemporal Conditions in Northern Europe

Fischer

Mörth

Rosqvist

et al. 2022

Water Resources Research

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“…In a mining impacted water system high content of heavy metals linked to poor water quality are expected to be found [7], [23]. Custodio et.…”

Section: B About the Methodologymentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Effimov et. al [7] show that mining activities are the main driver of pollution in Khibiny, Russia. The impact of the discharge of residual waters leads to the accumulation of sediments saturated with heavy metals at river mouths.…”

Section: A Impact Of Mining Activities In Riversmentioning

confidence: 99%

Applying Grey Clustering Method and Pearson Correlation to Assess Water Quality

Delgado¹,

Vidal²,

Jayme³

et al. 2022

IJETAE

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The Mantaro River travels through Junín, Ayacucho, and Huancavelica departments,in Peru, and receives not only domestic discharges from the population but also tailings fields and dumps containing lead, silver, copper, and zinc from mining companies. To be able to assess the water quality, the grey clustering method was applied, using Center-point Triangular Whitenization Weight Functions (CTWF) for this purpose. As well, Pearson correlation between parameters was used to understand the dynamics of pollution. In the watershed of the Mantaro river the results of the Monitoring of the Surface Water published in 2018 by the Mantaro Water Administrative Authority were compared to the Peruvian Environmental Quality Standards (ECA) Category 1, subcategory A parameters. The results obtained suggest that the main driver of pollution in the Mantaro river is not mining, but domestic waste in landfills and probably agriculture. Finally, this study shows responsible environmental management by mining companies, besides, could be helpful for regional and local authorities of Peru in making decisions to improve the management of the Mantaro river watershed and make the population aware of the sustainable use of water

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“…Existing monitoring data from the Nautanen site provide us with a rare opportunity to study the long-term environmental impacts from a well-defined abandoned Arctic mining site. This may increase the understanding of historical mining impacts in other regions of the Arctic, including Russia [14,15] and Finland [16]. For example, soil Cu contamination has previously been found impact biota in the vicinity of the mine tailings, e.g., lowering the cold tolerance of the oligochaete worm [17].…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Disproportionate Water Quality Impacts from the Century-Old Nautanen Copper Mines, Northern Sweden

Fischer

Rosqvist

Chalov³

et al. 2020

Sustainability

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Pollution from small historical mining sites is usually overlooked, in contrast to larger ones. Especially in the Arctic, knowledge gaps remain regarding the long-term mine waste impacts, such as metal leakage, on water quality. We study the small copper (Cu) mines of Nautanen, northern Sweden, which had been in operation for only six years when abandoned approximately 110 years ago in 1908. Measurements from field campaigns in 2017 are compared to synthesized historical measurement data from 1993 to 2014, and our results show that concentrations of Cu, Zn, and Cd on-site as well as downstream from the mining site are order(s) of magnitude higher than the local background values. This is despite the small scale of the Nautanen mining site, the short duration of operation, and the long time since closure. Considering the small amount of waste produced at Nautanen, the metal loads from Nautanen are still surprisingly high compared to the metal loads from larger mines. We argue that disproportionately large amounts of metals may be added to surface water systems from the numerous small abandoned mining sites. Such pollution loads need to be accounted for in sustainable assessments of total pollutant pressures in the relatively vulnerable Arctic environment.

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Impact of mining activities on the surface water quality (case study of Khibiny mountains, Russia)

Cited by 9 publications

References 2 publications

Microbial Sulfate Reduction (MSR) as a Nature‐Based Solution (NBS) to Mine Drainage: Contrasting Spatiotemporal Conditions in Northern Europe

Microbial Sulfate Reduction (MSR) as a Nature‐Based Solution (NBS) to Mine Drainage: Contrasting Spatiotemporal Conditions in Northern Europe

Applying Grey Clustering Method and Pearson Correlation to Assess Water Quality

Disproportionate Water Quality Impacts from the Century-Old Nautanen Copper Mines, Northern Sweden

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