Browsing by Author "Takalo, Mimmi"

In 2011 Anglo American published a promising multi metal ore deposit in Sodankylä, Northern Finland. The ore is named Sakatti, after a small pond in the vicinity of the discovering place. The ore is under the Viiankiaapa mire, which is part of national mire protecting program and Natura 2000 program. Viinkiaapa is at the eastern side of river Kitinen, which is known to have flooded, bringing mineral material to the mire. To prevent the possibly environment effects in the future, it is essential to know present conditions of the mire. The study area is at the southern part of the Viiankiaapa mire and consist of eight sampling sites for peat. The basal sediment of the study area was determined with ground penetrating radar profiles that pass the sampling sites. To study the mineral supply of the mire, nine elements (Na, Mg, Al, S, P, K, Ca, Mn, and Fe) were chosen for geochemical analyses and the ash content of the peat profiles was determined. The basal sediment is highly affected by the vicinity of the river Kitinen. Fluvial channels have eroded till, which was deposited during the last glacial period. At the eastern side of the study area possibly aeolian sand is detected. Depressions eroded by fluvial channels are filled by gyttja, typically below 179 m a.s.l. The geochemistry of the peat indicates that the early phase of the mire was characterized with higher mineral supply. At the eastern part of Viiankiaapa the mineral supply has decreased after the early phase of the mire. The mineral supply has been higher at the middle parts of the mire throughout the Holocene. The floods of the river Kitinen are the main source of the mineral supply. The decrease in the mineral supply indicates that the flooding events have reduced, and the normal floods inundate smaller area than the early floods.