Project properties
Title Soil function restoration at abandoned artisanal and small-scall gold mining sites in Suriname
Group Soil Chemistry and Chemical Soil Quality
Project type thesis
Credits 36
Supervisor(s) Marcel Hoosbeek (SOC) and Ellen Verboom (TAUW)
Examiner(s) SOC staff member
Contact info marcel.hoosbeek@wur.nl
Begin date 2024/01/08
End date 2024/06/15
Description Artisanal and small-scale gold mining (ASGM) is a large source of income in the inland of Suriname. The inland of Suriname is located on the Guiana Shield, where many gold depositions are found. 90% of deforestation on the Guiana Shield is due to ASGM activities. These activities have many detrimental effects on both humans and the environment, yet restoring abandoned ASGM sites offers an opportunity to reduce these negative impacts. Scientific research has shown that the most limiting factor to restoration of ASGM sites is the elimination of soil functions due the previous mining activities.
WU, TAUW and EMSAGS (https://emsags.org/) are currently involved in a project to develop a protocol for local communities to redevelop the soil functions at abandoned ASGM sites to promote ecosystem restoration. This protocol will be based on a restoration design for a pilot site at Compagnie Kreek
As your thesis project, you will contribute to the first two phases of the project: Project initiation and pilot site investigation. The activities of the thesis include:
• Desktop study on the impacts of ASGM on soil functioning
• Desktop study on soil and location restoration options
• Preliminary proposal and design for restoration techniques
• Initial site assessment plan for pilot site
• Fieldwork mission to Suriname (currently planned from April 1st to April 24th but exact dates might change; travel funded, DSA partly funded)
• Soil laboratory analysis and interpretation of results
Used skills Literature review, site investigation design, fieldwork, laboratory skills, data analyses, writing thesis
Requirements Required: SBL21806 Soil Quality or SOC21306 Soil Pollution and Soil Protection. Recommended (at least one): SOC22306 Chemical Processes in Soil, Water, Atmosphere, SBL32806 Biological Interactions in Soils, SBL35306 The Carbon Dilemma - a soil perspectives.