What are the environmental consequences of mining operations in Arctic regions?

The problems of geoenvironmental consequences of mining operations are especially acute in the arctic and subarctic regions, where the spread of permafrost significantly reduces the buffering capacity of landscapes. The research, the results of which are published in the journal Mining Science and Technology, demonstrates data on the content of heavy metals in the soil cover of the transient zone between the middle taiga and north taiga landscapes of Western Yakutia under the conditions of mining operations. The authors proposed new approaches to evaluation assesses the resistance of different types of soils to heavy metals pollution. The heavy metals content was determined by atomic absorption spectrometry. Among the studied pollutants the greatest tendency to binding by natural organic ligands was revealed for such elements as lead and copper. Zinc and nickel will actively migrate in the ionic form. Cadmium occupies an intermediate position in terms of the ratio of ionic and organically bound forms. The data presented in the study can be used in monitoring the state of the soil cover in the mining zone.

For more information, see the article:

📌 Titov A.S., Toropov A.S. Geoenvironmetal assessment of different types of cryolithic soils in Western Yakutia under the conditions of diamond-mining operations. Mining Science and Technology (Russia). 2024;9(2):170-182. https://doi.org/10.17073/2500-0632-2023-12-188

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We present the articles of the second issue of scientific journal "Mining Science and Technology" (Russia) for 2025:

Scientists have studied the elemental status of young population in Solnechny settlement, Khabarovsk Krai, as part of mining-ecological monitoring. Prolonged operation of the Solnechny Mining and Processing Plant (MPP) has formed a mining-induced technogenic system with biogeochemical zones of elevated concentrations of chemical compounds, including heavy metals and arsenic. Monitoring points at varying distances from the second tailings dump of Solnechny MPP, including within the settlement territory, showed soil concentrations of Cu, Zn, Pb and Hg exceeding maximum permissible concentrations (MPCs) by 1.4-12.36 times, with As reaching 571 MPCs. Water bodies showed exceedances for Cr, Cu, Fe and Zn (2-110 MPCs), while As concentrations remained within norms. Elemental hair analysis of children under 14 years revealed gender-specific patterns: girls showed elevated Hg, Cr, Pb, Cu with Zn deficiency, while boys had excess Hg, Fe, Cr, Zn and Cu. Technical solutions were proposed to reduce pollutant spread from tailings dumps, including those of Solnechny MPP.

Read more in "Mining Science and Technology":

📌 Rastanina N.K., Golubev D.A., Perfiliev A.V., Rastanin P., Popadyev I.A. Assessment of the elemental status of the young population in Solnechny, Khabarovsk krai, as part of mining environmental monitoring. Mining Science and Technology (Russia). 2025;10(2):161-168. https://doi.org/10.17073/2500-0632-2024-11-338

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#InEnglish #MST #Mining #TinOre #TailingsDump #Cr #Fe #Cu #Zn #As #Cd #Sn #Hg #Pb #Spectrometry #ElementalStatus #LandReclamation #Solnechny #EnvironmentalMonitoring #KhabarovskKrai #HeavyMetals #Biogeochemistry #MPP #Tailings #Arsenic #Ecology #ChildrensHealth #Biomonitoring #EnvironmentalHygiene