im m Superfund Records Center
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SDMS DocID 460897
ELY COPPER MINE BEAMVILLE ROAD VERSHIRE/ VERMONT
POTENTIAL HAZARDOUS WASTE SITE PRELIMINARY ASSESSMENT VTD#988366571
JANUARY 18, 1991
HAZARDOUS MATERIALS MANAGEMENT DIVISION DEPARTMENT OF ENVIRONMENTAL CONSERVATION VERMONT AGENCY OF NATURAL RESOURCES
Prepared by O^Aloift... $^0 Reviewed by: ELY MINE BEANVILLE ROAD VERSHIRE, VT 05079 VTD^988366571 I. INTRODUCTION The Hazardous Materials Management Division(HMMD), Department of Environmental Conservation(DEC) , conducted a Preliminary Assessment (PA), of the Ely Mine, Vershire, Orange County, Vermont, under a cooperative agreement with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. This PA complies with the requirements set forth under the Comprehensive, Environmental, Response, Compensation, and Liability Act (CERCLA), as amended. It does not necessarily fulfill the requirements of other regulations. The PA is not intended to be a definitive study of the facility so it is not suitable for use in planning site remediation or undertaking enforcement actions against potentially responsible parties. The PA is the first step of the site screening process set forth by the National Contingency Plan. The Ely Mine is an abandoned copper mine located in Vershire, Vermont, off Beanville Road(Map 1). The site is currently owned by the Ely Mine Forests, Inc. with offices in Tupper Lake, New York and Pittsfield, New Hampshire. The Ely Mine Forest Inc., acquired 1875 acres of land on September 12, 1983 from Dr. Frederick Pearson of Pennsylvania. The site is approximately 1.5 miles west of the town of West Fairlee. The site extends from an elevation of approximately 900' in the floodplain of an unnamed tributary of the Ompompanoosuc River, to approximately 1300' along the top of a long ridge at 43 55' 38.81" north latitude and 72 17' 7.82" west longitude. A PA is being conducted on this site due to the potential environmental impact from the presence of heavy metals and acid mine drainage from the tailings and slag dumps onsite. fKiv? II. SITE HISTORY The Ely Mine is one of three copper mines which comprise the Orange County Copper District(Map 2). The Elizabeth Mine in Strafford and the Pike Hill Mine in Corinth are the others. The District is approximately twenty miles long and five miles wide(l) . The Ely Mine, also known as the Copperfield Mine and Vershire Mine, was discovered in 1821 when area farmers dug into an outcropping gossan(2). A gossan is a yellow to reddish deposit of hydrated oxides of iron produced near the surface by the oxidation and leaching of sulphide minerals(3). The Farmers Company smelted ore in a crude furnace on and off until 1853 when the Vermont Copper Mining Company acquired the property(2). In 1854, the discovery of a rich vein of ore resulted in an economic boom for the local community. The Civil War created a rise in copper prices, resulting in an increase in copper production and expansion of the mine site. By the 1870's , fifty houses, a general store, two churches, one school, post office, sawmill, grist mill, blacksmith shops, livery stable and several private businesses were built in the community(4). The ore, which as mined averaged 3.3 percent copper, was then broken up into smaller pieces with hand hammers(cobbing)resulting in a product containing approximately 7 percent copper. The ore was then roasted and smelted locally (5,6). In 1883 the mine failed due to decreased copper consumption, lowgrade ore and mismanagement. Various temporary mining operations between 1888 1905 kept the community alive(4). By 1906, the village was fully abandoned(4). In 1918, a small flotation mill was built to extract additional copper from existing waste piles at a recovery rate of 67 percent. This operated for ten months and handled approximately 19,000 tons of dump material which averaged 1.34 percent copper. The mine has been idle since 1920, except for the shipping of 59,899 tons of 1.0 percent dump ore to South Strafford in 1949-50. The dumps are estimated to contain approximately 100,000 tons of material(5). The mine penetrated the earth over 3000 feet horizontally and 1000 feet vertically. The network consisted of several deep processing mills, 1000 feet of tramway, 900 feet of roasting beds, the 700 foot long smelter plant containing 24 furnaces, kilns, a 1400 foot long stone lined buried flue, an experimental concentration mill, roads, and an extensive water system including a penstock, dams, wells, ponds, raceways and culverts(4). The ore was hoisted to the surface and transported by horses along the 781 foot adit(almost horizontal mine entrance) to the cobbing and dressing departments. Here the ore was broken up into flakes, chips or fragments with sledge hammers to walnut sized pieces. The richer pieces were put into a screened bottom box and shaken to allow the pieces to fall into another box full of water. The heavier ore sank to the bottom and the lighter rock was skimmed off and considered waste. These products were then sent down by tramway to the roast beds and furnaces(6). Roasting is used to reduce the content of sulphur and other impurities prior to smelting. ^s> Smelting converts the ore to a molten copper/iron sulfide material- matte. Currently, in the copper smelting business,, particulate matter and sulfur dioxide are the principal air contaminants emitted by primary copper smelters. Copper and iron