Mercury Contamination from Historical Gold Mining in California by Charles N
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Applicability of Siberian Placer Mining Technology to Alaska
MIRL Report No. 89 Applicability- - of Siberian Placer Mining Technology to Alaska Dr. Frank J. Skudrzyk, Project Manager E++W Engineering Consultants 461 1 Dartmouth Fairbanks, Alaska James C,Barker U.S. Bureau of Mines Alaska Field Operations Cenkr Fairbanks. Alaska Daniel E. Walsh School of Mineral Engineering University of Alaska Fairbanks Fairbanks, Alaska Rocky MacDonald American Arctic Company Fairbanks, Alaska Library of Congress Cataloging in Publication Data Library of Congress Catalog Card Number: 9 1-6 1923 ISBN 0-911043-12-8 May, 1991 Published bv Mined Industry Research Laboratory 212 ONeill Building University of Alaska Fairbanks Fairbanks, Alaska 99775-1 180 Alaska Science and Technology Foundation 550 West 7th Avenue Suite 360 Anchorage, Alaska 99501 ABSTRACT The result of Perestroyka and Glasnost has been an awakening of potential for cooperation between East and West. Nowhere has that been better demonstrated than between Alaska and Magadan Province, USSR. This report summarizes a one year effort financed by ASTF, with participation from several technical organizations, to establish contacts with the Siberian placer mining industry. The purpose of the project was to provide initial assessment of the Soviet technology for placer mining in permafrost. A ten day trip to Magadan province by an ASTF team and a similar length visit to Alaska by the Soviet mining group representing the All Union Scientific and Research Institute of Gold and Rare Metals, (VNII-I), Magadan are described. The report also reviews translated data on mining in permafrost and describes surface and underground placer mining technology developed by the Soviets. The report also lists relevant publications on Soviet mining research and state of the art Soviet mining technology and expertise. -
150 Geologic Facts About California
California Geological Survey - 150th Anniversary 150 Geologic Facts about California California’s geology is varied and complex. The high mountains and broad valleys we see today were created over long periods of time by geologic processes such as fault movement, volcanism, sea level change, erosion and sedimentation. Below are 150 facts about the geology of California and the California Geological Survey (CGS). General Geology and Landforms 1 California has more than 800 different geologic units that provide a variety of rock types, mineral resources, geologic structures and spectacular scenery. 2 Both the highest and lowest elevations in the 48 contiguous states are in California, only 80 miles apart. The tallest mountain peak is Mt. Whitney at 14,496 feet; the lowest elevation in California and North America is in Death Valley at 282 feet below sea level. 3 California’s state mineral is gold. The Gold Rush of 1849 caused an influx of settlers and led to California becoming the 31st state in 1850. 4 California’s state rock is serpentine. It is apple-green to black in color and is often mottled with light and dark colors, similar to a snake. It is a metamorphic rock typically derived from iron- and magnesium-rich igneous rocks from the Earth’s mantle (the layer below the Earth’s crust). It is sometimes associated with fault zones and often has a greasy or silky luster and a soapy feel. 5 California’s state fossil is the saber-toothed cat. In California, the most abundant fossils of the saber-toothed cat are found at the La Brea Tar Pits in Los Angeles. -
93 Placer Tailings Are Features on the Historic-Period Mining Landscape
PAPERS ON HISTORICAL ARCHAEOLOGY 93 GGGOLDOLDOLD IN THETHETHE TAILINGSAILINGSAILINGS MICHAEL DAVID NEWLAND Recent field research of post-Gold Rush placer-mining operations along the Feather River suggests that placer tailings, the cleaned and processed rock and sediment waste of placer-mining operations, can contain important information about mining technique and landscape reconstruction. In addition, careful reconstruction of mining events can tie early mining claims with their mining operations. Two placer-mining sites, Spring Valley Gulch, worked in the 1860s-1870s, and the McCabe Creek Complex, worked in 1853-1860, both studied as part of the Oroville Relicensing Project, will be used as illustrations. lacer tailings are features on the historic-period mining landscape These three questions can be addressed using two sites as case that are typically ignored or recorded minimally, because studies: the Spring Valley Gulch complex and the McCabe Creek Presearchers think that either there is no information potential complex. there, or such features are too complex to address during field study. Placer tailings are found throughout the gold country of the west, and indeed around the world. Tailings are the bi-product of mining: the TWO CASE STUDIES: SPRING VALLEY GULCH AND MCCABE CREEK scraped, washed, or otherwise processed boulders, cobbles, and finer sediments left as a end result of mining; this paper focuses only on Spring Valley Gulch (CA-BUT-1872/H) placer mining and not on other forms of gold extraction. Spring Valley Gulch is filled with mining sites dating to the A lot has been said about tailings over the past two decades, and 1860s-1870s. -
