Regional distribution of Pd, Pt and Au-emissions from the nickel industry on the kola peninsula, NW-Russia, as seen in moss and humus samples

Abstract

Palladium (Pd), Platinum (Pt) and Gold (Au) were analysed in 598 terrestrial moss and 617 O-horizon samples from a 188,000 km2-area surrounding several plants within the Russian nickel industry on the Kola Peninsula. At the time of the survey ore from the Noril'sk deposits in Siberia, which has high concentrations of platinum group elements (PGE), was processed in the Monchegorsk smelter. In contrast, the smelter in Nikel and the ore roasting plant in Zapolyarnij processed predominantly local Pechenga ore, which has low PGE and Au-concentrations. Moss and O-horizon samples were analysed by a method using reductive co-precipitation to enrich PGE and Au prior to analysis. Unusually low detection limits could be reached (Au: 0.05 ppb, Pd 0.1 ppb and Pt 0.3 ppb), allowing the construction of reliable regional geochemical maps. Maps and transects demonstrate the impact of the smelters on the arctic environment. Differences in the ore feed are well reflected in the emissions. Although the Kola smelters belong to the most important PGE-emitters on earth, background concentrations for all three elements are reached at a distance of less than 200 km from source. Several geogenic anomalies highlight the further exploration potential of the area for Au and PGE-deposits. Results can also be used to calculate approximate emission figures for the Monchegorsk smelter (0.1 t Au, 2.2 t Pd and 0.8 t Pt per year). © 2006 Springer-Verlag Berlin Heidelberg.