oxides are the primary constituents of the particulate matter, but other oxides, such as arsenic, antimony, cadmium, lead, mercury, and zinc may also be present with a sulfuric acid mist(7). In 1985, the Soil Conservation Service, Randolph Office, was contacted by the owners of the mine for assistance to reclaim and stabilize portions of the mine site. The first year approximately 1/3 acre located towards the bottom of the site was seeded with warm season grasses with limited success. Another year the SCS seeded the access road with grasses with some success. The next year they planted warm season grasses along another portion of the access road and applied horse manure to a small area in an attempt to build up organic matter, but with no success(9). In 198 6, the Ely Copper Mine site (approximately 60 acres)had been offered to the State of Vermont, Historic Preservation Division, by the owners, as an archeological lab showing 19th century mining activities. But, the Vermont Agency of Natural Resources(VT ANR) then known as the Vermont Agency of Enviromental Conservation(VT AEC), Waste Management Division, found hazards associated with the site, such that, the state could become a potentially responsible party if the site was listed on the National Priorities List as a Superfund Site. These hazards included the acid mine drainage from the oxidation of ferrous salts in the tailings producing sulphuric acid, and air pollution from the tailings piles and surrounding soils. A pH reading of 2.9 was reported in the mine drainage at Ely which could pose a health hazard due to direct skin contact and dusts contaminated with heavy metals may be present which could pose a health hazard due to inhalation, dermal exposure, or ingestion of contaminated materials(10) . In July of 1988, the VT ANR, Water Quality Division, collected water samples from the Ely Brook and inventoried the fish species found in the brook. Blacknose dace was the only species found below the confluence, while longnose dace, slimy sculpin, blacknose dace, brook trout, and rainbow trout were found above the confluence(8) . Table I shows the water quality results downstream and upstream. TABLE I(ppb) Aluminum Cadmium Copper Iron Zinc Lead Downstream 460 1 56 753 34 Upstream 17 2 39 39 2 6 Information indicates potential copper constituents at toxic levels are severely impacting the macroinvertebrate community of Ely Brook below the confluence with the mine drainage stream(8). Vegetation over much of the mine site is severely stunted and is some places non-existent, possibly due the highly acidic soil. m Run off streams appear reddish-brown and orange due to stained rocks and sediment on the stream bed(4,11). A portion of the property(275-300 acres) is currently being managed as timberland by Fountain Forestry Inc. located in New Hampshire(4,12). An initial cut was done in 1990. The next cut is scheduled in fifeteen years(12). Existing remnants of the former mining activity include: the remains of some 80 foundations and stone works including the flue, dams, retaining walls, culverts, and other parts of the water system, a complex of roads, mine and tunnel entrances and acres of tailings and lowgrade copper waste dumps known as slag(4,7). Numerous ore dumps are located on the property near the open pit, shaft collar, adit entrances, below the mill site and a few other places(ll). Currently, the Ely Mine is eligible for inclusion in the State and National register for historic places(4). III. ENVIRONMENTAL SETTING The town of Vershire is located in the east central part of Vermont in Orange County (Map 3). It comprises 23,040 acres and is inhabited by 442 residents(13,14). Vershire is bounded by the town of Corinth to the north. West Fairlee to the east, Strafford to the south and Chelsea to the west(Map 4). Currently, there are no known public community water supplies whose source is groundwater located within a one mile radius. There are three known private groundwater drinking wells located to the north west of the site(Map 5). Well #1 yields 15 gallons per minute (gpm) and is 100' deep; and Well #2 yields 8gpm and is 220' deep; and Well #3 yields 8 gpm and is 160' deep(15) . Groundwater potential in this area is low, but sufficient to supply domestic or light commercial use(16). Surface waters within the one mile radius include the mine drainage stream and the Ely Brook(17,18) which empty into the Ompompanoosuc River. Physiographically, Vershire is located in the Vermont Piedmont Division of the New England Upland Province. The rocks are highly metamorphosed and are thick bedded feldspathic sandstone and shale in part calcareous overlain by thinner bedded, dark, dominantly shaley rocks. Surficial materials within the area were formed mostly in glacial material 11,000 to 13,000 years ago. The soils are mapped in the Cabot-CbB and Tunbridge-TrD soil series. The Cabot soils are described as very stony silt loam with 3 to 15 percent slopes. The soils are somewhat poorly drained and formed in glacial till derived from schist, shale and sandy limestone. The Tunbridge soils consist of gently sloping to steep, moderately deep, stony to very stony, well drained soils which formed in glacial till derived from siliceous limestone and schistose rocks(19). The closest weather reporting station to the Ely Mine is located in Chelsea approximately ten miles to the west. The mean annual precipitation has been recorded at 36.66 inches with