Tracing nitrogen cycling in mining waters using stable nitrogen isotope analysis

Abstract

We show how we used stable nitrogen and oxygen isotopes in ammonium and nitrate to identify and quantify nitrogen transformation and nitrogen sources at the LKAB mining site in northern Sweden. Stable nitrogen isotope analysis worked as an excellent tool for tracing nitrogen cycling in rapidly moving process waters. The isotope analysis was performed on the mining process waters at seven different key points along the water flow and we identified nitrification, ammonia volatilisation, and ammonium adsorption as nitrogen transformation processes. The source of nitrogen is historically explained as undetonated ammonium-nitrate based explosives. We used nitrate nitrogen and oxygen isotopes to quantify four nitrogen sources in the accumulated water in the mine as well as three sources in an above ground process water reservoir. The nitrate isotope data showed that most of the nitrate (70–80%) in the accumulated water underground originated from a sampling point located close to the surface and only a minor fraction (5–20%) originated directly from undetonated explosives (direct dissolution of NH4NO3 and nitrification of NH4). Nitrate from natural groundwater formed roughly 12% of mine water nitrate. In the above ground process water reservoir isotope data indicated another source of nitrogen coming from undetonated explosives.