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Mining and the Environment South Park Colorado

Learn about mineral deposits, mining methods, and environmental considerations in South Park, Colorado. Discover the valuable minerals in the Earth's crust and the impact of mining on the local area. Explore the regulations and practices for mine reclamation and environmental treatment.

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Mining and the Environment South Park Colorado

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  1. Mining and the EnvironmentSouth Park Colorado

  2. Overview • What is a mineral deposit? • Introduction to mining • Environmental considerations • Local mine assessment program

  3. Valuable Minerals in the Earth Crust • What is a mineral? • Naturally occurring • Inorganic • Homogeneous solid • Definite chemical composition • Ordered structure

  4. Occurrence, Prospect, Deposit, or Ore • mineral occurrence is a concentration of a mineral • mineral prospect is any occurrence that has been developed by underground or aboveground techniques or by subsurface drilling to determine the extent of mineralization • ore deposit is a mineral deposit that has been tested and is known to be of sufficient size, grade, and accessibility to be mined at a profit.

  5. Introduction to Mining • “If it cant be grown it must be mined” • Mines provide benefits to the communities where they are located • Employee wages • Contribution to the general community (lunch) • Taxes (town, state, federal) • Ideally, mine closure planning begins during exploration and feasibility phases of mining

  6. 1,390 lbs copper • 573 lbs coal • 772 lbs zinc • 1.55 million lbs stone, sand and gravel

  7. Mining in Park County • Between 1859-1989 Park County produced • 9,404,623 oz Silver • 1,366,374 oz Gold • 12,668,632 lbs Zinc • 63,333,051 lbs Lead • 3,334,886 lbs Copper • 600 historic mine workings • Over 3,000 patented mining claims • Mineral occurrences in Park County include both lode and placer deposits • Construction materials such as building stone, crushed stone, and sand and gravel also exist in the County

  8. Environmental Considerations • Waters affected by mining and metallurgical processing are referred to as mining influenced water (MIW) • Point source - a discharge from a single point, any discernible, confined, and discrete conveyance, including but not limited to any pipe, ditch, channel, tunnel, conduit, well discrete fissure, container from which pollutants are or may be discharged • TMDLS - an estimate of the concentrations resulting from the total loadings from all sources to a water body. • Large areas of disturbed land (can be seen from space)

  9. Acid Mine Drainage • AD generation involves 5 components: • Air (oxygen) • Iron • Sulfur (pyrite FeS2) • Water • Bacteria

  10. Environmental Regulations • SMCRA – Surface Mining Control and Reclamation Act (1977) • CERCLA – Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation and Liability Act (1980) • CWA – Clean Water Act (1972) • CAA – Clean Air Act (1970) • NEPA – National Environmental Policy Act (1969) • EIS, EA

  11. Reclamation Process • Many states now require land reclamation as an integral part of mine planning. • Satisfactory reclamation should emphasize three major objectives: • The productivity should at least equal that of the pre-mine surface. • Reclamation should leave the mined area in a condition that will not contribute to environmental degradation • The reclaimed area should be esthetically acceptable and it should be safe for the uses intended.

  12. Passive vs Active Treatment

  13. CUSP’s Mine Assessment Program • Initial characterization • pH, metal concentrations, SO4 concentrations, DO, temperature, TDS/conductivity • Prioritization • Propose basic remediation alternatives for those sites with serious environmental impacts • Work with land owners to do remediation work

  14. Summary • Minerals and mineral deposits • Why we need mining • What are the environmental impacts of mining? • Can impacts be mitigated with best management practices?

  15. Picture references • http://ehp.niehs.nih.gov/docs/2001/109-10/draining.jpg • http://socioeconomic.files.wordpress.com/2009/02/strip_coal_mining3.jpg • http://www.mining-technology.com/contractor_images/gladiatorequipment/1-mining-equipment.jpg • http://bowjamesbow.ca/images/mining-equipment-thumb.jpg • http://img258.imageshack.us/img258/1038/bamd035ek.jpg • http://soundwaves.usgs.gov/2006/01/HydraulicMiningLG.jpg • http://gasmartenergy.files.wordpress.com/2009/10/mountaintop-removal5201.jpg • http://us-cdn.creamermedia.co.za/assets/articles/images/resized/47500_resized_anglo_coal_emalahleni_water_treatment_plant.jpg

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