a mean annual lake evaporation of 23 inches resulting in a net annual precipitation of 13.66 inches(20,21). There are four identified palustrine wetland systems and one riverine system mapped within a one mile radius of the Ely Mine(22) (Map 6). The closest identified wetland is mapped as a Palustrine wetland system with an open water class and an intermittently flooded or permanent water regime(22). IV. RECEPTORS Identified receptors within a one mile radius include surface and groundwater, fish and wildlife and potential for direct human exposure. Surface water receptors of concern are the unnamed mine drainage stream, Ely Brook and the Ompompanoosuc River. The mine drainage stream flows through the mine site and drains into the Ely Brook. The mine drainage stream flows approximately 1500 feet south into the Ely Brook which eventually drains into the Ompompanoosuc River. Both streams are potentially receiving acid drainage from the mine site. A study in 1988, by the VT ANR, showed potential copper constituents at toxic levels impacting the macroinvertebrate community from the mine drainage. Water supplies of concern include the three identified private drinking wells plus any unreported or unknown sources. Onsite activities include target shooting and hunting for an area hunting club, and the mine is a popular locale for area youths. A potential threat for direct human exposure exists through inhalation of airborne dusts contaminated with heavy metals and through dermal exposure and/or ingestion of contaminated soils. V. CONCLUSIONS/RECOMMENDATION The old Ely Mine site is located off Beanville Road in the town of Vershire, Vermont. The Ely Mine was discovered by farmers while digging in 1821. Between 1821-1853 the Farmers Company mined and smelted ore. In 1853 the Vermont Copper Mining Company acquired the land/mine and successfully mined the ore. The Civil War helped to increase copper prices and production. However, between 1883 to 1906, copper prices fell and production slumped due to lowgrade ore and mismanagement causing the village people to vacate the town. Portions of the mining community are still present on site including remains of foundations and stoneworks. Currently, the site is impacted severely by the wastes from the copper mining operation. Vegetation is either stunted or non existent due to the acidic soil of the tailings. The unnamed stream shows evidence of acid mine drainage by its reddish brown and orange stained color. There is a potential for surface and groundwater contamination onsite. The mine drainage stream flows through the Ely Mine becoming impacted by the mine drainage into the Ely Brook which eventually empties into the Ompompanoosuc River. It is There are approximately three known private groundwater wells located within a one mile radius of the mine. The Ely Mine is believed to be one of Vermonts most important historic/industrial 19th Century archeological sites and is eligible for inclusion in the state and national register for historic places. Due to these findings, it is recommended under CERCLA, this site be given a high priority for a site inspection (SI). ::i;!!i!^ %i:^ REFERENCES 1. White, W.S. and J.H. Eric, U.S. Department of the Interior, Geological Survey, Washington, 1944, "Preliminary Report, Geology of the Orange County Copper District, Vermont". 2. Howard, Peter F. , Charles G. Doll, State Geologist, Vermont Geological Survey, "The Geology of the Elizabeth Mine, Vermont" Economic Geology No. 5, 1969. 3. "Dictionary of Geological Terms", Anchor Books, Anchor Press/Doubleday Garden City, New York, 1976. 4. Peebles, Giovonne, State Archeologist, Historic Preservation Division, Telephone Interview 26 Sept. 90 and Personal Interview with Linda Guere, VT ANR 2 Oct. 90. 5. Ickes, Harold, U.S. Department of the Interior, Bureau of Mines, "War Minerals Report 2, Elizabeth Mines, Orange County, VT. 1942" and "War Minerals Report 6, Ely Mine, Orange County, VT. , 1943. 6. Abbott, Collamer,"Green Mountain Copper, The Story of Vermont Red Metal". 7. U.S. EPA AP-42, "Compilation of Air Pollutant Emission Factors, VOL. I: Stationary Point and Area Sources", 4th Edition. 8. VT ANR, Water Quality Division, Special Studies and Surveillance, Ely Mine File, Water Quality Data. 9. Soil Conservation Service, Randolph Office, Telephone Interview with Dan Kolowski, 16 Oct 90. 10. VT AEC, State Memorandum, John Malter, Director, Waste Mgt. Division to Leonard Wilson, Secretary, AEC, RE: Ely Copper Mine, 14 Nov. 90. 11. a.Site Perimeter Survey, Vershire, Vermont, 4 Oct. 90 b.Personal Interview with Mike Tragnor, Forester, Fountain Forestry, Inc. 4 Oct. 90. 12. Bruce Jacobs, Fountain Forestry Inc., Telephone Interview 21 September 90 with Linda Guere, VT ANR. 13. The National Survey, Vermont Yearbook, Chester, VT. 1987 14. Vermont Department of Health, 1980 population census. 15. VT ANR, Water Quality Division, Groundwater Management Section: * Well logs for the town of Vershire * Public community water supply files for the Vershire area. 16. Vermont Department of Water Resources in cooperation with the Department of the Interior, U.S.G.S., "Groundwater Favorability Map of the Wells-Ompompanoosuc River Basin, Vermont, 1968". 17. Northern Cartographic, "The Vermont Road Atlas and Guide", 1985. 18. U.S.G.S., Vershire, Vermont Quadrangle Topographic Map, 7.5 Minute Series, Scale 1:64,000, 1981. 