"
....
284
A. Gnamus and M. Horvat
N
W~E
S
IUU
- - - -kill
Fig. 2. Geographical relief map of Slovenia showing the origin of the samples. /- 1 to /-7 Sampling
areas in the district of the active Idrija mercury mine; RI to RI2, LI, L2, WI: exposed animals - wider
area of the Idrija mercury mine; PI: sampling areas in the district of the long-abandoned mercury
mine in Podljubelj: RI, R2: roe deer from the Podljubelj area; Ctr-I to Ctr-5 control sampling areas:
RI to R6: roe deer controls; LI to L6 lynx controls; W2 wolf control
resulted in the production of considerable quantities of native elemental Hg,
which is a unique geological phenomenon.
The climatic transition and distinctive relief of the area result in a relatively
high annual precipitation, mostly disposed through the spring and late autumn,
and frequent mists. Average daily Hg concentrations in air in the town centre are
200 to 400 ng Hg/m3 (range 10 to 16 000 ng Hg/m3 Scholupov and Mashyanov,
unpubl. data), and strongly depend on weather conditions (Lupsina-MiklavCic
1994). In the wider Idrija surroundings, average T-Hg air concentrations range
between 25 and 75 ng Hg/m3 (Scholupov and Mashyanov, unpubl. data). General
wind conditions in the Idrija valley are very complex, due to the heterogeneous
orography, causing air turbulence with winds frequently changing direction at
approx. every 50 m in the town centre. Therefore, air turbulence results in
circulation of lower air masses inside the valley, causing strong deposition of
Fig. 3a-b. Geographical relief of the Idrija region a Digital relief model of the Idrija area showing
sampling polygons I-Sm, I-I to 1-7 and average T-Hg concentrations in soil samples collected in the
period from 1990 to 1996, ranged in four clusters relating mercury concentrations b Digital relief
model of the Idrija area showing sampling polygons I-I to /-4 grouped into Zone A, characterized by
considerably high Hg concentrations, and polygons /-5 to /-7 grouped into Zone B, characterized by
moderately elevated Hg concentrations; RI to RI2: Roe deer exposed
....
284
A. Gnamus and M. Horvat
N
W~E
S
IUU
- - - -kill
Fig. 2. Geographical relief map of Slovenia showing the origin of the samples. /- 1 to /-7 Sampling
areas in the district of the active Idrija mercury mine; RI to RI2, LI, L2, WI: exposed animals - wider
area of the Idrija mercury mine; PI: sampling areas in the district of the long-abandoned mercury
mine in Podljubelj: RI, R2: roe deer from the Podljubelj area; Ctr-I to Ctr-5 control sampling areas:
RI to R6: roe deer controls; LI to L6 lynx controls; W2 wolf control
resulted in the production of considerable quantities of native elemental Hg,
which is a unique geological phenomenon.
The climatic transition and distinctive relief of the area result in a relatively
high annual precipitation, mostly disposed through the spring and late autumn,
and frequent mists. Average daily Hg concentrations in air in the town centre are
200 to 400 ng Hg/m3 (range 10 to 16 000 ng Hg/m3 Scholupov and Mashyanov,
unpubl. data), and strongly depend on weather conditions (Lupsina-MiklavCic
1994). In the wider Idrija surroundings, average T-Hg air concentrations range
between 25 and 75 ng Hg/m3 (Scholupov and Mashyanov, unpubl. data). General
wind conditions in the Idrija valley are very complex, due to the heterogeneous
orography, causing air turbulence with winds frequently changing direction at
approx. every 50 m in the town centre. Therefore, air turbulence results in
circulation of lower air masses inside the valley, causing strong deposition of
Fig. 3a-b. Geographical relief of the Idrija region a Digital relief model of the Idrija area showing
sampling polygons I-Sm, I-I to 1-7 and average T-Hg concentrations in soil samples collected in the
period from 1990 to 1996, ranged in four clusters relating mercury concentrations b Digital relief
model of the Idrija area showing sampling polygons I-I to /-4 grouped into Zone A, characterized by
considerably high Hg concentrations, and polygons /-5 to /-7 grouped into Zone B, characterized by
moderately elevated Hg concentrations; RI to RI2: Roe deer exposed