Birds associated with a tailings storage facility and surrounding areas from a South African gold mine

Hudson, Adrian; Bouwman, Hindrik

doi:10.1111/j.1365-2028.2008.00964.x

Cited by 2 publications

(2 citation statements)

References 14 publications

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“…Passively recorded echolocation data presented here provide empirical evidence of the presence and activity patterns of bats above gold mining water bodies. These observations are consistent with data presented on wildlife cyanide toxicosis risks at gold mining operations for a wide range of diurnal vertebrate taxa (Donato and Smith 2007;Smith et al 2008;Hudson and Bouwman 2008;Griffiths et al 2009;Donato et al 2010). It is therefore clear that, despite the artificial nature of wastewater impoundments at gold mines, these structures present attractive habitats to vertebrate wildlife, including bats .…”

Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 89%

High levels of activity of bats at gold mining water bodies: implications for compliance with the International Cyanide Management Code

Griffiths

Donato²,

Coulson

et al. 2014

Environ Sci Pollut Res

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Wildlife and livestock are known to visit and interact with tailings dam and other wastewater impoundments at gold mines. When cyanide concentrations within these water bodies exceed a critical toxicity threshold, significant cyanide-related mortality events can occur in wildlife. Highly mobile taxa such as birds are particularly susceptible to cyanide toxicosis. Nocturnally active bats have similar access to uncovered wastewater impoundments as birds; however, cyanide toxicosis risks to bats remain ambiguous. This study investigated activity of bats in the airspace above two water bodies at an Australian gold mine, to assess the extent to which bats use these water bodies and hence are at potential risk of exposure to cyanide. Bat activity was present on most nights sampled during the 16-month survey period, although it was highly variable across nights and months. Therefore, despite the artificial nature of wastewater impoundments at gold mines, these structures present attractive habitats to bats. As tailings slurry and supernatant pooling within the tailings dam were consistently well below the industry protective concentration limit of 50 mg/L weak acid dissociable (WAD) cyanide, wastewater solutions stored within the tailings dam posed a minimal risk of cyanide toxicosis for wildlife, including bats. This study showed that passively recorded bat echolocation call data provides evidence of the presence and relative activity of bats above water bodies at mine sites. Furthermore, echolocation buzz calls recorded in the airspace directly above water provide indirect evidence of foraging and/or drinking. Both echolocation monitoring and systematic sampling of cyanide concentration in open wastewater impoundments can be incorporated into a gold mine risk-assessment model in order to evaluate the risk of bat exposure to cyanide. In relation to risk minimisation management practices, the most effective mechanism for preventing cyanide toxicosis to wildlife, including bats, is capping the concentration of cyanide in tailings discharged to open impoundments at 50 mg/L WAD.

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Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 89%

High levels of activity of bats at gold mining water bodies: implications for compliance with the International Cyanide Management Code

Griffiths

Donato²,

Coulson

et al. 2014

Environ Sci Pollut Res

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“…Little is known on the effects of potentially toxic elements in tailing residual soils and their bioavailability. It would be necessary to study tailing chemistry, the exposure paths for those elements, and bio-magnification effects on functional groups or specific bird species that may be affected at the physiological level (Hudson & Bouwman 2008).…”

Section: Speciesmentioning

confidence: 99%

Temperate forest bird communities associated with a historic mining impact area: do tailing remnant effects modify their structure?

Lemus

Villaseñor-Gómez

Pineda-Huerta

et al. 2019

Rev. Bras. Ornitol.

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Birds contribute to the stability of ecosystems and represent a tool used to evaluate a variety of anthropogenic impacts. The area known as El Oro-Tlalpujahua Mining District in central Mexico was subjected to significant environmental impacts as a result of ore extraction, including profound habitat transformations, landscape changes, and the accumulation of potentially toxic elements in their tailings (favoring its bioavailability and dispersion). After more than 60 years without extractive activities, there is no knowledge on extant remaining impacts on biological communities. Assuming the presence of negative impacts on birds, we compared the composition and abundance of bird communities in two locations, representing a site without exposure to tailings (S 1) and another one with tailings deposition (S 2). From June 2014 to June 2015, we recorded 2828 individuals of 108 avian species in 369 point counts (S 1 = 91, S 2 = 95). The Chao1 indicator suggested we recorded 96% of the species present. We found a high similarity in the general composition and abundance of bird species between communities (> 85%). However, there were significant differences in the abundances of 18 species (9 of them higher in the control site); these differences might result from differential effects of potentially toxic elements on functional groups (such as feeding guilds), resource availability, as well as other factors not accounted for. Historically, mining activities in the area generated significant changes in the structure and composition of the forest, and disrupted ecological processes. Despite the fact that current conditions appear favorable to the relative stability of the bird community, specific physiological effects on some species of birds sixty years after the cessation of mineral extraction could occur. Further studies on physiological performance and the effects of potentially toxic elements on local birds could unveil unknown effects at the individual level.

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Birds associated with a tailings storage facility and surrounding areas from a South African gold mine

Cited by 2 publications

References 14 publications

High levels of activity of bats at gold mining water bodies: implications for compliance with the International Cyanide Management Code

High levels of activity of bats at gold mining water bodies: implications for compliance with the International Cyanide Management Code

Temperate forest bird communities associated with a historic mining impact area: do tailing remnant effects modify their structure?

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