Gold Mining in Siberia as a Source of Mercury Contamination of the Environment
363
Olyokma raion), Ksenyevsky (Mogocha raion), Baleyzoloto (Baley raion) and
Lyubov (Kyra raion). A total of 105 measurements of the mercury content in
atmospheric air and the air of the mining site were performed; 56 samples of
rocks and minerals, 80 samples of soils, 170 samples of natural and technogenic
waters and 122 samples of bottom sediments were analyzed. Besides, selective
analyses of the mercury content in 21 samples of vegetation, fish, and meat of
wild animals were performed.
The research was carried out to estimate mercury contamination along the
dispersion water flux in Irokendinskoe ore gold mines of Buryatia (Taisayev
1991), located in a bald peak-taiga landscape of fragmented highlands of the
cryolite zone. At this site the main source of mercury and gold flux is a tailings
dump of GEP, which has been in operation for 25 years. Flood erosion of dams of
the tailings dump resulted in riverbed silting and formation of highly contrasted
lithochemical mercury (1-5 mg/kg) and gold (0.5-4 mg/kg) flux. Besides, ore
heaps and surface and underground mining driftage are also sources of mercury
and gold. The dearly defined biogenic anomaly of gold and silver was also fixed
at the head (500-600 m) of the techno genic flux (thicket, willow, Dauric larch,
water mosses). However, such a biogeochemical anomaly was not revealed for
mercury, on which basis the author concluded a poor bioassimilability of
mercury in plants.
In 1993 in the Krasnoyarsk Krai, research was carried out to estimate mercury
contamination of bottom sediments of the Boguny river in the area impacted by
the gold-sulphide-quartz Boguny deposit, mined with the help of drifts and pits
during World War II (Roslyakov and Kirillova 1995). Despite the fact that mining
operations were stopped here about 50 years ago and since then this deposit has
not been exposed to any technogenic activity using mercury, bottom sediments
of natural water streams are still characterized by elevated mercury contents,
exceeding background values by 8.6 times.
The research carried out in the area impacted by the refining plant in
Novosibirsk have shown that highly contrasted technogenic mercury and lead
haloes were formed in the soils around the plant. These metal contents in solid
phase of snow were also investigated (Roslyakov and Kirillova 1995).
The problems of negative impact of metallic mercury vapours on the health of
the people employed in the processes of gold concentration with the use of sluice
amalgamation at dredges and processing of shlich concentrates at GEP and GDP
in the eastern regions of the country have been studed by Russian medical
scientists and hygienists for a long time since 1935 (Bodienkov 1984;
Rukavishnikov 1984). It was determined that the processes of sluice amalgamation at dredges and external amalgamation at GEP are accompanied by very
high mercury concentrations in the air of working places, exceeding the average
shift maximum permissible concentration (MPC) by tens of times. This is
detrimental to the health of the attendants, affecting mainly respiratory,
urogenital, nervous systems, sense and digestive organs and liver. One should
emphasize an increasing morbidity of women associated with pathology of
female reproductive organs. Most workers employed in amalgamation processes
were women.
363
Olyokma raion), Ksenyevsky (Mogocha raion), Baleyzoloto (Baley raion) and
Lyubov (Kyra raion). A total of 105 measurements of the mercury content in
atmospheric air and the air of the mining site were performed; 56 samples of
rocks and minerals, 80 samples of soils, 170 samples of natural and technogenic
waters and 122 samples of bottom sediments were analyzed. Besides, selective
analyses of the mercury content in 21 samples of vegetation, fish, and meat of
wild animals were performed.
The research was carried out to estimate mercury contamination along the
dispersion water flux in Irokendinskoe ore gold mines of Buryatia (Taisayev
1991), located in a bald peak-taiga landscape of fragmented highlands of the
cryolite zone. At this site the main source of mercury and gold flux is a tailings
dump of GEP, which has been in operation for 25 years. Flood erosion of dams of
the tailings dump resulted in riverbed silting and formation of highly contrasted
lithochemical mercury (1-5 mg/kg) and gold (0.5-4 mg/kg) flux. Besides, ore
heaps and surface and underground mining driftage are also sources of mercury
and gold. The dearly defined biogenic anomaly of gold and silver was also fixed
at the head (500-600 m) of the techno genic flux (thicket, willow, Dauric larch,
water mosses). However, such a biogeochemical anomaly was not revealed for
mercury, on which basis the author concluded a poor bioassimilability of
mercury in plants.
In 1993 in the Krasnoyarsk Krai, research was carried out to estimate mercury
contamination of bottom sediments of the Boguny river in the area impacted by
the gold-sulphide-quartz Boguny deposit, mined with the help of drifts and pits
during World War II (Roslyakov and Kirillova 1995). Despite the fact that mining
operations were stopped here about 50 years ago and since then this deposit has
not been exposed to any technogenic activity using mercury, bottom sediments
of natural water streams are still characterized by elevated mercury contents,
exceeding background values by 8.6 times.
The research carried out in the area impacted by the refining plant in
Novosibirsk have shown that highly contrasted technogenic mercury and lead
haloes were formed in the soils around the plant. These metal contents in solid
phase of snow were also investigated (Roslyakov and Kirillova 1995).
The problems of negative impact of metallic mercury vapours on the health of
the people employed in the processes of gold concentration with the use of sluice
amalgamation at dredges and processing of shlich concentrates at GEP and GDP
in the eastern regions of the country have been studed by Russian medical
scientists and hygienists for a long time since 1935 (Bodienkov 1984;
Rukavishnikov 1984). It was determined that the processes of sluice amalgamation at dredges and external amalgamation at GEP are accompanied by very
high mercury concentrations in the air of working places, exceeding the average
shift maximum permissible concentration (MPC) by tens of times. This is
detrimental to the health of the attendants, affecting mainly respiratory,
urogenital, nervous systems, sense and digestive organs and liver. One should
emphasize an increasing morbidity of women associated with pathology of
female reproductive organs. Most workers employed in amalgamation processes
were women.