Assessment of soil and ground chemical and radiation pollution on the gold-silver deposit “Klyon” territory (Chukotka Autonomous Region, Russia)

Abstract

Abstract. Study of Arctic soils and grounds ecological state is relevant on the one hand due to their industrial development, on the other hand due to the need to preserve natural landscapes considering their high sensitivity to technogenic impacts. This study is aimed at assessing soil and ground chemical and radiation pollution on the territory of the gold-silver deposit "Klyon" located in Chukotka permafrost zone. The level of metal content in soil and ground samples was found to differ from the world soil clarke insignificantly. Field measurements of gamma radiation flux on the deposit sites under development have shown external equivalent dose rate of the gamma radiation to be at the natural gamma background level. Laboratory tests of soil and ground samples have shown their radioactivity level to meet radiation safety standards for construction materials. Studying changes of soil and ground chemical and radiation pollution over time as part of local environmental monitoring is noted to be expedient.

Assessment of soil and ground chemical and radiation pollution on the gold-silver deposit “Klyon” territory (Chukotka Autonomous Region, Russia)

“…Considerable part of mining enterprises is designed to extract and process non-ferrous and rare metals. These metals, in turn, are toxic pollutants and pose a serious danger to the environment [1]. Enterprise infrastructure development, mineral raw materials mining and processing are in most cases accompanied by significant deterioration of natural landscape due to exposure to various technogenic factors.…”

“…Enterprise infrastructure development, mineral raw materials mining and processing are in most cases accompanied by significant deterioration of natural landscape due to exposure to various technogenic factors. To develop environmental safety tools for protection against mining enterprises negative impacts, complex studies of geoecological state of their location territories are provided [1,2].…”

“…Mining industry is known to give rise to serious environmental problems, which are most acute in permafrost conditions, where natural landscapes are most sensitive to technogenic impacts and recover slowly [1,2]. Intensive advancement of mining industry, significant technogenic burden to the environment caused by mining enterprises and the need to address relevant environmental challenges determine the relevance of a comprehensive assessment of geoecological state of the deposit territory to be developed.…”