Regions: North Slave Region
Tags: contaminants, site remediation, mining impacts, geochemistry, mineralogy
| Principal Investigator: | Fawcett, Skya (3) |
| Licence Number: | 13823 |
| Organization: | Queen's University |
| Licensed Year(s): |
2007
2006
2005
|
| Issued: | Jun 06, 2005 |
Objective(s): Most of the research on the environmental legacy of gold mining in the Yellowknife area has focussed on arsenic. However, antimony is also present in the tailings and waste rock, and was liberated during roasting. Antimony originating from roaster emissions during the operation of the Giant Mine will be studied to determine the element's mobility, speciation, movement in the environment, and the geochemical controls on its release and attenuation. The areas of most interest are Baker Creek and Old Town in Yellowknife, because that is where the emissions particles likely settled. Sediment and pore water in Baker Creek will be sampled using dialysis arrays (peepers). Surface water samples will also be collected. Soil and plant samples will be collected alongside Baker Creek and in Old Town. In Canada, antimony is regulated for soils and water. Previous studies at Baker Creek do indicate elevated antimony concentrations in the sediment. It is important to learn whether antimony in the sediments is likely to be released into surface waters and consequently pose risks to the ecosystem and public health. Since soils were also likely affected by roaster emissions, it is also important to better understand the behaviour of antimony in soils.
