Abstract:

This paper summarizes progress, results to date, and future work at Natural Resources Canada on the Fugitive Dust Research Project. The research program was initiated in 2017 with projects occurring across Canada including Nova Scotia, Québec, Northwest Territories and most recently, Nunavut. The research program aims to innovate approaches to address knowledge gaps associated with dust monitoring by enhancing available dust collection and analytical techniques. To achieve this goal, the program has five focus areas including: 1) the evaluation of new and current dust monitoring techniques, both in the field and remotely using Earth Observation; 2) improved geochemical and mineralogical characterization of dust; 3) the investigation of the fate of dust in the environment in media such as surface water, soils and peat; 4) informing the impact assessment process and mine site monitoring; and 5) the bridging of western science and Indigenous Knowledge to work towards a more comprehensive understanding of fugitive mine dust. To expand the dustfall monitoring toolbox, innovative dust monitoring techniques have been evaluated at both abandoned and operating mining sites including the deployment of passive dry deposition collectors (Pas-DDs). Through geochemical and mineralogical characterization of dust captured by the Pas-DDs, the mineralogical controls on the metal(loid) inventory of the dust can be evaluated, providing insight on both the environmental mobility of contaminants and likely metal(loid)/dust source(s). With new ground-based dust capture and characterization techniques, coupled with Earth Observations, this project aims to provide industry with options to bolster current dustfall monitoring programs.

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Nicole Fenton