L. Hasselbach, J. M. Ver Hoef, J. Ford, P. Neitlich, E. Crecelius, S. Berryman, B. Wolk and T. Bohle

Spatial patterns of cadmium and lead deposition on National Park Service

lands near Red Dog Mine

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Kivalina

Kotzebue

Noatak

CapeKrusensternNational

Monument

Kilometers

0 2010

Noatak River

Kobuk River

Chukchi Sea

Port Site

Red Dog Mine

DMTS Haul Road

Alaska

Area of Detail

67°

67°

68°

68°

165°

165°

163°

163°

161°

161°

Study Area

Objectives

1. Determine the spatial patterns and distribution of airborne heavy metal deposition on Monument lands (= this presentation)

2. Identify potential sources of these airborne heavy metals (see manuscript)

Study Design

Collected Moss• Hylocomium splendens• Unwashed• Analyzed for heavy metals &

crustal elements (Al, Fe)

Collected Soil• Subsurface (depth 30”)• Unaffected by surface

activities

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Chukchi Sea

Strata 5

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Strata 1 & 2

Stratum 3

Stratum 4

Stratum 5

Stratum 6

Not to scale

Road Corridor DetailStratum 8

Stratum 7

Kilometers

0 10 20

* Northwest Arctic Native Association

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Stratum 8: north of Monument

DMTS Haul Road

NANA* land

Cape Krusenstern National Monument

Field Lab

Stratum 7: southern portion of Monument

Legend

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Stratum 6: 1000 - 1600 m from road

Stratum 3: 10 - 250 m from road

Stratum 2: 0 - 10 m from road (not shown)

Stratum 5: 100 - 1000 m from NANA* boundary

Stratum 4: 1 - 100 m from NANA* boundary

Stratum 1: 0 - 10 m from road (not shown)

Sample Collection Locations

Study Design

• Centered on haul road

• 45 mi (70 km) north and south of road

• Intensified sampling near road & port

• 155 grid cells

• 226 moss samples

Sources

Moss versus Soil

Moss patterns are not due to subsurface geology

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Analyte (mg/kg dw)

-6 -5 -4 -3 -2 -1 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 Distance from DMTS haul road (m)

Figure 8a. Moss (n = 154)

Cd

Pb

Zn

Al

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Analyte (mg/kg dw)

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Distance to DMTS haul road (m)

Figure 8b. Soil (n = 46)

N S

N S

Cd

Pb

Zn

Al

45 mi45 mi

45 mi 45 mi

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Pb (mg/kg dw)

0 10 20

Kilometers

10

Not to scale

0.05 Quantile Map

NANA Regional Corp. land(not sampled)

#S Port site

Village#Y

DMTS haul road

Cape Krusentsern National Monument boundary

Not to scale

0.95 Quantile Map

PbPrediction

Map

0 - 2 *2 - 55 - 1010 - 2020 - 4040 - 8080 - 140140 - 400 400 - 1000

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(NOTE: 20 km = 12 miles)

Lead (Pb)

• Road and port gradient

• Lowest in southern portion of Monument

• Northern areas higher than southern areas

• Entire northern portion of Monument affected

• Mine-related deposition 15 miles north of road

Depositional Patterns

Depositional Patterns

Lead (Pb)

• Metals decrease with distance from haul road

• Metals decrease with distance from port site

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#S Port site

Pb (mg/kg dw)

NANA Regional Corp. land(not sampled)

DMTS haul road

Cape Krusentsern National Monument boundary

3 0 3 6

Kilometers

1 - 22 - 55 - 1010 - 2020 - 4040 - 8080 - 140140 - 400400 - 1000

NOTE: 6 km = 3.5 miles

Context

Regional moss sampling locations

Lead

Median

Lead Range

Cadmium Median

Cadmium Range

REGIONAL DATA:

Ford et al. 1995 0.6 0.4 – 2.3

0.15 0.02 – 0.48*

CURRENT STUDY:

< 30 ft from haul road (Stratum 1)

448 271 – 912

11.6 6.9 – 24.3

> 30 ft from haul road (Strata 2 – 8)

15 1 – 350

0.5 0.09 – 7.98

Study Area Data ComparisonElemental data in ppm (= mg/kg dw)

Topography

as related to depositional patterns

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as related to

depositional patterns

Wind

• Bulge = Fallout zone

Deposition in Outlying Areas

South of Haul Road

• Least affected portion of study area

• Equal to regional background levels* by Igichuck Hills

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Pb (mg/kg dw)

0 10 20

Kilometers

10

Not to scale

0.05 Quantile Map

NANA Regional Corp. land(not sampled)

#S Port site

Village#Y

DMTS haul road

Cape Krusentsern National Monument boundary

Not to scale

0.95 Quantile Map

PbPrediction

Map

0 - 2 *2 - 55 - 1010 - 2020 - 4040 - 8080 - 140140 - 400 400 - 1000

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(NOTE: 20 km = 12 miles)

* Ford et al. (1995) arctic Alaska maximum = 2.3 mg/kg dw Pb

Deposition in Outlying Areas

North of Haul Road

• Fallout zone/bulge

• Mine-related versus natural sources (or both)

• Background level comparison (2 ppm Pb)

Actual Pb concentrationsin stratum 8

Surface ornear-surfacelead sulfidedeposits

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PbContour Map

Pb concentrationin 1 mg/kg dw intervals

Cape Krusenstern National Monument boundary

DMTS haul road

Northwest Arctic Native Assoc. (NANA) land

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9 0 9 18

Kilometers

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677

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Pb tissue concentrations (mg/kg dw) at Stratum 8 sample points

Not to scale

Summary

1. Very high heavy metal levels along haul road

2. Decrease with distance from road and port

3. Mine-related deposition occurs throughout the northern half of the Monument

4. Moss patterns not attributable to subsurface geology at sample points

Summary

5. SOUTH of road • Constrained by topography

• Lowest levels at Igichuck Hills

– Deposition unlikely to occur in Kotzebue and south

6. NORTH of road

• Deposition extends 15 miles or more

• Levels not high in far north (e.g., 7-15 ppm Pb)

• Beyond 15 miles, source = mine-related or natural, or both

Summary

Future NPS Studies (NRPP)2005: Risk Assessment review2005-6: Small mammals along haul

road

Full Report Available• On-line: www/nps.gov/AKSO

• In Press: Science of the Total Env’t

• Hard Copies from NPS in Kotzebue

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