Data for: Evaluating spatiotemporal patterns of arsenic, antimony, and lead deposition from legacy gold mine emissions using lake sediment records

Legacy pollution from Giant Mine in the Northwest Territories is a concern because while gold smelting operations ceased in the late 1990s, the fine, toxic dust arsenic trioxide dispersed into the atmosphere, potentially creating repositories in the surrounding landscape.

Lake water surveys and the sampling of surficial sediment have identified a confined emissions footprint within a 30-km radius of the mine. However, these measurements may not capture the range of aerial deposition of emissions from the mine, particularly peak emissions released during the 1950s. Paleolimnological studies from far-field locations have shown evidence of arsenic enrichment coinciding with the timing of peak mine emissions during the 1950s, suggesting further research is needed to characterize stores of legacy metals derived from Giant Mine pollution.