Lake Sediments Record Prehistoric Lead Pollution Related to Early Copper Production in North America

Abstract

The mining and use of copper by prehistoric people on Michigan's Keweenaw Peninsula is one of the oldest examples of metalworking. We analyzed the concentration of lead, titanium, magnesium, iron, and organic matter in sediment cores recovered from three lakes located near mine pits to investigate the timing, location, and magnitude of ancient copper mining pollution. Lead concentrations were normalized to lithogenic metals and organic matter to account for processes that can influence natural (or background) lead delivery. Nearly simultaneous lead enrichments occurred at Lake Manganese and Copper Falls Lake ∼8000 and 7000 years before present (yr BP), indicating that copper extraction occurred concurrently in at least two locations on the peninsula. The poor temporal coherence among the lead enrichments from ∼6300 to 5000 yr BP at each lake suggests that the focus of copper mining and annealing shifted through time. In sediment younger than ∼5000 yr BP, lead concentrations remain at background levels at all three lakes, excluding historic lead increases starting ∼150 yr BP. Our work demonstrates that lead emissions associated with both the historic and Old Copper Complex tradition are detectable and can be used to determine the temporal and geographic pattern of metal pollution.

Boom, Bust and Beyond: Arts and Sustainability in Calumet, Michigan

“…The broader Calumet area is the site of the most extensive known deposits of native copper (relatively pure copper known as "float copper") that requires little to no processing. Mining of the copper began prehistorically with aboriginal mining to produce jewelry and tools which were traded [39]. Large scale commercial mining operations began in the mid-nineteenth century and continued until 1968 [35].…”

“…Large scale commercial mining operations began in the mid-nineteenth century and continued until 1968 [35]. Altogether, Keweenaw copper was mined for thousands of years beginning about 8000 years ago [39]. The lingering importance of copper is indicated by the extensive use of the word copper in names for festivals and descriptions of the area (i.e., "CopperDog 150" dogsled race and "Copper Country" or "Copper Island" as a name for the region).…”

The first polluted river? Repeated copper contamination of fluvial sediments associated with Late Neolithic human activity in southern Jordan

“…, 2007a. 66 Stratigraphic and archaeological evidence suggested that the years is significantly older -typically 500-1000 years -than any pyrometallurgy from 70 this region (Adams 1997(Adams , 1999Adams et al 2010;Barker et al 2007a;Hauptmann 71 2000;, or with global pollution signatures (Celine et al 2008;Boutron et al 72 1995 ;Muhly 1988;Neuninger et al 1964; Thornton et al 2010;Shotyk et al 1998), 73 although it is younger than contamination in the Keweenaw Peninsula, Michigan 74 (Pompeani et al 2013) and contemporary with instances in the Balkans (Radivojević 75 et al 2010). This study therefore examines a range of plausible explanations (Table 76 S1), through The exposure at site WF5021 (Figs.…”

Trace elements in lake sediments of the Brda river catchment area / Pierwiastki śladowe w osadach jezior zlewni Brdy

“…Izabela Bojakowska, Olimpia Kozłowska, Bartosz Stec Prosowicz 2007;Cooke et al 2007;Pulford et al 2009;Tylmann 2004;Pompeani et al 2013]. This is due to the human economic activity carried out in lake's catchment area, deposition of pollutants from the atmosphere and rainwater and melt water runoff [Rocher et al 2004;Wildi et al 2004;Cui et al 2010;Taylor, Owens 2009].…”