scholarly journals Potential Impacts to Wetlands and Water Bodies Due to Mineral Exploration, Pebble Copper-Gold Prospect, Southwest Alaska

Environments ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 6 (7) ◽  
pp. 84
Author(s):  
Zamzow ◽  
Chambers
Keyword(s):  
Natural Waters ◽  
Mineral Exploration ◽  
Quality Criteria ◽  
Water Quality Criteria ◽  
Regulatory Oversight ◽  
Drilling Waste ◽  
Copper Gold ◽  
Exploration Drilling ◽  
The One ◽  
Drill Holes

There is little information in the literature about the impacts of mineral exploration drilling on natural waters. A copper-gold-molybdenum mining deposit in Alaska was heavily explored until 2012 and partially reclaimed; however, full reclamation of drill sites remained incomplete in 2016. Copper is sub-lethally toxic to salmon, a highly-valued resource in this area. Of 109 sites inspected, 9 sites had confirmed impacts due to un-reclaimed drill-holes or drill waste disposal practices. At seven sites artesian waters at the drill stem resulted in surface water or sediment elevated in aluminum, iron, copper, or zinc with neutral pH. Copper concentrations at artesian sites were <0.4, 0.7, 2, 7, 15, 76, and 215 µg/L; the latter four exceed water quality criteria. Drilling waste is known to have been disposed of in ponds and unlined sumps. At one of five ponds sampled, copper declined from 51 to 8 µg/L over nine years. At the one sump area with historical data, copper increased from 0.3 to 1.8 µg/L at a downgradient wetland spring over five years. This research identifies contaminant types and sources and can be used to guide future ecotoxicity studies and improve regulatory oversight.

Growth and Survival of Developing Steelhead Trout (Salmo gairdneri) Continuously or Intermittently Exposed to Copper

1984 ◽  
Vol 41 (3) ◽  
pp. 433-438 ◽  
Author(s):  
W. K. Seim ◽  
L. R. Curtis ◽  
S. W. Glenn ◽  
G. A. Chapman
Keyword(s):  
Water Quality ◽  
Natural Waters ◽  
Quality Criteria ◽  
Salmo Gairdneri ◽  
Water Quality Criteria ◽  
Steelhead Trout ◽  
Growth And Survival ◽  
Exposed Fish ◽  
Intermittent Exposure ◽  
Better Than

Steelhead trout (Salmo gairdneri) were continuously or intermittently exposed to copper over a 78-d period from 6 d postfertilization through 5 wk postswimup. Copper was introduced into the intermittent exposure chambers for 4.5 h each day. Continuously exposed fish survived and grew better than intermittently exposed fish at the same daily mean copper concentrations. Intermittently exposed fish accumulated significantly more copper than those continuously exposed at the same daily mean concentrations. Results demonstrated that data derived from continuous laboratory exposures should not be directly converted to water quality criteria where toxicant concentrations in natural waters are temporally variable.

scholarly journals Study of Water Quality Indicators of Mountain Rivers Used as Source of Drinking Water Supply of the Targu-Jiu Municipality

2020 ◽  
Vol 71 (1) ◽  
pp. 384-389
Author(s):  
Delia Nica-Badea ◽  
Simona Brandibur
Keyword(s):  
Water Quality ◽  
Drinking Water ◽  
Natural Waters ◽  
Ecological Status ◽  
Quality Criteria ◽  
Quality Standards ◽  
Biological Indicators ◽  
Mountainous Area ◽  
Water Quality Criteria ◽  
National Quality

Water quality criteria are all physicochemical and biological indicators that characterize a body of water. The current study aims at investigating the quality of two natural waters in the Gorj County sub-mountainous area (�u�i�a, Vaidei and Runc, capture Runc) used as drinking water sources of Targu-Jiu. Sampling and determinations use spectrophotometric, gravimetric, volumetric or electrometric techniques in accordance with standard methods (SR ISO and / or SR EN) for a series of physicochemical indicators analyzed between January - December 2017: thermal and acidification, oxygen regime, nutrients, salinity, relevant pollutants. Experimental values, annual averages related to the quality standards for potable water, ecological status and classification of water bodies, place the water of the two rivers in the drinking water category A1 and the first class of ecological quality. The Water Quality Index (WQI) for 9 selected parameters highlighted a sensitively close overall level of the water of the two rivers Susita (88) and Runc (85.2), the good quality category (7o-9o), reported to national quality standards for surface water which can be used for delivery as drinking water.The study of indicators of the two rivers in relation to national rules aligned with the European water requirements and research shows a high qualitative status corresponding to community uses.

scholarly journals Documentation of Acidic Mining Exploration Drill Cuttings at the Pebble Copper–Gold Mineral Prospect, Southwest Alaska

Environments ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 6 (7) ◽  
pp. 78 ◽  
Author(s):  
David M Chambers ◽  
Kendra Zamzow
Keyword(s):  
Field Testing ◽  
Drill Cuttings ◽  
Drilling Waste ◽  
Copper Gold ◽  
Dead Vegetation ◽  
Exploration Drilling ◽  
Gold Mineral ◽  
Extent Of Damage ◽  
Drilling Wastes ◽  
Mining Exploration

During exploration drilling of the Pebble copper–gold–molybdenum (Cu–Au–Mo) deposit, drilling wastes were disposed of directly on the landscape or passed through unlined sumps prior to disposal. The ore and host rock are rich in sulfides, which weather to sulfuric acid with consequent metal leaching. Oxidized cuttings were visually evident, and confirmed with laboratory and field testing to have a pH of 2.7–4.3. At these sites, Cu and Mo exceeded or were at the high end of the natural background. With one exception, Cu was in the range of 545 mg/kg to 4865 mg/kg. Dead vegetation was observed at all sites with drill cuttings on the surface. Dead vegetation was also observed on sump soil covers, unrelated to drilling waste. Sites where vegetation had not re-established were from four to thirteen years old. The potential impact to surface and groundwater was not determined. Understanding the source and extent of damage from cuttings could lead to better site management.