19. U.S.D.A., SCS, in cooperation with VT AEC and the VT. Agricultural Experiment Station, "Soil Survey of Orange County, Vermont, 1978". 20. Northeast Regional Climate Center, "Precipitation Normals for the Period 1951-1980", Cornell University. 21. U.S. Department of Commerce, National Climate Center, "Mean Annual Lake Evaporation(in inches) Climatic Atlas of the U.S.", 1979. 22. U.S. Department of the Interior, National Welands Inventory Map, Vershire, Vermont Quadrangle, 7.5 minute series. Scale 1:64,000. (im MAP 2 ""' Orange County Copper District UNITED STATES OEFVlRtMEHT OF THE IMTERJOR ,, STRATEGIC MINERALS INVESTIGATIONS ;^ VeEOLOOlCAt SURVEYVV^iv' PRELIMmARYvWiO FIGURE I INDEX MAP OF EAST-CENTRAL VERMONT SHOWING LOCATION OF COPPER MINES 0 10 20 Miles t—I I—I WJ U.J I—I u - 2 (/c \'s""« 'r— 7 r-\ •'••""vs.>^./"'"-"'/ """"/ / -.-•~-^/^L....Illl/ „„„ ', flimilK '\, \ UM UK /'"" " / ^ /ll.KMI I I mailtlMr 1 •iicnii I Q\ I "— lI( o\ 1 ^j / /--^. V"'"" <^~v^--. y. — -*3 -***SITE LOCATION*** N COUNTY AND TOWN ,'^. ' t I lUliat I ^^! ^) OUTLINE MAP ' II / I ( ^ -'-I /mil. 1 ;« VERMONT r««Ut I ( mil I—J ' J I •III). ,' ^~-J I •flr(i[ I I JiMttll laia»(ll[|l ,„, I »- I I \ I »• :...... „,«„.., ^_^^^_^^ I , „.„„„;.&.»..«.<. t — i * ! r—-/ >^/?/ { : I 1 1 ,'•"•""• r-<5-r';/- "^ |"""""l.i.";.[.i...; ^-^r-' ^ . Vr" '•'•" / I I 1^1 ' •....•£ (_I ^^-' : !<• \ ^ \ "'"^ ' / ( Department of Environmantal \ 1 \ ' _ •* ' >M««(n.«) "^1 Or ~~"f—i: / f Conservation SCALE ) ^ 1 L 1 I \^ll . f • MAP 4 Town Boundry I^ MAP SOURCE; VERMONT AGENCY OF TRANSPORTATIOM 9 14 j(**SITE LOCATION*** fj SCALE t KtLOMCTCKI i •'•'l/iip^-^-^.^.j^/^si® POTENTIAL HAZARDOUS WASTE SITE I. IDENTIFICATION 01 STATE PRELIMINARY ASSESSMENT 02 SITE NUMBER VT 988366571 x>EPA PART 1 - SITE INFORMATION AND ASSESSMENT II. SITE NAME AND LOCATION 01 SITE NAME timgat. common, o/-tf«ic/«)tiv« n«m« o/Ctf«J 02 SI net I. ROUTE NO ORSPFCiriC LOCATION IDENTircKP Ely Copper Mine Beanville Road 03 CITY 0 07 OPERATOR (ttktw^nmnddt»»fnUtomo¥m*rj 06 STREET IBinin^ii. ma*ng. ttixntttMil 09Cn\ 10 STATE 112IPCODE 12 TELEPHONE NUMBER ( I 13 TYPE OF OWNERSHIP (Cn«<:» on.) ;.":C STATE : .D COUNTY I E MUNICIPAL i?§ A PRIVATE U B. FEDERAL: Mo^'Hif nitinfi ; : G UNKNOWN ID F. OTHER; 1 i OWNER/OPERATOR NOTIFICATION ON FILE (CA.C. .«m« iopi,) GA.RCRA3001 riATF RFrFivpn / / LI B UNCONTROLLED WASTE SITEiow:,^ lo.ic- DATE RECEIVED ___._.' ; , C NONE MONTH DAY VEAfl MCjMti DAY vf *<< IV. CHARACTERIZATION OF POTENTIAL HAZARD 01 ON SITE INSPECTION BY fCn«c. 4. mjf ^rvy^j D OTHER CONTRACTOR LXYES DATE in / 4 ^ QO TJA. EPA 1 j B. EPA CONTRACTOR X C. STATE MONTH DAY YEAR i! E LOCAL HEALTH OFFICIAL I F OTHER ._._.. ; NO CONTRACTOR NAME(S): 02 SITE STATUS .c-d O...I 03 YEARS OF OPERATION D A ACTIVE 5^ B INACTIVE L) C UNKNOWN 1853 1950 UNKNOWN ef rilNNINT. Yt A.^ 1.M>iN<; »l Afl Oi DESCRIPTION OF SUBSTANCES POSSIBLY PRESENT. KNOWN OR ALLEGED Possible heavy metals, sulphuric acid , and copper and iron oxides present due to the past mining activities on site. 05 DESCRIPTION OF POTENTIAL HAZARD TO ENVIRONMENT AND/OR POPULATH3N Potential hazard to surface and groundwater, fish and wildlife and direct human exposure due to the acid mine drainage and possible air--- pollution. V. PRIORITY ASSESSMENT 01 PRIORITY FOR INSPECTION (Ccoo/.. «n.oA VI. INFORMATION AVAILABLE FROM 01 CONTACT Acting- 0? OF ^AfffnCf (UijAf^'-'^lH-f*- 03 TtltPHONE NUMBER Chuck Schwer, Chief HMMS Agency of Natural Resources ,802, 244-8702 0< PERSON RESPONSIBLE FOR ASSESSMENT 05 AGfNCY (l« OM(iANI/ATl(>N O/ t| I ( I'MONI NUMIH.M Linda Guere ANR DEC '802'244-8702 / . /•? V EPAFORM2070 12(7 81) /P^; m^} ELY COPPER MINE TOWN HIGHWAY #38 VERSHIRE, VT 05079 VTD#988366571 Site Inspection August 19, 1992 1. INTRODUCTION The Hazardous Materials Management Division (HMMD), Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC), Vermont Agency of Natural Resources (ANR) has completed a Site Inspection (SI) report on the Ely Copper Mine located in Vershire, Vermont. The SI was conducted under the authority of the Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation and Licibility Act of 1980 (CERCLA) and the Superfund Amendments and Reauthorization Act of 1986 (SARA). The purpose of this investigation is to collect information concerning conditions at the Ely Copper Mine sufficient to assess the threat posed to human health and the environment and to determine the need for additional investigation under CERCLA/SARA or other authority. The scope of the investigation included reviewing previous file information, sampling of waste and environmental media to test preliminary assessment (PA) hypotheses, collecting additional non- sampling information, and interviewing knowledgeable parties. 