Ecosystem Reclamation in Smelter Impacted Landscapes in Northern Russia
– A Tourist’s Perspective -
Galina Koptsik and Sergey Koptsik Lomonosov Moscow State University
Valery Udachin Institute of Mineralogy, Urals Division, Russian Academy of Sciences, Miass
Graeme Spiers, Peter Beckett Laurentian University, Sudbury, Ontario Northern Mining Regions
Nikel, Monchegorsk Krasnoyarsk and Zapolyarny
Miramichi Moscow Norilsk
Miass, Karabash, Mednogorsk, Magnitogorsk, Guy
Source - NASA International Nickel Conference Murmansk 2001 Regreening Nickel, Mongekorsk, Zapolyarnyi
2001 2010
~ 80 km Regional Vegetation, Kola Peninsula Shades of Sudbury Barrens Shades of Sudbury Barrens 2001 Smelterscapes
Sudbury 2001 Monchegorsk 2001 2001 Smelter Landscapes
Sudbury 2001 Monchegorsk 2001 Regional Impact Zones - Nickel in Surface Soils
mg/kg Ni 3000 R2 = 0.794 2000
1000
0 0 15 30 45 60 75 Distance, km
Sudbury - Spiers, 2004 Monchegorsk – Lukina, 2007 Landscape Recovery Research
Sudbury 1975 Monchegorsk 2000 Pechenganikel Smelter Zone – Kola Peninsula Pechenganikel Smelter Zone
SO2, Ni, Cu
Podzolic soils Highly eroded Technogenic transformation of forest ecosystems Pollution Impact = Nikel Barrenlands Nikel Research Plots (est. 2004)
Lime, Organic Matter, Fertiliser Pechenganikel Smelter Zone (2010)
From 2004 remediated and planted 851 ha Pechenganikel Smelter Zone (2010)
Chemo-phytostabilization
Soil covering Nikel Smelter Zone - Kola Peninsula
Planted 2003
Planted 2004 Images taken 2011 Planted 2008 Nikel Smelter Zone - Kola Peninsula 2011
2004
2007
From 2004 Remediated 1343 ha 2011 Soil Improvements in Nickel Regreening Plots
Addition of organic and mineral amendments to the soil surface induces a decrease in acidity and enrichment of nutrient elements.
21 Nikel Smelter Zone - Kola Peninsula 2010
22 Nikel Smelter Zone - Kola Peninsula 2018
23 Karabash Area, Urals Karabash Smelter District Over Time
2010 Karabash Township Karabash Township Karabash, Mine Mill Site Karabash Smelter Serpentinite Ridge, Karabash Serpentinite Ridge, Karabash Karabash Smelter Impacted Soils
Residual shallow Chernozemic soils under grassland Karabash Research Plots
Plate Gravity Lysimeters Wetland Research Sampling
LU and RAS Collaboration Karabash Smelter Impacted Landscapes Karabash Smelter Impacted Landscapes Karabash Impacted Landscapes Downstream from Karabash Downstream from Karabash Karabash Site Efflorescence Minerals
Blocky to bladed crusts (melanterite, pentahydrite, and magnesiocopiapite) intertwined with fibrous/acicular crystals (halotrichite-pickeringite) Downstream from Karabash
Karabash Runoff Water Source for Chelyabinsk Karabash Runoff to Lake Fish Impact Next To Mednogorsk Mednogorsk Smelter Landscape Mednogorsk Urban Area Mednogorsk Smelter Impacted Vegetation Mednogorsk Upstream Mining Area Mednogorsk – Waste Rock Impacted Stream Mednogorsk Stream Confluence Zone Origin of Reclamation Species
Critical Research – Cannabis Legislation Canada October 17, 2018 Norilsk Nickel Must Modernize or Pay Fines
Stated in 2010
Norilsk Nickel must modernize its polluting way of production, or risk considerably higher fines, says Vladimir Putin. The company and the federal environmental watchdog Rosprirodnadzor have concluded an agreement on reduction of pollutant emissions over the next three years. However, the agreement concerns the company’s factory plant in Norilsk in the Northern Russian territory of Krasnoyarsk, and not the production plants in Nikel and Zapolyarny in the border area to Norway. Moscow State University Meeting - May, 2010 Location of meeting between industry, government, NGO’s and citizens groups to Zapoloyarny Tourist Hotel highlight emission improvements and reclamation efforts to date Zapoloyarny Hotel Meeting - 2010 Zapolyarny Smelter and Lower Town Zapoloyarny In-town Beautification Efforts Norilsk Nickel Annual Report 2014 Community Involvement
Norilsk Nickel Annual Report 2014 Nickel Streetscape 2010
Nickel Streetscape 2014
Source: KolaMMC webpage Moscow State University Meeting - May, 2010 Regreening of Norilsk in 2012
Norilsk
~ 100 km III Norilsk Environment Conference - 2012
Norilsk Nickel Offices Museum and Conference Site Norilsk Environment Conference III
65 Norilsk – September 2012 III Norilsk Environment Conference - 2012
September 12, 2012 – OJSC MMC Norilsk Nickel (hereinafter – MMC Norilsk Nickel or the Company) announces that III International Ecological Conference on environmental protection and industrial operations in northern conditions started today in Norilsk. The Conference is carried out within the framework of implementation of the program to considerably reduce the impact of the Company’s operations on the environment. The list of participants includes representatives of government authorities, Russian scientific community and specialists from German, United Stated, Canada, Italy, Finland, Holland, Austria and France. Conference participants noted that in order to achieve its environmental protection objectives, OJSC MMC Norilsk Nickel continues implementation of the programs on upgrading production facilities, bringing to life new technologies and environmental protection programs. According to Evgeny Muraviev – Director of the Company’s Polar Division, implementation of environmental protection activities resulted in the amount of hazardous materials emitted being reduced by one quarter, compared to the Soviet period, during the last three years, the Company has allocated over RUB 42 billion to implementation of the projects aimed to reduce the environmental impact of its operations. Currently, MMC Norilsk Nickel is implementing activities in order to gradually reduce the amount of pollutants being discharged into the atmosphere from the metallurgical production facilities, located in Norilsk. This June, as part of the overall scope of activities aimed to achieve these goals, MMC Norilsk Nickel has signed a contract with Techint to develop a design which shall enable utilization of at least 95% of the sulfur dioxide discharged with the flue gasses of metallurgical production assets of Copper and Nadezhda Metallurgical plants, which will facilitate a considerable reduction in the amount of pollutants discharged into the atmosphere. The participants in the Conference underlined that Norilsk puts in practice suggestions made at the last year Conference. In line with these suggestions, started a city landscapes greening and rehabilitation program, “Bolshoi Arkticheski” natural reserve and Norilsk municipality planted more than 1000 weather resistant trees and grass seeds adapted to northern conditions. Started as well a city-wide green-Norilsk planting action supported by the people of Norilsk. The Norilsk Smelterscape
68 Urban Landscape Improvement
69 The Conference Squad Transportation
70 Norilsk Management Team Norilsk Students Show the Way
72 Urban Beautification in Action
73 The MSU Academics Give Advice
74 Landscape Northwest of Norilsk
75 The Norilsk Smelterscape
76 The Norilsk Tree Planting Crew
77 Urban Reclamation - Dudinka Thank you for your attention LAND OF CONTRASTS Again Norilsk, 2012
Norilsk
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