Big Creek Mining Complex
Ah Heng Mining Complex A Malheur National Forest Virtual Tour Introduction: Types of Gold Mining Placer vs. Hard Rock (Quartz, Load) Mining There are several different ways to mine for gold. The following is a brief description of placer and hard rock mining. The remainder of this virtual tour focuses on the placer mining done by the Ah Heng Company at a leased mining claim near Big Creek. Placer Mining- using water to excavate, transport, and recover Hard Rock Mining- the underground excavation of lode deposits. A heavy minerals from alluvial deposits. These deposits consist of lode deposit is the original mineral occurrence within a fissure minerals that have eroded from their parent lode into a variety through native rock, also known as a vein or ledge. In order to access of natural contexts among the sedimentary formations. Placer these minerals, miners must excavate either a decline (ramp), vertical deposits are generally free from parent material and do not shaft, or an adit. These type of claims were a longer term investment require additional refinement when they are separated from because of the additional labor and equipment needed to extract the other sediments. and refine the ore and the need for transportation infrastructure to ship the refined ore to smelting facilities. Placer Mining 2. After gold was discovered through prospecting, more complex equipment and Technology techniques were employed to recover gold buried in the alluvial deposits Rocker – Long Toms a rocking box and Sluice which Boxes- allowed Trough-like recovery of 1. The first step in placer mining is boxes with gold with prospecting for rich gold deposits, usually water small flowing over with shovel, pick and . -
Mines of El Dorado County
by Doug Noble © 2002 Definitions Of Mining Terms:.........................................3 Burt Valley Mine............................................................13 Adams Gulch Mine........................................................4 Butler Pit........................................................................13 Agara Mine ...................................................................4 Calaveras Mine.............................................................13 Alabaster Cave Mine ....................................................4 Caledonia Mine..............................................................13 Alderson Mine...............................................................4 California-Bangor Slate Company Mine ........................13 Alhambra Mine..............................................................4 California Consolidated (Ibid, Tapioca) Mine.................13 Allen Dredge.................................................................5 California Jack Mine......................................................13 Alveoro Mine.................................................................5 California Slate Quarry .................................................14 Amelia Mine...................................................................5 Camelback (Voss) Mine................................................14 Argonaut Mine ..............................................................5 Carrie Hale Mine............................................................14 Badger Hill Mine -
CALIFORNIA GOLD RUSH PREOPENING California Gold Rush
CALIFORNIA GOLD RUSH PREOPENING California Gold Rush OCTOBER 1999 CALIFORNIA GOLD RUSH PREOPENING DEN PACK ACTIVITIES PACK GOLD RUSH DAY Have each den adopt a mining town name. Many towns and mining camps in California’s Gold Country had colorful names. There were places called Sorefinger, Flea Valley, Poverty Flat (which was near Rich Gulch), Skunk Gulch, and Rattlesnake Diggings. Boys in each den can come up with an outrageous name for their den! They can make up a story behind the name. Have a competition between mining camps. Give gold nuggets (gold-painted rocks) as prizes. Carry prize in a nugget pouch (see Crafts section). For possible games, please see the Games section. Sing some Gold Rush songs (see Songs section). As a treat serve Cheese Puff “gold nuggets” or try some of the recipes in the Cubs in the Kitchen section. For more suggestions see “Gold Rush” in the Cub Scout Leader How-to Book , pp. 9- 21 to 9-23. FIELD TRIPS--Please see the Theme Related section in July. GOLD RUSH AND HALLOWEEN How about combining these two as a part of a den meeting? Spin a tale about a haunted mine or a ghost town. CALIFORNIA GOLD RUSH James Marshall worked for John Augustus Sutter on building a sawmill on the South Fork of the American River near the area which is now the town of Coloma. On January 24, 1848, he was inspecting a millrace or canal for the sawmill. There he spotted a glittering yellow pebble, no bigger than his thumbnail. Gold, thought Marshall, or maybe iron pyrite, which looks like gold but is more brittle. -
MAP SHOWING LOCATIONS of MINES and PROSPECTS in the DILLON Lox 2° QUADRANGLE, IDAHO and MONTANA
DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR U.S. GEOLOGICAL SURVEY MAP SHOWING LOCATIONS OF MINES AND PROSPECTS IN THE DILLON lox 2° QUADRANGLE, IDAHO AND MONTANA By JeffreyS. Loen and Robert C. Pearson Pamphlet to accompany Miscellaneous Investigations Series Map I-1803-C Table !.--Recorded and estimated production of base and precious metals in mining districts and areas in the Dillon 1°x2° guadrangle, Idaho and Montana [Production of other commodities are listed in footnotes. All monetary values are given in dollars at time of production. Dashes indicate no information available. Numbers in parentheses are estimates by the authors or by those cited as sources of data in list that follows table 2. <,less than; s.t., short tons] District/area Years Ore Gold Silver Copper Lead Zinc Value Sources name (s. t.) (oz) (oz) (lb) (lb) (lb) (dollars) of data Idaho Carmen Creek 18 70's-190 1 (50,000) 141, 226 district 1902-1980 (unknown) Total (50,000) Eldorado 1870's-1911 17,500 (350 ,000) 123, 226 district 1912-1954 (13,000) (8,000) (300,000) Total (650,000) Eureka district 1880's-1956 (13 ,500) 12,366 (2,680,000) 57,994 (4,000) ( 4,000 ,000) 173 Total (4,000,000) Gibbonsville 1877-1893 (unknown) district 1894-1907 (83,500) (1,670,000) 123, 226 1908-1980 ( <10 ,000) 123 Total (2,000,000) Kirtley Creek 1870's-1890 2,000 40,500 173 district 1890's-1909 (<10,000) 1910-1918 24,300 (500 ,000) 123 1919-1931 (unknown) 1932-1947 2,146 (75 ,000) 173 Total (620,000) McDevitt district 1800's.-1980 (80,000) Total (80,000) North Fork area 1800's-1980 (unknown) Total ( <10 ,000) Pratt Creek 1870's-1900 (50 ,000) district Total (50,000) Sandy Creek 1800 's-1900 (unknown) district 1901-1954 19,613 4,055 4,433 71,359 166,179 (310,000) 17 3, 200 Total (310 ,000) Montana Anaconda Range 1880's-1980 (<100,000) area Total (<100,000) Argenta district 1864-1901 (1 ,500 ,000) 1902-1965 311,796 72,241 562,159 604,135 18,189,939 2,009,366 5,522,962 88 Total (7,000,000) Baldy Mtn. -
Air, Energy, & Mining Pmsion
^ Air, Energy, & Mining PMSion Montana Department of Environmental Quality To All Potential Applicant(s) RE: Application Information Packet for Single and Multiple Hard Rock Mine Sites Dear Applicant, An operating permit from the Montana Department of Environmental Quality(DEQ) Hard Rock Mining Bureau(HRMB) is required for those that plan to mine and disturb more than five acres, as defined under the Montana Metal Mine Reclamation Act. Enclosed is an information packet. Applications may be submitted to include multiple sites under one operating permit, but the following restrictions must be met: • There would be no impact to any wetland, surface or groundwater; • There would be no constructed impoundment or reservoirs used in the operation; • There would be no potential to produce acid or other pollutive drainage from the pit; • There would be in impact to threatened and endangered species; and • There would be no impact to significant historic or archaeological features. If these requirements cannot be met an individual operating permit would be required for each site. The information packet includes: 1. Operating Permit Application form 2. Application process flow chart 3. Montana Hard Rock & Placer Mining Requirements 4. Guidelines for gathering and reporting baseline data 5. Additional permits or licenses that may be required 6. Operating permit summary Please mail a signed original copy and an electronic copy of the Application form, plus a $500 application fee (checks made payable to "MT DEQ-HRMB")to: DEQ-HRMB Attn: Operating Permit Supervisor PO Box 200901 Helena, MT 59620-0901 The submittal needs to include a mine and reclamation plan as described in the attached information packet. -
Mining & Milling
Mining & Milling The Story of Park City 8TH GRADE SCIENCE CURRICULUM © Park City Historical Society & Museum All Rights Reserved These materials and the photographs are copyrighted by the Park City Historical Society & Museum. Permission is granted to make photocopies and transparencies of the handouts as directed in the lesson plans. Please contact the Park City Historical Society & Museum for permission to use materials for any other purpose. This program was developed by Johanna Fassbender, Curator of Education With special thanks to Richard Pick Keith J. Droste Thanks also to Courtney Cochley Josephine Janger David Hedderly-Smith James L. Hewitson Tom Barber Sydney Reed Park City Rotary Çlub Summit County Recreation, Arts and Parks Program The Underdog Foundation Dear Teachers, We hope that you will enjoy the 8th grade science curriculum and use it with your students to teach major physical and chemical con- cepts. Each lesson is keyed to the Utah Science Core Curriculum to help you deliver science instructions. Our curriculum includes history sections to provide the students with the appropriate background knowledge and get them excited about their hometown of Park City which was the unique setting for the science of mining and mineralo- gy. This goes along with our belief in an interdisciplinary approach which provides students with a more holistic knowledge and will empower them in future research projects. Almost all of the lesson plans allow for adjustments and provide you with different options, depending on the progress of your class. You can teach the entire curriculum within three weeks, or you can extend it to six weeks by slowing down the pace and reducing the workload. -