2. SITE DESCRIPTION 2.1 Location The Ely Copper Mine is an abandoned copper mine located off Beanville Road (town highway #38) in a rural area of Orange County, Vershire, Vermont, 1.5 miles west of the town of West Fairlee (Figure 1). Vershire comprises 23,040 acres and is bounded by the town of Corinth to the north, West Fairlee to the east, Strafford to the south and Chelsea to the west. The geographic coordinates are 43 55' 38.81" north latitude and 72 17' 7.82" west longitude(Ref. 1). Orange County is characterized by a climate of moderately warm summers and fairly cold winters. Winds tend to channel in a southerly direction in the summer and in a northerly direction in the winter. The closest weather reporting station to the Ely Copper Mine is located in Chelsea approximately ten miles to the west. The mean annual precipitation has been recorded at 36.66 inches with a mean annual lake evaporation of 23 inches resulting in a net annual precipitation of 13.66 inches. The summer totals average about 50 percent more than the winter totals (Ref. 1). FIGURE 1 SITE LOCATION MAP SOURCE: VERMONT AGENCY OF TRANSPORT^-itM •'h i r e 914 i:^ f/, 'LOCATION** F=l SCALE Z RILOKCTinS 2.2 Site Description The total area of the property is approximately 1800 acres of which 275 350 acres are part of the past mining activities. The site extends from an elevation of approximately 900' in the floodplain of an unnamed tributary of the Ompompanoosuc River, to approximately 1300" along the top of a long ridge. Numerous ore dumps (tailings and slag piles) are located on the property from the past mining operations. The dumps are estimated to contain approximately 100,000 tons of ore material. The mine penetrated the earth over 3000 feet horizontally and 1000 feet vertically. The network consisted of several deep processing mills, 1000 feet of tramway, 900 feet of roasting beds, the 700 foot long smelter plant containing 24 furnaces, kilns, a 1400 foot long stone lined buried flue, an experimental concentration mill, roads, and an extensive water system including a penstock, dams, wells, ponds, raceways and culverts (Figure 2) (Ref 1). The area of the mining activities are barren of any vegetation, but there is vegetation near the entrance to the mine, flue and adits. The mine drainage streams are orange, brown and red in color due to the stained rocks and sediments from the runoff of tailings and slag piles (Ref.1,2). 2.3 Operational History and Waste Characteristics The site is currently owned by the Ely Mine Forest Inc., with an office in Pittsfield, New Hampshire. The Ely Mine Forest Inc., acquired the 1875 acre land on September 12, 1983 from Dr. Frederick Pearson of Pennsylvania. Currently, Fountain Forestry Inc., of New Hampshire operates the site for timber management which every ten years they harvest a cut (Ref. 1). The Ely Copper Mine or also known as the Copperfield Mine and Vershire Mine was discovered in 1821. By the 1870's, fifty houses, a general store, two churches, one school, a post office, sawmill, grist mill, blacksmith shops, livery stable and several other private businesses were built in the community of 1200 people (Cornish, Irish and Italian miners). The ore as mined averaged 3.3 percent copper and cobbed to a product containing approximately 7 percent copper, and then roasted and smelted locally. Roasting is used to reduce the content of sulphur and other impurities prior to smelting. Smelting converts the ore to a molten copper/iron sulfide material. Various temporary mining operations between 1888-1905 kept the community alive, but by 1906 the village was fully abandoned. In 1918, a small flotation mill was built to treat the dump ore at a recovery rate of 67 percent. This operated for ten months and handled approximately 19,000 tons of dump material which averaged 1.34 percent copper. The mine has been idle since 1920, except for the shipping of 59,899 tons of 1.0 percent dump ore to the Elizabeth Mine in South Strafford, Vermont between 1949-1950 (Ref. 1). Currently, in the copper smelting business, particulate matter and sulfur dioxide are the principal air contaminants emitted by primary copper smelters. Copper and iron oxides-are the primary constituents of the particulate matter, but other oxides, such as arsenic, antimony, cadmium, lead, mercury, and zinc may also be present with a sulfuric acid mist (Ref. 1). In 1985, the Soil Conservation Service attempted to reclaim and stabilize portions of the mine site by seeding 1/3 arce.with warm season grasses, but had limited success. Another.year they applied horse manure to a small area in an attempt to build up organic matter, but with no success (Ref 1). In 1986, the Ely Copper Mine site (approximately 60 acres) had been offered to the State of Vermont, Historic Preservation Division, by the owners, as an -5 Main Features of the Ely Copper Mine Historic 'lEZ Site, 1876.(Beers Atlas laWNorVERSf IRZ of Orange County). SritJe /3 / g,Sprinj Smith A7r, /'/v.y.' \\'.//.Lotlf/, TjfflS »rSll/> ( JJ.F.Loii'fj,Jss I Siij) I. Thos.Fci.vroe, fti/)/, Miiu- H. ir /inrrt'/l. (apt. Drfssini/Zfoiisc %^-^ ^ _... •%•'K>f, ^^ """""'.7'""Snirllhifjynrnftra''t.>otr<-tinlrnijli" — / ^'%>''*^ <"/w/V'<'//>/ /sc/n- /ifro luu/er f/ir. *^^*<> lirplli oI'Miiir /snoytvt Awj/ets pi/cti •.^.^i^v&^r*.^.:•^:•^;v••^..; m ft' archeological lab showing 19th century mining activities. However, the State became concerned with becoming a potentially responsible party for the hazards associated with the site found by the Vermont Agency of Natural Resources (VT ANR) then known as the Vermont Agency of Environmental Conservation(VT AEC), Waste Management Division. These hazards included the acid mine drainage from the oxidation of ferrous salts in the tailings producing sulphuric acid, and air pollution from the tailings piles and surrounding soils. A pH reading of 2.9 was reported in the mine drainage stream at Ely which could pose a health hazard due to direct skin contact and dusts contaminated with heavy metals (Ref.l). In July of 1988, the VT ANR, Water Quality Division, collected water samples from the Ely Brook and inventoried the fish species found in the brook. Blacknose dace was the only species found below the confluence, while longnose dace, slimy