Maarmorilik environmental impact of an arctic mine

Abstract

Greenex A/S is a Danish Limited company, which since 1973 has operated a lead/zine mine at Maarmorilik on the west coast of Greenland, 500 km north of the Polar Circle. In 1981, 650,000 tons of lead and zinc ore were mined and concentrated to 38,000 tons of lead, 144,000 tons of zinc concentrate and 468,000 tons of waste — called tailing-containing minerals of no value and traces of lead, zinc and cadmium. After chemical treatment, the tailings are discharged in a sea water suspension into a threshold fiord in 40 m depth via an especially constructed outled system. When the tailings are mixed with sea water, cadmium, lead and zinc are partly dissolved and spread in the marine environment by natural transport processes. Determined efforts have been made over the years to protect the natural environment, aimed especially at reducing the metal content in the tailings, and in particular the content of soluble metals. Good results have been achieved from these comprehensive endeavours which have been undertaken at a cost of 40 mill. Dkr. Since 1977, the biology and marine chemistry as well as the oceanography, including mixing and transport mechanisms in the sea water around Maarmorilik, has been studied intensively by Greenex in cooperation with a great number of both international and Danish experts. Today, the marine environment around Maarmorilik is one of the best studied areas in the world.