Meromictic Investigations for Northern Ecosystem Sustainability (MINES)

在接受来自矿山排放的高浓度硫酸盐的湖泊中，可能会发生水柱的部分混合或不完全混合。这些高浓度的硫酸盐沃茨比背景水密度更大，并沉入湖底。这种密度差异阻止了正常的湖泊周转，相应地降低了底部沃茨中的氧气，释放了金属，并失去了鱼类的栖息地。有毒硫化氢的积累也可能发生在沉积物中，限制了底栖生物的定居。矿业公司已得到监管机构越来越多的关注，以防止或恢复缺矿条件。然而，对天然湖泊中部分融合生殖的形成及其对生物区系的影响的认识是有限的。因此，巴里克·赫姆洛和第一量子矿业有限公司之间的研究伙伴关系，这两个湖泊都有部分混合的湖泊，湖首大学已经建立起来研究这种情况。该研究对水体以及现有的底栖、浮游和大型植物群落进行了详细的化学和物理取样。对污染物的毒理学和生物累积性进行了评估，并与在其中一个湖泊中重新养殖溪鳟的可能性有关。该研究开发了计算机模型，量化了受影响湖泊中污染物的水平衡和化学传质，确定了生物群落变化的原因，并为受影响湖泊制定了预防和补救方案。结果是采矿公司可以用来预测如何以及何时纠正部分融合条件的发生并使湖泊恢复正常的全融合条件的工具。该研究将涉及现场技术的整合，包括用于收集水生群落参数的适用采样方法，以及使用自动分析仪、滴定仪、消化器、离子色谱法和光谱调查的实验室技术。除了为符合可接受的环境标准的采矿作业提供长期可持续性外，这项研究还将为加拿大北部采矿部门的五名研究生和两名本科生提供培训。

Meromictic or incomplete mixing of the water column can occur in lakes receiving water with high concentrations of sulphates from mine discharges. These elevated sulphate waters are more dense than background water and sink to the bottom of the lakes. This density difference stops normal lake turnover with corresponding lowering of oxygen in the bottom waters, release of metals and a loss of habitat for fish. Build up of toxic hydrogen sulphide can also occur in the sediment restricting colonization by benthic rganisms. Mining companies have received increased attention from regulatory agencies to prevent or rehabilitate meromictic conditions. However the understanding of the formation of meromixis and its effect on the biota in natural lakes is limited. Consequently, a research partnership between Barrick-Hemlo and First Quantum Mining Ltd., both with meromictic lakes, and Lakehead University has been established to study this situation. The research conducts detailed chemical and physical sampling of the water bodies as well as for the benthic, pelagic and macrophyte communities present. Toxicology and bioaccumulation of contaminants are assessed and related to the possibility of re-establishing brook trout in one of the lakes. The research develops computer models that quantify the water balance and chemical mass transfer of contaminants in the impacted lakes,determines the causes of changes to the biological communities and develops prevention and remediation scenarios for the impacted lakes. The outcome are tools that can be used by mining companies to predict how and when to correct the occurrence of meromictic conditions and return the lakes to a normal holomictic condition. The research will involve the integration of field techniques including applicable sampling methods for the collection of aquatic community parameters with lab techniques using autoanalyzers, titrators, digesters, ion chromatography and spectroscopic investigations. In addition to producing long-term sustainability for mining operations that meet acceptable environmental standards, the research will provide training for fivegraduate and two undergraduate students for the mining sector in Canada's north.