The mine, located at Ivittuut in South Greenland, was an open pit operation active from 1854 to 1987. Environmental studies conducted by NERI in 1982 revealed that the nearby fjord was polluted by lead and zinc.
NERI has continued monitoring studies at the mine site. These have shown that lead and zinc continues to be released to the fjord, but at a declining rate. The major environmental problem is associated with accumulation of lead and zinc in intertidal biota (seaweed and mussels), which is affected in a significant part of the fjord.
Further studies conducted by NERI identified the major pollution source to be waste rock used as landfill at the coastline, and tidal action in the waste rock was identified as the major transport mechanism of lead and zinc to the fjord.
[url]http://www.dmu.dk/en/arctic/mines/ivittuut/[/url]