And although the water is highly contaminated, the investigation underway is not focused on the contaminant specifically, but rather on the presence and nature of any fractures in the. Manuel robles, a technician, works at a water treatment plant at the superfund site at summitville mine on june 11, 2018 in summitville. The summitville gold mine, located at approximately 3800 meters 11,500 ft elevation in the san juan mountains of southwestern colorado, was the focus of extensive public attention in 1992 and 1993 due to environmental problems stemming from openpit mining activities. The summitville mine was a gold mining site in the united states, located in rio grande. Gold mining in colorado, a state of the united states, has been an industry since 1858. Reference guide to treatment technologies for mining. Mountain peaks surrounding the mine site range between 12,300 and 12,700 feet elevation. Sediments eroded from mine site toxic contactwater including acid mine drainage eroded mine site soils contaminated by processing of ore eroded waste rock. Remediation system evaluation, summitville mine superfund. The summitville gold boulder is colorados most remarkable chance discovery of gold in recent times. Named a superfund site in 1994, the summitville mine killed off 17 miles of the alamosa river, requiring permanent water treatment at the rivers headwaters. Learn about the soil and groundwater cleanup at the pacific coast pipeline. The acidity levels in the alamosa river were high high acidity means low ph levels after the cyanide leak due to heavy metal concentrations. The design included a bulkhead extension, bulkhead rock mass and contact grouting, pipe for mine pool control, cellular concrete pipe protection, adit drainage, ground support rehabilitation, valve layout, and a new portal structure.
Summitville mine presentation by amanda harris on prezi. This page contains all mineral locality references listed on. Colorados worst superfund site summitville mine has been. Chapter 4 of the report focuses on cleanup options for various media that may be found at an abandoned uranium mine. In the san luis valley, cyanide and heavy metals from the summitville mine disaster have killed fish and other aquatic life 17 miles downstream. The summitville 141 pound gold boulder pagosa springs journal.
Environmental considerations of active and abandoned mine lands. Interim record of decision for the heap leach pad summitville mine superfund site summitville, colorado declaration for the record of decision site name and location summitville mine superfund site, summitville, rio grande county, colorado. Like a storm drain cut deep into the mountain water runs through this abandoned mine shaft as it has for years. Colorados worst superfund site summitville mine has been fixed. While were the lead agency for remediation of the site, the u. The mine site is situated south of wightman fork, a tributary of the alamosa river, about two miles east of the continental divide. Friedland s contacts with colorado all of which arise out of litigation over the summitville mine cleanup satisfy none of these. Clicking on a sites name in search results will enable you to view more information about it. Mine waste technology program remediation technology evaluation at the gilt edge mine, south dakota. The surprising reason abandoned us mines havent been cleaned up the worst of americas toxic abandoned mines get federal superfund money for cleanup. This page allows users to search active and archived sites in epas superfund enterprise management system database. Overview, lessons learned and best practices derived. Golder holds the prime contract for complete operations and maintenance of the summitville mine superfund site water treatment plant.
Cleanup of spilled roadside ore planned for spring 2004, but still no hope for cleanup of midnite mine site epa plans to remove uranium ore spilled along the haul route used in the past by trucks moving ore from midnite mine to the dawn mill in ford. The site cleanup was undertaken by the united states environmental protection agency epa. Friedland s contacts with colorado all of which arise out of litigation over the summitville mine cleanup satisfy none of these criteria. The site addresses impacts due to acid mine drainage that results from mining activities conducted onsite between 1870 and 1992 by a number of parties. Final audit report on the award and administration of contract no. Farmers have reported water quality problems on land irrigated by the alamosa river. National priorities list and superfund alternative approach sites have web profiles with extensive detail about epas activities. Summitville mine superfund site inap meeting, october 78, 2009 kevin w. Remediation system evaluation, summitville mine superfund site. If you know of more minerals from this site, please register so you can add to our database. If prospectors did find more gold, they never reported it.
Download scientific diagram aerial photograph of the summitville mine. During the earliest days of handbook development, mike bishop of epa region 8 lead the effort to develop a superfund mine waste reference document for epa project managers working on mine. Abandoned mine site characterization and cleanup handbook. Feb, 2017 high in the colorado san juan mountains, the summitville mine was operated by canadian mining company galactic resources as a cyanide heap leach mine from 1986 until abandoned in 1992.
Final audit report on the award and administration of. S environmental protection agency epa superfund program provides technical support and input. Decommissioning of midnite mine and ford uranium mill and. The rest and liability for their pollution are left to states, private organizations and nonprofit conservation groups to clean up.
Nevertheless, the summitville gold boulder will always be a reminder of the bonanza of the 19th century and that the old timers didnt find it all. New rifle uranium mill tailings radiation control act title i site. The summitville mine was a gold mining site in rio grande county, colorado 25 miles 40 km south of del norte. The 1,231acre summitville mine superfund site is located in the san juan mountains of southwestern colorado, approximately 25 miles from south fork. Soon after the mine was abandoned, federal, state, and local agencies, along with alamosa river water users and. Remediation system evaluation summitville mine superfund site summitville, colorado report of the remediation system evaluation, site visit conducted at the summitville mine superfund site june 12, 2002 us army us environmental. The company responsible for the leakage, the summitville consolidated mining corporation, declared bankruptcy, and its major officers fled the. Summitville mine reclamation superfund site delhur. Golconda tunnel, summitville mining district summit mining district, rio grande co.