sculpin, blacknose dace, brook trout, and rainbow trout were found above the confluence. Currently, the Ely Mine is eligible for inclusion in the State and National register for historic places (Ref. 1). On October 01, 1991, the HMMD collected the SI environmental samples comprised of surface water, groundwater, soils and sediments throughout various locations of the mine. This was in an attempt to determine if a threat to human health and the environment exists. The HMMD samples were analyzed by the Vermont Department of Environmental Conservation laboratory for volatile organic compounds (VOC's), semi-volatile compounds (SVOC's) and the'priority pollutant metals which include arsenic (As), cadmium (Ca), chromium (Cr), copper (Cu), lead (Pb), mercury (Hg), nickel (Ni), selenium (Se), and zinc (Zn). Earth Sciences Consultants, Inc. (ESC) a private environmental consulting firm located in Export, Pennsylvania also participated by split-sampling the HMMD SI samples. ESC had their samples analyzed by a private out-of-state laboratory. ESC was hired by the property owners.to conduct a limited site investigation that is equivalent to the SI. The ESC analytical results will be used for comparison purposes only in this report (Ref. 8). 3. WASTE/SOURCE SAMPLING 3.1 Sampling Locations Table 1 summarizes the locations and rationale for all samples collected during this SI investigation. Sampling media comprised of seven surface water samples, three groundwater samples, seven soil samples including the tailings piles, and seven sediment seimples for volatile organic compounds, semi-volatile organic compounds and dissolved metals analysis. 3.2 Analytical Results Sampling results indicate that no volatile organic compounds or semi- volatile organic compounds were detected in the sampling media, but elevated levels of copper and zinc were detected in the groundwater, surface water, soils and sediment. Several soil samples from the tailings piles have elevated levels of copper up to -106 times the background reading. Copper concentrations in downstream surface water scimples are up to 577 times higher than upstream readings. The analytical results of waste/source samples are presented in Table 4: Surface Water-Metals, Table 5: Groundwater-Metals, Table 6: Sediment-Metals, and Table 7: Soils-Metals. 3.3 Conclusions The Ely Copper Mine operated on and off between 1821 to 1950 producing ore up to 7 percent copper which generated approximately 100,000 tons of tailings and slag piles. This site has been idle since 1950 and over the years has created acid mine drainage. The tailings and slag piles are migrating to the surface water pathway which analytical results have shown has caused runoff strecims to be severely impacted by heavy metals and high acidity (low pH). Sampling results indicate that the past mining activities have impacted, to some degree, the quality of onsite surface water, groundwater, soils and sediment. 4. GROUNDWATER PATHWAY 4.1 Hydrogeologic Setting Physiographically, Vershire is located in the Vermont Piedmont Division of the New England Upland Province. The rocks are highly metamorphosed and are thick bedded feldspathic sandstone and shale in part overlain by thinner bedded, dark, dominantly shaley rocks. Surficial materials within the area were formed mostly in glacial material 11,000 to 13,000 years ago. The soils are mapped in the Cabot-CbB and Tunbridge-TrD soil series. The Cabot soils are described as very stony silt locun with 3 to 15 percent slopes. The soils are somewhat poorly drained and foirmed in glacial till derived from schist, shale and sandy limestone. The Tunbridge soils consist of gently sloping to steep, moderately deep, stony to very stony, well drained soils which formed in glacial till derived from siliceous limestone and schistose rocks (Ref 1). According to a study conducted in 1944 by the Department of the Interior, the ore at Ely is essentially sulfide, containing mainly pyrrhotite with lesser pyrite, chalcopyrite, sphalerite, and minor sulfides. The gangue (waste material) is made up of quartz, mica and feldspar (Ref. 9). 4.2 Targets Most people within a 4-mile radius of the Ely Copper Mine obtain drinking water from private supply wells. There are approximately 1446 inhabitants within a four mile radius of the site, and approximately 175 known private supply wells. This area is not served by a municipal water system, so it can be assumed all residents are served by private groundwater wells. The nearest residence relying on a private drinking water well is approximately 0.5 miles from the site. According to the well completion report, the well is 160" into a formation of mica schist yielding 4.5 gallons per minute. There is one known public community water supply within a 4 mile radius (2.5 miles southeast) of the site which is served by two dug wells and one bedrock well for 50 residents (West Fairlee Trailer Park/Cold Spring WSID#5353). There is only a well report for the bedrock well which indicates the well is 460 feet deep in a formation of schist, slate and quartz that yields 8 gallons per minute (Ref 3). 