Volume Analysis for Attainability of Water Quality Criteria for Three Loading Constituents

2004 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ping Wang ◽  
Lewis Linker ◽  
James Collier ◽  
Gary Shenk ◽  
Robert Koroncai ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Water Quality ◽  
Quality Criteria ◽  
Water Quality Criteria ◽  
Volume Analysis

Developing Ambient Water Quality Criteria for Mercury: A Probabilistic Site-Specific Approach

2015 ◽  
Vol 2 (0) ◽  
pp. 9781780404028-9781780404028
Author(s):  
D. R. J. Moore ◽  
A. Pawlisz ◽  
R. Scott Teed
Keyword(s):  
Water Quality ◽  
Quality Criteria ◽  
Water Quality Criteria ◽  
Ambient Water ◽  
Site Specific ◽  
Specific Approach

Sewage and Solids Disposal: Are Processes Such as Ocean Disposal Proper? The Case of Rio de Janeiro (Brazil)

1990 ◽  
Vol 22 (12) ◽  
pp. 33-43 ◽  
Author(s):  
Eduardo P. Jordão ◽  
Jorge R. Leitão
Keyword(s):  
Environmental Impact ◽  
Rio De Janeiro ◽  
Marine Ecosystem ◽  
Ecological Impact ◽  
Monitoring Program ◽  
Quality Criteria ◽  
Water Quality Criteria ◽  
Federal Regulations ◽  
Concrete Pipe ◽  
Ocean Disposal

In developing countries, as is the case of Brazil, solutions proposed for sewage and sludge treatment and disposal must meet not only public environmental demands and obey proper legal regulations, but also take into account the availability of funds for new investments and operation of existing systems. Brazilian federal regulations allow ocean disposal of sewage and solids, according to certain water quality criteria and specific standards. On the other hand, federal regulations require that submarine outfalls must be studied by means of an Environmental Impact Assessment, and that a Report on the Environmental Impact be produced. Such studies must demonstrate that the site will be protected and that ocean disposal will not impair the environment and the beneficial uses, such as fisihing, recreation, navigation, or propagation of marine life. The State of Rio de Janeiro has monitored its Ipanema Submarine Outfall since 1974, one year prior to going into operation. Present flow is 6m3/sec (140 mgd) of bar-screened domestic sewage. The submarine outfall is a 2.4m diameter concrete pipe, 4.3 km (2.7mi) long, and discharges at a depth of 27m (89ft). The paper presents and discusses existing regulations and data on the seawater monitoring program which is still in practice, having produced more than 90,000 analyses. Discussion covers the period 1974 - 1988, and shows that no adverse ecological impact has been noted on the marine ecosystem.

scholarly journals Geochemical and biological controls on the ecological relevance of total, dissolved, and colloidal forms of trace elements in large boreal rivers: review and case studies

2020 ◽  
Vol 28 (2) ◽  
pp. 138-163
Author(s):  
C.W. Cuss ◽  
C.N. Glover ◽  
M.B. Javed ◽  
A. Nagel ◽  
W. Shotyk
Keyword(s):  
Water Quality ◽  
Trace Elements ◽  
Case Studies ◽  
Quality Criteria ◽  
Water Levels ◽  
Water Quality Criteria ◽  
Aquatic Life ◽  
Athabasca River ◽  
Biological Variables ◽  
Boreal Rivers

The concentrations of trace elements (TEs) in large boreal rivers can fluctuate markedly due to changing water levels and flow rates associated with spring melt and variable contributions from tributaries and groundwaters, themselves having different compositions. These fluctuating and frequently high concentrations create regulatory challenges for protecting aquatic life. For example, water quality criteria do not account for changes in flow regimes that can result in TE levels that may exceed regulatory limits, and neither do they account for the markedly different lability and bioaccessibility of suspended solids. This review addresses the geochemical and biological processes that govern the lability and bioaccessibility of TEs in boreal rivers, with an emphasis on the challenges posed by the colloidal behaviour of many TEs, and their relationship to the dissolved fraction (i.e., <0.45 μm in size). After reviewing the processes and dynamics that give rise to the forms and behaviour of TEs in large boreal rivers, their relevance for aquatic organisms and the associated relationships between size and lability and bioaccessibility are discussed. The importance of biological variables and different forms of TEs for limiting lability and bioaccessibility are also addressed. Two case studies emphasize seasonal fluctuations and accompanying changes in the distribution of TE amongst different size fractions and associated colloidal species in large boreal rivers: the Northern Dvina and one of its tributaries, the Pinega River, both in Russia, and the Athabasca River in Alberta, Canada. Water quality in the Athabasca River is briefly discussed with respect to Canadian guidelines.

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