Environmental Health-Minerals
Mixing zone of acid mine drainage
Caddisfly larva
Lab testing
This project provides scientific data about how contaminants, that might originate from mineral resource activities, are transported through the environment; their pathways of exposure; and where they ultimately end up. Contaminant exposures can originate from transportation, storage, extraction, and waste management mineral resource activities. This project distinguishes perceived health risks to humans, and other exposed organisms, from actual risks. Our work emphasizes addressing these issues on public and Department of the Interior-managed lands.
Understand the Processes
To accurately assess the risks from metal contaminants, it is necessary to first characterize the hydrologic, geochemical, and biological processes governing the environmental fate, exposure, bioaccumulation, and effects of metals. This task aims to advance conceptual and mechanistic understanding of biogeochemical and physiological processes that determine metal bioaccumulation and toxicity to biota affected by the mining life cycle.
Grand Canyon Uranium
This task aims at better understanding the potential effects of uranium and other cooccurring ore body elements released into the environment during mining of breccia-pipe uranium deposits on regional water resources (quality and quantity), native plants and animals, and cultural and tribal resources.
To accomplish this, it is necessary to characterize the transport pathways of mining related contaminants in water, soil, sediment, and biota and improve understanding of pathways of exposure and biological effects of exposure.
Multi-metal and Multi-stressor Effects on Ecosystems
This task represents a convergence of two areas of research: metal mixtures and critical elements. Research on metal mixtures focuses on addressing knowledge gaps related to the interaction of multiple metals and developing the fundamental science that can be used to predict uptake and effects of metal mixtures. Critical elements research focuses on the fate, transport, exposure, and effects of up to 35 critical elements that have important strategic or economic importance. The potential risks across the mineral lifecycle of many of these critical elements are poorly understood.
Below are other science topics related to this project
Study Reveals Processes that Control Uranium Bioavailability in a Freshwater Snail—Relevance to Aquatic Biota in the Grand Canyon Area
This project provides scientific data about how contaminants, that might originate from mineral resource activities, are transported through the environment; their pathways of exposure; and where they ultimately end up. Contaminant exposures can originate from transportation, storage, extraction, and waste management mineral resource activities. This project distinguishes perceived health risks to humans, and other exposed organisms, from actual risks. Our work emphasizes addressing these issues on public and Department of the Interior-managed lands.
Understand the Processes
To accurately assess the risks from metal contaminants, it is necessary to first characterize the hydrologic, geochemical, and biological processes governing the environmental fate, exposure, bioaccumulation, and effects of metals. This task aims to advance conceptual and mechanistic understanding of biogeochemical and physiological processes that determine metal bioaccumulation and toxicity to biota affected by the mining life cycle.
Grand Canyon Uranium
This task aims at better understanding the potential effects of uranium and other cooccurring ore body elements released into the environment during mining of breccia-pipe uranium deposits on regional water resources (quality and quantity), native plants and animals, and cultural and tribal resources.
To accomplish this, it is necessary to characterize the transport pathways of mining related contaminants in water, soil, sediment, and biota and improve understanding of pathways of exposure and biological effects of exposure.
Multi-metal and Multi-stressor Effects on Ecosystems
This task represents a convergence of two areas of research: metal mixtures and critical elements. Research on metal mixtures focuses on addressing knowledge gaps related to the interaction of multiple metals and developing the fundamental science that can be used to predict uptake and effects of metal mixtures. Critical elements research focuses on the fate, transport, exposure, and effects of up to 35 critical elements that have important strategic or economic importance. The potential risks across the mineral lifecycle of many of these critical elements are poorly understood.
Below are other science topics related to this project