Distribution of arsenic and mercury in marine sediments impacted by gold mine tailings, Wine Harbour, Nova Scotia

This study focuses on the environmental impacts of historical gold mining and milling practices in the Wine Harbour gold district, Guysborough County, Nova Scotia. Gold mining was intermittent at Wine Harbour between 1862 and 1939, producing a total of 42,726 oz. of Au from 72,413 tonnes of crushed rock. The gold occurs in a series of quartz veins, typically associated with arsenopyrite, that are hosted by the Goldenville Formation of the Meguma Group. Stamp milling and mercury amalgamation were the primary gold extraction methods. Wilfley tables and a cyanide plant were also employed to recover additional gold from arsenopyrite concentrates and stamp mill tailings. The tailings were slurried directly into surrounding streams and low-lying areas around the shores of Wine Harbour. The main objectives of this study are: (1) to evaluate the spatial extent of gold mine tailings in both the terrestrial and marine environments; (2) to determine the concentrations and speciation of As, Hg, and other elements in mine wastes, sediments, and waters; and (3) to provide geoscience data that can be used to assess potential risks to ecosystem and human health.