prediction of a modern gold mine's contaminant dispersion and deposition in a river mixing zone
abstract
study site: placer dome canada's musselwhite mine near pickle lake ontario. a predictive spatial model of contaminant dispersion and deposition was produced for
the river mixing zone of placer dome canada’s musselwhite mine. discriminant analysis
classified water and sediment quality into three groups based upon seven parameters; total
aluminum, total zinc, total copper, total iron, nitrate, sulphate, and ph at three depths. the first
group consisted of three sites situated immediately outside of the mine’s outfall, and was
characterized by high mean discriminant function scores used to describe both water and
sediment. the second and third groups consisted of the remainder of sites downstream and
the control sites respectively, and were characterized by relatively lower scores in the water
and sediment. spatial predictions of contaminant dispersion and deposition, based upon the
regression of discriminant function score to effluent tracer measurements taken at sampling
sites, delineated an area of lower water and sediment quality within the vicinity of outfall. the
effluent-receiving water body, within a minimum mixing length of 300 m, was found to be
capable of diluting all parameters identified as being significantly higher at point of outfall to
concentrations that were not significantly different from those found upstream of discharge.
parameters of current or potential environmental concern in the mine’s effluent mixing zone
were also identified in this study.
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