Environmental survey in relation to mining operations at Mârmorilik, Umanak district, central West Greenland

Abstract

The mining company Greenex A/S has been engaged in miningoperations at Mârmorlik since August 1973. Since then tailings from the flotation plant have been dumped into the fjord Agfardlikavsa. The environmental inpact of the approximate 450 000 tons per year of waste containing lead and zinc has been investigated during complete ice cover in February 1974 and during an open water situation in September 1974. In cooperation with Grønlands Fiskeriundersøgelser samples of the fauna of the bottom sediments and of sea water were collected on both occasions. Seaweed and mussels were also collected in September. The chemical analyses were undertaken by GGU and the Institute for Petrology, University of Copenhagen. The study represents the continuation of an earlier project in the same region (Bondam & Asmund, 1974). A map of the Mârmorilik area showing details of bathymetry and sample localities was presented by these authors.