Preliminary laboratory study of the effects of burial by Amax/Kitsault mine tailings on marine invertebrates / B.J. Reid and J. Baumann.: Fs97-4/1781E-PDF

"Continuous and static sediment deposition studies were conducted with selected marine invertebrates using tailings from the Amax of Canada Ltd. molybdenum mine at Kitsault, B.C.. Four subtidal bivalve species (Yoldia thraciaeformis, Y. limatula, Macoma calcarea and Acila castrenensis) and one polychaete species (Sternaspis scutata) survived 28 day continuous deposition of mine tailings. Three species of intertidal bivalves (Mytilus edulis, Protothaca staminea and Venerupis japonica), and limited numbers of juvenile Tanner crabs (Chionoecetes bairdi) survived exposure to a continuous suspension of Amax tailings for nine days (bivalves) and eleven days (crabs) respectively. Static core burial studies with Y. thraciaeformis and M. calcarea resulted in few mortalities (≤8.3%) after 48 hour burial in up to 30 cm of Amax tailings or native sediments. Both species demonstrated an ability to migrate through 30 cm of either tailings or sediment. Migration ability or survival of Y. thraciaeformis and M. calcarea did not differ between burial in mine tailings or native sediments. Thirty cm of Amax tailings completely inhibited vertical migration of the polychaete Sternaspis scutate resulting in 75% mortality after 48 hours. Test results indicate that the critical burial depth of Amax tailings or native sediment preventing vertical migration of Y. thraciaeformis and M. calcarea is >30 cm, while the critical burial depth range of Amax tailings for S. scutata is between 20 and 30 cm. Results of laboratory studies are discussed in relation to the scientific literature and field data collected in the vicinity of Alice Arm"--Abstract, page v.

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