Presentation | H51H: Sources, Fate, and Transport of Metals, Metalloids, and Rare Earth Elements in Fresh Waters II Oral
Oral
H51H-09: Climate Change Driven Acceleration of Weathering of Trace Metals and Rare Earth Elements in an Alpine Mineralized Watershed Overtakes Impacts from Outflows of an Abandoned Mine
Author(s): Diane McKnight, University of Colorado Boulder (First Author, Presenting Author) Marchitto Thomas, Institute of Arctic and Alpine Research, CU Boulder Athena Bolin, University of Colorado at Boulder Adam Odorisio, University of Colorado at Boulder
In some watersheds in the Colorado Mineral Belt, natural acid rock drainage is being accelerated in summer due to warmer temperatures associated with climate change and is overtaking the impacts on water quality associated with the acid mine drainage from the abandoned mines in the watershed. The trace metals and rare earth elements mobilized by either ARD or AMD can cause severe degradation of aquatic ecosystems and constrain the use of the water due to poor water quality.
