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2020 Masters Thesis Flett.pdf (1.26 MB)

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Providing New Environmental Health Contexts for Native American Populations: A Geochemistry, SEM, and Geospatial Investigation of Airborne Uranium and Metal Particulate in Tree Bark Near the Midnite Mind and Dawn Mill, Spokane Reservation, WA, USA

Flett, Lonnie E
http://orcid.org/0000-0003-3574-3763
http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=miami1588006471924346

Abstract Details

2020, Master of Science, Miami University, Geology and Environmental Earth Science.
The uranium boom in the United States from the 1940's to the 1980's was a period of extensive uranium mining on Native American lands. However, detailed environmental investigations of the resulting uranium pollution are sparse. The Midnite Mine is an abandoned open pit uranium mine located on the Spokane Indian Reservation, where approximately 35 million tons of ore and waste rock were left behind in stock piles. Although investigations of water and soil contamination have been conducted, there have been no investigations of associated airborne particulate matter. Bulk elemental analyses of tree bark from 31 Pinus ponderosa trees throughout the study area show that significant levels of U, moderate levels of Th, and low levels of Pb and As contamination are present in particulate matter on the reservation. SEM investigations confirm that U and Th particulate matter exist in the inhalable size range while geospatial analyses indicate that U, Th, and As contamination are centralized along the Midnite Mine access road and at the nearby Dawn Mill. These findings indicate that airborne particulate matter from the Midnite Mine and Dawn Mill may be a cause for concern to local health and provides context for future health and environmental studies.
Mark Krekeler (Advisor)
Claire McLeod (Committee Member)
Jessica McCarty (Committee Member)
Jonathan Levy (Committee Member)
31 p.
Environmental Geology; Environmental Health; Environmental Science; Geochemistry; Geology; Mineralogy; Mining; Native American Studies; Native Americans

Recommended Citations

Citations

  • Flett, L. E. (2020). Providing New Environmental Health Contexts for Native American Populations: A Geochemistry, SEM, and Geospatial Investigation of Airborne Uranium and Metal Particulate in Tree Bark Near the Midnite Mind and Dawn Mill, Spokane Reservation, WA, USA [Master's thesis, Miami University]. OhioLINK Electronic Theses and Dissertations Center. http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=miami1588006471924346

    APA Style (7th edition)

  • Flett, Lonnie. Providing New Environmental Health Contexts for Native American Populations: A Geochemistry, SEM, and Geospatial Investigation of Airborne Uranium and Metal Particulate in Tree Bark Near the Midnite Mind and Dawn Mill, Spokane Reservation, WA, USA. 2020. Miami University, Master's thesis. OhioLINK Electronic Theses and Dissertations Center, http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=miami1588006471924346.

    MLA Style (8th edition)

  • Flett, Lonnie. "Providing New Environmental Health Contexts for Native American Populations: A Geochemistry, SEM, and Geospatial Investigation of Airborne Uranium and Metal Particulate in Tree Bark Near the Midnite Mind and Dawn Mill, Spokane Reservation, WA, USA." Master's thesis, Miami University, 2020. http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=miami1588006471924346

    Chicago Manual of Style (17th edition)

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This open access ETD is published by Miami University and OhioLINK.