4.3 Sample Locations Groundwater samples were collected from two of the three well points (GW 1, GW-2, GW-3) that were installed using a gas powered auger (Little Beaver) by the sampling team. This was in an attempt to determine if the acid mine drainage from the tailings piles have impacted the groundwater. A metals sample for GW 3 was not collected due to the wellpoint not recharging after the VOC sample -8 - - w was collected (ESC did not collect a VOC sample). A field blank and equipment blank were collected to detect possible bailer contamination or errors in sampling protocol. Sample codes, descriptions, and rationale are presented in Table 1 and sample locations are shown on Figure 3. Table 2 presents field measurements for the groundwater samples. 4.4 Analytical Results Groundwater samples were collected and analyzed for VOC's (by EPA Method 8240) and metals (As, Se, Cd, Cr, Zn, Hg, Pb, Ni, and Cu). The DEC analytical results indicate no presence of VOC's, but levels of As, Cr, Cu, Ni and Zn were detected (Appendix A). The highest copper concentrations were detected in GW 1 at 1,360 parts per billion which is above the Vermont Health Advisory Level of 1,000 ppb in drinking water. Zinc was also detected in GW-1 at 25,000 ppb which is above the 5,000 ppb maximum contaminant level (MCL) for drinking water (Table 5). The ESC results indicate the presence of copper at 1,500 ppb in GW 1 and 920 ppb in GW-2, and zinc at 21,000 in GW-1 and 98,000 ppb in GW-2 (Appendix B). The metals detected in the groundwater sEunplee were also detected in the waste/source samples in high concentrations. Only two seeps (shallow groundwater) within the area were sampled for VOC's and metals analysis, so these results may not be a true representation of the groundwater c[uality beneath the site. The wellpoints that were used are comprised of galvanized steel containing zinc, so the presence of zinc in the groundwater samples may be due, at least in part, to the galvanized metal of the which the riser pipe is constructed (Ref. 10). 4.5 Conclusions Due to the lack of any containment system at the mine, the migration of contaminants into groundwater is of concern at this site. Although the results of GW-1 and GW-2 detected high levels of copper, it may not represent the true groundwater quality beneath the site. GW-1 and GW-2 could be influenced from surface water infiltration. 5. SURFACE WATER PATHWAY 5.1 Hydrologic Setting Overland drainage from the site flows southeast approximately 0.5 miles to the Ely Brook which flows approximately 1 mile before emptying into the Ompompanoosuc River. Approximately 13.5 miles downstream the Ompompanoosuc River merges with the Connecticut River (Ref 4). 5.2 Targets There are no known drinking water intakes located within 15 downstream miles of the site. Most residents are served by private groundwater wells (Ref 3). The mine drainage streams flow right through the tailings and slag dumps, so the probable point of entry (PPE) into surface water is less than one foot. The site is in the 100 year floodplain (Ref 5), Water bodies within the target distance limit include the mine drainage streams, Ely Brook, and a small portion of the Ompompanoosuc River. The Ompompanoosuc River is used for recreational purposes (ie. fishing). There are numerous wetlands located within 15 downstream -9 fm miles of the site. The nearest wetland is mapped along the Ely Brook and is defined as a riverine system (Ref 6). There are no known occurrences of any significant natural communities, but there are two species of bats listed on the state and federal endangered species list which are located within the target distance limit for the surface water pathway (4 mile radius) (Ref. 7). Name(s) and location(s) can be obtained by contacting the Vermont Natural Heritage Program. 5.3 Sample Locations Samples were collected from the mine drainage streams and Ely Brook which are identified as the surface water targets. A total of seven surface water and sediment samples were collected to evaluate the surface water pathway. Three samples were collected at various locations of the Ely Brook (above, below and downstream from confluence) to determine if the mine drainage stream is impacting the Ely Brook. Three samples were collected at various locations of the mining operation and one upgradient (background) sample. Sample codes, descriptions, and rationale for surface water and sediment samples are presented in Table 1 and sample locations are shown on Figure 3. Table 3 presents field measurements (data from DEC and ESC) for all surface water samples. 5.4 Analytical Results The surface water samples collected were analyzed for VOC's and metals and the sediment samples were analyzed for SVOC's and metals. No VOC's were detected in any of the surface water samples, but levels of As, Cr, Cu, Ni, Se and Zn were detected (Appendix A). The highest copper and zinc readings were detected in SW-4 at 5,770 ppb and 1,300 ppb, respectively. No SVOC's were detected in the sediment samples, but copper and zinc were detected at high concentrations. As with SW-4, SD-4 has the highest concentrations of copper at 5,464 ppb compared to the background reading of 511 ppb. Chromium was detected at 73 ppb in SD-1 and zinc in all samples ranging from 18-160 ppb. The background sample detected 91 ppb. The ESC analytical reports indicate the same findings with the highest copper and zinc readings detected in SW-4 at 5,200 ppb and 1,300 ppb respectively (Appendix B). A summary of the DEC analytical results are presented in Table 4. 