Dataset Identification:
Resource Abstract:
- description: Several open pit mines in Nevada lower groundwater to mine ore below the water table. After mining, the pits
partially fill with groundwater to form pit lakes. Water quality in the pit lakes may be affected by a variety of factors
including the quality of inflowing groundwater, atmospheric precipitation, sulfide oxidation in surrounding rock, dissolution
of metals, precipitation of metals, and evaporative concentration. Oxidation reactions on exposed pit walls may release sulfate,
acid, and metals into the pit lake. In some cases, water contained in the pit lakes may be of poor quality and may contain
concentrations of metals or other inorganic constituents that greatly exceed water quality standards and published wildlife
effect levels. Two types of pit lakes may form. The first type has a circumneutral pH and may develop a complex food web.
The second type is highly acidic and will remain relatively sterile. While this second type may be less attractive to wildlife,
it is highly toxic if water is consumed. Geochemical modeling to predict water quality in some future pit lakes has predicted
long-term degradation of pit lake water quality. Wildlife use and the degree of threat presented by inorganic contaminants
in pit lakes are uncertain, although at least limited riparian and aquatic communities will become established in most pit
lakes where pH remains circumneutral. In these circumneutral pH pit lakes, wildlife use and fish introductions over the long-term
are uncertain. Wildlife exposure to contaminants through drinking water and consumption of contaminated foods in the lakes
may occur. Constituents that bioaccumulate or biomagnify in the food chain, such as selenium and mercury, are of greatest
concern. Currently, little is known about biological characteristics of mine pit lakes. This investigation was designed to
provide information on habitat and community development, habitat quality, wildlife use, inorganic contaminants behavior and
partitioning, and the potential for wildlife exposure to inorganic contaminants in mine pit lakes.; abstract: Several open
pit mines in Nevada lower groundwater to mine ore below the water table. After mining, the pits partially fill with groundwater
to form pit lakes. Water quality in the pit lakes may be affected by a variety of factors including the quality of inflowing
groundwater, atmospheric precipitation, sulfide oxidation in surrounding rock, dissolution of metals, precipitation of metals,
and evaporative concentration. Oxidation reactions on exposed pit walls may release sulfate, acid, and metals into the pit
lake. In some cases, water contained in the pit lakes may be of poor quality and may contain concentrations of metals or other
inorganic constituents that greatly exceed water quality standards and published wildlife effect levels. Two types of pit
lakes may form. The first type has a circumneutral pH and may develop a complex food web. The second type is highly acidic
and will remain relatively sterile. While this second type may be less attractive to wildlife, it is highly toxic if water
is consumed. Geochemical modeling to predict water quality in some future pit lakes has predicted long-term degradation of
pit lake water quality. Wildlife use and the degree of threat presented by inorganic contaminants in pit lakes are uncertain,
although at least limited riparian and aquatic communities will become established in most pit lakes where pH remains circumneutral.
In these circumneutral pH pit lakes, wildlife use and fish introductions over the long-term are uncertain. Wildlife exposure
to contaminants through drinking water and consumption of contaminated foods in the lakes may occur. Constituents that bioaccumulate
or biomagnify in the food chain, such as selenium and mercury, are of greatest concern. Currently, little is known about biological
characteristics of mine pit lakes. This investigation was designed to provide information on habitat and community development,
habitat quality, wildlife use, inorganic contaminants behavior and partitioning, and the potential for wildlife exposure to
inorganic contaminants in mine pit lakes.
Citation
- Title NV - Assessment of wildlife hazards associated with mine pit lakes.
-
- creation Date
2018-05-11T00:48:13.577301
Resource language:
Processing environment:
Back to top:
Metadata data stamp:
2018-08-06T22:28:30Z
Resource Maintenance Information
- maintenance or update frequency:
- notes: This metadata record was generated by an xslt transformation from a dc metadata record; Transform by Stephen M. Richard, based
on a transform by Damian Ulbricht. Run on 2018-08-06T22:28:30Z
Metadata contact
-
pointOfContact
- organisation Name
CINERGI Metadata catalog
-
- Contact information
-
-
- Address
-
- electronic Mail Address cinergi@sdsc.edu
Metadata language
eng
Metadata character set encoding:
utf8
Metadata standard for this record:
ISO 19139 Geographic Information - Metadata - Implementation Specification
standard version:
2007
Metadata record identifier:
urn:dciso:metadataabout:5f218124-cb43-4d1b-8ecc-7c4338a7260b
Metadata record format is ISO19139 XML (MD_Metadata)