Warming temperatures are causing a steady rise in copper, zinc and sulfate in the waters of Colorado mountain streams affected by acid rock drainage.
Concentrations of these metals have roughly doubled in these alpine streams over the past 30 years, presenting a concern for ecosystems, downstream water quality and mining remediation, according to a new study. Natural chemical weathering of bedrock is the source of the rising acidity and metals, but the ultimate driver of the trend is climate change, the report found, and the results point to lower stream volumes and exposure of rock once sealed away by ice as the likely causes.
"Heavy metals are a real challenge for ecosystems," said lead author Andrew Manning, a geologist with the U.S. Geological Survey in Denver."Some are quite toxic. We are seeing regional, statistically significant trends in copper and zinc, two key metals that are commonly a problem in Colorado. It's not ambiguous and it's not small.
The study drew on 40 years of water chemistry data, taking final samples from all sites in 2021, from 22 headwater streams in 17 watersheds that are naturally acidic and metal-rich enough to limit aquatic plants and animals. Sampling sites were above 3,000 meters elevation and included a mix of pristine, untouched areas and places that had been mined historically, but left alone for 50 to 100 years.
As these metal-rich mountain streams flow down into larger rivers, the effect of the extra metal load is diluted, the researchers noted. The study found the biggest gains in metal loads in the highest, coldest mountain streams. Manning said this pattern points to thawing underground ice. Colorado's highest elevations have annual average temperatures close to zero degrees Celsius , putting them right at the boundary conditions for permafrost. Some peaks have warmed past the freezing threshold since 1980.
"There's just no other logical explanation than this is a changing climate signal," Manning said."Nothing else would reach all these watersheds universally."The growing demand for nickel, copper, cobalt, and zinc -- raw materials for solar panels and batteries -- puts the mining and metals sector in the spotlight of climate change mitigation. But how ...
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