Mining of lead and zinc in Maarmorilik took place from 1973 to 1990. The ore was subject to underground quarrying in some parts of the fell at an altitude of about 600 metres. The ore’s process from raw material to concentrate took place in facilities at sea level, and tailings from the operation were discharged into a nearby river. Environmental studies were carried out as early as in 1972, i.e. before the the mining operations began, and DCE continued the environmental monitoring both while the mining activities t ook place and after it terminated. The most recent monitoring was carried out in 2009.

In the beginning, the mining operations caused considerable lead and zinc contamination of a larger river area. Later, the contamination level decreased, both while the mining operations took place and, especially, after they stopped. Increased levels of lead and zinc were found in the sea water, sediments, seaweed, mussels and fish in the tide zone, but also in fish and shrimp from the deeper parts of the fjord.

The four main contaminant sources were tailings, waste piles (quarried material with a low content of lead and zinc), dust from ore crushing and dust from the shipping of lead and zinc concentrates. The amount of metal coming from all these sources was reduced considerably while the mining took place.

When the mine was to close in 1990, a plan had been made for how the area should be left. Among other things, mining installations, material and buildings were removed (sold or deposited in the abandoned mine tunnels), and an particularly contaminating deposit of waste piles was moved. In 2008, DCE carried out studies and assessments of remaining sources of pollution; read more in the report Evaluation of local contamination sources from the former mining operation in Maarmorilik.

Now, the company Black Angel Mining A/S has plans to reopen the mine and break the ore that was left in 1990 that could not be broken back then. Moreover, the company has found new ore reserves, for example in areas where the inland ice has melted away since 1990.