Workshop on water quality and other environmental impacts from mining in Ecuador and neighboring countries

该奖项支持将在厄瓜多尔举行的一个讲习班，其重点是调查和发展减轻采矿对厄瓜多尔水质影响的能力。金属采矿（主要是黄金）是厄瓜多尔一个主要的新兴发展机会，虽然正在进行重大的采矿活动和影响，但拟议的采矿特许权使目前经营的采矿特许权相形见绌。研讨会将讨论以下首要科学问题：需要什么样的科学方法来确定受采矿影响的厄瓜多尔河流、地下水、农业系统、生态系统和人口中占主导地位的汞、铅和砷的命运和运输机制？在这个首要问题之下还有许多较小的问题，例如：需要用什么方法来了解在受采矿影响的河流的主要部分中防止汞甲基化的过程？需要什么样的方法来了解采矿产生的微量元素从河流传播到地下水、农业、生态系统和人口中的程度？应该采取什么方法来开发一个基于图形界面的关系数据库，为该区域的科学家和官员服务？研讨会还将讨论这样一个问题：对于一个强大的机构来说，什么样的研究、协调和培训组合是满足上述科学需求的最佳选择？在这个首要的能力建设问题之下存在着许多相关的问题，例如：政府和学术责任的正确平衡是什么？向公众（包括营办商、规管机构和公众）提供科学资讯，与教育和社会干预以保护环境，两者之间的适当平衡是什么？该研讨会将汇集美国科学家和政府专家以及厄瓜多尔、秘鲁和哥伦比亚的科学家和政府官员，这将增加来自整个受灾地区的专业知识。这项工作的更广泛影响将是对优先研究问题的新理解，包括一系列学科，国际科学努力的协调，以及厄瓜多尔政府在如何最好地协调环境研究和监测方面的投入。一些美国研究生和本科生将参加会议，并参与未来的合作。

This award supports a workshop to be held in Ecuador which will focus on investigating and developing capacity to mitigate impacts of mining on water quality in Ecuador. Metallic mining (predominantly for gold) is a major emerging development opportunity for Ecuador, and while there are significant mining activities and impacts ongoing, the proposed mining concessions dwarf those that presently operate. The workshop will address the following overarching science question: what scientific approach is needed to determine the fate and transport mechanisms that dominate for mercury, lead, and arsenic in mining-impacted Ecuadorian rivers, groundwater, agricultural systems, ecosystems, and human populations? Under this overarching question are many smaller questions, such as: What approach is needed to understand the processes that prevent methylation of mercury in the main sections of mining-impacted rivers? What approach is needed to understand how far mining-derived trace elements propagate from rivers into groundwater, agriculture, the ecosystem, and human populations? What approach should be taken to develop a graphical interface-based relational database to serve scientists and officials in the region? The workshop will also address the question: What combination of research, coordination, and training is optimal for a robust institution to address the above science needs? Under this overarching capacity-building question lie many related questions such as: What is the correct balance of government and academic responsibilities? What is the proper balance of providing scientific information to the population (including operators, regulators and the general public) versus education and social intervention to protect the environment? The workshop will bring together US scientists and government experts with scientists and government officials from Ecuador as well as Peru and Colombia, which will add expertise from the entire affected region. The broader impacts of this work will be in a new understanding of priority research questions including a range of disciplines, coordination of international scientific efforts, and input for the Ecuadorian government in terms of how to best coordinate the environmental research and monitoring. A number of US graduate and undergraduate students will attend the meeting and be involved in future collaborations.