E5. Mine Inventory and Compilation of Mine-Adit Chemistry Data
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Mine Inventory and Compilation of Mine-Adit Chemistry Data By Stanley E. Church, M. Alisa Mast, E. Paul Martin, and Carl L. Rich Chapter E5 of Integrated Investigations of Environmental Effects of Historical Mining in the Animas River Watershed, San Juan County, Colorado Edited by Stanley E. Church, Paul von Guerard, and Susan E. Finger Professional Paper 1651 U.S. Department of the Interior U.S. Geological Survey Contents Abstract .......................................................................................................................................................259 Introduction.................................................................................................................................................259 Purpose and Scope ..........................................................................................................................261 Acknowledgments ............................................................................................................................261 Methodology ...............................................................................................................................................261 Data .............................................................................................................................................................263 Adit Flow and Chemistry ...........................................................................................................................267 Summary......................................................................................................................................................279 References Cited........................................................................................................................................279 Figures 1. Map showing locations of 5,397 mine shafts, adits, tunnels, and prospects in Animas River watershed study area .................................................................................260 2. Map showing approximate mining district boundaries and mine locations in Animas River watershed study area and vicinity ............................................................262 3. Map of Eureka area showing mine locations ......................................................................264 4. Map of south Silverton area showing mine locations ........................................................265 5. Map showing locations of mills, large mill-tailings deposits, and smelters ...................266 6. Graph of concentrations of dissolved sulfate, calcium, copper, and zinc versus pH of mine-adit water .................................................................................................268 7. Time-series graph of adit discharge for seven mines studied for a 1–3 year period ........269 8. Time-series graph of field pH for seven mines studied for a 1–3 year period ................269 9–15. Graphs of concentrations of major and trace elements in adit discharge from: 9. Eveline mine .......................................................................................................................270 10. Bonner mine .......................................................................................................................271 11. Avalanche mine .................................................................................................................272 12. Forest Queen mine ............................................................................................................273 13. Bandora mine .....................................................................................................................274 14. Elk tunnel .............................................................................................................................275 15. Mighty Monarch mine ......................................................................................................276 16. Graph of loads of sulfate, calcium, copper, zinc from the time-series adit discharge data from seven mine sites .......................................................................................................278 Tables 1. Mines, mills, large mill-tailings deposits, and smelter sites listed by AML_MINE_ID number ...........................................................................................................282 2. Mine sites listed alphabetically ..............................................................................................290 3. Mills, large mill-tailings deposits, and smelter sites ...........................................................296 4. Physical parameters that may contribute to the environmental effect of historical mines ....................................................................................................................298 5. Adit chemistry determined at low flow for selected sites sampled by State of Colorado ......................................................................................................................302 6. Adit chemistry at low flow for selected sites sampled by U.S. Geological Survey ..........304 7. Time-series data from adit flow from seven mine sites .....................................................308 Chapter E5 Mine Inventory and Compilation of Mine-Adit Chemistry Data By Stanley E. Church, M. Alisa Mast, E. Paul Martin, and Carl L. Rich Abstract affected by historical mines is to determine the location of, as well as gather and report information about, the mines, mills, An inventory of inactive mines and mine-related sites and other mine-related sites. Within the Animas River water- in the Animas River watershed study area was compiled shed, data on mine and mine-related sites were available from from published and unpublished State and Federal sources. several previous investigations. However, these data had not Site locations were spatially verified using digital orthophoto previously been compiled into one database, and many of the quadrangles to ensure an accurate, geographically referenced sites identified in these investigations had only approximate inventory. The inventory provides, where available, descriptive locations. information for mine-related sites, the estimated volume of Every mine, mill, or smelter site in a watershed mine-waste piles and mill-tailings deposits, and the discharge represents a potential source of deposit-related acidity and and pH of mine adits with flowing water. Water-quality and trace metals that could affect water quality and ecosystem discharge data for 232 samples collected at 110 mine sites health through direct drainage, seepage, erosion, or runoff. during low-flow conditions in 1995–99 have been compiled. Although more than 5,300 mining-related features have In addition, time-series data are presented for water quality at been mapped in the study area (fig. 1), the vast majority seven adits sampled over the annual hydrologic cycle. These of these sites were small prospect pits, many of which were data provide site-specific information about potential sources located along the large and extensively exposed quartz veins of deposit-related acidity and trace elements that can be used described in the area by Purington (1905). (See the account to support an environmental evaluation of the effect of histori- of the discovery of the Sunnyside mine in Bird, 1999.) cal mining in the study area. Other prospects were located on iron-rich springs, or in Analysis of the spatial variation in water-quality data areas covered with oxidized iron deposits where there might from mine adits at low flow shows considerable variability. have been other interesting features potentially indicative of Mine-adit water chemistry is controlled by the degree of sulfide mineralization at depth (Verplanck and others, this vol- hydrothermal alteration in the surrounding bedrock and the ume, Chapter E15; Yager and Bove, this volume, Chapter E1, type and extent of base-metal sulfides in the mine workings. pl. 2). Time-series data collected from seven draining adits show that Four mining districts lie within the Animas River increases in discharge generally are not associated with spring watershed study area. Raymond (1877, p. 324) reported runoff and that concentrations of many metals remain very that the San Juan area was initially divided into two mining nearly constant or show a slight increase during this seasonal districts: event. Increases in discharge from a few mines during spring runoff may be controlled by surface water that infiltrates into The Animas district includes all locations made on the mine, forcing mine-pool water out at the adit. Mine-adit the Animas River and its tributaries to a point two flow may represent a long-term source of metals that affect miles above Howardsville. surface water quality. The Eureka district joins the Animas at this point and extends to the divide between the waters of the Animas and those of the Gunnison and the Introduction Uncompahgre. This chapter describes the mine inventory compiled The Red Mountain district originally was defined by the basin for the Animas River watershed study area. One of the most of Red Mountain Creek north of Red Mountain Pass in Ouray important facets of a complete characterization of watersheds County, but Schwarz (1888) suggested that it be expanded 260 Environmental Effects of Historical Mining, Animas River Watershed, Colorado 107°48' 107°40' 107°32' C O L O R A D O Animas River watershed study area