title: Recolonisation of mine tailing by meiofauna in mesocosm and microcosm experiments.
abstract: The Batu Hijau copper/gold mine in Sumbawa, Indonesia processes ore at approximately 130,000tpd and discharges tailing via a submarine pipeline to depths below 3000m at the base of a submarine canyon. The study investigated recolonisation of tailing by meiofauna and its dependence on subsequent accumulation of natural sediment. Microcosm and mesocosm scale experiments were carried out using two tailing and two control samples, the latter comprising defaunated and unaffected natural sediment. All test materials were similar in physical and chemical respects, except for the higher copper concentration in the tailing. The abundances of meiofauna colonising defaunated controls and both tailing samples increased from zero to levels statistically indistinguishable from natural unaffected controls after 97 and 203days. Colonisation was well established in tailing from freshly mined ore after 40days, and in oxidized tailing from stockpiled ore after 65days, and was not dependent on settled natural material.
authors.affiliation: Coffey Natural Systems, 126 Trenerry Crescent, Abbotsford, Vic 3067, Australia. david_gwyther@coffey.com
authors.forename: David
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Gwyther
authors.forename: Grant J
authors.initials: GJ
authors.lastname: Batterham
authors.forename: Jorina
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Waworuntu
authors.forename: Tonny H
authors.initials: TH
authors.lastname: Gultom
authors.forename: Windy
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Prayogo
authors.lastname: Susetiono
authors.lastname: Karnan
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D044822:Biodiversity; D003300:Copper / Q000032:analysis; D017753:Ecosystem; D004784:Environmental Monitoring; D004785:Environmental Pollutants / Q000032:analysis*; D019015:Geologic Sediments / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000145:classification; D007214:Indonesia; D019216:Metals, Heavy / Q000032:analysis; D008906:Mining; D015999:Multivariate Analysis; D011158:Population Growth
chemical_list: D004785:Environmental Pollutants; D019216:Metals, Heavy; D003300:Copper