5.5 Conclusions Due to the elevated levels of copper, lead and zinc found in the surface water and sediment samples, a direct release of these hazardous substances from the site into the surface water pathway has been identified. Analytical results also suggests that these hazardous substances are migrating from the site into the mine drainage streams which empty into Ely Brook. The analytical results of the sample collected at the confluence suggests the mine drainage stream is impacting the water quality of the Ely Brook. Although, a surface water and sediment sample collected from the Ely Brook, downstream approximately 1-mile from confluence, indicates that the brook has not been severely impacted by the site at this time. •10 f^m 6. SOIL EXPOSURE AND AIR PATHWAYS 6.1 Physical Conditions The Ely Mine is currently barren of vegetation along the tailings and slag dump areas. Growth is somewhat stunted along the border of the tailings and slag piles, but there are birches, poplar, and pine trees that appear in good health towards the entrance and upper portions of the mine. There are numerous vertical airshafts and logging roads located throughout the mine site. As mentioned previously, it has been estimated that there are 100,000 tons of material. There is a locked gate at the entrance to the mine, but accessible by foot or bike. 6.2 Soil and Air Targets There are no known residents or workers living or working at the Ely Copper Mine, except one forester employed by Fountain Forestry Inc. to mark trees for harvesting. The property is rented out to a local hunting club for use as target shooting and hunting. The nearest residence is approximately 2,700 feet to the southeast, and no known schools or daycares within a one mile radius from the site (Ref. 2,4). The total population within a 1-mile radius of the site is between 35-40 people and within a 4-mile radius there is approximately 1,446 people (Ref. 4). There are several mapped wetlands within this area. The closest mapped wetland is located along Ely Brook and defined as a riverine type wetland. There are occurrences of two species of endangered bats within the mine site listed on the state and/or federal endangered species list. Name(s) and location(s) can be obtained by contacting the VT ANR, Nongame and Natural Heritage Program (Ref. 7). 6.3 Soil Sample Locations A total of seven soil samples were collected to investigate the soil exposure pathway (1 background, 5 waste material and 1 native soil sample). Samples were collected at depths of 0.5' to 1.0' to determine the types/levels of hazardous materials and compared to the background soils. Sample codes, descriptions, and rationale are presented in Table 1. Soil sample locations are shown in figure 3. 6.4 Soil Analytical Results The soil samples collected were analyzed for the presence of VOC's, SVOC's and metals. All samples detected copper at concentrations 17-34 times the background concentration of 42 ppm in SB-7. Zinc was detected at 1.8-21 times background of 54 ppm (except SB-1) and lead was detected in SB-2 at 25 times the background level of 12 ppm. Analytical results are presented in Table 4. No VOC's or SVOC'awere detected, but copper, lead, and zinc were detected at higher concentrations than the background sample. The highest copper and zinc concentrations were detected in SB-4 at 5,636 and 1,155 ppm respectively. The ESC results indicate the same findings with the highest copper and zinc concentrations in SB-4 at 6,100 and 2,700 ppm respectively. -11 m^. 6.5 Air Analytical Results No formal air monitoring program was conducted. However, portable air quality monitoring with a photoionization device (Hnu) was carried on site during the site inspection to monitor background air and soils during collection. No measurements above background (0 ppm) were detected. 6.6 Conclusions This site is located in a rural area. The nearest residence is located 0.5 miles to the southeast and approximately 1446 inhabitants are located within a 4-mile radius. There is no indication of an ongoing release to the air pathway. Analytical results indicate that the soil exposure pathway is of concern due to higher concentrations of copper, lead and zinc at levels greater than background. 7. SUMMARY AND CONCLUSION The Ely Copper Mine SI attempted to gather the data necessary to evaluate the site as a candidate for the NPL. To accomplish this task, waste and environmental samples were collected for analysis to characterize the types of substances deposited at the site and potential migration pathways. In addition, information was collected to confirm target populations and environments potentially at risk from the site. The Ely Copper Mine is an abandoned copper mine which operated on and off between 1821-1920 generating seven percent copper and approximately 100,000 tons of tailing and slag piles. Vegetation over much of the mine site is severely stunted and in some places non-existent, possibly due the highly acidic soil. Run off streams appear reddish-brown and orange in color due to stained rocks and sediment on the stream bed. One stream has a white algae or bacteria growing in it. Scimpling results indicate copper and zinc constituents at toxic levels are severely impacting the water quality of the mine drainage streams and Ely Brook. Analytical results indicate copper levels are at three times above the background levels which suggests a release to the environment has occurred. The pH readings of the surface water range from 3.05-7 (3.05 was recorded in the location of SW-4 which also has the highest copper concentrations). As a result of these findings, this site is recommended for further action under CERCLA. -12