Impact of man's activities on the chemical composition of the sediments of lakes superior and Huron

Kemp, A. L. W.; Williams, Jake Ryland; Thomas, R. L.; Gregory, M. L.

doi:10.1007/bf00250005

Cited by 86 publications

(59 citation statements)

References 24 publications

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“…15). Moreover, there are clear (Nussmann 1965;Mother-sill and Fung 1972;Smith and Moore 1972;Fitchko and Hutchinson 1975;Kemp et al 1978;Nebrija 1979;McKee et al 1989). Pie diagrams indicate % enrichment, where 0% = background (i.e.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…If the core results from Kemp et al (1978) are arranged by absolute deposition rate and are compared with results from Portage Lake and Lake George, a simple pattern emerges (Fig. 15).…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Two early investigators of Lake Superior sediments, Nussmann (196 5) and Kemp et al (1978), both suspected that Cu enrichments came from several intensively mined regions: the Keweenaw Peninsula, Thunder Bay, Marathon, and Sault Ste. Marie areas.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Paleolimnological study of copper mining around Lake Superior: Artificial varves from Portage Lake provide a high resolution record

1994

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On the Keweenaw Peninsula region of Lake Superior, -0.5 Gt of copper mine tailings were dumped along rivers, lakes, and connecting waterways between 1850 and 1968 -an era of active copper and silver mining. In the low-energy environment of Portage Lake, a part of the Keweenaw Waterway, clay particles from stamp sand discharges created artificially varved lake sediments that preserved a remarkably detailed record. Measurements of these varves, in conjunction with radiodating techniques, allow precise detcrminations of deposition rates, sediment, and Cu fluxes.Concentration and flux profiles produce fundamentally different patterns. Copper concentrations have remained high in sediments despite complete cessation of active tailings discharge. However, densitometer scans of X-rayed cores and flux calculations at sites closest to sluicing locations reveal a good correspondence with the historic record of stamp sand production. Sedimentation rates and Cu fluxes have declined steadily since cessation of native copper mining, although elevated Cu levels continue to circulate in the ecosystem. Comparisons of Cu profiles from sediment cores across eastern Lake Superior suggest widespread signatures of mining and major contribution to sediments.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…If the core results from Kemp et al (1978) are arranged by absolute deposition rate and are compared with results from Portage Lake and Lake George, a simple pattern emerges (Fig. 15).…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Paleolimnological study of copper mining around Lake Superior: Artificial varves from Portage Lake provide a high resolution record

1994

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“…Although the example discussed here deals with particular regional features (bedrock composition, coastal shelf bathymetry, tailing albedo), we stress that there is an opportunity to apply techniques to address an extensive mining legacy scattered about the watersheds and shorelines of Lake Superior and northern Lake Huron [5][6][7][8]. The Lake Superior Basin is recognized for centuries of iron, copper, zinc, silver and gold mining [8].…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Light Detection and Ranging (LiDAR) and Multispectral Scanner (MSS) Studies Examine Coastal Environments Influenced by Mining

Kerfoot

Hobmeier

Yousef

et al. 2014

IJGI

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There are numerous examples of past and present mine disposal into freshwater and marine coastal bays and riverine environments. Due to its high spatial resolution and extended water penetration, coastal light detection and ranging (LiDAR), coupled with multispectral scanning (MSS), has great promise for resolving disturbed shoreline features in low turbidity environments. Migrating mine tailings present serious issues for Lake Superior and coastal marine environments. Previous investigations in Lake Superior uncovered a metal-rich "halo" around the Keweenaw Peninsula, related to past copper mining practices. For over a century, waste rock migrating from shoreline tailing piles has moved along extensive stretches of coastline, compromising critical fish breeding grounds, damming stream outlets, transgressing into wetlands and along recreational beaches and OPEN ACCESS ISPRS Int. J. Geo-Inf. 2014, 3 67 suppressing benthic invertebrate communities. In Grand (Big) Traverse Bay, Buffalo Reef is an important spawning area for lake trout and whitefish threatened by drifting tailings. The movement of tailings into Buffalo Reef cobble fields may interfere with the hatching of fish eggs and fry survival, either by filling in crevices where eggs are deposited or by toxic effects on eggs, newly hatched larvae or benthic communities. Here, we show that the coastal tailing migration is not "out of sight, out of mind", but clearly revealed by using a combination of LiDAR and MSS techniques.

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“…The most common explanation for this trend is an increase in atmospheric deposition of Hg primarily as a result of increased modern industrial activities (Kemp et al 1978, Swain et al 1992, Fitzgerald 1995). However, others (Gobeil and Cossa 1993, Rasmussen 1994, Gobeil et al 1999 suggest the possibility of a competing hypothesis to account for elevated Hg in near-surface core sections, i.e., diagenetic upward mobilization of Hg within the sediment column.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Vertical Stability of Mercury in Historic and Prehistoric Sediments From Clear Lake, California

Suchanek

Richerson

Zierenberg

et al. 2008

Ecological Applications

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Abstract. Clear Lake, California, USA, is the site of the Sulphur Bank Mercury Mine, now a U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Superfund Site. Intermittent mining from 1873 to 1957 resulted in ;100 Mg of mercury (Hg) being deposited into the lake's ecosystem. Sediment cores to ;2.5 m depth (dated using 210 Pb and 14 C) represent ;3000 years of sedimentation. Clear Lake sediments have experienced Hg deposition from anthropogenic sources (mining) during historic times (to the mid-1900s) and geologic sources during prehistoric times (prior to the mid-1800s). This provides a unique opportunity to evaluate hypotheses relating to (1) the influence of the mine on Hg loading to the lake and (2) the potential upward mobilization of Hg by diagenetic processes proposed by some as an alternative explanation for increased Hg concentrations at the surface of the sediment column believed to be caused by increased global atmospheric deposition.Although Hg mining began in 1873, no significant evidence of anthropogenic Hg loading was detected in cores prior to open-pit mining ca. 1927, which also involved bulldozing mine waste rock and tailings into the lake. Exponential increases in total Hg (TotHg) and methylmercury (MeHg) were observed above the 1927 horizon, where estimated sedimentation rates were 2.2-20.4 mm/yr and peaks of both forms of Hg maintained vertical stability within the sediment column. Below the 1927 horizon, a slow increase in both TotHg and MeHg with depth was observed from ;1000 to 3000 years before present, where sedimentation rates ranged from ;0.6 to 2.0 mm/yr and elevated Hg profiles appear stable. Vertical stability of Hg in the shallow and deep sediment column suggests that both TotHg and MeHg do not undergo diagenetic upward mobilization within the sediment column under rapid or slow sedimentation rates. Because (1) these data were collected at a site with known anthropogenic and geologic sources and (2) regions of elevated Hg concentrations from both sources remain stable within the sediment column under very different sedimentation regimes, these results also support the hypothesis that elevated Hg at the surface of cores in other worldwide locations likely represents global atmospheric deposition rather than upward diagenetic mobilization.

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Impact of man's activities on the chemical composition of the sediments of lakes superior and Huron

Cited by 86 publications

References 24 publications

Paleolimnological study of copper mining around Lake Superior: Artificial varves from Portage Lake provide a high resolution record

Paleolimnological study of copper mining around Lake Superior: Artificial varves from Portage Lake provide a high resolution record

Light Detection and Ranging (LiDAR) and Multispectral Scanner (MSS) Studies Examine Coastal Environments Influenced by Mining

Vertical Stability of Mercury in Historic and Prehistoric Sediments From Clear Lake, California

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