Point Source Metal Mining Waste Threatens The Health of Alaskan Wetland Ecosystems

McKenna Brochu, Eckerd College, Environmental Studies Discipline

Amanda Hoffman-Hall, Eckerd College, Environmental Studies Discipline

For facilities tracked within the EPA’s Toxic Release Inventory database, the state of Alaska is an outlier, releasing the highest volume of toxic chemicals in the United States, despite only claiming 51 facilities, compared to other large land area states like California (1,210 facilities) and Texas (1,795). Notably, Alaska was responsible for more than 40 percent of the nation’s total volume output in 2023. This can be largely attributed to the robust and large mining operations scattered throughout Alaska. Metal mining operations can cause irreversible environmental damage, such as acid mine drainage and nitrate pollution, that threaten the health and integrity of wetland ecosystems. Alaska is home to the country's most abundant, large, and diverse wetland environments, providing provisioning and ecosystem services. Geospatial analysis was conducted using ArcGIS Pro to describe the proximity of private mining operations in Alaska to different wetland types outlined by the National Wetland Mapper. The geospatial analysis includes buffer zones to demonstrate the potential risk radius (5 miles, 10 miles, 15 miles) of surface water runoff contamination into wetland ecosystems and the range of acid mine drainage impacts. Specifically highlighting differing wetland ecosystem habitats and their potential for pollution. Exploratory findings provide insight into how and where wetland ecosystems may be impacted by metal mining contamination.