Vol. 44 | 2020

Geophysics for urban mining and the first surveys in Denmark: rationale, field activity and preliminary results

RESEARCH ARTICLE | SHORT
Published July 2, 2020
Alessandro Sandrin
+
Aleksandar Maricak
+
Björn H. Heincke
+
Rune J. Clausen
+
Lars Nielsen
+
Jakob K. Keiding
+
RESEARCH ARTICLE | SHORT
Published July 2, 2020
Satellite photo overlaid with radar data
Abstract
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Keywords

geophysics, urban mining, circular economy, landfill, Denmark

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Copyright (c) 2020 Alessandro Sandrin, Aleksandar Maricak, Björn H. Heincke, Rune J. Clausen, Lars Nielsen, Jakob K. Keiding

Creative Commons License

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.

GEUS Bulletin is an open-access, peer-reviewed journal published by the Geological Survey of Denmark and Greenland (GEUS). This article is distributed under a CC-BY 4.0 licence, permitting free redistribution and reproduction for any purpose, even commercial, provided proper citation of the original work. Author(s) retain copyright over the article contents. Read the full open access policy.

Abstract

Geophysical methods have been widely used in recent decades to investigate and monitor landfill sites for environmental purposes. With the advent of the circular economy, waste contained in old landfills may be considered a resource that can be developed. Since the content of old landfills is largely unknown, the occurrence and quantity of valuable materials must be investigated before embarking on any development activity. Two landfills on Sjælland, Denmark (located at Hvalsø and Avedøre) were selected for a pilot study to characterise their content. At both locations, a set of geophysical surveys is underway. Here, we present the data obtained from magnetic and 2D seismic refraction surveys. Magnetic data show various anomalies that can be interpreted as caused by iron-rich waste. At both sites, the landfill material results in generally low P-wave velocity (<400 m/s), lower than those obtained for Quaternary sediments at Avedøre. The seismic velocities appear to increase in the presence of metals or by compaction with depth (>550 m/s). We propose that seismic refraction can thus define the bottom of the landfill and possibly its internal structure, especially when combined with other methods.

Keywords

geophysics, urban mining, circular economy, landfill, Denmark

License

Copyright (c) 2020 Alessandro Sandrin, Aleksandar Maricak, Björn H. Heincke, Rune J. Clausen, Lars Nielsen, Jakob K. Keiding

Creative Commons License

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.

GEUS Bulletin is an open-access, peer-reviewed journal published by the Geological Survey of Denmark and Greenland (GEUS). This article is distributed under a CC-BY 4.0 licence, permitting free redistribution and reproduction for any purpose, even commercial, provided proper citation of the original work. Author(s) retain copyright over the article contents. Read the full open access policy.

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