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Chemical Analysis and Aqueous Speciation Of CHEMICAL ANALYSIS AND AQUEOUS SPECIATION OF SURFACE WATERS AT THE HISTORIC LIGHTS CREEK MINERAL DISTRICT, PLUMAS COUNTY, CALIFORNIA A Thesis Presented to the Faculty of California State University, Chico In Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Degree Master of Science in Environmental Science by © Kara E. Scheitlin 2011 Fall 2011 CHEMICAL ANALYSIS AND AQUEOUS SPECIATION OF SURFACE WATERS AT THE HISTORIC LIGHTS CREEK MINERAL DISTRICT, PLUMAS COUNTY, CALIFORNIA A Thesis by Kara E. Scheitlin Fall 2011 APPROVED BY THE DEAN OF GRADUATE STUDIES AND VICE PROVOST FOR RESEARCH: _____________________________________ Eun K. Park, Ph.D. APPROVED BY THE GRADUATE ADVISORY COMMITTEE: _____________________________________ William M. Murphy, Ph.D., Chair _____________________________________ David L. Brown, Ph.D. _____________________________________ Stewart Oakley, Ph.D. PUBLICATION RIGHTS No portion of this thesis may be reprinted or reproduced in any manner unacceptable to the usual copyright restrictions without the written permission of the author. iii ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS First, I would like to thank Dr. William Murphy, who is not only the best advisor and professor that I could ask for, but also a wonderful human being. I feel incredibly lucky to have had him guide me through this research and graduate program. I would also like to express my gratitude to Dr. David Brown, and Dr. Stewart Oakley for their time, effort, and mostly patience. I would also like to express my appreciation and gratitude to my family, who has supported me through everything. I feel thankful for you every day. Also, thank you to Norman Lamb and Robert Wetzel, who enthusiastically and patiently assisted with my research. My study would have been impossible without them, and I sincerely appreciate the time and effort they both dedicated to my graduate work. I would like to thank Nevoro Inc. for partially funding this research and taking an interest in the environmental aspects of their operations. I would like to express my gratitude to the California State University, Chico College of Natural Sciences for partially funding this research, and providing a fantastic opportunity for education. Lastly, I would like to thank my Dad, Ani, and her friends Panda and MoMo for being great helpers during my field sampling for this research. iv TABLE OF CONTENTS PAGE Publication Rights ...................................................................................................... iii Acknowledgements .................................................................................................... iv List of Tables ............................................................................................................. vii List of Figures ............................................................................................................ viii List of Symbols and Nomenclature............................................................................ xi Abstract ...................................................................................................................... xv CHAPTER I. Introduction .............................................................................................. 1 Statement of the Problem ................................................................ 1 Purpose of the Study ....................................................................... 7 Definitions....................................................................................... 7 Limitations of the Study.................................................................. 10 II. Literature Review .................................................................................... 12 General Principles and Observations .............................................. 12 Specific Principles and Observations.............................................. 26 Existing Data ................................................................................... 34 III. Methodology ............................................................................................ 40 Introduction ..................................................................................... 40 Overall Site Description .................................................................. 40 Field Activities and Procedures ...................................................... 50 Laboratory Analyses ....................................................................... 64 EQ3NR Aqueous Speciation........................................................... 68 v CHAPTER PAGE IV. Findings and Results ................................................................................ 74 Introduction ..................................................................................... 74 Presentation of the Findings............................................................ 74 Hypothesis....................................................................................... 108 Comments on Overall Results ........................................................ 108 V. Summary, Conclusions, and Recommendations...................................... 111 Introduction ..................................................................................... 111 Research Questions and Hypothesis ............................................... 111 Conclusions Relevant to Research Questions ................................. 112 Limitations of the Study Design and Procedures ............................ 114 Future Research and Recommendations ......................................... 115 References Cited ........................................................................................................ 117 Appendices A. Laboratory Results ................................................................................... 132 B. EQ3NR Output – MN-WAT-01-F ........................................................... 162 C. EQ3NR Output – MN-WAT-07-F ........................................................... 172 vi LIST OF TABLES TABLE PAGE 1. Monitoring Locations within the Moonlight Project .................................. 51 2. Monitoring Locations Outside of the Moonlight Project ............................ 52 3. Activation Laboratories Trace Metals Code 6 Analysis Analyte Symbols ................................................................................... 65 4. Activation Laboratories Anion Code 6B and 6C Analyses ........................ 66 5. Temperature Data, October 2008 through May 2009 (˚C) ......................... 77 6. pH Data, October 2008 through May 2009 ................................................ 79 7. Electrical Conductivity Data, October 2008 through May 2009 (µS/cm) ........................................................................................ 81 8. Dissolved Oxygen Data, October 2008 through May 2009 (Percent Saturated) ............................................................................... 83 9. Eh Data, April through May 2009 (mV) ..................................................... 85 10. EPA Drinking Water MCL, SMCL, or TT Action Level for Analyzed Constituents .......................................................................... 87 11. Measured Major Anion Concentrations in MN-WAT-16 (Soda Creek) and MN-WAT-13 (Field Duplicate) ............................... 88 vii LIST OF FIGURES FIGURE PAGE 1. Waste rock and ruins of the Superior Mill at the Superior Mine ...................................................................................................... 2 2. Mine tailings along the embankment of the lower Lights Creek within the Moonlight Project ...................................................... 3 3. California State University, Chico geology students touring the No. 5 level of the Superior Mine in 2008 ....................................... 4 4. Water emerging from the Engels Mine No. 10 level (monitoring location MN-WAT-09) ..................................................... 5 5. A portion of the facilities constructed to remediate AMD at Iron Mountain Mine in Shasta County, California ............................... 16 6. Typical sources of contamination from mining .......................................... 18 7. Transport pathways for contaminants in a hypothetical tailings pile ............................................................................................ 19 8. Hypothetical supergene enrichment cross-section ...................................... 22 9. The earliest known photo of Engels Lower Camp along Lights Creek, 1905. ............................................................................... 27 10. Smelter under construction in 1910 ............................................................ 29 11. The first mill in the United States to use only the flotation process to concentrate its copper ore .................................................... 30 12. Superior Electric Railroad connecting the No. 10 Level of the Engels Mine with the Superior Mill ................................................ 31 13. Engelmine, Lower Camp, 1923 .................................................................. 32 14. The 108 foot high steel head-frame over the vertical three- compartment Superior shaft was built in 1917 ..................................... 33 viii FIGURE PAGE 15. The fourth level of Engels Mine in 1915 .................................................... 34 16. Lights Creek running through Lights Canyon and to the Indian Valley ........................................................................................
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