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The AMAP International Symposium
on
Environmental Pollution in the Arctic
Extended abstracts
Troms0, Norway June 1-5, 1997
The AMAP International Symposium
on
Environmental Pollution of the Arctic
Extended abstracts
volume 1
Tromse, Norway June 1-5, 1997
Watershed pollution of the central part of
the Kola Peninsula by dust emissions of
rare-earth element mining activities
Denis Smirnov and Vladimir Dauvalter
Institute o f North Industrial Ecology Problems (INEP),
Kola Science Centre, Russian Academy o f Sciences, 14
Fersman St., 184200, Apatity, Murmansk region, Russia
IN TR O DU CT ION
One of the form s o f pollution of territory o f the projected
Natio nal Park the Lovozero Tu ndra (Fig. 1) is
atm ospheric emission of dust particles as a result o f
activity of the Lovozero m ining beneficiate factory
(LM BF): during production o f ores by open pit, splitting
of rocks, transportation o f ore, and also with specks of
dust from tailing dams. The structure of these emissions
inherits specific geochemical features both extracted
loparite and eudiolite ores, and rocks of the Lovozero
alkaline massif as a whole: the h igh contents of alkalis,
aluminium, phosphorus, fluorine, many rare and
radioactive elements. A negative consequence of dust
precipitation on w atershed surface of mountain lakes is
the opportunity of change of lake regime in the direction
of eutrophication. In th e work th e question on an
opportunity of input o f airborne dust em issions in
ecosystems o f the mountain mas sif and transform ation of
water ecosystems under their influence was investigated.
Figure 1. The map o f the investigated territory and sampling stations: superficial waters and sediments (unpainted circles) and snow
cover (painted circles).
M ATERIA LS AN D METHO DS
Sampling o f snowcover, superficial waters and sediments
of lakes on various distance from the LM BF (the
Kamasurt Mine) is carried out in March, 1996 (Fig. 1).
Filtrates received with a filtration o f snow samples and
sediment cores divided into 1-cm intervals were analyzed
by the X -ray-fluorescent method to define the contents of
Sr, U, Th, Nb, Zr, Rb, Y, Се, Та, La, CaO, Si0 2, P2O5
and Fe2 0 3 - Atomic absorption m ethod was performed to
determine concentrations o f Ni, Mn, Cu, Fe, Zn, Co, Pb,
Cd, Cr, Sr, Li. Snow filtrates were analyzed to define
SO4 2 -, Cl" and pH. A number o f physic-chemical
definitions in water samples was executed.
RESULTS AN D CO NLUSIO NS
The abnormal h igh contents o f the Sr, U, Th, Nb, Zr, Rb,
Y, Ce for this region are fixed in solid particles of snow
close to the K amasurt Mine (Fig. 2), and contents o f Sr,
U, Th, Nb, Y and Ce are above the local Clarks of rocks
of the Lovozero m assif (in 1.6, 15.5, 13.7, 1.2, 3.5 and
1.6 times, respectively). The relatively increased contents
of U, Zr, Y, Ce are marked in snowcover o f the central
part of the mountain m assif on distance up to 10 km in a
southeast direction from the source of dust emissions.
З Ь
%
0,15
0,1
0,05
□ Се
■ Y
ltm - и и и и и ~+-п^
Distance from the Kamasurt Mine, km
Figure 2. The contents of Ce and Y (%) in the snow solid particles when moving off the Kamasurt Mine.
The analysis of superficial waters of lakes has revealed the
increased concentration of total phosphorus (up to 109 jj.g/1
in the lima lake). By the end of a winter period the
concentration of soluble silicon in relatively increased values
for this region (4,2 mg/1) is fixed in the lima lake.
In the sediments o f the investigated lakes the layers with the
increased concentrations of a number of elements (Fe2C>3,
P2O5, CaO, Sr, U, Th, Nb, Zr, Rb, etc.) are fixed (Fig. 3).
The cycle with a period of accelerated terrigenous
sedimentation (decrease of the contents of H2O and organic
material) concerning to time o f accumulation of abnormal
layers replaces by period with the increased input of an
organic material. For the lima lake situated in the immediate
proximity from the Kamasurt Mine the abnormal superficial
layers are interval between 0 and 6 cm.
В
о
Рн
tD
тз
0
0
2
4
6
8
S
1 10
(D
"1 2
14
16
Sr, Hg/g
500 1000 1500
в
о
Он
<и
ТЗ
о
2
4
6
8
S
М
ю
"О
<U
м 12
14
16
Nb, H-g/g
200 400 600
lima - Seidjavr (west) —a— Seidjavr (east)
Figure 3. D istribution of Sr and Nb (ng/g ) in sediment cores of the lima and Seidjavr (west and east parts) lakes.
З П
The light rare-earth elements (Ce, La) characterized for
loparite ores in these layers w ere accum ulated more
intensively in comparison with the heavy rare-earth
elements (Y ) (Fig. 4). The sharp decrease o f silica
concentrations to the sediment surface specifies the
increased contribution in terrigenous component o f dark-
colour m inerals and decrease of sedimentation of
biogenous silica. For sediment cores from western and
eastern parts the Seidjavr lake (approximately 11 and 16
km from th e Karn asurt M ine) the peaks o f concentrations
are found in interval 4-7 cm from the sediment surface.
The presence o f the abnorm al concentrations o f a number
of rare-earth elements in the snowcover on distance up to
10 km from the Karnasurt m ining, and in superficial
parts of sediments in the lim a lake testifies to watershed
pollution of the northw est and central parts o f the
mountain massif by LM BF emissions.
The increased concentrations of rare-earth elements in
interval 3-7 cm of sediments cores o f the Seidjavr lake
have, apparently, natural character and are formed as a
result o f the raised input of terrigenous material with
shallowing o f the lake in current unusually of warm and
dry period of 1940-1948 years. On the other hand, there
was a probability of pollution of the lake by dust
emissions during experienced p roduction o f eudialite
ores in an opened career close to LM BF at height 800 m
above a sea level.
La, H-g/g
100 200 300 400 500
0
2
E
О
<D
1 *
<D
M
io
<D
m 12
14
16
50 Y,Hg/g
100 150
—I
-------
!— 200
—•— Dim - - Seidjavr (west) a- - Seidjavr (east)
Figure 4. D istribution o f La and Y (ng/g) in sedim ent cores of the lima and S eidjavr (west and east parts) lakes.
Some changes o f physic-chemical parameters o f lake
waters and sediments have taken place during operation
of the LMBF:
1) decrease of silica concentrations and increase of the
organic material contents in superficial layers of
sediments;
2 ) increased concentration of soluble silicon in lake
waters can reflect eutrophication processes of
oligotrophic lakes as a result o f inflow of phospho rus
in structure o f apatite.
ACKNO W LEDGEM ENTS
The authors acknowledge with thanks the ISA R
Foundation for the financial support of sam pling and the
Tourist Club Chibiny for the assistance in the field work.