HazArctic – Geo-Bio Hazards in the Arctic Region

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Geological Survey of FinlandJuho KupilaGeological Survey of Finland, P.O. Box 77, FI-96101 Rovaniemi, FINLANDjuho.kupila@gtk.fi

In Finland, more metals are released into the en-vironment from acid sulfate soils than from the entire Finnish industry. Occurrences of acid sulfate soils in Finland and Sweden have been mapped for several years and it has been shown that ex-tensive areas are located on the coastal plains of Finland and Sweden. Information about their presence in the Barents region is still, however, quite scarce. In the Barents region of Russia, acid sulfate soils formed due to acid rain have since the 1930´s been a major environmental problem. In Norway, the occurrence of acid sulfate soils has not been studied previously.

In addition, microbes play important roles in acid and metal release from sulfate soils but the extent or mechanisms of the environmental risks are poorly understood as only recently has it been possible to study the structure and functions of diverse microbial communities by utilizing next generation sequencing and other modern mo-lecular methods. The impacts of microbiota in geochemical processes of the sub-Arctic soils have not been investigated and the effect of low temperatures with long periods of sub-zero soil temperatures are poorly understood.

Also in the mining sector the environmental issues plays a significant role throughout the life cycle of every mine. However, problems still oc-cur at the different levels and stages of mining and know-how with the best practices has to meet more actors in the field of mining industry and research.

Kolarctic CBC project “HazArctic – Geo-Bio Haz-ards in the Arctic Region”, launched in January 2019, approaches environmental problems and risks of geo-bio hazards in the Arctic region. It will study areal extension, mechanism and risk for oxidation of environments which can produce hazardously acid substances, both in man-made mining areas and potentially hazardous sulfur bearing Litorina clay sediments. Also the role of microbes in the geo-bio interaction in possi-ble hazardous environments will be studied. In addition, studies related to the mine environ-ments, for example stability of closed and open mines and mine tailings reuse, will be carried out. Project will also focus on training and analyzing of the best practices.

HazArctic is a co-operation project between Geological Surveys from Finland, Sweden and Norway (GTK, SGU, NGU), Natural Resources Insti-tute Finland (LUKE) as well as Geological Institute and Mining Institute from the Federal Research Centre “Kola Science Centre of the Russian Acad-emy of Sciences”. It is funded by Kolarctic CBC 2014-2020 program, EU, Russia, Norway, Swe-den and Finland with the contribution from the project partners. Total budget is approx. 1.29 M€ and implementation period is 2019-2021.

Monchegorsk in Kola Peninsula, one of the target areas in WP1 and WP3.

Kolarctic CBC programme area. In HazArctic project, Norrbotten, Finnmark, Murmansk region and Lapland will be in the focus.

Kolarctic CBC 2014 – 2020 Programme

Managing Authority

Regional Council of Lapland

MI KSC RAS – Mining Institute Subdivision of the Federal

Research Centre “Kola Science Centre of the Russian Academy

of Sciences”

GI KSC RAS – Geological Institute - Subdivision of the

Federal Research Centre “Kola Science Centre of the Russian

Academy of Sciences”

LUKE – Natural Resources Institute Finland

NGU – Geological Survey of Norway

SGU – Geological Survey of Sweden

GTK – Geological Survey of Finland

(Lead Partner)

WP1 - Acid sulfate soils as a geo-bio hazard in the Barents region• Defining calibrated methods for characterization, classification and mapping of acid sulfate soils (GTK, SGU)• Mapping the occurrence of acid sulfate soils in the Barents region of Finland (GTK)• Mapping the occurrence of acid sulfate soils in the coastal landscape of the Barents region of Norway (NGU)• Mapping the occurrence and environmental impact of acid sulfate soils in a selected drainage area in

Norrbotten, Sweden (SGU)• Carry out the studies related to acid rain affected rocks, ores and soils in the Monchegorsk area, Russia (GI KSC)• Developing the predictive modelling of acid sulfate soils (GTK)

WP2 - Mine environment issues• Training on mine waste and water management, training on mine closure and environmental inventory of

closed mine waste facility (GTK)• Carry out the studies related to open pit slope stability (GTK)• Carry out the studies related to mine tailings reuse (GTK)• Assessment of actual state of territories in the vicinity of closed mines, open pit closure (analysis of best

practices) (MI KSC)WP3 - Geomicrobiology

• Mapping of bacterial communities in acid sulfate soils of the Barents region (LUKE)• Mapping of bacterial community structures in acid rain affected soils and mining environments (LUKE)• Carry out the studies related to microbial oxidation of acid sulphate soils at low temperatures (LUKE)