Background
Coal mines has been the main economic activity on Svalbard over the last 100 years. Although all mining operations have now ceased, traces after these activities are clearly visible around Longyearbyen, for example mounds of tailings. In Bjørndalen, rock deposits discarded outside old mines contain sulphur-bearing and sulphide minerals that can generate acidic drainage when exposed to oxygen and water. The resulting runoff is visible as rusty drainage channels and has caused clear damage to surrounding vegetation (photo).
A major concern is that due to a warming climate the previously frozen parts of the tailing will become accessible for rain and snow melt increasing the run-off. Contaminated water is also infiltrating the ground, where supra-permafrost groundwater provides a transport path. Water quality is a growing concern in Svalbard and the Arctic in general. With the closing of the mines there is a requirement for remediation of this mining waste deposits.
Research & Methods
The focus of this thesis will be to evaluate the impact of mine tailings exposed to air and water in Bjørndalen, in light of ongoing climate change and how transport paths via water are changing.
The student will perform field work on Svalbard in August 2027, collecting sediment and water samples, and investigating depth to permafrost. At UiO, the student will characterize mine tailings (electron microscopy, XRD), quantifying acid producing minerals and analyze water chemistry (ion chromatography, field parameters).
The student may choose to focus more on chemical load and remediation OR changing water balance and transport paths, depending on their interest. For the latter it is also possible to include a remote sensing component.
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