The Gold Rush of 1849 and the Consequences - Homework
The Gold Rush of 1849 and the Consequences - Homework Give two inferences you can make from this illustration about the Gold Rush in California in 1849. The Gold Rush of 1849 and the Consequences - Homework Another group to go west were the ‘forty-niners’ – gold miners seeking wealth after the discovery of gold in the foothills of the Sierra Nevada. Prior to the discovery of gold, only 5,000 people had used the trail to head west. From 1849 onwards, tens of thousands used the trail in the hope of finding gold. Thousands more came by ship, especially from China. A rebellion and a famine there were push factors in making people leave. The population of California rocketed to nearly 250,000 by 1852. Date Population Feb 1849 54 Jan 1850 791 Dec 1850 4,000 Dec 1851 6,500 Dec 1852 25,000 Estimated Chinese Population figures for California Gold Ingots this size and weight was what every Panning for Gold in the streams of California prospector wanted to find! could yield much smaller sized pieces. Soon all the surface gold had gone and proper mining companies moved in to mine much deeper below ground to find gold. This meant individuals were very Some people only found small Most found nothing at all…. unlikely to ‘strike it flecks of gold. lucky’ after the early 1850s. The Gold Rush of 1849 and the Consequences - Homework The early mining settlements were just camps, they later developed into towns. They were often full of disappointed miners who had failed to make their fortunes. -
The Placer Gold Mining Game
The Placer Gold Mining Game Game designed by Rob Chapman, School of Earth and Environment, University of Leeds. Software designed by Matt Bindoff, Bindoff Media Top: Preparing to mine gold-bearing gravel in Sulphur Creek, Klondike District Yukon Canada. Below: a portable sluice retains the gold in the riffles Overview Welcome to this interactive computer game in which you get to make the decisions made by real placer miners. When you play the game there are instructions which provide you with various options and tell you what you can and cannot do. To give yourself the best chance at the game you have to understand something about placer gold: how it occurs, how you find out if there is any there at all and how you can recover it. The object of the game, (of course) is to make as much profit as you can. You gain cash by selling the gold that you recover, but everything that you do to find, mine and separate the gold from the gravel cost you either time, money, or both. As far as possible we have made the game faithful to the real activity, so that you can make the same decisions and be faced with the same challenges that real placer miners encounter. However any real placer miners who have a go will quickly realize that we have had to make some simplifications to make the game workable in an educational context, (such as large claim sizes and a very understanding bank manager!) The key elements of the game can be summarized as follows: 1. -
Deep Storage of Contaminated Hydraulic Mining Sediment Along the Lower Yuba River, California
Nakamura, TK, et al. 2018. Remains of the 19th Century: Deep storage of contaminated hydraulic mining sediment along the Lower Yuba River, California. Elem Sci Anth, 6: 70. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1525/elementa.333 RESEARCH ARTICLE Remains of the 19th Century: Deep storage of contaminated hydraulic mining sediment along the Lower Yuba River, California Tyler K. Nakamura*, Michael Bliss Singer†,‡ and Emmanuel J. Gabet* Since the onset of hydraulic gold mining in California’s Sierra Nevada foothills in 1852, the environmental damage caused by displacement and storage of hydraulic mining sediment (HMS) has been a significant ecological problem downstream. Large volumes of mercury-laden HMS from the Yuba River watershed were deposited within the river corridor, creating the anthropogenic Yuba Fan. However, there are outstanding uncertainties about how much HMS is still contained within this fan. To quantify the deep storage of HMS in the Yuba Fan, we analyzed mercury concentrations of sediment samples collected from borings and outcrops at multiple depths. The mercury concentrations served as chemostratigraphic markers to identify the contacts between the HMS and underlying pre-mining deposits. The HMS had mercury con- centrations at least ten-fold higher than pre-mining deposits. Analysis of the lower Yuba Fan’s volume suggests that approximately 8.1 × 107 m3 of HMS was deposited within the study area between 1852 and 1999, representing ~32% of the original Yuba Fan delivered by 19th Century hydraulic gold mining. Our estimate of the mercury mass contained within this region is 6.7 × 103 kg, which is several orders of magnitude smaller than what was estimated to have been lost to the mining process.