Johansen, P., Asmund, G., Schiedek, D. & Schledermann, H. 2010: Evaluation of local contamination sources from the former mining operation in Maarmorilik. National Environmental Research Institute, Aarhus University. 44 pp. - NERI Technical Report No. 807.
The company Angel Mining presently plans to re-open the Black Angel lead-zinc mine, which was operated by Greenex in Maarmorilik from 1973 to 1990. Angel Mining has started constructing facilities necessary to start production. In doing this, indications for on-site pollution were seen. Therefore NERI has conducted a study to document the present environmental background conditions particularly in the Maarmorilik camp site area, before the new mining operation will start. As part of this study, soil samples and sediment samples were collected in August 2008. The samples were analyzed for heavy metals and oil components. Few samples of drinking water and mussels were also collected and analyzed.
The results of the chemical analyses of the soil samples clearly indicate high metal pollution in the “concentrate storage area” of the former mine site. This is not surprising, since this area was used to store mineralized waste rock, when the mine closed. Levels of Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons (PAHs) in soil and fiord sediment samples were low, indicating that the soil and the fiord are not significantly polluted by oil. In drinking water from Maarmorilik the element concentration of elements are below EU standards.
This report also describes the environmental background conditions after closure of the former mining operation based on the closure plan of the Greenex operation and on information and observations gathered during closure operations. Finally, the report gives recommendations on how to deal with waste left from the previous operations on the site.
Full report in PDF format (4,19 MB)