Summitville was the largest and richest camp in its district. Scmci, a subsidiary of canadianbased galactic resources limited, began gold mining operations using a controversial process called openpit cyanide heapleach. The summitville mine is an abandoned gold mine located about 25 miles southwest of del norte, colorado. Snowbird contributed a significant amount of labor as in. Remediation system evaluation, summitville mine superfund site the site is defined as the permitted 1,231acre mine site and is located adjacent to the former town of summitville at an elevation of approximately 11,200 feet. This locality information is for reference purposes only. The summitville mine was a gold mining site in the united states, located in rio grande county, colorado 25 miles 40 km south of del norte. Gold was discovered here in 1870 and soon after came 14 saloons, a newspaper summitville nugget, and nine mills to serve the population of 600. The remote site is situated at an elevation of 11,500 feet. This interim remedy addresses the reduction or elimination of acid generation by minimi7ing the infiltration of surface water and oxygen into the sulfide mineral zones including rockfilled. Jan 07, 2001 the company responsible for the leakage, the summitville consolidated mining corporation, declared bankruptcy, and its major officers fled the country, leaving taxpayers with a cleanup bill that. First, as an indication of the high burden necessary to invoke general jurisdiction, benton, 735 f.
Aerial photograph of the summitville mine workings, august, 1994. It is located within the san juan mountain range of the rocky mountains, in. Summitville has focused nationwide attention on the environmental effects of modern mineralresource development. This prezi is packed full of info about summitville, what happened there in the 80s and where it is now.
The district court denied reconsideration on july 15, 2010. Introduction the summitville gold mine, located at 3800 meters 11,500 ft elevation in the san juan mountains of southwestern colorado, was the focus of extensive public attention in 1992 and 1993 for environmental problems stemming from recent openpit mining activities. The summitville gold mine, located at 3800 meters 12,800 ft elevation in the san juan mountains of. The summitville mine colorados worst environmental disaster. Summitville mine, colorado show on map in 1986, summitville consolidated mining company, inc. Remove this presentation flag as inappropriate i dont like this i like this remember as a favorite. Summitville mine reclamation superfund site colorado department of public health san luis, co the summitville mine located in the san juan mountains of southwest colorado is 11,500 feet above sea level and approximately 20 miles southwest of del norte, colorado. Us clears way for cleanup of colorado mine after huge spill. To be sure that the water near the san luis valley residents. The summitville mine, 40 miles west of alamosa, is called colorados worst. The summitville mine cyanide spill by crosby wood on prezi. Summitville district the summitville district is a gold, silver, lead, and copper mine located in rio grande county, colorado. High in the colorado san juan mountains, the summitville mine was operated by canadian mining company galactic resources as a cyanide heap leach mine from 1986 until abandoned in 1992.
Office of superfund remediation and technology innovation. Summitville mine is an operation that is often quoted by pressure groups to represent much that needs to be addressed by todays mining industry. The surprising reason abandoned us mines havent been. Summitville mine superfund site colorado riparian association. The study culminated with a sitewide record of decision rod issued in fall 2001.
Technical evaluation of the gold king mine incident bureau of. The summitville 141 pound gold boulder pagosa springs. Epa tells colorado to take over the summitville mine cleanup. The bibliogov project is an effort to expand awareness of the public documents and records of. Summitville mine, summitville, mamakating, sullivan co. At the summitville mine site in colorado, highly contaminated water runs through an.
Find the most current and reliable 7 day weather forecasts, storm alerts, reports and information for city with the weather network. However, the real situation is more complex than any such simplistic assessment, and involves broader elements of corporate strategy and regulatory control that must also be considered. Ppt mining contamination in the rocky mountains powerpoint presentation free to download id. The historic town of summitville is just to the north of the mine site on the other side of wightman fork. Superfund site profile superfund site information us epa. The adobe flash plugin is needed to view this content.
Mine cleanup program california state water resources. Acid mine drainage resulted in continuous contamination of water used by downstream neighbors, including farmers, ranchers, fishermen and wildlife. The summitville mine located in the san juan mountains of southwest colorado is 11,500 feet above sea level and approximately 20 miles. A colorado mine that spewed 3 million gallons of contaminated wastewater into rivers in three western states was designated a superfund site wednesday, clearing the. Summitville mine disaster colorado community rights.
The treatment plant is operated with oversight by the colorado department of public health and environment cdphe as part of the cleanup activities of the summitville mine site. This ghost town is located in the san juan mountains. The town sits at about 11,800 feet and was first mined about 1870. The site is defined as the permitted 1,231acre mine site and is located adjacent to the former town of summitville at an elevation of approximately 11,200 feet. It is remembered for the environmental damage caused in the 1980s by the leakage of mining byproducts into local waterways and then the alamosa river.
A 6 or 7 is considered to be normal, but over time it became a 5ph or less. Aug 19, 2016 high in the colorado san juan mountains, the summitville mine was operated by canadian mining company galactic resources as a cyanide heap leach mine from 1986 until abandoned in 1992. The study evaluated the effectiveness of the interim measures that have been completed or remain ongoing at the site, and determined what final construction projects or longterm measures must be added to finish the summitville cleanup in the future. Scmci, a subsidiary of canadianbased galactic resources limited, began gold mining operations using a controversial process called openpit cyanide heapleach mining. It also played a key role in the establishment of the state of colorado explorer zebulon pike heard a report of gold in south park, presentday park county, colorado, in 1807 gold discoveries in colorado began around denver. Summitville mine the center for land use interpretation.
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